Grace and peace on you today Dear Hearts 
Finally, after five and a half months of ? ? ? — I’m back in my studio this week. I’ve painted a couple of studies and ordered several new art supplies (I’ve come to the conclusion that buying art supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies 
) So…. let’s see what happens next.
“Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:6-8 RSV
Before I go off to paint, I want to take a moment to share my thoughts regarding Paul’s instructions to the church in Philippi.
“think about these things.”
If ever there was a recorded example of being a “doer” of the Word, it was Paul in this letter. He was writing as a Roman prisoner and yet he held up Christ as the model for believers to follow and speaks eloquently of his personal joy and contentment in even this situation.
I think there’s a powerful lesson here for me, and perhaps for every believer, in this season of chaos, fear and war. If you haven’t read this brief message lately, I suggest reading it again right now.
“Think about these things!”
While I’ll acknowledge watching the nightly news offers very little beauty and truth; mostly it is exactly the opposite, Paul says, “Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy.”
And, “where is the evidence of these things right now, today?” you may ask.
We read Second Peter in our quiet time this morning and let me reassure you, God’s Word IS evidence of beauty and truth. Peter tells us:
“His divine power has given us everything we need to experience life and to reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One who called us by His glory and virtue. Through these things, we have received God’s great and valuable promises, so we might escape the corruption of worldly desires and share in the divine nature.”
2 Peter 1:3-4 The Voice
God took the first step to rescue us from this corrupt world. He has granted us His power, revealed to us true knowledge, and spoken to us great promises. He has done all this for a reason: that we might participate in His own nature and reflect His own life. But we are not passive observers of God’s saving actions. We must receive His grace, grow in knowledge, and join Him in this work of redemption. _The Voice
Think about these things, Dear Hearts.
Contentment Cottage 