the artist's eye

2012: A Year to Focus on God's Faithfulness

2012-01-09T16:30:00.000-05:00

I'd like to bring in the New Year focusing on God's faithfulness. He has always been true to His promises and to who He is in the Word. I'd encourage you to start out the New Year right-- by focusing on Him. Living a life devoted to Jesus requires total abandonment to Him. We give up our lives and our rights to our own life. We no longer focus on ourselves and what we want but on God and want He wants. We no longer make decisions for our own lives-- we let God make those decisions for us as we walk in surrender. My prayer is this... that we would not focus on our plans for the New Year--but lay them down at His feet and surrender to His plans. Let's learn to trust Him again and give ourselves wholly over to Him. Let's pursue Him with our whole Hearts and trust Him to know what's best for us and His Kingdom.

For those of us in a valley, let's have faith for a harvest. For those of us on a mountaintop, let's pursue just as hard after Him as we did when times were rough. Let's let 2012 be a year about Him and not a year about us.

Amen.

Eve's Garden: New Contemporary Christian Art

2011-12-26T17:56:00.002-05:00

Eve's Garden

This artwork is about God restoring and redeeming Eve. Although she fell and was kicked out of the Garden of Eden, God is building her an even better garden where she will live forever. This time nothing will be able to tempt her to fall because of the sacrifice Jesus made for her on the cross.

His Promise:
For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. ~Jeremiah 24:6

God reminded me of how He sees His beautiful creation during the creation of this piece. It's so sad to see so many women struggle with their appearance in light of knowing how beautiful they really are in the eyes of God. I hope this piece will encourage women when they see this artwork. This is how God sees you! You are beautiful-- your spirit is overflowing with His love and mercy! And to go along with it, He is building you a beautiful garden that will never be destroyed by the enemy. You can count on it :)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you next year :)

New Red & White Merry Christmas Card

2011-11-22T20:49:00.005-05:00

I try to create a new Christmas card every year and this is it for this year! The red reminds me of the blood Christ spilled for our sins and the white reminds me of how His blood has washed us whiter than snow.

I pray that God will keep our hearts and minds set on Him this Christmas. Not on shopping or distractions... but on Him. As we pursue Him, we will find greater joy than those who have abundant grain and new wine (Psalm 4:7). Many blessings this holiday season and be looking out for new art soon. I've got a idea brewing in my spirit. This next one will be a meditation on God's faithfulness during hard seasons in life.

Christian Art Scripture ebook for iPhone, iPad & iPod

2011-10-18T21:20:00.005-04:00

My book "A Time and A Season" is finally available as an ebook on ibooks! You can read it on your iPod, iPhone and iPad. I just downloaded it for my iPod Touch, and I'm very happy with the results. It's only $3.99 so I'd encourage you to check it out! This book is filled with scripture and artwork in a journal style format. I hope you enjoy it :). It takes you on a journey through an digital art journal. You can download it here.

More art will come soon.... I can feel something bubbling inside of me just waiting to come out onto the screen :) Stay tuned!

The Power of Transformation by God Through Our Circumstances

2011-09-07T20:40:00.007-04:00

Transformation

Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
~Psalm 127:1
The process of Transformation is not an easy process. It seems as though God tears us down only to rebuild us brick by brick. I've been in the process of learning to let go of my circumstances and allowing God to transform me by them and in the midst of Him. One thing remains the same: I can trust Him to be faithful.
As God rebuilds me and my life, I can start to see light breaking through on the horizon. I can see Him through the joy, the pain, the tears and the dark. I can begin to rest and join Him on this journey as He orders my steps and rebuilds my walls that were once torn down. I can learn to let go and trust Him to strategically rearrange my circumstances for me and my transformation and never against me.
I look back and see the self-condemnation combined with the distrust that I have often felt during this time. I realize now how Satanic it all is. I realize now that God is the Master Author and Master Planner. Surely He can and has done a work--not just in my life, but in yours as well--that only He could be in control of. I realize how powerful and strong His wisdom is. I realize how it all weaves together into a flow in His perfect timing and I look back and I'm not who I used to be. I'm so much better. Surely, the more I become like Christ the more alive I become. Surely by saying NO to sin and YES to God I become more and more alive and death looses his angry grip on me.
Thank you God for being the Author of our lives and of our faith. Just like the picture above shows He orders our steps and our circumstances to transform us into someone more alive--someone more like Jesus. With each step death has to surrender as more life is poured into us.
Thank you God for the painful process of Transformation. Thank you for teaching me and the others here to wait for You, watch for You, bless You and perhaps most importantly trust You on this journey. Thank you God for molding and shaping our faith in a way that pleases You and makes us more alive in You. Thank you God for it all. Even when it's painful, there is so much Grace. Thank you God for the Grace. Thank you for You.In Jesus Name, Amen.

New Christian Art -- Letting God Redeem and Restore our Memory: Annulling Agreements with the Enemy and Embracing God's Truth

2011-08-25T20:01:00.007-04:00

Memory

They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, And shall sing of Your righteousness.
~Psalm 145:7

Ever feel like this? (I have!) Looking back over our pasts can be excruciatingly painful if we don't let God radically transform our trials and wounds for His Glory. We have to be willing to let go of those memories and allow the healing power of God to come in and restore those areas of our lives. That is what this artwork is all about. It is about allowing God to restore our memory and align our history up with His truth.

Here is the thing (and I know this from first hand experience), Satan attacks us through our wounds and memories. If we let our memory and wounds remain in the dark, we will continue to live in unhealthy cycles of pain. Once we allow our history to be exposed to the light of Christ, He removes the lies and the darkness of the enemy and sets us free to walk in truth.

I pray that as you are reading this blog and looking at this artwork, that God would do a mighty work in you. I pray He would reveal to you the memories and wounds He wants to heal you from and expose all the lies you have agreed with the enemy on. I pray in the Name of Jesus that He would break those agreements you've made with the enemy and set you free forever with His Truth. May His Truth be planted in your hearts and take root in a mighty and powerful way--so much so that many others will also be brought to the Truth of Christ as a result of the fruit that springs forth from the seeds of Truth that Jesus has planted in you. In Jesus Name I pray this, Amen.

On a side note, please forgive my absence. I am in the middle of a major season of transition because God has opened up a new door in my life. It is an exciting but crazy time and I'd appreciate your prayers as I await God's provision. I am now on a church planting team and will be putting a lot of time and effort into building His church. Praise Him!

Seasons Change: Hold on, God is coming!

2011-07-16T10:16:00.005-04:00

Seasons Change

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. ~Galatians 6:9

Aren't you glad that the tide will eventually turn? God is constantly reminding me that He is the Author of the seasons and determines the tides in our lives. We can trust Him that those who sow in tears for a season will eventually reap in joy in a new season (Psalm 126:5). The other good news is that God is faith to His Word. His Name is Faithful and True. While the seasons change in our lives, God's character and Word never changes, so we can stand on Him with certainty while our circumstances rise and fall.

The essence of "Seasons Change" is to bring hope. Sorrow may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5). Just hold on. God is coming! He may not come when you want Him too but God is never late-- He is always on time. Just keep holding on... when God shows up, a harvest always comes with Him. The important thing to remember is that He is faithful and He is faithful in showing us how to be faithful to Him! As we honor Him, blessings always eventually follow obedience. So be at peace while you wait.

New Contemporary Christian Art: Leap of Faith

2011-06-16T16:21:00.004-04:00

Leap of Faith

Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you." ~Matthew 9:29

Don't we all wish we could have a little more faith? I'm in a season where God is making it clear that I must expect Him to do great things--things far beyond what I could have imagined or thought in my own mind (Isaiah 64:4). Welcome to the harvest (although I'm not quite seeing it yet). But God wants us to BELIEVE Him for one! You can trust Me; I am faithful, He says.

I love the above Matthew scripture because faith depends so much on our perspective and how we see. Lord, open up our eyes so we can SEE! Perspective is everything! We have to get God's perspective on our lives--now, in the past and future. With His perspective we see things clearly through the light of His Truth (which sets us free to dance) and not through the lens of Satan's lies.

Our satisfaction and joy should come from God alone (not from our circumstances) and if you aren't feeling it-- I promise you there is a lie from the enemy that you are believing. Go to God and ask Him to reveal that lie (or lies). Ask Him to help you come clean. Once you have accepted the truth, you are free to love, laugh and dance no matter how bad your circumstances may be. I learned this in the valley. I learned it the hard way, but I'm so glad I finally learned. I pray what I learned with help you too?

Are you ready to believe God for something bigger, greater? Take a leap of faith--believe and obey. I think we will all be blown away by what our Great God can do :)

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.

Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. ~Psalm 27:13-15

Harvest Time: The Goodness of the Lord

2011-05-16T11:58:00.002-04:00

The Goodness of the Lord

Do not let it be known that the woman came to the threshing floor. ~Ruth 3:14

The threshing floor is where the heads of grain would be broken from the stalks. This was done with either oxen trampling the stalks or by a threshing sledge. You can imagine that this can be a rather painful experience if we put ourselves into the shoes of the wheat. Yet, I believe God puts us through this process to refine us, mold us and transform us into His image for His Glory (Isaiah 28:23-29). Ruth certainly experienced this after her devastating losses (death of her husband, brother in law, father in law and leaving her homeland). However, I believe the LORD is saying in the above scripture (in symbolic terms) that He is going to exalt her so high, that no one would ever even know of her threshing floor experience, unless they were told of the very humbling circumstances that God allowed into Ruth’s life to prepare her for His Glory. This of course came to past as she is the great grandmother of King David and eventually of Jesus Himself. Yes, it is true that God does indeed exalt the humble (James 4:6) She started on the threshing floor, and God put her on a high place!

You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name." -Psalm 91:13-14

My hope and prayer is that this will encourage you today. I know this Word has encouraged me. I don't know about you--but I'm ready for the harvest! It's been a long time coming ;)

God Alone Can Satisfy Our Deepest Desires

2011-04-16T20:13:00.004-04:00

Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. ~Psalm 37:4

So this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;
the one who relies on it
will never be stricken with panic." Isaiah 28:16

Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain. ~Isaiah 40:4

Who or what is the cornerstone of your life (Isaiah 28:16)? If it's not Jesus, then you are on shaky ground. Sure, circumstances can make us happy for a while, but if they are our foundation, then we are sure to fall as soon as one thing goes wrong (and it's only a matter of time before it does). If our whole world rises and falls based on our circumstances or another person (maybe a friend, spouse, parent, etc) then have idolized that circumstance or person. God wants to remove all the high places in our lives to allow us to make Him our solid foundation so we can live on an even plain (Isaiah 40:4). If Jesus is our cornerstone and foundation, we can live out of the JOY of a relationship with Him. Only Jesus is the abundant supply of living water. We must have this living water to have abundant life. Thus, if you want abundant life you must have Jesus as your foundation. Once He is the cornerstone of our lives, we cannot be moved by any circumstance or person. Think about how powerful that is!!! No human or circumstance has the ability to move you or me! We can live on a constant, even plain of worshiping God and being in a state of joy that only knowing and pursuing Him can bring. People will let us down eventually. They also will never fully live up to our expectations. However, God never fails and He never stops loving us. We can live in 100% security based on His love for us and His character.

Do you want to be fully satisfied? I believe only Jesus Christ can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. Is your cup empty? Do you know that as a believer you can take your empty come to Jesus Christ and He will fill it overflowing with the Living Water? Do you realize that your empty cup can be filled this way no matter how terrible or great your circumstances are? You see, our cup never runs over because of our circumstances, but because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. That's why we can have life and have it abundantly no matter how deep and dark the valley is that we are walking through.

Are you waiting for God to give you a desire He has placed on your heart? Do you realize that God can fulfill that desire completely with Himself while you wait for it to come to fruition in your life? God let Abraham understand this:

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”
~Genesis 15:1

While Abraham was waiting for God's promise for a heir, God assured Abraham that He was enough and He alone was His "exceedingly great reward." God did keep His promise to Abraham and gave him the desires of his heart with Isaac, but I believe Abraham learned to let God be enough for him in the process. Will you? Will you let God show you that He is enough? I believe waiting teaching us that God alone is enough, while it also stretches our faith.

