Wanderlust

Building Blocks of Hope

Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth”.

I'm working this week both creatively & in children's ministries.  For the later I was given the theme of building blocks of hope and literally am stuck between Bob the Builder and wanderlust of the Holy Spirit.

Wanderlust is defined as "a strong desire to travel" . It seems fitting as I've came back home from Wagner last week but part of my spirit remains there.  The past couple of weeks in Wagner were magnificent in so many ways for me both personally and spiritually.  This week I have been able to pray in confidence to our Heavenly Father and thank him for provisions in my own life and my journey that made my time in Wagner one of beauty, light, and grace.

I've started a series of watercolor work this week entitled ; "wanderlust".  This city kid was inspired by the majesty of the river, lakes, prairie, and eagles that I saw while in Wagner.  I was able to take a friend out to the river where she shared her special spot that she goes to reflect, pray, and meditate.  She shared with me the meaning of water, eagles, and more according to Native Americans.  It was beautiful to learn from a Native American who knows our Heavenly Father.  We were able to laugh, share, and pray over each other, our families, the community, and friends.  I'm proud to know what an eagle sounds like because she took time to share with me.

Perhaps, "wanderlust", is really taking time to journey with others around us.  Its an investment of our time and shared experiences with them .  To listen to their journeys and found a commonplace with one another.  It's more than just making a little time in your schedule, sending a buck, or giving excuses as to why you "can't".  Wanderlust in the Holy Spirit gives you freedom to say "yes", to listen, to pray with another, and to sense when you need to speak.  It is a sweet freedom of expression, love, and care that Christ had for others.

This week I'm working in "wanderlust" for my community as I plan and pray over offering semi-permanent weekly and monthly art classes. I feel in my core that I need to plan and schedule the classes at my home base aka my creative sanctuary aka The Artroom.  While in Wagner I had several messages asking me to come teach monthly art classes and I need to pray on which to take on.  I felt a tug from our Heavenly Father while in Wagner that said "kid, you're home".  It brought me to tears in the church kitchen early one morning.  It wasn't God telling me that Wagner was my home but what I was doing in Wagner; connecting, loving, creating, listening, praying, and being attentive was what "home" is.

I'm hopeful in the coming weeks to use creativity as a kingdom builder in my own community using my resources ; my home art studio, my supplies, and "wanderlust" from the Holy Spirit to make an impact.  I would love for you to share about ; The Artroom, come to classes, bring your kids or grandkids, and pray over my ability to be light, refuge, and shelter from the world with "wanderlust" from the Holy Spirit.

**After writing this morning I felt like I was missing something.  Emily was having an off day and had taken meds to prevent a seizure. I went to check on her and wound up praying over her as she slept this afternoon.  As I was praying I was recounting all the wonderful traits that the Lord gifted Emily with.  It dawned on me that those are building blocks of hope; compassion, tenacity, kindness, faithfulness, trustworthy, servant, friend, warrior.  I'm thankful for time well spent to pray for my daughter and to open my mind to the possibility of creating a curriculum based on her gifts from the father that I would hope each child would see in themselves. 

Peace be with you- Sherry


Updates:

• My journey to Wagner left me with a wanderlust list of aspirations that I've laid in Gods capable hands to bless,  One of those aspirations is in creating a monthly and weekly schedule for my creative sanctuary aka The Artroom that would make it available to both kids and adults to seek solace from the world and find their own wanderlust within creativity.   
• We move Dale to college on August 23 at Northwest Missouri State in Maryville.   If you would pray for safe travels for our family that would be phenom.  
• Emily has another consult with Dr. Seeley , her epilepsy neurologist, on August 20.  We appreciate prayers of light, clarity, and tenacity for Emily in her journey.  She is looking at taking an online class this semester at the community college.  
• I returned to my oncologist this week and we discussed maintenance.  We talked about a monthly injection to continue on the path of healing and coping through pain, bloating, etc.  We also discussed that I don't have health insurance and options available until we can get coverage in October.  I've filled out financial assistance paperwork for the injections.  Prayers would be appreciated.  
• I took two pairs of used kids converse sneakers to Wagner to give away.  I had one pair in mind for a girl that I knew and to my delight she was indeed in need of shoes & they fit.  I gifted away the other pair to another girl that I felt needed shoes and they fit exactly.  I would like to gather and collect used kids sneakers to take on my trip in October.  If you have some used sneakers you'd like to donate or would be willing to buy a few pairs when you go to a thrift store please let me know. 

Sparkle Fingers

Impact ; before you lead with God's light ask that it be solely for his glory and none of your own

Impression; you are not only the hands and feet of Jesus but you are his face , his words, and his actions

Integrity: true grit to be who you are designed in Christ

I've been praying this year over these three words ; impact, impression, and integrity.  That daily I would have each and that God would open doors to allow me to be his light.  Why do I feel a  turbulence this morning that throws my head in a tailspin of emotion from empathy to heartbreak. I thought it was because I needed to pray but afterward I knew it was because I needed to blog and "be bold" with my words.

