Majesty-Worship His Majesty

Here is a new canvas I have started--have NO clue where it will end up--but thought you might want to see the progression of it--I am liking it so far--I think I will probably throw some black paint on it and then place some more formal calligraphy in places here and there.  Oh, how I love to experiment!

I was using a Masquepen for the first time and this is a tall canvas--you can tell that my handwriting changed in the middle of it SO I will have to do something to detract from that feature.

Unto Jesus be all honor, glory and praise!

It will be a few days before I have a chance to work on it again but I will try to remember to keep you posted on its progression.

In the meantime, have an awesome weekend and may His Kingdom Come!

Loving You,
Dianne

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

For the Lord God Omnipotent Reigneth!

I was at the First United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, AR recently and saw this incredibly large (at least 5x10') painting of the cross.

 I LOVE everything about this--all the variations of colors, the sense of movement indicating (to me) its far-reaching effects, the geometric shapes symbolizing (to me) its jewel like facets--the body of water and horizon to the left lets one catch a glimpse of eternity.

Seeing this girl in the picture gives a sense of just how large it really is--

And it reminds me just how large our God really is.

Depending on Him and worshiping at His feet today.

Hope your day is extremely blessed.

I love you all,
Dianne


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

Overwhelmed By His Love

We traveled for 2.5 hours to the north Arkansas town of Melbourne. There is a town close by by the name of Sydney. Really makes you wonder. I need to do some research on that.

 One of our residents, Chase,  is from Melbourne. We were going to visit his home church. He was supposed to speak and was a little nervous. Sometimes it is harder for the guys to speak in front of all those who know them than to strangers.

We finally arrived but I forgot to take a picture of the outside of his church.

One of our residents, Lee, and I visiting before service began.

Ryan preparing to minister through song to the congregation of Bellview Baptist Church.

This is Cooper, one of our newer residents giving his testimony.  He is from Batesville which is about 45 minutes away.  His mom and step dad came so we got to sit and visit with them at lunch.  He quoted Psalm 40--take a look at it--it is not a short chapter.

This is Chase.  He gave his testimony and then quoted 20 or 30 verses--I didn't count but it was a lot.  Both his mom and I cried all the way through them I think.  It was great to see Chase's family--mother, father, grandparents, aunt, sister and brother.  Forgive me if I left anyone out.

This is my granddaughter, Kailey and her husband of almost two months--Josh.  Josh graduated from the Ranch last February.  Kailey met him there.  Josh gave his testimony at the Izard County Detention Center where we went for a service after the church service and lunch.

Finally, after two glorious services and a great lunch, we start home.

Of course, it's not very long before break time.  This is Michael--he's getting close to graduation--

Billy Ray--oh my, I love these guys--

Josh--our resident photographer--and Trevor, our resident rapper.  Yes, he rapped at the service and it was great!

Sweet Loy!--our oldest resident--

And Paul--He is an assistant bunkhouse leader and is doing a great job!

Here's Chase and Dustin behind him.  Chase is an awesome basketball player and Dustin can make a guitar talk.  These guys are so talented it will blow your mind.

The other van full of guys parked on the other side of the store so I didn't get pics of them.

And our newest residents, Tanner and Jordan--welcome to Renewal Ranch guys--we love you already!

Hope you enjoyed tagging along on our trip.  

Overwhelmed by His love,

Dianne

By the way, the trees were about a week past their peek--but still so pretty--Chase's grandmother has lived there for 39 years and she said it was the prettiest fall they had ever had--too bad we missed it by a week!

Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging.

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

Pictures 8, 9, 12, 19, 20 by Josh

A Thousand Hills

This is a picture I took yesterday on a little trip we took.  Tomorrow I will tell you where we went and more about it.  Hope your Monday is extremely blessed.

Love you,
Dianne

Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging. 

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

Is Your Faith Showing?

Yesterday I posted some pictures taken from my class at Renewal Ranch.  Today I wanted to share with you a little of what we talked about and learned.

I visited a local church's library on Monday looking for suitable material to aid in the teaching of our residents.

I came across a a book and dvd study called When God's People Pray by Jim Cymbala.  Jim is pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York.  He has been pastor there for about 30 years.  Under his pastorate they have grown from under 30 members to 16,000.

They have a Tuesday night prayer meeting every week that is the lifeblood of their church.  Pastor Cymbala states that he would rather be at that service than any of the others throughout the week.

'Our God loves us deeply and longs to be in a relationship in which we receive the spiritual and physical blessings he wants to give us. We, as individuals and as churches, suffer great loss when we fail to ask God for these blessings.  These blessings can change our lives, invigorate our churches, transform our communities, and even alter the course of history! Best of all, they are available to every believer and every church if we will only pray for them in faith and obedience."  Jim Cymbala

God says that His house shall be called a house of prayer--not of preaching, not of singing, but a house of prayer.  Sometimes I wonder if we as Christians are making sure that His house is a house of prayer.

Also, Pastor Cymbala reminded me that the disciples asked, "Teach us to pray, Lord."  They didn't ask for him to teach them how to preach or how to minister but how to pray.

The main teachings for this first lesson were:

• God is rich in mercy to all who call on Him
• Prayer is the evidence of true faith
• God answers prayer
• Life's problems remind us to call on God
• No place to go but God
• 
  

I especially loved the second one--Prayer is the evidence of true faith and where you find faith, you find praying people.

That really convicted me because I admit, I have grown lax in my praying for my country thinking that we have sunk as low as we can go, that nothing can stop the headlong spiraling into the deepest recesses of sin--

But that is what satan wants me to believe--he not only wants to lead us into sin but he visits the sins of hopelessness and despair upon Christians so that we won't pray and thereby move the hand of God.

Take a look at the last one--No place to go but God--how many times have you heard a Christian brother or sister lament in a sad dejected tone that "all I can do about it now is pray."  

We tend to forget or overlook at times that prayer is our greatest resource and is the most effective thing we can do.  It needs to be our first response, not our last resort.

So far this study has been like an "intravenous shooting up of the Holy Spirit through my being."  I am finding myself longing to pray more than ever.

Have you ever given serious thought to your prayers changing the course of history?  Hey friend, it can happen.

Through faith and obedience, it can happen!

Hope your weekend is blessed.  

Love,

Dianne

Would you like to share your thoughts or your heart with me? My contact information is listed in the upper right of the sidebar. Please feel free to email me. I love hearing from you and cherish the friendships I have made through blogging. 

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

I am linking with the good folks over at Spiritual Sundays.