Lord, the news, the nightly news, is so negative. And the underlying message is, not safe. Life’s not safe, streets aren’t safe, danger is everywhere, tragedy lies in wait. So how do I combat that? Look at my word choice: combat! Fight. How do I deal with that? I’m hearing, Praise. Makes me think of my lyric from all those years ago, the battle cry is praise…You ARE still God, You ARE still Love. Ok. So that makes me think of armor, the armor of God. All those pieces of armor in scripture: breastplate of righteousness, belt of truth, shoes of peace, I have always loved that. Not the gospel of judgement; the gospel of peace. “Footprints like hearts through my day.” Walk in Peace, every step is Peace. Peace with God. “As much as it depends on you, you live in peace with all others.” That’s my part–and instead of making me vulnerable to stumbling or tripping up, that mindset, that commitment protects me on my path. My path is Peace–which also speaks to me about my stubborn believing there is abundance, enough for us all to do well. It is not me versus them. Then there is the shield of faith. So why do I need a breastplate and a shield both?
The shield is for your hands. It is for what you do, your outwards actions, outreach, all the tasks of your days. You’ve been laying down your shield in order to do your tasks. You still think you have to do this–all this–alone, without help. Specifically without My help. You’ve received miracles, miracles of healing, financial and supply miracles of multiplication, miracles of synchronicity and serendipity, being led, right place/right time. Now you need miracles of organization. Miracles of prioritization. Miracles of time-management, so you can do.
The shield of faith is like a timekeeper. The shield of faith for your wrist says, I have enough time. It says, time is my companion, not my enemy; that is why it is a shield. A shield can also be a badge, an ID. Think of a police shield. Your identity, your badge is your faith, is your relationship with Me. Wear your shield again. Don’t hide who I Am in you, and who you are in Me. I did come to show the world My Love and I Am Risen, I Am alive, everywhere–and also in you. Have blessing cards in the shop. Have angels, have beautiful created works. Seek out artists who, like you, love Me. Have music.
Continue to create an atmosphere that says welcome, take a deep breath, beauty and serenity live here. Believe that the choices you make for the shop are founded in your relationship with Me and you will not choose amiss. Why would I not continue to bless your working life? Continue to create sanctuary space, for both your artists and your customers, so that you can attract, create, and sell art and craft that beautify the spaces they occupy. Infuse your own work and everything in the shop with your own positive, peaceful, loving spirit and everyone who walks in your door will feel the peace and joy present there. They may not realize the source, they may not be able to name or quantify the feeling, but they will leave more refreshed than they entered, as if the rush of time slowed and meandered during their moments inside. That is precisely what needs to happen for you, too. You need to remember that I Am your Source, for all things–including your working life, including time itself.