Eternal Tree

This is a bit late as I painted this a couple weeks ago but I have been waiting for words to put to this picture. Well today God finally gave me the words. The painting is based primarily on Galatians 5:22-23 "When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law." and I just read today Psalms 92:12-14 "But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they still produce fruit, they will remain vital and green." I read Psalms 92 after I wrote the words to this picture so I can tell you that all of this was definitely inspired NOT by myself. I drew this painting after the Bible study I went to came to an end. We had studied the fruits of the spirit and how they apply to everyday living. A different picture came to my mind and I was picturing a tree with roots stretching and intertwining with one another. I saw how: as I read God's word, spend time with him, talk to him, pray to him and thank Him for what He is doing in my life - that these spiritual qualities grow. My patience with my children miraculously grows, my desire to be kind and help others and not sit on the couch because I'm tired grows, I pictured these strong roots growing beneath the pillar. And I envisioned a full tree blooming and could see that Paul was right in 1 Corinthians 13. Love is what remains. The harvest is love. Because to love well - we need all the qualities of the Holy Spirit - at least I know I do. Without Him I wither and become dry. I hope this picture and poem encourages you as God has encouraged me through the process and also reminded me to grow - grow my roots deep. May we ever flourish, even in old age, may we remain vital and green. Amen

Poems and Paintings

I'm not sure how many know but I am a bookworm, I am a journaler. I have always loved to write, not just write anything but write to God and about God. Oh the therapy sessions my journal has brought me. But that's a whole other blog post that I probably won't write. Anyways, poems and lyrics from songs have also been passions of mine. I've always loved to write and often I have found that as I got busy with life, even as a teenager, I was good at suffocating that passion out. I put very little weight on it. And there were years where I didn't write and also didn't even hum a song. Desert years they call them. But as I've had time, lots of time especially while Gino has been on trips, God's Holy Spirit has stirred in me those passions again as well as semi-new ones. I used to love to draw, although I quickly stopped or would hide my work, as I often compared myself to others. But lately when I read His word, or do the women's bible study I'm doing. or hear a song, or hear a sermon, or hear about a friend suffering - a picture comes to my mind. I fought it for awhile, journaling about these pictures instead, trying to remember the details when it hit me. I needed to paint. I needed to paint these pictures out. So while Gino was away I did my first two (believe it or not with crayon and crayola paint). I laughed because I thought of my Jr. Highers that I used to make paint and I thought, "they could do way better than I just did." But I also smiled because the picture in my head was finally on paper. Maybe not as refined as I pictured it but it was there. I am going to share the last two paintings I've done as God gave me words to these painting and I hope and pray they encourage someone, uplift someone, breathe fresh air on someone, not because I am a fantastic poet or artist, but because God can use our meek offerings and turn them into blazing fires. He can take our scribbles and fill them with hope, encouragement and life.  I pray this is the case. Love - Laura

Painting #1 - Dancers Prayer

Painting #2 - Push Forward Through

I am...

Earlier this week I had been doing my Bible study when I was struck with a concept I never thought of before. The trinity - such a complicated term. So many examples have been given. The reason it stuck with me is my son was also asking earlier about God and how Jesus is God and God is God. ( I used water as an example - liquid,vapor,ice - still water in the end) I asked him if he understood and he said, "do I say yes???" Umm, only if you get is Sean. I see my need to be reading God's word everyday through my kids because this is deep and I find that kids ask the deepest questions and I pray God guides my every answer. I've been meaning to share this but our wireless has been down for 2 weeks and I couldn't really see myself typing this all out on my phone. So now that Internet is up and running, my kids are in bed, I have a little quiet time to put this thought down. Here we go:

As I read Colossians 1:15-17 a picture in my mind started forming. Here are the verses: "Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation.  He made the things we can see and the things we can't see - kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities.  Everything has been created through him and for him.  He existed before everything else began and he holds all creation together."

CHRIST IS THE VISIBLE IMAGE OF GOD....hmmm. So while it doesn't mention the Holy spirit this just stirred in me a desire to really understand the trinity. Jesus is God, God the Father is God and the Holy Spirit is God. They are 3 in 1. They ARE. I have read commentaries, heard teachers explain using the 3 in 1 visual aspects of water, an apple, an egg, etc. And while those helped me, I wanted something more. So as I prayed:

This made me think of Matthew 3: 16-17 "After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and setting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him."

So I prayed more - God how do I explain this to my children. How do I explain who you are. Exodus 3:14 "God replied, "I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS" (other translations: I am who I am or I will be what I will be), Just tell them, I AM has sent me to you.

I am no theologian. But a picture came to my mind of a woman with people coming and going in her life. From there a poem emerged and I thought I'd share. (This could apply to guys too by the way but I'm a girl so that's why I thought of this first):

I AM:
I am me
A daughter but that is just a part of me because I grew up to be
a wife
I am Me
A wife but that is just a part of me because I am now a mother
I am me
All 3 are the makeup of who
I am.

