Discoveries During Transition and Change

Getting to know people is getting to know their stories. ~Art2Life Episode 150 by Nicholas Wilton

This month is a bit different.  Instead of only sharing about my stories and art, I wanted to learn more about others’ stories and allow them the gift of creating and finding the therapeutic, emotional, physical and spiritual value that unfolds.

I invited a few friends to reflect on the theme of “Discoveries During Transition and Change”. This could be something you experienced in the past or are currently walking through.

I gave them the following prompts and also the option of making up their own.  Please enjoy the overflow…

1.  Think about a landscape (or several) that show or describe changes/transition in your life.  Perhaps the ocean, a prickly cactus in the desert and eventually one has a flower that blooms, a rainy scene, mountains, a season, something in nature, or show a progression happening, etc. by painting, drawing or yes even coloring.
2. Consider making a sunrise or sunset along with words to describe the experience of your change/transition.
3. Use shapes, lines, colors and various images to describe your reflection of the change/transition.
4. Select a meaningful song that mirrors your experience and begin to paint or draw to it.
5. Pick one word or a few words to describe your experience and create a word mosaic.
6. Write lyrics to a song or a free verse poem (meaning it doesn’t have to rhyme).

An ENCOURAGEMENT~  Select one or more of the above.  I would enjoy if you could share what you created.  Others will be encouraged by your reflections and creative outlets.

The trees and sunrise artwork above is titled “IS EVIDENCE OF THE COMING SUN ENOUGH”? The individual that created this gave the following summary of her work:

“I got inspiration based off of a combination of the 1st and 2nd prompts. Basically it’s the perspective of being towards the bottom of a hill, looking up. The sunrise light is peeking behind the hill, but hasn’t fully come up yet. Closer to the sun it’s summer, then it’s spring, then at the bottom it’s winter. The perspective shows that the person is still in winter, but can see the light of the sun and how it’s slowly warming everything in its path, even if it hasn’t melted their “season” yet.”

“There are some places in my life that have been a battle for a long time, representing the “winter” season. Even though it’s not summer or even spring yet, I can see the light and warmth that is coming and I know my breakthrough and “changing season” is on its way. The evidence of the sun (which is the sunlight) is my hope, and that is standing on the Word of God and the promises of Jesus in the waiting!”

“Meanwhile he is enough for me. This reminds me of Psalm 13: “How Long O Lord” … “But I have trusted in your steadfast love, my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has dealt bountifully with me” – David is venting to God about the “winter” God has him in, but David also knows and has seen the evidence that the spring and summer are coming!” Can you relate to her artwork and how does it impact your heart?

This is another piece of artwork someone else created that was meaningful to her regarding LOVE + REST. How does it speak to you?

An Omaha Symphony Movement & a Glimpse of Heaven

acrylic on canvas

The parts (or movements) of a symphony are usually free standing, with one movement ending, a pause, and then the next movement beginning. Each part relates to one another.  The four movements of a symphony conform to a standardized pattern.  The first movement is brisk and lively; the second is slower and more lyrical; the third is an energetic minuet (dance); and the fourth is a rollicking finale. 

Recently, I attended The Omaha Symphony’s Holiday Event.  Before the music began, there were a few musicians sitting in their chairs.  Eventually all the chairs were filled in and they warmed up.  The conductor beamed as his hands began to move like the waves on the ocean.  Each section played their part.  I could hear the piccolo and oboes so clearly in some movements.  Then the bassoon moved in.  The upright bass players thumped their way forward while plucking their thick strings.  The violas and violins soothed every heart with their lovely bows.

