Holy Spirit... (Updated)

(Scroll down for an update on this image...)

I don't work in color a lot yet, but I wanted this one to be in color, the light surrounding the woman had to be blue, to match my vision. 

At a prayer night a few nights ago, we were prompted to pray and reflect on who God is, what he's done in our lives in the past, what he will do in the future, and lastly, on how he is omnipresent, he's always been with us, and will remain with us.

I felt a vision, as though the Holy Spirit was swirling around me in the form of bright blue light as I prayed and reflected on His goodness to me.

I just recently read through John, and John 15 specifically felt connected to my previous post The True Vine.  In the previous chapter (14) and again, later in chapter 15, we are told of our Helper, the Holy Spirit.  These verses were fresh on my mind during prayer night...

John 14: 15-17

15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14: 26

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 

Update: Sunday July 14:

I thought the original intent of this image as I said above, was that the Holy Spirit was swirling around ME as I prayed.

The following morning when I woke up, I was having trouble deciding whether I should go to church services or not. You see, I drive approximately 40 minutes to church, and I was very low on gas, and I didn't have money to put into my tank.

Around 9:30am, I looked at the picture and felt that I needed to go to church and give this to our worship leader.  I felt very strongly, and immediately, that this picture was of her and had a message for her.  It even looked more like her than myself... In fact, I don't even own a green shirt, but I *do* have a recent video clip of her leading worship at our evening baptism ceremony where she is just exuding joy and dancing while singing while wearing a green shirt.

I marked the two scriptures above on the back of the drawing, signed it to her from myself, got myself together and headed to church for our 11am service.

I waited until after the service, sat with her aside and gave her the picture.  I explained to her that I recalled her saying a couple of weeks ago to one of our pastors some comments about how she thought she sometimes struggled with knowing exactly what to say when leading the church in prayer.

I told her to remember that when she prays, the Holy Spirit will come upon her, swirl around her like blue light and tell her exactly what to say.  I reminded her of some prayers she has offered up that have been amazingly and inexplicably perfect for me at the time.

She was very quiet and seemed a bit stunned as tears welled up in her eyes a bit. She told me that during the first service, she was unsure of the prayer that she had led, and was praying with one of our pastors about it during the sermon, to seek guidance to "do it better" at the 11am service I attended.

The time of her prayers with the pastor that morning would have been around 9:30, when I was at home and realized the picture was of her and that she needed it.

We hugged a few times and I headed home.  She headed to the store and bought a frame for the image. She told me it blessed her immensely right away.

Later that afternoon, at home, another of my friends sent me the sermon online that he was watching  as he could not make it to church that day.  He was listening to Dr. Charles Stanley talk about Walking in the Holy Spirit, shown below.  I decided to listen to the sermon while I mowed my lawn. (Side note: I love Charles Stanley's voice and way of teaching.  It is easy to understand, and full of scripture, and I think he voice is so soothing!  If you've never watched him, you are in for a treat.)

I was driving the lawn tractor with my headphones on, and just a few minutes into the sermon when Dr. Stanley mentioned some scriptures referring to the Holy Spirit and His role in our lives...  THE EXACT SAME SCRIPTURES I posted above and that I had written on the back of the drawing.

I immediately stopped the tractor and wrote to my friends, both, to tell them of the news.  Both were overjoyed and amazed to hear of the news.

This was a clear sign to me directly from the Holy Spirit, confirming for me that I am on the right pathway, that I am hearing Him speak to me, and I am acting in the manner He is pleased with.  I still cannot fathom how or why He would choose to be near to me... A "nobody".  The answer I always come back to is LOVE, and I am overwhelmed.

Dear Heavenly Father,

You are so good to me, Lord, though You know that I do not deserve it.  You are generous with your Grace with me every day, and I am humbled to think that the God who made Heaven and Earth made me, and made me for a purpose.

Thank you for the gifts you have given me- especially the previously unknown skills to create art that reaches out and speaks to those around me.  Thank you for showing me how to draw the words I can't find to say to encourage and uplift those in my life that need uplifting.

Thank you, Lord, for speaking to me in wondrous ways; for providing me with the "coincidences too big to be coincidences" that let me feel you are with me and confirm for me that I am hearing your desires for me. 

Please continue to bless my hands to create more works of art that glorify You as I explore different techniques and styles in art.  Please help me to learn to be more bold in my testimony and my ministry as I continue on my path to spiritual maturity.  All Glory and Honor to You, Lord.

Amen.



A final thought - I'll close the update with the new Casting Crowns song (with Matthew West) because it says a lot of what I'm feeling right now.