May you be blessed with good friends.
May you learn to be a good friend to yourself.
May you be able to journey to that place in your soul where there is great love,
warmth, feeling, and forgiveness.
May this change you.
a friendship blessing from "Anam Cara" - John O'Donohue
I have decided that I can bear it no longer and my writer's itch is too intense to sleep. I am back home (here in this online world) and can I say...I looove it here.
My heart is home.
Thank you sweet friends for your loving concern, prayers, email-hugs, convicting shoves (you know who you are!) and hearty encouragements -- I have needed every good word. After weeks of letting my life sift-and-sort itself out, it hasn't been easy to get back into any routine.
But, your traveling mercies have blessed me greatly.
Bless you~
Filled and fueled with newness and change, life is always bringing challenges. For those of you who know me well, I consider adventure a friendly word, one I would eagerly choose for a middle name -- but these several weeks really threw me off my intended path. How could my favorite word turn on me? Flip me upside down?
Well...it happens. I am certainly not immune to chaos.
Life can really bring it sometimes...can't it?
Thankfully there are surprising gifts in our broken spaces. God doesn't leave us alone. His overflowing love pours over us when we finally give up on our own "fixing". I don't know why I even try anymore! He loves to step into the messy places with us ~ He loves to tend to his sheep (I should know this story quite well, lol.)
This is His work, this is His home ~ our vulnerable and tender-messy hearts.
It is where we see ourselves most clearly.
And, it is where we can see real love as it actually is...wildly alive, free to all, and so abundant~
I am eager to catch up on your summer and what creative paths you are taking. A great gift of stepping away from a busy online life is coming back to it and seeing the amazing growth that has happened! It is breathtaking to see the beauty that fills this online world -- Your hearts and arts have blessed me so much!
Seriously, could life's gifts get any better than this~ you as my friend, a box of fresh unopened paint, a cool summer breeze, and simple sketches of God's abundant love?
I adore you~ thank you for being you~
in love and lambs,
jj
So happy to see you back! Life sure isn't simple... I hear you there. In a patch of that myself right now. HE will help us through!
ReplyDeleteWell hello again beautiful girl! - it is so absolutely wonderful to see you here again. Your words about finally giving up on our own "fixing" resonates deeply - a concept that's popped in and out of my mind often recently. What is that - that need to fix? It's a curious thing, because I actually believe in being in "safe hands" when we finally give up on our own fixing...
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings to you
- missed you dearly!
xx'o
Sorry - a kitten helped with the Irish version of the xo, lol!
ReplyDeletebeautiful to see you emerging into the glow of summer. (love your "seriously?" sheep)
ReplyDeletexo
So happy to see your post, sweet Junelle...I've missed you!! :) Oh, my, such truth to the words you write...it is so hard to sometimes really ~ fully LET GO and LET GOD, as I, too, find that I am always trying to fix things, work them out, think far enough ahead so I can "map" out just what I need to know and be prepared for. I find it just doesn't work so great that way, but it does flow so much better when I allow God to lead me...when I turn it {all} over to Him. What a blessing to be able to share our walks in faith in this online world and with special souls like you!! Hugs, girlie!!!
ReplyDeleteMissed you Junelle and your lovely posts! So glad you posted and love the sketch!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad your back Junelle - wherever life took you, I, for one am soooo glad He led you back to your online peeps. Your art and words are so inspiring...good wishes!!!
ReplyDeleteYou are such an inspiration, Junelle. Not only in your art, but in your words of faith as well. The last sketch hit home with me as this is exactly what I am trying to do. Good to have you back!
ReplyDeletesurprising gifts in the broken places...yes and amen!!!
ReplyDeletewe come broken...but sometimes in our do it ourselves, pull myself up by my bootstraps way of doing life we do not enter it. and enter the brokenness we must. and in doing so we find God smack dab in the middle, waiting for us to acknowledge we cannot do it on our own, waiting for us to give up our relentless way of doing what is his job.
"Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30 msg)
love this verse in this version...
we are such sheep are we not??
Grace and peace to you beloved daughter of the most High King!!!