It was an especially special yet contemplative night as it was the sixth anniversary of my father’s passing and my husband was grieving the loss of his best friend passing.  As I write this, I am reminded of a Friendsgiving we attended a few weeks ago.  It is tradition that everyone gets a chance to say what they are grateful for.  One man’s response is moving into my heart just like the movement of the symphony.  He was in his seventies.  He humbly and tenderly began to unfold his gratitude with a mellow yet joy- filled crescendo in his voice. Like the triangle in the percussion section, he gently shared about what he anticipates when he gets to meet Jesus in heaven.  Then like the cymbals crashing, his whole countenance lit up the room.  It stirred us all as we leaned in, coming on the curtails of this melodic movement, anticipating ourselves amongst the sound of constant worship to our King.  In heaven, there will be no more pain, sickness, disease, suffering, or death. Revelation 21. That certainly doesn’t take away our pain on earth; It may not lessen your load…  but for me, it reminded me that we do not grieve without hope 1 Thess. 4:14.  There is hope for mankind… that hope is a Savior… King Jesus.

A Glimpse of Heaven~

Recently, my husband was deeply grieving the loss of his best friend’s life after the phone call we received sharing the difficult news.  He went up to church to sit quietly in the sanctuary.  He called and asked if I would come be with him.  I turned around from driving to work and sat with him.  I had no words to share… only the ministry of presence.  He shared he wanted to hear something from God that was comforting about his friend. Some of the staff and pastors prayed for him. He shared with me later that day, that as he drove away from church he heard a still, small voice that said, “He’s here”… in heaven.  It brought him a deep sense of comfort from God. 

When my dad passed away six years ago, I began asking God to show me a picture of him in heaven.  I periodically prayed this for 5 straight years.  Several months ago, I was laying in bed listening to some instrumental worship music asking God once again to reveal a picture of my father in heaven.  It came! It was a picture of my father as a younger version of himself but he was still an adult man.  He was smiling and waving at people as he was gardening.  My father was very relational and would talk to anyone, anywhere, and no one was a stranger.  He had the gift of simple gab.  He also really enjoyed gardening when we were growing up.  We lived in a rural, Nebraska town.  My parents turned our back yard into a boasting garden with green beans, corn, and a strawberry patch.  That picture continues to fill my heart with peace and great awe of an intimate Father who speaks … in God’s time not mine.  

If you have loved a lost one and are grieving this season, know you are seen by a compassionate, loving God who cares deeply about your loss and you.  You are not forgotten.

Live Lightly

Inspired by the psalmists, Live Lightly echoes the pulse of a collection of poems I wrote from June-August about regaining balance and rest in a world that woos my attention with media, self-absorption, input, information, tension, and busyness. Also, it is a re-launching pad for keeping my heart free and clean from offense, hurt and loss and awakening to life, beauty, and vitality.

Quietness and being still before God, being in God’s amazing creation, keeping short accounts regarding forgiveness and taking responsibility for my own sinful responses, not being so busy that there’s no time for spontaneity, meditating on scripture, worshipping my Maker and returning to places of joy/doing things that are life-giving have created a place for me to LIVE more LIGHTLY. I am in process and haven’t arrived, but I see tire marks in the dirt from places I previously treaded…. Time to steady on.

These art pieces are part of LIVING LIGHTLY.  Each piece has gel prints of botanicals and flowers I picked while hiking at Hitchcock Nature Center. The artwork is a bit muted with some contrasting color palettes. The focal points do not have a large scale (size) nor do they boldly pop out at you. They are more subtle. This reflects that LIVING LIGHLTY is a process. There is purpose in the process. Artwork is for sale!

The Kaleidoscope of a Cloud        

The visceral vein of an ominous vapor that is floating in ease while glory provides a gentle touch. The pale, white puff wants to peek through but resists the temptation… perhaps a longing for lingering… for another gaze that lasts longer than sixty seconds. Silence woos an invitation. A bird dances like a speck of dust on high. It’s free then it disappears… still ingesting as the tug of a schedule pulls me in… until tomorrow…

Inch Worm

That blade of grass has just been cut. It cannot bend or sway.  Constricted veins keep it in place afraid to grow again.  Pain and desire go hand in hand awaiting to be faced.  An inch worm becomes my movement and paves the way.

