Basking in the Light

By Hazel Holland

Today I found another one of my oil paintings as I was packing up things for the move.  Apparently I had stashed it away in the back of a cabinet many years ago.  But today in came out of hiding.  Today this vase of beautiful flowers came out into the light.  Today I was reminded again of how God brings us through the dark times in our lives so that we can bask in the light of His loving presence. ♥

I'll Love You Forever!

By Hazel Holland

I just finished doing my second chalk pastel of Jake and Max tonight.  It makes them seem a lot closer to me when I can draw them like this.  I can hardly wait for the day when I will live near them and be able to love on them in person.  I guess for right now these three lovebirds are going to do that job for me.  But my day is a coming soon!♥

See also: You Light Up My Life

♥ My Beloved Bride ♥

By Hazel Holland

♥ "You are radiant My love!" ♥

See:  I Will Lift the Veil

I Will Lift the Veil ♥

By Hazel Holland

♥"I will lift the veil from your eyes so that you can see My face!"♥

Several days ago I was getting ready for work in the bathroom.   I had just finished fixing my hair and was about to put on my make-up, when the new name of a Facebook group suddenly popped into my mind... "Praying Down the Veil".  Suddenly I became overwhelmed by the Lord’s presence.  Then quite unexpectedly He began to speak a word into my spirit.  "My beloved bride, I will lift the veil from your eyes so that you can see My face!"

Immediately I was totally undone.  The tears began rolling down my cheeks as I sensed the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit.  A picture came to my mind of Jesus lifting the veil from our eyes so that we can know Him face to face!  He wants us to look into His eyes with no veil between us so that we can see His heart.  He wants us to see the glory of God in His face!

As I talked with my friend, Ramone Romero, about this word I received, he reminded me of Ephesians 1:17-18.  As His bride we so often see Him with the eyes of our head, but not always with the eyes of our heart!  We hear His words, but they don't wash us because we're afraid of being condemned by Him.

God gave me this word and this picture because some of us don't know how much He loves and cherishes us.  He washes us, not because He will reject us if He doesn't wash us, but because He wants to make us radiant in His love.  Some of us don't yet know that we are His priceless treasure!  That's why we keep trying to do what we think is necessary to become clean so He will accept us.  But He already accepts us.  He already has purchased us!  We belong to Him! 

Here's a good analogy that Ramone gave me the other day that fits perfectly.  It's like someone who loves restoring old cars from the junk yard.  They don't clean up a car so that they can buy it, but they buy it first and then clean it up because they love it!  If you know someone who loves cars, it's sooooooo true! 

Here's another analogy that ought to be very obvious.  If a husband is washing his bride, doesn't his actions reveal intimacy and love towards her?  Doesn't this mean that he has already accepted her?  No husband chooses his bride by first stripping her naked and then seeing if she will submit to be cleaned off first!

Another good illustration that shows how much God loves His bride are the words He uses to try and get us to understand the depth of His love for us.  I think sometimes we think He's just saying nice words, but they reveal His heart.  He sees us as forever His first love!  He will never change His mind about us, and there's nothing we can do to make Him change His mind about us, either. 

Here are words that He wants to wash you with right now as He draws you into His loving presence.  The tenderness God has in His heart towards you and I is profound! Listen as He speaks to your heart.  "My beloved bride...

"I have called you by name; you are Mine." (Isaiah 43:1)

"I am your Redeemer who formed you in the womb." (Isaiah 44:24)

"I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist." (Isaiah 44:23)

"I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." (Isaiah 49:16)

"I have clothed you with garments of salvation, and arrayed you in a robe of righteousness." (Isaiah 61:10)

"I rejoice over you because you are My bride." (Isaiah 62:5)

"You are the praise of the earth." (Isaiah 62:7)

"You are a crown of splendor in My hands.  You are a royal diadem in the hand of Your God." (Isaiah 62:3)

"You are no longer called, 'Deserted,' for I delight in you. (Isaiah 62:4)

"I love you with an everlasting love." (Jeremiah 31:3)

"I have drawn you with loving kindness."  (Jeremiah 31:3)

"I will build you up again, and you will be rebuilt, O virgin bride!" (Jeremiah 31:3)

"I will restore you to health and heal your wounds." (Jeremiah 30:7)

"You will be rebuilt on your ruins." (Jeremiah 30:18)

