Do you dare search for beauty? The kind that is found in the morning sky just as dawn breaks open revealing all its light and splendor. Or the kind found at dusk as the last light blinks one more time across the sky. We see beauty with our eyes and admire what is displayed before us. But what about the times the beauty is not evident? Do we explore further to uncover the hidden attractiveness inside or allow it to reveal itself as our eyes adjust to what promises lie below the surface?
Beauty shows up in the most unlikely places. God created the landscapes of the world in varied hues and textures. The outward beauty shows up in dry, dusty flatlands or in lush, green rolling hills. Sparse and simple illustrates beauty as well as majestic and complex.
Beauty is not always evident at first glance or might not be seen when looking from the outside in. What I might see as beautiful could very well not appeal to you at all. But I am learning that God only creates beautiful things. In His eyes all of creation is majestic and beautiful to behold. Spending a week in Nicaragua taught me that beauty is everywhere. It is in its people, the dry, dusty landscape and in the love and smiles that were as clear as day.
[Tweet “Open eyes lead to open minds which prepare our hearts for God to invite us into His story.”]
Sometimes beauty takes time to evolve to be fully revealed. The rising of the sun is the perfect slow dance of beauty revealing itself in slow motion. Each piece of the sunrise becomes part of the whole sun as it shows itself in full above the horizon, but not until it is exactly the right time. God knows when the time is right to share the allure of a landscape or the beauty of a loving heart. He takes each little detail and creates a patchwork quilt of intersecting lives and connecting stories. He shows each of us what our eyes cannot always see until we step into His story to let the transformation take place. God invites us into His story as a way to open our eyes to the beauty of His creation. He challenges us in a way that feels overwhelming, but ultimately allows us to become key characters in the story that He is writing for each of us. That is how God showed me beauty in Nicaragua. He wrote me into the story of the Nicaraguans just for a week and allowed me to see an exquisiteness that I have never experienced before. Open eyes led to an open mind which then opened my heart to the most alluring and captivating story I have ever experienced.
How does God open your eyes to beauty and invite you into His story to participate in something you have never experienced before?
God’s word for reflection:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Ephesians 1:3-6
Blessings of grace along the way!
Mary
These are beautiful photos and beautiful words, Mary. God’s creation always calms my anxious heart and refreshes my weary soul. I love how you say He invites us into His story. I want to learn more that His beauty is everywhere, not just in His creation, but in our everyday lives. Sometimes when you talk about God opened your eyes to see in Nicaragua, I can feel the awe in your voice. It must have been an enlightening experience. Blessings and hugs to you!
You bless me so much Trudy! If you hear awe in my voice it’s because God has placed an experience in my heart that He wants me to share with others. I pray we all keep our eyes and hearts open to seeing the beauty that God has so graciously created for each of us. Blessings and hugs!
This is something I am working on, seeing His beauty, His creation all around me. There is beauty to be found. We simple have to look for it.
Looking for beauty especially when it is not evident at first glance is a lesson in patience and perseverance. I love seeing you here today Barbie. I hope you are doing well.
THIS: “Sometimes beauty takes time to evolve to be fully revealed. ” I love that and it’s so true.
In our culture, we make ourselves so busy that we don’t give ourselves the time to actually look for the beauty. God is so patient with us and if He wants our eyes to be opened to something new, He will find a way. Blessed that you joined me here today.
Mary,
Sometimes, I’m a slow learner and it takes awhile for God to open my eyes to beauty I’ve never beheld before…like seeing joy where before only sorry and despair lived in the deep coffee colored eyes of the children in Pakistan. I see beauty in their eyes that I’ve never seen before. God had to do some prepping on my part to be open to what He wanted to reveal to me. So glad your eyes were open to seeing in Nicaragua.
Blessings,
Bev
I agree that there is some heart work that God needs to do in us before we are able to see beauty in things that we would normally classify as not pretty. But God is good at creating the transformation we need and teaching us how to find the beautiful in the midst of the most unlikely places. I love your heart for the Pakistani children and how through God’s perseverance and your willingness to say “yes’ you are making a difference in so many lives. May God continue to make you brave for Him.
I’m guessing you left your beautiful imprint on some very blest people in Nicaragua, too, Mary …
Thank you for those kind words. I went with the intention of blessing others but came back feeling like I was the one who just walked away with the biggest blessing. Praying you had a restful weekend friend!
Mary, your lovely photos and words all convey beauty. It’s found by eyes open to seeing it. Since I began snapping and sharing my imperfect images on Instagram, I started to sense more beauty in the everyday as God taught me how much it inhabits our ordinary. So a spider hanging by a fine silken thread became a thing of wonder, just as much as the splendour of a golden sunset or the soft invitation of dawn. And I found myself frequently pulled into poetic pondering as I saw it all anew. God breathes His beauty into this world to awaken weary hearts to His presence and draw them tenderly into the glory of His grace. Thank you for sharing your heart and experiences with us. <3
Your words never fail to affirm and encourage and I am blessed every time you stop by. There is something so freeing to me when I take pictures and then God gives me words to share with the pictures. It gives us a new perspective on what is truly beautiful because in God’s eyes everything is beautiful. I love sharing my heart and thank you for taking the time to read my words.
A beautiful, inspiring writing for our Sabbath, my friend! He lights our path, sometimes one cobblestone at a time. Revealing His beautiful plan as we walk in obedience. Have a blessed day, dear one!
I love seeing you here and you always bless me with your sweet word of encouragement. May we all let God reveal our path one step at a time and not feel the need to rush the process. Blessings and happy Monday.
This is beautiful! And I love the images you have shared, visually and with words. God’s working with me, transforming me and re-framing my story as I have attached my version, instead of seeing from His perspective of grace.
God certainly knows how to take what we think is good and make it even better. Your story through the lens of God’s grace, I imagine, will be a beautiful masterpiece of God working mightily through you. Thank you for sharing this with me today. Blessings to you!
If anyone had told me that we would have the beautiful relationship today that we have with our oldest son, I would have disbelieved. God has done His great work, slowly and in unseen places, and this is truly one of His greatest gifts to me.
Thank you for sharing how God has worked on your relationship with your oldest son. God’s timing is always perfect and we need to let it happen as it should and not try to fit it into our own time frame. God loves giving us gifts when we least expect it. Praying you have a blessed week.