I fluff pillows, carefully sprawl a mustard yellow throw over the couch and gaze at cushiony squares tossed on cool white chairs, cushiony squares shimmering like evening stars. Surrounded by beauty. Cool breeze blows through vents and the sun runs its course overtop of two story brick my day in day out place of ministry, marriage, and rest….

How does a house filled with things become a home? How do you take a place of bricks and invite God to wondrously reveal His presence right there? How do you move from beautiful things filling your home, which are good and well, to exquisite love pouring from your heart, the actual heart of your home, which is eternally better?

That’s this week at Smiles of Grace. Let’s stop longing to move into the next best thing and let our souls move into the depths of hospitality, warm love, and grace. Let’s determine that while we may be wild about crafting beautiful interiors we ought be unwavering in zeal about cultivating gorgeous souls. Working in that which a God is working out.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13

Maybe the Interior Designer over all, our incomparable Creator,  has fresh work to do in your heart. Let’s not opt for pretty whitewash that masks deadness, let’s opt for the inner beauty which beams stronger than the sun, a loveliness that can’t be concealed. We can’t lose the pounds of sin weighing us down with hearts set on all sorts of appearances.

We can lose the heaviness of fleshly ties though and enter into the eternal beauty of God. There’s none more creative or intentional than Him. So if you’re reading perhaps this is one of many invitations into the unseen depths of God in His Word, a call to see the most beautiful things in all the world aren’t really things at all.