God bless you on your journey. I pray that you will allow God to show you that He, alone, is enough. With Jesus as your cornerstone, your joy will be complete on solid ground.

Surrendering to God's Time for Everything: A Waiting Heart

2011-03-17T12:56:00.004-04:00

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:17-18

It is a privilege and a pleasure to wait on the Lord. He alone can satisfy our deepest desires and needs. I think life is oftentimes a journey to learn how to wait and prepare. We have to surrender our clocks and our time over to the Lord and let Him decide what is the best timing for all things and seasons in our lives. He alone knows all things so it is best just to seek His wisdom and trust Him with every season He does or doesn't bring into our lives. His ways are higher than ours, and it is best if we surrender to His sovereignty sooner rather than later.

I think God answered Elijah's prayer because he was willing to wait for the Lord. He knew what God wanted, prayed for Him to do it, trusted Him to do it and then waited for Him to do it. His whole life and time table was surrendered to God's hands.

Is there an area in your life that you will not sacrifice your time for? Have you been unwilling to give God your watch? If we are to be fully surrendered to our Master, we must obey His clock and not our own. This is part of the process of denying ourselves and our own imperfect wisdom by surrendering to His Master plan. God always knows best. Are you willing to surrender your time to Him today?

Abraham's Promise: God is Faithful to His Promises

2011-02-12T15:56:00.002-05:00

Abraham's Promise

Then the LORD took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” ~Genesis 15:5

I've been in a season of my life (and I still am) where I've had to rely on God for everything. I realize God has done this to build up my faith in Him and His sovereignty. I've learned that the waiting kind of faith is the hardest. It's easier to do, do, do and have faith than it is to sit on the sidelines of life and wait and have faith that God will move. Sometimes God puts us in circumstances where we cannot do what He has called us to do until He moves and provides us with what we need for our calling (these are seasons of preparation for what is to come). God promised Abraham a promised heir so that his descendants would be many and he would be the father of many nations. Abraham waited for 25 years until God fulfilled the promise. However, Abraham's faith became so great after Isaac was born that when God told him to go sacrifice his only son Abraham turns and says "We'll be back!" on his way with Isaac up to the altar. Abraham had such faith in God after he waited 25 years for God to deliver, that he knew he would be returning with his son one way or another because he relied on God's faithful character which he had already witnessed. God would not take away what He had promised to give Abraham so that he would become the father of many nations.

Look around today at all the Christians in the world. We are all Abraham's descendants. God is still faithful to Abraham today. In fact, as every day that goes by before the return of Christ, God is increasing his promise to Abraham! Abraham's blessing keeps getting bigger and bigger every time a new person accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior! I am amazed by God's fierce loyalty and faithfulness to His children. What has God promised you today? Are you trusting in Him and waiting for Him to fulfill His promise? Or are you giving in to doubt and despair? Perhaps this devotional by Oswald Chambers will lift your spirits: IS YOUR HOPE IN GOD FAINT AND DYING?

Many Blessings!

Contemporary Christian Art: Habakkuk's Watchtower

2011-01-12T12:13:00.002-05:00

Habakkuk's Watchtower

“I will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.”
~Habakkuk 2:1

This is obviously a very contemporary, modern take on this particular scripture. God formulated this piece to show the issue of prayer, the heart (which is on the line literally and symbolically) and time. Wait. Watch. God reminds me time and time again, if we really love Him, we will be willing to wait for Him. Waiting on God sends the message that "No, I won't take matters into my own hands, I will wait on the Lord because I trust Him. He is always good and will always take care of His children no matter what." The reality is, we CAN wait on the Lord when He tells us to wait because we can trust a God who is always good.

Scriptures to go along with this:

Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes. ~Psalm 37:7

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
Do not fret—it only causes harm.
For evildoers shall be cut off;
But those who wait on the LORD,
They shall inherit the earth. ~Psalm 37: 8&9

Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. ~Psalm 37: 3-4

Waiting and trust go hand in hand. If I trust God, it is no problem for me to wait for Him when He says wait. In fact, it is a delight to do the will of a God who is personally available to us and who loves us unconditionally. I don't think we have any idea the wonderful things that God has planned for all of us:

Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. ~Isaiah 64:4

God has such amazing plans for us that we can't really even imagine them--they are THAT amazing! Remember this when you are in the valley and when you are in a season of waiting. Go on the watchtower--watch and wait there like Habakkuk. He will answer you. But we all have to be willing to wait.

You have given me greater joy
than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. ~Psalm 4:7

If we wait, one day we can sing this with David:
I've thrown myself headlong into your arms— I'm celebrating your rescue. I'm singing at the top of my lungs, I'm so full of answered prayers. Psalm 13:5-6 The Message

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T15:21:00.003-05:00

Unto Us a Child is Born by StacyLeeArt

I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! 2010 has been a year of rebuilding and reforming for me... perhaps it has been for you as well. As the new year approaches, let us set our hearts on Jesus Christ. My prayer is that we will all surrender our plans for 2011 and let God have His way with us. His plans far exceed anything we could ever come up with on our own. So in closing for 2010, let's dedicate 2011 to the Lord and let Him lead by our surrendered hearts.

God bless you in 2011 and have a beautiful Christmas!
Stacy Lee

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters. ~Pslam 23:2

The Heart of Worship: It's All About Jesus

2010-12-01T13:34:00.007-05:00

The Heart of Worship

The Lord says:
“These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.
Therefore once more I will astound these people
with wonder upon wonder;
the wisdom of the wise will perish,
the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.”
~Isaiah 29:13-14

The song goes: “I’m coming back to the heart of worship, where it’s all about You, it’s all about You Jesus. I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it, when it’s all about You, it’s all about You Jesus.” _{Matt Redman}

It's Christmastime, are you ready? It's a hard time every year in the struggle to maintain the JOY that the birth of Jesus Christ brings. We get bogged down with the shopping lists, wrapping presents, mailing cards, relatives and family coming over, etc. It can be a stressful time. This Christmas let us look within our hearts and make time to REST at the feet of Jesus Christ. Let us rest in His love, care and salvation. Let's make this Christmas all about Him since it is after all His birthday :)

The longer I walk with God the more I realize that the Christian life is all about a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is out of that relationship and intimacy with Him that I become one with the Father, and I am armed with the mind of Christ (like the Apostle Paul urged us to have the mind of Christ in us (Philippians 2:5)). Once I am one with the Father and armed with the mind of Christ, I no longer have to come to God asking what His Will is--I just know. Thus, out of loving Christ and being one with God we naturally know His Will, and we naturally obey. Thus, if you want to know what God's Will is for you this season, focus on your intimacy with Him. As you grow in His love you will just know what it is He wants.

"If anyone loves me, they will obey me. Then my Father will love them, and we will come to them and live in them. " ~John 14:23

The Heart of Worship Binder by StacyLeeArt

Remain in My Love: Letting God Heal Our Hurts

2010-11-07T18:24:00.007-05:00

Remain in My Love

Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.”
~John 15:9

Every so often, God brings up situations and circumstances in our lives that hit on old wounds--usually childhood ones. God brings these wounds up because He wants to heal us from them so we can have life more abundantly and be more like Christ. Our wounds block us from enjoying fellowship with God and with each other. If you are struggling with this today, I'd encourage you to let God heal your hurts. Let Him take His time--He knows exactly what He is doing. There is a time and a season for all things under the sun. There is a time to heal and a time to grow out of our pain. It is important to remember that God redeems our past by actually changing it. I believe God can rewrite our history. He brings up old wounds, heals them, and then shows us how mightily we were loved all along the way in places where we only saw pain and darkness before. God wastes nothing--not even time.

I've also learned that a part of discipleship is wounding. God allows us to be wounded so we can be more like Christ and molded and shaped into His image as God heals us. Knowing God as Healer is a wonderful and intimate thing! As crazy as it sounds, enjoy this time. Enjoy the time of solitude and intimacy with God as He heals your heart. Knowing Him intimately in this way will carry your heart through the rest of your journey and time here on earth.

SALE: 15% off at Redbubble with Coupon Code

2010-11-04T15:06:00.005-04:00

Hello friends,

You can get 15% off of my work at Redbubble until November 14th by using this code: StacyLee_is_on_sale_9889
Portfolio Link: Stacy Lee @ Redbubble

May you be blessed by this :)

"The Garment of Praise" by Stacy Lee

To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. ~Isaiah 61:3

Customizable Merry Christmas, Scripture & Art mini card inserts for your Christmas Card and Crafting needs!

2010-10-24T14:52:00.006-04:00

I made some cute little mini cards that are great for craft projects or card inserts. I'm putting them in my Christmas Cards this year as something extra :) Two designs contain "Merry Christmas" and the other ones hold artwork on one side and scripture on the back. You can customize them to say what you want. I hope you enjoy these! They were fun to make! Please click on the images to see what is on the back of each card! Each one is designed differently.

Merry Christmas Mini Business Cards (Customizable) by StacyLeeArt

(This one has the vertical red stripe and snowflake design on the back)

Customizable Art Mini Card by StacyLeeArt

(This one has the artwork "Had I not Believed" on the back)

Sunflower Mini Customizable Card by StacyLeeArt
(This one has "Rest in the shadow of the Almighty" on the back)

Horse & Scripture Mini Card Customizable by StacyLeeArt
(This one has "Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart" on the back)

Customizable Mini Holiday Card by StacyLeeArt

(You can put your website link on the back of this one or anything else you'd like)

Enjoy and get ready for the Holiday Season! :)

Seasons of Waiting Are Difficult

2010-10-22T19:12:00.004-04:00

His Highest Joy

May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy. ~Psalm 137:6

Seasons of waiting are difficult. Whether it is a test of time, love, patience, etc, they are hard. I believe God uses these times to really stretch us and see if doubt or faith is in our hearts. During seasons of waiting, I like to reflect on who God is. Particularly His goodness. Our God is Jehovah Jireh--the One who Sees or the Lord Who Will See Too It or the Lord Who Provides. Our God is Provider. There is no other provider outside of Him. When we reflect on God's character and who He is our doubt begins to fade, and we begin to see the sun again. Let us rest in His presence. We don't have to worry, stress, freak out, or doubt. We can begin to trust Him and rest in His promises and grace. He is a good God, and He will give us the strength and faith to wait.

Thank you, God, for your provision. Amen.

A Lesson from the Lord

2010-10-02T18:40:00.007-04:00

"I do not receive honor from men." ~John 5:41

Lately, the Lord keeps showing me this passage. I've been working so hard lately, and it's tempting to feel like a machine when you are not being rewarded for your efforts (at least in the immediate time). God has reminded me that the great I AM lives inside of me. At first when I saw this passage, I was tempted to think perhaps I was not honoring God in an area of my life. Don't you love how Satan accuses us when we are in intimate fellowship with the Lord? God corrected me and told me that the I AM that is inside of me does not receive honor for the work I've been doing by humans. Then the light bulb went off! As Christians, because God "I AM" lives inside of us, when someone does not honor us, they are dishonoring God. In other words, when someone causes us pain, they cause God pain. They are marring the image of God and the Holy Spirit that is inside of us. It reminds me of this verse:

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" ~Matthew 25:40

Now I understand what this passage means! To take it one step further, I was recently able to help a married couple who are good friends of mine by letting them stay at my place which was very close to the hospital. The wife was in labor expecting her first and they lived 25 minutes away. We didn't get much sleep that night, but during the part that I did, the Lord woke me up and said, "You are my blessing." It dawned one me later that He was saying, "I am in labor and you helped me by letting me stay in your home by the hospital. You are my blessing." I hope this helps you to understand why it is so important to honor God by honoring others. When we dishonor other people we are really dishonoring the Lord!

On another note... I want to show this series together:

He calls me Beloved

He calls me Friend

May the Lord bless and keep you!

