Nothing Wasted...

It's times like these that I am reminded that God is with me.  He's using every piece of me-  every piece of my life- and transforming it all into a great masterpiece.  I am a witness that God has a way of taking every part of us and using it to produce greatness.  I've seen how God has taken pressure and pain, interrupted sleep, frustration, tears and fears, thoughts and feelings that I can't seem to articulate...I've seen how he's taken these things and used them to compose visions for poems and paintings.

Images in my head and stanzas to poems serve as witness to me that HE IS WITH ME.  They remind me and reassure me that He's working with my pieces.  

This morning, I rest in that space.  I rest in the space of "process."  I rest because I am assured that NOTHING WILL BE WASTED.  Every piece and every process will be used for the greater good.  I rest knowing that I AM OK....just as I am, right where I am.  I AM OKAY, because He is with me; keeping me; growing me; and working in, on, and through me.  I rest because of His love.  I rest because of His faithfulness.  I rest because of His presence and the greatness within the process.  I rest because I am assured that He's arranging my pieces for an amazing masterpiece, and nothing- no piece- will be wasted.  

THIS MORNING'S PIECE:  "Every Tear"

THE THREE SONGS ON MY ROTATION THIS MORNING:

"I am Light" by India Arie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ism8dBjxKvc

"Fly" by Nicki Minaj featuring Rihanna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n71KUiWn1I

"Over and Over" by Trin-i-tee 5:7

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OHI5PBA9n4 

Running with Time

Standing on the Word...Variations

 Standing on God's Word

In high school, I drew a variation of the first picture.  The concept was the same, but the woman's hair, clothes, and style were different. Last year, I found the picture drawn in high school and recreated it.  As I reflected, two more images came to mind.  The lady in the first picture is standing strong and smiling- sunshine and rain- firm on the word. 

 The first picture would be ideal, but it's not always the case.  For me, sometimes standing on the word has looked/felt/been more like this:

 And sometimes like this:

Though each picture is different, there is a common theme in all three pictures:  the woman remains ON THE WORD. 

Even more true for me would be the following picture.  I've posted it before, but I'm posting it again with this series.  This remains to be my truth:  I am IN HIS HANDS.

Greatness...

"Greatness"

This piece was inspired by a conversation I had with Jeremy Ellis, a man of greatness.  He endeavor's to live a life composed of thoughts, choices, and actions within the realm of the 3%.  He's a man of intention, enlightenment, and purpose.  

I'm a visual learner.  As he described his analysis of where most people operate in life and where he wanted to operate (within the 3%)...an image came to fruition in my mind.

The picture above is created in honor of Jeremy as well as in honor of the idea of living beyond the mediocre- living a life of greatness.

Check Jeremy and his partner, BG out at:  http://www.freelunchpodcast.blogspot.com/ .  Share in one aspect of his greatness and be inspired to pursue your own version of greatness.

Do more than exist.
Live!

With love and passion,
Ashley


Other modern men of greatness:  my cousins, Amir Usher and Jason Wiley.  Check them out!

Amir Usher:  Under 30 and has his own clothing line:  http://www.amirjames.com/

Jason Wiley:  Listed as one of the 40 under 40:  http://whartonmagazine.com/jason-wiley/

untitled...A Piece for Arrie...

Pieces...Pieces in the Potter's Hands

I remember nights, ailing over heartache...ailing over what didn't work and the time it was taking God to make things happen for me.  One night, I was wallowing in sorrow and decided to put the "pieces" of my heart onto a canvas.  I had told God that I felt like my life- my heart- was in pieces.  My attempts of FIXING, ADJUSTING, and REASSEMBLING pieces seemed futile.  I just couldn't seem to make things work or make things better.  I felt like a mess...

So...that night, God allowed me to use the creation of the collage/painting above as a means of RELEASE and THERAPY.  I laid down after finishing, thinking my work was done.  Not long after I laid down, I was prompted to get up and start another piece.  I felt God wanted me to know that laying out my pieces was not the end of the process.  Now that I had cried, vented, and turned my pieces into an ART piece...NOW it was God's turn to speak.  Thus...the second work posted above:  "Pieces in the Potters Hands."  I felt God teaching me that if I would just place all my pieces into his very capable hands, then He could transform my pieces into HIS masterpiece.

We may not be able to fix everything or always gain the type of closure we are looking for. We may not be able to see how things are going to work out or come together, but one thing I feel God has been trying to teach me time and time again is this:  If you would just trust Me and entrust ALL of you (and your pieces) to Me; I will take care of you far better than you could take care of yourself.

