You are Loved...Just as You Are

You are truly, deeply loved, really. Why do we all have this desire to be someone else or to have what someone else has? If we are to be honest, I think we all have a current "I wish..."?  I wish I was thinner? I wish I was prettier? I wish my skin was more flawless? I wish I wasn't divorced? I wish I was better at...? I wish...I wish...I wish.... The other day I was talking with a pastor friend of ours and in talking about another pastor he said "I wish I could preach like him.". I immediately stopped him and told him, that was the other pastors style, and God gave him his own style. I've been spending a lot of time lately thinking about this desire so many of us have because it is the topic and one of the reasons behind the study we are currently putting together called "Because Liada".  So here's what I want you to know, you are loved for who you are right now today. And from the lyrics from an awesome song by JJ Heller "not for what you have done or for what you'll become". You are loved for you, just as you are at this very moment even if who you are right now is...fallen, sinful, overweight, divorced, depressed, lonely, etc. I'm not saying we need to settle in to where we're at and stay there because it is always good to work towards being the best we can be. But we need to learn to be the best of ourselves, not of someone else. We need to learn to love ourselves just where we are today because Christ is not waiting till you lose weight to love you. He did not wait to die on the cross for you till you accomplished something great.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39 NKJV

Isn't it incredible what we do to ourselves? We try to separate ourselves from the love of Christ by thinking we are unlovable when He has said nothing can separate us from that love. We think He would not want us and we are unforgiveable when He has said He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west.  So if you are doubting your worth, if you are feeling unloved, lonely, unbeautiful, etc. focus on Him who loves you without end, who's love fails not and who loves you today...just the way you are.

Because Liada

What does Because Liada mean?  It comes from a quote from Helen Keller who said, "Life is a daring adventure, or nothing at all."  I love that quote and I think it pretty much sums up how God wants us to live this life He has given us. He wants us looking for that wow in every day. He wants us living an abundant, fulfilling life. But He also wants us to move beyond our pasts and be the child of the King He created us to be.  Why? Because Life Is A Daring Adventure, Because Liada.

 Because Liada also is the name of a bible study we are in the process of putting together. It is a creative, bible based, journaling and artistic adventure. I am so excited about this study. Each lesson has a creative project which goes along with it. If you have feelings of inadequacy in regards to your creative or artistic abilities, there is no need to worry, anyone can do these projects, and all instructions will be included. While this study has been fun to  write, it has been even more fun to play with all the art supplies as we work through the lessons and match up the perfect creative project with the bible lesson. This study will challenge  you as you discover the awesome authentic, unique individual God created you to be.

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If you are interested in hearing updates as Because Liada progresses or possibly on being part of the launch team please email us using the form below. We will be looking for a select group of people who are willing to trial run this study and report back to us on the lessons and the art projects etc.

Mixed Media Journal Art Page - I do not remember crayons being this much fun!

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My daughter and I have been having a blast trying out different art techniques. The bible study I am in the process of writing has a different mixed media art journal page which you create to go along with each lesson. We've had fun experimenting with the art mediums and techniques to find which ones go best with which lessons in the study and well, you know, just playing with art supplies. But...Oh my goodness did we have fun with this new technique...and as I said before, this makes crayons even more fun as an adult! Then to top it off, I had these vintage ledger pages from a  tobacco manufacturers cigar ledger which I purchased and they have that oh so perfect vintagy discoloration which is just delightful. I am really excited about this study, it walks you through the process of learning about yourself, about learning who you are as a child of the King, finding out what your spiritual God given gifts are, embracing your life story and giving God victory over past hurts. In the process of working through the study, you create a mixed media art journal which is uniquely you, uniquely your life story. I can't really get into how this page was done right now, but all the directions will be in the study. I will also post directions on the blog for a couple of the techniques eventually.

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 It has been fun to work on creating my own book, to lay out my life story in this manner and really think about who I am as a beloved child of Christ, but it's been especially fun to figure out the techniques for you all to use to create your own personal journal.

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God does not want us living stuck in a rut being dragged down by our pasts, He wants us living a victorious life. He wants you to know about all the awesome, unique, hand selected gifts He has put inside you and He wants you using them. He wants you to believe you can do it, because you can through Him, and He wants you to be free to be you, to take flight and be all you can be. If you are interested in hearing when this bible study is finished, just email me and I can put you on the email list. In the meantime....go...live life abundantly, and if you haven't been living that way, start today.