The True Vine...

Based on the verses in John 15, this drawing depicts Jesus, the living sacrifice, hanging on a tree, and wound in vines, stretching to grow and bear fruit.

I am so pleased with the results of this drawing.  I've been encouraged to share some of my drawings in a public setting where they'd be judged.  This would require me to remove some of the anonymity of the blog and the artwork.  Only a few close Christians in my life know that I make these drawings.

I'll pray on that further before making a decision.

The scripture... John 15: 1-8

The Vine and the Branches

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

A more detailed view:

You are Light...

I've begun reading a bible study book on Ephesians by Joyce Meyer.  

This happened to be the verse of the day recently as well...

I pray that I am light to others, that they may see the miraculous works that He has done in my life, and seek Him out in their life, as well.  There were people I prayed for that I was hoping to display the light toward; relationship struggles are tough.  But there are three people in this world in particular who I pray will see the difference that God has made in my live and will develop a curiosity and later a thirst for His word.

This was one of the first times I used chalks.  I used gray on the tonal paper to darken the shadow around the candle, and white chalk to add a halo of light to the flame and some shading to the candlestick.

Statues...

I pray for my oldest daughter often.  We're in a season of winter right now, but spring is here!  She's visiting fairly regularly and opening up to me quite a bit.  We're finding our way.

These three images were drawn with her during a visit.  We drove to a couple of local large cemeteries and drew the same pictures of some of the architecture and statues.  She was showing me her much looser, more sketchy style, and she we chuckled about my apparent inability to just sketch and let the drawing come quickly.

It was a beautiful day, the weather was amazing, and we just enjoyed each other's company and talked and talked while we decided which memorial to draw next.

I didn't pray while drawing these, I was too caught up in the time I was getting to spend with my beautiful daughter, but I did pray over them as I finished them up at home; specifically, I thanked God for bringing my daughter back to me and for giving me such a lovely weekend doing something together that we both enjoyed.

It was not unnoticed by me that her subject of choice was angel statues.  I believe that she is getting brave enough to wonder what is up with all of the positive changes in my mom's life.  I look forward to the day that I get to minister to her with God's word, and pray that she accepts what I have to tell her.  BUT - that is another prayer for another drawing.