![]() I am always reminded as I walk this path as a follower of Jesus Christ, it is the small things that make the difference. We believe or look to the many big things, but if you would pull back, it was that one small thought, that one small step, a little note, a simple smile or kind word that made All the difference. Through all the hype, fighting, self, misguided wisdom we plow through and even at times know or unknown cause, I believe we all buy into it at one point or another. I wanted to post this because today I had one of those... "it Really is about the small things" moments. I posted a picture in the early hours of this morning before falling asleep. It had a 3 part meaning to me.
When I posted The Brave cookie I then looked at it closer and thought, WOW.... that is a messy cookie! It was either touched or pushed up against the tray or another cookie and it is not a cookie that you should be posting if you want to show the excellent quality or workmanship. I didn't care what it looked like, because I knew why I posted it. Even messy, crushed a bit on the side, it still was beautiful to me and it spoke volumes to me. I am not hooked or even phased by Likes via social media, I post because I love showing my creations, but for some reason seeing just those few "likes" melted my heart. I thought "They got it". Sometimes even the imperfect is just so perfect. When you feel imperfect know you need God, there is no way you can do anything on your own. You need God to lead, guide and to hold on too. No matter the situation or season of life we are walking in-the only reason we can make it, is God makes us brave. I Pray for all who have served and are now serving, I pray for the Family of the Ky State Trooper and The Jessamine County EMS and I pray not only for myself, but for all that need to be Brave and like me,.. just do not always feel that way ![]() I know God makes me Brave. Funny way to put it, but.... I'm a Disco Ball in this world! I can only shine and reflect when I position myself in His Light of Glory - God so wants to shines on me. All so I can reflect All His Beautiful Glory.......even in the mist of pain, sorrow and disappointment. blessings, Katie
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Here are some of my edible masterpieces done in the last few weeks, I love when I am told "do whatever you want!" There is a little bit of -- what if they don't like what I do! I then trust in that whimsical, quirky style I have been gifted with and then create something I would love. So why does the heading say Balance...In all things we know there must be balance, otherwise pressure is directed to a point that it was never meant to be. We can push our human limits on this, but soon the unbalance area will scream for balance. This may seem rather odd me speaking of this as I show off my cookies, but not really once you hear my thought. I have always said I fell into decorating sugar cookies and at times it feel more like I was dragged in. One of those doors God opens up and you are so sure this is the path and then you get so deep in and it hits you..."wait a minute, this is not what I thought or signed up for!" The truth is it is not just me or the cookies, it really is each of our paths and everything we do. We would Never sign on a dotted line to something that promised so many wonderful things, but then under it the disclaimer says: WARNING*** WARNING***WARNING extreme pressure, situations you feel you will never get out of, stretching to the point you just know you cannot be pulled anymore, a process, Much-much patience needed, long-suffering, things that you believe you need or even love that you really do not need and are holding you back will be removed, the path will not go the way you are thinking it should, you will not recognize yourself on the other side of this!!!!! Now who in their right mind would actually sign up for that?!?! Those who Believe and Follow Hebrews 11:1 Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot see. This last week of October I came to a wall I knew that word Balance was needed and one area that it would be seen is my personal Facebook page. Crazy I know, Like if I do this balance will be restored with one simple click..... wouldn't that be nice! Last week I started -not- posting anything 'cookie' on my personal page, I will however be continually posting my cookies and all that is cookie on my Art Inspirations page. I realized my entire world seemed to be only cookies, cookies cookies, and most cookies. I realize not posting cookie pictures on my personal page is a simple and seemingly insignificant act. I see it as a pebble being dropped into water and then the ripple it makes just spreads out bigger and bigger...helping me to learn to separate the two. So, if you like seeing my little edible masterpieces and you haven't already, then you will need to "Like" and then click to be notified when I post to see them or just follow me on Instagram/artinspirations. ,Sometimes things can be right in front of us and we do not see, but then just like lights being turned on in the dark God shows us what we could not see before.
