Art & Soul post #12 by Mary Davidson-
About a year and a half ago, I started writing scripture verses and illustrating them with lots of bright colors. The words were scripture perfect but my artwork … not so much. However, the more I drew, the better I got. Go figure! After several of these “verse drawings”, I began to experiment with different lettering styles. I drew verses on my weekly church donation envelopes. People started noticing my artwork and telling me they really enjoyed reading the creative verses. I kept thinking that, if I continued doing this verse art and got really good at it, it could grab the attention of those that would never think to look at a Bible otherwise. With that, I started to consider the possibility of reviving the old artist in me from my childhood, but I also wondered if I had what it would actually take to see it through and worried about possibly going in a wrong direction.
Scripture says in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” But I didn’t know what God really had in mind for the use of this gift. I kept hearing from others that I needed to ask God and He would tell me. So, I took a leap of faith and prayed.
Since then, my prayer life has really taken off. My prayer style is more of an ongoing conversation with God. In fact, God and I have many conversations throughout each day…sometimes out loud and sometimes out loud and in public! When that happens, we both chuckle at some of the looks I get!
After praying and talking with God about my artwork, I felt like I had found what He wanted me to do, and I began to feel purposeful and happy! I continued to ask Him for confirmation and inspiration. It turned out that His hand would guide me to use my gift to encourage others with this exact same need!
In order to decide a verse to illustrate, I open the Bible, close my eyes, and turn the pages until the words “look now” pop into my thoughts. I scan that page and read several verses before going to the next page.The Bible is a never-ending source of GOOD WORDS and INSPIRATIONS! It’s definitely not boring as I had spent most of my life thinking. One day, shortly after I began to pray for His guidance, I landed on…
Isaiah 58:11: “Where God guides, He provides.”
As I often do while working on a creative piece, I was listening to a devotional app. It just so happens that the devotional verse of the day was none other than Isaiah 58:11! Was this a coincidence? I don’t think so. Here was God speaking to me about “guiding and providing” which was exactly what I had been seeking from Him. Wow! How awesome is that? So, I set aside the sketch I had been working on and started to draw a new piece using this verse. I decided to use a hand to represent God and use the color yellow to show that we can never go wrong when we are walking in His light and trusting that He will take care of the details.
God has led me to expand my artwork into inspirational words in addition to my verse art, and He has provided the inspiration for these pieces as well. One day, I heard a man start a statement with “I’m a believer…”; I didn’t listen to the rest of his sentence because I just couldn’t stop hearing those beginning words! I associated those words with worshippers that I see raising their hands in praise when they sing. By evening, I had two things at the top of my mind: the words “I’m a believer” and putting those words to music. Somehow, I knew those words very well in my memory…and they needed to be put to music! As I was falling asleep that night, I sat straight up in bed when I realized those words had already been set to music! And I remembered where I had heard them… I had actually sung them along with a band. The band’s name was The Monkees and the song’s name was “I’m a Believer”! Oh my goodness! I can’t tell you how many times I sang that song when I was growing up! I, like so many other girls of that era, had such a fan-crush on the lead singer, Davy Jones!
I knew the song “I’m a Believer” was not a Christian song, but God assured me it was okay if I and others might associate this artwork with the sixties love song. Now that I think of myself as a “Believer”, a whole-hearted believer in Christ Jesus, the song has taken on a new meaning. Sometimes God uses unexpected things like this for His good purposes. Now when I hear the song on the radio, I’m still reminded of my past, but I am also reminded how times have changed…how I’ve changed. When I sing it now, I replace certain lyrics and sing it as a love song to God. It’s crazy how changing a few words in a song can make it have a totally different meaning! It’s taken a long, long time for God to take the music of my youth and transform the songs into my worship music of today, but they’re together now, just like Jesus and me!
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” -Romans 8:28
Blessings to You All,
Mary
Mary Davidson
Scripture illustration artist and founding member of Redeemer's Heart
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1 thought on “His Guiding Hand”
Thanks so much for sharing Mary! You are so very talented! Your hand artwork is very unique! I especially love the photo of all of the beautifully designed church donation envelopes. Your dedication to impact those around you in a positive way with your God given gift is inspiring!