by Kimmie Liette | Mar 19, 2020 | Writings |
God has placed his unique brush stroke on you.
When re-doing my bedroom furniture, I was chalk paint happy and loved how it came out. However, my husband wanted to help and I let him paint one drawer. Admitedly, I was afraid that he wouldn’t follow the grain pattern right or allow what I thought was the right amount of wood show through the paint.
Time allowed the paint to dry and the final look to be revealed. Brady put the drawers back together and assembled the dresser to put my creative heart in awe. Except, I saw the one drawer he painted. It was completely slathered in paint and looked different than all of the ones I painted.
In art, brush strokes are a “the configuration given to paint by contact with the bristles of brush”, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
Simply put, this is the finishing touch of the painter’s creativity, the remaining shape once the brush is lifted up.
There may be many a hundred thousand others with the same PAINT as you, but there is no one else who possesses the same brush strokes that you do.
The world needs your originality, your talents and your inimitable anointing.
The thing that is distinct about you is what sets you a part.
It brings a unique emphasis to your calling.
Instead of talking yourself out of doing what you were created to do, it’s time to
OWN YOUR BRUSH STROKE.
Perhaps you are trying to use someone else brush strokes because it works for them.
My three year old son has a pair of shoes he loves to wear, but they aren’t quite his size. So every time he goes to jump on a rock or skip down the road, he slips and falls down.
Perhaps you also are wearing shoes that don’t fit.
You keep falling down when you try to run, you scrape your knees when you try to land the jump. It’s not that what you are doing is wrong, it’s that you can’t do it right because you don’t have the gear meant for you. God has given you specific talents and ways that may not look like other people’s ways.
Perhaps you are trying to wear the kings armor, but you are struggling to carry it, like David. (Yet, he opted out of the armor and used his sling and some stones because that was what he knew already worked for him. )
Don’t be discouraged. It was never meant to fit you!
Instead, ask the Lord, what is YOUR way for me? What is your strategy FOR ME?
“What is my brush stroke?” And as you discover it, embrace it and let it shine!
The world needs the light you possess and the way you shine it.
Will you set aside the kings armor and pick up your sling, even if it feels silly?
You never know what may come of your courage.
by Kimmie Liette | Apr 17, 2017 | Writings |
“Courage, dear heart.” – C.S Lewis
Maybe an immense trial is raging like a fire throughout a parched land, a land once called peace and surety.
Perhaps the weight of a life-altering decision lies heavily upon your two fragile, shaky palms.
Even when the right choice is known, it can be extemely difficult to make. For once a decision is made, it cannot be undone. The permancy of a choice leaves a feeling of vulnerability and the lingering question of, “what if?”
That is when courage is needed, it is vital for moving forward.
Courage is the force that enables us to take the first step and that first step creates momentum to keep going.
The path is taken one step at a time, remember that.
We don’t have to know the big picture. We don’t have to know the exact directions down the road. We only need courage to help us take that initial step and for our little feet to follow along after that.
Everything will come together in time, it doesn’t all happen at once. It doesn’t need to work that way. Take it day by day, step by step, brick by brick. The road was never meant to be easy or to be well mapped out before deciding to bear through the journey.
It was meant to be faced with courage of heart, conviction of the soul, and with a deep trust in the one who is paving the way.
It’s courage that got me in and its courage that will lead me through.
by Kimmie Liette | Jun 2, 2016 | Writings |
Have you ever felt stuck in a season where not a lot was going on?
That’s how I had been feeling and it was ridiculously hard. I kept waiting for what was next and I felt like I was meant to do so much more, but yet I did nothing of importance.
Almost a year ago I quit my job. It was an amazing job, but I just felt as if it was what I needed to do to prepare for the future. My husband also quit his job, took a part time job and started pursuing Real Estate. The transition was rough, but little did we know what exactly we were preparing for.
Kimberly is wearing the ‘Courage’ Key Necklace from The Giving Keys.
I was starting to get depressed because I’ve always been a social butterfly and now I was working from home with no one around. It was boring, lonely and felt like such a waste of time.
Eventually, Brady bought me the cutest puppy and that helped a little having a friend around. It was also annoying because I had to keep cleaning up after him, if you know what I mean. I left Harlow (our puppy) for the first time when we went on vacation to see Brady’s family and I missed him so much.
When we returned from that vacation, we weren’t prepared to face what was about to happen.
Not only did Harlow seem to have grown so much, but our family was about to grow at a much quicker rate then we ever planned.
We got a text asking us if we knew of a home for three sisters, not realizing that this person had a specific home in mind: ours. When they did make that clear, we knew what the answer was. They did not pressure us at all, just thought it would be a good fit. Though it didn’t seem plausible, we said yes and opened our home to three of the most amazing little girls in the world.
With only a two bedroom condo, one car, and a very humble salary, our little home was filled with giggles and tutus.
We may have been in shock for a few weeks or more trying to adjust to this totally new life, but every worry and every need we had was met by an incredible God and those who were obedient to be His hands and feet to our family.
He is the One who makes the impossible things come to pass at the perfect timing. When we said “Yes” to opening our home, we knew that without God it wasn’t going to work. Yet, we took that huge step of faith and He never let us down.
Not only that, but the past seven months before when I was transitioning into being a stay at home wife and had no idea why, God knew the answer was three precious sisters who needed us, and that we needed them.
Never underestimate that transitional period of your life when you feel as if nothing much is going on. You might just be around the corner from the biggest miracle you’ll ever encounter. When that big thing shows up on your front door one day and you see it as impossible, remember that if God calls you to it, He will make a way for it to happen.
I was absolutely terrified when that “yes” left my mouth (actually my thumbs since I was texting). I cried for a week when those girls came into my home because I instantly became a mom of three with no prior experience, and I still get nervous that I am not being the best mom I can be. Yet, no matter how uncertain I might be sometimes, the obedience of saying yes is worth it. I wouldn’t change a thing in the world if it meant not having these girls in our home right now.
I don’t know what the future holds, but today is what matters.
I just need to give my very best today. When tomorrow comes, I simply need to do the same thing.
Be courageous and do whatever it is you know you’re meant to do, even if it totally scares you, because once you say yes, you’ll see the miracles and you’ll look back and know it was so worth it.
Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