I am continually praying that for myself and I prayed that for you too. Yeah,... I keep the lights up in my kitchen all the time, ; ) Blessings, Katie This past week on the calendar we officially entered into fall. The weather did dropped a bit so my husband made his signature vegetable beef soup, that makes it official to me. So Happy Fall Y'all! I had some time to be creative so I made these fall cookies (which by the way are for sale at HHW). I had looked at many of my favorite cookiers Fall leaves to be inspired. I loved all their creations, but nothing jumped out at me, I decided to wing it. I cannot seem to do the typical style leaf...., for one it has been done and done and done, second..., many are so, well.., the same. Who said they just have to be red, brown, orange and yellow? My favorite is the Middle one. CHECK OUT MY FIRST COOKIE DECORATING CLASS ![]() In my last post I said there would be classes and parties coming. This is the first cookie decorating class invitation. On Wednesday September 30 I will be showing the young aspiring cookie decorators how to decorate 6 different Fall Themed cookies. There are only a few spots you can reserve your child's spot by either getting on www.happyandhealthyways.com to register or download their app and register there. We will be decorating from 4:15 till 5:45. Each child will create their edible masterpieces and be able to take them home( or what makes it home)! Click on the invitation and it will direct you to Happy and Healthy Ways website. Fall Cookies from 2014
I am so excited to finally be back here on my blog. So much has changed since I last posted, It is almost like I have spent months just waiting to see what direction I would go. I would have never guessed this would be the door opened for me. The process happened so fast and it also happened during a three ring circus of transition for not only myself, but others in my family. I finally have time to slow ( for just a moment and just bit ) to reflect before a new week starts.
I am happy to have a place to make my cookies, still working on figuring out details and pretty much taking one day at a time, but each day I look how I can come up with new ideas, make things more efficient and grown more as a cookier.
Welcome!!
I enter into my fourth week at Happy and Health Ways, and honestly I can hardly believe it! I have moved everything "cookie" there and have settled into my little nook.
Things are starting to feel familiar and looking forward to getting into a flow. Thank God it is kinda my slow season and I have this time to get adjusted before all the Cookie Holidays. First let me introduce Happy and Healthy Ways to you! It is located at 312 South Ashland, Kim Jacobs is the owner and her cute shop is very unique. When I walked in there the first time I immediately notice how wonderfully inviting it was and then I saw the 7 ovens!
Pretty cool, isn't it! Click on the picture above to Happy and Healthy Ways' website and check out all that the do or follow her on Facebook or Instagram.
I am not only doing custom orders, but when I have time I will have individual cookies and at times cookie sets for sale.I will post the cookie set on my social media to let you know I have extra available cookies. Below are some of the cookies I had for sale these last three weeks..
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Coming Soon!
If you are interested in any of these parties or classes please subscribe to my mailing list and you will receive my blog . I will post all my up to date information on my Blog.
We always hear Dream Big... Thing Big... but where is the dream coming from? We quote "God gives us the desires of our heart", the question here I ask myself, who's dream/desire? Mine? God's? Have I empty myself, my desires to know that the heart's desire, dream, thinking big is His or me still trying to convince God of mine? The above statement has been on my mind for the last week or so and then on Sunday My Pastor message is on Isaiah 53. Below is Isaiah 53: 1-5 Who has believed our message? To whom has the lord revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the lord ’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. I also have had Romans 12:12 on my mind for awhile too: Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you’re in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer. In other versions it states enduring in afflictions. That not a verse that you see everywhere, but it should be. We like, we want to believe that as His Child there is nothing that hurts us, attacks us., but that is not promised. I have heard the misquoted verse that God doesn't give us more than we can handle and that of course is Not true. If we never had more than we can handle how could we be in a place of faiths and trusting and knowing God has made a way. What it really means is this: When we are faced with an army of great strength and power standing in from of us ready to kill us, God shows us the opening, the path to slip out