Natalia Elam Designs

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Natalia Elam Designs

Christian, wife, mother, sister, friend, artist, designer, knitter, crocheter, crafter, teacher

09/13/2026

Rest for the Weary

Are you carrying an impossibly heavy burden? Are you trying to manage a massive load all by yourself? Are there wounds and worries that are weighing down your soul?

It doesn’t have to be this way …

“Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ ‭NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬

Jesus wasn’t saying to come to Him and do nothing. He’s not saying to quit your job and abandon your life and move to a deserted island. This isn’t a call to be idle, but an invitation to rest—and, then, to work from a place of rest.

A yoke is a device used for joining two animals together for a purpose like farm work—for plowing a field or pulling a heavy load. As always, two are stronger than one.

Jesus’ mention of the yoke implies there is still work to be done, but we don’t have to do it alone.

You have a Savior who is humble and gentle, whose compassion is deep and whose love is wide. He is so wild about you that He left the glories of heaven and became human to suffer and die—in order that you might live.

We must draw near to the One who carried the biggest burden of all—the sin and rebellion of the world. The One who conquered death and defeated the grave will eventually redeem all things … once and for all.

God longs for us to come close, to fall in step beside Him, and to lean into His grace. Why? Because we thrive when we live and work from a place of genuine rest.

He’s inviting you to come. Will you? If you’re not sure where to start, simply ask Him for help.

Devotional from YouVersion:

09/13/2026

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 BSB

09/12/2026

We will never forget. Praying for all the families who lost loved ones or were injured on this day 25 years ago, as well as the families of those who died or were injured as a result of their work to protect us from having another 9/11. And for the families of all the victims of the Benghazi attack from 14 years ago. 🇺🇸

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
Revelation 21:4 NLT

09/12/2026

The Support You Need

Everyone carries burdens. The things we go through shape the way we view the world, and ourselves. But we weren’t meant to carry our burdens alone.

In Matthew 11:28-30 NLT, Jesus says to the people following Him...

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."

A yoke is a heavy wooden beam that lies across a pair of oxen, evenly distributing the weight of the loads they carry. But the term was also used by Jewish Rabbis. “The yoke of the law” symbolized complete submission to God’s law, and Rabbis taught that becoming yoked to it would free the Jews from enslavement to the world.

Jesus is using a phrase that His Jewish followers would have easily understood, but then He flips the illustration. He tells the crowd that they must yoke themselves to Him—because He is the fulfillment of their law.

When they do this, the burdens they carry won’t be heavy at all—because He will bear the weight of their burdens. Paul references this teaching in his letter to the Galatian Christians:

“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2 NLT

The law of Christ is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). But the only way we can fulfill the law of Christ is if we bind ourselves to Him.

When we are yoked to Jesus, He becomes our source of strength. He helps us endure hard situations and enables us to walk away from poor decisions. He fills us up with His love so that we can spill His love out onto others. He gives us the capacity to support other Christ-followers just like He supports us.

Just as Jesus bore our sins and suffering, we are called to bear the suffering of others. In this way, we show them the love of Christ and guide them toward Jesus.

Right now, spend a few minutes talking to God about the burdens you need help carrying, and then allow Him to show you the people in your life He wants you to support.

Devotional from YouVersion:

09/11/2026

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2 ESV

09/10/2026

Breaking Hard Ground

Imagine yourself as a farmer, and your life is a vast field. You sow seeds on soil sparingly, and these seeds represent your intentions, choices, and actions.

Hosea uses a similar analogy in Hosea 10:12 to describe God’s people. Israel had sown seeds of sin and unrighteousness, causing the soil of their hearts to become unreceptive to God's commands. And right as God's people were about to reap a harvest of God’s judgment, the prophet Hosea spoke with urgency:

"Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD until he comes and showers his righteousness on you."
Hosea 10:12

Just as a farmer reaps far more than they sow, our God promises that we, too, will reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-9). But, this verse also shows us it’s not enough to sow righteousness. We must also break up the uncultivated ground (Hosea 10:12).

Our hearts become like idle ground when we allow it to grow hard and stubborn—resisting God's Word and work in our lives. But God wants His people to prepare the soil of their hearts to receive the seed of His Word by seeking Him. Seeking the Lord is like the early rain in farming season; it’s that essential ingredient that softens the soil and readies it for growth.

Do you desire to grow spiritually?
"It is time to seek the Lord."
"It is time to seek the Lord."
"It is time to seek the Lord."

Don't wait. Seek Him eagerly and expectantly today. Meditate on Hosea 10:12; let it move you to examine your own life: Are you sowing seeds of righteousness and reaping the fruit of unfailing love?

It is never too late to seek the Lord—turn your heart to the One who promises to shower His abundant mercy and grace upon you.

Devotional from YouVersion:

09/10/2026

Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the Lord until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
Hosea 10:12 BSB

09/10/2026

Job Intro | In the Theater Lobby

The Bible book of Job is one of the world’s oldest and most fascinating stories. But how do you read it? Sometimes Christians talk about Job like it’s God’s answer book for suffering. Like it’s spiritual Tylenol.

Here’s the problem: Healing doesn’t work that way. And Job wasn’t written that way. In Job, answers are the problem. Job suffers terrible tragedy, and his well meaning religious friends offer answers that hurt more than help. Because when tragedy strikes, there is no collection of words that can just make it all better. Healing is a process, not an answer guide.

So how does Job work? When you read Job, you discover that it’s a story—with plot, tragedy, conflict and long arguments. It has a prologue, monologues, and an epilogue. And all the while, God remains silent.

Hold on. That’s not an answer book, that’s a drama! It reads like a play—like the Bible’s version of Twelve Angry Men. And the language is epic poetry—more like The Odyssey than a daily devotional. And when you read it that way, the book comes to life!

Job isn’t meant to address our suffering directly—that’s not how drama works. Instead, it gives us a story to get lost in, and characters to listen to, argue with, and feel compassion for. And as we walk with them along their journey, we just might find our hearts processing some of our own deep hurts.

Through the Word invites you on a journey through the book of Job like never before. Each day a ten minute audio guide brings one chapter to life, as Kris Langham and Peyton Jones engage the text and wrestle the story—as it was meant to be wrestled. Together we’ll enter the theatre and experience the power of Biblical drama. Not to solve our suffering, but to process the darker emotions of real faith, and experience the healing that comes when God meets you in those emotions—through the Word.

Devotional from YouVersion:

09/10/2026

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5 NASB2020

09/10/2026

Highlights from our Yarns of Hope meeting Tuesday morning, 9/8/26.
We meet every Tuesday morning at my church, , and handmake (knit/crochet) things to bless others and things to bless our friends and families. If you are a yarn crafter in the McKinney area (or would like to learn), join us from 10am-12pm any Tuesday. Send me a message with any questions.

Address

982 N Garden Ridge
Lewisville, TX
75077

Website

http://NataliaElamDesigns.com/, https://youtube.com/@NataliaElamDesigns, https://vimeo.com/159656296

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