My Husband Told Me I Should Post This So I Am

I have been spending more time in God's Word which is what I really wanted to do with my time off.  Today I studied most of Luke 1 and this is my journal which tells the story of that chapter.

I am studying with www.shereadstruth.com and am really enjoying it.  I had tried to get started on that several times and just never did.

But this time I think I am started for good.  I look so forward to the Bible reading each day and illustrating it in some way that speaks to me and my needs for retaining the Word.

This particular devotional was under Women of the Bible, Part II-Elizabeth

They are taking a few days off for the holiday and the next study will be on Daniel.  I encourage you to read along with us.  I am going to the website listed above and doing it from there but there are apps for your smart phone and tablet if you would rather read that way.

Hope you enjoy this.

I love you,

Dianne

© all photographs, art and text property of Elizabeth Dianne unless otherwise noted

Blog Break

I will be taking a blogging break from writing or from checking blogs for the next month.

During that time I want to pursue what God would have me do.

I think blogging was great for a while. I made it for a little over 5 years.

But now I am finding that I am all written out or so it seems.

I will write in my little journal for the next month and if I feel I have anything of substance to post for you at the end of that month, then I will--otherwise, I will probably let the blog trail off--just updating every month or so.

Or maybe I will use the extra time to paint more and post some more art for you at the end of that time.

But for now, I just need to spend more time alone with God, pursuing Him and what He has to say. If you are interested in keeping up with my fascinating life (tongue in cheek), you can find me on Instagram.

There is a link to my Instagram page in the upper right side bar. If you are on Instagram I would love to know--maybe a little notation in the comments section?!

Love,
Dianne

Sing For Joy

© all photographs, art and text property of Elizabeth Dianne unless otherwise noted

Would you take a moment and consider this: A person, any person, wearing a crown--whether it be an 18 year old newly crowned Miss America, a 70 year old queen of a country, a newly crowned 30 year old king of small nation, a 6 year old celebrating her birthday, or a 100 year old queen of the nursing home who has outlived all of her peers and celebrating a century of life--

 What is the demeanor?

 What is the posture?

 What is the expression on the face?

 When considering this, I could not think of one instance where there was a sad demeanor, dejected posture, or a hang-dog expression on one's face. All I could recall in my mind's eye was a cheerful, gracious demeanor, posture that spoke of self worth and a beautiful expression of life on a contented face. I'm sure there are exceptions but I don't remember any.

I trade these ashes in for beauty,                                              And wear forgiveness like a crown, Coming to kiss the feet of mercy, I lay every burden down.

Sunday in church as we sang the song above, the second line hit me hard.


How often have I sinned, asked forgiveness, God forgave me and yet I have moped around dejected because I had failed once again?

From Clarke commentary on the Bible we read:

As far as the east is from the west - As the east and the west can never meet in one point, but be for ever at the same distance from each other, so our sins and their decreed punishment are removed to an eternal distance by his mercy.

Have you let a grievous sin from years ago (that has been forgiven) continue to dominate your thinking and your actions?  I would encourage you today to accept the freedom that only comes from God.  Satan is a dream thief but God is a dream maker.

When we delight in Him, our wildest dreams will be rooted in what He wants for us.  He wants us to realize those dreams, to walk in fullness and wholeness, holding our head high in humbleness, wearing His forgiveness like a crown that we will one day lay at His feet. 

Please join with me today in kissing those feet of mercy and laying every burden down.

© all photographs, art and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

 

Brazilian Beauties

Just had to show you one more picture from my mission trip to Brazil several years ago.

I am on the back row third from right end.

Now if anyone would have ever told me when I went on this trip that I would get to speak to a group of 30 people, I totally would not have believed them.

I had just finished speaking to this group right before the picture was taken and they didn't run off--smile!

They were absolutely precious, so beautiful inside and outside, so ready to hear the gospel, so open and  so loving and friendly.

The pastor of the church who sponsored our group is on the right end also in a white shirt and black bill cap.

When we got to this location and he introduced me as the speaker, I almost fainted.

But God is good and He gave me the words to say.

One of the sweetest things to me on this trip was being called a missionary.  One of our translators (interpreters?--I can never remember which is the proper or best term) introduced me to a store clerk in a local mall as the misssionary who had come to be with them.