"From your mouths will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing." (Jeremiah 30:19)

"The water that I will give you will become a spring of water welling up inside of you to eternal life." (John 4:14)

"Your joy will be complete when you hear the Bridegroom's voice." (John 3:29)

"How beautiful you are, my darling. (Song of Songs 4:1)

"There is no flaw in you!" (Song of songs 4:7)

"You have stolen my heart." (Song of Songs 4:9)

"You are a garden locked up, My bride." (Song of Songs 4:12)

"Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, My bride." (Song of Songs 4:11)

"Come with me to the banquet hall where I will raise My banner of love over you." (Song of Songs 2:4)

"My left arm is under your head and my right arm embraces you." (Song of Songs 2:6)

"Arise, My darling, My beautiful one, and come with Me." (Song of Songs 2:10)

"Show Me your face.  Your face is lovely."  "Let Me hear your voice.  Your voice is sweet." (Song of Songs 2:14)

 

"You are Mine." (Song of Songs 2:16)

"You are the one My heart loves." (Song of Songs 2:16)

"Yes, My beloved bride, I will lift the veil that covers your eyes and heart so that you can see My face and know the heart of Your Lover!  Then you will begin to see and know who you are.  You are... and will be forever... My first love!"♥

(Some of you who have know me for years may recognize that I am the "bride" in this chalk pastel that I did today.  The Spirit specifically directed me to use this picture of myself for this "painting" because it was taken at a time in my life when I was very broken.  In spite of my brokenness I was still His bride whom He cherished and held close to His heart!) ♥

For further reading :  Removing the Veil

To see a larger copy of this print click here. 

Born To Be Free!

By Hazel Holland

You were born to experience child-like joy!

As I was finishing this chalk pastel this afternoon of children expressing their joy, I wanted it to be a reminder of how Jesus has called you and I to experience the glorious freedom of His grace.  Five children are in this picture because five is a symbol of His grace.

He's called us away from trying to obey rules and regulations so that we can enjoy an exhilarating new life in the Spirit.  We have been transported out of the reign of law and into the kingdom of His grace.  Since the day we were born again and Jesus came to live in us by His Spirit, He's been leading us towards this glorious freedom.

He continually invites you and I to feast on His goodness.  He wants us to taste and see how good He really is.  He has not only forgiven us and given us our new identity in Him, but He has also given us the gift of life... eternal life that begins now!♥

The Love of My Life

By Hazel Holland

I finally got up the courage to try to do a chalk pastel of my two precious grandchildren that are the love of my life!.  Jakey is three and a half years old and Max is a week old in this picture.  I'm very pleased with the way this came out... 

A thought just occurred to me.  Perhaps this may be a way I can bless you with doing chalk pastels of your children and grandchildren.  Not only will it bless you, but it will also bless me by helping bring in some much needed income so that I can move and live near these little cherubs!  Yeah!  Sounds like a great idea to me!  What do you think?

So if you are interested in my idea please contact me by leaving a message on this blog, send me an email, or send me a message on Facebook.♥

Contact:
Facebook
Email

Love is the Deciding Factor

By Hazel Holland

The one deciding factor that will separate you from the world and will let others know that you are My disciples is if you have received My agape love for all My children.  If My love lives in you they will be drawn to Me!

Although I am invisible and no man has seen Me at any time, I who dwell in you by My Spirit become visible when you manifest love one to another! ♥♥♥

See: I Chose You!

Under His Wings

By Hazel Holland

"Under His wings I am safely abiding;

  Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,

Still I can trust Him, I know He will keep me;

  He has redeemed me, and I am His child."

Tonight I was compelled to do this pastel of a mother bird protecting her babies during a rain storm.  I got the idea from a photograph that I posted a few days ago on this blog.  After I had finished it God brought the words of a familiar old hymn to mind and told me to place them underneath the picture. 

I know that He wants to bless and encourage someone tonight with the comfort of His presence.  No matter what trial you are going through right now God wants you to know that you are being safely kept under His wings!♥

To see a larger copy of this artwork click here

The Storm Will Pass!

By Hazel Holland

 

   "He will cover you with His feathers.  

He will shelter you with His wings."

