Christ Expresses His Life Through Us

By Hazel Holland

I was thinking today of how Paul reminds us to "not forsake the assembling of yourselves together".  Of course this exhortation is usually interpreted to mean "be sure you attend church each week". But is this what Paul meant when he made this statement?  Seeing one another around a corporate church gathering once a week is hardly real fellowship like the early church experienced as they met together in each others homes.

Real fellowship is based in intimate relationships.  Real fellowship is based on regularly connecting and becoming deeply involved in other people’s lives?  If we are honest we must admit that relationships with people in a modern day church setting are limited by programs and maintaining a common vision.  This is hardly fellowship in the truest sense of the word. 

But what can happen in small home group settings is the best kind of fellowship.  What joy comes from worshiping God together and praying with one another as we allow the Spirit to minister to each of our needs.  Studying the Word together and allowing the Spirit to let it pierce our hearts with His love makes us willing to carry each others burdens to the Lord.  This is the kind of fellowship my heart continually longs for.  

As we allow the Spirit to move in our lives, the gifts of the Spirit will be manifest in and through our lives as Christ expresses His life through us.  Fellowship with one another becomes sweeter as we remember that Jesus Christ is the burden-bearer?  Since He has already done all the heavy lifting we can release our works at the foot of the cross.  Then we will be free to enter into the joy of His "good" work.  

Our job is to simply rest in His finished work, enjoy sweet fellowship with Him, and love one another as He has loved us. Our work is to enter moment by moment into the rest of His marvelous grace and allow Christ to express His life through us. ♥

Flying Free

By Hazel Holland  

This impressionistic watercolor is another version of "Life in His Name".  When I place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior I undergo a miraculous exchange at the very center of my being.  I become a child of God - a new person in Christ.  The old has gone and the new has come. Now I can fly free in the Spirit as I live out my my new identity in Jesus Christ.♥

To see a larger copy of this  painting or purchase a print, please click here.

Pursue LOVE!

By Hazel Holland

After creating this impressionistic watercolor of beautiful plants from a larger painting of mine, I feel like these vivid colors are speaking to our hearts about the importance of faith, hope, and love.  They remind us that 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that the greatest of these fruits of the Spirit is love!  So pursue LOVE!♥

To see a larger copy of this painting or purchase a print, please click here.

Life in His Name

By Hazel Holland

As I began reading chapter 20 of the book of John the other morning, the Spirit began to minister to my heart in a marvelous way.  I was feeling physically and emotionally overwhelmed by the responsibilities of life.  I felt like I had no energy left to face another day.  I needed my Spirit to be restored.  I needed new life to be pumped into my veins...

All of a sudden Jesus began speaking to my heart through the Spirit as I read John 20...  "You may cling to me now My child, because I have already ascended to My Father and your Father.  I have already ascended to My God and Your God.  I give you My peace, My child! As the Father sent Me, I am also sending you... 

"You've already received the Holy Spirit...  So don't be unbelieving, because you feel drained and tired, but believe!  I am speaking these words to you now so that you may believe that I am the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in My name!"

My face was bathed in sweet tears of relief as I felt the overwhelming presence of God envelop me like a warm blanket.  Suddenly I remembered this impressionistic watercolor painting of a bird I had created recently, and it seemed to be the perfect picture to describe how His resurrection life began to pump through my tired veins bringing joy and anticipation!  I could face this new day because I have life in His name!♥

To see a larger copy of this painting, or purchase a print, please click here.

A Floral Rainbow

By Hazel Holland
 

I painted this impressionistic watercolor of rainbow colored flowers to remind us that God's promises to us in the gospel are certain and will never fail.♥

To see a larger copy of this painting, or purchase a print, please click here.

He is Risen

By Hazel Holland

This painting was my first attempt at using oil pastels. The colors do not blend quite as well as the soft pastels that I am use to using, but thankfully they are a lot cleaner to work with. 

Since Easter will be here in a few weeks I wanted to start painting some pictures that will draw attention to the One who is the Resurrection and the Life!

"Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  Because of His great mercy He gave us new life by raising Jesus Christ from death" 1 Peter 1:3.

Have a blessed Easter.♥

To see a larger copy of this painting, or purchase a print, please click here.

Winter Beauty

By Hazel Holland

I recently finished painted this lovely winter scene for another one of my art classes.  Since my elderly students were not keen on using watercolor paint, I wanted to see if I could give them an alternate method  in which to create beautiful pictures that were suitable for greeting cards.

So I created this warm and delightful setting as the sun was going down at the end of a cold and snowy winter day by using water soluble wax pastels and watercolor pencils instead of regular watercolor paint.

Winter scenes like this remind me of growing up in England... except for the fact that my robins are enjoying the last rays of the setting sun from from a fir instead of a holly bush.♥

To see a larger copy of this painting or purchase a print click here.

A Beacon of Hope

By Hazel Holand

I painted this realistic watercolor of a lighthouse to demonstrate to the students in my art class how to create a mood painting by the use of light and color. 