Now even though this was a mission trip, I had never thought of myself as a missionary.  That was totally humbling to me.

God is so good.  Praying that your week is awesome.  I love you all so very much.

© all photographs, art and text property of Elizabeth Dianne unless otherwise noted

Picture from Brazil

This is a picture I shared on Instagram earlier today and thought I would share it with you also.

I was on a mission trip to Nova Iguacu, Brazil, not too far from Rio De Janeiro, with several members

of my church.

We were walking down a street and this little guy was sitting out by the curb 

just watching people pass by.

We actually walked past him at first as we were walking and praying for God 

to show us who to witness to.

We turned around and went back and he asked Christ to come into his heart.  

He was 87 years old.

Can you see the tear?

It was a precious moment.

Praise God for moments like these.

Nothing like it, really.

© all photographs, art and text property of Elizabeth Dianne unless otherwise noted

After Glow

Love hanging out with the guys and listening to them sing praise and worship songs after class.  What a blessing! This is one of my Instagram pictures.  There is a link in the upper right hand corner to my Instagram page.  I hope you will give it a look. It is just another little facet of my life that I would like to share with you. And if you have a page, would you share a link with me in the comments.  I would love to visit you. Hope your day is blessed beyond measure.

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

He Has Been Good To Me

I trust in your unfailing love;     my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise,     for he has been good to me. Psalm 13:5,6

© all photographs, art and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

Desperate Faith

Her pain was great. Her misery engulfed her and had for twelve years. She had exhausted every avenue of medical knowledge, Spent her life's earnings. She had an issue--an issue of life-taking blood.
His presence was great. It engulfed and enveloped everyone around. He had used but not exhausted the vast knowledge of His Father. He was soon to have an issue--an issue of life-giving blood.
In the meantime He went about doing good-- healing those who were hurting, comforting those who were mourning-- Feeding those who were hungry.
In her meantime, she went about searching For the one she had heard so much about--
She heard that He had set free a demon-possessed man, And the winds and waters of nature obeyed Him, yes, that's what she had heard--
Even heard that He had raised up a paralyzed man, And cleansed a leper's spots.
She believed the stories she had heard about Him. She knew her faith came from God.
Her faith was a desperate faith--

In Jewish culture she was considered unclean. An outcast--society's outcast.
But she knew the moment she could reach out and touch Him, She would be healed.
He knew the moment she had reached out and touched Him. He felt power flow from Him to her.
With so many of the multitudes touching Him, Why did He suddenly notice when she touched Him?
Could it have been because her faith was stronger, more desperate?
A certain woman who He now called "Daughter"--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We all have issues.   What's your issue today? 
Is your issue so important that it causes you to have a desperate faith?   Whatever it is, I pray that your faith matches that of this woman. I pray that you search for Him and find Him, that you reach out to Him and are healed.

from Mark 5  21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.  22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet.  23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”  24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him.  25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.  26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.  27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak,  28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”  29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.  30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”  31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask,‘Who touched me?’ ”  32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.  33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.  34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

© all photographs and text property of Elizabeth Dianne unless otherwise noted

the woman--oil on canvas-enhanced in Photoshop

Astrid

Astrid lives in a country where she cannot openly worship Jesus. Martyrdom for faith in Christ is not unheard of.

Sex trafficking is a common problem and her heart cries out for religious freedom for her country.

She depends on Jesus daily to take the fear for her life and give her peace.

She doesn't own a Bible of her own but a fellow believer shared a page from the book of Revelation with her.

Her favorite scripture on the fragile and worn page reads:

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.  Rev. 7:9

That is her hope--being one of the great multitude who will someday stand before the Lamb and worship in total freedom.

Her plea to you today--

Won't you please pray for the countries around the world who are not free to worship freely?



© all photographs, art and text property of Elizabeth Dianne unless otherwise noted

Astrid started as a watercolor and was enhanced in Photoshop.

Faces

When I was very young--late teenager to early adulthood--I had a very specific idea of what I thought "beautiful" was--mainly amounting to a "Hollywood" version of beauty.

I don't know exactly what has caused the change but now I see beauty in a totally different way.  I never meet a person who I don't think is beautiful--truly beautiful--not just in their soul and spirit but their actual physical appearance.