With God, My Cup Runneth Over

2010-09-11T10:51:00.006-04:00

Come

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
~Mathew 11:28-30

I've been meditating on Psalm 23 lately. I know it has become such a cliche--which is why I believe God has had me meditate over it to find the real meaning. I think about David's life and what he has been through. God especially brought to mind David's time in the wilderness when he was running away from King Saul who was trying to kill him. The Lord brought to my attention that while David was running away for his life in the wilderness, his cup still ran over. Although David was waiting to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, his cup still ran over. Why? Why did David's cup still run over while he was on the run for fear of his life and away from his home land? It was because David had God in his heart. Our circumstances are not what make our cup run over. It is the Lord! That's why it is so important that we come to God time and time again and allow Him to not only fill our cup--but to cause our cup to overflow. It's not our circumstances that fill us up and make us whole or bring us joy--it is the Lord. If we stand on the Lord for our joy, happiness, hope, and overflowing cups in our lives, then our circumstances will not have the power to bring us down. This is a very challenging thing to accomplish in our lives but it is so worth it. Can you imagine the intimacy we can have with God if we just let Him come and fill our cups no matter what desert or wilderness we are in? Jesus says, "Come. Let Me fill your cup." All the praise and the honor and the glory go to Him! I'm so glad that as a Christian, I don't have to live my life being happy or miserable based on circumstances. I can base my emotions and feelings on God--on the only Rock who cannot be moved. This is security. This is building upon the rock and not the sands of circumstances. This is God!!!

"For this is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will be our guide
Even to death."
~Psalm 48:14

Contemporary Christian Art Calendars Available for Sale

2010-09-11T10:39:00.006-04:00

The following Christian Art Calendars are available for sale at zazzle. Please click each image to see a preview of what each calendar contains. May the Lord bless you with His presence!

"All Things New" (Includes Scripture)

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
~Revelation 21:5a

"Harvest"
"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."
~Galatians 6:9

"A New Beginning"

I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
~Psalm 27:13-14

"A Year of Thanksgiving" (Includes Scripture)

In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. ~1 Thessalonians 5:18

Christian Contemporary Art Calendar "A New Beginning" is here!

2010-08-13T17:04:00.012-04:00

Here is the cover and several other images in the calendar. Click any image to preview the entire product.

God has been good and faithful to me this summer by teaching me so many new things--especially about His Grace and Love. I look forward to the rest of the year in having these themes show up in the artwork and in the blog posts. I'm praying for a new level in the art and in my heart because I believe He wants to take it there. I dedicate this calendar to our faithful Heavenly Father. I'm so thankful for His Love and His Grace!

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1a

Enjoy the rest of the summer--it will be gone before you know it! I pray you all are well!

Contemporary Digital Art Calendar Preview

2010-08-05T15:13:00.007-04:00

Here is a preview of the Calendar that I am currently working on. My goal is to have it up by the end of August. I hope this happens :)! Please stay tuned for the final product and the link. I hope you enjoy the direction God is heading this in. He wants to call it "A New Beginning."

Praise Him!

I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
~Psalm 27:13-14

UPDATE- Final Product can be found by clicking the image below:

Before and After Photomanipulation: Desert Lure (Hosea 2)

2010-07-13T21:42:00.004-04:00

Here is the combination of 3 different stock images to create the before:

And here is the result after adding texture layers, paint layers, and many photoshopping tools and edits:

About this piece:
A bit of light-heartedness on the painful topic of being in the desert. I think God was humoring me with the giraffe. The piece speaks to me to find humor in difficult situations and hard, dry places while we wait for the promised harvest.
“Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak tenderly to her.
There I will give her back her vineyards,
and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
There she will sing as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt.
“In that day,” declares the LORD,
“you will call me ‘my husband’;
you will no longer call me ‘my master. ’
~Hosea 2:14-16

Digital Mixed Media: Photomanipulation & Digital Painting

I pray this image will also speak to you!

God and His Promises: Silent Night Majesty

2010-06-30T22:15:00.004-04:00

My apologies for taking so long to post a new blog post! Summer has been very busy for me (shouldn't it be the opposite?). Anyways, I'm looking forward to things calming down soon before things gear up for the rest of 2010. God is true to His promises, and this is what He has lead to share about tonight:

Silent Night Majesty

He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:5-6)

I love how righteousness and believing God go hand in hand. Not only in the passage above but also in Habakkuk 2:4 where God tells Habakkuk that the righteous will live by faith.

Abraham believed what God told him and as a result God counted him as righteous. Go outside at night and look at the stars. Look at the promise that God has made Abraham. Has it not already come to pass? All of God's loyal followers from Abraham's seed are now so many that they cannot be counted. It brings tears to my eyes. Yes, Abraham is our father. In Christ, we also are one of his descendants.

What has God promised you today in Christ? Will you believe God and have righteousness credited to you? We have to live by faith. We have to trust God no matter what--there is no other way to live. Remember that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). You cannot please God unless you believe Him. Remember that the next time Satan tempts you to doubt. God is faithful and true to His promises. For all the promises of God are "yes!" in Christ! (2 Cor 1:20)

Is there is something you are struggling with today? Pray. Stand firm in faith. Trust God to see you through. He is the great almighty Deliverer. He will see you through. Be still and know that He is God.

My prayer is that this image will give you peace as you are still before God and meditate on the wonderful works of His hands like the stars. Go outside and let God romance you with His creation. Be still before Him and most importantly, believe.

Save the Gulf: Charity Art In Response to the BP Oil Spill Disaster

2010-06-12T20:52:00.009-04:00

Save the Gulf

I imagine earth joins me in crying out to God:
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
~Psalm 61:2

Save the Gulf Bumper Sticker (BP Oil Spill)

I don't live near the gulf, but I've been horrified by what I've seen on the news. This is my attempt at doing something about it. I've prayed and will continue to pray. This artwork is in response to prayer. 50% of the profits off this artwork will go to www.ibrrc.org who are down in the gulf now rescuing oiled wildlife. Unfortunately, the wildlife are the innocent victims of human greed.

I'm very concerned about the people in the gulf. I pray that God will have mercy and shield them from the toxins. I also pray that the oil can be contained as much as possible to keep from spreading. My heart goes to those who lost loved ones in this disaster and for those who will be out of food and out of work for an indefinite amount of time.

No doubt that earth is groaning and moaning and waiting for her King (Romans 8:22).

May God help us all and have mercy on us! Lord, please, have mercy!

LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy. ~Habakkuk 3:2

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ~2 Chronicles 7:14

Contemporary Christian Art: She Prayed with Prayer (Like Elijah)

2010-05-25T18:17:00.003-04:00

She Prayed with Prayer

Elijah was a man of like passions to us, and he prayed with prayer that it should not rain; and it did not rain upon the earth three years and six months; and again he prayed, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to spring forth. ~James 5:17-18

Have you ever gotten a hold of God in prayer? We often commend the prayer warriors of the Bible. But do we understand that they were just like us? God answers our prayers just like he would Elijah's when our hearts are in the right place. In this passage, James is encouraging us in prayer. He is telling us that God honors our prayers just like he does Elijah's prayers. God loves us the same! Will He not also honor our prayers?

Let's look at how James describes Elijah's prayer. He "prayed with prayer." This is the Greek language's way of describing intense, focused prayer. In other words, as Elijah prayed, he prayed. Have you ever been so desperate for God that you just got caught up in the prayer and absolutely nothing could break your focus? I think this is where Elijah stood. He got lost in his prayer because of his hunger and desperation for God. He knew God was the source and power of all things. God honors Elijah's passionate faith, and honored his prayer.

I think it's also important to mention that Elijah was a man who knew the Lord. His heart was broken over what he had seen so he begged God to stop the rain, or stop the flow of blessing from Heaven. Elijah prayed a prayer that would honor God and bring His people back to him. I believe Elijah had God and His people's best interests at heart.

With all this said, we can know God like Elijah. We can pray like Elijah. We can be desperate for God like Elijah. I'd encourage you today to search your heart. Ask the Lord to give you a prayer that would honor and glorify Him. Then get on your knees and cry out in desperation to the Lord to move. Experience like Elijah what it means to pray, as you pray.

May the Lord bless you in prayer! Remember, He loves YOU.

Walking Through Refining Fires

2010-05-06T14:50:00.008-04:00

Refined As Gold

“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”
_{~Isaiah 48:10}

_{“I will bring the one-third through the fire,
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, ‘This is My people’;
And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”}~Zechariah 13:9

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness.
~Malachi 3:3

God allows certain trials and tribulations in our lives so we can refined for His Glory. The more He cuts away, molds, and shapes us, the more we become like Christ. I've learned that God wants me to have a Holy attitude when tribulations come. Will I trust Him and lean on faith that He is using this for my good? Or will I have another meltdown?

One of the biggest way God uses circumstances in my life to refine me is in seasons of waiting. Especially when I'm waiting for deliverance. Am I going to complain or trust His timing? Am I going to be patient and believe God knows what He is doing or freak out?

I've found that for each level of blessing comes new levels of challenges and trials. I'm willing to bet that what God is using to refine you now is the very thing that is going to build up your faith so you are ready for the next major work He is going to do in your life. Let us not grow weary in persevering in the refining fires, but let us look at it as a major season of preparation for what is ahead. God knows what is before us, and He knows the end that He wants to bring us to. He also knows what we need to endure now before we get there to that end. He is a good God-- let's remember that, too.

New Abstract Art: What Has God Promised You?

2010-04-12T21:24:00.005-04:00

A Covenant of Peace

“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;
For as I have sworn
That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
So have I sworn
That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
For the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,”
Says the LORD, who has mercy on you.
~Isaiah 54:9-10

I've realized that God has promised me peace as long as I stay with Him and view things the way He would have me see them. Every problem or trouble is not an annoyance but an opportunity for God to come through. An opportunity to come to Him in His refuge and dwell there under the safety of His wings. An opportunity for God to move as He sees fit and when He sees fit. An opportunity to see His loving care for me and for the people I love. An opportunity. Not a hassle.

What has God promised you?

My prayer is that we would put everything in His perspective and see things the way He does. I've realized that I don't have to wait until the harvest to be fed--I am fed simply by doing His Will and delighting in Him. He is a good God!

Meditations on God's Love: He calls me Beloved

2010-03-26T16:18:00.004-04:00

He calls me Beloved

I am my beloved’s,
And my beloved is mine.
~Song of Songs 6:3

He calls me beloved.... He calls me daughter.... He calls me friend

I've been meditating on God's love lately. He's made it clear that the love He pours into us we give back to Him in the greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." ~Mark 12:30

He's made it clear to me that He hears every prayer that we pray and He always answers every prayer at the very best time. He reminded me of prayers I prayed for as a child that still have not been answered. He told me He does not forget like humans do. He will answer our childhood prayers at the perfect time. It may be 20 years later but God is always on time for what is best for us.

He has also reminded me that His commandments are for our own protection. If God says "no" then it is for your own benefit and for His Glory to stop. He loves us so much that He directs our decisions in life so we can make wise choices. If God says, "wait" then it is for your own benefit to wait.

We give back thanks and love through praise. Perhaps the girl in the art above is praising God and giving thanks for all the love and care He has shown her over the years. That is what my heart is telling me.

Lord, help us to love and care for others in the same way you have done for us. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Modern Horse Art & Blurb Promo Code

2010-03-11T10:30:00.006-05:00

Rooted in God's Love

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
~Ephesians 3:16-19

The undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can change. And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday events or terrifying ones, are powerless to "separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" ( Romans 8:39 ).
~Oswald Chambers

I just want these two passages to speak for themselves. This is part of the journey where I am now: being rooted deeply in God's love and meditating on His awesome majesty and glory! If I am rooted in His love then His love will flow through me and into the hearts of others. This is my prayer for all of us. Come what may-- the good or bad-- it doesn't matter if you are rooted in God's love. His Love is all we need. When other people we are close too fail us or fall through it's ok-- we are rooted in God's love and we draw from His source and His source alone. We never draw from God's blessings to get love. We will always walk away upset or disappointed. Instead, we draw from God's love. Jesus is the living water that never runs dry. He has an endless supply! That's why Christians are totally secure regardless of their circumstances. When everyone has failed us we are so rooted in the Love of God that our cup still overflows. Our cup doesn't not overflow because of God's blessings, but because of His love!!! Even in the desert or wilderness like David-- our cup STILL runneth over (Psalm 23:5)! Because we have access to an unlimited supply of God's love! Amazing and comforting isn't it? The Lord is good to all; He has compassion of all He has made! ~Psalm 145:9

Free Shipping on my Christian Art Book

With the following promo codes, you can get free shipping on my art book when you order by March 22, 2010!

