grace and glory

This picture was born out of a desire to express a state of grace and freedom in a wide open space.  I painted a bright sunrise sky in attempts to symbolise God’s glory.

The sky is multi-coloured as the glory and wisdom of God is so rich and multi-faceted. Later I read in Ephesians 3v10 about the manifold wisdom of God made know to the Church, principalities and powers.  I was blown away when I saw the Strong’s definition of manifold:

Strong’s meaning of manifold: polupoikilos – varied many coloured. The word pictures God’s wisdom as much varied, with many shades, tints, hues, and colourful expressions.  As a God of variety He is still entering the human arena displaying many-sided multi-coloured and much variegated wisdom to His people and through His people.

The sky has gold paint in it, seen when the light catches it. This is symbolic of the Lord’s glory and riches.

Ephesians 3v1-13 says:

The mystery of Christ has now been revealed by the Spirit of God. The grace we receive at the cost of Christ’s death makes us heirs with Christ.  The unsearchable riches and manifest wisdom of God, was hidden and unattainable is now made known to us.

The girl is dancing in a state of grace.  She need not strive as she fully embraces, comprehends and rests in the Grace of what Christ has done for her. Having completed the landscape, I had not yet painted in the girl when I retired for the night.  I thought that a white dress would work best.  I asked the Lord to show me and that night I dreamt about blood. When I woke I was reminded about the cost of grace and so her dress is red in remembrance of the currency of our grace.

The sun is rising, hope for a new day.  The lands are fertile and green, full of provision and growth.

Abundant Harvest

In considering the harvest awaiting this year I was reminded not to expect a little garden patch, but rather abundant and overwhelming blessings!

(This painting was bought by a lady in PE)

Step into the new day

Painted this at the beginning of Jan 2014.  Felt God was saying that we need to leave what is behind and boldly walk into the new.  Open door right in front of us.  Just step into the new.  Glory awaits

This painting spoke deeply to a lovely old lady that I visit and she bought it to be reminded of the new season.

freedom, healing and love

resurrection life

THERE THE MAJESTIC LORD WILL BE FOR US. A PLACE OF BROARD RIVERS AND STREAMS IN WHICH NO GALLEY WITH OARS WILL SAIL

I have sailed on a galley ship for so long. A slave ship with oars: Hard work and striving in my strength. A galley ship is not going to take us to the shore. We need to climb into that canoe, that's rocking and feels vunerable and scary. There are no oars. No control. Now its just trusting God, with all plans of how to rescue myself abandoned. For me, I was going to leave anxiety and depression behind by rowing my 2 oars of praise and quoting scripture. God didn't want my slave ship plan. Instead he wants me to completely surrender to him and float in my little boat, going where His current, and sometimes rough seas, take me. Scary place, giving up control. But here I am, floating and trusting.

My times are in your hands. The news is depressing full of bad news. Crystal balls can't reassure us of our future. Even though it seems that God comes through in the eleventh hour, He always does come through!! I am reminded of that saying: " I dont know what my future holds but I know who holds it." We can rest despite what we read and see in the news, despite all of lifes uncertainties, knowing that our times are in His hands.

Thanks so much for the encouragement!!! Really appreciate it so much!!

My Hiding Place

You are my hiding place you preserve me from trouble

In a fragile, delicate place: a dandelion, a droplet of water, God can be our hiding place and create a safe, strong refuge.

Tanzanian Treasure

This is a picture of a brand new-born Tanzanian Baby.
As new born babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow there by.

276. Psalm 86:8 (Whole Chapter)
     There's no one quite like you among the gods, O Lord, and nothing to compare with your works. All the nations you made are on their way, ready to give honor to you, O Lord, Ready to put your beauty on display, parading your greatness, And the great things you do— God, you're the one, there's no one but you!
     
     

Unfinished...

Sometimes my inner life feels chaotic and I can't find a peaceful place. Amongst it all God is my hiding place......this is an unfinished painting, finding God as a hiding place in amongst it all....watch this space! ; )

Dancing

You've turned my mourning into dancing. When we .....in other words we WILL....go through the fire we will not be burned. We WILL rise from our fire, our heartache and our mourning and we WILL dance with joy! The cross reflected in the picture reflects our assurance of dancing because of the blood that Jesus shed for us. Maybe you should do a little jig in the midst of the ashes and just practise for when the dancing season arrives!

Alabaster Box

The room grew still as she made her way to Jesus. Whispers there's no place here for her kind.

Still on she came through the shame that flushed her face.

Till at last she knelt at the masters feet.

She spoke no words but everything was heard

as she poured out her love from her box of alabaster.

These words taken from a song really encouraged me.

What is the cross that you carry that you wish with all your heart was gone?

