shooting stars…are fleeting, spectacular, and stunning. They capture ones attention for a split second and then leave behind a trail of stardust almost invisible to the naked eye. Yet, however, a stream of haze lingers in the atmosphere long after the star has disappeared.

I can remember seeing my first shooting star one special summer night in August. It was my 12^th birthday. My dad and I were sitting outside shivering by a warm campfire in a Colorado campground. The Rocky Mountains seemed to frame the purple horizon, as my dad, in his usual fashion, poured blessings and affirmations over my life through his beautiful encouraging words. This particular night I was down, discouraged, and felt alone. I wanted to go home—to be in the comfort of my bed, celebrating my birthday in a familiar territory. But, instead, we were stuck in Colorado, having car troubles, and freezing, with only sleeping bags, a make-shift space heater, and a fluffy cocker spaniel to keep us warm. My sister and mom were sound asleep inside the camper. And, I sat outside with my father pouring my heart, complaints, and ambitions out before him. He listened quietly and offered godly wisdom and unwavering support. One thing I know about my father is that he is always there for me with attentive ears, a welcoming heart, and a hand of strong guidance. The fire flickered as it warmed both of our faces. I listened as my father offered guidance. As a slow, salty tear began to slide down my face, I looked up in the sky and a star shot across the lavender horizon. Before mentioning this to my dad, he exclaimed, “Kimberly, did you see that star? It jumped through the sky for your birthday. It’s your present Sweetheart from God That’s how much He loves you.” I have never felt more loved than in that moment. God sent a brilliant star to assure me that He loves me with an everlasting, never-fading, dynamic, supernatural love.

Like mentioned above, shooting stars are fleeting. They are spectacular and stunning. As onlookers’ eyes follow the sharp movement of this extravagant event, they cannot help but see the line of light left behind.

We are called to leave a generation of light behind. Our lives are fleeting. They pass quickly. Like a flower, we grow, blossom in the Sun, and then wither back to our foundational source. May we make life matter! I pray the moment we blossom the world will quiver in the radiance of our beauty, grace, and luminescence. May the world smell the sweet aroma of the Savior upon our beings, and may the light of His purpose be left behind like the stardust of a shooting star!

Amen. May God, who began a good work in you, be faithful to complete his beautiful masterpiece creation—you! Grow in His grace and bloom in his sunlight.

Psalm 147: 4

“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.”

Exodus 9:16

“But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

There is a roar within each of us. It is waiting to be utilized. Sometimes we take this mighty roar for granted. We hold in our breath, closing our mouths and breathing through our nostrils only. This act allows air to infiltrate our lungs; however, the heat of this air after being breathed in, cannot be released without the opening of our mouths. Why are we scared sometimes to take this step, to release the air God has breathed into our beings?

Just like this little boy, God has made his children warriors. Though small, weak, and shy to the world, when this little boy opens his mouth he is seen as mighty, strong, able, and bold. When we live in Christ we are given a battle cry that will stir nations. We are given the courage to speak to multitudes. No longer will the public view our demeanor as mild. The fire in our eyes hints at our devotion. May we open our mouths and speak the holy Word of the Lord. May we never hesitate to make his truth known to all peoples! His love spans across the globe. I pray nations will be called to the beauty and luminescence that cascades from our parted lips. Cry out O daughter of Zion. God will transform your voice to reach countries...

                                                                               -Kimberly Willingham

"I was not the lion, but it fell to me to give the lion's roar."
-Winston Churchill

God, in the light of your love, I reach. My arms are extended. I am groping for new life. Fingers separated and tensed, I will not stop reaching until I grasp all that you offer me in abundance. I am a child. My desires are simple compared to yours. If I were to see all you wanted for my life, my heart would be overwhelmed. You are a faithful Father. You endow such prosperity into the hands of those that love you and truly seek after you. So, I will reach Father.

May my life be lived in this state of wonder! I want to always marvel over the simple things in life. I want my heart to leap at the sight of a flock of birds flying in a V pattern. I want to always gain inspiration from the beautiful change in seasons-- from summer to fall, fall to winter, winter to spring, and spring to summer. I want to forever stand in astonishment of the caterpillar that, over time, sprouts fragile stain glass wings. May I always smile and find contentment in your promises. I want to live in sheer joy and rejoice because you have chosen to shine on my face and all your children’s faces!

I look up. The sun’s warmth evades my body. I feel this heat ripple up my stomach and warm my chest. May I always be filled with your mercy and grace! May I always sense the presence of you! I elevate myself in an effort to reach you. Rain promises on your children. Water these fertile seeds. We want to root ourselves in the fruitful soil and sprout fresh green leaves in recognition of your delightful blessings!

                         -Kimberly Willingham

Jeremiah 1:9
Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me,

"Now, I have put my words in your mouth."

