Christ — Artistic Articulation

The Ride to Freedom

The painting above was inspired by a photograph I saw recently. In the photo, a focused rider spurred his horse on towards freedom from the flames. Either only for himself or to go get help.

Either way, it got me thinking about freedom. Although we have a choice in the matter, we often fall victim to many things we have been freed from, even though there is a better option. Don’t agree with me? Have you promised yourself this week “I will not think badly about myself, or this person".” or “I’m going to wake up early” “I’m going to workout every day this week”? Only to when you are unable to, you beat yourself up and start the cycle over again?

How do you get free from such patterns?

For Peace Today, Try This

I love clouds. When I was younger, I would stare at clouds and see animals or faces. In the morning and at night, I love watching how white clouds change into gorgeous colors. As I walked earlier, I felt God tug at my heart. He loves us so much that He often gives beautiful paintings..

Celebration, Beauty, Art, Christian LifeLydia JayneNovember 23, 2021art, peace, clouds, encourage, encouragement, christian, christianblog, christianity, joy, james, psalm 46, be still, know God, God, Christ, command, creation, cloudComment

Blessings of an Open Hand

The world can be uncertain and sometimes being open, whether it is open to change, open to new people or just open about our feelings, can be challenging. But I believe when we keep our eyes on the One who is certain, it becomes a little easier. Knowing and trusting in Christ’s love for us and His incredible faithfulness allows us to have hope that there are things that are immovable, unchangeable and trustworthy…

Forcing Our Fruit is Fruitless

What kind of fruit do we produce each day? Is it self-focused or other focused? Does it give life to others or tear them down? Are we acting out of stress-based, worry-based or fear-based thinking and feeling? Some of you might be like me and be hard on yourself thinking “I’m not producing enough good fruit, I have to be better. God has given me so much, I have to give back and grow more!” This kind of shame-based thinking needs to be uprooted from our hearts if we are to live in God’s freedom. As my former pastor Emy Vazquez says “Shame off you!”

Could Today Be Better Than You Imagined?

Yesterday, a woman came up to my husband and I on the beach and shared some fun news- a nearby seaturtle nest was hatching its last little egg. What proceeded was a group of the three of us, growing to nine people cheering on a baby sea turtle across the beach to its ocean destination. It brought up alot of thoughts inside me. It got me thinking about what we think the world or people owe us. While in nature, animals take their lot in life and just live without comparison or a desire have things easier or different.

How often do we open our eyes and are more aware of the lists of things that need to be done than the things of things that God could do? How much more of a gift could our days be if we opened our eyes and our first thought was “I wonder what God will do today?”

Art, Christian LifeLydia JayneSeptember 27, 2021love, 1corinthians, Bible, scripture, christianblog, God, honest, to do list, need to please, encouragement, Christ, live in the lightComment

How to Trade Pain for Peace

Lydia JayneJuly 15, 2021nurse, pandemic, covid, coronavirus, artist, Peter Paul Reubens, Christ's face, sketch, emotions, 1 Peter 5:7, renaissance, Tozer, Christ, loveComment

How Accepting Help is a Superpower

I began writing this humble little devotional book in the beginning of the pandemic. At the time, I was working in a large city hospital as a registered nurse and finishing my masters degree in science. I felt both trepidation and pride each day I drove to my shift or studied the human body and healthcare. One of the mornings before my shift I was praying and seeking God for guidance to help me keep my emotions in check….

From the Belly of a Whale

“The Struggle is Real”

I have a love-hate relationship with the phrase, “the struggle is real" because on the one hand, it describes perfectly that feeling of sheer challenge you feel sometimes. On the other hand, I hate that it is used to describe things that in my humble opinion, are just not that danged hard.

Primary example: if you spill your coffee and you don’t get a parking space the struggle is most certainly not real.

Lydia JayneJune 21, 2021whale, struggle, real, belly of a whale, challenges, life, motivation, encouragement, christian blog, christianity, christian, Christ, God, answers, cancer, pain, suffering, joy, hope, patience, death, loss, runComment

The Power of Beauty

Beauty, CelebrationLydia JayneApril 14, 2021beauty, celebration, celebrate, flowers, art, Christ, God, God's beauty