Space for Spontaneity 

Eraser to calendar
No muscles exercised
Accepting invitations
A welcomed surprise
Heart beat is at bay
Pulse a steady 60
Calling a friend
Maybe she will meet me
Peanut butter ice cream
Strolling through the park
Memories and laughter
are not sewn apart
Head hits pillow
Gentle smile released
This can be a way of life
New boundaries in place

Selah (quietly pause and take in)

As the psalmist bellows and echoes the churning and yearning of his heart
I gasp for a word or phrase to sojourn with throughout the day
Rolling it over and over in my mind till it is stained in my heart
Space to discuss…breath to ingest… silence to resist the clamoring world

Quicksand Dismantled 

The sludge and grainy weight were at my shoulders
The oppression took its seat center stage
Chronic pain pulsed and radiated to my extremities
Grief was cascading like The Upper Falls Waterfall in Yellowstone
The battlefield of the mind was waging war to push the play button
The cry of worship was the weapon of warfare
The title echoed was Peace
The fruit that arose was peace
The Prince of Peace came to the rescue

A Timely Fasting Taste

The  power of community for a consecrated cause
comes at price where our gaze subdues the cross         
Goodbye to social media and to the humm of culture’s voices
A bit of rattling in our cages and impulses revealed
The silence is golden with a crave for more servings
Abiding is not second place as the prowler wants to feast
Contending for heart and mind through the pages of each psalm
The sword of the spirit resounds, aligning what’s been lost
On our faces; on our knees. Having a change of mind. 
Turning a 360 in record time
Refresh Renew your bride Take these red, soiled garments
You make them white as snow as you continue to reveal to us the weeds that are overgrown

Tipped   

Tugging at the bones from my phalanges to occipital
A luminous ,7am, kapow orange-pink sunrise won the battle
Briefly turning to put on sneakers
I returned to a soft, blush, orange palette sky
Dangling as oppression wants to steal the whispers from my Maker,
the movement for my heart and vitality for my soul
My spirit is revived and ready to absorb the tender beauty of a late August day

Reflective Questions:
-Which poem impacted you the most and why?
-What is one step you can take this week to LIVE more LIGHTLY?

The Giving Tree~ The Father Heart of God

This is a simple gel pad print I created with the cover of the children’s story, The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein.  I remember reading it as a child. The themes of selflessness, sacrifice, and unconditional love from the tree to the boy, reminds me of some themes in life relating to God and our heart towards him. Take a listen to the story…https://youtu.be/BgKVBhO6GkU

An Imprint~  I asked a few people what comes to mind when they think of The Father Heart of God or God as their heavenly Father.  Here are some responses:  “Presence-He’s constantly with me,  He pursues me, and He’s not judgmental or critical, but accepts me as I am.  Tender toward us and not condemning, critical or fault finding. The truth of James 1:5 resounds. I had judged him as being like my earthly father but that was not right at all. He loves us with the same love he has for Jesus- John 17:23. I think of a Father God who doesn’t berate us for our struggles.  He walks through them with us and loves us each step of the way.”

These are not the responses and experiences everyone has had, but it is encouraging they all have had a story to accompany their spiritual journey in getting them to where they are today in their relationship with God.

To the one whose…

• Earthly father was not present for your birthdays
• Who criticized you and you felt degraded
• Who did not play softball with you when you so desired him to
• Who gave you money and gifts to buy your love
• Who continually never showed up to watch you in events you were active/participated in
• Who never followed through on his word
• Who scared you because of his temper
• Who favored other siblings
• Who made promises he did not keep

I believe he wants you to know the truth along with scripture to renew your mind…

A gentle whisper to the heart who needs to hear…

• It wasn’t your fault.
• God sees your wall of distrust.  He will patiently wait as He longs for you to take one brick down at a time.   He is patient and he can handle your anger.
• It’s not too late.  A new beginning can start today.
• You don’t have to go at it alone. It’s tiring, the weight is too heavy for you, and lost hours of restless sleep have taken their toll.
• You are beautiful.  He cares when you cry and catches your tears in a bottle.
• His eye is on you…  He knows about the job you lost and the sting it caused- the friend you lost when you needed them-  the injury that wrecked you- the day you got your first car and it was a surprise-  the diploma you never thought you’d get-   your baptism that touched His heart and changed your life!