John 20:27
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

-Harriet Tubman

A beautiful white dress with combat boots…this is an oxymoron if I have ever seen one! Does this picture look odd to you, or does it incite a passion inside your soul? For me, it draws the fire inside my heart into a sweltering blaze! Why?

As ladies, we are generally seen as fragile, submissive, quiet, and reserved. We are expected to be defenseless, weak, and doting. Does this woman look feeble to you? To me, she looks like a good mixture of authoritative femininity. She is delicate because she is draped in white-the symbol of purity and her soft hair hangs across her slender face; however, her black boots with thick laces signify strength. They are an indication that the pavement under her feet is not always as smooth as the dew-kissed grass.

She is prepared. Covering her supple feet, she marches onward. Onward---for her destiny awaits her. As the virgins in Matthew 25 saved oil for their lamps, so their light would not go out, a woman of this nature clothes herself with priceless character traits. Proverbs 31: 25, 26 says, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”

Being a woman does not mean we have to crawl into the corner and crouch in the shadows while the sunlight is filtered to a masculine soul. No, God has made women for a special purpose. He has created us with a unique DNA code—one of compassion, grace, and—strength. One of the most beautiful things to see in the face of a woman is sweet innocence converged with heavenly power.

Strap up your boots dear daughters and lace up your milky gown. Twirl in the provision breeze of the Lord. Let your hair be swept away by the wind. Unpin the clasp that holds back your beauty. Seek pure splendor and unequaled radiance will be gained.

-Kimberly Willingham

For the Lord says, “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” (Proverbs 31:29)

Don’t you love how God speaks to us each individually? He whispers in echoes unheard to the general public. However, it is his children who can feel his rich voice penetrating our hearts with each word spoken in the breeze around us. His love is majestic. To experience this love is to experience something untapped by secular world leaders. Our Savior’s love cannot be compared to dark expensive chocolate, silk delicacies, or physical pleasures on earth. His love is supernatural. It is a feeling that takes your heart captive and sends chills down your body. It provides the body with sensations that cannot be described by simple dictionary definitions. This love cannot be held. It is not meant to be hidden and coddled. It is not a tangible object. It is God’s living spirit that evades the body and flows like rivers from our actions, words, and thoughts…

As my heart palpitates, I feel his head upon my chest—listening to the beating melody—the pumping of my strongest muscle for his Will for his Purpose. My faith will forever be placed in the hands of my Savior. All my trust is given to the Most High God. He owns me and occupies every corridor of my fragile being. I will strip off all that hinders me. I will pluck the feathers that hinder me from soaring to the highest atmosphere—where God rests. I want to dwell in the horizon. I want to taste the sunset and dance in the sunrise holding hands with my utmost delight—the one that makes my eyes shine and my body quiver. He is the one that arms me with provision-laced arrows and a bow of crimson strength.

I will fly Lord-- to reach you…

-Kimberly Willingham

Psalm 104:2-4

He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind. He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.

“Love like a shadow flies when substance love pursues;
Pursuing that that flies, and flying what pursues.”

--William Shakespeare

I love this painting. Recently, I have started to think of my life as a canvas. It’s actually alarming to note the comparisons of life and a blank canvas. We are born into this world with nothing. We are an unwritten story, an unpainted picture. Our skin is fragile like the canvas. Life is fleeting and delicate. We are only given ONE life here on earth to live. So, needless to say, what we paint on our canvas reflects our hearts and determines our future…

Now, there are different types of painters. Monet painted in pastels—soft colors with serene scenes. Van Gogh painted in unique brush strokes. He used bold colors and made an intrepid statement. Picasso saw the world through distinctive eyes. He created a picture of conceptual vision and unusual interpretation. God has given each of us a paintbrush…and whispered, “My Child, paint a picture to bring glory to me.” I think it is beautiful to look at this little girl and imagine the struggle and effort it took her to rip through her canvas and begin to paint a masterpiece.

Do you wonder what she is painting? The idea that is echoing in her mind and running through her fingers? I can tell you…it will be unique. Just like everyone has a different face, our painting will never be the same. A separate vision has been given to each of God’s children. He is waiting for us to commit the time and patience it takes to complete a masterpiece. Will you take up the charge to paint your canvas? Will you create a priceless work of art through your life? God has given you the tools and endless colors of paint. Paint sweet child, your master is waiting to say, “Well done. Beautiful work. You have pleased me!”

                                                                                        -Kimberly Willingham

"I dream of painting, and then, I paint my dream."

--Vincent van Gogh

Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.

--Henry Ward Beecher

Psalm 139:13
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Your works are wonderful. I know that full well.

INSPIRATION: stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.

Psalm 5:11:

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
       let them ever sing for joy.
       Spread your protection over them,
       that those who love your name may rejoice in you.”

