Advent 12/9/11

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them a light has shone."  Isaiah 9:2

"...for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord."  Ephesians 5:8

And now there is sky 12/4/11

Still a work in progress for advent.

"In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  John 1:4-5

What I'm working on 12/3/11

For Advent.

Content 11/22/11

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.  In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:11-13

Peace Which Transcends Understanding 11/8/11

Sometimes I find myself lacking motivation or inspiration to create.  Drawing is like exercise in that way: sometimes just getting started is the hardest part.  But, when I just start drawing, then the inspiration follows.  I feel refreshed.  For me, this is worship.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6-7

Wipe Away Tears 11/2/11

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."  Revelation 21:4

Unchained 10/25/11

"I have been ungrateful,
I've been unwise.
Restless from the cradle,
Now I realize,
It's so hard to see the rainbow,
Through glasses dark as these.
Maybe I'll be able,
From now on, on my knees.

Oh, I am weak.
Oh, I know I am vain.
Take this weight from me,
Let my spirit be unchained."

"Unchained" by Johnny Cash

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Poor 10/9/11

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor."  Isaiah 61:1-2

"Blessed are the poor in the spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3

The Mountain 9/24/11

"They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them... I will restore your judges as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning... In the last days the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it." Isaiah 1:23,26 and 2:2

Wake Up 9/15/11

"Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the king of glory may come in.  Who is this King of glory?  The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." Psalm 24:7-8

Wing 9/6/11

 “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?  I put my hand over my mouth.  I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” Job 40:4-5


"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.  He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." Psalm 91:1-4

Playing in the Mud 8/29/11

"It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." --C.S. Lewis in "The Weight of Glory"

An Old Drawing 8/27/11

I've been reminded lately of the weight of sin and the darkness of our hearts.  I was thinking of a drawing I did for Ezekiel 36 a couple of years ago.  The passage says: "For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land.  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

I have this image of a heart surgery when I read passages like these.  Something that is drastic, perhaps painful, but necessary.  Also, God says "I will" repeatedly... it is him, not us, who does the replacing of the heart of stone with a heart of flesh.  Perhaps this is an ongoing process... we need God to continue to change our hearts from stone to flesh.

Rest for the Weary 8/19/11

"At that time Jesus said, 'I praise you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to your little children... Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give your 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.'" Matthew 11:25-30

Bali 8/2/11

I recently returned from a trip to Bali and Vietnam, so I haven't had a chance to draw in awhile.  I did, however, have the chance to take a lot of photos!  This drawing is inspired by one of them.

It is Well 7/1/11

"It is well with my soul."

Be Still 6/20/11

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling... 'Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!'" Psalm 46:1-3, 10

Macro 6/1/11

No Fear in Death 5/24/11

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death--that is the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." 

Hebrews 2:14-15

Sand 5/19/11

All other ground is sinking sand.

In Mother's Womb 5/7/11

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in you book before one of them came to be."  Psalm 139:13-16

Washing 4/30/11

This is supposed to be mud on the hands... I just want to make that clear because I realized when I was done that it wasn't totally obvious.

The Curtain is Torn 4/25/11

"With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.  The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, 'Surely this man was the Son of God!'" Mark 15:37-39

Why we need art 4/23/11

"You see, reason tells me about the truth, but I really cannot grasp what it means; I can't understand it without art.  Jonathan Edwards, the third president of Princeton University, probably the most important American theologian and one of the most prominent preachers in the First Great Awakening makes this point as well.  Edwards said that unless you use imagination, unless you take a truth and you image it--which of course is art--you don't know what it means.  If you cannot visualize it, you don't have a sense of it on your heart." -Tim Keller

Blindness 4/18/11

The Rose 4/9/11

I got a new set of prismacolor colored pencils and was excited to use them!

Dolly and Phillip's Wedding Program

3/20/11

It's been awhile, but I finally found time to make a drawing (although I have done a couple of drawings for friends since my last post).

"The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." Psalm 145:18