Reflection Questions:

What word or two comes to mind when you hear the words The Father Heart of God?
Was your father present and active in your life?
Was your father physically present but emotionally, spiritually, or relationally unavailable? If so, which one(s) and how did or does it affect your relationship with your Heavenly Father?

Is there someone you can ask these questions to and entrust your answers to them?

An excerpt from Surrender to Love by David G. Benner
“When God thinks of us he feels a deep, persistent longing-not simply for our wholeness but, more basically, for our friendship.  This possibility lies at the core of our own deepest desires. It also lies at the core of our deepest fulfillment.

A song to wash over you… How He Loves by David Crowder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCunuL58odQ
Scriptures to remind you that your heavenly Father wants you to know Him, love Him and enjoy Him.

God, My Father is love- John 3:16, 1 John 4:8-10, 1 Cor. 12:31b, 13:4-7a
My Father leads me as a gentle shepherd- Psalm 23:1-2, Isaiah 40:11
My Father meets all my needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus -Psalm 23:, 36:8, Philippians 4:19
My Father will not take His love from me -Palms 89:33
My Father bears all my burdens because He cares. – Psalm 55:22 and 1 Peter 5:7
My Father gathers me in His arms and carries me- Isaiah 40:11, 46:3-4
My father is the father of the fatherless- Psalm 68:5
The Parable of the lost son- Luke 15:11-32  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015:11-32&version=NIV

Endings and Beginnings~ A Time for Everything

Pictures taken from Rock Ledge Ranch and The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs

Seasons speak so much to us about goodbyes and hello’s.  We can’t escape them, especially in the Midwest.  In fact, they are quite intense as each season brings its own flavor if you will.  

When is the last time something significant in your life came to an end? It could have been a job, a relationship that shifted, a conversation that halted, a welcomed vacation, anger, fear, or sadness that rose up in your heart that closed you off, someone who passed away, a child who moved, went to college, or got married, etc. and the list goes on.  

Where we choose to land is significant.  How we respond can set us on a trajectory whether good or not helpful. 

Goodbyes and hello’s have been on my heart recently.  When in a period of transition, I am learning to savor the good, bad, and ugly.  If we let them refine our character, navigate the terrain in our hearts to get to a place of sacrificial thanksgiving not only for the good but also the hard, and allow God to transform and conform us more into his image, a shift occurs just like the changing of the seasons.

Taking time to reflect, pray and get God’s perspective and heart helps me wipe off the summer sweat and step into the cozy, fall cashmere sweater that awaits. Some things have to get processed, shed, and/ or savored, to step into and embrace the new….the hello.

Personally, my goodbyes this season came through much reflection and revisiting. As I prepare to leave a place that began to tug at my heart due to some divine appointments and relationships, overcoming a multitude of challenges alongside my husband, and simply coming alive in ways I have not in over a decade…

Due to the intense fire of difficulties, I don’t know that I would do it again, but I chose one last time of ingesting… I went back to my favorite coffeeshop…Jives in Old Colorado City, had an all day date with my husband, walked my routine morning walk at Rock Ledge Ranch amongst the red rocks, worshipped to my “repeat songs” I Have to Believe by Rita Springer and Red Sea Road by Ellie Holcomb and painted my last lilac painting, saw my new friend and small group leaders who I desperately needed this season, and shed tears on my last day of work because of the people I got to know. I see God’s hand intertwined in it all.

An Encouragement~

God is active in YOUR life (whether you see it or not), not passive. His eye is on you. Lyrics from Red Sea Road… When we can’t see the way he will part the waves and we’ll never walk alone down a red sea road.

As you step into this next month, pause, reflect, ask, wait, and see if there is any unfinished business that needs to be tended to in your heart before you say hello to what is ahead AND/OR perhaps you may just need to revel/revisit the many good gifts that happened. Making space makes a way…

Ecclesiastes 3:1  For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven… a time to break down and a time to build up, a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to embrace, and a time to refrain, a time to keep silent, and a time to speak…

Arise… and be restored! ~ Quri

ARISE! -Quri 

This is the hebrew word for arise meaning arise and be restored. 

