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Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2a, NIV)
A few years ago I was invited to speak and sing in Tennessee at a women’s event. To my delight, my daughter Kennedy was able to join me. The two of us are all about “mommy-daughter time” so we were all smiles as we started off on the three and a half hour drive.
Prior to the trip, I had given Kennedy permission to use my iPad to watch a movie. So once we hit the highway, she got cozy with her pillow, her headphones went on, and her attention became fixed on the rectangular screen in front of her. Random giggles floated from my little movie-watcher as I drove and prayed for the event we were heading to.
It was the first week of November, and in the Tar Heel state that’s primetime for fall tree color. Once we past the congested traffic and the hullaballoo of the suburbs, the splendor of God gripped me. Showcased through traces of red, yellow, orange, and brown, the leaves danced in the breeze under the backdrop of a brilliant blue Carolina sky. The trees continued to boast of more and more glory as I neared Virginia… and then the mountains joined in.
Oh, the mountains!
They puffed their chests with the majesty of color and power!
My heart was captured by the glory of it all.
And then I realized that Kennedy was missing it. Ugh!
I tapped her on the shoulder and pointed out the window. “Look around! Lift your eyes and soak in the wonder, sweetie! Don’t miss the beautiful…” I urged.
“Don’t miss the beautiful!”
She paused her movie and joined in on the beauty moment, totally agreeing that God was showing off with His fall art. Minutes later, she went back to watching her movie as I drove on undone. Wrung out by glory. Overwhelmed by the sacred sanctuary I’d stumbled upon. I stayed in the moment and celebrated the beautiful as the psalmist did in Psalm 96:
1 Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.
Worship poured from my heart. Splendor and majesty were before both Him and me. I thanked God for the beauty show. And as praise and adoration continued to rise, a God-thought settled on my heart. Tell them, Gwen.
“Tell them what, Lord?” I wondered.
Tell the women what you told Kennedy. Tell them not to miss the beautiful.
Ahhhh, yes! I would tell them, and I would chew on that challenge for days to come. Convicted by questions like: How often do I drive right through the busyness of my days and miss the beautiful? How many moments of glory do I not even see because my eyes are on the mundane? Do I even look for it?
As we dance between the days of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years – as we decorate the doors and the hearths of our homes and communities – let’s be intentional to decorate the doors and the hearths of our hearts with ribbons of God’s grace.
Let’s live with eyes lifted to the Gift of gifts, Jesus Christ.
When we face the stresses of our lists, and our tasks, and our activities, and our heart burdens, let’s commit to remembering that the best present is His presence. He’s our Hope, our Peace, our Joy… our Beautiful.
Don’t miss the beautiful.
Dear Lord,
You are glorious and worthy of all praise!
Please help me to fix my eyes on You each day
so I can walk in your hope, peace, joy, and beauty.
In Jesus’s name, amen.
FOR YOUR REFLECTION and RESPONSE
Have you paused to spend time with God one-on-one yet today? This week? Prioritize prayer. Read Colossians 3:1-17. Write about it in your journal. Spend time in personal worship.
Then CLICK to LISTEN to the songs that I’ve posted and allow them to lead you to the Beautiful One.
SONGS FOR REFLECTION and WORSHIP
Eyes wide open, friend!
Thanks for doing life with me,
Gwen
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Comments 9
Very good songs Gwen. Uncluttered touched by heart. You are very aspiring.
Worthy, yes. And we do need to take in the beauty of His splendor.
