Hope Found

Hope Found

Oil and cold wax

available

Have you ever experienced just a hopeless feeling and an area of your life? Maybe everything else in your life is going good, but in this one little area it's a big deal. A big deal of hopelessness. And then all of a sudden, the Lord can bring hope.  All of a sudden, I have found hope again for this area of my life. This painting is oil and cold wax, and is number 12 in the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. It's kind of crazy to think that the challenge is almost half over.  I think after number 15 I will go back to another style much more controlled. I have enjoyed these abstracts and always love to come back to them when I'm feeling the need to rest.

 

The Journey

"The Journey"

4"x4"

Alcohol Ink on Yupo

     After completing the 30 Paintings in 30 Days it almost felt just flat wrong not to continue.  I did have to take some time to figure taxes, housework, etc., so I took a few days off and didn't enjoy even a minute of it.  I love painting, no matter the medium.  

     We're all on a journey, aren't we?  Some have a long way to go.  Some have come a long way.  Each looks different, and we can't really compare them.  The face remains faceless and is nameless because it's all of us.  Where are you on your journey?  Are you looking back with regret, or looking forward with HOPE?  I know from experience that the looking back only keeps you in captivity within your own heart, but looking forward with the One that wants good things for you, is full of hope.  I plan to have lots of those days ahead in my journey.  What about you?

Promises Reign

"Promises Reign"

16"x20" Original Oil

Purchase this Painting

     This marks another Mother's Day; one that I will mark down for all time in history.  It's the one that I will always remember.  For 19 years I prayed.  My heart grieved at the loss of my youngest son.  The one that I lost custody of.  In those days, it wasn't heard of to lose a child unless a mother was unfit as a mother.  But, I did.  For all those years I wanted relationship.  I prayed when I didn't even know how to pray.  Seems like everything came against me.  Then, I began to learn how to pray.  It was when I knew that something had to change or I wouldn't make it.  I had two older sons; it was for them that I lived.  Still, as a mother with a lost little sheep out there it was so very hard to hang on.  I learned to hang on to the One that would hold me...the One that would never leave me or forsake me. He was the One that would carry me through and teach me so many things.  I began to learn that all of his promises were yes for me.  I learned that God is all about restoration and relationships; between He and me (vertically) and between mankind (horizontally).  I learned that I can trust him.  That's what I did.  Things shifted and I traded my grief for trust and hope.  For those of you that have followed my blog, you know that my relationship has been restored with my son!  It's a miracle.  He's a miracle, walking out the plans that God has for him.  The other years were spent in prayer for him to come home.  This year it was spent in thankfulness, because he has come home! Thankful that I have three amazing, awesome, and wonderful sons that walk in the favor of the Lord.  They are reunited as brothers, and our family has been made whole.

     Today, I had to trade the box of kleenex for the roll of paper towels.  My heart runneth over with thankfulness, gratefulness, and joy.  

    Is there an area of your life that has lost hope?  Can I just tell you, that if you can verify in the Word of God, that it is his will and if you are praying his will...the answer is on the way!  Do not give up faith and hope in the One that can do all things.  Never, ever give up!  Amen.

"Horizons of Blessing"

"Horizons of Blessing"

12x24

Acrylic on Canvas

     I've been working on pet portraits lately, fulfilling some Christmas commissions.  I started this piece before the commissions and really wasn't happy at first.  Today, I got back in the studio and reworked the road.  I like it much better.  While contemplating the title, I just couldn't see anything except "Horizons".  I had to consider all sorts of things.  Things like, "what's on the horizon', to the hope and light that is on the horizon, to the people that I love that seem to have nothing on the horizon.  That makes me gloomy.  But, when I painted this, everything was bright for me, and still is. My son had just come home from many a year separation!  My only granddaughter had been introduced to me, my other two boys and grandchildren are healthy, my husband and I are healthy, and we all love the Lord Jesus!  My children are taught of the Lord and they are blessed.  We are blessed in the city and blessed in the land!  Somehow this painting reminds me of that Blessing.

http://lillianjaneneal.weebly.com/horizons.html

"Hope"

"Ray of Hope"

5"x7"

Alcohol Ink on Yupo

     I was invited to speak at a women's conference this weekend.  I spoke on "Unshakeable Hope'.  The Lord is so good at giving us those rays of hope from time to time, as we put our hope in Him.  This is number 27 of the 30 in 30 challenge.  I'm thankful for alcohol ink and yupo, especially when I'm on the road.  I couldn't post this because the hotel wifii was so slow and I was too tired to deal with it.  Here it is, now.  I pray that you have HOPE, today.