God's Peace

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27

Peace, 2021

Oil paint on canvas 12” x 16”

Happy New Year my art friends! Long time, no blog. 

Does anybody else find it surreal that we are officially one week into 2021? The tail end of 2020 was such a whirlwind. I don’t know about you, but I really just needed a moment to breathe, especially after the hustle and bustle of the holidays. While I was knee-deep in all my “busy work” last month, God kept reminding me of a single peaceful moment. It was a cold and quiet morning all the way back in November. I  awoke in the wee hours and had gone to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. There I found the most beautiful scene before me. The waning moon was still awake, floating in a soft violet sky. The moon’s light shone on the quiet cold landscape below and all the snow that adorned the trees appeared luminous in its silver light. I stood awestruck by the beauty that filled our kitchen window. Half asleep, with water glass in hand, and mouth agape, I eagerly tried to etch this moment on my mind. I attempted to commit every nuance to memory for fear that if I left to grab my camera the moment would pass me by.

As November turned to December, my quiet purple morning felt more and more like a dream. There was something so supernaturally calm and beautiful about the stillness of the snow and the odd but gentle color of the sky. God brought this memory to the surface of my mind over and over again, gently calling me to remember how it felt, and nudging me to pick up a paint brush. He is so very patient with me.  

It has been a while since I have done a piece from memory. I have grown comfortable working from source photos, relying on the ability to reference specific visual details on my own terms and at my own convenience. This style of drawing is not “bad,” however, it prompts the artist to focus more on accuracy and attempts to recreate reality. Drawing from memory requires a different attitude and approach. I find that when I draw from memory the question “what did it look like?” becomes secondary to “how did it feel?”

I have done quite a few landscapes over this past year, many of them woodland scenes, but this one was decidedly different. You see, the subject of this particular painting wasn’t the trees, or the snow, or even the beautiful moon, it was the peace. I truly felt God asking me to embrace His peace. I believe God is preparing a new season and calling all of us to punctuate its commencement with peace. God’s peace brings more than just rest and harmony and it is not passive or inactive. This divine peace is a shield that provides necessary protection for our hearts and our minds. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 NIV). 

As children of God, we have access to God’s peace; regardless of what happened last year, or what is currently going on around us (in the world, in our home, in our family, or in our life). It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind and all of our “busyness” and lose sight of just how incredible this is. We have unlimited, uninhibited, access to the PEACE OF GOD at all times, in all circumstances. And all we need to do to receive this peace is slow down for a minute and accept it. That is it. Just ask and accept. 

God’s peace, like His love, and His forgiveness, is there waiting just for you.

Take a moment, take a breath, and look to your Heavenly Father. God is bigger than ANY problem or fear you could face and all you need to do is ask Him for help. So if you need a break; if 2020 has left you feeling overwhelmed and beat down; if 2021 has you feeling scared or stressed; if you are tired and just plain sick of “it” I encourage you - ask God for help. Look to God for His peace when you don’t have enough of your own - ask Him and He will answer.