Original 30x48x1.5” (horizontal) acrylic painting on canvas with gallery-wrapped, painted edges.

Inspiration:  To be honest, I began painting this marsh scene because I loved the colors, the clouds and the composition.  These are all worthy reasons to paint anything, but this piece gained great depth after I asked my followers on Instagram to help me come up with a title.  Perhaps it was my “sleep-deprived brain” but more likely I think providential when nothing popped into my when I attempted to name this piece.

I received over 90 comments and messages with fabulous suggestions, but two struck me as exactly what I needed to hear and what I hope will encourage the owner of this painting: “abide” (suggested by Maria Faulkner) and “eventide” (suggested by Jillian Lea). 

Not coincidentally, at Bible study (previously on the day of my title crowdsourcing) the entire message and our discussion had centered around John 15 and Jesus’s truth, that we must abide in Him in order to bear lasting fruit.  For me, abiding looks like being still, thankful, soaking in scripture and responding with prayer. This may last for a few moments or lengthier minutes, but if I’m honest my abiding is most lacking in the normal seasons or “eventide” times of life.  Okay, so I know (because I looked it up) that eventide refers to the latter part of the day, but it when looking at the water of this marsh, that word also brings to mind a part of the day when the tide is neither high nor low. This thought led to further pondering how during low times, when someone I love is awaiting a diagnosis or I’m grieving over the loss of a pregnancy… these are the moments that send me to my knees (a form of abiding). Or when I’m celebrating the highs of great news, falling in love with my husband or holding my newborn baby for the first time, thankful prayers seem to come naturally (also abiding).  But what about the middle times?  On the days when life is more of a steady cycle of good morning hugs, breakfast, laundry, school drop-offs, lunch and pick-ups, do I also recognize my need to abide? 

Abide (at Eventide) is a reminder that I’m needy for Christ’s love every hour of every day.

“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.  Abide in my love.” -Jesus, Luke 15:9