USD $ promo code: WESHIP
GBP £ promo code: WESHIP2
EUR € promo code: WESHIP3

A Time and A Season by Stacy Lee

God bless you all and thanks for reading :)

Patience: Finding Joy in Waiting on the Lord

2010-02-27T13:33:00.001-05:00

Patience

Patience conveys the idea of someone who is tremendously strong and able to withstand all assaults. -Oswald Chambers

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. ~Ecclesiastes 7:8

This can hurt sometimes, doesn't it? We want to be all settled in, move to the next thing, aim for the next target, but God tells us to wait. We are in a go-go-go society that keeps moving so when God tells us to wait we go, "huh?" Maybe we think we are being irresponsible by waiting and not taking action. But really we allow God to set ourselves up for a blessing when we respond in obedience by waiting. We allow Him to move and act on our behalf:

Since ancient times no one has heard,
no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
~Isaiah 64:4

What a joy it is to see God come through for us! So many times He wants to do something for us but we rush ahead of Him! We have forgotten to rest and "sit still" before the Lord when He tells us too:

Then she said, “Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day.” ~Ruth 3:18

I'm in a season of resting and sitting still before the Lord. It's been difficult for me to understand that I don't have to act because God is acting for me in ways that I don't see or understand. It is really a trust factor that comes into play here. But during this time of being patient, I've learned to find joy in waiting on the Lord. He is so sweet to us that He gives us rest when He knows we need it. He knows what our abilities are and are not so He will act when we cannot. He is our provider and takes care of all of our needs. He is working on providing for our needs long before we even have them! He really, really loves us! I've found so much joy in mediating on God's goodness, graciousness, and love for us while I sit still before Him. He never ceases to amaze me with His Glory!

So I pray for all of us that are in seasons of sitting still to be patient. To wait in Joy. After all, the Joy of the Lord is our strength and it is an honor and privilege to wait on the God who loves us in a way that is far beyond what we can even comprehend.

Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. ~Nehemiah 8:10

Lots of Updates and New Christian Art: A Love Letter

2010-02-17T19:11:00.005-05:00

The first order of business is a newly designed website! I had a friend graciously do all the coding after I designed everything in photoshop. God planted the desire in my heart for new website to reflect His Glory, and He delivered :). I'm so thankful for this blessing from the Lord! He is so good! Click below to see the new website :)

Second order of business is a newly designed zazzle store. It was time to update it to go better with my new website look. So check it out: New Zazzle Store

I've also been busy creating some new artworks. Today I'm going to post this emotional image with the corresponding Love Letter from God. Let the image and words speak to your heart today regarding your relationship with Him. To God be all the Glory!

A Love Letter

But Zion said, “I don’t get it. God has left me.
My Master has forgotten I even exist.”

“Can a mother forget the infant at her breast,
walk away from the baby she bore?
But even if mothers forget,
I’d never forget you—never.
Look, I’ve written your names on the backs of my hands.
The walls you’re rebuilding are never out of my sight.
Your builders are faster than your wreckers.
The demolition crews are gone for good.
Look up, look around, look well!
See them all gathering, coming to you?
As sure as I am the living God”—God’s Decree—
“you’re going to put them on like so much jewelry,
you’re going to use them to dress up like a bride.

“And your ruined land?
Your devastated, decimated land?
Filled with more people than you know what to do with!
And your barbarian enemies, a fading memory.
The children born in your exile will be saying,
‘It’s getting too crowded here. I need more room.’
And you’ll say to yourself,
‘Where on earth did these children come from?
I lost everything, had nothing, was exiled and penniless.
So who reared these children?
How did these children get here?’”

The Master, God, says:
“Look! I signal to the nations,
I raise my flag to summon the people.
Here they’ll come: women carrying your little boys in their arms,
men carrying your little girls on their shoulders.
Kings will be your babysitters,
princesses will be your nursemaids.
They’ll offer to do all your drudge work—
scrub your floors, do your laundry.
You’ll know then that I am God.
No one who hopes in Me ever regrets it.”
Isaiah 49:14-23 (The Message)

Snowed In: Thankful for God's Rest

2010-02-05T18:27:00.005-05:00

This is the third time I've been officially snowed in during winter of this year. At first, I was frustrated over the craziness of rearranging my schedule. But now, I realize that this is all a part of God's grace. I am so thankful for these days of rest. I've gotten caught up on some art things that I've wanted time to do for a long time. I spent time today redesigning my website. I hope it will be up by the end of the month. I will keep you posted.

The woman with the violin series comes to a close now with this:

A Place to Rest

“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.”
Isaiah 30:15

Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30

Thank you, Lord, for Your rest and Your tender mercies. I'm amazed at how if we are not careful, we will miss some of God's blessings. Being snowed in has turned into a wonderful gift from the Lord. Having extra free time makes me realize how much more I desire to be with God and spend more time with Him. I pray that we will continually have our eyes open and our ears open to see God blessing us--sometimes in strange ways. He is a good God. Unexpected blessings occur all the time. Let's not miss them. Let us devote our time to the Lord and rest in His presence and awesome Holiness!

Lord willing, the next artwork I will do will be on patience. He's been teaching me so much about patience lately in my quiet time and in life's circumstances!

I leave you with this scripture to meditate on:

But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."
~James 4:6

Am I so far off the mark?

2010-01-21T19:57:00.004-05:00

Had I Not Believed

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
~Psalm 27:13

I was having a rough day-- spiritually-- when I was creating this. I decided to get it all out in the artwork. The Lord honored my requested and this came out. It's confirmation in a way. I think some times we get so on edge about different circumstances in our lives that we can start to feel we are off track. After this was created, I knew I wasn't off the mark but right on it instead. What peace came over me to know I'm where He wants me to be. It's a waiting game most of the time (it seems) but this valley, too, shall pass until the Lord gives me clarity on the next great thing He has up His sleeve.

Ultimately, I’m amazed that God still moves through me even in times I don’t feel at all on the mark. Maybe I’m closer than I appear to be. Maybe you also feel the same?

New Christian Art & Scripture Book and Thank You

2010-01-09T13:44:00.017-05:00

Thank you all so much for your support on the last post. Your encouragement is very inspiring and it keeps me going :). In response, I've finally created a art and scripture book of all my most popular works. Of course, God gets all the Glory and credit! I'm amazed at what He will do through us if we only let Him.

The book was created to look like a scrap book of art and scripture. It takes you on a journey through images and God's Word. I hope you will apply it to your own life and your own spiritual journey. Let God speak to you through it. I was going to dedicate the book to God, but He stopped me. He told me that this was His gift to me and many others. As much as we try to do something for Him, He instead does something for us.

I just got my copy in the mail today and it looks great in print!

Click for a Book Preview

Book Details:

Printed on Premium paper; 74 pages; 8" X 10" Landscape

Softcover, Hardcover (Dustjacket), and Hardcover (Imagewrap) are all available.

Click for more details and purchasing information

Cover:

Sample Pages:

***I hope to get a new post, with new artwork and insights of what I've learned along the way, up soon*** Happy 2010!

Say Good Bye 2009

2009-12-27T18:51:00.006-05:00

The past several years of my life have been... interesting. At least, that's the most positive way I can put it. I'm amazed at how God has transformed me through the devastation and the pain. I suppose the biggest thing I've learned is how God has His hand in *everything.* The steps of the righteous ARE ordered by the Lord. I know now that He is in fact the author and the finisher of our faith. God has been building up a solid rock of faith in my life during the last few years. Perhaps He has done the same with you. I learned that faith is not built on the mountaintop of Glory but in the valley of destruction. God is a hurricane. A loving one. Fierce--but loving.

So with a new decade upon us, I leave us with two images (perhaps the last 2 that will be created this year-- depending on how my week goes). I know for me, the first one represents the last few years of my life and the second one represents what is to come in His perfect timing. I pray the Lord will speak to you through these images-- wherever you are in your walk with Him.

Double for all Her Sins

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD’s hand
double for all her sins.
~Isaiah 40:2

Pursued by Glory

And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God. ~Deuteronomy 28:2

All the GLORY goes to God. May He get the glory out of our lives in 2010! Amen.

A Time and A Season: Trusting God with Our Lives

2009-12-11T14:47:00.006-05:00

A Time and A Season

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven.
~Ecclesiastes 3:1

I am so thankful that God cannot be thrown into boxes. I am so thankful that God cannot be confined by our circumstances. I am so thankful that God cannot be defined by our limited view of Him. I am so thankful that God orders our steps and saves us from ourselves. I am so thankful that God commands the times and the seasons in our lives according to His Wisdom and Purposes. I am so thankful that God is God and nothing can separate us from His Love through the power of the shed Blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross. I am so thankful that He keeps us in His hands after we have accepted Jesus as Savior.

Thank you Lord for Your infinite Wisdom. Thank you Lord for Your Sovereignty. Thank you Lord for Your infinite Grace. You are so good, Lord. We thank you.

Trust

“Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him— a faith that says, “I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.” The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is— “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).” ~Oswald Chambers

Thank you Lord, for that mustard seed of faith that we need to trust You. You are the author and finisher of our faith and thank you Lord for taking the time to complete every good work in us. We are Your craftsmanship and You are our Maker.

Rise Above: When God is Calling You Up Higher on the Mountain

2009-11-24T19:40:00.006-05:00

Rise Above

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there.” ~Exodus 24:12a

From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;
Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. ~Psalm 61:2

You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet. ~Psalm 8:6

There comes a time in your life when God will call you up higher on the mountain to be alone with Him. You don't pick the time-- God does. He orders your steps. He orders your circumstances. Like the Psalmist says, "When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I" (Psalm 61:2). When life becomes crushing and unbearable. When faith is the only thing you have left. When people (family, friends) turn their back on you. When the ones you helped have all walked out. When tragedy or trauma hits. When stress and pressure builds up and you become like a bomb just waiting to explode. It's time. It's time to go up higher on the mountain with the Lord.

During a season in my life when God called me up higher on the mountain, He revealed something important to me. My life circumstances were crushing, but what He told me on the mountain was soothing. He showed me Psalm 8:6. He reminded me there that He has put all things under our feet. He said to me, "Rise above." Then I got it! The higher up on the mountain we go with God the more things He puts under our feet. The closer I draw to my Lord the more I identify with HIM and the less I identify with my crushing circumstances. The more I see Jesus and focus on Him the more I rest in faith and not doubt, fear, worry, or despair.

Is He leading you to the Rock? Is He calling you up higher? Go to Him. Go higher. Draw near to the Lord. Let Him lift you up and put all these crushing things under your feet. The higher you go up on the mountain with the Lord the farther below your circumstances will go under you until they vanish and you can only focus on the One who called you. Peace.

Jehovah Jireh: The Lord Who Provides

2009-11-14T12:25:00.002-05:00

Jehovah Jireh

And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” ~Genesis 22:14

2 Kings 4:1-7

This passage of scripture is about Elisha and the Widow's Oil. The widow has no way to pay off her debt so her sons are about to be sold into slavery. However, God provides for the widow's needs by filling up may jars full of oil for her to sell. She ends up with enough to pay off her debt and provide for the needs of her family.

The term "Jehovah Jireh" means "The Lord Who Provides" or "The Lord Who Will See To It." The term originates from the story of Abraham who almost sacrificed his only son Isaac out of obedience to the Lord. But the Lord provided a ram to sacrifice instead of Isaac. Abraham called this very place "Jehovah Jireh."

Just as God saw the widow and Abraham, He sees us. He is the One Who knows our needs because He sees us. He will meet our needs at just the right time as He did for Abraham and the widow. He will meet our needs in full-- not just half-way. Are you in a season right now where you are in need? Remember that God sees you. Will you let Him prove to you that He is your Jehovah Jireh? Bring out your jugs as the widow did as ask the Lord to fill them. As you are obedient to His Will He will make sure that everything you need is provided for.

I am so thankful that we have a Lord who will see to it. There is a rest in that. Thank you Lord for your peaceful rest!

The King's Humility: A Meditation on the God's Humility

2009-11-03T10:38:00.006-05:00

The King's Humility

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,
and to give His life as a ransom for many.
~Matthew 20:28

I want to reflect on how humble the Lord is. He humbles Himself by coming from Heaven to Earth to reach His children. Then, He lives a life of service while He is here. The Creator bows down to the creation and washes the feet of the disciples which was the job of slaves at the time (John 13). Next, Jesus dies on the cross so all of humanity can have the opportunity to get right with the Father and spend eternity in Heaven if they accept Him as Savior. They say, cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree. The Lord of All dies in shame to reconcile Himself to His creation. He certainly didn't have too. But He loved us that much.

What kind of love is this?

The Lord is so humble. He goes to great, painful lengths to be in relationship with us. I remember a time in my life when I was serving someone I was working for. I was so tired and weary from all my service, and I felt it wasn't appreciated. I told the Lord that I wished my service was appreciated after all the hard work and hours I had put into it. While I prayed I saw a vision of a young man with milk and cookies on a tray. I asked the Lord who that was and He said, "It is Me. I have come to serve you. Let me serve you." He is so sweet! The God of the entire universe cares about serving me? The Lord is so humble! He serves us constantly and yet we fail to have eyes to see. I challenge you to look around you and see how the Lord is humbling Himself to serve you and be in relationship with you. Don't take Him for granted. Get on your knees and thank Him today!

We love you Lord!

Our Christian Walk is a Journey

2009-10-16T11:30:00.004-04:00

But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
~Isaiah 43:1-2

Our walk with God is a journey. Life is a journey. Are we content? Do we always want to be one more step ahead? Or one more stage or season ahead? We miss so much along the way. Let's just accept where we are. Right now. With life and God. Let's let God do a work in us right now. Right where we are. He accepts us where we are. Do we?

It's a journey. Let's view it as a journey--not looking for end points. God will faithfully lead us to different places as He chooses. None of it is wasted time because He has already redeemed us in Christ. What was broken is already mended in Him. Sometimes we just don't let Him take us there to the place of mending because we are so stuck on wanting to be somewhere else in life. Here we are now. Let Him finish His work now. Before the next stage has begun. Peace.

Rivers in the Desert: He is Able

2009-10-10T11:40:00.002-04:00

Rivers in the Desert

Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.
~Isaiah 43:19

The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it.
~1 Thessalonians 5:24

He is able. Do we believe that? He is able to do far more than what we even ask for. Remember the widow who had one jug of oil in 2 Kings 4:1-7? She fears losing her sons to slavery in order to pay off her debt. All she sees before her is that one jug of oil. She knows this is not enough to pay the debt. Elisha tells her to borrow all the jugs she can and to fill them from that one jug of oil. So she does and it is enough to pay off her debt. Not only is it enough to pay the debt but she has enough left over to live off of. God provided for her needs. He did not abandon her.

After being in the desert for a long time sometimes it is hard to believe that God can bring forth a river. But God has order our steps in this manner to stretch our faith. Are you in the desert right now? Do you believe that God can bring forth the rivers right where you are to provide for your needs? Are you staring at what you have (one jug of oil) instead of looking to what God can do with what you have to provide for everything? God is the Master Provider. He fed the 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 small fish (John 6). He is able! He able to do beyond what we ask! So often we bring one little jug to God and ask Him to only fill it. But He wants us to bring many jugs to Him and ask Him to fill them all. When we step out on faith in an area of obedience God will provide for us. We need to have the faith to ask Him to move the mountain instead of being paralyzed by fear. When we step out on faith in an area of obedience, God always responds. He is delighted with our faith, and He is delighted that we asked. We ask because we have faith that He is able! I'm so thankful that we worship a God who is always able to do far more than what we even think to ask! He is God. And He is our Provider. Amen.

Christian Art Calendar "Harvest" Preview by Stacy Lee

2009-09-29T10:33:00.004-04:00

I hope this calendar encourages you! It was put together with this in mind:
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ~ Galatians 6:9

Abstract Christian Art: Marvelous Works

2009-09-21T21:03:00.003-04:00

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
~Psalm 139:14

How strange and marvelous are the works of the Great God that we serve! His love is never ending and full of compassion. His beauty is unsurpassed, and His presence brings wholeness. He is mighty in all His ways and wondrous are all His works! His faithfulness is infinite, and His power cannot be matched. His lovingkindness is overwhelming, and His mercy is heart wrenching. He is perfect in all His ways and glorious is His Name in all the earth! The Heavens declare His majesty and are full of His Glory. He has touched my heart, and my prayer is that He has touched yours. O, praise Him, in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ our Lord!

Blessings Poured Out to the Lord

2009-09-05T08:57:00.007-04:00

The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. ~Deuteronomy 28:8

He would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD —2 Samuel 23:16b

When God blesses us, we have the privilege to give them back to Him. Has God blessed you with the gift of encouragement? Then pour it out to Him by encouraging others. Has God blessed you with the gift of music? Then pour it out to Him by allowing others to hear it. Has God blessed you with children? Then pour it out to Him by teaching them to do all things for His Glory. Has God blessed you with a spouse? Then support and love your spouse so they may be better able to bring Glory to God in all things.

I think we get into trouble when we hoard God's blessings for ourselves. I believe we cannot truly feel God's love for us unless we pour it out back to Him by giving His love to others. We are selfish if we do not share His love and blessings with others. In my act of showing others the love that God has shown me, I feel God's love on a greater level. In my act of pouring out to the Lord the blessings that He has given me, I am able to feel His love and encounter His blessings on a greater, more intimate level.

We will experience God's intimacy on a deeper level when we pour out His love to Him by giving it to others. We should never hoard God's love and blessings for ourselves-- it will make us miserable! We will never be satisfied-- always wanting more for ourselves. God's love and blessings are meant to be given back to Him in the act of giving to others. When we give God's love to others and share His blessings with others we are better able to be filled continually with His love. He pours into us as we pour into others. Then, we are continually satisfied.

Union with God in Prayer for His Glory

2009-08-10T22:46:00.006-04:00

Glory

Praise be to His glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.
~Psalm 72:19

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
~1 Corinthians 10:31

We have to seek God in order to know what we can do in this life for His Glory. Oswald Chambers says that prayer makes us one with God (My Utmost for His Highest). It is our union with God in prayer--when two become one--that makes us re-sensitized to His Spirit and allows us to yield in our daily lives as He leads. If I have not sought God to become one with Him, I cannot claim to be working for His Glory in anything. Prayer always comes first because without that union with God we cannot have Christ in us actively working in our daily lives in everything to bring glory to the Father. Our own stubborn wills will counteract His, and we will be working against each other instead of working as one. This union with God can only come with prayer, and I am convinced it is the very foundation upon which the church is to stand. I cannot stand on the solid rock of Christ if I have not become one with Him in prayer first. If I am working against Christ out of my own stubborn will, I am working against the very foundation I claim to be standing on. In my union with Him I am made aware of just how solid and secure a foundation He is for my feet. In acting out of that union, I am secure in my actions and decisions that they are all for His Glory and not for my own selfish desires.

I pray God will move in our prayer time (in the church as a whole and as individuals) to make us one with Himself so we can move forward and bring Him the Glory that is rightfully His in all things. In Jesus Name, Amen.

New Christian Art: He Remembers that We are Dust

2009-07-21T19:55:00.005-04:00

Dust

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
~Psalm 103:13-14

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.
~Isaiah 26:3

Are you stressed out? Are you worried? Are you fearful? I'm so relieved to know that God remembers that we are dust. He doesn't leave us to our own defenses. He doesn't forget about us. He doesn't overlook us or ignore us. He knows how we are formed, and remembers how fragile we are. Sometimes our circumstances make us so vulnerable--whether it is a health issue, finance issue, relationship issue or all three, God sees us in the midst of them all.

The passage above in Isaiah reminds us that keeping our eyes on God will keep us in perfect peace. In light of knowing that God remembers how fragile we are, we can trust Him. He knows we are at times very vulnerable. He knows our fears and our needs. When we focus on God and remember His loving kindness, we trust Him to provide for everything. He will not leave us nor forsake us. He loves us, and He will help us.

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:19

...being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. ~Philippians 1:6

God Can Restore Your Wasted and Desolate Years

2009-07-05T21:33:00.006-04:00

Restore the Desolate Years

I want to encourage you. It doesn't matter what you've done, what others have done to you, or what the enemy has thrown you into. God can restore your desolate years. This scripture has comforted me so much:

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten,
The crawling locust,
The consuming locust,
And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.

You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
And praise the name of the LORD your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
And My people shall never be put to shame.

Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel:
I am the LORD your God
And there is no other.
My people shall never be put to shame. “
~Joel 2:25-27

Do you believe it? We may be a dead tree but all God has to do is breathe life into us and a new branch is born. Jesus is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25)-- He can resurrect anything! What I love about God is He will take the mistakes that we've made and use them later down the road for purpose that brings Him Glory and does us much good in the end.

Do not fear your past. He is the God of the second chance! All things work toward the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Be at peace, and let God work. If you let Him, He will restore your desolate and wasted years. He loves you.

Let us pray.

Father, comfort your children with these words. Lift them up and hold them close unto You. Let them remember Your faithfulness and Your promises. Redemption, O God, is only found in You, and we ask You to redeem us now and restore our wasted and desolate years. Have mercy on us Lord, and we thank You for Your lovingkindness. Help us to be a vessel for Your use so we may show the same mercy and lovingkindness You have shown us to others for Your Glory. We praise Lord, and we love You. We worship only You.

In Jesus Name,
Amen

Modern Christian Art: Mourning Into Dancing

2009-06-21T20:45:00.004-04:00

Mourning into Dancing

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
~Psalm 30:11-12

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
~Genesis 1:2-3

I love how God can turn the bleakest, darkest, most miserable places into a place of dancing and rejoicing! That's what this artwork is all about.

In the beginning, there was darkness, and all God had to do was say, "Let there be light." And there was light! Do you know that God can breathe life into anything? Do you know that He can resurrect anything? Your relationships, your health, your financial situation, etc. Like the above Genesis scripture tells us, light came out of a dark place. All God had to do was speak. God can certainly speak over our desolate situations today and breathe them back to life!

We have to look within during the dark times. Greater is He who is in you! The same power that conquered the grave lives inside of us! Look for the well of water that is never empty inside of Jesus. He will sustain you until God speaks light over your circumstances.

I didn't realize that the process of building solid faith is done in a very dark, depressing, discouraging, and despairing place. But then again, I don't know anyone who gained their faith basking in Glory on the mountain top. It's in the dark valley where we are called to step out on faith and believe God's promises and believe He is good despite how bad our situation might be. That is a place where faith is built! Surely, no one gets there without a struggle and a fight! In fact, some of you may be in the battle for your life right now. Times like that require great faith to pray, "Thy Will be done." It's easy to pray, "Lord, have Your way!" when everything in your life is going good. But when everything you touch crumbles to pieces, when everything is falling apart and nothing comes together, when all hell has broken loose around you, it's a different story-- a faith story to pray, "Thy Will be done!"

Out of the darkest times of my life, I look back and see how God built a solid foundation of faith in me. I may have been backed up into a corner and surrounded by chaos in a pit that kept getting deeper, but God was using it all to make a prayer warrior out of me. He will equip you for your calling in a tough place. Know that you cannot do what God has called you to do, no matter what it is, without great faith. But once we go through what we have to go through to build our faith, God will show us how He has been there all along anxiously waiting to turn our mourning into dancing. God won't bless us with our calling or next stage in life until we are ready for it. We'll stay in the valley as long as it takes to build up the necessary faith. But once we are ready, God will swiftly bring us out of the dark as He speaks light over our lives. Glory be to God!

Rejection: God’s Way of Shutting a Door

2009-06-10T19:36:00.004-04:00

Light My Way

Rejection: God’s Way of Shutting a Door

Jesus rejected at Nazareth: All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. ~Luke 4:28-30 NIV

“And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.” ~Mark 6:11 NIV

I was going to write on a new piece, but God led me to write on the topic of rejection. This image “Light My Way,” although older, is more appropriate for this issue because I believe God does order our steps through rejection.

Rejection is one of the hardest things we humans have to deal with. One of the definitions of the word “reject” is to spit out or vomit. Being rejected can literally leave a bad taste in your mouth. Jesus knew what this meant. He was rejected by His own people in Nazareth. According to the above passage in Luke, they literally drove Him out of town. But what I love about this scripture is the last sentence: “But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.” He simply went on His way. He didn’t stand in front of a shut door—He moved!