However, this painting is more than a just a mood painting.  The light from the lighthouse is but a glimmer of light compared to the light that is illuminating the threatening rocks...

Perhaps as Christ followers that is how our light is supposed to shine...  His Presence in us reveals the contrasting darkness that is in the world around us.  His Presence in us becomes a beacon of hope... pointing the way to the Father of Light.♥

To see a larger copy of this painting or purchase an art print, please click here.

Love Burns Brightly

By Hazel Holland

 I created this impressionistic watercolor from a larger watercolor of mine by altering the size and changing the colors of the painting.  The rainbow colors in this scene of swaying ocean plants are a visual reminder that many waters cannot quench the flame of love that exists in the heart of God for each one of His children.  His love burns brightly, and nothing in heaven or earth can extinguish the flame of His love that is as strong as death (Song of Solomon 8:6-7).♥

To see a larger copy of this art print or purchase a copy of it, please click here.

Moving in the Spirit

By Hazel Holland

I created this impressionistic watercolor from a larger watercolor of mine by altering the size, and changing the colors and mood of the painting.  The vivid colors in this scene of swaying ocean plants are a visual reminder of what it means to live life in the power of the Spirit...  Faith, hope, and love are being expressed by the joyful movement of each swaying plant.♥

To see a larger copy of this artwork click here.

We Love You, Lord!

By Hazel Holland

I created this impressionistic watercolor from a larger watercolor painting of mine because I wanted to focus on the beauty of His presence.  God is calling each one of us to come to Him just as we are and allow Him to perform the miracle of His transforming love upon our broken and imperfect hearts.  As we lift up our hands in worship we sense the sweet aroma of His grace being poured out upon us daily.♥

To see a larger copy of this art print click here.

Light Shattering Darkness

By Hazel Holland

Although I painted this impressionistic watercolor a number years ago after having a dream one night of light in the shape of a cross shattering the darkness of the night, I felt impressed to post it today.  Ever since that time, the prayer of my heart has been that God's incredible gift of love given to us in Jesus Christ would be like light shattering the darkness around every heart who was ready to receive His grace.

May the Spirit reveal to you that although our world is but a speck in a universe of billions of galaxies, you are, and forever will be, His first love!♥ 

To see a larger copy of this art print click here.

Transformed By Grace

By Hazel Holland

 

I created this impressionistic/abstract watercolor of a butterfly using colored artist's tissue paper, water soluble wax crayons and watercolor pencils.  The palette of colors came from my imagination as I saw these beautiful colors begin to take shape. 

To me the butterfly is one of God's special little winged creatures because it goes through such a difficult process before it can spread it wings and become all that God designed it to be...

To me it's amazing that a caterpillar that crawls around on the ground can be transformed into a beautiful butterfly that no longer crawls but flies...  But the process of transformation is not an easy one...

The restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get out of it is God's way of strengthening the butterfly's wings.  He is making them ready for flight once the butterfly achieves its freedom from the cocoon. 

The butterfly's struggle to emerge from the cocoon is exactly what is needed for it to become the creature God designed it to be.  It's destiny was never to remain a caterpillar, but to be transformed into a healthy and beautiful butterfly. 

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in life, too.  They make us strong.  If God allowed us to go through life without any obstacles to overcome, we would become weak and crippled.  We would never be able to fly!

So God allows difficulties to cross our path because they provide opportunities for us to grow.  He knows that we will emerge from our struggles to get out of the "cocoon" far wiser, and with a courage born out of pain.  His purpose for us is to live life the way He designed... in freedom... NOT in captivity! 

Our destiny in Him is to be transformed into His image by His grace.♥

To see a larger copy of this art print or purchase an art print, please click here.

Grateful Hearts

By Hazel Holland

I painted this impressionistic watercolor to express my love for Jesus Christ because of His amazing love for each one of us.  The rainbow hearts surrounded by the blue waves of His ocean of love symbolize the hope we may all have in His goodness and grace. 

How can we ever thank Him enough for dying on a cross and forgiving us for our sins once and for all time?  By responding to His loving invitation to believe in His goodness and grace.  We can offer Him our grateful hearts knowing that His heart is always for us!♥

To see a larger copy pf this art print click here.

I'm Yours Forever

By Hazel Holland

 

I created this impressionistic watercolor from a larger watercolor of mine in order to express my love for Jesus Christ.  His amazing grace and love for each one of us is depicted here as an ocean of love.

How can we ever thank Him enough for His goodness and kindness towards us?  By responding to His loving invitation to believe in His goodness and grace. We can offer Him our hearts by telling Him, "I'm Yours Forever!"♥
 

To see a larger copy of this art print click here.

God's Grace

By Hazel Holland

This is an abstract watercolor that I did to depict God's healing grace being poured out upon the cities and nations of this world. When we lift up our eyes and look to the light of His love we will see evidence of His amazing grace everywhere.

It reaches to the highest skyscraper and lowest hovel. There's no place too high or too low that God's grace has not already been there first. I praise Him for such unfathomable love!♥

To see a larger copy of this art print click here.