Look Upward and Come to Me

My sketch from 10/20/2014

When a baby learns to walk, it stumbles and falls often. On their own, they carefully watch their feet and wobble unsteadily a few steps at a time. But when a parent is in front of them calling to them and encouraging them, the baby looks up and locks eyes with the parent they love and trust. Their arms reach out and they focus on what’s before them. If they stumble or lose their balance, they know Mom or Dad will catch them, encourage them to keep moving – as long as they keep their focus on their parent.

And when they succeed? Their family sweeps them up and smothers them with love and praise in the excitement.

Monday, while listening to a sermon/class discussing the importance of each of us looking upward so that Zion can look downward, this image allegory played through my mind. I’m not a great artist, but I hoped to share with others how much of our call is all contained in something so simple to comprehend if we allow ourselves. 

Jesus calls us to: Come unto Him, be innocent and pure like a little child, and look upward and keep our focus on Him.

If we could each focus our personal walk to matching this, imagine the example we can set for those around us and the call that would go out simply from showing love and devotion to our Savior Jesus. Abba. Our Father.

After I was finished with my sketch, I thought it was interesting to see how other parts of the picture played into the message unintentionally (at least by me). It's in the baby's room, it's safe zone and home, Jesus meets us wherever we are and calls us out of our comfort zone to focus on Him and move into a bigger world. To leave the distractions of our toys/life and choose His Holy Spirit as our comforter over the pacifiers and safety blankets we cling to. And just beyond Jesus? The toy box full of treasure. Once we come to Jesus, there is so much more waiting for us after we join in that relationship. It's open a bit to give us a glimpse of what's to come, but we must look up and keep our eyes on Jesus, steadily walking in to the arms of our Father to receive the blessing of knowing ALL that treasure box holds in store for us. 

I so often find the stories or art I create for others actually teach me in ways I hadn't expected. I know others will see them differently, but I hope that they touch your heart in some way too. 

“And this is mine everlasting covenant, that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and look upward, then shall Zion look downward, and all the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth shall tremble with joy;” - Genesis 9:22 I.V.

“No man can come unto me, except he doeth the will of my Father who hath sent me. And this is the will of him who hath sent me, that ye receive the Son; for the Father beareth record of him; and he who receiveth the testimony, and doeth the will of him who sent me, I will raise up in the resurrection of the just.” - John 6:44 I.V.

“And behold I have given you the law and the commandments of my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.” - 3 Nephi 5:66 BOM

“Now this is the commandment, Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.” - 3 Nephi 12:33 BOM

God Bless! 

April

National Prince Week Day 1 - Prince of Peace

In April we spent a week celebrating princesses around the world - their beauty, culture, talent, history and contributions. I had a blast and the Cast of Dysfunction Junction had a blast hosting it for me. This week, author Mary Waibel is hosting National Prince Week. Several authors are participating in the tour that starts officially on Monday, August 18th. It's bound to be a blast, so be sure and check out Mary's blog as well as the others touring. 

I'm very excited to invite the cast of Dysfunction Junction back again to host National Prince Week. They wanted to get an early start with a special bonus post. SO, here you are ladies it's all yours. 

Kianna Ravencamp:  Welcome everyone! I have my girls Alexis, Rissa and Hope with me and we have a lot to share this week. When choosing our list of royals, it was obvious one prince stood out above the rest. 

Jesus Christ - Prince of Peace

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. - Isaiah 9:6 I.V.

Hope Campbell: They call it the Greatest Story Ever Told, only it's more than a story. It's history. This royalty was born in a stable and slept in a manger. 

And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was none to give room for them in the inns. - Luke 2:7

Rissa Fuller: As he grew into an adult he had an amazing ministry. Walking the streets and preaching, healing, teaching, blessing and comforting. He performed miracles, like the one in the picture below where he healed Jarius' daughter, walked on water, calmed storms, multiplied food and forgave sins. 

 

And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise. And straightway the damsel arose and walked; for she was twelve years old. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. Mark 5:33-34 I.V.

Alexa Fehr: Then at the peak of his ministry, Jesus did something even more incredible. Even though he had never sinned and didn't deserve to die or be punished, he accepted the sins of every person through all of time. That's a lot. He let them beat him and abuse him, hang him on a cross with nails driven through his hands and feet. He hung there in agony and then forgave even the soldiers who had just abused him. His body lay in the tomb for 3 days while he broke the chains of death and then ROSE AGAIN. Permanently. He lives and watches over and loves each one of us personally. 

But when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away, (for it was very great,) and two angels sitting thereon, clothed in long white garments; and they were affrighted. But the angels said unto them, Be not affrighted; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified; he is risen; he is not here; behold the place where they laid him; - Mark 16:3-4 I.V.

