A Journey

One of the questions I am frequently asked is what does the painting mean? I tend to turn the question around with what does it mean to you? I love hearing what others see. We tend to not always see the same thing. God works in that way though, how many of us get different meanings or layers from a single verse? Passage? Song? He speaks to each of us right where we are.

I was asked if I would go to God for a painting for a friend's blog. Out has come my most recent painting. On a side note this is my first painting with oils. 

Phase 1: Prayer

I prayed about what it means to be a champion of redemption, redeeemed and free is Jesus I saw a woman smiling floating in water. Weightless.

Phase 2: Putting it on paper

I first drew what I saw and began painting it.

Phase 3: Reflection

I took a step back and my attempt at water appeared to be a tornado. It was pretty but chaotic. I thought maybe I’m done, after all life is chaotic. She was smiling through the storm. But then my heart began to turn and I knew that God wasn’t done.

Phase 4: Revelation 

I did some research on how to paint water and saw this beautiful technique in painting white lines. I tried it and it looked liked spiders everywhere. So I quickly tried to cover it up and blend it in. Out came this beautiful painting miracle, it didn’t blend all the way and revealed a wonderful and peaceful depiction of water. Exactly what I had seen in prayer.

If I just shared with you the finished painting you wouldn’t have seen this beautiful journey. You would just see peace. You wouldn’t see how she persisted through the world’s chaos to the place God intended for her, to His Healing Waters.