Hello May!

Hello May 1st!  We're so glad you're here.
You're the month that slips in with armfuls of spring flowers, refreshing rains, weddings, graduations, and thoughts of the the long summer exhale that is just around the corner.
We're going to enjoy every moment you bring to us this month.  All 31 days of you.
We're going to smell those fragrant, first blooms in the garden, gaze at the deepening shades of green in the grass, inhale the scent of fresh rain on our face and let our spirits soar carefree again like the sparrows that speckle morning skies with light-winged twirls and pirouettes. With our refreshed countenances, we'll celebrate graduations with grateful hearts and joy for the future, witness soft vows at May weddings that awaken our hearts with romance and cause us fall in love again, not only with others, but with ourselves.
We'll make sure to inhale grace and exhale praise for the beautiful days you'll bring us this month and we won't let one moment of your beauty be overshadowed by the even more glorious days of the summer ahead.
Oh, we're going to enjoy you month of May.

Dancing around the Maypole,
The Velvet Lime Girls
"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it..."  Psalm 24:1
   

Landscapes

"Split-Second" Morning Glory in Velvet Lime Girls ' Studio Garden

"In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life."  James 1:21

We've been busy in the studio lately...dreaming about spring.  Seed packets are scattered everywhere and little seedlings are beginning to sprout.  We're so eager to fill our landscape with fresh, new life and color!  It always amazes us just how drab the winter garden can be, just before it transforms seemingly overnight, into an explosion of color, life and joy.

Raindrops on Geranium Buds in Velvet Lime Girls' Studio Garden

Spring buds in Velvet Lime Girls' Studio Garden

The hours we spend planning, dreaming and imagining our garden landscape made us think about the landscaping God can do in our lives.  His landscaping can create a transformation that lasts forever.    A  transformation that doesn't fade with any earth-bound season. And like a well-tended garden, our lives, so very loved and tended by God, can become a salvation-garden for all the world to see.

Velvet Lime Girls' Studio Garden in June

So, if the landscape of your life looks a bit drab at the moment, or perhaps you're in a winter season of sorts, we hope you'll pause a moment and let the gardener of your soul begin to landscape you with His Word, His promises, His expressions of love for you. Just a glance of Psalms 139 will show you how much He adores you.  He probably dreams about how beautiful your true colors will be once you let Him water you with His fresh words from the Bible.  Oh, how He loves you and wants to see you bloom. And we can just imagine how beautiful the landscape will be once you let the master gardener carefully nurture the garden of your life.

Anticipating spring in gardens and lives,
The Velvet Lime Girls

Iris announcing Spring's arrival

Squeeze the Day!

Sometimes you just have to squeeze the day, or as the inspiration source of this phrase implies, "Seize the day!".  The original Latin phrase is carpe diem and it means more than just seizing or grasping the day. Carpe is more of a 'pluck',  like when you pick fruit, so the phrase ends up grasping the thought of: enjoy the day, pluck the day when it is ripe.

Pluck the day when it is ripe!  Don't you just love that?

We do! One of the ways we seize or squeeze our day is by saying a few of the love expressions God says about us that we find in the Bible, and we have tons of these plastered all over our studio walls. It's amazing what can happen to your heart, your spirit, your countenance, your outlook, your whole life when you speak words of encouragement written just for you from the Bible.  They just light up your world.

We think it's because those words from the Bible are God speaking to you...speaking light into your world.

So find a few of His love expressions written to you today in the Bible and let Him squeeze your day with a heavenly embrace.

The Velvet Lime Girls

P.S. Here's what's playing in our studio this morning.  A song that lets the light in...

Let There Be Light

The Hope of All the World

Here's a little wreath for you to hang in your heart today.

Festooned with birds, ornaments, greenery and a star, it looks like many other wreaths you might pass in the mall or neighborhood.  Nestled in the center however, is a reminder of what the Christmas season is all about, the birth of a Savior.  The birth of Jesus Christ, the hope of all the world.
The words in the center of our wreath have been translated in numerous other ways and, like a mirror reflecting new views from different angles, the varying translations reveal fresh insights into the HOPE that Jesus brings into our world. We couldn't squeeze them all into this wreath, but here's one of our favorite views:

"... The mere sound of His name will signal hope, even among far-off believers." The Message

Oh, we love that phrase ... the mere sound of His name will signal hope.

Now that's a perfect thought to encircle your thoughts and festoon your life today. Why it's even better than a  pretty Christmas wreath. Jesus, the Hope of all the world.