Psalm 91:4

Face To Face

By Hazel Holland

I thought that I would try and draw a pastel of Jake, my three-and-a-half-year-old (in June) grandson kissing his baby brother, Max, who will be a week old tomorrow.  Well, as you can see, I not only overshot the mark by at least a year, but I didn't get Jake's lips close enough to Max's face to pull off the kiss, either!  As I  was looking at this picture I had drawn of my grandsons I was reminded of 1 Corinthians 13.♥♥♥ 

When I was a child, I spoke as a child speaks.  When I was a child, I understood as a child understands.  When I was a child, I thought as a child thinks...

I am still His child, but now I've come to know the One who loved me first.  When He called me, I found out that my name was written on His heart because He already knew me...  How could I resist such kindness as He drew me deeper into His loving presence?  

Now my heart wants to continually rejoice in His amazing grace.  My mouth wants to sing His praises all day long!  I want others to know Him and understand that His resurrection life is for them, too!

I long for the day when we will meet face to face.  But for now I am content to know Him through His Spirit.  To know Him is to love Him... until I see Him in all His glory... face to face! ♥♥♥ 

See: Brothers Are For Keeps

Brothers Are For Keeps!

By Hazel Holland

I thought that I would try and draw a pastel of Jake, my three-and-a-half-year-old (in June) grandson kissing his baby brother, Max, who will be a week old tomorrow.  Well, as you can see, I not only overshot the mark by at least a year, but I didn't get Jake's lips close enough to Max's face to pull off the kiss, either!  Ugh!!!  When you draw a picture with pastels there's no erasing.  What's done is done!

My intention wasn't to try and draw a picture where these boys actually looked like my grandsons, because I don't yet have a picture of them taken together.  That will happen this week!  But I just couldn't wait to get a picture!  So I decided to draw a picture of them today to send to Jake as a reminder of how much I love him and his baby brother, Max! 

Maybe this picture will help Jake understand that before he knows it Max will be sitting up by himself.  Then a year from now he will be running around the house, getting into Jake's toys, and challenging Jake as to who got the truck first! 

Although I was artistically challenged to get a kiss planted on a baby's face, perhaps I succeeded in showing Jake that one day he and his baby brother Max may be in each others' faces like this drawing suggests.  There may be times when they disagree as to who gets the last cookie, or whose turn it is to go first...  I'm sure they'll be able to resolve their differences when they remember that brothers are for keeps!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

See: Face to Face

Did You Hear the Good News?

By Hazel Holland

"Did you hear the good news?"

"Yes, I heard that our sins have been whitewashed by His blood!  What did you both hear?"

"I heard that our sins are white like this snow!"

"Well, I heard that He's given us new hearts so we can love each other!" 

"That's easy.  We're already friends!"

"No! Now it's a different kind of love..."

"How's that?"

"Our new hearts will love each other like He loves us!"

"Well, how does this new kind of love work?"

"It's different from the old way."

"How?"

"Our new hearts are made big enough to love even our enemies!"

"Wow!  That's some kind of new heart He's given us!"

"Yes, it's His love He puts in us!"

"So how should we go about showing this new love to our enemies?"

"He'll show us how to love them!  You'll see!" ♥

Sharing Heart Burdens

By Hazel Holland

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and  My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Last night the Lord impressed me with the longing of His heart for His beloved children to come to Him for true rest instead of being distracted by so many other promises of false rest!

Immediately this oil painting that I had done on a sea shell many years ago came to mind... He wants us to stop running to and fro and come and sit at His feet and let Him share His heart with us... Then we will find that His place of rest is glorious! ♥♥♥

How Far is the East from the West?

By Hazel Holland

That's how far Jesus has removed our sins from us!

You Hold Me

By Hazel Holland

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

 Psalm 139:13

I began to paint this watercolor four years ago, six months before my first grandson, Jakey, was born... in fact even before I knew he was going to be a boy!  I was compelled to paint God holding him in the palm of His hand... in the womb and also as a little boy.  But I didn't know why.

Although I had so much joy painting him, I never got the painting finished.  Then I was too embarrassed to share it with anyone because it was... well, incomplete.  I was afraid that people would ask me why I painted God holding two baby boys.

Now another grandson is on the way, and he will arrive by C-Section on Monday, April 30!  We are all so excited about having another baby boy!  Jakey can hardly wait to see and hold his new baby brother...