Flowers for Mom...

Dancing on Water...

This piece is called "Dancing on Water."

This pieces was inspired by reflections on Matthew 14:22-33 when Peter walked on water.  How much TRUST and FAITH would it exemplify to be able to not just walk on water but to dance on water?!

Not distracted or deterred by the winds or waves of life...

Trusting

Resting in God's presence and intent 

The purest form of a child trusting her Father's protection and care

Dancing

on water

In places beyond your natural capability to be in

In spaces deemed "impossible"

In places that demand FAITH and TRUST to stay afloat

Dancing on Water

I Am Spaghetti

I Am Spaghetti
by Ashley Jataun Moore
3.1.10

I am spaghetti

Sometimes sticky with emotions

Brittle when dried out

Coming to life when refreshed by Living Water

Expanding rather than breaking in boiling water

Resilient, growing, developing

Flexible, wanting to accommodate and please

Other times congealed and settled

Not always making sense

Sometimes tangled up on the inside

Rinsed in the Spirit, I am clean

With the right combinations and connections – ground chuck, Ragu, Pesto –

I reach my fullest potential

Green peppers, onions, tomatoes – I go to higher heights

A little brown sugar, dash of salt and pepper – life is more full

I am spaghetti

Though at times fighting against the nature of pasta

Trying to make my noodles into waffles

Thinking that life would be easier if I felt, acted, thought differently

Thinking I should and could have a better handle on things if I were different

Having a different kind of strength, a different type of structure, a different mode of thought and expression

Nevertheless, I remain to be pasta

I am spaghetti

At times it’s necessary to go against the current of life

Moving beyond the status quo

Pressing to reach the fullness of potential

Endeavoring to be in the heart, the center of God’s will

Choosing to live the life of one chosen, set apart, “in the world but not of the world”

Nevertheless, intuition and discernment are necessary

Discerning the tide, identifying the current

Not fighting against who I AM

Knowing what habits and cycles must be changed and broken

Yet realizing the core, the essence of me is to be developed and nurtured

So…

I am spaghetti

Meant to have a life intertwined

Jesus all day, flowing all throughout my veins

Love and compassion 24/7

A mind alert

Birthing poems at 7, 3, 12, and 1 AM or PM, it doesn’t matter

On napkins, in notebooks, in the margins of programs

Wisdom never resting, but ever growing

A student and teacher simultaneously

Humble and confident

Weak yet strong

Passionate yet disciplined

Free yet knowing when and how to submit

I am spaghetti

The Spirit within

Offering to regulate and call forth what’s needed to be

When it’s needed to be

The Spirit within, my on and off switch,

My indicator and dictator of when and what features are to be dominant or recessive

I am spaghetti

Entrusted with the task of practicing and continuing to be led by the Spirit

Continuing to develop me

Every aspect

Letting myself evolve and develop into all God called me to be

Not fighting against the core of me, the calling on me

Not trying to fit a different mold

Rather being okay with who I am

Making decisions that will help me fully develop into all of me

I am spaghetti

For My Sis...

Just Me...

I Am Enough

by Ashley J. Moore

4.1.12

I am enough

Just as I am

No need to look around me

Comparing and contrasting

Trying to alter, adjust, measure up, and make up for

Trying to win and keep...my stuff, "his" eye, “his” heart, my place, my position…

God has settled me

He settled me in His truth

The truth that makes me free

The truth that reminds me who and whose I am

The truth that reminds me that what God has for me is for me

The truth that reminds me that HE is the one who's keeping me and preserving my destiny

The truth that reminds me that in Him I am enough

The truth that reminds me that it's IN HIM that I "live and move and have my being"

The truth that reminds me that "my sufficiency is in Him"

The truth that frees me to develop the me that I was created to be

Rather than looking about me, checking myself, uncertain, unsure, afraid, always trying- Never settled…

NOPE.

Not anymore

I am enough

My sufficiency is in Him

He's not only keeping me, but He's also keeping the things, places, positions, and people He has for me

So...

"I fling my arms wide...dance...and whirl" as Langston Hughes might say

I delight in me

I delight in His love

I am okay

I am enough

I am free

I am now free

Not only to love and develop "me"

But also free to love, encourage, and uplift my sisters and brothers

I am now free to love and live and be

No fear

Just love

and liberty

Free to be

Free to embrace

Me

Rain

Sunshine