of their reach and leads us to our safe place in Him. The attacks and pain of this world will come, but His answer and a way where there seems to be no way, will always be there. The part that is hard for me and us all is "patience". We question Why to Everything. In the questioning we are really questioning God and the plan we are walking,; therefore we let in fear, doubt and pretty much any and all to help shake out confidence in what we are believing, standing, waiting on God for. I am massively guilt of this. I heard someone speaking on Paul and Silas in the prison after being beat, Praising God and basically saying to each other " Man, whatever we did to get us Beat and Jailed... Let Do It Again!! We know we are standing in His presences and the Now of God. We have struck a nerve and this is the reward we have obtained!! We have stepped into the place of Truly suffering for Christ....And we want More!!' This is a passion we each should be wanting, seeking and pursuing. This is not an easy one for us, in a world of pursuing your cake and eating it too. The thought or pursuing being liked/popular and seeking this kind of passion in Christ is a complete contradiction of each other and what is spoken in the word. What we have in us, what the word stand for is not popular. We MUST always Love and Absolutely no place for Judging others, but we as Christ's know the word is our truth, foundation and shows us our way. We hear the words "dying to self..",. but let me say it the way I feel we should hear it : All has been promised, has been done. It is not a maybe or a will see, it is. The ability to stand and not stop is within me, His strength. All the "other stuff" has been put into place by the enemy to stop me... make me complain, stall, confuse the issues, place doubt and disbelief of what already is to be. Everything has been put in place for me by God, it is already there. Yet the cost, the way to -there- is only achieved by completely emptying me to be fill with all of Him. Therefore I am dead to m,y thoughts, desires, hopes and dreams... So I can be Filled with His thoughts, desires, hopes and dreams. All of Him, none of me ![]() When I think about all this my mind screams No!!, but my heart is standing... in quiet confidence with a Yes. This is a great week for us all to do some personal inside questioning and housecleaning as Easter soon will be here. The Celebration of Jesus' Triumphant Victory over death and the grave. Knowing that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead... lives and dwells within us. What an amazing Easter Celebration for us knowing He has Risen and we have died to all and Christ is living within us. We must remember just because we can or there is something in front of us calling our name seeming so right, doesn't mean God is for it. This is why we must sit with him and listen, asking questions and then simply obeying. Our flesh may be flipping out with not getting it's way, but in the end we will reap the joy of a faithful, obedient heart.
Blessings,
Katie What a shock, a journey.... I still am just amazed.
You see within this blog are words that have been typed through out this past year. First part was written in my journal on March 9, 2013. Then apparently I stumbled on the passage on September 3 and wrote this on my Wordpress blog, but just left it. Then on December 7, 2013 I yet again stumbled on it and I guess I decide to copy and paste and email to myself where it has sat until now, March 25, 2014. Now,.. What is even more amazing to me is This Past Sunday at church a message was delivered with my name all over it. I am not going to try to explain the message, because I will not be able to do it justice. But,... the bases of it is Samson (world's strongest man) is bound up and not being who he was created to be.... Because he was Bound up. Then he basically woke up, broke the bondage, picked up what was ordinary and right there... (a skeleton Jaw Bone from a donkey) and used it to win His Victory over the enemy! I walked up to be prayed for-- all that I had pretty much allowed and chosen not to fight just as Samson broke off, but yet something was still there another part still hanging on. I wept and knew I cannot stand, stay here in this place any longer. I had to completely be free. I turn to a sweet person sitting next to me that God had directed me too. I asked her to pray for me as the Lord led her. God directed her and the last strand broke. I am not crazy, but I am one who believes and knows God works and rejoices in Doing the Supernatural just for us, just to be free and for us to call upon His Glory, Truth and Power! The way I have left this is completely as it was from my email and where I have copied and pasted and copied and pasted each time. I know it could be confusing and it is not the smoothes of reads...... But it is real, it is a journey - a process and I want you to feel that. Why, because we all are on a journey. I do not want anyone to run away, be bound up, make excesses