Well I do believe it to be true that if you want rainbows you have to put up with the rain. I love flowers and I really like this picture because to me it makes me think of a life that is surrendered to God.. (first because of the bowing significance) then because of the color. Let me elaborate for you ~ When we surrender our life to Gods perfect will, he will color our lives with his unconditional love, his powerful grace, his divine favor, his mighty strength and that is just a few of the things he showers on us as we surrender to him. But it does not get that way over night or by chance. Sometimes it is a painful process that we have to go through... It is surrendering our wills, our wants, our dreams, our hopes to his... and learning to find his will, his wants .... dreaming through his dreams and hoping through his hopes for our lives.

When it rains I am always looking for a rainbow in the sky... mostly because I love to see them.. I view them as the mighty handiwork of our great God, and two because I am a big kid and I love pretty things and every color! not to mention just for fun... I still believe in leprechauns... lol anyway... Rainbows have always been significant to me with the promises of God in my life personally.... I feel like it is not only a sign of approval outward to me.. but a promise that he will do what he said he would do in my life.. whenever I have ever been to the point of breaking in the midst of a battle and I pray for a sign that God is still with me and still going to do what he has promised.... he sends a confirmation and a rainbow. Someone can say its coincidence or whatever they may.. but This is what I believe for me... and it means so much too me so see this in times of my life that are bleak... when Jesus is molding me, and making me.

I can remember various trials that I have been through and great blessings... I remember when I was so blessed to get to go to Kenya Africa... I was on cloud nine literally... all my dreams had come true... I believed that Jesus wanted me there and that he was going to make sure that I got there... and would you know... not a moment too soon or too late all of the funds and paperwork was taken care of right on time... and as my family drove me to Atlanta... (my first flight,. without my parents and overseas at that.) well my mom told me later when they were watching my plane take off that there was a rainbow in the sky... now it may not mean much to anyone... but It meant everything to me... and I still cry thinking about it. I remember that when I was in my teens I was involved in an accident and we saw a beautiful rainbow right before it... and no one was hurt. One of my very favorite times was a couple of years ago when I was going through the hardest battle of my life and the Lord had spoke to me and told me that he would bless me more abundantly...and I saw a double rainbow over my apartment. But yet when I think about the times when the rainbows appeared in my life... I think of the trial that I was going through and what it did in me... as a result of that the intertwining colors came into my life.... it was like God was saying , Shannon you think this is majestic and beautiful, just wait and see what I do inside of you, for you and through you.

I'm writing this as I am going through another hard battle... we go from battlefield to battlefield, I'm thinking...and in the midst there is rest and comfort and God is right there... but I don't want to be found laying down on the battlefield, I don't want to put my sword down or take my armor off no matter how heavy that it may be, these are just some thoughts of mine. I know that I will see the other side of this battle. I cannot see right now what my outcome may be but I know that if I stay close to the Lord and don't lay down and relax but keep fighting I will make it to where Jesus wants me to be... I want Jesus to make me into the beautiful flower he wants me to be.... Maybe it will be as colorful as the one above... :)