The rise and fall of life… and one’s heart. 

While preparing and praying to determine what to paint, I saw a picture of a waterfall with vibrant colors in the splash at the bottom. I saw a person standing at the top and the shade/hue of the person’s heart got lighter and slightly larger as it got closer to the splash at the bottom. This depicts the power of dealing with the issues of one’s heart which results in a lightened heart that is not weighed down. Heart work is hard work but it is worth it and yields freedom if we let it take its course. You can see the shade of white in the person’s heart at the bottom… a purity of heart resulted from taking the dive into the deep waters of heart work.  

The rock is perched per say.  It has a front row seat to the diver’s adventure and journey.  This signifies all the people who support the diver on their journey… mentors, counselors, family members, friends, etc. The moss on the rock and the framing of the waterfall shows this important link. I believe we can get through anything when we have support from trusted people.

The other waterfalls are areas of healing the person may be diving into down the road because healing is generally a process not a one-time event.  The slight current in the water moves the diver along and refreshment comes with each dive as a victory. Hope never disappoints us (Romans 5: 3-5) and the yellow in the painting is the illumination of hope. 

This painting resides in a counselor’s office.  

Reflection questions:

Is there anything in the painting you relate to? Diver- Are you needing to take a step closer to the waterfall or diving off of it? Other waterfalls- Is there an area in your life that is being highlighted that needs tending? Sunshine- If you were to gauge your hope level, would it be bright or dim? Where do you find hope and does that satisy? Rock- Is there anyone you can offer encouragement or hope to today? Is there anyone you can mentor?

Echelons~ Whisper Glow

A damaged wing 

A swirling breeze 

Swept into the current 

Revitalized  

Pulsating heart 

New gaze upward… 

Be lifted high…higher.  

This is a commissioned art piece I painted for a counselor’s office. Please interpret it as you will. I will share the interpretation I was given as I finished it.  

When I began this piece, I saw a picture of birds flying specifically in a V formation. The passage of the leading bird through the air provides an aerodynamic increase in the lift to the bird following behind. The ideal location is just above, behind, and to either side of the lead bird, which in turn develops the iconic V formation- known as an echelon. The drafting effect can be applied here as well. For example, in cycling, when you tuck in close behind another rider, you expend less energy, with up to 27 percent less wind resistance. 

Also, the idea of community is depicted and communicated here. There is no I in we. God created us for community.  That is one of the primary ways someone can heal. What a gift! The lead bird is also a key to community…those in one’s journey who counsels, mentors, disciples, encourages, and calls someone up higher. Whisper glow has a spiritual connotation as this lead bird is led by the leading of the Holy Spirit (and fruits of the spirit) and those get passed on to those they pour into. The pulse of the artwork is also invitation, hope and freedom!  

A mentor of mine shared the following when she saw the artwork. When a bird flying in formation becomes too tired or too sick to stay in formation and has to go down to the ground, another bird will accompany that one to the ground. The second bird stays with the first until it can regain it’s strength, and then the two go on together to join another formation that is passing by. Or if the first bird dies, the second bird stays with him so he won’t die alone. Better together!

Additionally, the short poem (above) accents the theme of a wounded and broken heart that needs tending and hope. There is an adventurous feel to this piece. It is depicted like a meadow/rolling farmland with varied plots of land. The path at the bottom is intended to invite the viewer to step into the painting and engage in their own healing and life journey. This can be met with some resistance but the power of care and love (depicted by the land/field of hearts) propels one to move forward. 

If you find yourself in a difficult situation or season in life, please don’t lose heart. Hope is blowing your way…just take the next step in front of you. You can do it! 

Everybody One, Two, Three!

This is a picture of the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City.  I recently visited there while on a personal retreat. There were some art pieces that caught my attention this time.