Pausing to listen to the sound of His name,
The Velvet Lime Girls

Divine Conference

We're feeling quite unique and special today after attending a session in the recent DIVINE CONFERENCE held here in Georgia. Wow. It was a little bit of heaven on earth... inspiring speakers and fabulous music from BETHEL MUSIC. 

Marybeth kind of summed up one of our biggest take-aways from the conference on her Facebook page and we're going to share it right here.  

"So I had a chance to listen to a really great inspirational speaker this morning and it stuck with me so I'm throwing it out there because I know some people who need to hear it (and the verses/biblical analogy was running and I love running!). You are put on this earth to run YOUR race. STAY IN YOUR LANE! What happens in a race when you start looking around and see what everybody else is doing? You start comparing yourself to THEIR race and you get involved in THEIR race. Don't do it. Stick to YOUR race. Don't worry about where anyone else is. Stay in your lane and outta everyone else's lane! Less headache and heartache. Word."

The Velvet Lime Girls

Faith Pillow

The crisp, cool nights of fall have arrived here in Georgia.  It's the kind of weather that causes us to open wide all the windows in the studio and let the breezes sweep through, bringing in a fresh new clarity to everything.
That same crisp air, in the evening though, has a melatonin-effect and we've found it ushers in the best sleep ever.  There's just something so soothing, so relaxing about falling asleep under fresh air, filtering through a window screen.  

There's only one thing that's better, and it's resting your head on a pillow of faith. 

Resting your mind, your body, your heart, your soul, your spirit on the supportive foundation of faith is the best way to cast all your cares away at the end of a day. Faith does make one fine pillow.

We hope you'll take a few moments to build up your faith today, so instead of counting sheep tonight, you'll slip into a slumber that brings the kind of rest you need.

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  Romans 10:17

Feathering our pillows of faith,

The Velvet Lime Girls

Strength in a Squeeze

 Breast Cancer Awareness Month series.

When you're facing a challenge with your health like breast cancer, life can begin to feel a bit squeezed, and like our beautiful flower in the graphic above, whose petals appear to be pressed up against the top and sides of her world, the pressures that surround you may be squeezing in on your life.  
But, if you take a closer look at this flower, she's actually flourishing. She's just continuing to grow and bloom, even with the sides pressing up against her.  Why, she looks as if she's out in a wide open field, letting her petals unfurl and dance in the breeze!  And it's all because of the source of life WITHIN her.
God can do that for you.  He can become that source of life, that "river of life",  that flows continually, flooding your life with newfound sources of strength, help and peace. Even in the midst of a health crisis.  We know this from firsthand experience and you can read our story in our October 1st blog. Because we understand the challenge of breast cancer,  we know that there is a greater power at work in the lives of those who know God and allow Him to come into their lives.
We want to encourage you to get to know Him, to begin to walk through life with Him, to begin to let Him live within you, right in the midst of your "squeezed world".  
When you walk with God through a tight spot, you'll begin to slip through life with thoughts like this:
God is with me, I will not fall. God will help me.  He'll be a refuge and strength in times of  trouble. (paraphrased from Psalm 46)

And then like us, you'll just press-up against verses like this when you're squeezed:
"It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!"

Praying for God's strength to be in you today,
The Velvet Lime Girls 

Today's resources:
Thermograms are a safe way to monitor your breast health and this article by Dr. Christiane Northrup discusses the benefits: Thermograms

A thermography team we've worked with: 
Mobile Thermographic Imaging

Healing Scriptures - Dodie Osteen


Previous resources:
Breast Cancer Conqueror
50 Healing Verses

The Truth About Cancer

Prayers for Healing

Strong Spirit
(A great message to build you up in your spirit)

It Is Well With My Soul - Bethel Music

Monday Mornings

Hello Monday Morning.  Sometimes Monday's just come a little faster than you expected and for those of you who we are honoring this month, in this National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Mondays can be challenging.  There may be tests ahead, decisions to make, protocol to follow, plans that have to change, the list could go on, but Monday is a day when you're often face with lots of decisions...and you can just decide to LOOK UP.  Believe us, looking up... looking up in faith to God, can make the rest of the week so much better.  We know from firsthand experience and you can read our breast cancer overcoming story in our October 1st blog.

Just like the Grace-Graphic© above says, we know that:
worry looks around, fear looks back and faith looks up.  We've learned that as rough and raw as a Monday may be, you'll have a point where you can CHOOSE to look up to God.  A point where you can choose to change the course of the day, and it begins in your heart.  You just have to LOOK UP and ask God for strength, help, wisdom, peace, encouragement or whatever you need at the moment.  He's right here with you. 

“Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

Just let this passage above sink into your soul.  God says He's right here with you, He won't let you down, He won't leave you.  We've been known to say this passage out loud several times a day and "take" it like we'd take medicine.  Because God's words are medicine... they're healing.

We hope you'll start your Monday off thinking about the passage above, the graphic we are sending you today and the strength (that God can give) to LOOK UP in Faith.

Praying for the strength you need today,
The Velvet Lime Girls 

Here's a little song to kick off your Monday.  
Praise Song - Hezekiah Walker

Previous resources mentioned:
Breast Cancer Conqueror

50 Healing Verses

It Is Well With My Soul - Bethel Music


Prayers for Healing


Strong Spirit


The Truth About Cancer

Strength

We're continuing our focus today on the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by giving you a Grace-Graphic © to encourage yourself, or someone you know, who may be facing a breast cancer challenge. 

Please share.

Strength. Stamina. Tenacity. These are three essential elements you're just going to need to overcome the challenge of breast cancer.  If you do it in your own strength, you'll have a measure of success for awhile, but when you let God's strength infuse you, you'll begin to live life as an overcomer. We know this is possible from first-hand experience and if you missed our story yesterday, take time to read our October 1st post.

 We know what it's like to need strength, to need stamina, to need tenacity.

When you need these things and you just can't seem to muster them up yourself, even with all the therapies, protocol, doctors, positive-thinking, good diet, exercise and every supplement known to mankind, you finally come to the end of yourself and realize that you have one remaining option:
RISE UP and PRAY.

Yes, just rise up and pray.  And the minute you step into a prayer, God's presence and power will begin to infuse your life. A  prayer will open the door for the strength you need.  It will open the door for God to come in and begin to help you.  To wrap His arms around you with peace, comfort you with assurance, give you direction and usher in healing. 

So take a little time or a lot of time today and just pray to God.  Talk with God. LISTEN to God. He's probably been waiting to spend some time with you. 

Here are a few ways Laura has let God infuse His strength into her on her healing journey. We hope you'll tap into some of these resources today:
IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL _ BETHEL MUSIC
(Just skip the ad and enjoy the words of the song)

Prayers for Healing
(Encouraging prayers and words of healing)

Strong Spirit
(A great message to build you up in your spirit)


The Truth About Cancer
This last resource is an informative site filled with practical tips on how to build up your immune system, overcome cancer and live life fully. (Get your notebook out :-)

Heartfelt prayers for YOU today,
The Velvet Lime Girls


Previous resources:
Breast Cancer Conqueror
50 Healing Verses

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It's the pink month.  Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  We'd like to honor and encourage the women (and men) who are facing the challenge of breast cancer this month.  Our endeavor is not something we've approached with a casual, lighthearted attitude, because, for those facing this challenge, the days can be rough, raw and insurmountable.
We know.
We understand.
We really understand, because one of us is currently overcoming breast cancer.
Yes, you read it right.  One of us is currently OVERCOMING breast cancer. Although all three of us feel as if we have been fighting, standing, believing, and praying over this challenge, it is Laura who is on the healing journey. Together though, we've reached that place of rest and trust, where you just know that God has heard your prayers and is moving on your behalf.

Marybeth created a graphic affirmation for Laura 
every-single-morning during the first part of her healing journey and we learned how powerful God's Word can be in lifting away discouragement. This month we'd like to pass along a few of these graphic encouragements to you, to lift you up or share with someone you know who is facing a breast cancer diagnosis.  We'll also be including a few resources and links that Laura has found helpful in her healing journey.

Today's grace-graphic confronts one of the biggest challenges you'll need to overcome when facing a breast cancer diagnosis. FEAR.  Even if you don't think you'll ever be able to overcome fear, you need to know, it can be overcome.  And when you overcome fear you'll be able to live life with ease... free from "dis-ease".

Praying for you today,
The Velvet Lime Girls

Today's resource links are for everyone!  Whether you're a breast cancer survivor, or in the early stages of breast cancer and looking for a more natural way to heal your body, or simply want to educate yourself on ways to prevent breast cancer, take a look at Dr. Véronique DeSaulniers' Facebook page. It is a continual source of practical tips and medically-based studies that will help you in your healing journey.  Laura is currently working with "Dr. V's" coaching team and highly recommends the program:
Breast Cancer Conqueror

Dr. V also has a great book: Heal Breast Cancer Naturally

The last resource is one Laura has found most helpful.
It's a daily diet of healing scriptures. There's not a therapy, vitamin or nutraceutical that can take fear out of your life, but God can. And if you let yourself just listen to His Words about healing, a transformation will begin to take place in your body. (Just skip the ad that pops up and soak in the healing words.)
Healing Scriptures

"Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you.  I'll hold you steady, keep an firm grip on you."  Isaiah 41:10

REVIVE

The walking lilies in our studio garden are sending out shoots from the mother plant and sprouting up new life all over our flowerbeds.  The mother plant, the genesis of all this new life, is absolutely beautiful, so full of vibrant color, energy and life!  When it births one of its many slender shoots, they stretch-out, sink into the soil, and a whole new life is birthed in the garden. A whole new life that reflects the beauty and grace of the genesis plant....the creator.

