Weed or Flower?

Waiting to be Filled  © 2005 Debbie Turner Chavers

I originally posted this encouragement in 2010.

When my oldest daughter was a little girl she presented an older family member with a freshly picked flower from the yard. I do not remember what the flower was, but the person who received the gift saw it as a weed, not as a flower.
He considered all flowers that were not of the genius that he cultivated to be weeds. He worked in horticulture and propagated new flowers. He had mastered flower knowledge yet was in the infant stage of sensitivity. He failed to see the bud of sharing that was growing in my young daughters heart.

"That is not a flower, that is a weed" he said, as she presented her gift. " I do not want it, take it out of the house."
Her child like response was " But I picked it for you".

Needless to say. I was not pleased and my daughter appeared confused by the rejection. She went from a smile and out stretched hand to a bewildered look and retreat.
I followed.
I tried to explain to her that not everyone would appreciate our gifts and yet we should still give. He did not like her flower, but I did.

Years later, we still give a horrified laugh when we remember the insensitivity of the situation. There were other times when this same person was giving but had a hard time receiving. It would be easy to only perceive the weeds in life and not look for the flowers.
Weed or flower? The choice is yours.
It is really all about how you view it.

We used that day to learn to look beyond the obvious and try to be patient with each other.
By the grace of the Holy Spirit and a realization of our own faults we will be able to patiently anticipate the finished work in each other.
Only the potter knows when the pot is finished and complete. We are told to be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another.
Be patient with each other, sometimes things are not as they appear at the moment.
But the sculptor of our soul sees the complete picture before the unveiling.
Be patient.
Wait for the "Ta Da"! at the unveiling.

~Debbie Turner Chavers


Ephesians 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

All writing, poetry, posts, art, and photography, copyright © 2014 Debbie Turner Chavers. Protected by US and International copyright laws. All Rights Reserved. Scripture references taken from the King James bible. Would you like to see what I am currently painting? Click on these links http://artparables.com or http://debbieturnerchavers.com

His Body

Recently, I heard a conversation between a young girl and her grandpa in the parking lot on the way into the sanctuary at church.  As I walked I overheard her asking a question as a statement. "The fingers and toes are important.  Aren't they papa? " "Yes, they are." He replied.

Within a few seconds I was in the building and they were part of the crowd around me.  Just a bit of random overheard conversation on my journey.  Or was it?
I think not.  I have been studying for the past couple of weeks the role of the body of Jesus Christ in the earth and my part in that body.
One of my conversations with the LORD as He is teaching me was an example based on a missing part within a whole. Mental imagery, a pie with a slice missing.  The pie is still a pie yet the imagery shows you something is missing!
The slice of pie has left the building!

Think of a stick figure, even the youngest artist will draw a head, a trunk, two arms, and two legs.  But we all know that there are a lots of parts not shown that cause the body to function.
Most of of us do not feel necessary in the Body or to the Body, yet there is a need for those who are hidden.  Some of us are are hidden by choice and others by their use within the Body.  Each part is necessary and has a vital role within the Body.

The Body and Bride of Christ has Jesus Christ as the Head and we are the members of His Body.  So as a child of God I have sometimes wondered about those fingers and toes and all the other people who are the members of Christ and how we function together as a whole versus our individual lives before God.
As I pondered these thoughts, and wondered at my own place within the Body, the LORD showed me an example.
He reminded me of how a body reacts when something is amputated or missing in the body.  The body will function in most cases by relearning and accessing what is available to get the job done.
But the best scenario is each member in place by the Creator God performing its intended use and gift or gifts within the Body.  Scripture tells us that God has fitted the Body of Christ with many members and they have different gifts given by God.
Read the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 to see the beauty of the Body of Jesus Christ and it's function.


1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.


Romans 12:4-5  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

So after reading 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12, what part and gift has God  given you in the Body of Jesus Christ's? Whatever it is, you are needed and wanted.
The Body will still function, but not as well as it could with you and I in it, doing what God has enabled us to do.

~Debbie Turner Chavers






All writing, poetry, posts, art, and photography, copyright © 2014 Debbie Turner Chavers. Protected by US and International copyright laws. All Rights Reserved. Scripture references taken from the King James bible. Would you like to see what I am currently painting? Click on these links http://artparables.com or http://debbieturnerchavers.com

Shackled...to Freedom

Invisible Walls, Luke 4:18, Setting the Captives Free

                         © 1996 Debbie Turner Chavers

                        My Initial Art Journal Sketch

As I was cleaning house, I started thinking about salvation and how rules and regulations appear to our fleshly nature.  Whenever we have been shackled in any kind of bondage, unsaved condition or  habit and are finally set free, even wearing a bracelet can feel impossible to manage.
Any weight of condemnation or rules governing us, seem unbearable to our fleshly nature.
Almost offensive, instead of seeing the rules or regulations as protection, we can, without  knowledge of God's word and His character view them as bondage. In our lack of understanding it just becomes a different kind of bondage.
It is so very important that we renew our mind in God's word so as to understand His heart toward us.

The Love of God shows us that His Word is a beautiful gift given by God to His Beloved. You and I.  As you invest in your relationship and realize the Bridegroom has gifted you, you wear the gifts of His word and Way proudly.
Instead of feeling restricted, you feel beloved and taken care of by the Father.
As I thought on this, the LORD reminded me of Genesis 24.
All of Genesis 24, but in particular verse 22 and verse 53.  Genesis 24 is about a search for a wife for Isaac, the heir of Abraham. The servant of Abraham has gone to procure a wife from Abraham's people.  He finds Rebekah, a damsel by a well of water  who displays a servants heart and is part of Abraham's brethren.  After her initial kindness of giving the servant of Abraham a drink of water and watering his camels, she is gifted with a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold.
Rebekah then offers hospitality to him and his animals at her family's home after his initial inquiry of who she was and if there was room in her father's house for he and his camels. Her brother, Laban and her dad, Bethuel answered the servants inquiry of Rebekah's availability
Just as Rebekah had a choice to go to a new life or stay in her old way of life, we too have a choice.

Rebekah was presented with a plan for her future, she made a choice.  We have been presented with a plan for our life and conduct also.  The Servant is a representation of the Holy Spirit who is wooing us to the Son.  Presenting all that Jesus is, was, and will always be and waiting for us to accept the offer of marriage from the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. Accepting the offer of salvation causes us to inherit the promises of God, salvation and the riches of heaven. The Father, God has sent the Holy Ghost to man on the earth to call us unto Himself.

The journey is before you, the Bridegroom awaits.
~Debbie Turner Chavers


If you want to accept the invitation for salvation, ask Jesus to be your LORD and Savior.  Click here to see and say a simple prayer to get you started.
Jesus died for all and offers salvation to all. Regardless of your current lifestyle or past choices, today is a new day and a new opportunity to seek the LORD while He may be found.
Romans 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of The Lord shall be saved.

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

The damsel Rebekah listed in Genesis 24 is an example of this sermon, but as I typed, the LORD reminded me of the Samaritan woman by the well who talked to Jesus. Her life choices up to that moment in time had not been good, yet Jesus sought her and offered her the water of Life.  You can read the letter of love in John 4:6-42.

Isaiah 61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Romans 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

Colossians 2:2-3  That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

You can read all of Genesis 24 at this link. Click here.



All writing, poetry, posts, art, and photography, copyright © 2014 Debbie Turner Chavers. Protected by US and International copyright laws. All Rights Reserved. Scripture references taken from the King James bible. Would you like to see what I am currently painting? Click on these links http://artparables.com or http://debbieturnerchavers.com