Home
>
Spirituality
>
Wear the Message of Grace: A Work Weeks Devotions

Wear the Message of Grace: A Work Weeks Devotions

As the artist and designer for Ashbach Designs, I want more than for you to just wear a piece of pretty jewelry, I want you to wear each piece as a symbol of your faith. In keeping with this idea, I have created a work week's devotions to go with your jewelry, or another special faith symbol in your life. Each day, meditate on how you can use your jewelry to connect with others, share the message, and remind yourself where your true passion lies.

Monday: Connect

Colossians 2:2-3
"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Wearing a Christian symbol becomes a personal statement of belief, which invites conversation into the 'everyday' level of our faith. Use a symbol as a means to communicate with someone, and find a common ground of understanding, or to appreciate differences. Connection not only reveals the quality of our lives, but also reminds us that the unseen reality is far more precious than the seen. Remember to connect with the creator, who has given you everything you will need. That is the hope of these symbols, that they will remind you of your most important relationship and all that it means for you personally today.

Tuesday: 'Wear' the Message of Grace

Hebrews 3:6-8
"But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. So, as the Holy Spirit says: 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."

Through Christ, I know who I am created to be. By understanding who we are because of who Christ is, and what He has done for us, I am encouraged and am able to love and create out of fullness, not fear. I am free to live to my fullest potential in the life giving, forgiving and saving grace of Christ.

So hold fast to God's greatest gift, His Son, who has brought us new life and will one day bring us beyond earth to heavens glory. Experience Him. In Him we have a true home, meaning, belonging and rest. See the light, share in the Holy Spirit, taste the goodness of God and inherit what has been promised. This promise is yours to 'wear' each day.

Psalm 34:8
"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."

Wednesday: Encourage Hearts

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
"May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."

God is the great communicator and has given us such bounty to help us to see His Truth. You only have to look around to see the beauty of His creation and to feel His heart of love for us. Christ who has experienced our humanity on earth, has fully embraced our limits, fears, troubles and endless possibilities. He has conquered death in order that we could be free. In this hectic world we inhabit, we need to be encouraged over and over again of the grace of Christ, the light that goes before us to prepare the way.

Thursday: Remind Yourself

Romans 15:4
"For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

Symbols have been used to express that which is inexpressible throughout the ages, and as humans we long for ways to express our feelings and emotions. I view my work on symbolism as a ministry, a teaching tool and encouragement to take internally the message of these symbols. I need to be reminded and pointed in the right direction each day. It's so easy to forget sometimes - wearing a symbol is a great way to daily remind yourself to live in hope.

Friday: Speak the Truth

Ephesians 4:22-24
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Don't just keep this amazing message to yourself, but graciously share your new life, new heart and new attitude of your mind with those you love. By reaching out to others, we are putting on our new self, and have begun a new way of life, based on prayer, study of Scripture, and fellowship with other believers. My mission is to speak the truth of the Gospel, and to communicate Christ's message of hope and forgiveness. Each piece of my jewelry comes with an insert card, containing a brief description of the message to be captured, and a Scripture to point you in the right direction so you can begin your own search, and share it with others.

About the Author

I believe that symbols can actually become a living language of beliefs, and that's why I have created ashbach designs. I received a BA in Psychology from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN in 1975. I then went on to receive a Masters in Design, with an emphasis in metalsmithing, from the University of Minnesota Design Department in 1987. Creating original jewelry designs from my home studio in St. Paul since the late 1970's, I now own and operate the Vine & Branches Gallery in St. Paul, which showcases the work of local Christian artists.

ashbach designs

shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

The FBI has issued a warning that scammers are impersonating doctors, police and banks using spoofed numbers as "smishing" texts surge nationwide.

Communities with unreliable internet service stand to gain after Amazon's Project Kuiper launched its first full batch of satellites into orbit April 28.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says unsubscribing from spam might actually backfire. Learn when to avoid it and stop junk effectively.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how the first nonstop beating heart transplant, called zero ischemic time, at Taiwan hospital changes surgery.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson: FBI warns of "time-traveling" hackers.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about a soft, vine-like robot called SPROUT that aids safe survivor rescues in collapsed buildings.

Health insurance giant Blue Shield of California confirmed it had been sharing private health data of 4.7 million users with Google for three years without even realizing it.

Delta and JetZero’s blended wing body aircraft marks a meaningful step toward a cleaner, quieter and more efficient future for air travel.

Recent reports show many common passwords can be cracked in literally seconds. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how to strengthen your passwords.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Iron, a robot that stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds, combines advanced artificial intelligence with human-like movement and exceptional vision.

Hertz, the rental car giant, recently confirmed that customer information was exposed through a cyberattack on one of its software vendors.

There are a number of features with AirPods you may or may not know about to take your listening experience to the next level. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.

These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.

Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.

Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.

Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.

With a fully automated warehouse system and AI-powered robots, Ocado's Hive picks, packs and delivers grocery store orders in just a few minutes.