Now the picture I painted four years ago can come out of hiding!  God had plans for Jakey and his baby brother long before they were ever born.  That's why I know He will continue to hold them safely in the palm of His loving hand!♥

Choose Life!

By Hazel Holland

This morning I heard the Holy Spirit speak these words into my spirit...  "The Old Covenant brought Death, but the New Covenant brings Life in the Spirit!  "Will you choose Life or Death? Will you choose Moses or Me?"♥

Then I remembered this picture of a dove that I painted on a larger oil painting many years ago.  Today I knew He wanted me to use it as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, and of our new life in Him!♥

My Children Come...

By Hazel Holland

My children come from the east and the west...
the north and the south.

This is a watercolor painting that I began a year ago, but never finished.  Today I was impressed by the Spirit to post it on my Art blog anyway...  In these end times God's Spirit is drawing men and women, boys and girls, to His Son, Jesus Christ.  His amazing grace revealed in the Cross is drawing the hearts of His beloved children to Himself.♥

Is Now The Proper Time?

By Hazel Holland

We can rest confidently in God knowing that He holds the future in 

His hands, and will reveal everything we need to know about it when 

it is His time.♥

Saddest Sabbath

By Hazel Holland

I wrote this poem and did the background chalk "painting" for an Easter pageant that was put on at a Seventh-day Adventist church twenty-eight years ago. The Sabbath morning service was presented from the viewpoint of the disciples who didn't know that Jesus was going to rise from the dead the next day... (Click on the picture to enlarge the poem so it is easier to read or go here.)

Now, twenty-eight years later, I can still remember the awful heaviness I felt that Sabbath morning as I got in touch with the despair and confusion of the disciples at seeing their Master crucified...

How their anguish must have turned to joy as soon as they saw that their Master had risen from the dead!  But it wouldn't be until the Holy Spirit fell upon them at Pentecost that they would begin to grasp the real significance of His death and resurrection, and what He had accomplished for them and everyone who would believe...

Now, twenty-eight years later, I've found that the Sabbath is not about worshiping God on Saturday or Sunday or any other day.  Sabbath is about resting in my risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ 24/7.  I've been released from the shadows and rituals of the old covenant, and I have entered into the freedom and joy I have found in the New.

Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ, my relationship to the law is now all gone.  Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ my old self is now all gone.  Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ my sins are now all gone.  Because of the finished work of Jesus Christ every obstacle preventing me from having closeness with God is now all gone.

What appeared to be a dark shadow cast over the saddest sabbath of all time turned out to be just the beginning of a new order of things in Jesus Christ!

Living Sacrifices!

By Hazel Holland

  

When I read Ramone's "Hosanna" post I was reminded of the chalk drawing I did many years ago for a church Easter pageant.  Suddenly I saw that I could draw children waving palm branches and place them in front of the Jerusalem backdrop...

Can you identify with these children who were being told to hush up and keep their hosannas under control as they passed by the temple?  After all...their loud praises might disturb the worshipers inside...

It's the same way today when people get hit with a "spirit of laughter" inside the "temple"?  Usually it's not understood by the people worshiping, and is seen as disruptive and unacceptable behavior in a corporate church setting.

Incidentally, the "laughter" I'm talking about is His joy that bubbles up inside of us at times as a result of embracing the new covenant gospel. His joy cannot be contained because it's coming forth from the Spirit in us who wants others to know that His well of joy is available to them, too.

We need to come and drink at His well of Living Water often so that we can be refreshed and filled to overflowing.  Then we will understand why His joy and laughter are impossible to hold back.  If we don't praise Him, the stones will begin to cry out!

Remember how Jesus told us that we must become trusting and child-like if we want to enter His Kingdom?  Revelation 7:9 gives us a beautiful picture of God's children holding palm branches as they praise their King in His Kingdom for all eternity! 

Yes, I believe God desires to interrupt the way we do church.  He wants us to be free like children so that we can worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  Our bodies are the palm branches... living sacrifices that are acceptable to Him!

 

See: Hosanna  

Wishes to Blow

By Hazel Holland

A child's perspective is beautiful!  All we see is a field full of weeds, but a child knows a dandelion clock when they see one.  "Mommy... Daddy... look at all the wishes to blow!" they cry out in delight.

I remember last summer showing my grandson, Jakey, how to pick dandelion clocks and blow the seeds so that the breeze would catch them.  We'd count how many blows we would get on each clock.  Then we'd make wishes with each blow, and he would try to catch the seeds before the wind carried them away and out of his reach...

