Well, friends, can you believe we are in the second-last month of 2025? The story behind this month’s piece is a gentle one and I hope it warms your heart.
I met Nate at our previous church after we had moved to Port Coquitlam. Over time, he became a family friend and he babysat our kids when they were little. In April 2023, Nate attended my first solo art show and decided to purchase one of my paintings. The next month, he reached out to me and asked if he could commission a painting based on a sunset photo he had taken while on a trip to Seaside, Oregon with his family a number of years ago.
Since he wanted a 12″x12″ square painting and the original photo was rectangular, I gave him two composition options – one with the sun on the right, and the other with the sun on the left. He chose the first one.
When I asked him what the painting meant to him, he told me, “The picture reminds me of God’s amazing love that He has for us.” I resonate with that because that’s how I feel every time I see a beautiful sunset too.
I titled it, “Calming Moment,” because the scene truly is a calming moment. But I also wanted the piece to continue offering Nate those calming moments whenever he saw the painting.
I chose this piece for the month of November because the pace of life tends to pick up during this month as we head toward December. I wanted a piece that could invite us to slow down and take a breath.
For those with the Scripture calendar:
I paired this month’s painting with the verse from Psalm 131:2 (MSG) which reads, “I’ve cultivated a quiet heart, like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content.” I love the image of a contented baby in its mother’s arms. And I appreciate the feminine imagery of a God who would feed us and hold us in comfort and protection.
Questions for reflection, if you want to go deeper: Imagine yourself in this scene at the ocean watching the sun set. Inhale and smell the salty air. Now exhale. What anxieties are you invited to let go of?
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As always, I love to hear from you! If something in this story resonated with you, if you’re interested in commissioning a painting, or if you have other thoughts, feel free to email or connect with me on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for being part of my journey and for letting me be a part of yours!