You are loved and you were missed, but still in our hearts, so, you continued along with us on our daily journey. Thank you for taking such great care of our friend Junelle. xo
ReplyDeleteJunelle, you have brought me to tears of joy today. I've missed you so! The world needs your beauty and honesty! I thank God today for bringing you back to our little online world.
ReplyDeleteI had missed you!!! I was wondering why you weren't posting, but God had a plan for you! Looking forward to see where your path goes1
ReplyDeleteHugs and prayers!!!
Yippee, so glad you're back!! oh my how I love your mailboxes!! I must give it a try, they are just darling
ReplyDeleteLove the mail boxes... thanks for stopping by and leaving us a note... we miss you we are YOUR WILD ONES..LOL...
ReplyDeleteMissed you so! Glad you are back!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are posting again, Junelle! I've missed you. I wondered if the lambs were ok, the sheep moms were ok, you were ok. Prayed for you too. Your post gave me a huge happy smile.
ReplyDeleteLove that you are back, and that you are so honest. Thank you for sharing that with us. Sifting through life can be a long arduous process, but you remind us that the Great Shepherd is with us all the time.
ReplyDeletexoxo
lynn
I'm so glad you're back. You are such a blessing and I have missed you.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to read your post again!!! Missed you!
ReplyDeleteLooks like you have a crowd cheering you on as you run the race my friend! I too am so thankful he steps in when it gets messy. XXOO
ReplyDeleteMissed you! Happy you're back indeed!
ReplyDeleteHi Junelle, I really missed you and was worried about you being gone for so long. So very happy that you are back. You bring sunshine and sweetness to my world.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you are back.
ReplyDeleteAnd that Love Note art piece is just so beautiful!!! Thanks so much for sharing.
I adore nYOU. Glad your back. There is such a sweetness here.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are back!!!!
ReplyDeleteWelcome back our sweet Junelle! We have all missed you and worried and prayed for you. I love what Barbara H said you do bring sunshine and sweetness to all of us. You are one of a kind and we love you to pieces!
ReplyDeleteyou loveliness always touches my heart! i so wish i have half a faithful heart as you so sweetly share!
ReplyDeleteLove you and so happy to hear from your wise words again. Had a hard while having you gone. You leave sunshine and love!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteGrace and blessings to you. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Junelle,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to see you back. We welcome you with open arms and a warm heart.
Hugs,
Kay
I have a sweet quilted coaster that sits beneath whatever I am drinking that says "Let Go and Let God". I see it when I sip my tea, after a drink of water, when I pick up my glass to take it to the kitchen. Whatever it takes for us to hear the message... it is a gift. So glad you've taken the time to sort things out, dear friend.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
x, Val
So glad you are back! We have missed you and your sweetness.
ReplyDeleteSoooo glad you are back. I have been checking back again and again and have been worried about where you went to. I am so very glad your back. Hugs Lisa from NZ
ReplyDeleteOh Junelle.....it is great to have you back. Everything went through my mind as I continually looked at your blog to see if you were back. Thank you for sharing your heart with such honesty. Hugs, Rhonda
ReplyDeletePS I LOVE my notecards!
aw, bless it! Glad your back, life does get crazy...
ReplyDeleteOh how happy it made my heart to see your post today! You are truly an inspiration with your art and sweet words. Thank you! Glad to see you back~
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are back!
ReplyDeleteneeded to take time away as well over the last few weeks and so happy to see you are coming back online; you are a blessing Junelle.
ReplyDeleteHappy you are back...you were missed!!! Blessings ~H♥~
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to read your words and view your art -- glad you're back!!!
ReplyDeleteJunelle! It is so wonderful to read new blog posts from you! I know what it's like when God takes you on a detour from your path...when He makes the detour your new path. Blessings on you, your life, your art!
ReplyDeleteHi Junelle,
ReplyDeleteIt is truely a blessing to read your words and enjoy your pictures. Thankyou for sharing your heart and soul with us. It is refreshing, encouraging and delightful. I always feel inspired after reading your posts. You are a breathe of fresh air and a wonderful woman of God. Thankyou for letting God use you to speak to me so clearly. Peace to you Junelle. XX Jo