In today's world, there is so much emphasis on being strong. In pulling ourselves together, pushing forward, and achieving. We are told to be strong, to keep it together, to not show vulnerability, emotion, or weakness. We are told you can do it on your own, you don't need to rely on anyone. But I believe that makes us weak... It makes us vulnerable.

As this passage from Psalms remind me, true Strength comes from God alone. Security, energy, direction, confidence, and strength are found in God. When we surrender to Him, allowing Him to strengthen us (Philippians 4:13) we can do whatever He wills or desires us to do. Even when we are weak, we need not fear for our God is strong, especially in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). With God's strength we can face another day, we can face the difficulties of the day, we can face those hard feelings, we can walk forward in the face of affliction, we can endure the suffering trusting Him, we can bend a Bow of Bronze and thwart the attacks of the enemy.
With His Strength, with the armor of God, with Him, we are strong.

Psalms 18:32-34
It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

His Bronze Bow (Psalms 18:32-34)

New Beginnings - (Lamentations 3:22-24)

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

It is was the beginning of 2023 in Texas. The sun had just risen and the snow had begun to melt. The preceding months has been hard. So many things ended. Relationship ended, a life ended, dreams ended. I felt shattered and hopeless. Nothing felt good, everything felt tainted.

After a week of being stuck inside due to ice, I was stir crazy. I went on a walk that cold February morning. I went to my favorite place, when I needed solace with God. Where I went to clear my head.

As I walked along the path the snow looked so white and clean. The water sparkled from the sunlight. It was a beautiful, relaxing, and refreshing sight. The sun mixed with the snow was something I hadn't seen often. As an artist I felt inclined to snap a couple of photos.

At the time I didn't know what God was doing with my life, but I took comfort in the fact that He never changed, his Love never ceased, He was faithful, He would never leave. He was someone I could hope in and He wouldn't let me down.
A year later I came across that photo again and decided to paint it. Painting it was therapeutic as I reflected on how God had brought me through that last year.

He pruned me, as He says He will in John 15. He took out good things, to make room for better things. The lessons I learned by the removal of those good things are lessons I cherish. I am thankful for the pain, I am thankful God allowed me to walk through that valley and that He did it with me.

The picture now feels so symbolic. It was morning, a new day. The snow was melting making everything feel new. It was still winter, still a while until summer, but there was still beauty to be found. That day when I felt like everything was ending... There was also so much beginning. It was a new morning, new dawn, new day, new chapter. It was a hard chapter, but it was also a really good chapter.

New Beginnings (Lamentations 3:22-24)

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. " - Ecclesiastes 3:11

These beautiful flowers (my favorite flowers in my favorite color :D) were given to me by a dear friend a couple months ago. As I near graduation, which is just 7 days away, I am reminded of how God makes everything beautiful in His time. God Is always at work, always present, always faithful. In His time, He will take all the broken pieces and bring beauty out of it.

Chloe Noel Lacefield