The woman alone knew what the cost of her alabaster box was.

When our pain is offered to Christ as a sacrifice

it becomes our most costly alabaster box.

Welcome Home!

When I have guests come over I want to make sure my house is tidy and clean - at least where they can see! Jesus is the one guest that we don't need to first clean house for. How many times I have felt that I need to get it together (clean house) in an area for God to bless me. Reality is that Jesus wants to come in right now, into the week-end mess, into the cupboards and under the beds! I am really trying to BE instead of DO

Behold I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door

I will come in and eat with you and you with me

.

At any given time my house has between 1 or 5 of my own children and many of other peoples' in it. From the outside anyone can see that my life is clearly busy with chores and cooking and taxi-ing and homework, etc, etc.

It 's great to have a breather, coffee with a friend, breakfast with my sister, a movie, or a book.

But, my real labour is not in the activities of my days, but in my mind and heart. That's where I carry my burdens and get really heavy laden and need more than a coffee !

The image of farmlands, mud, rolling green hills and cows with brown eyes is my mind's happy place. When I am so weary and heavy laden I try to imagine that I am lying in that green pasure. The Lord has taken all my burdens and because He is at work I can rest. I was inspired to paint this picture as a visual reminder of this!

A very special friend was recently encouraging me and told me this:

In my life I will only rest according to the measure of the revelation in my heart of why God is at rest with me.

He saw enough of his image and likeness in me that He said it was VERY GOOD then He rested!

How profound is that?!

Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden.

I'll give you rest.

My yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Our Father

OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN...

Most of us learnt to recite this route fashion as children, probably with very little understanding of the words.

In The Message the scripture says:

Our Father in Heaven,

Reveal who you are.

Set the world right;

do what's best - as above, so below.

Keep us alive with three square meals.

Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.

Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.

You're in charge!

You can do anything you want!

You're ablaze in Beauty!

Yes, Yes, Yes

Quite different to the grocery list type prayers we often pray!

When my heart overwhelms me lead me to the rock that is higher than I

Life is not always kittens and bunnies and spring flowers! This scripture was a life-line for me, when going through a very hard and dark place, where nothing seemed to bloom. It speaks about God taking us above our circumstances, not always out of them, and refreshing us and causing us to soar above though the seas may rage. The Lion of Judah roars across the seas, the nations of the world, deep crying out to deep.

This painting is inspired by the ever present Holy Spirit brooding over us, seeing all even though we may feel unseen. We are not just human beings plodding along on earth, but so important that we are in the Maker's eye.

SEASONS

I am one incredibly talented woman - I managed to load this image of SEASONS all by myself. Of course I painted it myself as well, which IS actually what this is about!! If you noticed that this blog addition, or is it posting? (still need to learn the lingo) is not in italics, which I prefer, it is not necessarily so because I could not do it! :)

SEASONS
To everything there is a season. A purpose to everything under the sun.

I was inspired to paint this picture during a very difficult winter season of my life. I have been encouraged to live in each season, knowing that God has appointed them ALL for me. As seasons in the natural pass, so to the winter eventually gives way to the spring in our lives. It is hard to relax into the winter season. It is a challenge to breath, as opposed to holding your breath until the season passes. Whatever season you find yourself in, breath.

SEASONS

ARE YOU ACTUALLY READING THIS??

Ok so I know that I have just started this blog but is anyone ever going to read it? Besides for my sister and friends that make sympathy visits and comments? Well I guess even they will be really good at this stage!! On the other hand I can write anything about anyone, hmm..

Actually, I have issues. Can someone, a stranger, not a serial killer or psychopath, please stumble across this blog and make a comment? Hey on second thoughts, who am I to judge your criminal side? Just please remember what Thumper's mother, from the Bambi movie, said to him: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!"

I have been painting for 8 years. I started painting images from Africa. I loved the ethnic diversity and the wild life. These subjects are popular with tourists and so I was able to market my art.
When the market slowed to a standstill, I put away my paint brush and tried to find what it was that God wanted me to do in life - besides for being the mother of an army of 5 children! Having taken many diverse directions in my life as far as careers go, I remained the most passionate about art. It did not seem possible that God would call me to do something that was so much fun as painting! Surely it had to be something less frivolous? 
Finally I began to understand the incredibly complex and simple process of 'just being" as opposed to 'doing'. In this season I realised that God has in fact called me to paint! 

Thus began the new season of prophetic art. I hope to inspire people to look up.

This is the first painting in my series called: CREATION

You formed me in my inward parts. You covered me in my mother's womb. Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed. In your book they were all written the day's fashioned for me when as yet there were none of them.

How awesome to know that none of us are accidentally here and that our days were written
down long before we even began!