thief

i can't see that thief that lives inside of your head
but can be some courage at the side of your bed
i don't know what's happening and i can't pretend
but i can be your, be your...
-olp

woman of strength

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape,
but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything,
but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear.

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her,
but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone.

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future,
but a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them.

A strong woman walks sure footedly,
but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face,
but a woman of strength wears grace.

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey,
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.
-d.cheeks

"Hope II"
Gustav Klimt

"A pregnant woman bows her head and closes her eyes, as if praying for the safety of her child. Peeping out from behind her stomach is a death's head, sign of the danger she faces. At her feet, three women with bowed heads raise their hands, presumably also in prayer—although their solemnity might also imply mourning, as if they foresaw the child's fate." (MoMa publication excerpt)

there are so many things that we cannot know or control, but regardless of the past, present, or future, we are always in the grip of His grace. there will always be hope if we draw our strength from the Lord.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
-Ps. 73:25-26

shannon's art

i recently came across a website by my screenprinting instructor. she's a great print artist who explores some interesting themes in in her work in various different ways. very cool girl. very personable. knowledgeable too. i received really encouraging feedback from her when she taught me. i think she was the first to say that she appreciated my willingness to push myself and experiment with the medium. it's always nice to hear that my thought process is appreciated and considered when evaluating the final product. especially with print media, the process is always just as important, if not more, than the final print itself. if you're not familiar with the process of printmaking, it's hard to fully appreciate the end product. perhaps it's like that with any art.

anyway, as i was perusing her site, i came across some things i connected with that i thought would be nice to share.

this is from a recent series she did called "four failed proposals for a world that won't exist". it's a series that presents a set of waking fantasies about breaking off from this world and finding a totally safe and untouchable place to exist. there's a very naive innocence about it that i love. i wonder if i've found the one who makes up for the holes in my socks. (click the pic)

this one, from her series "stones and ghosts", she revisits some of the haunting questions of faith and beliefs of her childhood .

"In church, I often heard it said that nothing I could do would ever make God love me less. This was meant to indicate his boundless forgiveness, but it only made him seem immobile. Like nothing I could do would ever make God love me MORE."
sometimes i think about that. i know God loves me. i know he never changes and that his love for me is steadfast. i know the gospel. i lead worship all the time. "how great the father's love for us..."-one of my all-time favourites. i know i have experienced love and i have given love just the same. i know that as humans we can always work on loving each other more deeply like the bible calls us to. but when it comes to God, he can never love us more than he already does now. i know i am loved and i know love isn't a feeling, but sometimes i just don't feel it. is it just because i don't understand the full extent of how much God loves me? i guess sometimes it can be a bit abstract. two people can work on their love for each other. God will never need to work on loving us more but for us to love God more is a lifelong process. does it make sense to ask God to love us more? or will it always be us asking for more understanding or revelation of this great love? if i don't feel loved, even by other people, if i feel like i want or need to be reminded all the time, does it mean that i'm severely insecure? maybe a strong secure person "just knows" and is simply satisfied with that. no need for affirmation. even if it happens, it would just be a bonus. people have always told me i'm a strong person, man-arms aside. but deep down, i know better.