Kianna: He cares for each of us as a father or parent would for his child. 

 What man among you, having a son, and he shall be standing out, and shall say, Father, open thy house that I may come in and sup with thee, will not say, Come in, my son; for mine is thine, and thine is mine? Or what man is there among you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? - Matthew 7:17-20 I.V.

He Comforts us ... 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. - Psalm 23:4 I.V.

... and holds us up in our darkest hours

  I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. - Mosiah 11:192 Book of Mormon

Listens to all our problems, cares and concerns and gives wisdom

With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. - Job 12:13 I.V. 

 And we are so blessed to know that this Prince of Peace is our Savior and God of Heaven. He's not just a story, he's reality and one day soon we'll have the joy and honor of living with him again. Of all the Royals you could want to meet - this is the one you should. He's not a snob, he's not a player, he's not too busy with politics or world affairs to know you personally. He welcomes the opportunity. 

Then spake Jesus, saying, Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. - Matthew 11:29  I.V.

No man can come unto me, except he doeth the will of my Father who hath sent me. And this is the will of him who hath sent me, that ye receive the Son; for the Father beareth record of him; and he who receiveth the testimony, and doeth the will of him who sent me, I will raise up in the resurrection of the just. - John 6:44  I.V.

That whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish; but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. – John 3:15-17  I.V.

Thanks so much for being here, please come back tomorrow as we kick off the official days of National Prince Week!

Dysfunction Junction 
by April Erwin
Contemporary Christian Romantic Comedy

Twenty-six and never been kissed. That's about to change...

Finding true love these days feels impossible to Kianna Ravencamp, only dysfunction surrounds her.

She dreams of true love and a family, but she’s never even been kissed. For the first time in her life, she will have to navigate dating and flirtation. Will her inexperience be her downfall? 

Letting go and trusting God is the only answer that brings the path to real love and success.

Available Now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Muse It Up Publishing and many more. 

Visit my Facebook Page or Twitter Feed for more updates and to tell me about your favorite prince. 

Answers from Heaven

Song Stuck on the Brain: Dare You to Move by Switchfoot


I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends. I did, in fact I think this was the best Christmas I've had in a long time. No stress, no family drama. Just fun, fellowship and family.

This was our third Christmas without Dad, and although we still think of him often and miss him, our joy in his being at peace makes it easier to deal with those moments when we miss him most.

As a reminder of that, I felt lead to write down an experience I had shortly after Dad died and submit it to a local, church published magazine that shares those testimonies with people all over the world. After emailing it to the editor, I felt like I should share it here as well for any who need a reminder that Jesus is alive today, He loves us, and still actively moves in our lives.

“It’s cancer.” Dad sits upright in the hospital bed, his yellow skin an odd contrast to the white sheets. Jaundice is just one of the many physical signs that his body is broken.

My sisters, Judy and Angel, and I surround the end of his bed and listen while Mom and Dad repeat the doctor’s news. There’s a tumor in the duct between his liver and gallbladder, hidden from all scans until now. After several years of unexplained illness and numerous tests, they found the answer, only it’s too late to do anything. The doctors don't think he has long to live.

As I hear the news that in all rights should have devastated me, instead I feel a deep calm and the words run through my mind, “Everything is going to be okay.” And I knew they were true. We would pray and hope for a healing, but if in the end God called Dad home, it would still be okay. God would take care of us.

One month to the day after hearing the news, our family found ourselves gathered around Dad’s hospice bed. He had quickly slipped from conversation just a few hours earlier to being unable to speak. We each said goodnight, kissed his whiskered cheek and told him how much we loved him. Then, before going to our own home, my sisters and I joined Mom in prayer. Each asking for God’s blessing on Dad that night and giving him over to the arms of Jesus; if it was Dad’s time to go, no one wanted to hold him back from joining his Savior.

Angel and I went home and within a few hours received a call from Mom. Dad had gone peacefully in his sleep. We grieved and we rejoiced. Dad’s greatest desire was to be a part of Zion , to see the evil of this world put away so we could all share together in the loving presence of Jesus. Now he was where he could be happiest, he was no longer ill and could once again take up his ministry from the other side.

We all had many testimonies that came with Dad’s passing, more than I have room to share here, but one in particular stands above the rest for me. About a month after Dad died, on a Saturday afternoon, I went to take a nap. I dreamed that I was sitting in my living room and Dad was sitting across from me. He looked good, much as I remembered him when I was younger, his full beard and hair were red once again. He was dressed in his usual style, plaid dress shirt and suspenders with slacks.

