Depths
by Melanie Weidner

Oh, I’m so excited about this final giveaway in the Heart and Soul series. I can’t imagine a better way to end 2012 than by introducing you to my friend, Melanie Weidner, the artist behind Listen for Joy.

Friends, sometimes I am lost. And sometimes I am found. Sometimes I’m both at the exact same moment, which Anne Lamott calls grace. I don’t know any other way to live this life, except to wonder and to wander and to seek and to fall short and to eventally find, but only bits and pieces at a time, and not necessarily in that order. It’s a wild dance, living as a human with the spark of the divine inside me; it’s a loud laugh and an ugly cry and a huge mess and salvation, all rolled up, gory and glory mixed together.

Threads by Melanie Weidner

Sometimes, into the mess walks another person who, through her words or his music or her art or his story or her willingness to expose the vulnerable gory and the blinding glory out loud, holds up a mirror to my soul and tells a part of my story, too.

Deep Breath by Melanie Weidner

Melanie’s one who paints my story when I have no words.

She reminds me that my mess isn’t just redeemable — as in fixable or cleanable or erasable — but my mess is a critical, crucial ingredient to a life that’s already whole. Already enough. Even broken wide open. Especially broken wide open.

Toward Resurrection by Melanie Weidner

And, like the best art does, when I’m at my end — when I’m all done and washed up and finished and sure I can’t go on because the world and God don’t make sense — Melanie shows me a vision for Love that’s so beautiful and so crushing …

God Also Grieves by Melanie Weidner

… and so quiet and so true …

Closer Than We Know by Melanie Weidner

… that I can’t help but hold on for a little bit longer. For just one more step through the muck and the mire and the magnificent. Which is all we ever have to do in life and love anyway. Just one more step in faith.

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Giveaway #3:
Depths: 11×14 Art Print
by Melanie Weidner

I own a copy of this print, and I can’t wait to give one away. This piece is life to me. And all of motherhood. And all of salvation. The destruction on the surface. The relief that comes in the depths.

(Please note that the watermark and copyright do not appear on the print itself. They’re present on these images to protect Melanie’s work online.*)

This giveaway is now closed.
Congratulations to Erica Kain!
Check your e-mail box, Erica.

To Enter This Giveaway:

Leave a comment on this blog post by 10:00am (Pacific Time) on Monday, December 31st. One entry per person, please.

This drawing is open to international participants ’cause this is my blog and I can do whatever I want.

The winner will be selected using a random number generator and posted on Monday.

Disclaimer: Melanie is not an affiliate of this blog, nor did I receive any compensation for this post. All costs for this giveaway are incurred by yours truly. I adore Melanie, I’m inspired by Listen for Joy, and I love that I get to introduce her art to you. You’re made for each other, I just know it.

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*All images used with permission of the artist.
‘Cause, really, that’s the only cool way to use art.

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