Posts in Encouragement

Water's Refection

Imagine looking into a lake of water on a fresh spring day, or into a quiet stream making its way over branches and rocks, and around snow and ice. Or maybe you are looking into a still pool of water, while children giggle and play Marco-Polo in the shallow end.

No matter the season, the time of day, the type of water or the shape it takes, they all reveal the same thing when you look into it; a reflection.

The water will always reflect back what it sees. It may not be a perfect reflection as the weather conditions and activity of the water will cause ripples or small waves or rings that will distort the image, but it still reflects back what it sees.

In Ephesians 5, water is used to describe the Word:

“For he died for us, sacrificing himself to make us holy and pure, cleansing us through the showering of the pure water of the Word of God”

— Ephesians 5:25b-26 TPT

About 15 years ago, i made this picture of the Bride of Christ being showered with various Words of Scripture as she walks under the awning to meet her Groom!

Our minds are given a cleansing bath by the Word, washed of all the dirt, dust and grime we picked up throughout or day. I imagine the scriptures showering down on me, washing my mind, transforming my soul.

When we look into the waters of Scripture, when we gaze intensely into them, they reflect back onto us, just like other bodies of water. It’s a beautiful picture of being cleansed and transformed to be more Christ-like. To be purified, becoming ready to be the Bride of Christ.

Now imagine being so immersed into the waters of scripture, so deeply in the presence of God as we meet him there, that our face reflects that of Gods? The radiant beauty of the Lord would shine brightly on our faces as we climb back down the mountain like Moses did on Mount Sinai, to be among the people who are waiting for us. They would actually see the glory of God on us. How cool is that?

What would it be like if we were now completely submerged in the scriptures? We’d come back up wet with the Word dripping off our hair, our clothes, leaving a trail of puddles and droplets of truth behind us for others to splash through. For others to follow and find as we walk from place to place. People would become curious and intrigued…they may even follow us all the way to God!

One final thought… sometimes we think we need to simply read the scriptures and our ticket is punched, our deed is done. But in doing so, we never get wet. Never get messy, never get cleaned, purified, transformed… We would never leave behind those droplets of truth for others to find and follow to Jesus. But what if:

“The goal is not for us to get through the Scriptures. The goal is to get the Scriptures through us….What matters is not how many words we memorize, but what happens to our minds as we immerse them in Scripture”

— Ortberg, John. The Life You've Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People (p.187, 190). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

I would love to hear from you! Please comment below, or by email (merri@artsandblessings.com) or for quicker interaction with me as well as with other readers, post your comment on my facebook page! I can’t wait to hear from you!

EncouragementMerri LewisAugust 13, 2024bride of christ, nature, landscape painting, reflections, scriptureComment

Painted Skies: Wrapped in Light

“. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

— Psalm 19:1

We recently had the privilege of seeing the Aurora Borealis! I have always wanted to see the northern lights, but never expected to actually get the chance!

You may remember from this last winter that I had watercolor painted a series of pictures (see photos below, or click here to see the options in the store) of the northern lights. Those pictures don’t even come close to the level of amazing that the skies God painted a few weeks ago! I am still in awe of having been able to witness it!

To be outside in the darkness and yet be surrounded by the most glorious display of God’s handiwork and His creativity—it reminded me of a baptism of sorts. Instead of being immersed in water, I was immersed in the colors and light and love that God pours out on us.

In the photo’s I took with my phone it looks like we saw what the picture revealed, but that isn’t the case. I couldn’t see the northern lights at all to begin with but my phone could. Once I knew they were there, I could faintly see them with my eyes.

It made me wonder how often I may have been wrapped in that light; how often there is an incredible sight to behold without knowing it, even as it envelops me! I wanted to look back at my photos and see if the fluorescent colors show up when I didn’t expect it, but you know what? I just don’t think of taking a photo of darkness very often.

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”

— Psalm 8:3-4

We may only get to see the Aurora Borealis once or twice in our life-time, but God paints the skies for us in so many ways. Each one a testament to his love that he would share with us. An example of a little of His beauty and His creativity! I can not wait to see what Heaven’s skies will look like! I am sure our earthly bodies can’t bear the intensity of light, beauty, and vibrant colors that He has prepared for us!

The song “Overwhelmed” by Big Daddy Weave has always reminded me of the overwhelming beauty of all He created, and especially of the northern lights. If you haven’t heard that song before, hop on over to YouTube to have a listen. You will not be disappointed! (But you may be Overwhelmed! :)

Here are some of my favorite watercolor painted skies:

“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

— Romans 1:20

Here are some photos of the Northern Lights sky series I painted this past Fall:

Watercolor, Landscape, EncouragementMerri LewisMay 30, 2024Sky, northern lights, aurora borealis, painted sky, love, GodComment

Lessons From Watercolor Painting

A watercolor scene of low tide in Maine — Sunrise At Mid-Tide

“The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.”

— Proverbs 21:1 ESV

I will never forget my first watercolor class, learning and watching how the watercolor paint will stay on the wet parts of the paper. By using just water on a brush, you can paint a shape and then if you put the paint on the brush and lightly touch the section of paper that is wet, the magic happens. You can watch the water just travel where you paved the way for it to go. You can add a different color to the same wet area and watch the colors collide, swirl and fade into each other. It’s beautiful!