We have to know when to move. We have to know when God is calling us to move. The steps of the righteous person are ordered by the Lord, and God will use rejection as a sign for us to move on (Psalm 37:23). Jesus does not dwell on the rejection or feed off of it into anger or depression. He simply “went on his way.”

Jesus also tells us if we are not received or heard then we should shake the dust off our feet as we move on (Mark 6:11). The word for “receive” in the NKJV or “welcome” in the NIV is from the Greek word dexomai meaning “to receive hospitably, entertain.” In other words, if you are not treated in a hospitable manner by those you have come to minister too or serve with, then it may be time to shake off the dust and move on.

I like the idea here of shaking off the dust. It’s almost like saying, “I’m not going to let this bother me or get to me. This isn’t about me, they are rejecting the God I serve and the ministry He has called me into.” In New Testament times, the disciples would shake the dust off their feet as a way of showing separation from the Jews who had rejected their Messiah. It was a way of saying they made the wrong decision.

What about being rejected by other believers? One of the hardest things we have to deal with is being rejected by fellow believers. We can’t take offense when this happens; we have to trust that God has something far greater for us elsewhere. If we feel we are being hindered and cannot serve in the capacity the Lord has called us to serve because of rejection, then don’t mull over it—move on. Don’t stand in front of a shut door crying. Move on! Jesus was rejected by His own people, and He simply went on His way.

God can use a trap set out by the enemy who led you into rejection and make it into a stepping stone. There is purpose in everything—yes, even in rejection! Rejoice in the Lord for simply lighting your way. It may have hurt for a time, but God has something greater for you. You have to trust and believe that there is a new day coming of getting back up. There will come a day when you can serve the Lord in full capacity in a place were you are received hospitably and able to do all that God has sent you to do. Then, you can truly dance on rejection! Satan may have meant it to stop you and hurt you, but God will always use it for your good. Glory be to God! Amen.

Scarlet's Decision & Seeking the Counsel of the Lord

2009-06-04T17:36:00.005-04:00

Scarlet's Decision

"Scarlet's Decision" is a very personal piece for me. It is an older piece, created many years ago during a very difficult time in my life. I felt the weight of a decision so great that I feared to make it. Ultimately, God came to my rescue and brought me deliverance by His own hand. He knows how fragile we are, and even when we get ourselves in a mess, He is there ready to bail out those who love Him.

Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD. ~Joshua 9:14

The Israelites were deceived in making a treaty with the Gibeonites because they did not seek the Lord’s counsel. How often have we done the same thing? Not everything that comes your way is a blessing. Sometimes, it is a trap set out by the enemy. We must always come before the Lord and seek His counsel and allow Him to make decisions for us. When a opportunity that looks great arises, we should always ask the Lord first and foremost and let Him decide if we take it or not. We should be wary of relying on our own common sense. God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). Remember when God told Gibeon that he had too many men to fight the battle against the Midianites? (Judges 7:2) The very idea sounds absolutely insane! God keeps telling Gideon to tell many of the men to go home despite the fact that Israel was outnumbered by their enemy. Gideon won the battle, but he sought the Lord’s counsel. He was obedient even though God’s advice went against common sense and maybe even human sanity.

Maybe you feel trapped right now in a situation you got yourself into. God in His faithfulness will get you out. However, let us learn always to seek the counsel of the Lord on everything! This means we must trust Him fully—even when He tells us to do something that goes against everything our human minds are telling us to do. After all, it is not I who live but Christ in me. Let’s let Him guide us and direct our paths and live a life of total obedience to the One we love the most. Amen.

Many are the Afflictions of the Righteous

2009-05-18T22:45:00.004-04:00

Many are the Afflictions

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
~Psalm 34:19

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. ~2 Cor. 4:17

Everything we go through is with purpose. Some pits we get ourselves into and others God throws us into. Just look at the life of Joseph (Start Genesis 37). We have to trust God in these moments of blindness that He has a plan with good intentions for us (Jeremiah 29:11). In these times of afflictions, faith is built, and we are made stronger.

I didn't understand that if I wanted to get strong and be a warrior in God's Kingdom, then I would have to suffer through many things. I have found that oftentimes, at our weakest point, God will kick us while we are down through an affliction, but only to build us up stronger. He will use the affliction to make us strong. The hardest times in my life have been the most forming times. I can easily look back and see God forming my clay vessel with His hands and breaking off the bad branches that didn't bear fruit, but restoring the wound and allowing it to heal into a healthy branch that can be used for His purposes.

God has to break our will first before He can truly use us. We are of no use to God if we constantly assert our own will over His. We have to learn to go when God says, "Go" without questioning Him. We have to learn to wait when God says,"Wait" without questioning Him. It is through these afflictions that work for us we learn to trust God completely, build up strong faith in Him, and grow stronger in the process.

After suffering through many trials, I've noticed how fearless I've become. Things that use to phase me don't bother me anymore. I can handle this because my God has brought me through and out of the darkest of pits! No one conquers fear without going into the battle and finishing the fight. These are the things that warriors are made of.

Let God work through the process you need to go through in whatever affliction you are dealing with now. Let Him has His way with you. Sometimes you have to go through what you go through. Through this you will learn to trust Him and hold on to Him for dear life. He will get you out in His perfect time. It may take a day, or it may take ten years. But our God is a faithful God, and He will always bring you out.

We don't jump from mountain top to mountain top, but we have to go through the valley of the shadow of death before we can reach the next mountain top. You will find that God is there in the midst of it all carrying you all the times you could not even walk yourself. Glory be to God!

I leave you with this scripture that comforted me during times of affliction:

But godliness with contentment is great gain.
~1 Timothy 6:6

Let's learn to be content in being Godly and obedient to the Lord and let God handle the rest.

A Father's Promise: The Purpose is Greater than the Pain

2009-04-30T20:18:00.005-04:00

A Father's Promise

O LORD God, do not reject your anointed one.
Remember the great love promised to David your servant.
~2 Chronicles 6:42

This is a very personal piece for me. I had a vague idea what I wanted to portray when I started, but God moved very powerfully in this piece. This woman has come from the mountain top of the Lord and walked through the dry and barren desert to get to her Heavenly Father's promise. It has been a long, hard and very painful journey, but she knows that her God never fails. Along the way God has whispered ever so delicately in her ear "the purpose is greater than the pain."

Sometimes it is so hard believe that God truly loves us when everything in life seems to be working against us. God will back us up into a corner and ask, "Do I favor you?" The answer has to be "yes," because God would not take the time to plan out one tragedy after the next in our lives. (I'm sure some of you all reading this can really testify...) It almost gets to the point where it is easier for God to bless than to strike out against us, but He chooses the latter.

Along the way I've realized that I have to pay the price for my anointing. Jesus, Joseph, David, Paul, Jacob, Esther, etc. all paid the price for theirs. Why would I be any different? The greater the anointing-- the greater test. I've realized in the midst of many tragedies that God does favor me-- despite what my life circumstances say. Only until God has taken every good thing out of Job's life does he say, "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You" (Job 42:5). When God goes out of His way to take the good out of your life-- to the point where it gets almost comical (you start to laugh because you can't cry anymore), then your eyes have seen God. Then you know Him. You know it doesn't depend on you, and it's not up to you. It's up to Him. The time will come when He will bless, but in the mean time all you can do is believe-- the purpose is far greater than the pain.

God will keep His promises, and they will all come to past in His perfect timing. He is a faithful God who never fails. Be at peace during this time of trial even though it has been long and there may be longer still to go. There is a glory coming for you after this if you remain faithful to His plan for your life. When it's your time to be blessed-- then it's your time, and the devil can't stop! We will reach the lush forest of promise in due time if we do not lose heart.

Remember David's words before He became King:

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living.
~Psalm 27:13

Giving Thanks to the Lord with Gratitude Overflowing

2009-04-13T19:00:00.005-04:00

Gratitude Overflowing

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
~Colossians 2:6&7

We aren't nearly as gracious to the Lord as we should be (I know I'm not.) Here is my attempt in artistic prayer to say, "Thank You, Lord." No matter what season you are in your life, whether you are in a season of blessing or one of hardship, we always should look towards the cross and give thanks. It's His mercy and His grace that creates a grateful and compassionate people. I constantly have to remind myself during difficult times to give thanks to the Lord. The Joy that is found in salvation alone is enough. Yes, His grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9). Let us remember to give thanks and praise to Him for He is good. Let us be vessels where gratitude is overflowing to our Lord who has given us the promise of eternal salvation in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Christian Contemporary Art Series on Isaiah 61:3

2009-04-07T16:26:00.008-04:00

To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. ~Isaiah 61:3

The following is a series of artworks done for this verse. I am so touched by the compassion and love in this passage of scripture. How amazing that our Lord Jesus Christ came to do these things! He still does them today. With this series I want to highlight the fact that Jesus brings light to those in darkness. He brings good news to those in great pain. He brings consolation, comfort, beauty, joy, and praise for all who are suffering. Jesus still sets the captives free today! May you be greatly encouraged by this new art series and may the Lord Jesus Christ be magnified!

To console those who mourn in Zion

To give them beauty for ashes
The oil of joy for mourning
The garment of praise for the spirit of heavinessAmen.

New Modern Christian Art: "Harvest" and Waiting on the Lord

2009-03-30T20:38:00.006-04:00

Harvest

For since the beginning of the world
Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.

~Isaiah 64:4

But as it is written:
“ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

~1 Corinthians 2:9

Paul quotes Isaiah 64:4, but he changes the word “wait” to the word “love.” God convicted me some time ago in a difficult season of waiting in my life that His people were not willing to wait for Him. When I saw how Paul changes the wording in this verse, I was confronted with the question: “Do I really love God if I’m not willing to wait for Him?” I think God is making a point in this change from “wait” to “love.” Does His church really love Him when she is constantly going off without Him?

I read a touching story about a man who was convicted to wait for God in his closet every day. Thus, for most of the day, he sat in his closet and just waited for the Lord. Finally, on day twelve, he said, “Lord, I’ve been waiting for you everyday now for almost two weeks. You have yet to show up. What is your point in making me wait for you?” All of a sudden he felt a hand on his shoulder and water on his back. God spoke to him and said, “I am weeping because my people do not wait for me.”

I think we hurt God when we aren’t willing to wait for Him. When God says, “Go!” we must be obedient and go. When God says, “No” we must be obedient and stop or not start. When God says, “Wait” we must patiently endure the time knowing we are acting out of love for the One we are called to love the most. There was a time in my life when I was not willing to wait for Him. I learned the hard way, and I hurt the One I do love most in this world. Now I know that if I truly love God, I will gladly wait for Him—no matter the cost. Because I love Him that much. Let us rejoice, therefore, as we wait for the Lord. Surely, the harvest will come if we do not lose heart.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. ~ Galatians 6:9

Contemporary Modern Christian Art

2009-03-18T12:07:00.002-04:00

Please enjoy the following slide show of some of my artwork! The Music is "You'll Come" by Hillsong.

New Christian Art: "Consolation" When God Disciplines Us

2009-03-12T14:23:00.006-04:00

Consolation

To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
~Isaiah 61:3

“ My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
~Hebrews 12:5-6

We all make the mistake during difficult times of casting the image of our former or maybe present abusers onto God. What a terrible mistake to make! Our abusers are out to victimize us, and they hurt us out of hate and out of spite. We must check our hearts, do we accuse God of the same thing? God disciplines us always out of love and never out of anything else. God is love! Whatever we endure in this life, no matter how painful it is, we can be sure that God can turn it around and get the Glory and use it for our good! God is always in control of our circumstances. Never think that something happens to you that God didn't see coming. The opposite is true, of course. God has seen the end from the beginning. God has a way of working in His mighty power where He is 100% in control of our circumstances and at the same time does not violate anyone's free will. This is how powerful our God is! Nothing happens to you that God is not in complete control over. His Word will not return to Him void and at the same time it will not violate man's free will! God's power is endless!

