Beautiful

~ Lisa Brittain

Can a dry and weary land be called beautiful?

Beautiful is the one-word in which I’m pondering this day.

Photo by Lisa Brittain
The Living Zoo – giraffe
Palm Desert, CA

The answer to this question, I’m learning, is perspective.

If you’re reading you probably already know this. I do too, but I forget sometimes to look beyond the difficulty demanding my immediate attention. I imagine that happens to you as well.

We’re new to living in the desert – still within our inaugural year. Everything is a first to our eyes. And so as we converse with long time residents, we sometimes watch them remember the beauty they’ve been looking past.

Photo by Lisa Brittain
No filter
Sunrise in La Quinta

I mention the beauty of the sunrise turning golden the eastern face of the mountains. And they pause. Maybe they’ve forgotten to stop and look.

We mentioned our surprise at the amount of rainfall this first year, and our pastor clued us in that extra rainfall will likely bring a super bloom to the mountain sides. We’re anticipating this beauty. What a surprise!

Photo by Lisa Brittain
La Quinta, CA

One particular weekend we walked through our local mainstreet lined with artists and displays of their unique forms of expressing beauty. I was stopped by the vibrant colored paintings of one local artist in particular. She stepped forward and asked if I liked anything in particular. I looked at her and sheepishly expressed what I was thinking, “I love them all!”

Local artist, Nancy Lynn.
La Quinta, CA
www.nanandbob.com

This artist was engaging, not aloof, like most we had encountered. We struck up a conversation. She told us she’s lived in the desert for a long time. “Most people come to the the desert and see dull and lifeless. But true desert people are able to look deeper and recognize the beautiful colors”, she explained. And then she told me that I might be one with eyes to see.

Jesus often spoke these words… eyes to see and ears to hear. It’s scary to me to think that I have eyes, but I don’t really see.

What God makes is beautiful!

Photo by Lisa Brittain
Bear Creek Trails
La Quinta, CA

So Lord, today remove the scales from my eyes and help me to see not just dull and lifeless, but the beautiful colors that illuminate a dry and weary land. I love You Jesus and I want to honor You by appreciating the beautiful life You have blessed me with – all of it beautiful in Your eyes. Amen.

Are you personally living through a dry and weary season? No matter the topography of your location, you might sometimes feel like you’re living in a desert. Do you think God might offer you some beauty – even in this place or season?

Would you like to ask Jesus to help you see the beauty within and beyond your circumstances?

Bear Creek Trails, California
Photo by Lisa Brittain

What about a time you experienced something beautiful? Maybe spend a couple of minutes recapturing that beautiful memory. Play it back throughout your day and thank Jesus that it’s part of your beautiful life.

Have you ever enjoyed watching someone “see”something for the first time? Take a few moments to re-live the awe and joy of watching someone else be awed and filled with joy.

Eyes on Jesus and Shine,

~Lisa

Published by Lisa Brittain

I am a curious follower of Jesus. I have been since my early twenties when I met Him personally and received miraculous healing in my body and mind. After many years of marriage and raising sons into the teen years, I received a challenge to explore the duplicity of my spoken faith followed up by my fearful living choices. It was my two sons, who loved me enough to confront me with the truth. They called out the hypocrisy of fear, and I am forever thankful. Chips off my proverbial block! I determined then to overcome fear with faith that was more than words. Years ago, with my eyes open to my sin of unbelief I made a decision to leave the desert wandering behind and set out to pursue the abundant life Jesus promised His disciples. God has been faithful to teach me, grow me up, and help me to let go of all the things that used to mean security to me. My passion is to walk so closely to Jesus that others want to know Him too. I love to introduce women to Him as we walk, talk, and work together hand in hand through everyday life. Nothing thrills me more than to watch someone fall in love with Jesus through His word; learning to trust His heart and receive His great love! I have been married to my dear man for over 36 rollercoaster years. We're simply thrilled that our latter days are more joyful and purposeful than our first. Together we have helped to grow two young men, who are now married with their own families. God is continuing to help them write their own faith stories. Additionally, we share our home with an old rescue pup. I look forward to having you join me here to fix our eyes on Jesus and shine with His radiance, Lisa Psalm 34:5

9 thoughts on “Beautiful”

  1. Hey Lisa,

    We’ve had a busy few days. So I’m just catching up this morning on reading your blog posts. This beauty one reminds me of something from yesterday.

    We were invited by my Churchless friend Marcy to go to the Vineyard church across the street from Lilburn alliance Church. She has friends who go there. We had visited there before a couple years ago when I was really wanting desperately to leave LAC. It’s a small church. Very few people. And the percentages are high for those people being in wheelchairs, using walkers…Not beautiful people. I confess to you I knew right away when we first visited I couldn’t go here with such hurting people. I wasn’t proud of it then… My visceral repulse of hurting wounded people.

    So honestly last night I wasn’t sure I wanted to go. It was a night of praise worship and ministry… The tagline. But Marcy was venturing out and so I wanted to support her journey.

    Because of my unchained class on Saturdays I’m very aware of two voices speaking to me, the Holy Spirit and the enemy. And a third my soulishness.

    So last night those same repulsive thoughts came up but holy spirit caused me to look deeper. These were precious beautiful people that he loved. And they loved him. They were worshiping him. And I was struck with that their hearts were purer than mine. Even though I’ve experienced, pain wheelchairs disease most of the time I’m very uncomfortable around hurting people.

    But HS is refining my heart. I so want Him.

    Confessing to Him. To you. Purify my heart to know beautiful. You look at the heart Lord and not the outward appearance.

    Ruth

    With joy and peace in believing…

  2. Thank you Gayl! I’m learning the joy of the grandma life as we prepare to meet our new granddaughter in about 10 days 🌸🌸🌸I know she will teach us many things🧡💜💛

  3. I spend a lot of time with my 6 yr old granddaughter. What a joy to “see” through the eyes of a child. She gets so excited at things I take for granted. I’m so thankful God has used her to “open” my eyes more to the joy and beauty of life. Blessings to you! xo

  4. I agree!! We’re soon going to meet our granddaughter. I know she is going to open our eyes to awe and wonder 🌸🌸
    Thank you for reading and commenting.

  5. This is what my kids have done for me – helped me see the world through new eyes as they discover it for the first time.

  7. Your photos are indeed beautiful! I especially like the first one of the giraffe. I pray that I have the eyes to see and ears to hear all the beautiful things God has done and is doing all around me.

  8. Awww. Thank you Anita. Thinking about you and your dear man!
    We live in the low desert of California. Coachella Valley. 🌵🌴
    Thank you for reading and commenting. Thank you also for hosting 28 days of writing. I’ve missed these challenges. I’m excited about the words you’ve chosen this year.

  9. I love that you wrote about the desert for this word, too! Now I’m curious as to which desert you live in! We live in the high desert of northern AZ. We’re also looking forward to this spring since we’ve had above-average amounts of moisture this year. The desert has taught me a lot about God over the years.

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