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

Trust Him

We had a tiny thunderstorm sweep through our area of Georgia last night. Those majestic slices of lightening and the reverberating thunder-bells in the distance were a beautiful sight.  
We can enjoy this display now as adults, sitting in the safety of a home, because experience has taught us that as ominous-sounding as those thunder-bells may be...we're going to be okay.  
For little ones though, it still takes some reassurance that a big, loud sound is not going to hurt them. One of the little grandchildren who often pitter-patter around our studio recently blurted out, with a fresh-faced honesty, "I'm afraid when I hear thunder."  
After some tender, heartfelt discussion and reassurance, this little one was given an ANCHOR to hold onto and to SAY OUT LOUD over circumstances that try to make her be afraid.  It was this powerful passage from the Bible.

"When I am afraid, I will TRUST in you."

We thought we'd pass this little anchor on to you all today.  We dressed it up in a cantaloupe-colored, patterned background.  You may be all over the fear of thunder, but still find yourself facing a lightening storm of sorts in your life.  God's Word is just as powerful for you, just as reassuring for you, as it is for a little granddaughter.  It's because these words are living and active.  These words change things. But you're going to have to SAY them to activate them in your life.

So, print out this little art expression and hang it up somewhere today, so you can use it to speak to your storms, or your challenges. You're going to love the way TRUST drowns out fear.

Trusting,
The Velvet Lime Girls

A Work of Art in Progress

We love the beginning of any work of art.  Those first few strokes of color that slip out, so brave and bold, pulling shapes off a blank canvas, liberating the vision inside an artist. The first stroke, as beautiful as it may be, is merely the beginning of something so much bigger and grander.  

There are other strokes to add, other colors to blend, other highlights to scatter, for a true work of art to be created.  To a casual observer, there may be moments when everything just seems to not-be-working-out-well-together.

But, the artist has a vision inside and sees the final end before the beginning.  And each stroke, even the ones that seem out of place or the ones that mess things up, bring the piece closer to it's beautiful completion.

                            
At each stage, it simply progresses to something more glorious than before.  And those little strokes that began the artwork's story are so very glad they trusted the artist with a master plan. 

"Trust" 12"x16" pastel on paper
© James Rhodes 2015

Life is so beautiful when it's lived in trust. 

     " For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. 

 They are plans for good and not for evil, 

plans to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11

The Velvet Lime Girls

P.S. A special thank-you to James Rhodes, (the husband of Laura, one of the Velvet Lime Girls), for letting us photograph his latest piece of artwork as it progressed in our studio.
Gratitude also to his art instructor, Kathryn Gentile , who gently pulls the gifts and talents out of each of her students as she teaches at Johns Creek Art Center.