“She equips herself with strength
[spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task]
And makes her arms strong.”
Proverbs 31:17 AMP
I love a good chick flick; within boundaries.
My favorite is Miss Congeniality with Sandra Bullock. I can’t tell you how many times Shelby and I have watched it, laughing till our sides hurt. We’re a lot like Sandra’s character in the scene when she gets the makeover; walks out of the building all dressed up, wind blowing her hair…and trips on the way out!
NO DAMSEL IN DISTRESS
I love this movie because it’s not the story of a ‘damsel in distress’ waiting to be saved by her knight in shining armor. Please don’t invite me over for popcorn when you’re showing those videos…they just seem a little pathetic to me. I’m inspired by movies where the girls show themselves strong like in Miss Congeniality or better yet, in true stories like the movie Hidden Figures. Now, those were strong women!
When I read verses like Proverbs 31:17 I’m empowered to be the strong woman God created me to be. My heart’s desire is to be like heroines from the movies or history-makers who don’t wilt like a flower in the sun when problems surface, but rise to the occasion using their spiritual, mental and physical strength to accomplish their God-given tasks. I want to emulate the character of women who are strong, yet aren’t afraid of their femininity. Full of grace, brilliance and poise.
Women who are bold…and strong…and free!
I don’t think the Father wants you to sit around waiting for others to come to your rescue. Through the words in this verse God is inviting you to play an active role in saving others. So come on girls, equip yourselves with strength and be bold today!
Prayer
Father…In the face of trials, let me be tough. In the face of struggle, let me be strong. In the face of pain, let me prevail. May Your strength be evident in me to overcome with grace. In Jesus Name…Amen
[tweetthis]I want to be a woman who is #bold…and #strong…and #free![/tweetthis]
If you’ve been following my Author Page Facebook posts then you know that there’s a HUGE contest going on in Canada. So, if you want something for free, you’ve got to keep reading 🙂 I’m thrilled to be a contributing author to the
SALLY MEADOWS’ 7 DAYS OF GREAT CANADIAN GIVEAWAYS!
Running February 6 to 12, 2017.
This is a fantastic opportunity for you to win an amazing prize package by outstanding Canadian Christian authors and recording artists for today and tomorrow.
Tomorrow on Saturday, February 11, 2017 Todd and I are giving away a prize on Day#6 of 7.
*Whenever you order Goodworks Jewelry use the Promo Code: sherrystahl and you’ll receive a 5% discount. Goodworks Jewelry provides me with a referral fee to help fund the ministry.
Todd and I posted a #FacebookLive Video Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 12:30pm On My Sherry Stahl Author Page Click on the video image to watch.
WINNING IS EASY! ON THE DAY THE PRIZE YOU WANT IS BEING FEATURED make 3 Comments:
Click on the link to go to the author’s BLOG (hopefully mine!) and leave a Comment under the post about their prize pack for one ballot. (This post, if it’s my prize pack you’re vying for 🙂 )
Click on the link to go to the author’s FB page and leave a Comment under the post about their prize pack for one more ballot. (Be Kind and ‘Like’ their Page)
Thanks for being part of the 7 Days of Great Canadian Giveaways. Please use the #greatcanadiangiveaways tag on your social media posts. 🙂
WINNERS WILL BE CONTACTED VIA THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS PROVIDED ON THE AUTHOR’S BLOG COMMENT. *Email will not be made public or reused for other mailing lists.
CONTEST RULES ***Please note that Canadian citizens living in Canada ONLY qualify for this particular promotion.
Contest runs from 8:00 am CST February 6, 2017 to 10:00 pm February 12, 2017.
Entries submitted prior or after that time period are ineligible for the giveaways.
For complete contest rules, please go to the event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/614924578714278/.
My friend Danielle sent me this wonderful piece of heart art. To me, it’s a masterpiece! During a prayer time at Braeside Camp this summer, I told Danielle’s mom about my husband Todd’s heart problems. Well, Grandma told her grandson Keaton and Keaton’s art delivered the message to his momma, Danielle.
You see, Keaton is a big prayer warrior and has his own prayer journal. One night, Danielle went to pray with him before bed and saw this ‘heart art’ in the front of his prayer journal. She asked Keaton who Todd was and what the picture meant.
I hadn’t talked to Danielle about Todd’s heart problems yet, but she put two and two together and began to join in prayer with Keaton for Todd. When my Danielle told me about the heart art in Keaton’s prayer journal, she said to “expect miracles, because he’s a serious prayer warrior and God moves when he prays”!
I am expecting nothing less than the miraculous!
[tweetthis]I am expecting nothing less than the miraculous for my life![/tweetthis]
Last Saturday morning I was up doing my devotions and praying for Todd. We met with the surgeon and it was all a little overwhelming. Hearing of the possible issues that can follow a heart valve surgery was disarming. Up to this point when we talked to people we have only heard positive reports about how better people felt after valve repair or replacement. We didn’t understand the possible complications, but the doctor made us fully aware of them! Maybe a little too aware of them!
THE ORIGINAL HEART ART
ART ACHE (c) Todd Stahl
The night before last Saturday morning’s epiphany, I had made a quick comment to Todd, my artist hubby, about how much more his Heart Art entitled, “Art Ache” means in light of his current health issues and the fact that he painted this masterpiece back in 2009 or 2010…five to six years before his heart problems! Back then, God was speaking to Todd about the inner healing He was doing on his heart after divorce. Now, this painting is holding a whole new meaning!
