"Wake Up” Prints
Done as a commission for Eastminster Church’s middle school retreat, titled “Wake Up,” these pieces were inspired by the work of Scott Erickson. Erickson’s work is beautifully compelling with a limited color palette and liturgical significance in every piece. Having met Erickson, I was not only inspired by his work but also by who he is in person.
For this project, I was given a rough outline of the messages throughout the week. There was a need for middle schoolers, who are more concrete thinkers, to have visual aids that might help them better understand the messages throughout the week. At the end of the week, the middle school students were able to engage with the artworks as they went from station to station in a prayer activity. Each station had one of these large-scale prints on an easel, so the middle schoolers were able to gaze upon each piece as they reflected and learned more about the character of Jesus.
YHWH, the Breath of Life
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” - Genesis 1:27.
When the Lord created us, he breathed his very essence into our being! The creator of the stars and the seas and everything else on the planet looked at us and was mesmerized by his creation; He was so proud of his children. As we continue to live and breathe, we breathe our Father’s breath in and out of the lungs he so generously provided for us. He made us unique, giving us each of our gifts and abilities, our greatest desires, our favorite things, and everything about us! Because of this, you are special, and you are enough.
Pain in the Night, Joy in the Morning
Oftentimes when we find ourselves exhausted, hurt, or feeling alone, we are not alone at all. God is with us all along, holding us tenderly, reminding us that we are both known and loved. The maker of the stars holds us in his loving arms until the darkness subsides.
Seeing the Need for the Cross
It is so important for us to examine ourselves and see that we have fallen so short of the glory of God in our sinfulness (Romans 3:23). Because the cost of sin is death, we should deserve nothing because of all the bad things we have done, but because the Lord loves us, he was willing to take that cost and bear it on his own shoulders, dying for us on the cross.
As you think about and acknowledge your own sin, it is so important to see yourself next to Christ, who stands before you, reminding you that you are forgiven and set free because of his generous sacrifice. Your sins are canceled out! You are enough because of Jesus Christ!
Mercy & Humility
Because of Christ’s great mercy, we are able to respond with humility together in his grace. He is just, yet incredibly kind to us, giving us mercy that is so severely undeserved. He is gracious to us, and because of this, we can gather together, under his Spirit, to praise him in prayer and deed.
Coming Alive in Worship
When we open the door to the Lord’s presence and invite him into whatever we’re doing, anything can be worship. Whatever we love to do, whatever gives us rest, and whatever we find ourselves doing throughout the day can be a tool to glorify his good and holy name. In this worship, beautiful growth is able to spring forth and bring new life that is beautiful and pleasing to Him!
Lifting Each Other Up
One of the greatest beauties of being a believer is the fact that we get the joy of being surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ! We are not made to do this journey alone, and when we reach out to others, we can find that they lift us up towards the light of Christ in our tough seasons! When we pray with and for each other, turning our eyes towards Christ, our lives are so filled with beauty, wonder, and salvation!
Under His Banner
As each of these pieces come into play, we should have a deep desire to lead each other under Christ’s banner, which is the banner of life. He is so good, and we should be grabbing our friends, family, and all we meet, saying, “Follow me! I know the way to the greatest kind of life there is — life with Christ!” This is true leadership and discipleship!