Grateful Hearts

Hello December 1st! 

O-o-o-h, you came a little earlier than we expected.  We have to admit that we're still savoring all the grace and gratitude that the month of Thanksgiving brought into our hearts and into our studio. We love the slow, easy pace of the month of November.  A month filled with just giving-thanks, recognizing our blessings and exhaling gratitude into the world.  

So, we thought why not extend this grace-gratitude-grateful-feeling right into the month of December?  After all, it's the month we celebrate the most wonderful gift ever given to us.  The birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Oh, what a gift from God! A Savior who would come to us and as The Message translation records, move into our neighborhood.

"The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood." John 1:14

So pause on this first day of December and allow Him to move into your neighborhood... into your work, your relationships, your challenges, your joys, your dreams...your life.

God's presence in our lives can really bring a new perspective to things, a deep sense of gratitude. A gratitude that will be a magnet for miracles in your life.

With grateful hearts,

The Velvet Lime Girls

Flowers for YOU!

It's Friday!  A perfect day for you to receive a big bouquet of flowers!  Flowers just seem to wrap the whole world (or your week) in a warm embrace of love.  We hope our graphic flowers do just that... and also brighten your day, lift your spirit and remind you that you are very loved.  

God actually says that He has loved you with an everlasting love.  What a gift...everlasting love. We like the way the Message conveys this love note from God:

            “I’ve never quit loving you and never will.    

                  Expect love, love, and more love!"

                                    Jeremiah 31:3

Love, love and more love.  Ooooh, an expression like that will stay in your heart forever!  So receive the love today and this little graphic bouquet of flowers from us.  Just for you! 

Happy Friday,

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, Wisdom, Peace

We created a little mid-week encouragement for you.

A bright-faced graphic that just seems to say it all.

So walk in strength, wisdom and peace today and have a wonderful Wednesday!

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