The Shop
  • Home
  • About
  • The Blog
  • Bible with Me
    • Bible Studies
    • Bible Printables & Screensavers
    • Bible on the Blog (by topic)
  • Paint with Me
  • The Substack Community
  • WHOLESALE
  • SHOP MY ART
    • SHOP ALL
    • NEW
    • Stickers
    • Notepads
    • POSTCARDS
      • All Postcards
      • Postcard Sets
    • Greeting Cards
      • Boxed Card Sets
      • Anniversary + Love
      • Baby
      • Birds
      • Bible Verse Cards
      • Birthday
      • Celebration
      • Christmas Cards
      • Friendship
      • Hymn Cards
      • Sympathy/Empathy
    • ART PRINTS
      • Hymns
        • Fall 2024 Hymn Collection
        • HYMN POSTCARDS/Mini Prints
        • CHRISTMAS
      • Jesus Speaks to Women
      • Landscapes
      • Birds
      • Encouragement
      • Harrisonburg/Local
      • CHRISTMAS
    • BIBLE PRINTABLES
      • Full Color Card Sets
      • Coloring Pages
      • Advent + Christmas Printables
      • PRINTABLES in SPANISH
    • CHRISTMAS
    • $5 BIBLE CARD SETS
    • Gift Cards
    • *SALE*
  • Your account
    • Your account
    • Wishlist
  •  
Categories

Marydean Draws

MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
  • The Blog
  • Bible with Me
    • Bible Studies
    • Bible Printables & Screensavers
    • Bible on the Blog (by topic)
  • Paint with Me
  • The Substack Community
  • WHOLESALE
  • SHOP MY ART
    • SHOP ALL
    • NEW
    • Stickers
    • Notepads
    • POSTCARDS
      • All Postcards
      • Postcard Sets
    • Greeting Cards
      • Boxed Card Sets
      • Anniversary + Love
      • Baby
      • Birds
      • Bible Verse Cards
      • Birthday
      • Celebration
      • Christmas Cards
      • Friendship
      • Hymn Cards
      • Sympathy/Empathy
    • ART PRINTS
      • Hymns
        • Fall 2024 Hymn Collection
        • HYMN POSTCARDS/Mini Prints
        • CHRISTMAS
      • Jesus Speaks to Women
      • Landscapes
      • Birds
      • Encouragement
      • Harrisonburg/Local
      • CHRISTMAS
    • BIBLE PRINTABLES
      • Full Color Card Sets
      • Coloring Pages
      • Advent + Christmas Printables
      • PRINTABLES in SPANISH
    • CHRISTMAS
    • $5 BIBLE CARD SETS
    • Gift Cards
    • *SALE*
    • Your account
    • Wishlist
  •  
October 1, 2020 anxiety•books that shape me•prayer•Uncategorized•weakness•worry

A fierce love for dark days

One of the lessons I’ve learned in this pandemic is that it’s okay to be gentle with myself. It’s okay to show myself compassion and care.

I’ve learned that my anxiety can get the better of me if I don’t pay attention to the warning signals my emotions send. In response, I have needed to allow myself extra rest and fewer demands (where possible, haha).

“The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Psalm 145:8 ESV

I have been reading Aundi Kolber’s Try Softer*. Her book is full of practical strategies for treating your body and mind as a whole unit and the object of God’s love and compassion, a unit that works together in the way that God designed. It has been helpful to me in dealing with difficult and overwhelming emotions and staying within my “window of tolerance,” a concept that has been really helpful for me.

Specifically about the idea of God’s compassion for us, Kolber writes,

“Language struggles to convey the depth of goodness that is present in God’s character–the way we are wrapped in His love and the way kindness has always been a part of who He is. Pause here and really consider this with me–the kindness God extends to us is exactly as lovely as we dare to think. We don’t have to keep living from a narrative of self-hate when God looks at us tenderly, waiting for us to move toward His fiercely gentle love.”

This reminds me of the prayer in Ephesians 3:18-19 that the we would “comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”

If God is compassionate and patience and endlessly merciful with us, why would we think that a strategy or harshness, impatience, and criticism would work for us (or others for that matter)?

What fruit might come from spending a few moments focusing on the depths of the love of Christ for us today?

