A Little Message About Hope

September 24, 2015 Shyla Yoder

Good morning sweet sweet friends,

I have a bit of sunshine to share with you this morning....

Though it is officially the beginning of Autumn, I think the rest of the earth is still celebrating summer. A unique, in-between stage actually. September, I feel, is a special season all in itself, transitional to be exact. It is neither summer nor fall, it is in-between. I'm in a September in my life too. Transitional.

I'm a believer in living in the present and part of that means celebrating each season as it is and not rushing into the next. In our lives it can be frustrating to be in a place of unknowns... will there be a change, will the winter ever end, will the flowers bloom? Let's face it - transition is such a hard place to be in!

I can't tell you exactly what - But I know the Lord has a specific purpose for "in-between" seasons because He is the orchestrator of all things. There are tid bits of trust and dependance and childlike faith tied into this time and I think it can be a truly joyful, carefree while. I have experienced beautiful excitement and fulfillment as I put my hope in the Lord.

I am sharing this very September bouquet with you to honor this time our lives... A Goldenrod Wildflower bouquet!

Two Sunday's ago, I got the urge to cut a few stems and make something out of them. I decided to forage some wildflowers and theme my bouquet around them, namely the goldenrods. It was such a beautiful, quite afternoon, as Sunday's are.

Field to Table | I start with the greens and then put in the pops of color trying to create the shapes and drama I'm looking for in the end result - However every bouquet is a fun surprise!

As I was writing this post I discovered this wild thing about goldenrods....

“Goldenrods scientific name “Solidago” means to make whole or heal.”

Whoa! Is this a message for us about what the Lord's purpose can be in transition!?

I pray over you a special covering of childlike trust in this season that you are in and that you would experience quite amazing joy that would point you to your Father. May healing happen.

So much love from me to your beautiful heart & our Father above,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

— Jeremiah 29:11

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Just Let it Happen

September 19, 2015 Shyla Yoder

Dear loves,

I felt a bit anxious yesterday, and it has been a transitional season for me, but a friend sent me a link to this song.. and my heart started exploding! I've had the dream of capturing the fields of goldenrods that are in full bloom right now and when the Lord started ministering to me yesterday I called my dear friends, asked if I could have their little girls for a picnic this morning, and we made the plans and packed a party, all dressed in white.

I felt so motivated to do this and share it with you. So, I want you to PRESS PLAY below and LISTEN AS YOU READ through the lyrics and take the journey through the goldenrod fields with us.

Come along...

You’re full of life now
And full of passion
That’s how he made you
Just let it happen....

And he calls each one of us
By our names to come away
And he whispers to your heart
To let it go and to be alive

Be alive
Be alive
Be alive
Be alive

Come alive
Come alive
Come alive
Come alive
Come alive

You’re full of life now
And full of passion
It’s how he made you
Just let it happen

So take me back
Back to the beginning
When I was young
Running through the fields with you

You’re full of life now
And full of passion
That’s how he made you
Just let it happen....

To you.... Jesus knows. And His dreams are soo GRAND.
You don't have to doubt for one minute...
So don't worry little one...

Just drink in the beauty.

Featuring Olde World Bakery's sweet treats.
(hand pies, macarons, lemon blueberry cake, and farm chicken club)

Grapevine Bouquet & John 15

September 12, 2015 Shyla Yoder

Happy September 12th Friends,

I'm curled up in a blanket on the floor writing to you on this chilly Saturday morning. There was a fresh rain last night and this morning and I can't help but feel autumn coming on.

Last night I clipped off all of the blooms in my garden in order to get a fresh display of blooms in two weeks when I will harvest flowers for our Women's Ministry retreat. I planted a big array of September blooming flowers this year for this purpose. So, knowing that I would need to prune, I decided to put together a fall inspired bouquet with the clippings!

Since it is peak grape season as well and I have some gorgeous jewel toned flowers I decided to make a Grapevine Inspired Bouquet, and I have to say I was overjoyed with the outcome!

Bouquet - Grapevines, Sedum, Burgundy Snapdragons, Dalina Grande Castillo Dahlia, Dahlia (pinkish orange flower), zinnia, smartweed.

My heart was so filled with joy at these colors and so pleased at the display that turned out. The Lord has been drawing me to spend more time with Him lately and today I had this beautiful reminder of just how sweet His presence is....

When you're in His presence you feel washed, clean. Oneness with Him spreads his purity upon us. There's a glowing joy. Something of lovely holiness. We need this communion.

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

— Psalm 16:11

I pray today that you have the opportunity to steal away with you Savior and are filled with fullness of joy!

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunesa so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.”

— John 15: 1-17