Stop in the Name of Love

STOP.

What a way to begin, am I right? I was already loving the latest Illustrated Faith kit designed by Wilna Furstenburg, and it seemed like every day just got better and better, speaking even more specifically into my season. Over the years I’ve fallen into a pattern of starting a devo with gusto, getting four days in, then letting it fall behind. BUT it never fails that when I pick it back up again, the message of the day is so timely and so perfect for what I am going through.

This kit has been no exception. I have been all over the place, finishing grad school, moving in with my parents, hunting for a job, wading through a lot of unknowns and unanswered questions. The “I Am Strong” kit landed on my doorstep the day I packed my bags for a trip to New York City, and I promptly tucked the kit into my carry on.

You know me, I always seem to be traveling with my journaling Bible in hand, but this time I decided to leave the leather-bound book behind in favor of journaling IN my devotional kit instead. I love using layers of stickers and stamps and embellishments, but I found that limiting myself to a few brush pens and a simple color scheme was SO FREEING. I could still get creative, make a mess that was meaningful, and glean so much GOLD from the Word and words inside.

Joshua 1:9 was a familiar scripture, one often quoted at school and church when I was younger, but there was something about this reading that stopped me in my tracks. Actually, it was the first sentence.

Have I not commanded you?

BOOM. There it is. I remember the “be strong and courageous” bit, and knowing “your God is with you” has always brought comfort, but the fact that it was a command? That was news to me! Yes, we had F.E.A.R. on a t-shirt or two in middle school, but “Have I not commanded you?” He says. It’s not optional y’all. That doesn’t mean it will be easy, but it’s to be taken seriously.

Wilna just kept bringing the truth here, y’all. I wanted to highlight EVERY WORD. I loved the verses in Corinthians she shared down at the bottom, even more freeing to read! AND when it said [insert your name here] you bet I wrote my name right over it.

“Dear, dear Bailey, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life We didn’t fence you in. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!” 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 The Message

Along the side of my page I wrote “Be in motion. Just go!” JUST GO is the phrase I chose for this next season of life, of accepting a new job, moving to a new city, and joining a new church. JUST GO. Be in motion. Get moving and trust the Lord to provide HIS courage. STOP doubting. TRUST that His love casts out fear.

Keeping it simple and focusing on His truth can come in many forms. It can be abandoning the backpack full of supplies for a marker and a Bible app on your phone. It can be abandoning old habits in favor of new disciplines that point you to Jesus. It can be taking a moment to STOP in the name of love, HIS love, and choosing trust over fear.

Where do you need to draw a stop sign in your life? What truth do you want to linger in today?

Illustrated Faith “I Am Strong” Devotional Kit featuring Wilna Furstenberg | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Precision Pen | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Black Ink Pad | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Acrylic Stamp Block | Faber Castell Big Brush 109, 125, 107, 132 | Illustrated Faith by Bella Blvd Pink cross washi tape