Karla's Korner

OCW Writers Day Conference

It was a foggy drive to Salem early last Saturday morning, but the Oregon Christian Writers Winter Conference was worth it. It's always inspiring to hear from and connect with others who do what you do... whether it's moms connecting with moms... teachers with teachers... or artists with other artists. The Bible tells us we are to encourage one another and that's what Saturday was all about... being encouraged to be serious, not give up, never quit learning, and always do your best as unto the Lord. 

There were three highlights to my day...

#1 was meeting a new friend... another artist/author... Nancy Hink. I had first seen her from afar in one of the workshops looking at my One of a Kind by God's Design book she had just bought. And then as we were eating lunch, I saw her going from table to table and when she got to ours, she asked, "are any of you Karla Dornacher?" Oh my goodness... did my heart smile or what! As she shared with me how much my books meant to her and her family, I was deeply touched and encouraged. Thank you Nancy for blessing my heart... and this pic is for you and your sisters in CA!

#2 was reconnecting with another author/artist Jeannie St.John Taylor. She is extremely gifted and even though she told me her website is not current you can still visit her there and check out some of her childrens book.  Her heart is huge and her newest book, Culture Proof Kids, has gotten great reviews and sounds like one I would want to read if I were still raising up young children. You go girl!

And #3 was my favorite quote of the day...

"take the ball God has given you and run with it".

This especially spoke to me because I can really struggle with my ball sometimes. As I thought about my ball and the many facets of what I do, I saw a multi-colored beach ball... I had never thought about it like that before... each color representing a different aspect of what God has given me. And even though I love every aspect of what I do, in my desire to do what I do to the best of my ability, I sometimes think if only I had one color... if I were only a writer or only a speaker or only an artist... I could really focus on that one thing and do it better than I do now. But this is the ball God has given me and I know that as I have run with my ball and thrown it, so to speak, out to others, they have caught it and been blessed because of it. I could spend more time thinking about all the beaches in the world and how they represent a place of beauty and rest and the significance of the water but I don't have time right now to do that. But one thing I am sure of and that is that I want to embrace the ball God has given me and keep running the race... playing toss with whoever He brings on the beach with me! Wanna play?

Every good and perfect gift comes down from above.
James 1:17

Oh Lord, thank You for the beach ball and forgive me for not always wanting the gifts You've given me whether they've been talents, relationships, opportunities or responsibilities. Help me today to embrace and run with the ball You've given me... not just for my own well-being but in such a way as to bring glory to you and be an encourager to others to run with the ball You've given them. Thank You also Lord for the people you sovereignly place along my path... bless them Father as only You can! Amen.

Spiritual Nuggets - A Valentine Treat

 

Last weekend I drove to Mill Creek, WA to speak at a Day Retreat for a delightful group of women from North Creek Presbyterian Church. The day before I left, I was praying for each woman... delighting in the fact that God knew each one of them by name... even the number of hairs on their heads. And because God knows us so intimately, I was asking Him to speak to each woman individually and personally... to meet her where she's at and speak to her need as only He can. In that moment, God spoke to my heart and said "Karla, I have a NUGGET for each one of them" and I knew He did.

As I got up from my prayer time, I remembered that just two days earlier I had made one of these little Valentine nuggets for each woman and that made the word NUGGET from the Lord even more special. To think I was bringing them a sweet chocolate nugget was one thing, but to know that God was going to give them a spiritual NUGGET truly brought a smile to my face and I knew I would have to share this with the women.

You can hardly imagine how awestruck I was, listening to the MC introduce me... waiting for my cue... when she said that she had been praying on the way to the retreat that morning and God told her He had a NUGGET for each and every woman there!!!  I could hardly contain myself!!!

I had already planned to pass out the "Jesus loves you" chocolate nuggets as part of my opening and share with them how God had given me the same word and now here was another confirmation that He had a spiritual Valentine NUGGET for everyone there.  As I shared with the women, another woman spoke up and said the Lord had given her the same word. Could this just all be a coincidence? I don't think so! There are no coincidences in the Lord! Our God is so wonderful, personal and real!

To have Him confirm His love for me and for these women in such a very special way was the sweetest Valentine treat I could have ever received. I am still tasting the sweetness of His blessing this morning.

Do you know that You are God's Divine Valentine just as much as I am?  And He has a sweet nugget of love for you as well!  Will you take a moment to open your Bible to Jeremiah 31:3 and sit quietly with the Lord for a few minutes and let Him speak a NUGGET of love and blessing to your heart?

Taste and see that the Lord is good!
Psalm 34:8

Thank You Father that You love us with an everlasting love. Would You wrap Your loving arms around each one of Your girls in a very special way today, this Valentine's Day and everyday. Remind us that Your NUGGETS are there for the tasting waiting for us as we come to You... and the only weight we'll gain will be in the knowledge of You and Your great love!

The Smile Says It All...

