In a last-minute decision, I paid the fee for the Immanuel Quilt Ministry to be a vendor in the first-ever Virtual Quilt Show. The final numbers were delivered in my inbox.
VQS attendees—48,000. They were expecting 5,000
VQS page views—604,000
VQS attendees visiting the Immanuel Quilt Ministry booth—1,005
VQS sales for Immanuel Quilt Ministry—2
Was it a success?
You decide.
Near the beginning of the year I had two separate, but similar dreams. Both related to me conducting workshops and teaching women how to make blocks portrayed in the Immanuel Quilt. Since the inception of the Immanuel Quilt women have asked for the pattern. I’d always responded the same, “It’s a unique quilt.”
After receiving these dreams and reflecting back I saw that over the last year my response had changed to inquiries for the pattern. I started saying, “If God wants me to make the pattern available, He will let me know.”
I was scheduled to speak at a quilt show on April 3-4 in Decatur, IL. Wondering if the dreams were God’s way of telling me that He now wanted me to make the pattern available, I asked that if it was His will, He bring a person with the knowledge and know-how to me at the quilt show. Due to COVID-19, the quilt show was canceled.
Mid-April, I get the invite to be a vendor at the Virtual Quilt Show—the last week in April.
The decision to participate didn’t come easy. I didn’t know if paying the $250 fee for a virtual booth space would be a wise use of the ministry funds. My gut told me it was something that I needed to do.
I uploaded photos for the book, the notecards, and the children’s curriculum. The items were put in the VQS store along with the merchandise of all the other vendors. I also uploaded a video to my VQS booth with me telling tidbits of the story of the Immanuel Quilt. Each day I logged into my VQS booth for a few hours, waiting for someone to visit. No one came. I trusted though that God was behind the scenes doing something that I could not see.
Finally, on the fourth day, my one and only visitor came. Corrine Hewitt, a Canadian quilt store owner and author who had help getting her book published by the same person who had helped me get the Immanuel Quilt published. As a quilter, she had also created and published 18 quilt patterns. By the end of our conversation, she had offered to turn the Immanuel Quilt into a pattern for me.
God answered my prayer and sent a person to me with the knowledge and know-how to publish a quilt pattern. And He had even sent her to me while participating in a quilt show during April. Still, I was reluctant to believe the Immanuel Quilt was to be made into a pattern available for anyone to make. It’s a unique quilt.
Maybe, I have gotten a bit too attached to the quilt, or perhaps my resistance has to do with a message I received shortly after The Immanuel Quilt was published. An email came in from a woman asking if there was a pattern for the quilt. I responded, “No, it’s a unique quilt.”
“Good,” she wrote back, “You can’t call the Immanuel Quilt a unique quilt if there is a pattern for it.”
The woman was questioning the claim that the Immanuel Quilt is unique.
The day after speaking with Hewitt, another Canadian quilt store owner, visiting the VQS, bought my book. Since shipping the book was going to cost $34, I called her to see if she still wanted the book. She chose to cancel the order but not before admitting she was purchasing the book to host a workshop to teach others how to make the Immanuel Quilt.
God certainly had my attention!
The following morning, I woke with a word stationed in my thoughts. Imitate.
Twice, in the making of the Immanuel Quilt God delivered one-word riddles to me. Was this another one-word riddle from God? The Bible tells us to imitate Jesus. To pattern our lives after Him and to fix our eyes on Him.
With each of the previous one-word riddles, another sign from God followed. With the name, Immanuel, He put the handwriting on the wall. With the word, invisible, He took me to Scripture to show me why He wanted the quilt stitched in invisible thread. “So, Lord,” I prayed, “Please, just one more sign to confirm this is Your will.”’
That very afternoon–I received an email asking what workshops I offer.
The story does not end here.
The message came from a woman who had visited the Virtual Quilt Show. She had watched the video I had added and, as the program director of a quilt guild, she wanted to see about me doing a workshop for her guild. She realized after she hit send, that I am merely a storyteller. But she had already pressed send. The message was on its way.
I called to tell her I offer no workshops, but that her email was timely sent. I shared with her all that I have just shared with you. Interestingly, as soon as she clicked send, she realized the video said I was a storyteller. She knew I offered no workshops, but the message had done been sent. In my opinion, one divine message—one final sign to confirm God’s plan.
She said, “Honey, I am the wife of an Army Chaplain. I know how God speaks and I don’t think He can speak any clearer. He is opening this door for you so that you may share the message of the quilt, the gospel, to an all-new audience.”.
God’s plan for me to participate in the Virtual Quilt Show was to show me the next step to take with the ministry. He wants to do something new with the Immanuel Quilt to reach more people.
The Immanuel Quilt is only another beautiful quilt without the story. Right? With that in mind, no pattern will be sold without the book. In addition to the book, the instructions for each block is going to include a devotional on the Name of Jesus the blocks portray.
I hope this news excites you and inspires you to think about what new ideas, opportunities, and perspectives God might be trying to give you. May you be blessed as you seek, and learn, and carry out His plans for you.
2.16.20 St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, Terre Haute, IN
The book signing show and tell was widely publicized. For two weeks the publicity included television ads with a photo of me, and that of the Immanuel Quilt. The ads were seen on televisions all across the Wabash Valley.
A good turnout was expected, but no one came. Except one.
The woman who had extended the invitation for me to come and speak, she came. I wasn’t sure if she came out of pity or genuine interest, but for whatever reason, she came. And so, to an audience of one, I shared His Story in a unique quilt–the whole story. Then, we sat for a chat–me, Tom, and the woman. We had a good long chat.
Tom and I opted to take a walk before leaving the grounds of St. Mary. The path we chose commemorates the Stations of the Cross. Memories flooded my thoughts as it was less than a year ago Tom and I were in Jerusalem walking the path in which Jesus carried the burden of our cross. I was overwhelmed with gratitude and sensed God saying, “And I would have done it for one.”
God’s plan was for me to humble myself and do it for one.
A few days later I received this message from the woman.
“I’ve been trying since our parting on Sunday to find the words to thank you. So many people under the circumstances would have been disappointed or even angry, but instead, you and your husband were gracious and welcoming. Several people have now asked me about your response to Sunday with the expectation that you left unhappy with your time at the Woods. Projecting my own feelings, I would think there was a bit of discontentment with the turnout, but I hope you know that for me, your visit was life-giving.”
The Bible says, “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:4)
Oh, how I wish I could tell you that my response to unpleasant circumstances is always soothing and gracious, but it is not. Just days after presenting this “life-giving” talk to one,my actions spoke a very different message. I demonstrated some sin-ugly behavior on a grand scale. I felt ashamed for the way in which I had responded to a circumstance and knew that I had not portrayed a Christ-like image.
I confessed the sin to God, then I went to bed, and was given a very comforting dream. In my dream was a plane flying in the air with one of those banner messages waving along behind it. The message: You are forgiven.
Jesus carried the cross to Calvary and conquered death, so that we may be forgiven. No matter what sin-ugly behaviors we have done—there is One who endured the Stations of the Cross to forgive us–and He would have done it for One. His Name is Jesus.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. Ephesians 1:7
When Ilene Tucker invited me to attend an event at Grace Baptist Church this past week, never would I have imagined what I was about to experience. She explained it was to be a talk by a lady about a quilt called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” She even wrote a book about it. A book? What could one possibly write in a book about one quilt?
Joni Wolf is a friendly down-to-earth lady and from the start of her talk, I was captivated by what she was saying. The caption on the cover of her boo, The Immanuel Quilt, calls it A True Story of One Ordinary Woman, One Unique Quilt, and One Extraordinary God.” And it was exactly that. As her story unfolded, I began to realize it was not just for quilters–it’s a story everyone should hear. Her faith in God and her love for God’s Word was borne in her obedience to follow His leading into the unchartered territory of designing and making a God-honoring quilt. She explained how God guided each step of her remarkable journey. She offers a real-life example of God’s clear leading in one’s life. It’s a story that gives God the glory. And it offers inspiration and challenge to each and every believer to be willingly used in service for God.
As Joni explained the intricacies of the quilt and the decisions involved with designing and making the quilt, it was easy to understand why a book was necessary. The names of Jesus lining the outer edges of the quilt were painstakingly narrowed down to 30 from 300. The right fabrics with meaningful color took time to select. Designs to depict each of the 30 names took careful thought. Each pattern had its own story, a reason to be included, in the making of the quilt.
Needless to say, I came home with her book. It’s a beautiful coffee-table worthy book filled with professional photographs in color by Cassandra Parkins of Inspired Studios. It’s also a Scripture-laden book with over 300 references spread throughout. The introduction is followed by six chapters. Chapter Five is titled “His Story” and, as you turn each page, you will read an individual explanation for each of the 30 names bordering the quilt. You will be encouraged, inspired, comforted, and blessed as you go through the names with accompanying Scripture for each one. You’ll even find God’s plan of salvation explained.
But there’s more. As you move to Chapter Six, “The Immanuel Sampler,” the names of Jesus are repeated to include a personal story for each name. As Joni says, “This chapter is intended to acquaint you with the ways God makes His presence known in our everyday, ordinary lives.” By the end of the book, Joni has achieved her purpose of pointing us to the One who is always with us…Immanuel.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” Psalm 122:6-7
Not long ago I read about the Apostle Paul’s final trip to Jerusalem. As he was preparing for his journey the Holy Spirit came and warned him of the hardships he would face. (Acts 20) Our trip to Israel was just three days away and my traveling anxieties were starting to surface. Recalling Paul’s warning I wondered if we were going to face hardships on our journey. God speaks through His Word. Were we being warned not to go?
Adding to my mounting anxiety were our grandchildren telling us that we should not go. Also family members were asking to see us one final time before we left. Did they think we weren’t going to return? God sometimes speaks through the words of others.
We went to visit our mothers before a few days before we departed. On our drive home I noticed a cloud in the sky shaped like a dolphin. I was sure the cloud offered a symbolic message from God, something to calm my nerves and reassure me that everything was going to be just fine. God will sometimes speak through His creation.
I googled on what the symbolic meaning of a dolphin might mean. What I read was anything but comforting. The symbolic meaning for the dolphin was described as: transporting deceased souls to their places of final rest!
I instantly recognized Satan was trying to get me to cancel our trip. He didn’t want us to receive any blessing from going to God’s Holy Land. I recognized Satan and his trickery, yet I thought, “But Satan can’t put a cloud in the sky.” The deceiver quickly disguised himself as God speaking. Sadly, I fell prey to his tactic and became an emotional basket case. Calling out to Jesus and prayer warriors, through their intercessory prayers, I settled down, and like the Apostle Paul, chose to carry on with the journey.
While waiting for our flight I started reading, Praying the Names of Jesus, by Ann Spangler. Wouldn’t you know, the first Name covered in the first devotion was—Immanuel! The words jumped off the page:
“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” (Genesis 28:15)
I sensed God was making me a promise to bring us back to this land—to return us to the USA.
I have never before traveled with such peace. I didn’t even need anything to calm anxiety because I had none. Tom was surprised and happy with how well I did and he is my hoping future travels will go so well.
We flew into Tel Aviv and met up with the others in our Pilgrim Tour at our hotel in Netanya. It was a blessing to be in a group of only twenty-four people. Groups normally have between forty to sixty people in them. Our intimate group included a family of seven from Indiana and another from Canada. There were also couples from Arkansas, Florida, and New York who we befriended. And… most of them heard something about the Immanuel Quilt. You know, it’s hard to keep a storyteller quiet.
In the lot of us, there was not a pastor in the batch. Our tour guide, Helik, a Messianic Jew, selected Steve to be our group leader. Helik would have Steve read passages from the Bible which made the stories come alive in living color as we stood at the spots where the events took place. Helik was very knowledgeable on the Bible and on the history of Israel. We received an overwhelming amount of information, so much so, we are still trying to process it all.
We visited Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Megiddo, Nazareth, Dan, the Mt. of Beatitudes, Caesarea Philippi, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Magdala, Tiberias, Bet She’an, Jerusalem, Mt. Zion, Mt. Olive, Gethsemane, Room of the Last Supper, Holy Sepulcher Church, the Wailing Wall, Qumran, Masada, and Bethlehem. We walked probably twenty plus miles up hills, down hills, up steps, down steps, and down into underground tunnels. We climbed mountains, crossed desert terrain, stepped into the Jordan River, touched the Mediterranean Sea, puttered across the Sea of Galilee, floated in the Dead Sea, (well, not me), and tried new cuisine. We walked where Jesus walked and we saw ancient city ruins of Jesus time. We gained a better understanding of the culture, both of Jesus day and today.
The beauty of it all was stunning.
We had our share of bumps in the road. We got stranded in the desert for flooded roads. That’s right…the desert flooded! Oh, and just so you know, thunder in the Israeli desert sounds different. Perhaps it was the sound of Holy thunder.
We were stranded for only ninety minutes, and at our sleek looking hotel. If one is to be stuck in the dessert, we were stuck at the best place possible. However, the delay played havoc with our schedule and Helik had to make changes to it for the rest of the week. His solution to get us back on the road was to travel westward (towards Gaza) and then back north to Jerusalem. He was determined we weren’t going to miss any stops on our agenda. So off we went heading towards the western bank to get back northbound.
Later that evening we learned that Gaza had fired a rocket into Israel. No family members were injured in the home that was hit and the news showed the homeowner praising God for keeping them safe. Interestingly, the family’s last name was WOLF.
Many people were praying for our safety as we traveled. The rocket launched could have taken place when we were nearby, only God knows for sure. However, I wonder if the overflow of prayers for this duo Wolf pair extended over to provide the protection for another Wolf family. God does work in unseen ways. Regardless, we were grateful for God’s protection.
For me this trip turned out to be as much of a cultural awakening as what it was a Spiritual one. Conflict between the Palestinians and Israeli’s was apparent. Every day we got a little dose of seeing the tension between the two. Our bus driver was a Palestinian Muslim. He and Helik did not get along. They argued every day and with each passing day their arguments intensified. The driver was kind to the passengers, he even let me sit in the driver’s seat of the bus, but to Helik, he was argumentative. I admit, I was a bit shocked when he picked up two hitchhikers.
Also in Bethlehem I felt uneasy. Bethlehem is Palestinian controlled. Signage going into the city lets Jews know they are not welcome. Helic, being a Jew was not permitted to be our guide while in Bethlehem. So, while there we were assigned a Palestinian Christian to be our guide. I can not explain it exactly, but while in Bethlehem I had an unsettling feeling. After returning home I learned that a few days before we were there a riot broke out and there was a shooting. Again, God had his hand of protection upon us. What may we have witnessed had our schedule not been changed?
All-in-all it was a wonderful trip. It was a blessing going to the Holy Land. And when the week was over, God safely returned us to the USA.! Thank You Jesus! It’s good to be back home in Indiana.
Late last summer I started noticing that the things I was seeing, reading, and hearing were often on the topic of taking a trip to Israel. God seemed to be tapping my shoulder trying to get my attention.
For years Tom has wanted to go see the Holy Land. The problem was that he wanted me to go too. Needless-to-say, it’s not the adventure a girl with a fear of traveling seeks. However, I couldn’t deny all the signs that I was seeing. Clearly, I was being encouraged by the Spirit to take a trip to Israel.
My past reluctance to taking the trip had nothing to do with being in a foreign country. It’s always been the matter of getting from point A to point B. Whether it be by car, or plane, traveling causes me to have unwanted anxiety.
I delayed telling Tom about these received notions in hopes that I was hearing God wrong, yet I knew I wasn’t. When fear was replaced with what could almost be described as excitement, it confirmed it was time to say yes. Tom was both surprised and thrilled with this news.
A few short months later, after having made our deposit for the trip, I was reading a Bible devotion to Macy and Cam. The devotion took us to the Book of Acts where I was reading about the apostle Paul’s final trip to Jerusalem. We were moving forward in the story and came upon this verse: “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.” -Acts 20:22
“Wow!” I said to the kids. “This sounds like me and Papaw. Led by the Spirit, we’re taking a trip to Jerusalem too, and…we don’t know what will happen either!”
An onset of questions began.
How far away is it? How long does it take to get there? How will you get there?
I answered each question then Macy said, “But Grandma, you have a fear of traveling and Papaw has a fear of heights!”
I continued reading, “I only know that in every citythe Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardshisp are facing me.” -Acts 20:23
Macy and Cam’s eyes widened, their mouths dropped open, worry and concern were written on their faces. They asked if me and Papaw would we be put in prison too.
Honestly, in that moment I was wondering the same thing. God’s most chosen method for speaking directly to us is through His Word. My excitement quickly turned to fear once again. What hardships might we face? Would we be imprisoned? Was this a warning not to go?
I couldn’t read the rest of the story to the kids. They didn’t need to hear that Paul would never be seen again. For that matter, neither did I.
Despite Paul receiving dismal warnings from the Spirit about going to Jerusalem, he did not fear, but went on with his journey. Could I do the same?
The Bible repeatedly tells us to have no fear, but then, it tells us to fear the Lord. (Proverbs 19:23; Isaiah 44:8)
It’s unlikely that we’d be confined to any prison cell, but hardships come in many forms. Even in the form of confining yourself to a seat…on a plane…high in the air! The choice of which fear would control our decision was up to us.
Paul’s first intimate encounter with Jesus took place on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus. The tour group we’d be traveling with is taking the same road. Going to Israel is an opportunity to see Bible stories come alive. Perhaps like Paul, we too could have an awe-inspiring encounter with Jesus.
So, come spring we’re going to Israel! The girl with a fear of traveling is going to go and trek God’s Holy Land!
“The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” Proverbs 19:23
Following the Christmas Program at church my husband and I took our grandchildren to a local international eatery so that we could try their newest seasonal sensation—Grinch pancakes.
The green tinted hotcakes drizzled with cream cheese icing, sprinkled with red candy hearts and crowned with a dollop of creamy green whipped topping was ever so yummy…so sweet and delicious.
The Bible tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)
In the story of How the Grinch Stole Christmas the Grinch started out as anything but good. There was nothing sweet nor delicious about the Grinch. He was a Mean One and referred to as a heel that is as cuddly as a cactus and as charming as an eel…the king of sinful sots and splotched with moldy, purple spots.
The Grinch had a shriveled heart and he hated Christmas. He devised a wonderful evil plan to stop Christmas from coming; to stamp out the joy of the residents living in Who-ville. His plan was to steal Christmas.
Taking every gift and every bit of food in every house, the Grinch was quite pleased with himself. On Christmas morning the Grinch stared down from his mountain expecting to hear disappointing cries, but instead, he saw something very different. He looked onto the town with its warm-lighted windows and saw people singing! He hadn’t stopped Christmas at all.
The Grinch was likely seeing the warm glow of Christ in the hearts of the people. After all, he concluded, “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more.”
The story of the Grinch is a redemption story. It shows how God can transform the heart of a mean-rotten soul and turn it into something new. Maybe you’re not mean and rotten, but we are all sinful sots with splotchy moldy spots.
Christmas is all about a baby named Jesus who came to earth as the King of kings to save us from our sinful ways so that we might experience eternal joy found only through Jesus.
The Grinch got a taste of the Lord and his heart grew three sizes!
On our way home, after tasting and eating delicious Grinch pancakes, we played a fun game. We each took a turn describing something in the vehicle for the others to guess what was being described. I told the kids there was something green that couldn’t be seen. Macy said, “It’s invisible!?”
The item I was referring to was the one lone green-tinted pancake hidden in the to-go box lying in the seat next to me. Macy however…she guessed I was talking about God!
Now I don’t believe God to be green but, I was thrilled that Macy’s first thought was of God. She has learned enough Bible verses and heard enough bits and pieces about the Immanuel Quilt, that in hearing two common words: unseen and invisible, her thoughts were of God.
Macy’s statement made me wonder: Are we spending enough time in God’s Word to put Him first? Are we able to recognize the work of the unseen God in our lives? The more time we spend getting to know Jesus—is the more love, joy, and peace that will swell our hearts bigger.
We could all stand to let our hearts grow another three sizes. So go ahead…taste and see that the Lord is good! It’s how the Grinch found Christ!
Dear Lord,
May my first thoughts always be of you. In Jesus Name, Amen.
