a lonely ray of hope

Lately the lyric "A lonely ray of hope is all that you need to see a beautiful history" has been running through my mind almost constantly.  It's from the song "Beautiful History" by Plumb, and it always encourages me.  Today I was reading over a couple chapters of Song of Solomon, mostly because I haven't read my Bible in awhile and I just needed some reminding of how much God loves and pursues me.  I found myself reading only the Bridegroom's words, and somehow they combined with that song lyric to create this:

The black and red swirly "mess" represents all the junk trying to take over my life.  The worldly trials and temptations, as well as painful emotions that overwhelm me at times.  Really just anything and everything that tries to prevent me from remembering my true identity in Christ.

The multicolored light in the upper-right corner is that "lonely ray of hope," the illumination provided by the Holy Spirit to shed light on my "beautiful history."  Like anyone's history, mine is complex and full of different words and pictures.  Today, however, all I saw with this illumination were these words from Song of Solomon that God speaks over me constantly (and that I often let myself forget in the midst of all the black, swirly junk).

It was so hard for me to transfer this image from my mind to my journal with colored pencils and ink.  I hope God allows it to bless you as it has blessed me.  :o)

growing through pain

I felt led to share one of my first attempts at prophetic art, although it's extremely out of my comfort zone to do so.  This painting represents the pain and depression I went through after I experienced my second miscarriage a few months ago.  The pain I felt was not only physical, but emotional too, and in many way it was much more intense than my first miscarriage back in 2009.

The Lord brought me healing as I painted, showing me that although I'm planted on fertile soil, sometimes He allows pain and disappointment to come into my life in order to draw me closer to Him (and for other reasons He hasn't revealed to me yet, and perhaps never will in this life).  And the end result is something stronger, more beautiful, and more radiant than ever before.

The thing is, I don't see myself this way.  But He does.  And He sees all of His children this way, no matter what horrible experiences we've been through.  I feel like He wants me to share it since everyone can relate to having painful experiences they can't explain.  It IS possible to grow through pain.