Fiber arts? Culinary arts? Or Paper Arts? Those were the choices I gave my sweet granddaughter, Alexis, as I offered to help her with her school art project for the month of January. She chose fiber arts and off to the fabric store we went where she picked out the felt, variegated crochet thread, and a package of sassy square buttons to make this adorable bag for her little sister to carry her new nintendo ds in. Isn't that the sweetest?  We designed it together and she did all the sewing and I crocheted the handle. In one project she learned the blanket stitch, the running stitch and the back stitch... she caught on quick and did an awesome job.

And you think she's smiling big? You should have seen the smile on her grandma's face as she took the picture! I'm so proud of her... and I can hardly wait to see what our next project together is going to be!

I am so thankful for the gift of creativity and the opportunity to enjoy this time spent with my granddaughter. God gives us each opportunities every day to reach out and share His love in so many ways with those around us. Tomorrow I'm off to Mill Creek WA...just north of Seattle... to speak at a day retreat on Saturday and share the love of God with them. The theme for the retreat is "Redeeming the Time" from Ephesians 5:15 but the word for redeem in the NIV is translated as "make the most of every opportunity" and that's what we want to do... make the most of every opportunity every day to love God and love others.

May you redeem the time God gives you today... and be blessed for it!

A "My Cup Runneth Over" Valentine's Tea

My friend Frances has the gift of hospitality and a love of all things tea! Last weekend she, with the help of her friend Kathy, opened her home and invited 12 women to join her for a Valentine's Tea. Together they poured out a refreshing drink of love and acceptance into the hearts of these women and they enjoyed an afternoon of overflowing joy! This is Frances reading the "My Cup Runneth Over" devotional to the women.

One of the things I loved most about the tea was that she and Kathy reached out and invited a few new women in our church... women they had not even met before... along with those who have been coming awhile. So there were connections made and new friendships born.

And of course, it's always fun to see my printables being put to good use! I was told the women loved them.

I love how Frances gathered together a few of her teapots to illustrate the message of the devotional so visually. In the devotional, I share about how we are all God's teapots, created as unique vessels... some of us are short and stout as the children's song sings, some of us are tall and slender and many of us are somewhere in between. And it doesn't matter to God if you're bright yellow stoneware with red polka dots, natural shades of earthenware, or white china with graceful painted roses... because the truth is we are all cracked pots, blemished and chips by life!  I'm sure you would agree.

The sad thing is that sometimes we can get so caught up in worrying about the appearance of our vessel, that we forget all about the incredible treasure that dwells within us... the love and power of the Lord Jesus Christ that is able to flow through us to bless, refresh and influence our world more than we can imagine... if we will only allow Him to fill us up daily and tip us over whenever and on whomever He chooses.

1 Samuel 16:7 says "man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart."

Lord Jesus, thank You for filling us with Your lavish love... so much so that there is plenty to overflow and give away! Forgive us for putting so much emphasis on our outer appearance that we sometimes forget that within us dwells the God of the universe... "Christ in me... the hope of glory!"  We are Your teapot Lord... fill us up and tip us over... for your glory and the blessing of many. Amen

My Cup Runneth Over - A FREE Valentine Download

I am thrilled to offer you my new collection of "My Cup Runneth Over" Digital Downloads to celebrate Valentine's Day and the life and love God has so generously poured out on us through His Son Jesus!

Included in the collection is a wonderful teabag holder, two candy wrappers for Hershey nuggets, name or gift tags,and place cards. What makes this collection even more special is that I am also offering you a devotional for a Girlfriend Gathering, a related icebreaker question to help the women get to know each other, a life question to keep them thinking when they leave, as well as a closing prayer. I encourage you to, not only make and give the gifts, but to also open your home during the month of February and invite a few women for a Girlfriend Gathering... whether it's for tea or lunch or a evening out to celebrate the love of God!

Maybe you will want to pour out a refreshing drink of God's love and grace to your closest friends or a few of the women from your MOM'S group... but I would also like to encourage you to look beyond those you know to those who might need to be known. Consider calling your church office and asking for the names of women who are new to your church or if they know of any women who are just having a hard time connecting.

Part of the devotional is taken from my book "The Blessing of Friendship" so if you're interested in giving each woman you invite a copy of the book as a special blessing, just email me and I can give you a price break according to the numbers.

These downloads will only be available as a FREE GIFT to you during the month of February so if you have friends who you think might like them please take a minute and let them know they're here.  You can download the pdf templates and devotional here:

My Cup Runneth Over Teabag Envelope & Name Tags
My Cup Runneth Over Candy Wrappers
My Cup Runneth Over PlaceCards
My Cup Runneth Over Girlfriend Gathering Devotional

I would love to hear from you... if these downloads were a blessing to you and if you have a Girlfriend Gathering, I would love to see any photos you take... I might even post a few.

Lord Jesus, Thank You for pouring out Your love into our hearts and then tipping us over and pouring us out on others to bring glory to You and a refreshing drink of Your love to them!  Amen