Mary & Joseph's journey depicted in watercolor.

A watercolor series, I painted telling the true story of about the journey of Mary and Joseph.

Image one portrays Mary riding on a donkey as they travel to Bethlehem. It was a long arduous journey. We don't really know if she rode a donkey, but I put her on one.

Image two portrays the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes laying in a manger. I tried to show His glory with back light.

Image three portrays that wise men traveled from the east following a star to visit the baby Jesus. I feel like my camel heads are off. I like the far off feel. 

Image four portrays Mary holding Jesus and Joseph resting on their journey to Egypt. 

I had alot of fun with the colors and tested out different ways to illustrate them. I am still learning about color theory and might need guidance on what is better to draw details, or to use grey or brown for the distant images. 

These are 4×6 images so I am testing out painting on a bigger piece of paper. 

Okay, I am posting my mess up, too. Lol. I painted the star over Joseph and Mary headed to Bethlehem. Ugh. Dumb. The star appears after He is born. So I did my best to edit it. Now if you go back and look at image one of them traveling my correction has a slight hint of the star but it also looks like a person is watching over them. My mistake created something that blessed me. It reminded me that God watched over their entire journey. Let me know if you see what I see.

Ginosko: To Know

God just reminded of a beautiful word in Greek. I haven't studied it probably in twenty years. I am blown away again.

Ginosko: To know.

It isn't just to know, but to know with every part of your humanness. That if there is a way to know then it is a part of you. 

It is experiential. It is deep. It is wide. It is high. It is low. It is emotional. It intellectual. It immersion. It is fusion.

It is!

To know liberates. It escapes. It welcomes. It abides. It sits. It waits. It runs. It walks. 

It is.

REAL.

Jesus says, "IF you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will KNOW the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32).

That is a big IF that leads to a powerful KNOW. 

It brings FREEDOM.

I KNOW this KNOW. It has given me joy in frustrations, hope in despair, healing in pain, kindness in front of cruelty, love in the face of hate.

Knowing His Word transforms. I KNOW because it is my story. Knowing Jesus has changed me. 

A good word for sure!

GINOSKO

To know!

My Story Reflection as I Welcome the Christmas Season

My family loves to tell stories. I grew up hearing stories at family gatherings. I never intended to grow up being a storyteller. Honestly, I didn't even know it was a thing. I just did it because it was what my family did. It was fun! 

Did you know I am the first in my family to go to college and God put it on my heart at 5 that I would get a doctorate? I didn't know what it was but I liked the way people treated our neighbor when he got his. That one little moment set the course for my education. Yes, it was for the wrong reason. Lol. 

I forgot about that goal until I was counseling a friend to further her education. I then heard that still small voice say in my heart, "Get your doctorate!" I told Greg and he agreed. He has always supported my dreams and never put boundaries on my gifts. I am so blessed. So as young mother I went back to school.

I am proud of my education, but what really blesses me is that it took me right back to my roots and now I get to tell stories all the time. It wasn't about the degree, but about God getting me to where He knew I would need to serve Him best. INCREDIBLE!

This my favorite story to tell. Welcome Christmas season!

Here is my Christmas story playlist. God check it out! 

Christmas Story playlist