As I prayed I couldn’t stop thinking about Todd’s Heart Art, so I went and got it off the wall. As I looked at the painting, I felt a sense of peace coming over my soul. Fear was washed away with faith. I could have broken out in the song “It Is Well With My Soul”, but everyone was sleeping and they would have woken up thinking a cow was dying in our house…singing is not my gift 🙂
God began to speak to me about all the messages He had intended to come out of the art; some Todd understood as he created, while others are still being revealed.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE MESSAGES FROM TODD’S HEART ART
The Band-Aid is on the left side of the heart…the same side of the heart where Todd needs the valve repaired or replaced!
How cool is that! In Todd’s painting where the healing is taking place under the Band-Aid, is beginning to glow yellow. God is at work where no one can see what He is doing. It’s hidden from others. Healing happens in the secret places of our hearts. Sometimes when we don’t see things happening we assume God isn’t doing anything about our problem. God is always at work!
[tweetthis]Healing happens in the secret places of our hearts <3 [/tweetthis]
The bottom of the heart is black. All those things that have happened in life to bring hurt to the heart and create unwholeness weigh us down. The heart has strings around it. On the unhealed side the strings are woven tight and close together like they are holding the heart bound. The strings on the healing side are coming loose, setting the heart FREE!
[tweetthis]God wants you to live FREE![/tweetthis]
The side that is being healed turns red as God created his heart to be. A red heart symbolizes LOVE in our culture. The healed heart is full of God’s love! Healing doesn’t just affect one area of your life. Healing spreads!
[tweetthis]The healed heart is full of God’s love![/tweetthis]
As the healed heart begins to pump healthy blood properly, love is beginning to flow to the other side. The colors are beginning to lighten up as it turns to purple. Even under the black, you can see yellow: a visual showing how God is at work in the darkest places of our heart. The darker the heart, the deeper the wound, the longer the healing process. Allow God time to heal your heart.
[tweetthis]Allow God time to heal your heart.[/tweetthis]
Soon the whole heart will be filled with God’s love.
You can see red starting to peek through around the edges showing that the heart is not destroyed. The heart is going to be healthy again as God originally created it to be!
The verse that comes to my mind is: Joel 2:25
“I will repay you for the years the loctusts have eaten…
you will have plenty to eat, until you are full,
and you will praise the name of the LORD
your God who has worked wonders for you.”
Joel 2:25(NIV)
We don’t understand all that Todd has had to go through or what he possibly is going to have to face, but we will walk forward each day in the confidence that God is at work in places we don’t see.
We trust God is giving Todd a new heart to accomplish all of the great things He has for him to do—That book needs to hit the shelves and more artwork needs to be painted! We know that God is with us. Whatever way God chooses to bring about this miracle of a new heart, we know He’s going to do it! We in boldness proclaim the promise of God that when this is all over, God will have repaid Todd for all that has been taken away to the point that he is walking in abundance of life and health, prospering and praising God for His goodness!
Waiting for a miracle,
Sherry
xoxo
Todd going into surgery This post was originally written on July 24, 2014, before Todd had his surgery and made a miraculous recovery from complications after the surgery! Then, I wrote a post called Heart Art Musicfrom some of the songs you all sent me to encourage me. Since then, Todd is back playing hockey, firefighting and creating art in many forms. Within a year of surgery, his first book, 40 Days In The Mancave was published by Word Alive Press! To hear Todd’s retelling of this miracle check out his site. To see more of Todd Stahl’s art, Check Out:
Todd’s website: http://www.toddstahl.com
His facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ToddStahlArtist The page dedicated to Todd’s testimony:https://www.toddstahl.com/the-significance-of-art-ache/
To read a sample from Todd’s Devotional, 40 Days In The Mancave: Click Here: https://toddstahl.com/devo_06_sample.pdf
To Buy his book on AMAZON, Click the word Amazon
[tweetthis]I am expecting nothing less than the miraculous for my life![/tweetthis]
[tweetthis]God is at work in places we don’t see![/tweetthis]
One of my favorite things to do is to go for a long ride on the back of Todd’s Harley. In our first year of marriage Todd took off every Friday and most often we went on the bike. Best times ever! There’s something freeing about getting out on the open road. It’s exhilarating riding along with the sun shining and wind in your face. The sights and smells are amazing. When you’re driving in your car (which I also love to do), you don’t realize how different places smell. Some good and some well, not so good! I love it when we pass someone cutting grass. The best smell ever was just a little while ago when lilacs were in bloom! I love the feeling when I put my arms out and the wind rushes over my skin. It’s such a freeing feeling. No wonder Harley Davidson uses the Eagle with wings spread wide-open in their logo. The Eagle symbolizes freedom. Riding the motorcycle makes you feel free like an eagle! If either Todd or I am feeling stressed-out, worn-out or burnt-out we need to get-out on a Harley ride. It’s amazing how true the saying “Live To Ride, Ride To Live” is, and how much this iconic saying made into the buckle below reminds me of scripture!
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary.They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:29-31 New Living Translation (NLT)
The second chapter in my book, WATER IN THE DESERT focuses on breaking free from bondages. It’s proving to be a real help to anyone who is trying to break free in their life.
BACK UP
God desires for us to be free. He has said it in His Word and He means it. If He didn’t He wouldn’t have said it so much! Here’s just a few of the many times God encourages us to “live free like an eagle“!
So if the Son has set you, free you are free indeed. John 8:36 (NIV)
It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free. Galatians 5:1 (NIV)
Live as free people. 1 Peter 2:16 (NIV)
So, what helps YOU to live free?
Comment below and tell me what it is for you, or what you feel you need to do to, live free like an eagle?
~Sherry Lynn
My favorite is Miss Congeniality with Sandra Bullock. I can’t tell you how many times Shelby and I have watched it, laughing till our sides hurt. We’re a lot like Sandra’s character in the scene when she gets the makeover; walks out of the building all dressed up, wind blowing her hair…and trips on the way out!
