GOD'S PROMISES

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”Genesis 9:16

Over Holy Week I had the extreme privilege of painting a mural called "God's Promises."

I went into this job praying, as I always do, "God use me, may your glory be shown through this talent you have blessed me with."

As I sit back and reflect on this journey of this mural. I have never been more humbled in all my life, and I have fallen more in love with our wonderful creator. The Lord revealed himself to me in ways I never thought possible. I went into this mural thinking I was going to be used to bless someone. When in turn the Lord blessed ME! I can't help but sing..."how great is our God."

The story behind the mural.

It was a cold sunny day, the day I met this family to discuss the mural they wanted for their little girls bedroom. As they invited me into their beautiful home I was met with excitement and warmth. 

We went up to the little girls room and they showed me this VERY tall wall in which the mural was to go on. The little girl shared with me how much she just LOVED rainbows. When I asked her why she loved them so much. She said because of her brother. As she said this her mama started to get tears in her eyes. Mom shared with me that they lost their 12 yr old son very unexpectedly from a undetected heart disorder. 

My heart broke.

She continued to share that on the day of his wake his sister put a rainbow sticker on her brothers shirt, and as they left the building, in which the service was held; there in the sky was a beautiful double rainbow. Shining brightly from heaven to earth. WOW!! 

I so understand the significance of why this family LOVES rainbows!!

I went out of this meeting so touched and felt privileged to be invited into this families hurt and healing in remembering and honoring their precious little boy.

As I went back to my studio to sketch out the mural.  I studied photos of rainbows and meadows. Not only was I trying to figure out what I was going to create, but HOW I was going to create it.  To paint rainbows realistically is very difficult. Technically I had no clue how to pull this off. I studied and researched but nothing came to me for the design. 

Frustration set in. Ugh! I remember sitting in my studio going. "OK God, what...what do you want me to paint? "

Then one morning true to form, the Lord put a picture in my head. This usually happens when I reach the end of my rope.

I went down to my studio that morning and sketched out the mural. (see photo)

The family loved it! The only thing they wanted to add was an angel in the sky. 
DONE!

The week I worked on the mural was holy week. I listened to faith radio all week and sang praises to God. He guided my hand and kept me safe on a very little plank suspended 13 ft in the air. Trust me, I was well aware of EVERY step. LOL! 

The whole time I prayed for this family. I prayed in my head, I prayed out loud. I was a prayer warrior, and in the quiet I heard the Lord say to me..."Tell them I love them." I said Lord, "When? how do I do that?"

The Lord gave me the opportunity on the last day. 

The mom came into the bedroom in which I was painting. Gulp...I asked her If I could talk to her. First I told her I was a Christian and sometimes I hear from God through prayer and through his word. I told her He wanted me to tell her that He loved her and her family, and that your son is in His loving arms.

Silence...then tears, and more tears. 

Then something amazing happened. She opened up and shared with me. She knew He loved her. She knew her boy was in God's arms, and though she will probably never understand the why...she is trying to trust. 

Tears..hugs!

Mom shared that she was overwhelmed with all the love her family has received from all over. I saw how God surrounded this hurting, broken family with HIS people to reveal HIS love to them. From their church family, friends, even the people they got their puppy from. All wonderful people pouring God's love into them. 

Not only that,  but there where little touches of God's love painted in the sky. Not just once but twice. 

On the second anniversary of remembering when the Lord called this beautiful boy home. They went to release some balloons in remembrance and God gave them another rainbow. WOW!! 

I see God revealed everywhere in this journey. I'm sobbing writing this! So humbled, broken, compassionate, inspired, honored, and loved! Words that come to my mind in this journey.

God revealed how tender He is. That He sees us hurting, so He sends people, signs, little tidbits to know He's there. He sees- and He cares. He weaves us all together to encourage each other, to help us on this journey. 

I saw how life is hard, but God is good. I saw what it looks like to trust God even when life around you is falling apart.

Ironic that on the day I had a chance to visit with mom it was Good Friday. 

I now have a better understanding of our Father's heart and what it must have been like for Him to loose his one and only Son.  Through the pain...there's love! Love our human minds can't understand. 

Because of His pain, we have the hope of holding our loved ones in our arms again. Because of His sacrifice we have the promise that He will never leave us or forsake us. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus said, "and surely I am with you ALWAYS even to the very end of the age."

He is with us.. He is soverign even in the dark.... even in the dawn. 

On a side note.
Do you know how rainbows are made?

When a beam of sunlight comes down to Earth, the light is white.  

But, if the light beam happens to hit raindrops on the way down at a 

certain angle, the different colors that make up the beam separate 

so that we can see them -- in the form of a rainbow. 

No wonder God uses the sign of a rainbow to reveal his faithfulness to us.

He is there. He's LIGHT... but this world is broken and storms come (Rain). But when you give God your storm, and you let His light penetrate your brokenness He promises something beautiful (The Rainbow). 

So simple...So beautiful!

Thanks be to God that even when things around us don't make sense you have a plan, and you make all things new. You promise that when things fall apart your love endures forever. So we hope in you Oh lord, renew our strength! Help us soar like eagles, help us to not grow weary. Help us Oh Lord to keep our eyes fixed on you the author and finisher of our faith.  

So one glorious day we can see you Jesus, and hold our loved ones again, and maybe perhaps someday Lord you will show me how to make your rainbows. Oh, how I love you Lord!!

Blessings