Now while the trinity always existed I thought of the Hebrew people. For years they interacted and knew of God the Father. Almighty God. When Jesus came they were introduced to a part of God they had never seen before. He was fully man yet fully God. He and the Father are one. The Hebrews that understood this got to experience a new part of God they never knew before (and we still get to now!).  Then when Jesus left the Holy Spirit was promised and given to us so that we would have God's spirit to guide us, transform us, comfort us, and seal us. The disciples got to again experience a new part of God they did not have full access too until Pentecost. So how does my poem fit into this. Well here is where I see an analogy: a person can know me as a child and then leave my life. They come back years later and I'm married. I'm not the same person they knew and yet that part of me still exists. There is a new part of me they must now get to know.  If they leave again and come back years later and I'm a mom, there is now another new side of me they must get to know. This led me to write this:

I AM:

I am
God who was, who is and will always be
I am
Christ the visible image of God
who shed my blood to set free all who believe and leave
I am the Holy spirit who stays and guides you with wisdom
and peace
All 3 are the makeup of who
I AM

I'm not sure if this will offend or encourage or help but I hope that one day I can explain this as close to the truth as possible and that the Holy Spirit will fill in the rest to my children. May we all be given deeper glimpses into our Mighty, complex, deep loving, tender God.

I AM
Those who saw me as Creator and worshipped me at the altar - I AM
I AM also the Son of God who offers more than just redeeming love
I AM the Holy Spirit residing within those who believe
And all these different parts of me make up what you call the Trinity
But in the end its much more simple : I AM WHO I AM.

May we worship and love all that you are.

God bless.

Everyday Chatter

As I was driving my kids home from picking berries (which was very fun till my oldest decided to give me attitude as if he was 14 and not 4), I was not looking forward to driving to the grocery store to run errands. I almost put on some music to kind of muffle the chatter that goes on in those back seats and give my ears and mind a bit of a break, but then my oldest asks if he can please earn a prize for knowing his Bible verse. I explained he needed to say it all the way and that he also needed to tell his dad. I also told him I was surprised he was asking this as we just had a spank and juice taken away for a week (he picked those punishments out by the way - I was gonna go for taking a toy away for a day but he kept pressing for a punishment and then proceeded to tell me he was going to pick it.) So I let him win that battle - sort of.

 Anyways in the ladies Bible study I joined we are going through a Beth Moore series that talks about the Holy Spirit. I'm loving it as one of the verses I mention constantly to my kids is Galations 5:22-23. I have to say, though, as I'm going through this study God has decided I need to better my character.  And this week has been a stretcher for me with my kiddos, especially  my eldest. I'm so glad God is at least making it clear to me that I'm being stretched because it has helped me to pray, even as my son has told me quite a few times this week that he likes dad better than me - to just smile and say "I know Sean, I know." Because if it was me - I would have been laying on the guilt trip or would have felt like the worse mom ever!

So again back to me driving to the store with my kids. Sean began trying to say his memory verse earnestly. It's 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 by the way : "Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not jealous, or boastful, or proud or rude. It does not demand it's own way, it is not irritable. It keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice over evil but rejoices with the truth. Love never gives us, love never loses faith, it always hopes, and endures through every circumstance."  He wants to earn a wallet and so I'm making sure it's earned (hey wallets are expensive and he wants one that will last till he's an adult he says). Anyways he said it pretty perfect and he said, "I should keep saying it over and over and then I won't forget it." I said he was right and that it's good to practice it so he can tell his dad. So he began practicing it and I could hear that he'd mix up the phrases or sentences and stop himself. He kept stumbling so I tried to help by saying it along with him. Well he told me quite adamantly that I needed to let him do this by himself. So rolled my eyes (he couldn't see that by way) and closed my mouth. He again proceeded and began to stumble again and started to get angry. And then this kid melted me. He stopped and said aloud, "Dear Jesus please help me have self-control. In Jesus name I pray Amen." Then he started to practice again.

Chatter - beautiful heart melting chatter. A sweet simple prayer from my son's lips. Rather than ask me he went to God for help. Rather than give into his anger, he asked God to give him self-control. (I guess he was paying attention this week as I would pray aloud some times "Lord give me patience!!") But as I drove on in silence letting my son practice - tears filled my eyes and I praised God in my heart saying, "Lord thank you for showing me that you are real to my son. Please keep him dependent on you. Please help me to be more like him - May I go to you first when I struggle. May I remember to stop what I'm doing and just give it to you. Lord thank you that my son knew at that moment that you would give him that self-control. May my faith be ever more child-like Jesus."