I looked at him with surprise, “Dad?” Excitement flooded through me. “Are you happy?”
“Yes,” Dad assured me.
“What’s it like, can you tell me all about it?”
“No, but you’re going to love it when you get here.” Dad smiled.
“Will we see you again?” I wondered in my heart if this would be the only time for me to see him.
“Yes.” I knew in my heart that Dad’s assurance was true.

I awoke shortly after and was so excited I immediately went to find Angel and tell her. I described our conversation.
“It’s odd that my first question was if he was happy.” I mused. “Of course he’s happy. He’s with Jesus, why wouldn’t he be?”

Angel agreed. In fact, for weeks we had talked about how Dad would finally be able to see the libraries of heaven and learn about all the things that he was so curious about. That was Dad, always curious, always looking for answers and knowledge about everything.

The following day, we joined Mom and the rest of the family at her house for Sunday lunch. Afterward, I told Mom about my dream. She was quiet for a while, and then shared what had happened the night before. Saturday night, she was feeling lonely and sad, really missing Dad. She spent some time reading her scriptures, and before going to sleep, she told God, “If I could just know he was happy, that would help.”

I was amazed and excited. That explained my first question. It wasn’t for me, it was for Mom. God sent her answer on Saturday afternoon, hours before she prayed and asked her question. It was a comfort to all of us and I was reminded once again, that everything is going to be okay. God is truly amazing in His love for his children.

(I was not paid to have this published, it's strictly for ministry.)

Checking in... one last time

I'm sure many of you have probably seen this email go around. I've seen it before too. It always makes me a little misty eyed, reminding me to see Jesus as more than just someone to dump all my concerns and problems on. He's a friend too and deserves more than whining.

Today when I read it, I really cried. Since my Dad passed in mid-October, it has a deeper meaning for me. Dad remembered that Jesus was a friend as well as our Savior and I have no doubt that Jesus held his hand through it all. He held all our hands and helped us through. In fact Jesus allowed me a special blessing in the hours after Dad passed away. In the early morning hours, we all took a much needed rest before getting up in a couple of hours to begin all the phone calls and arrangements. Emotional and sad, I went to bed and poured my heart out to God, and thanked Him that Dad hadn't suffered. But I missed my Dad. As I was falling asleep, I felt my Dad's hand holding mine. It was a last goodbye and moment of comfort, a gift that God allowed so Dad could check in one last time.

I hope this blesses you in some way too.

A minister passing through his church
in the middle of the day,
decided to pause by the altar
and see who had come to pray.

Just then the back door opened,
a man came down the aisle.
The minister frowned as he saw
the man hadn't shaved in quite a while.

His shirt was kinda shabby
and his coat was worn and frayed.
The man knelt, he bowed his head,
then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed,
each noon time came this chap.
Each time he knelt just for a moment,
a lunch pail in his lap..

Well, the minister's suspicions grew,
with robbery a main fear.
He decided to stop the man and ask him,
'What are you doing here?'

The old man said, he worked down the road.
Lunch was half an hour.
Lunchtime was his prayer time,
for finding strength and power.

'I stay only moments, see,
because the factory is so far away;
as I kneel here talking to the Lord,
this is kinda what I say:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM CHECKING IN TODAY.'

The minister feeling foolish,
told Jim, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome
to come and pray just anytime

Time to go, Jim smiled, said 'Thanks.'
He hurried to the door.
The minister knelt at the altar,
he'd never done it before.

His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
and met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart,
he repeated old Jim's prayer:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN, SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHERS FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN. I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY.'

Past noon one day, the minister noticed
that old Jim hadn't come.
As more days passed without Jim,
he began to worry some.

At the factory, he asked about him,
learning he was ill.

The hospital staff was worried,
But he'd given them a thrill.
The week that Jim was with them,
Brought changes in the ward.
His smiles, a joy contagious.
Changed people, were his reward.

The head nurse couldn't understand why Jim was so glad,
when no flowers, calls or cards came, Not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed,
He voiced the nurse's concern:
No friends came to show they cared..
He had nowhere to turn.

Looking surprised, old Jim spoke
up and with a winsome smile;
'the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,
that He's in here all the while

Everyday at noon He's here,
a dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down, takes my hand,
Leans over and says to me:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM, HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP, AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.
ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY, AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS CHECKING IN
TODAY.'

A.

Galaxies discovered by Hubble

What an amazing video. To think that Jesus, our Creator and Savior, the one who knows every hair on our head, is also the one that Created the billions of galaxies that we are just now seeing. The vastness of it makes me feel so small and insignificant. Yet I know I'm not. If He is willing to suffer and die for me in the most painful manor possible so that I can have a covenant with Him, then I know He doesn't see me as insignificant. It's almost more than my mind can comprehend. The massivness of His ability and power... and He loves me and takes care of even the smallest things in my life.

Praise God!