Journal Mailings Map

View Prayer Journal mailings in a larger map

I thought it might be fun to show visually the different routes that the two journals are taking. The map will be updated as the journals move around.

How Long? - Psalms 13:1-6

Waiting for a reply.

Psalms 13:1-6
O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the Lord
because he is good to me.

Journal #2, Week 1. Artist: Richard Fudge, Memphis, TN.

Journal no. 2 - Memphis, Tn to Brentwood, TN

I am readying Prayer Journal no. 2 for it's trip from Memphis, TN to Brentwood, TN for a stop with artist Joy Deeann Carson. Distance = 225

I really liked the size of this journal. It's a square 5.5"x5.5" Hand Book Artist Journal. Probably my most favorite and trusted brand of sketchbook journal. I have full faith that this little book will strive its coming journeys.

Journal no. 1 - Memphis, Tn to Rockwall, Tx

Journal #1 makes its first trip from Memphis, Tn to Jason Fuller in Rockwall, Tx. Distance = 431 miles.

This is a 8"x5.5" Pen & Ink | watercolor journal. I'm a little concerned about this journal. It seems well constructed. In fact, the leather cover feels really nice. But my concern is durability and the perforated pages have me a touch worried.

A Still, Small Voice

God, help me to hear your still, small voice.

1 Kings 19:11-13 (New Living Translation)
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”


Journal #1, Week 1. Artist: Richard Fudge, Memphis, TN.

Prayer Journal - Start

Inspired by one of those "hey, we should do this" remarks by a friend, I went out and bought a journal. http://www.lookatbook.com/ I agreed that it looked like a lot of fun and would be inspiring to collaborate with other artists. Especially those artists that we might have met and spoken to online but never in person. It just sounded fun.

We settled on the following a few rules for structure.

1. 5 days to complete a spread. So if you receive it on Weds., you have to mail it the following Mon.
2. A visual expression of a prayer or scripture.
3. Medium: pen, ink, graphite, colored pencil.
4. Keep it moving. Finished or not you need to mail in 5 days.

I think it will be a great way to build community. Christian visual artists tend to have a harder time finding a supportive community for their work. Most galleries and other art venues typically don't want to exhibit Christian themed work. They don't show that sort of thing, they don't want to make people uncomfortable or offend anyone. etc. But then on the other side of the aisle, churches in general don't have any oppertunities for artists to share their creative gifts. Your average church nowdays has become a more multipurpose space than the beautiful churches from art history class. A church is more likely to have a scoreboard or concert lighting than stain glass windows or original art. Churches dont really get their artists and their artists typically dont see how they can use their gifts in church.

I hope that awkward relationship between artist and church will pass. Artists should be tapped for their talent much like musicians typically are. Artists have a lot to offer the church and worship experience, and the church could help the artists grow spiritually if it had an outlet for their creativity. Artists are passionate people who tell stories in provocative and unique ways. Art provokes conversation and community interaction – artist to viewer and viewer to viewer. Art encourages personal reflection and searching for meaning. Along with music and message, art is another way that God speaks to you. Art inspires creativity in others. The art work created during a service becomes a memento of the worship experience it was a part of.

Anyway, I'll be sending out a couple of journals to visual artists that I've met and posting the results here.