God will sometimes back us into a corner and isolate us from everyone. We realize in those moments that we truly love God more than we love anyone or anything else. We realize in those moments why we fight the battle of each day and who is in control of all of it. He will use each trial and struggle to tear us down in the bad areas and build us up stronger in the good areas. Oh, what a God we serve! He is constantly pursuing us and working actively on our behalf even in our sleep. He does everything with purpose which is far greater than any pain because after we have endured many trials we realize we are no longer afraid of the enemy's tactics because God will use whatever is meant for evil for our good. The enemy thinks he is in control but he is not. God constantly turns around what the enemy does for our good. God would not allow it otherwise.

After each storm of life we can expect to be consoled. Isaiah says Jesus came for it! When we are embraced by God's deep and abiding love for us we reject any notion that God could be like those who have hurt us so deep in the past. In fact, God uses those very wounds to transform us into doers of His Word and sets before us a very great purpose for which we are anointed for. Jesus paid the price for His anointing and so must we. But when we get to Heaven we realize how much greater the joy it is to have shared in Christ's sufferings and to suffer for His sake because how much more we grow and know the Lord because of all the trials and tribulations of life. We are here to be prepared for eternity and to fulfill the tasks for which we are anointed for. There is no other reason to live other than to do what God has called every one of us to do. Before we get there and while we are there we pay the price, but Christ has long since paid the price for all of our sufferings and it is only because of what He did that we are able to endure. Faith is the victory! Amen.

For My Eyes Have Seen: This Is My Turning Point!

2009-03-01T15:53:00.024-05:00

For My Eyes Have Seen

One cannot remain unchanged after seeing God.

“ Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The LORD of hosts.” ~Isaiah 6:5

"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.
For my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel." ~Luke 2:29-32

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.” ~Job 42:5&6

When you have seen God your life HAS to change. Seeing God can come in a variety of ways as the above examples show, but the moment always represents a turning point. You can't see God and stay stagnant. It is not possible. Once you have seen Him, it's time to turn!

First, Isaiah sees God high and lifted up in the temple. God cries out and asks, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" And Isaiah replies "Here am I! Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8) This is his turning point! How could Isaiah see God on His throne, in all of His Glory and splendor, and not respond? Isaiah has found purpose and mission in life after seeing the Lord in all of His Majesty! Isaiah acknowledges how unclean he and his people are (Isaiah 6:5). He sees how pure and holy the Lord is and realizes his own filth and the filth of his nation. Now he has purpose: deliver the Lord's message to the unclean people. Surely Isaiah could never forget his turning point!

Next, let's look at Luke 2 at the story of Simeon. The Holy Spirit told Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Christ (Luke 2:26). As the above scriptures say, Simeon can now die in peace knowing that his eyes saw the Messiah, the light of salvation, on earth. This is his turning point! Simeon then gives a Word about Jesus to Mary and fulfills the task and purpose for which he was sent (Luke 2:34-5). Joseph and Mary's eyes are opened and also their belief about having a special child from God confirmed by Simeon's prophecy. Simeon has now seen God in flesh and the salvation He brings. His life's purpose is complete with this turning point. The waiting has ended! Salvation for all of Israel and the Gentiles is here!

Last, let's look at Job. Job was blameless and upright when God took everything away from him (Job 1:1). Job has always believed what he has heard about the Lord; however, he has never seen the Almighty (see the above Job scripture). Through dialogue and extremely difficult circumstances, Job comes to know who the God is that he serves. He finally sees him with his eyes. He no longer just believes what he has heard; he has a first hand account and experience with the Lord. This is his turning point! What many people don't realize is that God sets Job up for major blessings. Job has the JOY of knowing who the God he worships is first hand. Job no longer goes on what he hears but what he has experienced of the Lord, himself. This is a powerful difference. Now with a right heart Job can continue his obedience to the God who he has seen. Job repents of his ignorance and realizes how small he is in comparison to the Great God Almighty. What a turning point! Job then is blessed more than he was before and restored, but perhaps the greatest blessing is seeing who God really is (Job 42:12).

The point is, we all will have a turning point in our walks with the Lord. Some of us may have more than one, but the ultimate one is seeing who God really is first hand. Knowing about God and knowing God firsthand are two different things. Despite the often horrible circumstances that can come with learning to know who God is first hand is the biggest blessing of truly knowing God. What I mean is not just believing what you hear and read, but knowing Him. It is the greatest gift you can ever receive because once you know Him, nothing else compares in this life. When we reach the point of knowing God and seeing Him for who He really is, we can never live life the same. This turning point brings a new sense of purpose. Can I truly serve the Lord if I don't truly know Him? How can I begin to tell others about Him unless I have seen Him myself with my own eyes? Sometimes, like Job, the cost of seeing Him is tremendous, but so small once realize who our God really is. There is nothing, nothing, nothing like knowing the Lord. And if we all have to have a moment in our lives like Job, then so be it if it means we can know the Lord Almighty! For there is no greater JOY than knowing Him and then serving Him in light of who He really is. I pray that you will have a turning point in your life. I've just recently encountered my own turning point and surely my eyes have seen.....

Faith During a Battleground of Circumstances

2009-02-18T17:06:00.008-05:00

Faith

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ~Hebrews 11:1

The position of faith is one of the toughest places you can ever be placed in. And yet, without the positioning, no faith can ever be built or grown. Faith is built in tough places. God promises us something and He puts us between a rock and a hard place and by faith we still believe. It was by faith that Abraham was credited righteousness (Romans 4:3). It is by faith that we are righteous. It is by faith that we please God (Hebrews 11:6). It is by faith that we learn to know God and see His power manifest within and among us. It is by faith the heart grows fonder toward its Creator because we start to see how much we really truly believe Him against all odds.

Perhaps what I love the most about faith is the relationship it produces between us and God. If I have faith, I will have to discuss my life circumstances every day with my Lord until I receive what it is I've been promised and what remains hidden, unseen. Thus, faith produces dialogue with God throughout the battle of circumstances. In this battle, perhaps faith is what really teaches us how much we truly love the God we serve. If I didn't love God so much I probably wouldn't believe. I probably wouldn't go through the trouble, the pain, and the heartache of believing when circumstances seem impossible.

In the mists of the raging battle of circumstances, faith provides a window for God's power to manifest itself in ways we've never thought possible. With this power comes even more belief. More faith is built up already for the next "impossible" mission of faith. This power also brings repentance of doubt, despair, and unbelief. It's then that we truly realize that our Savior can move the mountains. All we have to do is take heart, believe, and have faith.

Ultimately, it is God's love that fuels the car of faith. When we run out of steam and are on the verge of exhaustion we must refuel with God's love so the car of faith can continue despite the odds. God's love for us reminds us of His goodness and His faithfulness and His wholeness. His love strengthens us so our faith does not fail. His love reminds us whose child we are and how passionately we are cared for. Most importantly, His love completes us. Faith is impossible without God's love. If you have hit a wall of circumstance in your faith journey, then refuel on God's love. Faith is impossible without it. Remember you are loved unconditionally by a God who is always good and never fails. In the end, you will know Him like you've never known Him before. And, ultimately, I think that's the point of faith.

God Will Bring You Home

2009-01-31T18:06:00.005-05:00

I Will Bring You Home

“The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”

“The sorrows for the appointed feasts
I will remove from you;
they are a burden and a reproach to you.

At that time I will deal
with all who oppressed you;
I will rescue the lame
and gather those who have been scattered.
I will give them praise and honor
in every land where they were put to shame.

At that time I will gather you;
at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise
among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes
before your very eyes,”
says the LORD.
~Zephaniah 3:17-20

The only healthy fear in a Christian's life is that of God. Our God can move mountains, so what are we so afraid of and worried about in this life? Sometimes we ask ourselves, "When can I finally move forward and be where I need to be in life? Why can't I have it now?" We start to panic about our circumstances. We run around asking advice for everyone in the world except for going to the one person who can give us an answer: God.

God will bring you home. Many times when we say we are waiting on Him we realize that God is really waiting for US. We should come before God humbly and ask, "Lord grant me wisdom and revelation in all things and reveal to my heart what needs to change before I can be restored and brought home to You." God is always faithful and will not let us fall, but so much of it depends on how willing we are to let God change our hearts. The problem is not with God. The problem is not with our circumstances. The problem is with us. We have to be fully surrendered to His Will and Purposes for our lives. Have I made my heart so hard like cement that God cannot change it? My heart should be that of soil, so when God plants seeds of His Love, Word, and Faith they can all freely take root and grow and push through the soil and become a firm foundation for a tree to grow on. The problem is not with waiting on God. The problem is with us. Are we allowing God to change our hearts so we are ready to be brought home to whatever that area is of His promise? He WILL bring us home, but He is waiting on us.

Let's bring our hearts of cement to God and ask Him to change them into hearts of rich soil so His Word can take a firm root and grow powerfully in our vessels for His Glory. Afterall, we are not really waiting for God, God is waiting for us to change. We have to allow Him to change us for His purposes and Glory. Amen.

Prayer, Humility, Faith, Praise, and Habakkuk: Stand My Watch

2009-01-12T20:13:00.005-05:00

Stand My Watch

I will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.
~Habakkuk 2:1

Habakkuk knows that he worships a God he can dialogue with. We see a passionate man who goes straight to God concerning the slaughter of his people by a ungodly nation. Habakkuk prays knowing that God will answer. He stands on his watchtower, waiting for God's response. Habakkuk perseveres in waiting until God responds. So many of us pray and then we don't even wait for God's response. Habakkuk is willing to wait for his God. He knows that his God will show up. He knows that his God is worth waiting for. He knows that he can only find hope and correction in his God's response.

Not only does Habakkuk show wisdom and maturity by waiting for God, but in his humility as well. Habakkuk expects to be corrected. He cannot understand why God would punish His own people by an extremely ungodly nation. Yet, Habakkuk walks by faith and not by sight. He knows that things are not always what they seem. This is reiterated when God tells Habakkuk that the righteous shall live by his or her faith (2:4). Habakkuk learns to trust God and walk on what God says, despite his circumstances.

Perhaps the most amazing part of this book is Habakkuk's response, which is praise. He understands that God is sovereign and just. Although what Habakkuk perceives with his physical eyes is unjust, he knows in his heart that God is good and just. He knows that his only hope rests in God. Just as Paul and Silas praise God when they are thrown into prison and beaten, Habakkuk has the same response (Acts 16:25). What does this teach us? When a crisis arises, we still worship God. God is good all the time. God is soveriegn. The God who takes away and rebukes, will give again. In the end, we will be all the more better for it. For all things work toward the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). I believe Habakkuk knew this in his wise response of praise to God.

When you face a crisis, is your trust so deep in God that praise and worship is your first response? Do you wait on the Lord for an answer? Do you approach God with humility? Do you live by faith or by physical sight?

Prayer Art: Lift Up Holy Hands

2008-12-26T14:16:00.004-05:00

I desire therefore that people pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
~1 Timothy 2:8
The Word that is descending upon her is Isaiah 51.
Photomanipulation created in Photoshop CS2.

Prayer has to come first in the Christian life. I cannot be with my Maker unless I am engaged in constant prayer. I cannot walk and talk intimately with my God unless I am engaged in constant prayer. I cannot complete my tasks and missions I am called into on this earth unless I am engaged in constant prayer and seeking Him for the purposes He has called me into. I cannot love others unless I am engaged in constant prayer, talking with God and asking Him to teach me how to love others the way He has loved me. I cannot be healed unless I am engaged constant prayer seeking my Healer who knows every single strand of hair on my head. I cannot get through life's dangerous walk without heeding His warnings and guidance unless I am engaged in constant prayer.

The goal of Christianity should be to intimately know your Maker as deeply and richly as possible. It's getting back to that garden of Eden where Adam and Eve did walk with God in that beautiful place before the fall. Because Christ has come to set us free from the fall, we can get back there. Restored Adam and restored Eve in Christ can intimately know their Maker, and they are called to draw those around them into Christ so they may, too, be resurrected from their fallen state. I was a captive, but by allowing Christ into my heart and intimately engaging Him in prayer on a constant basis, I am freed every single day of my life. Sin and Satan cannot hold me. Prayer with my God keeps me alive on every level in my heart. And a heart fully alive, not shattered and broken, but whole in Christ is God's Glory revealed.