I love this painting by Louis Valtat, French Impressionist Painter.  It is called Wheat Field with Poppies- 1915. While looking at the paintings in this deep, slate, gray-blue, gallery room, I especially took note of the frames they were in. The frames can change the painting and detract or enhance it significantly. Metaphorically, our thoughts can do the same to our well being.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about re-framing…but not a picture…a thought or a stronghold.

What is a stronghold? It is a pattern of thinking or believing that develops over time.

Everybody wants to be closer to free.  These lyrics dance in my mind as I began to think about reframing. Gotta love The Bodeans…Idaho, Good Things, My Hometown, True Devotion…Oh, digressing.

In the song, the lyrics include… Everybody one Everybody two Everybody three.  Everybody wants to be “closer to free”. Soooo…

Everybody One~

When a struggling thought comes into your mind, what do you do with it?

What is the source of that thought? There are three sources of thought…Our own, God’s or the enemies. I often have to decipher where the thought came from.  Once it is identified, I can determine if it is truth or a lie. If it is a lie, then I can assess what is the root of that lie.

Lies and strongholds: For example, I heard myself say to a friend recently, I always think that God has good things for everyone else but me and I’m always waiting for the shoe to drop even if something good comes my way.

This is a lie I’ve believed. It is something that continues to come into my thinking often. I have danced with it, chewed on it, and swallowed it for years without questioning or taking authority over it. Next, I began to pray (simply talking to God) and asked him to reveal the root of the lie because I can easily be pulled into victim thinking. (We can be victimized but we are not victims.) What has come to the surface is the question…Am I self protecting?

Everybody Two~

I believe I have trust issues with God and I have for a long time. I am still unpacking this and will see what unfolds. I don’t have to know it all today. I don’t have to go on an excavation hunt.  I simply hold it before God, talk to him about it, ask Him to search my heart, and discuss it with a friend or mentor. Then I wait to see what the next step is. I choose not to control (my normal MO) and choose to place my trust in God’s timing.

One thing that has recently been revealed is that growing up, I was used to being a latch key kid. I learned independence at an early age. Then, while being single, until age 42, I operated with a perspective and attitude that I had to do it all myself. Old habits, belief systems, and vows (thoughts and decisions independent from God) do not go away overnight. Sometimes it takes years for the truth to take root. God is not in a hurry with healing my heart, so why should I be?

Everybody Three~

Waterfall 1998 from Japanese artist Senju Hioshi

The next unfolding in my process of freedom is to renew my mind with the word of God (Romans 12:2) and take authority over the thoughts (2 Cor. 10:5) and lies I have been believing about myself, God, and the situation.

Is there anything in your thought life you are open to putting a new frame around? You might be surprised how you too can be “closer to free”.

Application question:

What do you think, say to yourself, or to others, that you know is not truth?
Can you share this with one other person and bring it from darkness into the light?

The following has been useful to me in my journey of being “Closer to Free”.

Confess (the lies I’ve believed). Repent (a change of mind). Renounce (close the door on the lie and agreement with the lie). Replace and Renew (with the truth of God’s word).

Don’t forget to return to places of JOY throughout your healing journey. Turn on one of your favorite songs and DANCE! It releases much! …or do something that is lifegiving to you.

Song

Lessons from the Desert- Aortic Tastebuds Awakened!

• 

Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, AZ

The desert is like tastebuds for the heart…

Recently, I took a trip to Scottsdale Arizona with my sisters and mother.  Upon reflection, I always like to see what kind of theme emerges from trips.  This desert trip led me to tastebuds that awakened my heart.  We have six taste buds~ sweet, salty, bitter, sour, savory, and umami.

~ Sweet and savory~ We’ve talked about taking a girls trip 15 years ago and we finally did for my sister’s 50^th birthday.  Don’t put off tomorrow what you can do today. We made some treasured memories we won’t forget.  We just wish we would have done this earlier in our lives.

