Long Time No Post...

Wow, it has been more than a month since I posted here! Well, by other posts you probably know where I had been. You guessed right! I was busy getting my Project 31 Studio up and running. And recently, in the past 2 days, I posted my first listings on Etsy! Yes, finally! I actually feel a ton of weight off of my shoulders.

Remember a while ago I asked for prayer? Well, thanks for praying! It was a rough time for me to get this Project 31 studio started. It wasn't just the business side of things. It was more spiritual. I knew that God wanted me to do this for Him. This is a ministry not just a business. The point of doing this is to spread the Word in the arts/crafts world. This is not easy. I think God's point of doing this is also for me to learn to depend on Him. And that, I learned. For the past couple of months, all the sermons keep pointing me back to Him and to the original reason of why I'm doing this. During the middle to the end of a week, I would fall back into the trap of running a business to make money. Then God turns my mind around every Sunday. So I struggled with this constantly. Paul said to renew your mind daily. I learned this lesson again. If I don't focus on the LORD and lean on Him, I get selfish and think worldly.

Well, those of you who are reading this blog, I ask that you keep praying for me to lean on Him and do good work and for those who I will come in contact with in the art/craft world to know Him. Thank you!!

From Proverbs 31 to Project 31

So I guess I need to post how I ended up wanting to have a shop to sell my little creations.

Well, I've always been into arts and crafts and I've drawn, painted, quilted, photographed, printed, sewed, etc. And I've made a lot of gifts for others and things for the home. And upon reading, thinking, and praying about Proverbs 31, I realized that I can do what the excellent wife in that passage did - making and selling her creations in honor of the LORD.

There have been times in my life that I've thought about selling, but many factors stopped me. The task seemed too big for me; I didn't think people would buy my stuff; don't want to part with my art, etc. All of these factors didn't play into my decision this time because I see this more as a ministry opportunity than just selling things and making a name for myself.

I plan on somehow put a verse on my packaging or include something extra that may point customers to the LORD. I don't know what yet. I don't know how yet. But I'm praying and see what God wants me to do.

I know that this can easily turn back into "just selling". So I need your prayers to keep on track in doing this for the LORD. Also pray for how I run this "business/ministry" so that God can be glorified. I appreciate your prayers!

What is an Artist?

What is an artist? Who can be an artist? When can you call yourself an artist? These are the questions I'm struggling with every now and then. I think I'm scared to be myself sometimes. I guess I'm scared to let parts of myself out. What you see on the outside IS who I am, but there is also a lot more underneath.

I've painted and sewed. I've made cards and drawn. But I feel like those are not art as expressed by me. They were pretty well done creations, but they lacked something. That "something" is what's underneath - what's inside me. I'm an emotional person by nature, but I think I've been taught to not be emotional. I mean, I like that I'm logical too. But there is something inside of me that just wants to get out. Right now, it's on a short leash. I haven't really let it go yet. I've taken it on walks and it has experienced different things out there, but I'm kind of afraid to release the rope. What if people don't like it? What if people criticize? See, what people don't know is that when they criticize an artist's work, they're criticizing him personally.

I'm surrounded by people who criticize. I guess that's our society. Sometimes with words, sometimes with a look in their eyes, sometimes with their tone of voice. They don't usually criticize me (not that I have heard), but when I hear them do that to others, I think they would do that to me. Because why wouldn't they? They may not say it in front of me, but they may say it to others or just think that in their head. People don't change. At least not until they repent and let Christ change them.

By now, you probably suspect that I'm a very sensitive person. And I think I am. I didn't realize it until recently. I'm very empathetic, so I'm very sensitive to emotions and thoughts of others. But I have always discounted my own emotions and thoughts. Thereby, hiding my true feelings and gliding over them.

Anyways, I think I just need to be bolder. Not necessarily in myself, but definitely in Christ. I want to be like Him - not to be perfect in this life, but to be balanced in logic and self-control and emotion as much as possible. Jesus was full of justice and righteousness. He was also full of emotion, compassion, love, and mercy. Being a Christian is not only about knowledge. It is life. And life has wonderful experiences that requires you to immerse yourself in the vast range of emotions that God has given us.

Maybe I'm just too controlled. Maybe I need to loosen up a little. Don't worry, I'll do it in Christ, not on my own. What He wants me to do, I'll do because Jesus loves me unconditionally - just as I am. I don't have to worry about criticisms from Him, only convictions.

Maybe I can leave with this: live life, live Christ.