Shroud

On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine--the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Isaiah 25:6-8a

Forfeit

For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?
Mark 8:36-37

Bindings: Grace

THE: reflections on the Trinity

Produced as I reflected on Charles Wesley's hymn "Father Our Hearts We Lift".

Real

Fitting: Beautiful Garment

"...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."
Isaiah 61:3

Faith Apart from Works is Barren (4 E D)

"Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is barren?"
James 2:20 (NRSV)

A Thing of Beauty

Way I See It

Door of Hope

"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,
and in the day she came up out of Egypt."
Hosea 2:14-15

Foreword 9/11/06

This collage was created in Asbury's "Face Up" worship and prayer time. It is hoped that this time will be the birth of 24/7 prayer in our community. The collage addresses the power of Jesus, the Word, to overcome our weaknesses. His word creates the moment it is spoken. His Word is Action.

Process Point Sheet II 9/10/06

Process Point Sheet 9/9/06

This collage addresses the constant temptation to performance as opposed to living in grace.

Lively and Well-Balanced 9/8/06

The Benediction 9/6/06

Pattern Alterations: Mercies of Fall 9/4/06

Stories of School and College Days 8/27/06

Late Summer Sunday 8/27/06

Movement

It is funny how the Lord slips in on you. This has been a crazy semester, as evidenced in part by my lack of posting! This week, as I was trying to catch up on some work that had been due the previous day, my heart began to ache. It was a physical ache that I'd felt before when the Holy Spirit had been working deeply on me. It seemed a quite strange time for Him to be working deeply. I was just sitting on the couch reading for class. I had carved out time every day to be with the Lord, but it seemed He wanted to show me his deep work outside of that time. I had also been working on a new painting (well, really I just had a piece of canvas tacked to the wall) and after the moment I felt the ache in my heart, I knew I needed to start drawing it out. So, I did. He created connections in several areas of my life that I knew He had been working, all in those few moments of unexpected creativity and intimacy with Him.

I don't know why He chose to reveal himself at that time, and in that way. Maybe so I would more fully realize that nothing I can do can make Him move. He is moving because He loves me. Ironically, I think it was a time when he could truly get my attention.

Creation Healed

This semester at Asbury we are trying to have an art show at the same time as our annual Kingdom Conference, which focuses on mercy and justice, and celebrates the fullness of God's Kingdom. We celebrate all the cultures represented at the school, and missions and ministry organizations share what they are doing around the world. This year's theme is Creation Healed. We are asking students, spouses, faculty, and staff to contribute visual reflections on how the Lord is working healing in their lives personally and corporately. The hope is that the show will be personally and Kingdom-formative for those who create and view the art. I also pray that we will come to more fully understand the balance of art standards and creative formation. Friday I realized what an appropriate time it was for this themed show because of all of the destruction in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Lord, help us to worship and promote justice, healing, and reconciliation through our creativity!