Heart Art.

We had a special guest, Joni Zepp come over to the cabin last night. She is a local christian therapist in town, and attends International Anglican Church with Cory and I, along with the young men. She is a dear friend, and prayer warrior and prophet for us at Training Ground. Quite a gift.

She came to do art therapy. Or really to take young men into the heart of God, through art. She explained that when we use words, that often it is describing experiences, and feelings, and that symbols, images, and pictures actually come very close to our heart, and our God. Sometimes more than words. Made me think about Revelation, and the imagery of the prophets, and scripture, and how often the words, are actually descriptors of symbolism and pictures.

Initially the vision comes... the prophets record and describe it, in their words, things our translated by language, then over the ages, re-translated into Greek, English, and then we read them.

Made me think about how much an artist God is. Of course, in nature, but even in giving his followers visions. Yes, he speaks in words, but visions too. So, Joni's point is that often the closest place to find out what is going on inside, and even at that level with what God is doing, is to see symbols... and so we painted.

The assignment was to listen with our spirit. Not our soul. The spirit God has set within us, and the two things we painted went with, "What is God speaking to you right now about your life, and the second.... what does your heart want the most with God."

It was good. I tend to use words to describe things. But this went beyond that, and to the heart. Of God, and my own.

It was a powerful night. All of us going around sharing what God had us draw, what our hearts wanted the most. It was amazing what depth was in each picture, and how each somehow described our journey thus far. Each picture unique. Each story unique. And even how God spoke to us.

It also reminded me that we are all artists, and have expression in us. There are things locked away deep with us, and within the heart of God, that seem to be hard to access at times. It felt right to have a woman at the house.

As one of the young men shared, "It was soothing just to hear her voice." We have Sister Therese coming tonight, and there is something about a woman, her tenderness, her strength, grace, not sure all how to describe it, that takes us into the heart of God that a man cannot. It seems fitting that Joni brought us to that place with God, and all the more reason why as much as masculinity bestows masculinity, it sure is right to have a woman help us in that journey.