God's Love and Exhibition Time!

Hey everyone!
So much work has be going on that I haven't had an opportunity to sit down with my computer to write anything besides for my writing assignments. God has done a lot of work in me, and I'll try to write about what he's done with me. Here's one little highlight:

I know that the bible says that God loves us, but I always felt like I was a disappointment and that he couldn’t possibly love me unconditionally. I wasn’t worthy of his love and that he couldn’t love me because I have sinned so much. I would hear people tell me that God loved me, but I just couldn’t or wouldn’t totally believe them because I was listening to the lies and reminders from Satan of sin I have done that God hates sin, so he couldn’t love me. I started to try to remove the lies instead trust in what the bible says about God’s love, but I still doubted them because I hadn’t heard God say it to me. I hadn’t heard him say that he loves me with his voice, and I think part of why I didn’t believe is because I have felt like I've had a lack of affirming words and people saying they loved me in my life.

In my quiet reflective time I started to think of the story about the prodigal son and how the father ran to his filthy son and embrace him, and how the Father is God. Then I heard the words “I love you.” God, the heavenly father loves me as I am.

That's one thing, there's a lot more but I'll update now on what is happening and how you can pray.

Today we set up our artwork in the building we're using for our exhibition. We are opening the exhibition tomorrow night, pray that we'd have a great hit off and that all of us visual artist will be open and engaging with the guest that come. 

And in two weeks I'll be packing up to go to Moldova.

It's been a month?

The time has been going by so quickly. Learning, Creating, and worshiping God. So much has happened, and I can't begin to recap what's gone on this past month. I'll just let the pictures tell the story.

a quick 1 hour drawing with pastels

My favorite Italian food of the Abruzzo region (where i'm staying) "Arrosticini" it's lamb meet on a skewer.

Italian Welcome!

-January 24th/25th- First Day

A lot of traveling, airplane food, and passports.

-January 27th- 

Tonight I shared my portfolio with everyone in the school, sharing the story about my paintings. I was so nervous as I usually am when I do public speaking. And of course do to the alphabetical order my last name falls in I went first, I had some clumsy moments. Knocked over a music stand and my mouth went dry to where I couldn’t say a word properly. Yet at the very end after all the other visual artist had shared, I was encouraged by how many people came up and told me what piece they liked. Each person liked a different painting or drawing that I show on the slides, and it was so encouraging and motivating to see people being blessed by my work and being excited to see what I create while I’m here. 

-January 30th-

Today we finished the training of Worldview, which was very eye opening how we view the world differently. Then we went on a trip to Castelli (which is a town close by), we got to wounder around the town, then we visited an art school there that specializes in ceramics. We watched a student working on the wheel with  some clay, but he found imperfections (hard pieces) in the clay, so he had to throw it out and started over to a beautiful piece (pictured below). It was a reminder to us that if we are hard in places God can't form us into the masterpiece he wants to make.

 And more pictures to come. ;)

A Wonderful Gift

I used to think that the best gifts where the really big ones, but God has blessed me with a wonderful gift today. Some kids who live in Romania that I got the pleasure to work with on my mission trip this summer, (all on their own) brought together about $31 to help me go on my mission trip to Italy and Moldova. It's a wonderful gift to have been with these kids (even though it was a short time), and I continue to be blessed by these amazing kids! 
No matter the amount a gift is a blessing, and the greatest one is Jesus. Consider giving back this Christmas season to the mission field. You can donate through Dec. 11th to my mission trip to Italy and Moldova. follow this link to give.

We Say We Love Jesus... But Not Our Neighbor?

I make you uncomfortable
When I'm around
You always find a reason
To shut me out
You don't understand me
So you push me away
And you claim
Jesus lets you live that way
Tell me

Why me?
Why am I not welcome in your company?
Why do you treat me like an enemy?
If you believe the way you say you do
Oh, then why am I unlovable to you?

This is something that has been on my mind for awhile. As humans we are flawed, and can be very judgmental beings. That's a given being fallen sinners, but it doesn't mean that we should judge who is good and bad, and who is a believer and who is not. It doesn't mean we should judge the people that dress differently, talk differently, live differently, or act differently than we do.

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” -Matthew 7:1-2

And I know that some of you may be thinking that I'm judging for writing this blog, that I'm a hypocrite. Yes, I am thinking the same thing, but I am trying to work on these things myself. So this blog post is as much me writing to myself as I'm writing to you (Hence why I use the term we).

“Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” -Matthew 7:3-5

We should stop pointing out everyone else's faults and mistakes, instead we should except them and love them. We should show them the love and grace that Jesus has shown us, and continually pours out on us. Why else did Jesus respond to the scribes and Pharisees when they asked what they should do to the woman caught in adultery, (A woman they thought should be stoned) He said to them “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” and once they had left, Jesus (the only one truly without sin) does not condemn her either.

He is showing us that even him the son of God, does not judge. He except all those who come to him.

So we say we love Jesus
But didn't we kill Him?
Cause we thought He was different
What was He thinking
What was He feeling
I bet He was saying

Why me?
Why am I not welcome in your company?
Why do you treat me like an enemy?
If you believe the way you say you do
Oh, then why am I unlovable to you?

Let's start to try living a life like Jesus, loving the outcast, the different, the unloved. Let's show nonbelievers what true Christ followers really are.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” -John 13:34-35

God Bless!

(Song Quoted in this post "Unlovable" by Plumb)

My Next Journey

 On June 1^st only 10 days till I was going on my mission trip to Romania, I saw on Facebook that a family friend who works for OM (Operations Mobilization) had shared a video about OM Arts Training: Incarnate 2016. I was filled with passion and excitement. A four month intensive, discipleship training for artists and ministry with art in Italy none the less, it sounded amazing! Then I left for 3 weeks, and after a lot of prayer and challenges. By God's work I am now on the journey to Italy and this amazing opportunity to use my artistic gift to share the gospel.

A few details about the trip:

• I leave January 24th and return home May 16th.
• Incarnate 2016 will be hosted at Isola Evangelical Center, in central Italy.
• There will be at least 20 hours of studio time per week during the 12 weeks of training
• Incarnate festival weekend exhibiting the artists’ best work and art created in collaboration with local artists. The valley is blessed a truly international event and naturally connect the local churches with mainstream culture.
• The last month of the program is a Field placement so that I can immediately put into practice what I have learned. And pursue my calling to global missions as an artist.

I'm ecstatic about this opportunity to get intensive training in visual arts. But I'm not going yet, I need your help to get me there. I need $6,500 by December 11^th. You can donate by going to this link, every bit helps!  (and put "Deanna Barclay" in the comments)