Natalia Elam Designs

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

Proximity Matters“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭13‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬...
05/14/2026

Proximity Matters

“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭13‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It makes sense, doesn't it? If you surround yourself with people making terrible decisions, it won’t be long before you start acting like them. Or you might be blamed for another's poor decisions simply by association. You will inevitably “suffer harm.”

We always want to love those who are far from God, but there’s a difference between loving someone and joining them. Instead, if you walk with the wise—watching, asking, learning, mimicking—you will also become wise in the process.

So what kind of person do you want to be? And who in your life would you call wise? Maybe it’s a parent, grandparent, pastor, or teacher. Maybe it’s your neighbor, coach, or someone else you admire for all the right reasons.

Whether it’s intentional or not, we are all being discipled by someone. So if you want to walk with the wise, proximity matters.

Meet them for coffee or lunch. Join them on a walk. Invite them into your home. Learn from their experiences. Read the Bible with them. Ask them face-to-face questions.

Like Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise knowledge and insight.”

Turns out, God is the wisest mentor of all. So talk to Him throughout your day, learn from Him by reading Scripture, and spend time with others who also long to be more like Him.

Devotional from YouVersion: https://bible.com/stories/37551

Jesus is LordNo matter how good you are, how hard you try, or how decent of a person you attempt to be, when it comes to...
05/14/2026

Jesus is Lord

No matter how good you are, how hard you try, or how decent of a person you attempt to be, when it comes to following Christ, you can’t earn your way to God. You can’t do enough good things to tip the scales in your favor. You can’t buy, win, impress, or manipulate your way into salvation.

But Jesus has already purchased your freedom on a cross and offered it to you as a gift. And you have one job, as Paul describes in his letter to the Romans…

“If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV

Many people believe that Jesus was a real, historical person. Many people believe that Jesus was a genuinely good man. But the Bible says that even the demons believe there’s only one God, and shudder (James 2:19).

It's more than knowing in your head—it's believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth.

Minutes before their deaths, two criminals hung next to Jesus on the cross. One of the criminals mocked Him, but the other one trusted in Him. Jesus told the one who trusted Him that he would soon be in Heaven. He received grace.

You see, we’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s holy standard. We all need His grace, but we haven’t all received His grace.

So are you trying to be good enough for God? The bad news is, you can’t. You can’t ever be good enough on your own. But the great news is, Jesus has already made a way. However, you can’t simply know that He was a real person or think that some of His teachings were nice.

The most important question remains: Will you make Him the Lord of your life?

Devotional from YouVersion: https://bible.com/stories/37806

Sharing the Good NewsJust before Jesus left earth and ascended to heaven, He gathered His disciples who had been with Hi...
05/11/2026

Sharing the Good News

Just before Jesus left earth and ascended to heaven, He gathered His disciples who had been with Him for three years. While they were sitting around a table sharing a meal, Jesus commissioned them to continue the work that He had begun.

Jesus had spent most of His ministry proclaiming the arrival of the Kingdom of God, which is the rule and reign of God. The right response to this arrival was for people to turn from their old ways and believe in Jesus.

The very first words of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark are in Mark 1:15, and they are an announcement of the arrival of God’s Kingdom. And Jesus’ last words to His disciples, starting in Mark 16:15, build upon His first announcement. The call Jesus left us with was to continue to tell others the good news of the Gospel.

This good news is that Jesus has brought the arrival of the Kingdom of God to earth, and that through His death and resurrection, He has made a way for all people to have a new life in Him.

This task of evangelism, or telling others about Jesus, was the first thing that Jesus asked His followers to do as He left earth. Telling others about what Jesus has done for them is one of the most important things that we can do with our time. We have been given the greatest gift of all—eternal life with God. But that free gift is freely available to the rest of the world as well.

So take some time today to pray for those in your life who do not know the hope that Jesus gives. Pray for their salvation, but also pray for opportunities to share your own faith story with them.

Telling others about Jesus doesn’t mean you have to stand on a street corner shouting, but it does mean you should seek out intentional and meaningful conversations with others. When we tell others about the new life and new Kingdom available to them, we are continuing the work that Jesus left us to do.

Devotional from YouVersion: https://bible.com/stories/37890

Willing to Seek HimThe story of David and Bathsheba is one of the most notorious accounts in King David's life (2 Samuel...
05/11/2026

Willing to Seek Him

The story of David and Bathsheba is one of the most notorious accounts in King David's life (2 Samuel 11-12). After choosing to forgo battle with his troops and lounging about lazily in his palace, the king sees a beautiful woman bathing from his roof. What follows is adultery, conspiracy, and ultimately — murder.

When David is confronted by Nathan the Prophet, he admits his sin. It's in this darkness that he experiences anguish (Psalm 51).

Which then brings us to the joy of Psalm 32.

Here, David rejoices in the mercy the Lord has shown him. After describing the benefits of forgiveness and confession, the point of view takes a meaningful turn in verse 8 with Yahweh becoming the speaker. He says, "I will instruct you and show you the way to go; with my eye on you, I will give counsel."

The significance of that shift is no accident.

David put this story in motion by not seeking God's instruction, teaching or counsel. Instead, he listened to his own desires. He wanted to control his life, and in a sense, God let him. The results speak for themselves.

Now, after repentance and forgiveness, David's soul has regained fellowship with the Lord. And in verse 8, God is telling us a benefit of that fellowship: His loving guidance — not distant or generic, but tailored to every detail of who you are and where you've been.

When we're in right relation with God, He won't hide His way from us.

When we don’t know which way to go, He will instruct us.

When we don’t see how we can carry out what He’s called us to, He will teach us.

When we need someone in our corner, He will counsel us.

The question is whether we're willing to seek Him.

Devotional from YouVersion: https://bible.com/stories/37876

Thanking God for all His blessings this Mother's Day, especially my hubby, 4 children, family, friends, my church, delic...
05/11/2026

Thanking God for all His blessings this Mother's Day, especially my hubby, 4 children, family, friends, my church, delicious food, crocheting, knitting, flowers, and all the sweet moments of the day.
It was a blessed Mother's day and weekend.

05/10/2026

Quick view of the Fiberlady.com yarn spinning machines.

I won the door prize from Fiberlady.com during the 2026 North Texas Yarn Crawl, but due to a busy several weeks, just pi...
05/10/2026

I won the door prize from Fiberlady.com during the 2026 North Texas Yarn Crawl, but due to a busy several weeks, just picked it up this morning. It was so wonderful to stop by one of my favorite DFW LYS and meet the owners' two beautiful collies, George and Gracie Lee. David and Michelle, the owners, have a beautiful shop, which is always a joy to visit. Thank you for the yarn, pattern and bag! North Texas Yarn Crawl

So I realized this morning I never mailed in my 2026 North Texas Yarn Crawl passport and it was due today, so I made the...
05/10/2026

So I realized this morning I never mailed in my 2026 North Texas Yarn Crawl passport and it was due today, so I made the the drive out to drop it off in person! It was so wonderful to stop by and see one of my favorite DFW LYS On The Lamb Yarn Shoppe . Sadly, I didn't get to stop in during the Crawl, because my friends and I did the Northern shops this year instead of the Southern shops of the North Texas Yarn Crawl. North Texas Yarn Crawl

Address

982 N Garden Ridge
Lewisville, TX
75077

Website

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

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Natalia Elam Designs posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share