Victory In Advance

~ God's got the jump on what your enemies are trying to do. Consult him. Listen to him. Do what he says and you'll have the jump on them too. ~

Christian Products: Don't Give Up I'm Praying For You

Don't Give Up

I'm Praying For You

A Christian get well soon sympathy design to let someone know that you're standing with them in prayer for their healing, through the power of God.

Purchase POD products of this design at

Draw Nigh To Hope Shop at Redbubble.

Available on 34 products.

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Fill your life with reminders of Christian living. 

Spend your money on merchandise that glorifies God Our Father and Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior. 

Surround yourself with products that invite in The Holy Spirit, Our Comforter and Guide everyday.

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  As a self-taught designer, crafter, writer and artist, like Lydia in Acts 16, I design and make beautiful things.

 

My creative ability comes from God The Father and Jesus, The Only Savior of mankind, is the center of my life. 

In order for God to bless us through our talents, skills and creativity, we have to put our work out there. That's why I share here at Draw Nigh To Hope.

 

 I want Christians, who may not otherwise know about them, to have a chance to buy my products that lift up Christ-centered living.

  
Proverbs 22:29 states:

 

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings;

he shall not stand before mean men.

 (KJV)

 
  Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings;

He will not stand before unknown men.

 (NKJV)

 

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If you or anyone you know sells handmade products or designs merchandise that glorifies God, let me know so that I can take a look. I may do a feature here.

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Things Change Overnight

I don't know how to impress upon you the importance of being faithful, of pressing on through dissatisfaction, confusion and fear. It is imperative that you continue to do your part, though it seems like nothing is happening. Whatever your need is, whatever you have presented to God, keep working towards the answer. 

I have heard it said that at the time when we feel like we can't go on, God comes through. When we feel that we are going to break but then choose to push on one more time, God sends the answer. All of the cliches, it's darkest before the dawn and there's a silver lining behind a dark cloud, seem to be true after we are stretched to the limit and still trusting God.

One of my favorite scriptures that I quote everyday is, Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:19) If your thinking is similar to mine, you feel that God does not have to deliver you out of them all. For some wants and needs that develop ever so often you want deliverance through favorable outcomes. 

In those situations, we fervently pray and hope that God will deliver the help that we need ASAP. Praying, believing and working towards a goal that seems to be moving further away is an affliction from which we definitely want to be delivered. 

We work hard everyday to trust Our Father and build ourselves up in our most holy faith. We believe The Most High God will increase our faith. We practice everything that we know to strengthen our resolve and fortify us spiritually, but nothing seems to be happening. Nothing is happening towards the thing that we are believing for.

Not only are we doing our part spiritually but there are efforts that we must make towards the goal for which we are believing God. We must look. We must work. We must pursue what we need. We have a part to do and we're faithfully doing it. Time is ticking and we start thinking of various solutions because nothing is happening. Though we know God is with us and we're on the right track, we're not getting anything concrete from God. He's not giving us enough information for us to be sure of the outcome.

My mom has been gone to Jesus now for about 2 years. She used to say, Things change overnight! That was one of her favorite sayings that comforted us when we were struggling or pressured. I find myself repeating her words often. Things change overnight! They truly do. One reason is the passage of time. Things often change when enough time has passed, though the change may not be what we were believing for. There is another more important and reliable reason that things change overnight. It is because God had a plan for it all along.

In the eleventh hour, when it feels like our faith in God helping us with it is over because we can't hold on and keep trying anymore, God surprises us with the answer, the revelation, the deliverance, the solution. The blessing drops. It was going to happen all along. 

God's Holy Spirit set it into motion a long time ago. We had a part in it back when we first presented our request to God and started taking action. As time passed we began to lost hope but God knew all along what he was going to do. He was guiding us all along but not allowing us to see the outcome. 

We wake up one morning and there it is. God presents us with the answer, the arrangement, the help that we need. After he has tested our faith, strained us to our breaking point and tried us in the fire, he gives us what we thought was a long-lost answer. How excited you will be that you did not totally give up. How blessed you will be when you recognize that along with God's revelation of provision that your spirit has also been tempered. Through being stretched to your breaking point your spirit has been strengthened.

I encourage you to continue on. Keep pressing on, trusting God for that thing. You know that your spirit is always willing to go further. It is the flesh that tires and wants to give up. You've got to tell Our Heavenly Father that you are determined to continue to believe that he has the answer and that he is and will help you. You've got to confess to him that you refuse to give up on him, not matter how it looks, no matter what happens, no matter how you feel. You've got to stand.

Trust him. It's so hard because you are being tried in the fire but that strengthens you. He is strengthening you because he loves you. You will be so grateful that you did not turn away from God, the scriptures and praying, that you did not stop doing your part in believing and seeking for a solution. When you wake up on that morning and he has changed your situation overnight, it will be a miracle, both outer and inner! 

Succeeding Despite Ridicule: A Testimony Of Faith And Persistence

When my first writing (which was a poem) was selected for publication decades ago, a close and much older family member retorted, "Don't think you're better than others!"

That hurt and affected me negatively for years but I kept on writing and studying about writing and publishing. That and other slights and rejections starting in early childhood crushed my spirit in many ways. 

Though that mean comment often replayed in my mind, it eventually faded into the distance. Though it had done damage, one day I found myself to be successful, in satisfaction and fulfillment, in pursuing my writing goals.

Nothing comes to perpetual dreamers who only rest and fold their hands. Successful people do the things that others don't like to do and that others ridicule them for. They invest time and consistent effort in visions that burn within and they never give up.  