You know in life we often miss out on a lot of beautiful experiences because we forget to look at ordinary things through the eyes of a child.  As a result, we lose the wonder and excitement of discovering something new in every situation we face.  We forget to be thankful for the simple joys and pleasures of life. 

I mean... seriously now... what is more ordinary than a field full of dandelions?  And yet God tells us we are His field (I Corinthians 3:9).  The seeds that He has planted in the soil of our hearts will will produce a fruitful harvest in His time... a harvest that will be appropriate to the season and the stage of growth in our lives.  So instead of seeing a field full of weeds from now on, let's open our eyes and see a fruitful field full of wishes to blow!

Jesus is My Shield

By Hazel Holland

"Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one." Ephesians 6:16

Turn Your World Upside Down

By Hazel Holland
  

As I began to draw this new picture for my grandson, Jakey, I wanted it to be something that would bring him joy and make him laugh.  The idea of having him look through his legs while standing in a puddle of water seemed like a fun thing to draw... until my world began to turn upside down as I tried to draw his reflection in the water!

As I looked at this picture I was reminded of another scene where Jesus' followers were accused of turning the world upside down.  I wondered what they were saying about the gospel that so disturbed the townspeople that they complained to the city authorities?  

Throughout the Bible and human history we are made aware of the strained and broken relationships that are the result of the clash between the dominant culture of the day and the spiritual kingdom that Jesus came to establish.  Could it be that in a world where the haves write the rules for the have-nots, the gospel brings hope to the have-nots, but threatens to upset the comfort zones of the haves? 

The Good News is preached to the poor, but the rich are sent away empty.  Those who have broken hearts are comforted, but the proud and arrogant remain heartless.  Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are filled, but the self-righteous are too full of themselves.  God’s kingdom proclaims freedom to the captives so that the blind see, but those who see continue to be blind.

The radical gospel calls us to love one another, including our enemies, as Jesus loved us and gave Himself for us.  This spiritual kingdom that Jesus came to establish in our hearts is a kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy.  Will you allow His love to flow through your heart to others so that their world will be turned upside down, too?

Becoming Like Children...

By Hazel Holland

 God is bringing His children back into childlike joy and

 freedom so that He can make them fisher's of men.

As I was drawing this picture for Jakey today I was remembering how much he always loves the water.  So I can just imagine his delight at finding a big fish like this while playing in the ocean! 

You know God is interested in finding big fish and little fish in His ocean, too..  Since He's fishing for people, He's calling us to leave the "nets" we have trusted in and follow Him instead.  His Spirit is still drawing men and women, boys and girls to Himself... one by one.  He's still calling His children into childlike joy and freedom so that he can make them fisher's of men...

Link: Leaving Our Adventist Nets

Called to Be Free!

By Hazel Holland

Since we are called to be free, let's serve one another in love.

 Galatians 5:13

I decided yesterday that I would try using pastels to draw a picture for my three year old grandson, Jakey.  Since he can't read yet, I thought that he might enjoy receiving a new picture in the mail from me each week as a reminder of how much I love him.  So this is my first try at doing a kid picture...

Drawing this picture for Jakey brought me such unexpected joy!  I really was not expecting it to bring out the playful child in me, but it did.  And then God's Spirit began to speak to my heart about how drawing pictures for Jakey will bring about further healing of my childhood memories as well...  As I send Jakey weekly reminders of how much he's loved, I'll be able to enter into priceless moments of his exuberant childhood joy... 

Have you received a "picture" lately of how much you're loved by the Father?  If you have, go share it with someone who needs to know how much He loves them, too.  If you haven't, ask God to give you a fresh picture of His heart of love... not just for yourself, but for someone who may need to be touched by Him through you.

You know... God sends us "love pictures" all the time.  But they don't usually come in the way we expect them...  So let's open up our hearts to His joy today.  We are called to be free and to serve one another in love.

Link: Free in Him!

He Loves Me... He Loves Me Not...

By Hazel Holland  

 "He loves me...he loves me not...he loves me...he loves me not..."

Do you remember making daisy chains when you were a child?  I sure do. It was fun picking the daisies and seeing who could make the longest chain.  The first daisy we counted was always "He loves me!"  The second daisy was "He loves me not!"  The third daisy was "He loves me!"... and so on until we got to the end of the daisy chain. I remember the excitement and tension we felt as we finished threading our last daisy into the chain... What were the odds that we had picked the "right" number of flowers so that the last daisy would be "He loves me"? 

Yesterday, when God brought back this childhood memory to my mind and told me that this "daisy chain" is a picture of the church today, I began to weep.  This is a picture of many of us in the body of Christ who do not want to let go of the old covenant!  So we do our best to "weave" both the new and the old covenants together.  It's like we're still children, content to play our childish games instead of leaving the "shadows" of childhood behind us... forever.

Trouble is... playing "daisy chains" with the covenants to see how we fare in our relationship with God gives us a distorted picture of His love and grace.  Not only that, but it leaves us in a world of contradictions and confusion.  One minute we're loved, and the next we're not.  One minute salvation is a free gift, and the next it's not.  One minute we're forgiven, and the next we're not.  We catch a glimpse of the Father's heart of love for us, and then suddenly we nose-dive into a world of fear and condemnation.

It's time to leave this childish guessing game behind us.  It's become obsolete.  The old has gone and the new has come!  It's time to grow up into who we are in Jesus Christ, and embrace the truth that "He loves me...always!"

The "Old" Has Disappeared...

By Hazel Holland

The "old" has disappeared... and the "new" has come!
 

Jesus knows the hearts of His children.  He knows that many of us try to hold on to the old wineskin of old covenant law believing it to be better than the new wineskin of the new covenant gospel.  He knows that in the natural realm old wine does taste better than new wine. 

That was why the people at the wedding in Cana where Jesus performed His first miracle were so surprised when they tasted the new wine.  The old wine—the good wine was always served first, but at this wedding the best wine was served last!   

Do you see the prophetic picture?  Jesus was declaring Himself to be the New Wine—the Best Wine.   The Son of God was declaring Himself to be God’s final Word.

Although we have been accustomed to drinking “old wine,” believing the “old” is better, Jesus came to show us that the “new wine” of the new covenant gospel is far better than the old wine of old  covenant law.  He is defying our expectations just like He surprised the guests at the wedding feast by showing us that the new wine—what came later is better!  Indeed, the host of the wedding banquet did serve his best wine at the beginning.  

But like the glory of the new covenant (2 Corinthians 3), the New Wine surpasses the old!  We thought we had great wine through Moses, but it doesn’t begin to compare with the New Wine of the Spirit...

*Excerpt from "The Naked Truth...", p. 74.  

Your Harvest

By Hazel Holland

God longs for you to know that the wilderness is the place where He calls you to be alone with Him!  The wilderness is the place where He draws you into His presence with His deeds of loving-kindness and tender mercies that He has towards you.  The wilderness is the place where He gives you back your vineyards of lost fruit (Hosea 2:14-15)!  Yes, it's in the wilderness where He shows you your fruitfulness in Him...

A Spiritual Awakening

By Hazel Holland

As I was doing this pastel tonight I was reminded of how God has ordained each season in the natural world to come at its appointed time.  In a similar way He has designed each season in your spiritual life to follow His chosen plan, too.  As you look back on your life, you will recognize some of these times of spiritual awakening...

You will remember the tug on your heart each time His Spirit revealed Himself to you as you and He walked down life's path together.  You will remember how your heart burned within you at times when you were deeply touched by His goodness and love.

During those seasons of spiritual awakening your life was being prepared to respond to His Spirit at the next appointed time...

Solitude

By Hazel Holland

"The Lord is my Shepherd... He leads me beside quiet waters... He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Psalm 23:1-3

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem...

By Hazel Holland

"How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  See! Your house is left to you desolate."  Matthew 23:37-38

I sense the Lord's breaking heart over Jerusalem... and the "idol" it has become to many in the church.  I have to gather my thoughts together before I can write anything more...

(I did this "painting" with colored chalk in 1984 for a church Easter program.  It was about 12 feet wide and 9 feet high.)

See:  Living Tableau & Jerusalem Scenes

A Door of Hope

By Hazel Holland

 

"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her

 into the desert and speak tenderly to her.  There I will 

give her back her vineyards, and make the 

Valley of Achor a door of hope..."  

Hosea 2:14-15

You're probably wondering... "Is that a burning bush out there in the desert?" Continue reading and find out!

