in the beginning, God created.

Have you ever studied the intricacies of a flower? Noticed how the colors of a landscape work in harmony, regardless of the season or time of day? Realized how the color and coat of an animal are essential for surviving in its habitat?  God is a perfectionist, and His creation showcases it in a mighty way.

Recently, I have fallen in love with His creation.  I've become keenly aware of its presence around me, and I'm simply in awe of it. The beauty of it all has led me to foreign places in my heart.  Places I rarely go. Some of these places I didn't even know existed. But apparently, these unfamiliar neighborhoods of my heart are where my holy emotions call home.

Not long ago I found one of these neighborhoods.  Amidst what some would call a typical mid-west countryside is how I got there. But that particular day, the setting was anything but typical. I sat in the stillness of nature and listened to the silence. I watched God-sized cotton balls drift through a clear blue sky, all hovering above an endless green expanse. I could see the horizon, but it seemed unreachable. The way the colors worked together was masterful. I was absolutely overcome by my surroundings, and I knew the perfection at hand was no accident. It was unmistakably the work of the Creator.

Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere they came. My holy emotions came out of their homes and rode on rivers of praise down my cheeks. In wonder of His creation, I worshipped Him with my tears.

In the beginning, God created. What did He create that takes you to new places in your heart?

(I've used my camera to try and capture some of the latest causes of my holy emotion...enjoy the adjacent slideshow!)