It is also a pretty amazing illustration of Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD, he turns it wherever he will”

It is shockingly easy to turn the watercolor on the page, you can control where it flows with little effort. But trying to turn the heart of a stubborn old king? Not so much. At least for me. But for God it is just that easy.

When my oldest son was 3 years old, he was going into a wonderful special purpose program for kids with autism. He needed full time preschool, but the “Powers That Be” (or the king) only allowed him to have half days.

We advocated as best we could. We had meeting after meeting. We gathered documentation and we had all the teachers in the school, and all the therapists, all in agreement that he needed full time school.

But the director-king of Child Development Services said he can’t have full time school because the preschool he was in did not offer the preferred style of teaching kids with autism—which was exactly why we wanted that school! He needed to learn by playing and having fun. By having the teachers enter into his world so that they could earn his interest and trust, and bring him into our world. He didn’t learn by sitting at a desk doing drills and rote memorizations. He hated that, cried at that and did not learn anything from that style of teaching. He was thriving in this school and we didn’t want him to go to a different one.

For months we tried, and prayed, and nearly gave up the thought that he’d be able to attend full time.

But then out of the blue, the director-king called and said after break (it was Christmas) he could go full time. We were absolutely stunned! This person who didn’t approve of the school we all loved, changed her mind. Just like that! She said saw all the progress he has made there and agrees with us and was excited to tell us that he has been approved for full time preschool!

That was the hand of the LORD, holding his paintbrush and dabbing the paint onto the wet section of the kings heart, channeling it in the direction that He desired it to turn.

Art & Autism, Landscape, Watercolor, EncouragementMerri LewisMay 15, 2024watercolor, proverbs, God, autism Comments

Identity: The Bride of Christ

Easter is on the way!

I can’t think of a better way to get ready to celebrate than by remembering what Jesus did, and how that changed who we are—always and forever.

He took all of our yuck and sin, and replaced it with His beauty. He freed us from all our strongholds— He traded places with us.

And all this after becoming us—becoming human!

He went through all the torture, pain and suffering because He wanted to be able to be with us.

He wants a relationship with us!

We are the joy set before him—being able to be with us is the prize that he clung too while enduring all of the unimaginable suffering.

Imagine that kind of Love! Literally laying down His life so He could give a life to us:

A life of abundant freedom, joy unimaginable.

A life lived with Him, for Him and because of Him.

Years ago I wrote a poem about this, and the transformation and freedom He gave us when he died on the cross. I always wanted to put that poem to art, but could figure out how to capture it all in one painting.

Then I got into collage, and realized I could literally put the whole thing in my painting!

And that is what this Bride of Christ painting is all about. The culmination of all He made us to be, so we will be ready as His bride.

Quick View

The Bride of Christ Print

$25.00

Here are the words to the poem:

(FYI-the words are clear on the print!)

Garments

Copyright by Merri Lewis 2010

It’s time for a change of apparel, it seems

These garments no longer fit

The dark sweats of shame do not compare

to the beautiful garments of praise

My Savior has wrapped me in new clothes today

They are beautiful, made for royalty

It is hard to imagine how He intended

These gem-laden garments for me

The crown of beauty is on my head

The oil of joy flowing down

As God claimed me as one of his own

The spirit of despair was cast down.

He’s turned my tragedy to treasure

He took my filthy ash-covered self

Wiped off my face and my head and my heart

He replaced it with heavenly wealth

So now I accept his healing touch

The reflections too much to bear

Unworthy, I am but made worthy by Him

It’s time to exit this lair

He’s unbinding the bondage while binding my heart

breaking the links of the chain

With gentle love and skilled hands

He is healing my pain

From trembling to bravery

from fear to boldness

I step out anew on this day

I trust Him with what He has done

And I’m hearing the words that He says

“All beautiful you are, my darling

there is no flaw in you”

Your words pierce through my heart

“Show me your face, let me hear your voice”

I look in the mirror- I fear falling apart

“For your voice is sweet and your face is lovely”

I believe what you say, I am ready to start

Adopting the way that you think

transforming my mind, renewing my life

no longer will I hide or flee

All yours, I am

Now courageous and strong

Conquering strongholds within

Free to be who you fully intended

when you carefully crafted me

Mixed Media Art, EncouragementMerri LewisMarch 15, 2023bride, bride of christ, mixed media, dried flowers, prints, poetry, poem, collageComment

Being An Explorer

I’ve been an explorer the last couple months.

Playing around with different ideas, techniques and products in my art journal has proven to be quite the adventure!

With no need to make things picture perfect, or to even make sense, the art journal is perfect for exploring new materials and old, in new and different ways.

I got some pastels for Christmas and have been using them on every page. They are so much fun! And they give some effects that I couldn’t get otherwise.

I ended up loving one of the pages in my journal so much that I decided to make a full size picture based off of it. It is the butterfly in a forest picture. The pastels allowed me to add a misty/fogginess look to it which makes it look more mysterious for the butterflies to fly through as they explore. I also used some iridescent glaze on the trees in the foreground to help them pop out from the background more. The iridescent glaze doesn’t show up very much in the photo but it is quite amazing in real life!

Here is the finished collaged painting: