On New Year's Eve I found this in an old notebook dated May 12, 2015. I had written it several weeks before I found out I needed back surgery; several months before I created the periodic table of elements paintings, and exactly one year before we thought about moving to Chattanooga.
At that time I was very unhappy with the direction of my life and was desperate for change. By writing those thoughts down, I was making a determination and commitment to myself which, somehow, set things beyond my control into motion. I made some small hesitant steps in the direction of becoming who God made me to be, but it was the back surgery a couple of months later that gave me wings.
It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:
When a man takes one step toward God, God takes more steps toward that man than there are sands in the worlds of time. ~ from The Work of the Chariot
I believe this to be true.
Thinking about what we want for our lives and making goals for the new year gives us the perfect opportunity to consider what may have stopped us in the past - not to berate, but to understand ourselves better. We can determine why (and if) those goals are truly important. Then, when difficulty arises, we can see it not as a stumbling block, but a spring-board placed by the hand of God to propel us forward.
Happy spring-boarding!
With heartfelt love & gratitude, Lisa
Stay tuned to my Facebook page for information on a new series I've been working on! I'll also be posting some new images on Instagram.
The website will soon have more new prints and paintings in the store and of course, you can always go there to commission a painting or pet portrait as a gift for yourself or a friend.