I am a child of my Creator! I know that I am a child of God (John 1:12)
I was a shy, unsure and scared child and it showed in my personality and how I played. I was wonderfully innocent and naive. Perfect in God’s eyes!
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 . NIV
Matthew 18:1-3 says, At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Psalms 126:3 NLT
Jesus taught that He wants each of us to have the humility of children. Jesus loves children! One of the most well-known accounts of Jesus loving the little children is found in Mark 10:13–14, 16: “People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’ . . . And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.”
I might not have known about this most important fact as a small child but my Creator began forming and molding me into his character when I was old enough to understand the world around me. I developed an interest in God’s creations and it began with TOADS! He taught me to appreciate their beauty, their fragility and their place in His world. I searched for them in the water meters in the alley behind my home in Texas. I had tea parties with them. I have even had them as pets!
As I grew older, I fell in love with HORSES! I lived to go horse back riding, to own a horse of my own. I had two chances to acquire a pony but it was not in God’s plan. My dreams eventually were put away in boxes that are stored in the garage. My Creator taught me about the majesty of the horse and their dependence on us to take care of them, to appreciate them and love them.
God romances us lovingly and uniquely and individually and molds us to His perfection.
Who would I become? What would I accomplish? Where would I go?
As I grew older my Creator gave me glimpses of what He had planned for me. He romanced me with His natural world, asking me to come to Him, to rely on Him. My first glimpse of my Creator’s plan happened when I found a praying mantis on the brick wall by the door of a friend. I was fascinated and for a few minutes I was completely mesmerized by this beautiful and delicate insect. Later in college, I majored in Biology.
My fifth grade class trip was to Jamestown, VA, I took my mom’s brownie camera with me to record the day. That day I fell in love with PHOTOGRAPHY! My Devine Creator instilled the love to capture a moment in time. As I got older this desire developed into capturing God’s beauty and magnificence of all of His creation. Capturing images requires you to stop and absorb the world around you and to see our Creator with all our senses. I feel the Lord’s presence and His love when I am completely immersed in His creation!
My Heavenly Father taught me empathy and compassion. In high school, I joined a career club. One outing involved visiting a state hospital for the disabled. During that visit, the Lord gave me the opportunity to see His children.. the less fortunate, the needy, the sick and then helpless. This visit and its memories were tucked away deep inside me…Thirty years later, I found myself working as a therapist in a nursing home and this earlier experience directly led me to my decision to return to school and earn a degree in occupational science. If someone had told me that I was going to be a therapist, I would have look at them and said “What??”
Every experience I have had has helped me to develop a Christlike character.
My father was in the Air Force. He left from time to time, anywhere from a week or two to up to 18 months. The first time he left he went to Turkey for eighteen months. He came home for a week after nine months. I was four years old when my hero left. You can see from the expression on my face I wasn’t very happy.
God romances us lovingly and uniquely and individually and molds us to his perfection.
You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13)
My Creator taught me to love his Creation.
I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
God created every aspect of me. He administrated every choice of hardwiring, tone of voice, innate personality, natural gifts, and if I will be mechanical, analytical, or intelligent. All these choices were made by the divine Artist, who has infinite creativity. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/your-spouse-is-gods-creation
The youngest child that loves and fears God is greater in His sight than the most talented and learned man who neglects the great salvation. The youth who consecrate their hearts and lives to God have, in so doing, placed themselves in connection with the Fountain of all wisdom and excellence.2 Adventist Home, 279.2
I am confident that the good work God began in me will be perfected. (Philippians 1:6)
Of Such Is the Kingdom of Heaven.”—The soul of the little child that believes in Christ is as precious in His sight as are the angels about His throne. They are to be brought to Christ and trained for Christ. They are to be guided in the path of obedience, not indulged in appetite or vanity.3 Adventist Home, 279.3
Children Are the Purchase of Christ’s Blood—Christ placed such a high estimate upon your children that He gave His life for them. Treat them as the purchase of His blood. Patiently and firmly train them for Him. Discipline with love and forbearance. As you do this, they will become a crown of rejoicing to you and will shine as lights in the world.1 Adventist Home, 279.1
Even though the details of my life are different; my story is the same as yours! You belong to our Creator! God’s Property Entrusted to Parents—Children derive life and being from their parents, and yet it is through the creative power of God that your children have life, for God is the Life-giver. Let it be remembered that children are not to be treated as though they were our own personal property. Children are the heritage of the Lord, and the plan of redemption includes their salvation as well as ours. They have been entrusted to parents in order that they might be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, that they might be qualified to do their work in time and eternity.5 Adventist Home, 280.1
So I will answer the questions I asked earlier…Who did I become? What did I accomplish? Where did I go? I grew up! I became an accomplished photographer. Traveling in the US as well as visiting the Galápagos archipelago. I became a therapist in a Rehabilitation facility. And I still love toads and horses!
Most importantly my Creator took care of me. He molded bits and pieces into my soul, creating a unique image of himself. Psalm 139:15-16 says, My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Because you are alive in Christ, every one of these characteristics is completely true of you, and you can do nothing to make them more true. You can, however, make these traits more meaningful and productive in your life by simply choosing to believe what God has said about you. You will not be prideful if you do, but you may be defeated if you don’t. Victory over the Darkness by Neil Anderson, page 38-39, 53.
I am assured all things work together for good. Romans 8:28
See my photography at: https://1-cindy-archbell.pixels.com/
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