I gain the utmost INSPIRATION in resting under the new mercies of my Savior. I, though an adult, am a child under his arm. Looking up with innocent blue eyes, I admire the features, the very smile of my Master. He is my Father, my Teacher, my Maker, and Friend. I am never alone in this walk through life. His wings are the refuge in the time of the storm and in the broad daylight. I confess…I stumble, I fall, I fail…but God is steadfast. In him I am more than a conqueror. With my God I can scale a wall! He makes crooked paths straight and feeds hungry people with multiplying food. He is the water that fills my stomach and the sun that lights my sky. When windows are open, he’s the rays shining through. When doors are closed, he is the one and only watchman awake, alert, and standing guard. He is a warrior—an iron man. He is the candle that never goes dim. His is light in my eyes and the spring to my step. He is the rain that washes the earth and the rainbow that decorates the sky. I feel like a child under his shelter.

I thank you, God, for leading me, guiding me, and making me, a weak child, strong! Though I cannot see your ways and want to know the future. Your promises are yes and amen. You say that no eye has seen, no ear has heard what you have prepared for those who love you. I will stand in the luminescence of that promise. I am waiting my Father, as a child waits for cookies; and, I will ALWAYS rejoice over the movement of your mighty hands!

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee...

Isaiah 60:1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kMeVT-13CU

CHANGE… so often this word is associated with a negative connotation; but, really, is all change bad? After watching this youtube video based on the movie series The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, CHANGE was the word that echoed throughout my mind. The singer says…

It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word

And then that word grew louder and louder
Til it was a battle cry

I'll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye…

The picture that parades in my mind when pondering this phrase is GROWTH—a boy becoming a man, a girl becoming a woman…

Can’t you picture this transition! One day a little girl with bouncy pigtails is strapping up her pink ballet shoes and the next, she is a woman placing a lacey veil over her cascading hair anticipating her wedding march down the church aisle or a small boy following his father behind the lawnmower imitating his every motion to a man with children of his own tugging at his dress pants. Change happens and it happens rapidly…

I have to admit CHANGE in this way is terrifying; but, needless to say it is necessary in order to become the men and women that God has destined for us to be. Change sometimes means leaving the people you love in order to carry out your purpose in life.

Change does not occur by only speaking about it in hollow words. It takes place through bold actions.

In order to change we have to step out of our “comfortable” surroundings, learn new things, and gain a confidence in our God-given abilities. Change should not incite pompous behavior, but should enlist humility. By altering ourselves, we learn a great deal more about ourselves—strengths, and, yes, even weaknesses. However, being aware of our weakness only makes us stronger individuals because then and only then can we can relate to others…we realize that we are fallible, flesh temples, just like all mankind. Although, we know God has given us a mandate to seek and search for him—for this is the way the Father is truly found and genuine identity can be gained.

I like the phrase in this song…”then it was a battle cry.” From the womb, we cry. This is an innate response. How beautiful to retain this normal reaction from infancy to adolescence then on to adulthood! May we make the battle cry of growth our life ambition! I pray we CHANGE together—in a way that makes us better than before—in a way that allows us to be pioneers on a new frontier—to glorify God with our lives and not just our words…

Kimi and Kristen...

*As a child, wading pools are acceptable...

As an adult, a wading pool should only represent a fraction of our substance.

Fishing boats rest at shallow docks. Fighting fleets sail atop the ocean depths...

-Kimi Willingham

"A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for."
       –William Shedd

"To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable."  
       - Helen Keller...

VIVACIOUS

By Kimi Willingham

Filter the grounds of my life so coarse,  

Strain out the impurities in aggressive force.  

The granules that have taken me captive are no more,

You have lapped up the residue like a wave on the shore.

You have taken the mire, the litter of my natural history,

And transformed this earth child into a heavenly mystery

Wiped clean like a glass counter top, you’ve polished my face.

You have lifted me, like an elevator, into a state of grace.

Dangerous it seems to walk barefoot on the heights of steep rooftops;

Yet, Father, you shout from a far, Continue on child. Run. Don’t stop!

I will sprint along in haste with spirit and tenacity beside me.

You have stroked this heart. I am obeying your decree.

I will follow father, with, you, the infection sieve, by my side.

I will drink your water and to you my soul confide.

My ear tickles with your goodness. I taste your mercy new.

It lingers like a fragrance. This longing I feel is true.

Resting on your shoulder, I tell you secret dreams.

I trust you with my all. You are my supporting beam.

Hold me sweet Maker. Clench onto my wrists.

Such passion overflows in the palms of my fists.

There’s clear water running through the strainer of my morals.

In you, I have received success and received such sacred laurels.

I bow my head in utter respect.

God, you are most gracious.

You have breathed in me, once dry;

And made this child vivacious.

John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.