It's a constant reminder to us of the new life that God gives us, when we give our lives to Him... when we let His Spirit dwell inside of us. It's an energizing, revitalizing, new life that will actually change our physical bodies, because HIS SPIRIT has taken-up residence inside of us.  

We're revived. 
We're refreshed. 
We're renewed.

"And if the same Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives (dwells) in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you."  
Romans 8:11

Living revived, refreshed, renewed,
The Velvet Lime Girls

Velvet Lime Girls' in Puerto Rico!

Hola!
We've been brushing up on our Spanish ever since we found out that our artwork, seen on these gift sets by DIVINITY,  is now found in all the Walmart and Sam's stores in Puerto Rico! Thank-you Divinity for making us look so good and thank-you to all our new friends in Puerto Rico! 

For everyone outside of Puerto Rico, we understand the sets are available online at Christianbook.com and gift shops that carry the Divinity line of products. 

So, a big shout-out of thanks to Keith Schwartz and the great team at Divinity for helping us carry our words of encouragement into the hearts of the wonderful people who live in Puerto Rico.

Gracias,
The Velvet Lime Girls

1.                         

The Greater One

This past week we've found our eyes drawn, more than once, to this graphic hanging in our studio. 

May we share it with you today as your week-end begins?  Our hope is that it lifts your heart and encourages you in your spirit.  

Live brave,

The Velvet Lime Girls

Gala Favors

Enesco/Gregg Gift  is one of the great manufacturing companies that we are privileged to create artwork for on inspired gift collections.  They recently donated 250 ceramic crosses with Velvet Lime Girls artwork to a charity that is close to our hearts… A Beacon of Hope.  The crosses were given as favors to each couple who attended the annual fundraising Gala.  This event raises funds for the Beacon of Hope’s women’s center, a facility that provides education, counseling, support and medical care to women facing an unplanned pregnancy. Today we’d like to send out a heartfelt shout of thanks to Enesco/Gregg Gift for their generous donation.  These crosses echo the hope that many women find at A Beacon of Hope.  Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you.

The guest speaker at A Beacon of Hope Gala was Lysa TerKeurst, an honest, funny, transparent, strong, beautiful woman whose life is a brilliant display of God’s amazing grace.  We will devote an entire blog to her soon, because a treasure like this woman, (a diamond), needs much more room for display. Look for more on this amazing woman, who releases HOPE and HEALING through her life story, later on our blog.  If you're in need of a little hope, healing or humor in your life today, visit her site @ Lysa TerKeurst

Grateful Hearts,

The Velvet Lime Girls

P.S. A very special thank-you to Judy Benson for hand-crafting the burlap gift bags that held each ceramic cross.  A gift wrap of love and creativity!

Fragrant Gifts

A season of giving is about to be ushered in as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Immanuel, our "God with us". We've been thinking a lot about giving and gifts in the Velvet Lime Girls studio. Quite often, the most memorable and treasured gifts are the ones given fully from the heart. Gifts like the one Mary Magdalene gave Jesus, a pint of pure nard in an alabaster jar. Nard was an expensive, lavish, aromatic perfume and many scholars believe this may have actually been an essence of lavender. The Bible records it would have taken a year's salary to pay for the amount of precious ointment given by Mary to Jesus. It was an extravagant gift, poured straight from her heart, filling the senses of all those present, and continuing to touch people today, whenever the story is retold. We've wondered if this gift came from a field of lavender as vast, as beautiful, as costly as the one pictured here, a never-ending field of fragrance. The heady aroma from this lavender field seems to waft off the paper and into our hearts, reminding us of just how beautiful a gift is when it is given from the heart.

We'd like to thank James, our "Platinum Advisor", for bringing this inspiration to us. He picked up his crayons again after 40+ years, and with soft pastels created this fragrant work of art, and we've just been inhaling the inspiration it brings to our souls. The artwork sits on an easel in our studio, it is a work still in progress, but we wanted to share its fragrance, it's reminder to all of us in this season.. that gifts given from the heart last forever.

"Then Mary took about a pint of nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair.  And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume."  John 12:3

Learning to give from our hearts,

The Velvet Lime Girls