or deny God's Power, Authority and Truth. When I opened up and started to read the email it made me cry ...yet...again! It has been a long year, one with many twists and turns. I just followed and didn't ask why. I just know I can no longer be silent, I can no longer turn and act like I didn't see and I cannot pretend its ok not to step into the light that draws criticism, because I speak of Jesus Christ, His Power and Glory. He wants to shower, rain, pour upon us All He has for us. It's been a Long Winter.... but, it is Spring. It is time. (3/25/14) On Dec 7, 2013, at 2:53 AM, Katie Baldwin <[email protected]> wrote: I have been very slowly working on new little ideas, a few are complete the other are moving at a snail's pace. I have so many ideas that rush and scream try this, try that and my filter apparently is non-existent! I have this idea doing all at the same time is brilliant. What it really is, is slow going. I'm like a bee going from project to project and although I have worked All day, it doesn't seem so, because I want "Them All Done"! Till then I will just keep pressing on, posting as each is finished. (3/9/13) Having a war within yourself is a battle many of us deal with and yet we can hide it and nobody would ever know, we can smile, talk the talk, make it all look so good, yet we are the ones living the battle. Why we chose to do it alone I will never understand. I don't mean alone, in reaching out to people around us, which is good, I'm talking about crying out to God and saying Help! I cannot not do this, never were we meant too... ...Help! I have had a raging battle within me for years. It may seem simple when I say it, but for me it has been about as fun as riding a boat in the middle of the sea during a terrible storm. In the early 90's I started my artwork, then it had no name or even a though of a call/gift, it was just something I did. Soon the Prophesies and encouraging words about my art flooded me. I was so blessed, so encouraged. But also at the same time another gift was starting to emerge, I didn't think much about it, because I did not realize it was a gift, a thing called Prophesy. I just thought that what you do when you became a christian, you hear and speak to God...just that simple. These two gifts as wonderful as they each are and I am humbled and in awe how even God would use me in the words and art he gives. I am just as in awe as the ones he uses me to bless. The other side of that is the battle it has taken to get to this point. The learning, waiting, tears, frustration, misunderstanding, mistakes and wanting to run away. How can the two stand side by side... Only in God. Perfect picture of Jesus asleep in the boat and the disciples panicking, questioning Jesus. That is a great picture of the world I feel and have lived with. Never feeling I am a artist, never feeling seasoned/qualified as a prophet, just stuck in the middle, one foot in and one foot out and always the though I can just run! Thank God he never let me run( or run to far, lol), Thank God he held me even when I though I cannot do this anymore, I just want to hide. He has brought me to the place that the feeling of running is still there and the thoughts of "will this ever end" or that I'm just not good enough all still fight me, but now there a difference... I run to Him. Before I thought I did, now I do. I will not make it any further if I quit running to Him. Some may look at my art and see no value, some may believe there is no such thing as someone who hears and speaks the words of God and encouragement or wisdom/direction... That's ok, I do and that is who needs to believe it for me to fill my role on the path I am to walk in His Kingdom. Yeah, I am a bit squirrelly and talk way more than most, but I finally have come to a place as I have teased... I have "come one with the squirrel and I embraced my inner squirrel". You have no idea how many battles, tears and years it has taken to get to that place... and really, really mean it. My name is Katherine Marshall Lundy Baldwin, but I like Katie,... I am probably the messiest artist you will ever meet, My style of art is unbalanced, off center, messy, borderline chaotic.. yet it is divinely given, anointed driven and it will speak volumes to you if you have ears to hear and eyes to see. Not only are the words speaking, but also the colors, shapes and the rhythm and harmony that is swirling and flowing all for you to hear. I am probably the longest, long, winded prophet that will ever give you a word, in fact I was told by a dear friend I don't give words, I give dissertations. But I am also direct, precise, focused, endearing and most of all the vessel I was created to be to deliver God's loving words to open your heart so that His anointing can pour in, caress and do for you what no body else can do. Amazingly he has chosen to intertwine these two gift and have them flow and pour in ways I do not and cannot understand, yet time and time again I stand in amazement as He does. I understand