~ Sour and bitter~ I was reminded that we have limits in life. Limits can include: health, lack of money, having children, not having children, being married, not being married, growing older, time, fear, etc. My sister and I woke up one morning at 6am to go hiking at Camelback Mountain.  We were both so excited to adventure!  I have had a foot injury for 4 years from a hike I did in the Redwood Forrest, Muir Woods, in California with my other sister.  I knew I could only walk for 30 min. The victory was that I responded to my limits (not always the case).  I was sad I was unable to go for the hour or two that I would have liked, but I’ve come to a place of acceptance and have responded accordingly… although with a sour and bitter taste. Are there any limits in your life that you are dealing with? How are they affecting you?

~ Salty~ Just as salt adds much flavoring to food, relationships add so much value to our lives.  They are worth investing in and cultivating.  We were created for relationships.  

~ Umami~ This is the meaty taste bud we have.  Now to the meat of the story…the heart. 

While at The Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, I saw a sign that said all cactus are succulents, but not all succulents are cactuses. This led me to research cactuses.  I learned that cacti store water in their roots.  Some cacti can store water for as long as 25 years when it rains.  They draw on the water from their stems.  It got me thinking about our hearts and how there are things we store away and choose not to deal with for a variety of reasons… hurt, fear, shame, pride, fear, control, denial, uninformed, etc.   

Is there anything you have stored or tucked away that you are getting nudged to deal with?
What we don’t acknowledge, can not be healed.

I have learned that I’ve drawn from those places in my heart that have been healed.  I am able to reach in as I recall the deep work God has done to bring experience, strength, compassion, and hope to others.  

Furthermore, when I paint, I think about what the focal point is going to be. The focal point I am drawn to most on this trip, reminds me of the Israelites who wandered in the desert. We have all wandered from God in some way, shape, or form.  This may come in the form of busyness, hurts and losses, not knowing God’s character, a myriad of idols (anything we make more important than God- Exodus 32), food, technology, work, etc.

When I have wandered away from God by not trusting him, not waiting on His timing, taking matters into my own hands, and turning to emotional eating, I have learned that just like the parched, dry desert… nothing satisfies but God’s presence and love.   Insatiable desire.

In times of wandering, God sees me and longs for me to come to Him and tell Him all about it. The load is lifted when I do. (Psalm 142:1-2). Sometimes this comes in the form of meeting with a friend (as they say Jesus with skin on) and sharing what is on my heart… my struggles, fears, losses, and broken dreams.  I know that He loves us so deeply even when we stray from him.

There is purpose in the dry, barren, desert seasons of our lives. As I look back, I am reminded that God has always been with me in dark places.  He took care of me and provided everything I needed just as he did for the Israelites by giving them clothes and shoes that did not wear out (Deut. 29:5) or manna daily to meet their every need… nothing more or less… just what they needed for the day (Exodus 16:11-18). He can do the same for you.

Today, I stop and reflect as I taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). 

CREATIVE APPLICATION:

What is one of the darkest times in your life that you came out of?  Can you share your hope with someone who needs encouragement?  Create a before and after piece of artwork, poem, prayer, song, photograph, etc. and give it to someone who could use hope today. 

5 ways to create a focal point in art work you tube video

SCULPTED HEART~ Poems and interview with Hannah

Hello!

I am so excited for you to meet Hannah Rothfuss as she shares about her first publication of poems entitled Sculpted Heart. Please click on the link below to view the interview. Sculpted Heart is collective of 12 poems. In her forward she shares… “Writing poetry, for me, is a way to take the ugly parts of my heart and make them into something beautiful. I write poetry because it heals me.”

Here are a few of my favorite excerpt’s from Hannah’s poems…

Afterward~ The sky is an art show. It’s hard to remember the storm.

Adopted~ We were both orphans, in need of His life and His wealth; When I found you, I found myself.

Mermaids~ We learned to dive while holding hands, like knives we’d cut the blue.

The Human Condition~ You are ultimatum of grit and glory; You are my life, the climax of my story.

The Summons~ I smell the tang of gulls and brine, I feel thy hand slip out of mine.

LINK to INTERVIEW–Click Here

If you are interested in connecting with Hannah to purchase her new publication or read her blog, you may reach her at…

Blog: takingmytime.rothfuss.us

Instagram: @rothfusshanna