Daddy

I do not think that what I say may be seen as profound to many but today God spoke to my heart and I felt led to share. Today was a tough day for my Sean boy. Today videos of his father did not cut it. Today he cried this morning because he wanted to snuggle with his daddy. Today he prayed God would bring his daddy home soon. Today he cried at night because I didn't read the Bible like his daddy did and he wanted his daddy again. Tonight the videos brought a small smile to his face as he talked back to his dad. I left him with a photo album which he was looking at as I closed their door.

So what is this epiphany that came to me? I was praying this morning after Sean cried that God would comfort my son and my heart also smiled knowing how much my son loves his daddy. Kayleigh also stated this week she missed her daddy and made me send a video of her singing to him. They miss him, they smile at the videos he made and talk back to him. They light up when they see his face. They know they are loved by their Father and they love him back.

I was convicted at that thought. Do I long for my Father in heaven like my son longs for his daddy? Do I get moved to tears wishing I could just hug him or hold on to him. Do I feel unsatisfied with just hearing and reading about my Father. Do I long to just run up to him wildly and smother him with love?

I have to say that for most of my life - I never really thought about it. I mean I never thought to miss my Lord. I never thought to long to see Him so I could love him. I always focused on my limited understanding of what would end here if I went there. God has suddenly filled me with a love for him that brings me to tears when I read his word at times, that makes me smile in the early morning when I'm alone and say good morning to Him. I am finally seeing him as my daddy. And my daddy deserves my love. A love like Sean has for Gino. And so today I am sharing this because it's my prayer that we all will love our God passionately and fiercely like a child loves their father. Like a child who is loved well by their Father. Because our God in heaven loves us like no one ever can or ever will. May I love you well Jesus - to the point that I miss you everyday and long to see your face.

Psalms 84 ( a portion of it:) "How lovely is you dwelling place, O lord Almighty. For my soul longs and even faints for you. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.  Even the sparrow finds a home there, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young - at a place near our altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. How happy are those who can live in your house, always singing your praises....A single day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. "

Do we impact?

Gino has been away for 1 week now. (Yes I am doing the countdown - I have 3 toddlers - you would too!!) I have heard back from Gino and so far the concerts have received good feedback. More people have come than they thought would, even drawing people from apartments that could hear them. The people were happy about them taking time to translate lyrics which opened up opportunities to talk with people and get them thinking about deeper things. They've had 2 concerts so far and a 3rd one today. They have traveling tomorrow to the south of France.  We of course will go more in detail later but for now thank you for the prayers - they are being heard and answered.

And that brings me to the topic above.  I was reading this morning Psalms 82 and part of verse 5 stuck with me quite heavily. It says "..and because they (the appointed israelite judges) are in darkness, the whole world is shaken to the core."

This verse struck me hard. It reminded me that my actions impact more than just myself. Especially as a mom with little ones who look to me to show them how to live life - my actions, my words impact.  On top of that my actions - whether I choose to live as God has asked me to live - or whether I choose to live as I please - this impacts not just me, not just my family, but does impact the world. How does it impact the world? Well I'm finding that when I am pleasing myself - I am not thinking to pray for my brother, my friend, our leaders, our world. Wouldn't it be something if all of us realized that we not only impact our life - we can impact the world. It reminds me also of Matthew 5:16 "So let your light shine before all men, that they may see your good deeds and give glory to God in heaven."

So to those who are on our team, to those who love the Lord - you can and are impacting the world. Thank you for taking time out of your busy life to spend time with our mighty God - interceding in prayer for Gino and the whole team. May you be encouraged and uplifted knowing God has chosen to impact the world through all who choose to live a life of love through Him.

I pray you will help me live in your light Lord. By your grace and strength, I can live in a way that impacts those around me and even those far away. What a gift to be used by you. Who am I? Your child whom you ransomed with a heavy price. May my love for you be evident in how I live....in how we live.

God Bless - Laura

Une peu de prévision en français (A little preview in French)

The team from Canada is here and the rehearsals and training sessions are going well. The guys are gracious enough to run around with mine and Suzie's kids after dinner and Georgia, the dancer going with the team, has been so sweet with our girls. Below are two videos showing a song written by Jon Simpson that Jon was able to translate and sing in French.  Here is just a taste of what they will be doing in France. They also sang it live with their bassist and drummer today at the "Prayer Plus" event that OM has every Thursday. Prayer Plus is a time for us to pray for missionaries around the world, for each other, etc. There's usually a time of worship with music, prayer and sharing through it.

Saturday is a full concert, including a French translator and dancing as well. We are excited and praying people are encouraged and touched. It's open to anyone who wants to come and the church we've been going to was also invited as well. We are excited especially because I (Laura) and the kids will get to see Gino play live for the very first time in a full concert. We also have good friends from Atlanta coming by and we're excited to hang out with them.

Please continue to pray for their journey.

God Bless - the Quinns

1. Gino and Jon's acoustic version:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vnt6p_SPe8
2. Live performance at OM : https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HkR3b4-NPPU#!