this may seem like a self absorbed, look at me,..etc, etc statement, but if I could only show you the mountains and warfare to come to this place and Even More to publicly put it on display,... you would be amazed. Honor and Glory to God! Why put this out there? Because I must prove to myself I am dead to this. That my constant attack/flaw of hiding, running and total lack of confidence in,... I am a artist and I love to create, I am a prophet and I love to encourage and wrapping them together and doing this the rest of my life would most definitely be a desire of my heart!!! Now to step into the fullness by not being ashamed , just as I have embraced my inner squirrel, I now embrace the ministry I have become a pro at dodging all because I was afraid of what people think of me and I would make a mistake. My gift of art and gift of prophesy are given to me, I did not ask for them, I can only be the best artist / prophet I am led and taught by the Lord to be, I cannot look to the left or right and see other artist or prophets, because they are just not me. I invite you to visit my website, whether you need the ministry of the art or ministry of the prophetic you can call on me. As all of us, I have not arrived, I just have just begun, but I am blessed and honored whether it is in ministering to you in creating words through the visual or the spoken I am here at your service and the service of our Wonderful Heavenly Father, all for His Kingdom. (9/3/13) Wow...... I wrote that above on September 3... I just cannot explain how, it just seems like a whirlwind to me since then. The quest to do what I believe is my path, everyday seeking and looking almost being more afraid of being wrong than trusting and knowing I am right. It is far easier to believe in doubts than stand with Faith. Now I can go back to the Katie on March 9 and tell her, you are on the right track! It seem crazy and even at times feels a bit crazy... buzzing back and forth wanting to see everything done so I can share my blessings I have been gifted with, but just as I figured out that day... I just keep pressing and even if it feels like it so slow just rejoice in each art piece, each prophesy given knowing it is one more beautiful masterpiece God allowed me to be apart of. (12/7/13) I was reading a few days ago about a question God asked Bob Jones many years ago...
"Did you learn to Love?" That has just been rolling in my thoughts. We as Christians say we want to be all we can be, we want to be like Jesus. I believe we all do, but it is a cost. It means dying to personal preferences, ideas, wants and desires. We hear this and our flesh ends up trying to twist and wiggle our spirit into agreeing, now let not get to crazy about this! Reason and logic of this world infects us, so we must go into prayer and digesting the word to renew and inoculate ourselves daily to be free from even one tiny pinch of our flesh trying to direct our path. We must each ask ourselves is being mad, fearful, non-trusting, anxious, frustrated, annoyed worth losing one second of His glorious love? According to God's word if we learned to Love we did what is right. In all that we each go through the good, great, bad and the ugly we must decide,.. who am I and who's am I. If I am His then my heart tell me to Stand in Love. Stand Brave, commit to Love and all to what God's word speaks. In 1 John 2:20 it speaks: You have the gift that the Holy One gave you, So you know all truth. The word also says that God first loved us, He chose us and chose us for His work. In 2 Corinthians 1:21 : God is the one who makes you and I strong in Christ. God is also the one who chose us for this work. I love the recent movie from Disney "Alice in Wonderland". Once Alice is in Wonderland she is taken to Absalom, he asks her who she is and she says "Alice"! He replies, "we shall see." Then they pull out the "Oraculum" which reveals the sword wielding Alice in her armor ready to defeat the dragon. Alice see these pictures and does not recognize herself and states "that's not me!" Which Absalom replies "not hardly." Later after all she experiences and must make a brave and self-sacrificing decision. Yet again she finds herself before Absalom and he asks her "who are you? "I'm Alice...just not that one" she answers. He asks her "how do you know?" She replies" you told me yourself'", Absalom says "I said you were not hardly Alice, but you are much more Alice than you use to be, in fact, you're almost Alice>" Alice then finally gets to the place she must decide..... will she choose her destiny or walk away? Once again there is Absalom to counsel Alice. He tells her as he sees her tears and pacing back and forth with fear, anxiety, wanting to run, "nothing is ever solved with tears." Through their conversation she tells him she needs his counsel. He replies, " How can I help you if you don't even know who you are... stupid girl!' This time his words struck a cord! She answered back, "I'm not stupid", "my name is Alice, I live in