Love this ministry. So blessed with every information and your messages are great inspiration to me. Thank you. Rhoda
Thank you Bridget for sharing your pain. I pray that the Lord comfort you and wrap His arms around you❤️ Do we ever get “back on track” after losing a loved one that we were so close to? Maybe a “different” track, a “new track”. I had a tragic lose many years ago and my life is Peaceful because my peace resides in Him, but my life changed from that moment on and was never the same, but “different”. I know our Heavenly Father hears your prayers and sees your great tears and He IS there and comforting you even though you might not feel it! He comforts all His children!! (He will NEVER leave us OR forsake us!! Never means never😉) I prayed for you as I read your response! Continue to keep your eyes on Him; He will continue to strengthen you❤️❤️
Gwen I would like to say thank you for this ministry moments that you allowed me to share with your words that were right on time, and the beautiful songs that brought tears and loving memories to me. I have been going through a DEPRESSIVE SEASON, THAT ENDS TODAY, 6 years ago my mother made her transition and it still hurts in my QUIET TIME I try to not let others around me know. Especially my husband of 22 months yesterday and we are both 65 years old, We have know each other since we were 7 years old. So Monday would have been my mother’s 86th birthday, and Tuesday was my only daughter’s 42nd birthday ,who lives in San Antonio, I reside in Renaissance, Georgia. I have been ill since the week of Thanksgiving and now I know what it was, the doctor said bronchitis and I have literally been in bed for over two weeks. My wonderful husband has been at my beck and call 24 hours a day.. Now mind you I have been single from my first marriage for over 29 years, BUT GOD ANSWERED BOTH OF OUR PRAYERS for A GODLY MATE. So in closing because I could go on and on, (I know I did so please forgive me), was missing the BEAUTY OF IT ALL FROM GOD, Had HE not allowed our paths to cross on VALENTINE’S DAY 2015 I would have been here in bed sick with only my dog Blossum by my bed. I THANK GOD FOR DIRECTING MY PATH this MORNING TO READ AND LISTEN TO THE BEAUTIFUL INTENTIONAL MUSIC THAT YOU PROVIDED. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY SOUL. AGAPE
Thank you for blessing my life with these song blessing from my country Belize
Hi, just came from the doctor. Not in a good space, then I read ” don’t miss the beautiful”. My mom died 14 October 2016. since her death I have not been able to get back to “ME” Mom and I were best friends, a real spiritual warrior, my mentor. We would speak for hours about the goodness of God. I miss our talks, I miss US. Listening to the songs you posted. Lord,You are glorious and worthy of all praise! Please help me to fix my eyes on You each day so I can walk in your hope, peace, joy, and beauty. “Uncluttered” I want to understand His ways. I need to get back to my first love. I just seem to be lost. Some days are very good, but then most days are very bad. I just can’t get into His presence. It seem such a long time ago. How do i get back on track???
I remember lying in my room when I was in high school and writing in a journal to my future husband. I’d write all sorts of notes and questions and things I’d wonder or ask this man when I eventually met him. I would wonder where he was and what he was doing and if he was thinking about me too. dIt has always been such a strong desire in my heart to find a wonderful man to marry, someone who would love me and cherish me and appreciate me for the person I am. I always thought I would get married right out of college, just like my parents, so when that plan didn’t work out, I started to get discouraged. A school mate snatched my future husband away from my arms just because she had spiritual powers, all hope was lost to me before i came across the help doctor (prayerstosaverelationship@gmail.com
) who i confided in, i told him my long story and he helped me regain back my lover with his prayers which is now my husband today. if you have any problem email the help doctor (prayerstosaverelationship@gmail.com
).
Gwen, thank you, thank you for this post. I had one of those “beautiful” moments last night. My daughter had tickets to a concert and I agreed to keep my 3 year old grandson so she could enjoy a delayed birthday gift. In the hustle and bustle of my job during this crazy insurance season, I needed her to meet me at my office to take him home with me. After working 10-12 hour days for the past couple of weeks, I was excited to leave after at 6. As we made our way through the neighborhoods to get to our main road to go home, my little one said “Oooo Mawmaw, lights…Christmas lights”…and it went on and on and on, more excited with each one we saw. He kept saying “pretty”..”ooo”…”lights”… He was so excited and he said, Awww…Mawmaw…I wuv you”, just as if I had planned this trip especially for him. It pulled me to my knees…as this is a trip I take every night and I was missing the “beautiful”.
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