I had forgotten all about this pastel I did of the desert many years ago until I found a picture of it in one of my photo albums.  Before selling it to a friend, I had apparently taken a picture of it, but not before framing it and putting it behind glass.  Now I saw that the camera flash had left an obvious glare on the photo.  Then  the idea came to me to scan this photo onto my computer and play around with the glare by using Microsoft Office Picture Manager to create a "burning bush" on my desert path!  This was the the result.

After a Facebook friend saw the story behind this painting (July 2, 2013), she commented that she “loved the light in the center of the path, lighting the way where she needed to go.” 

Immediately the Spirit hit me with the truth that the glare that I had tried to get rid of was no "accident"! In God's kingdom there are no "accidents" because He causes ALL things to to work together for good to those who love Him!  So now this "LIGHT" in the center of the painting has become something beautiful to me. (I'm weeping as I write this because God's presence is so strong right now!) It will be a constant reminder of His daily Presence as I walk in His love through the Spirit.♥
                                                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Remember how God set a bush on fire in the middle of the desert because He wanted to get Moses undivided attention?  He wanted to heal Moses so that He could use Moses to bring deliverance to a nation of slave children...

God knows your places of weakness and brokenness, too.  That is why He's seeking you out with His consuming presence.  As a Lover He's calling you to come away with Him into the desert so that He can heal your brokenness and bring you deliverance, too.  He wants you to hear the gentleness in His voice as He tenderly places His arms around you, and reminds you that He is betrothed to you forever in love and righteousness.

He's not calling you into the desert to chastise you for your inability to remain faithful to Him, but to assure you that He will always remain faithful in His commitment of love to you.  He wants to remind  you that the consuming fire of His presence has swept away your sins like a cloud.  Like the morning mist, they have disappeared...

Did you ever wonder why God chose to get Moses undivided attention through a burning bush? Perhaps because one of God’s attributes is that He is a consuming fire. Although He is a consuming fire, the bush was not consumed. Although He is a consuming fire, we are not consumed, but only the dross in our lives is removed.

Your Lover will get your undivided attention because He is your Relentless Pursuer!  He is your Door of Hope!  He will do whatever it takes to capture your heart with His love so that you have only eyes for Him.♥

To see a larger copy of this artwork click here.

A Leap of Faith

By Hazel Holland

Here's another oil painting from my past that brings back an avalanche of good memories with dear friends...  

I remember burning the midnight oil as I painted this picturesque scene of a remote cabin facing the setting sun.  After I had finished painting it, people would invariably ask me why I had left it unfinished.  When I would tell them that it was finished, they were surprised...

I understood that they wanted to see something visible on the other side of the hill... like a grassy slope reaching down into a fertile valley, or a panoramic view of the ocean touching the sky.  They wanted to see something familiar... something they could count on.

We're all a lot like that, aren't we?  We want to know what's around the next corner or over the next hill before we ever get there.  We don't want to trust our future to someone else.  We want to make our future happen ourselves.  We'd much rather walk by sight and not by faith! 

But God's plan for us to learn to trust Him with our future as we live in the Spirit and walk by faith.  He will move the boulders that block our path, and make stepping stones through the rugged mountain passes in our lives.  For He has promised to make a way where there is no way!

Will you take that leap of faith today and say..."Yes, God! I will step out in You because you are the Solid Rock beneath my feet.  I will choose to trust Your heart and rest in the love that You have provided for me in Your Son, Jesus Christ".

Yours Forever!

By Hazel Holland

You lead us beside quiet waters.  You restore our souls. 
Psalm 23:2-3

Whenever You call my name, Lord, my heart leaps at the sound of Your voice.  I'm eager to follow Your lead now that I no longer want to go my own way.  

As You lead me beside still waters, You quiet my anxious thoughts.  You satisfy my hunger and quench my thirst from Your storehouse of endless delights.  Your arms pick me up when I'm wounded.  Your shoulders carry me when I've lost my way. 

But what changed my heart from the inside out was the day I accepted Your grace.  When You rescued my soul from certain death, You captured my heart with Your love!

(One of my favorite watercolors that my grandmother painted years ago of sheep grazing amongst purple heather on the Yorkshire moors.  It came back to life with the aid of my digital camera, and a little help from Microsoft Office Picture Manager to brighten the faded areas).