London. My mother's name is Helen, and my sister's name is Margaret. My father is Charles Kingsley. He had a Vision that stretched half way around the world and nothing ever stopped him. I'm his daughter... I'm Alice Kingsley!" Absalom stated, "Alice at last!" He then instructs her hold on to the sword to defeat the dragon.... he tells her the sword knows what to do, just hold on to it! It is up to us to fulfill our own destiny.... by Knowing God's word and what it says we are. God has already put his plan in your life inside you whether we each recognize it or not, we must just hold on! We must stop fighting the identity of who we are. Alice wanted to wake up all to escape the destiny to which she was to be. When we do not believe in what God has called us to be it brings a confusion into our lives, giving us this false idea we need to wake up from this place we do not want to be. Having a destiny placed within us, yet fighting it because we do not understand or don't want that path is wrong.... we have no idea what tomorrow brings. It is not for anyone of us to decide what is right or wrong by the direct and plan God has placed within us, it is only for us to be obedient to His will in our life and the direct spoken in His word. No man or woman can put someone in a place, it is only God. Then it is each person's responsibility to seek and know His heart for our Destiny. This Movie speaks in volumes to me and I hope as I have shared it, you hear the message it speaks too.... The Love of God.... the wonderful and glorious love he showers on us, share it. Not my choice, but by purpose. Live out your life with the purpose placed within you. Don't be afraid, don't entertain the lies of the enemy. The Lord shared with me many months ago the value of one. The value of one multiplied in the natural is one, but the value of one multiplied by God makes us stand and be able to move mountains, shake kingdoms, change and trigger a move of God and open doors where no one cared. Glorious Love.... it is choosing to not care for your will, your way, your pain. It turns into your passion.... then God after all the kicking and screaming, demanding and debating...... can say " Katie at last!" Just as Alice was on her path of many decisions, she finally declared exactly who she was. In that declaration she then received the instruction how to defeat the enemy.... No more confusion and no more running. Be Blessed. Don't Run. Don't Give-Up. Let Go. Be Still. Seek, Believe. Stand Brave. Trust. Know He is God! I pray that I can always answer yes to God as he asks me, " Did you Learn to Love?" Doodle Art! I haven't blogged my doodles in a while, in fact I haven't blogged in over a month. I cannot really believe it either! This past month has been a Complete Blur! But... I LOVE journaling! I keep my thoughts, my studying notes of the word, dreams and their interpretations, the leading and impression I receive and...... My Doodles. Some I have shared on my social media posts, but most are just hidden in my journal till now! I am thinking all that I have to share were drawn in this past month, although a blur, most definitely the most trying and emotional! Thank God for His Mercy and Grace and Thank God I Journal... it is the sweetest of blessings!
One little "Warning", these are all quick thoughst that as I am praying, reading, thinking, listening I will doodle away, which means MANY have misspelled words..missing words... etc..., but they each meant enough for me to stop and doodle and have them speak to my heart even if they are not perfect, it is frustrating at times... yet wonderfully humbling. they are not perfectly written or styled, but they still can be used to touch my heart! Just like God does with me, I am not perfect, yet he uses me to touch others hearts. Hope they are a blessing to you too! Katie When you just don't know what to do and direction just doesn't seem to come... ❤️Follow your Heart❤️ Trust in the promise that has been placed in you. It is VERY hard to always have peace and understanding at the same time. Peace has been promised as a given to us, it pursues us, stands right beside us - we must let it comfort us. Understanding we have been told is for us to seek and His ways are higher than ours... Making understanding something we must run to Him for and trusting even when we still don't understand. Even though we cry out for understanding, peace is where we need to stand... Soon the truth will be exposed as time and patience reveal the understanding and all we trusted for, all we followed within our heart. So I had these little stars and starburst left I made from salt dough and as I was putting up garland on my banister and I thought ... Golden stars and starburst would look great in here! So off painting I went.... So,... as usually pretty much forgot to take a "before" picture as I was just about to paint the last starburst. Painted all of them gold. Twisted wire on each of them. Now they are ready to put on the banister! Merry Christmas! |