17 Feb Pick Up a Paintbrush

There are days I long to pick up a paint brush. I took a picture of the flowers from the #ifgathering2019 and decided to paint this canvas yesterday. If you zoom in close, you will see Proverbs 3:5-6 inscribed between the petals. Scroll through the pictures to see the process. It’s always a process, right?
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Reading this morning from #newmorningmercies and learning how we can get so upset by our weaknesses. Whether we are embarrassed by the question we can’t answer, the directions we forgot, or the moments we feel totally inadequate and unprepared. However, the danger lies not in the inadequacy but the confidence. The danger is when we feel too confident and too strong and too dependent. We do our own thing and forget to lean into God’s wisdom and direction. Our strength is a delusion and gets us into BIG messes.
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We need God’s strength. David pens, “The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life … Your face will I seek … Teach me your way, Oh Lord; lead me in a straight path.” – Psalm 27
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I can be pretty confident in my own strength and abilities when I paint. But how quickly I am humbled by the process. It’s hard. It’s messy. Sometimes I want to give up and start all over. But I also see God’s love and grace. I make a mistake and then He shows me a creative way to use that stroke for good. Paint, like God’s grace is forgiving – it covers over. And, if we are willing, He can ALWAYS use our mistakes for GOOD. (Romans 8:28)
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Today, rest in His goodness and love and grace. Read Proverbs 3:5-6 and Psalm 27. And if you have a chance, pick up a paintbrush. Don’t think about perfection or control. Just paint. Let Him direct your steps and your strokes.

#thouartexalted, #jennieallen, #lovesthebibleandart, #psalm27, #pauldavidtripp #newmorningmercies