Compassionate people do not oppress others in their tender growth. They endeavor to build up those who are trying, especially children and teenagers whose lives can be destroyed through consistent insults. It is difficult for some to rise above non-support and oppression.  

Though others laughed at me and brushed off my efforts throughout the years, ridiculing me and saying in derogatory ways that I liked to play with papers, I kept playing with those papers. I kept writing and editing and filing and re-filing those draft manuscripts. 

Through the years, my files bulged and I dragged them to everywhere that I moved. I had unrelenting faith in what I was doing and an ever-burning love of the craft of writing and publishing.

Today, I am the only one in my family or in my previous circle of associations, that I know of, who has published books. While I've found creativity in my ancestry, I've not yet found anyone who published a periodical or a book.

Despite the rejection and derision that I have endured, I loved writing and other creative abilities that I'm blessed to have. I'm SO grateful that what God put in me could not be killed. I've done nothing but improve and progress over the years, adding more skills and talents along the way. 

It was hard to rise above the dejection that dogged me but God brought me through even when I did not know him and was not open to him. It was He who blessed me with my creative talents and He protected them, as He has protected me in many ways. 

I have published 7 themed journals, 1 prayer prompt journal, 1 children's book, 1 business book and am about to publish my 11th book, which will be my 2nd Christian book. 

Glory be to God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Spirit! I now rely upon them entirely for my acceptance, validation and support. So Grateful! So Thankful! So Blessed!

My encouragement to you is to hold on to what you believe about the good thing that you are doing. You must choose to believe that some where, some way, some how you will accomplish what your spirit is burning to do. 

Our Father has given you all that you need to succeed. It is inside and members of The Godhead will help you to use the tools which you have been given. You are special! You are loved! They care about you! Press on! Keep going! Don't stop!

We Gave Each Other Something That Day

Many years ago on a bus, I sat down beside a 40-ish, clean-cut, well-spoken man who offered me his neatly folded newspaper. 

I brightly replied, “Thank you. I need this today!” I am a woman of color and he was white. This is only significant in that I am always grateful for cross-cultural friendliness where ever I find it because there is so much hatred and prejudice still being practiced and promoted.

After I accepted the paper with a smile, he replied, “I picked it up at TCC.”

“Do you want some change for it,” I offered.

“No,” he replied. “They set them out for free.” After a pause, he humorously said, “I can always use a little change. No just kidding.”

I laughed and said, “We can all use a little change, sometimes. You take classes at TCC,” I inquired, assuming that he was enrolled in some MBA-type program or something.

“No, I stay at the Union Mission,” he quietly replied.

“Oh,” I said, thinking how sad but restful his spirit seemed.

“I work two part-time jobs,” I confessed. “They are both minimum wage and it’s difficult to get on my feet.”

“It’s hard for everyone isn’t it?” he empathized.

I began to dig in my purse for change, because not only have I had a desire to help others from my teenaged years but also because I’ve been in various types of financial and employment struggles. I have empathy for others who are struggling.

He said quickly and quietly, “Oh, you don’t have to do that,” as he waved his hand from side to side.

“But will you accept it anyway,” I quietly pleaded.

“Yes,” he said with purpose.

I grabbed as much change as my hand could hold.

The bus was slowing for my stop and I grasped as much change as my fingers could touch. It felt like a lot of quarters and I was glad. 

As I warmly placed them in his open hand, I felt his spirit soar as he looked down at his palm. He seemed so happy about that handful of change and I felt the angels singing.

When he said “God bless you,” I really felt the blessings of God being bestowed upon me. I just felt it, and spoke the same blessing to him.

I really needed the newspaper that morning.

 As I got up, I said, “See you around.”

“Certainly,” he said, or something like that.

As I walked to the McDonald’s to get my cup of coffee, I was happy to have the paper to read. I reflected on how much I seemed to have in the eyes of that man. I actually had not just one job but two compared to his none. They were both retail and didn’t even make up 35 hours a week but how blessed I must have seemed to him.

Suddenly, I thought I probably don't have enough for the cup of coffee I was so looking forward to. I had given him a lot of my change and was not thinking about my coffee. When I got inside, I found that I still had enough change for the coffee and then some. I had not even considered the amount that I was giving him when I dug into my purse. I just wanted him to have it. In doing so, I was provided for.

Amazingly, I still had enough change to buy my coffee.

My situation must really have seemed almost like paradise to him. To be finished with the job search process. To be done with standing in line with five-hundred and fifty other people for a handful of positions. To have the interviews behind me. To actually have some funds coming in. To have already received a paycheck. He had a bed for an extended but limited period of time in a residential shelter. There are so many others who don't even have that.

Just think about all of the others who don't have a bed in a shelter. Think about those who want a better life but can't get into the right position at the right time to make it work. Think about the mentally-challenged who would not hurt anyone but who are wandering the streets without anyone to assist them because not enough people are helping. Think about all of those who fall through the cracks, because not enough people are helping. Think about the elderly on the streets.

Think about those who are hungry and want something to eat but no one gives them a dollar because they decide that the person just wants a drink of wine. Think about those who were cheated and mistreated and are now living homeless as a result of it. Think about the veterans who are homeless and the mothers with children who don't have anywhere to sleep at night. Think about the children who are absolutely alone on the streets everywhere in the world...

Remember those who are struggling and who are less fortunate than you. The numbers are exploding and most of them don't want to be homeless and jobless. Reach out today. Help someone. If you can help one person one time in your life, you have done a lot.

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