Day 2: No Water

 Around 1 Billion people live without access to clean drinking water. Watch this video to find out more about the water crisis and how you can help. 

 For more information go to www.charitywater.org

Justice Drawing Challenge Intro & Day 1: Hunger

 At the beginning of the year I made a Justice Drawing Challenge that would last 30 days, each day having to draw a different justice issue. I put off doing it myself, at first, because I had just recently finished the 30 Day Drawing Challenge and had other demands on my creativity, but right now I'm reading a book by Patrick Dodson called The Identity Project and it gave me a shock back into gear.

 In Chapter 3, he dives into loving your neighbor as yourself and what that means. He then asked some very specific questions at the end of the chapter asking what you were doing now to love your neighbors as yourself and what you could do to start doing that today. I thought back to this drawing challenge that I had created in the beginning of the year and decided that it was something I need to do. I have given my life to seeking justice for the those who lack it and to speak on behalf of those whose voices cannot be heard. Working for justice brings out the best in me and draws every part of my identity into symmetry, especially my passion for art. 

 So for the next 30 days I'll be posting drawings of different justice issues. I encourage you to share them, research them, discuss them and draw your own; in fact I not only encourage you to do so, I beg of you to do so. The more we circulate things that raise awareness, the more we can wipe out ignorance and step closer to change. Are you with me?

Day 1: Hunger [approximately 25,000 people die everyday from hunger-related causes]

For more information on world hunger and how you can help go to www.bread.org

 

Love Thyself

"'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?' And He said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.'" - Matthew 22:36-40

Love your neighbors as you love yourself.....so how then can we love our neighbor if we hate ourselves? The answer is easy; you can't. 

Have you ever thanked God for the way He made you? 

Have you ever looked in the mirror and said, "Dang I'm sexy!"? 

Are you happy with yourself or are you constantly analyzing what you need to change? 

Be good to yourself, love yourself; if you can't love yourself then how do you expect to love anyone else?

2012

• I believe that this will be a year of new things
• I believe that this will be a year of blessings and fulfilled promises
• I believe that this year will hold higher levels and deeper roots
• I believe that this year will be a year of expansion and growth
• I believe that this will be a year of victories and dreams becoming reality
• I believe that this year will transform, renew, restore, revolutionize and challenge
• I believe that this year will be a year of beautiful beginnings and sober ends. 

I really believe that this year will be measured by the basket we give to the Lord; however much we give Him is how much He will fill. If we bring small baskets, He will fill our small baskets; but if we bring as many large baskets as we can, I believe He will fill them. I believe the Lord is going to begin asking us, "How much do you want?" 

I believe....help me with my unbelief. 

Try This On For The New Year

As you all are probably well aware, I recently finished a 30 Day Drawing Challenge. I enjoyed the creative challenge so much that I decided to put my own spin on it; I made my own 30 Day Justice Drawing Challenge. Each day the tast is to draw a different justice issue and share it. Next to each day's issue is a link for inspiration which will hopefully serve as a launching pad for further research and activism. 

So let's spread this all over the web, raise awareness, and draw for justice for the new year!

Come Closer

In Genesis 18 we are given history's first example of intercession when Abraham intercedes for Sodom and Gommorah, asking the Lord how many righteous men it would take for Him to spare the city. Verses 22-23 say, "So themen turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near and said..." 

God knows His ways, we don't; that's why we have to draw near and talk. The secret intimacies of God are whispered; it is only when you are close to someone that you can hear their whispers. But it's not God Who is far, rather it is us. The rod and the reel are in our hands, if we want to come closer it's in our power to do that. In fact, Christ came and died that we might have that power. C.S. Lewis said, "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." So will you draw near? Will you come closer?

Day 30: The End

Today's last and final task was to make a banner congratulating yourself for finishing the drawing challenge. If you haven't done this drawing challenge yet, do it.