I love this prayer from Try Softer* that you can pray over yourself or someone else (or a whole community for that matter):

May __ experience Christ’s love.
May __ experience Christ’s peace.
May __ experience Christ’s presence.
May __ experience Christ’s compassion.

I think the beautiful words of this song are also worth meditating on:

If I Stand by Rich Mullins

There’s more that rises in the morning
Than the sun
And more that shines in the night
Than just the moon
It’s more than just this fire here
That keeps me warm
In a shelter that is larger
Than this room
And there’s a loyalty that’s deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of Earth competes
For the allegiance
I owe only to the Giver
Of all good things

There’s more that dances on the prairies
Than the wind
More that pulses in the ocean
Than the tide
There’s a love that is fiercer
Than the love between friends
More gentle than a mother’s
When her baby’s at her side
And there’s a loyalty that’s deeper
Than mere sentiments
And a music higher than the songs
That I can sing
The stuff of Earth competes
For the allegiance
I owe only to the Giver
Of all good things

So if I stand let me stand on the promise
That you will pull me through
And if I can’t let me fall on the grace
That first brought me to You
And if I sing let me sing for the joy
That has born in me these songs
And if I weep let it be as a man
Who is longing for his home

How lovely will you dare to think God’s kindness is today?

COPYRIGHT/USAGE: All writing, artwork and photos are copyright Marydean Draws. Please do not repost or resell on another website. I’m happy for you to use my coloring pages and other printables for home, school, and ministry. If you share content, please link back to the original post. Thank you!

*affiliate link. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

2
Previous Mini Abstract Paintings
Next All Good Things: October

Related Posts

There’s Light for a Look at the Savior + free “Turn Your Eyes” Coloring Page

Coloring Pages

Paint with me landscape watercolor tutorial (social distancing edition)

art

Jesus Speaks to Women: Daughters of Jerusalem

Jesus speaks to women

All Good Things: January

all good things

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to the blog!

I’m Mary and I’m glad you’re here! Since 2014, I’ve been sharing encouraging words, fun Bible printables, and accessible art activities.

let’s talk about . . .

SEARCH THE BLOG

In my Friday newsletter today: 🌷 Wineskins and In my Friday newsletter today:
🌷 Wineskins and shrinking the Gospel
🌷 A Frozen/Frozen 2 analogy
🌷 the glorious "God-bathed" world
🌷 new artwork

Read it all here on Substack or the link in my profile!
Part 2 of the study of the Samaritan woman is up o Part 2 of the study of the Samaritan woman is up on Substack. I spent a lot of time thinking about the course and content of this conversation that has always been a little mystifying to me. I break down how I read it and why I find it so encouraging. 

You can read it all here:
https://marydeandraws.substack.com/p/jesus-speaks-to-women-chapter-3-the-4ad
My Friday newsletter is up on Substack! I'm talki My Friday newsletter is up on Substack! 
I'm talking about paintings plans, new artwork processes, and bad marriage advice (a podcast suggestion).

Link in my profile!
I've been trying to figure out a process for paint I've been trying to figure out a process for painting mixed media on a thrifted wood panel coated with cold press ground. I've been adding layers of ground to the flowers with a palette knife. Still not exactly where I want to go, but I learn something new each time. 😊🎨🖌

You can find all my work at www.marydeandraws.com and on Substack at You can find all my work at www.marydeandraws.com and on Substack where I share accessible and fun watercolor tutorials and Bible meditations for the weary, wounded and wondering! 

https://marydeandraws.substack.com/

Marydean Draws is a small business based in Harrisonburg, VA. I carry art prints, greeting cards, downloadable Bible printables, postcards, and stickers. ❤️ Retailers can find my wholesale line at marydeandraws.faire.com 🛍 

#marydeandraws #femaleowned #smallbusinessowner #watercolorist #hymns #virginiaartist #virginiasmallbusiness
Follow on Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter!

Copyright ©Marydean Draws 2025 2025 Marydean Draws
Theme by SheShoppes

So glad you're here! ♥ Get free shipping on orders of $75 or more. Dismiss

I send a FREE Friday newsletter filled with encouragement, good reads, and shop updates. On Wednesdays, I share watercolor tutorials and Bible studies. Wanna join me?

As a thank you for signing up, I’ll send you a beautiful free 5×7″ printable print.