Step One

Step One is a journey piece.

I have been through  so much over the last few years, culminating in the literal hell I have experienced over the past months, a hell of the mind as I have struggled against things of which I have no experience.

As I have searched deeply my relationship with God through these trials, the saying which says "When the Lord closes a door, he always opens a window" has come to my mind repeatedly.

I asked many times over, as I watched the door closed, bolted, barred, chained, nailed, welded, and glued, "where is the window, where is the light, will I every find the abyss fleeing before the tiniest light of hope? God are you there?"

Sometimes God expects us to try our faith by allowing us to step into the dark for a few steps before he actually opens the window.

The bride is beginning her journey, she is not looking up at the window which is the goal for which she begins the journey, but rather she begins the ascent without her eyes fixed upon the goal, rather her heart set on achieving the goal, trusting that the steps will lead where she wants to go. This is like the faith I have discovered and strengthened over the last several months.

The Journey begins when we place our trust in the divine and take our first step into the darkness.

Jeff

Miracle of Creation

I have been commissioned to paint a mural for a friend, and have been working on it the last few days, here are some pics of the unfinished mural:

Believe it or not, I have never painted clouds using an airbrush before, I am not trying to brag, but as I stood back and looked at the sky I had just painted, I marveled at how easy it was for me, and how realistic it looks, I took a moment to thank God for the gift to be able to create like this. It seems that anything creative I do with my hands just comes naturally to me, such a contrast from when I try to do things like real estate, or accounting!