Faith, Favor and Forever Love
Let the harvest of October fill your baskets of life with faith, favor and forever love. Let this season’s abundance from God encourage you to let go of any past troubles and walk toward your true calling.
This morning revealed a blanket of fog across our garden. I felt an immediate rush of excitement in knowing that autumn was finally here! It’s time for a new series of masterpiece paintings with God’s artistic brush strokes of rich jewel tones. Red, gold and purple will now wash over the land.
I pulled out my sewing basket filled with fine wool yarn in blended colors of gold, burnt umber and green. My creative heart was filled with joyous inspiration. I began a sewing piece of one of my favorite walking paths that bursts in colors at this time of year and always. It always makes me feel as though I’m walking through the harvest season with God. Autumn always gives one’s soul an inner comfort and peace.
In the afternoon, I put on my walking clothes and shoes and could feel the cool breeze of autumn awakening my soul, putting a childlike joy in my step. I arrived at the beach and scanned over the shoreline from the hilltops to the pathway. I stopped to take a deep breath of the cool ocean breeze to refill my soul. Be still and know I am God. A peace washed over me as I slowly exhaled and continued my walk.
As the warmth of the sun began to fade, I took another moment to watch God’s wonderful brush strokes of reds pinks and purples dash across the sky. This time of year always gives me a sense of freedom as if, as humans, we must also harvest our hearts of doubt, hurt and uncertainty.
A few people had pitched umbrellas with warm blankets wrapped around them. A father and his young son gingerly tackled the sand dunes. Soon enough, they were covered from head to toe in sand, laughing together, step by step. I approached the shoreline for a pause. I took my shoes off and sat on the edge of perfectly made sand bench from the high tide earlier in the day. The moments of peaceful silence were only interrupted by sets of waves crashing along the shore and the occasional seagull squawking to its flock about a treasured food find.
On my way home, I decided to take a different path, an incline through the woods. I found myself deep in fond memories of my childhood days when, during the beginning months of autumn, my friends and I would run through the wooded areas of our neighborhood to carefully collect freshly fallen leaves. We would pull out our pads of construction paper, scissors, and glue to create beautiful pieces of art to decorate our rooms and share with each other. On today’s path, I discovered a couple of fallen leaves of soft green and gold and brought them home for inspiration.
My autumn inspirations haven’t changed much from my early childhood days. God’s beautiful masterpiece paintings of His creations are always there for us to enjoy. God’s hand is always on our lives if we choose to have the faith to believe in Him, even during times of difficulty when our vision may be unclear.
I went to my studio and placed the leaves I collected on my side table. I sat down and pulled out my journal and Bible. I sketched some ideas for a potential art project, than found myself searching for guidance from God in His word. As I read through some scriptures, I began to meditate on these verses. I penned them in my journal and felt peaceful.
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3 (NIV)
Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words!
He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.
Hebrews 11:3 (TPT)
Autumn is a time to refill our souls with faith in God, to receive the abundance of His love and favor, and to enjoy the freedom of joy through all seasons.
I looked at my basket with overflowing yarns, sewing canvas and needles. Today’s journey brought back fond memories of days gone by and inspired new creative moments for me.
Take the time to enjoy the freedom of those childlike moments with God. Have the faith to walk in His forever love. You never know what you might discover. Look up and see His hand at work in your life.
Place your hands of strength and favor upon me,
for I’ve made my choice to follow your ways.
Psalm 119: 173 (TPT)
