She stayed ever focused as she took one hand of mine at a time, using each instrument for its intended purpose. Each fingernail was looked over with a trained eye. I think she was the most detail oriented nail tech I've ever had. Now I wish I had caught her name.
While she was methodically filing, it came to me, foundational preperation, the title and purpose we'll explore in this blog. It felt like the Lord had met me right there in the nail salon! He said to me, just like I've given her an eye for detail and the focus to prep the foundation of your nails, so did I lay the foundations of the earth and the foundation of the new collection that I want you to create! It felt powerful to say the least, I may have just been sitting there smiling, beaming really.
Some of us are made with music that flows out of us, some of us are made to bring order to chaos, some of us are made with an eye for detail. This woman's attention to detail reminded me that we are all made in the image of God, therefore we each get a different piece of who God is. To see this in each other is a beautiful way to live and be reminded of who our Father is.
I only started praying into what the Lord wanted me to say in this next blog post on this Friday morning that I also had a manicure appointment. I find it so delightful that the Lord knew all of this before I even started praying. He knew where He was going to meet me and what He was going to reveal to me.
A year ago I had a vision that I had talked through in an abandoned Youtube video (unfortunate circumstance) where the Lord had told me He was adjusting my foundation. I didn't understand fully at that time what He had meant. However, this past Sunday my Pastor made it very clear as we dove into Luke 20: 9-19. In this passage Jesus spoke to the people about how they were trying to build their lives without the proper foundation (the cornerstone) and that their lives will fall apart because of this.
Jesus asks us, what we will do with Him. Will we build our lives and let it crush us or will we come and build our lives on Him and flourish in His grace?
He is such a kind, generous Father, to meet me at the nail salon, when I was least expecting it. He wants to help us thrive and be our foundaiton. He is the most peaceful, life giving foundation we could ask for.
It's been unseasonably cold, with windchill it was -14 yesterday when I walked my daughter to school. It's crazy how our bodies adapt because after spending seven years in the prairies I didn't think these temps would affect me as much as they did. The sunshine has been shining bright though and my heart is soaring because of it. The pale blue skies, clouds ever so soft and the birds flitting to and fro bring my soul delight. The minus temps startled my system, but didn't bring me down from the glorious feeling of sunshine on my face. All these things, He created me to take notice of and He's bestowed on me the knowledge that they are beautiful gifts from Him. I'm learning to build my life on Him who makes all things work together, for our good and His glory!
Rachel Wortman said it well, "When we build in our own strength and with ideas we never consulted God about, we create a life dependent on us. In that scenario, we will continue to strive and work ourselves to the bone to keep the dream alive because God does not obligate Himself to sustain that which He did not create. However, when we are called by God and are given an assignment to build something He wanted created on the earth, He will take the responsibility onto His shoulders."
This foundational exploration of a piece is complete with His leading. It is now ready for me to dissect and use as I dive into the first piece of this new collection.
Glory to God who created us each with unique gifts and gives us purposeful assignments that suit us!
My prayer for you, dear reader, is that you'd come before the King and seek Him first as your foundation.
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Please feel free to comment or reach out at any time with questions, comments or prayer requests. I'd love to be an empathetic place for you to land.