Irenaeus said, "The glory of God is man fully alive." This is only possible through prayer with God Himself-- so Jesus can enter in and do what He wants to do for all of God's children: set the captives free so we are God's Glory, which is being fully alive in Him. Prayer through Jesus Christ makes this possible to everyone. Praise God!

Bring Good News: Your God Reigns!

2008-12-14T15:03:00.006-05:00

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
~Isaiah 52:7

For the captive, there are no sweeter words. Despite our circumstances, we must always keep pressing forward looking to our God who reigns for deliverance and comfort. All these afflictions that the devil started will in fact work for us and our good as God brings us into a greater glory, so that we might be a reflection of His own Glory. I do not believe that God's own creation can be glorified in a marred and assaulted form. Surely, we were created for so much more! God comes to restore His Image in each of us and with His Image He brings His Glory because of His Mercy. For it was not by the righteous things we have done, but because of His Mercy that we are saved (Titus 3:5). God wants His Glory reflected in all of us. No matter what state you are in, there is hope for the Christian. There is always hope, because Your God Reigns!

New Art: By His Stripes

2008-11-25T14:47:00.005-05:00

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. ~Isaiah 53:4&5

By His stripes we are healed because of the power of the resurrection. Come to the water that only Jesus Christ can offer. His wounds are our own iniquities and our own afflictions, and the water that pours out from His wounds brings life and life abundantly. Jesus cannot set us free until we are willing to let Him. We have to take the first step to come to the water, and let Him enter in to heal us. Jesus carried our sorrows so we don't have too. Let us come and allow Him to abide in us and us in Him so that He can set us free from pain and bondage.

As a woman, I look to Jesus as my Healer Husband. He is my first love. I find that the more I pursue after His own heart, He has been pursuing after mine all the more.

Let us come to the fountain that poured out on the cross and by the power of the resurrection. Let us come to be healed. Let us come to be immersed in His Grace and His Goodness. Let us fall in love again with our first love, our healer, our Jesus.

Lead me to the cross where Your Love poured out
Bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself, I belong to You

New Christian Art: Comfort My People

2008-11-06T16:58:00.006-05:00

"As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem." ~Isaiah 66:13

Our comfort comes from the LORD. Are you facing a hard time? Do you have so many battles in front of you that you don't even know where to begin? Is your situation so bad that desperation and tears seem to be your only friend? God wants us to place all of our sorrows and burdens on Him so that He can carry us through the storm. Perhaps God is bringing you into a new time of trusting Him like you've never trusted Him before. It may not be easy, but if we allow God to be our Shepherd, then we shall not want (Psalm 23:1). Look to the LORD for strength, mercy, grace, and comfort. If you place your hope in Him you will not be disappointed. For the LORD is our Rock and our Strength. Surely He will comfort His people, and surely He is the author of all redemption and deliverance. Praise God today for His comfort and ask Him to pour out His wealth of Love, Joy, and Peace on your life today.

Click here and click on "view larger" to see a bigger version of the artwork.

New Artwork: The Sound of Deliverance

2008-11-03T19:28:00.003-05:00

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed;
Save me, and I shall be saved,
For You are my praise.
~ Jeremiah 17:14

Every human being, young and old, needs healing on some level. Most of us need healing on many levels. The question is, do we move out of our spiritual comfort zones and allow God to show up and be a God to us? What did Jesus do in the Gospels? He healed. He brought deliverance to the people of God. This is the sign of the Kingdom of Heaven breaking into the world. Jesus still heals today. However, many Christians don't let Him. I'd encourage you to cry out in prayer to the Lord and ask Him to bring you deliverance. Allow God the opportunity to show up and be a God to you like you've never experienced before. Don't be scared to allow God to move powerfully in your life. He wants to tear down all those painful walls so He can bring you healing and deliverance and into a new spiritual level in your daily walk with Christ. Jesus is the way, truth, and the life (John 14:6). He promises us life and that we may have it abundantly (John 10:10). Let's ask God for healing so we can truly have His promises. Our healing may not come when we expect it or how we expect it, but it will surely come. God's Word promises this: "by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). Let's allow God to heal us so we may be who we truly are in Christ and go out and minister to others.

Click here and click on "view larger" to see a bigger version of the artwork.

The Opening: Matthew 7:7

2008-10-28T18:38:00.004-04:00

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." ~Matthew 7:7

This is a photomanipulation created in Photoshop CS2.

Sometimes we are hesitant to do what God has asked us to do, but if we step out on faith we find that the door is already there. All we have to do is knock and it shall be opened for us. When we wait on Him, the LORD has already gone out before us. All we have to do is surrender ourselves and be obedient and follow in on His footsteps and He will even be our rear guard.* Rejoice! For He is good!

*For the LORD will go before you,
And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. ~Isaiah 52:12

Click here and click on "view larger" to see a bigger version.

New Christian Art: Forgiven

2008-10-24T22:27:00.002-04:00

Forgiven

He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
~Isaiah 53:11

Photomanipulation created in Photoshop CS2.

New Christian Art: My Glory

2008-10-17T16:28:00.001-04:00

My Glory

Photomanipulation created in Photoshop CS2.

I hope this encourages you! This baby fawn has been hanging around in my back yard for a couple months now. Finally got a picture of her! She is so beautiful I had to incorporate her into one of my pieces. I hope she finds her family soon because she is always wandering around alone.

But You, O LORD, are a shield for me,
My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
-Psalm 3:3

New Merry Christmas Art Card

2008-10-13T23:08:00.000-04:00

Merry Christmas Card

Merry Christmas :)

New Healing Art: Mercy

2008-10-12T16:02:00.004-04:00

Mercy

Digital Mixed Media

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit -Titus 3:5

Christian Digital Art Calendar with Scripture by Stacy Lee

2008-10-06T13:44:00.014-04:00

This Christian Art Calendar is now available at redbubble! Each image comes designed with the appropriate scripture. Click on the image to check it out :)

New Digital Fine Art: All Things New

2008-09-30T16:10:00.005-04:00

All Things New

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”
~Revelation 21:5a

This is so comforting, especially when we are stuck in a position in life we never thought we’d be in. My hope is that this image will comfort and encourage you!

Photomanipulation created in Photoshop CS2

The Send Off: Here am I! Send me.

2008-09-20T11:52:00.002-04:00

The Send Off

I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

“ Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Isaiah 6:8

This is a vision that God gave one of my friends. To me it means about dying to self so God can send you out into the world and show the world how much Jesus loves others. This is the great send off!

Photomanipulation created in Photoshop CS2

New Christian Spiritual Art: Offering

2008-09-18T18:38:00.005-04:00

Offering

Offering the heart to God is all apart of the healing process of purification and renewal within!

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

Digital Mixed Media compiled in Photoshop CS2

New Spiritual Art: Breakthrough

2008-09-09T21:03:00.005-04:00

Breakthrough

When hard times hit, you have to pray for a breakthrough. This image is my prayer for a breakthrough and perhaps it will become your prayer, too.

Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
-Habakkuk 3:17-18

Digital Mixed Media

New Beginnings Series: He Delights In Me

2008-08-17T16:45:00.006-04:00

You shall no longer be termed Forsaken,
Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate;
But you shall be called Hephzibah [My delight is in her], and your land Beulah [Married];
For the LORD delights in you,
And your land shall be married. Isaiah 62:4

Digital Mixed Media compiled in Photoshop CS2

New Art: Hope in Him

2008-08-09T19:11:00.006-04:00

Hope In Him

And I will wait on the LORD,
Who hides His face from the house of Jacob;
And I will hope in Him. Isaiah 8:17

Photomanipulation created in Photoshop CS2

New Healing Digital Art: Out of the Storm

2008-08-05T13:09:00.004-04:00

Photomanipulation created in Photoshop CS2.

This complex emotional piece reminds us that there is hope in the whirlwind. In fact, out of the hard seasons in life we may just find what we were looking for all along. You never know what will wash up upon the shores of life out of the whirlwind. One thing you can be sure of is God will be there every minute of every hour holding your hand. Who knows what treasures await you on the other side!

The LORD has His way
In the whirlwind and in the storm,
And the clouds are the dust of His feet.
Nahum 1:3

New Spiritual Art: Light My Way

2008-07-19T13:16:00.008-04:00

Photomanipulation created in Photoshop CS2.

You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light. Psalm 18:28

Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love,
for in You I trust. Make me know the way I should go,
for to You I lift up my soul. Psalm 143:8

New Art: Jael's Fruit: A Symbolic Interpretation of the Biblical Story (Judges 4)

2008-07-11T20:50:00.005-04:00

The story of Jael and how the warrior Sisera fell by her hand can be read here in Judges 4. This is a symbolic interpretation of the biblical story.

Digital Mixed Media Art: Restoring Eve

2008-06-25T17:53:00.003-04:00

God is the author of restoration. I believe God wants to restore Eve and Adam from their fallen states and bring them LIFE so that they may have life and have it abundantly. I know this is true because God is restoring me now at this point in my life!

In the words of Jesus: “The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy; but I come so that they may have LIFE, and have it abundantly!” John 10:10

What joy we can have in this promise! :)

New Digital Art: Redemption

2008-06-15T19:24:00.004-04:00

Put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption. Psalm 130:7

Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear. Isaiah 59:1

This is digital mixed media put together in Photoshop CS2.

Digital Mixed Media: Worship

2008-06-06T14:01:00.004-04:00

Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth. -Psalm 96:9

Digital mixed Media

New Digital Art: In My Father's House

2008-05-18T12:48:00.004-04:00

There are many rooms in my Father’s house; I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
John 14:2

Anastasia's Gift

2008-04-26T11:41:00.001-04:00

A photomanipulation created in Photoshop CS2

New Artwork: "Healed"

2008-03-13T18:35:00.007-04:00

O LORD my God, I called to you for help
and you healed me. Psalm 30:2

Digital Mixed Media Art: "Restoration" & Amos 9:11

2008-01-26T16:29:00.000-05:00

Mostly done in Photoshop CS2, I've used a variety of digital programs to create this image.

We are all marred by life in some way or another. This image is about overcoming. Overcoming illness (emotional and physical) and destruction of all kinds. This image is about hope and restoration. This image is about healing. Most importantly, this image is about wholeness.

In that day I will restore David’s fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be. Amos 9:11

New Digital Art: Release

2008-01-18T15:42:00.000-05:00

Release from captivity is beautiful thing! Digital Mixed Media. This image was created used a variety of digital programs, mostly Photoshop CS2.

New Digital Art: Faith Rising

2008-01-14T00:30:00.001-05:00

This digital mixed media image is about faith and healing. “Your faith has made you well.” Anyone with a disease longs to hear these words. This image is a representation of that.

Poetry and Art: Moon Glow

2008-01-08T14:29:00.000-05:00

This is a digital art image I created using a variety of digital programs. It includes my poem "Moon Glow" which you can read here. I will be publishing a book of these hopefully sometime this year :)

Digital Mixed Media Art: Guardian

2007-12-23T20:14:00.000-05:00

Digital Mixed Media. I used a combination of digital art programs to create this image. My poem "Guardian" is in the center. I hope to publish a book of these images that feature my poetry.

Digital Oil Painting: Scarlet's Decision

2007-12-08T13:38:00.000-05:00

What will she decide? What will it be?

(Corel Painter, Wacom Tablet Intuos3)

Digital Painting Portrait: Frost

2007-12-05T12:50:00.000-05:00

In honor of winter, I painted this portrait in Corel Painter. This image came into my mind, and I had to get it down on the screen. I used a wacom tablet intuos3.

New Art: Elijah in the Whirlwind

2007-12-01T21:50:00.000-05:00

This is the 2nd illustration in the Elijah Series. This image shows Elijah going up into the whirlwind to Heaven in 2 Kings 2. Click here to see the first image: Elijah and the Chariot of Fire.

2 Kings 2:11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. (NIV)

Ballet Slippers Painting: Elegance

2007-11-29T15:24:00.000-05:00

This is a Digital Oil Painting done in corel painter using a wacom tablet.
“Why?” He asked.“Because I was a dancer before I was a painter.”

For all the ballerinas out there.

New Art: Christmas Card for Sale

2007-11-14T23:24:00.000-05:00

In this image, I turned "In A Dream" into a winter wonderland and made it into a Christmas card. I hope your friends and family enjoy this :)

Here it is shown as a card: