Month: January 2022

Isn’t She Lovely

Published on by tinavila20Leave a comment

Podcast available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Anchor!

We’re starting today with an excerpt from my absolute favourite children’s Bible, The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones. It’s a portion of the creation account written for children as the audience.

God saw all that He had made and He loved them. And they were lovely because He loved them.
But God saved the best for last. From the beginning, God had a shining dream in His heart. He would make people share His Forever Happiness. They would be His children, and the world would be their perfect home.

So God breathed life into Adam and Eve. When they opened their eyes, the first thing they saw was God’s face.
And when God saw them He was like a new dad.
“You look like Me,” He said. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever made!“
God loved them with all His heart. And they were lovely because He loved them.
And Adam and Eve joined the song of the starts and the streams and the wind and trees, the wonderful song of love to the One who made them.
Their hearts were filled with happiness. And nothing ever made them sad or lonely or sick or afraid.
God looked at everything He had made. “Perfect!” He said. And it was.
But all the stars and the mountains and oceans and galaxies and everything were nothing compared to how much God loved His children. He would move heaven and earth to be near them. Always. Whatever happened, whatever it cost Him, He would always love them.
And so it was that the wonderful love story began…

What strikes me about this story is how the language communicates that God’s creation derives its value and beauty from God Himself.

This concept isn’t specific to this children’s Bible exclusively. It can be found throughout all the Scriptures. For example, the following verse was my original inspiration for this post:

“There I gave them my decrees and regulations so they could find life by keeping them.”

– Ezekiel 20:11

In both the children’s Bible excerpt and this verse from Old Testament prophet, the idea is that God’s people find LIFE and find their loveliness in Him, and through Him, and by following Him.

The Scriptures are clear: we are at our best, our loveliest, most aligned with our purpose, and most alive, when our lives are surrendered to God. When we are following Him. When we are walking in step with His Spirit.

We are misled when we’re convinced that we can somehow find beauty apart from God. That loveliness can exist without Him.

But how can this be?

If He is the source of all good things (James 1:17), then let’s go to the Source!

Anything good you see in this world has God as its source. Whatever you find lovely about another person, or whatever goodness someone might see in you, it comes from God. He is the source of all beauty, love, and goodness.

I had posted this on my Instagram account recently and it follows the same idea:

Have you ever met someone who’s just glowing? I’m not referring to that pregnancy glow that no one tells you is actually a layer of sweat. Nor is it the contour and highlighting technique they’ve finally mastered whilst applying makeup.

That glow is reflecting none other than God Himself.

12 They will come home and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem.
They will be radiant because of the Lord’s good gifts—
the abundant crops of grain, new wine, and olive oil,
and the healthy flocks and herds.
Their life will be like a watered garden and all their sorrows will be gone.
13 The young women will dance for joy,
and the men—old and young—will join in the celebration.
I will turn their mourning into joy.
I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.
14 The priests will enjoy abundance,
and My people will be satisfied with My goodness.”
says the Lord.

– Jeremiah 31:12-14

Can you say that about yourself? Do you find yourself satisfied with God’s goodness? Or are you clambering to find the beauty you crave everywhere else?

Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

– Psalm 34:5

There’s that word radiant again.

Radiant people, cannot also be covered in shame. It’s a juxtaposition. They simply don’t fit together. The only way we can truly be radiant, and shake off the shackles of shame and death, is by looking to Jesus.

Psalm 34 goes on to say:

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.
9 Fear the Lord, you His holy people,
for those who fear Him lack nothing.
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

– Psalm 34:8-10

I can’t help but think of so many loved ones, and maybe you can too! I think of how hard life can be for so many. Lacking so much. Seeking refuge. Sometimes with tangible needs, like a job that will help make ends meet.

But in our privileged corner of the world, I think it’s more likely that the circles we swim in are filled with people who are spiritually poor, emotionally empty, and mentally bankrupt. Their lives lack meaning and purpose and beauty because they do not go to the Source for these.

Do you?

I’ll admit, even as I share this, I do not always. I mentioned in a previous post, The Deepest Desire, about how I don’t always go to the Source of love, joy, peace for the things I crave. For the colour I want to see light up my life. For the beauty I want to find in my everyday.

Oh how He longs to share all this with us, and more.

Colossians 1:17 has recently become one of my most favourite verses.

It’s such a beautiful reminder of our starting point in the Jesus Storybook Bible – that we are lovely because He loves us. All part of His beautiful design.

Because He is the Source: so He is before all things. And He is the Sustainer: so in Him all things hold together.

Are you struggling to hold your life together?

It’s only meant to happen in Him. Sure, we can strive and struggle to make it all work. But why would you want to? If God is completely self-sustaining, wouldn’t it make sense to draw from Him for our sustenance too?

Ending with the doxology of Romans 11, Paul opens, barely able to put into words, how awesome God is.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
    How unsearchable His judgments,
    and His paths beyond tracing out!
34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?
    Or who has been His counselor?”
35 “Who has ever given to God,
    that God should repay them?”
36 For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things.
    To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

– Romans 11:33-36

The doxology ends similarly to the previous verse in Colossians.

A reminder that:

  • FROM Him
  • THROUGH Him
  • FOR Him

…are all things.

That progression is significant! If you have something FOR God, it would have to come FROM Him and THROUGH Him to you in the first place.

Because God loves us with all His heart. And we are lovely because He loves us.

What’s in the Ears

I have been DYING to share this song at the right time and here it is! There are several versions since many artists have covered it, and understandably so. Enjoy!

Where does this all land for you? Let me know in the comments or send me a message!

Podcast available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Anchor!

All Things New

Published on by tinavila202 Comments

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We made it. We survived another year. I keep hearing the last two years described as a whole bunch of nothing, while at the same time, feeling as though we’ve all aged 20 years, emotionally.

It’s a lot. It’s been a lot.

Yet in my world, this blog in my little corner of the internet turns 2 today!

I didn’t, or I couldn’t, have anticipated what I was getting myself into in January of 2020 when I decided to share from the deepest overflow of my heart in such a public way. But I am super glad that I did.

So seeing as this is the first blog post and podcast of 2022, I thought it appropriate to share some biblical inspo for new beginnings.

Regardless of how weary, worn out, weepy, frustrated, flustered, or furious we may feel, I firmly believe that God IS doing a new thing. And we are invited to be a part of it!

Let’s explore these verses together.

Then God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good!

– Genesis 1:31

This might seem like an odd place to kick off, but it’s foundational for us to recognize that all God makes is GOOD…

If, from the very beginning, as God reflected on the world He created and could see that it was very good, then, we can be confident knowing that whatever God does, it is good. So if you are following Him, He has good planned for you too.

In our current context, do you ever find it hard to distinguish between good and bad because of all the grey areas and nuances that must be considered? I absolutely do. But when it comes to God, He is always good. And all God does is always good. If we start there, we can’t lose. Even as life gets messy and confusing, there is an undercurrent of peace available to us when we seek out and recognize God’s goodness in our lives.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

– Ecclesiastes 3:11

Does that encourage you? That God has made ALL things beautiful in their own time? There’s hope in that! If what you’re facing isn’t beautiful now, it just means it ain’t over yet. It will get there because God really does make all things beautiful in their time.

I’ve always loved the part about how God sets eternity in people’s hearts. Meaning, He created us with an eternal mindset. If you find yourself longing for more than what you see around you, just know that that longing was put inside you by God on purpose! An eternal perspective. An otherworldly approach to this life that looks past the heartache of the circumstance for what God is doing in the bigger picture.

The verse ends with a reminder that none of us could fully know what God is really up to. Sure, He offers us glimpses, but it will only fully be revealed in His time. That’s why faith is so critical. Faith that God is truly making everything beautiful in its time.

Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.”

– Lamentations 3:22-24

Other translations say that we are not completely wiped out, not completely destroyed, not exhausted… all because of God’s love for us.

Does this resonate with you? Have you ever felt so close to the end of yourself and ready to give up, but somehow, inexplicably, the Lord sustained you? When you should have been flat on the floor, He lifted you up, strengthening and equipping you to somehow carry on?

It IS possible. And each morning is an opportunity to experience His mercy and grace and faithfulness anew. Let’s wait for Him to move, and show up, and refresh in 2022.

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

– Isaiah 43:18-19

If you’re like me, forgetting the former things, and not dwelling on the past is no easy task. But searching intently for the new thing God is doing really helps!

And knowing He is working something out in the wilderness and wasteland, specifically, should be refreshing in and of itself, because it gives purpose to those places in our lives that feel too far gone for anything to possibly be salvaged there. But that’s where God does His best work. And that’s what fills us with hope.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

– 2 Corinthians 4:16-17

If this doesn’t help reset our perspectives to a heavenly one, I don’t know what will!

We can absolutely acknowledge the struggle and how real it is. The wasting away can feel inescapable right now. But we don’t lose heart! And why? Because God promises to renew us each day. What is difficult in this season, will result in eternal glory a zillion times better than whatever we’re facing now.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new life into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

– 1 Peter 1:3

Every once in awhile, I realize, as if for the first time, what a big deal God’s plan of salvation really is.

Recently, my sons and I had a conversation about grace and mercy. And it was really special for me to watch as they began to understand some of the profound beauty of God’s mercy: the forgiveness of sin. That the punishment for sin is actually withheld, and grace is offered in its place. Grace: that unexpected, free gift of NEW LIFE offered to anyone who believes. It really is amazing when you think about it!

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.”

– Revelation 21:4-5

We started in Genesis, so it’s only appropriate to end in Revelation.

Friends, at the end of the story, God wins. And as His children, we get to win too. He really will make everything new. Whatever plagues us, burdens us, or grieves today, it will be gone. And not just gone, but forgotten as we read in previous verses. This is because we’ll be too captivated by our awesome God to dwell on former things any longer. The old order of things will pass away. Our God is seated on the throne and can always be trusted because He is always faithful to keep His promise to His children.

What’s in the Ears

I’ve been ringing in the new year with this song for a few years now so it made sense to share it here. It’s to the tune of Auld Lang Syne, but weepier.

Do you have a favourite scripture that has encouraged you to look forward to new things? Share it with me in the comments and pass this on to a friend if it has encouraged you. Happy New Year!

Podcast version available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Anchor!