More Pendle Hill

A Healing Retreat

Suzanne and I attended the Creative Spirit retreat at Pendle Hill lead by Melanie Weidner. It was fantastic!!! If you are in the area and she is speaking, don't hesitate - just go. You will be blessed.

At this retreat, we prayed and created and prayed while creating. "Juicy" poetry stimulated our spirits to dig deep and express ourselves with paint, collage, boxes, altered books.... Oh what bliss!!!!

There were 16 of us. We began as strangers and ended with a hug-fest, with promises to see each other next year. When I got home, there was already an email thread connecting us and a round robin project developing between us.

As I write this, a week has past and I am still spiritually high and blissful. The peace that comes after turning monster fears into angel blessings on paper and in the heart is true healing.

On a side note but not connected to our retreat, I came upon an article on how art can aid healing from trauma and the resultant PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). It is from a trusted source and you may be interested in seeing it: http://www.ptsdspirituality.com/2010/08/22/ptsd-spirituality-art-and-craft-can-heal-ptsd-soul-wounds/

It's amazing what God can do with paper, brushes, scraps, and a willing heart.
Blessings on your journey, W

New this week!

Greetings everyone!
Wanda and I are so pleased to offer a free sample of our Book Drawing Nearer on our website Drawingnearer.com. Check out our website for more information on the workshops we offer and insights on retreating, praying and creating.

Coming very soon you will be able to down load the whole book! We are completing the final edits and have set up a PayPal account for your convenience.

When Wanda & I first started leading art & prayer programs and workshops together two years ago we had no idea God would be calling us to create a whole book on the process of these workshops - a real labor of love! We feel so blessed to be able to offer this book to you as a resource for your personal devotion or retreat time with encouragement to spend time each day praying and creating.

We look forward to hearing from you! Try out the sample page for free and let us know how your experience went. You may comment here on our blog or email us at drawingnearercc@gmail.com

Creatively yours,
Suzanne

Wordless Wednesday

"Grace" by Suzanne Halstead, is a hand printed image
of white silkscreen ink on black paper.

Wordless Wednesday

How do you draw near?

What are your earliest memories of God?

Some of my earliest memories are of making things and God being there, dancing, swimming, climbing trees and God; building sand castles, coloring, exploring nature and God; sharing, singing, listening… and God was there, waiting and wanting to be with me.

As time went on I realized not everyone had these experiences! How strange – or am I the strange one? Some people call this awareness of God - ‘flow,’ ‘in the zone,’ ‘meditation’ or ‘being present in the moment.” I know it as ‘drawing near.’

And yes, for me drawing means crayons on paper as well as the movement of coming closer – intentionally.

I’d very much like to be in conversation with you about connecting with the Holy. Let’s share our thoughts and feelings about how much God desires to be with each of us both individually and collectively. How are we drawn near to God comes through the endless creative ways with which God has gifted us!

Art making, dancing, singing and “just being” are my direct line to God’s loving presence - what are some of your ways?

Creatively Yours,
Suzanne