 I woke up throughout Saturday night through Sunday morning with vivid dreams of the kid artists that we have met and one in particular.  My teacher smarts can spot a kid in distress and knows that she can't save them all. What I can do is pray over this girl and gift her back to God like I do my own two kids daily.  I can empower God to bubble wrap this kid with his protection & boundless love.  I went back to sleep and woke up from another dream with another couple of kids and I prayed the same over them.  Then another dream and I checked the time and it was 6:30 so I got up and started to pray over each and every kid artist that has graced All Tribes Fellowship over the week & the ones that we know from the past.  I prayed over the flow of kid artists that we have seen this past week and that floodgates continue to open while we are here.

I praised God for letting it take so long for us to get up here this summer because he was preparing us to be his hands and feet.  He prepped me when my health insurance was cancelled this spring & my ongoing battle with social security.  I've been able to listen not only with intent but boldness as two sister in Christ in Wagner have shared their health battles which include no insurance....ohh, Lord, I know the heartache and resolve that I found in you let me share it. I was blessed to "be bold" and ask if we could pray after they shared and both said "yes".  Thank you, Lord, for prepping my heart, mind and spirit with "be bold" & my own personal experiences. I praise God this morning for both of these ladies and ask that they find resolve in Lord as I have.

I've been trying to call and message the Boys and Girls Club here in Wagner and didn't get called back.  God told me to "be bold" and I've went to their office daily but there is no one there.  One of the kids told me that the club is closed until school starts.  God, is so infinitely wise that he sent us here when the club was closed so that kids could choose light, creativity, and grace that our Open Artroom gifts.  God is giving us kid artists that we might not have met had the club been opened.

God prepped Emily through having weekly seizures in her sleep that she knows when to rest and does it.  She had to take a nap yesterday as the kids were arriving.  She could recognize she needed to rest...to God be the glory. One of the kids asked where she went and I told her that Emily has epilepsy and has seizures.  The kid artist told me that her sister has seizures too and then took over to help me like Emily does.  It gifted God's light and mercy to me to see the kid artist step up, ask directions , and then take over an art station as the leader.

Dale got his drivers license in June after having his permit for two years. That gifts us with another driver as we drove to Wagner.  It allowed him to say "yes" when a family asked if we could bring their kids home since they borrowed a car to get them to Open Artroom.  He said "yes" to another couple of kids that asked if they could get a ride yesterday and has wound up taking two car loads of kids home daily.

Yesterday, I felt the magnitude of emotions and felt like escaping to the local bakery here in Wagner to journal and sketch in my sketchbook.  The Sandymobile's fan for the a/c has went out and needs repairs but the morning was cool and the windows were down as I went to drive the whole two blocks to the bakery.  I stopped by the bank to check my balance and saw that it was around $70 until Ted gets paid. I felt that pain of fear try to creep in about the car.  I went to journal at the bakery my own problems to the Lord and wound up praying over friends, kid artists, and the community of Wagner.  On the way back to the church I could hear someones car not cranking over and thought of my own car woes and started to pray over them that God would help them.  I heard 'be bold" on my heart, mind, and spirit and took a deep breath and went over.  I saw it was a gal with two small kids in the van and she had the look of defeat.  I've been there, been that mom, am that mom....so I was bold.  I found out that she didn't need a jump start but needed gas in the van.  I told her not to worry that I could go and get some gas and be right back.  Thankful at Gods provision in my own life & for answering when he says "be bold".  I am trusting our Heavenly Father to provide not only the parts but people to help fix the Sandymobile because that car is my wings to the world.

Our time is Wagner has renewed my soul in my abilities to provide a safe sanctuary through creativity for the kids in Wagner. It reminds me kids & adults in my own community in Pleasant Hill need the same sanctuary as in Wagner. A place where they can create, socialize, and be lifted in God's light and I'm just the gal to lead it in my art room.  Thankful this evening for my time in Wagner to lead with integrity, love, and light.  May this week continue to bring each of us closer to God's light and purpose.

The pic at the top is from yesterday.  I had a kid artist tell me that she painted her nails to look like mine and showed me her hands.  Sure enough we now both have sparkle fingers.  Thankful for God's precious reminder that I am his hands and feet.  It is with impression, intent, and integrity that I walk.


Peace be with you- Sherry

Updates:

• This Saturday Ted was planning on traveling to Wagner with a family that was coming this way.  We found out that he can't get a ride with them after all.  We are looking for someone that is traveling to Omaha to get him there.   If you are going to Omaha let me know if there is room for Ted in your car.  We've prayed for over a year for Ted's heart to soften and that he would want to join us in Wagner & he is wants to.  Now, we just need to get him here. 
• We are in need of someone to let our dogs out for a couple of days starting on Saturday through Wednesday. If you or your kiddo would like to help us we would love your help...please contact me. 
• We are blessed to have 25 to 35 kids showing up daily for Open Artroom.  Yesterday, God gifted us with four more kids that we haven't met.  There were two that came in and asked if we had anything to eat and I told them we have snack at 4:30.  I got the opportunity to talk with them and started to silently pray over them, their needs, and that God's light to encompass them. When they began to go to art stations they were hesitant and by the end they were kid artists. God is good.