Reflecting on Romans 12:12 I asked myself, “what do rejoicing/hope, patience, and prayer look like in a time of personal hardship and significant obstacles to those three things? The parable of the mustard seed came to mind, as well as the story of the poor woman who put two small coins in the offering box; according to these stories there is value in “small” acts and offerings, when offered with intention. Sometimes your act of hope for the day is getting up and making your bed.
Another idea that came out during the process was just the idea of consistency between the way you live during times of hardship, and the way you live when things are easy; in some ways, nothing changes: you still brush your teeth, go to the store, go to work.
And so, many of the images represent that idea: a bird builds a nest even in a wild, briary jungle. A caterpillar becomes a butterfly among sharp thorns. The church keeps worshiping through a stormy night.
I decided to paint on mirrors because I found a random stack of mirrors at a thrift store:)
Creed
By Lucy Rivera