The face above is beautiful to me and as I have been "on a kick" painting faces, I notice that I tend to make up faces that "society" would think are appealing or nice looking.

I think I know why I do this--they are easier to paint--any face that is balanced and in proportion, that doesn't have wrinkles or other "very distinguishing characteristics" is just easier to paint.

I really want to branch out now and try some faces that aren't "Hollywood" beautiful but striking just the same.

I'm hoping I will be able to do that because to capture their true beauty I will have to capture their soul and that is not an easy thing to do when painting.

When you look in the mirror what do you see?

Do you see the beautiful person that God created you to be?

If you are not at peace with God, it is likely that you will not see the true beauty He has endowed you with.  Even if you are beautiful to others, you will be prone to major on every minor flaw.

So, I am praying peace for all of us today, I pray that we will come to know Jesus in the power of His resurrection and the beauty of His holiness--only then will we recognize the exquisite loveliness not only in ourselves but in all those around us.

Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;     tremble before him, all the earth. Psalm 96:9

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

Unwritten in the Sand

Led into the courtyard

barely able to catch a breath

My heart was in my throat

I expected sudden death

But when questioned

He began to write

I never would have guessed

the Sin within His sight

Fraud, libel, slander

malice, pride and greed

gossip, bitterness, resentment

even 'no good deed'

No names to go with Sin

were written in the sand

Enough was the conviction

Written by His hand.

A t this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.  Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”  “No one, sir,” she said.  “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” from John 8--The Message

© all photographs, art and text property of Elizabeth Dianne unless otherwise noted

Crystal

The morning has dawned crystal clear.  The night was long and oh so lonely.  No starlight penetrated the veil of darkest gray clouds.  The haunting sounds of the night fought for her thoughts.

The problems--they still linger--but the cobwebs of fear, doubt and obscurity have lifted and Crystal walks once again in faith.

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

© all photographs and text property of Elizabeth Dianne unless otherwise noted

Rebecca Rejoices

A

Gabriella Speaks to Her Soul

Gabriella speaks to her soul and says as King David did:

"Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God."

My heart and soul yearn for God as I think a deer might pant for streams of water after a run for its life.

I must meet with the Lord of this great universe.

Like an artesian well my tears keep springing up,

They are the only sustenance I know.

Why do I listen to those who only have negative things to say,

Who have the audacity to ask me where my God is now?

Surely I have enough wits about me to remember

the days when I sang songs of joy

and even led others in worship.

Yes, I remember so I will say

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.

a loose paraphrase of Psalm 42

Gabriella is totally digital but I hope you can see her heart and hear her soul.

© all photographs and text property of Dianne Hogue unless otherwise noted

Linking to

Sunny the Servant

Sunny considers herself to be a servant of the Lord and knows that it is one of the greatest privileges and responsibilities of her life.

One of her favorite things is to praise the Name of the Lord.

She especially loves the scripture from Psalm--

Praise the Lord, you his servants;

praise the name of the Lord.

Let the name of the Lord be praised,

both now and forevermore.

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,

the name of the Lord is to be praised.

Her mother told her a story about her name that she loves.

She remembers vividly the night she came to

know Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior.

She was pregnant with Sunny and wondering what she was going to do,

how she was going to handle a new baby without the benefit 

of a husband for her and a father for the new life growing

inside of her.

As she was out strolling in the black of night

with moonbeams casting their sparkles around her,

it seemed she was caught up in a vision.

Before her appeared the missionaries she had met as a small child

and in their hands were pages of light that seemed to have

letters and words that danced across the golden parchment.

As the words waltzed across the illumined page,

passages of scripture from the book of John

suddenly appeared and pierced her eyes

making their way to the craters of her heart.

They landed there with perfect precision

igniting the passions of her soul with a heavenly sunlight.

Suddenly she understood everything they had said to her--

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. from John 1, New Testament

The darkness around her was instantly overcome with light,

she made the God of the Universe her own through the sacrifice of Jesus.

She knew He would see her through her deepest needs.

She named her baby Sunlight Dance and called her Sunny for short.

copyright 2013-all text, art and photography property of Elizabeth Dianne.