by Rachel Veal Craven
Rising Wings – Malachi 4:2-4
As I was praying and thinking over these verses, I kept envisioning a moving sky with a marvelous radiance and the impression of wings whose power almost made the earth and sky bend together at their edges. Here the loose brushstrokes give the feeling of movement and gold hues offer luminance. The field extends back toward the sky, for all living things which fear the Lord are running with joy to meet Him. The dark band along the bottom edge is representational—the reminder that there is a different fate for those who do not fear the Lord.
Dawn and Hope
The ash has fallen around me
from the fire and the storm.
I was young when first You found
me, now Your promises have worn
my lips and all the ears of those around me,
in the darkness they’re our dawn.
Until Your light silences all sorrow
and Your song wills our weary bones to dance
Our hope today, the sweetness of Your Tomorrow.
The plans of those who would ensnare us never stood a chance
In all they would beg, steal, and borrow
For You speak life into existence and bring peace with just a glance.
About the Artist
Rachel (Veal) Craven is a an artist, dancer, writer, and art professor (Lee University and UTC) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. On the local scene, you can see one of her murals (for EPB’s Heart and Soul of MLK project) on 10th and Foster and an ArtSparks box in the East Lake community. She completed a custom ceiling mural for a client over the summer and just finished a collaboration with Pure Barre Chattanooga. Whether performing, painting, or pursuing other creative adventures—she finds vision and inspiration through the Holy Spirit and all the world The Lord has made. Her faith and family, near to heart, are reflected in her artistic pursuits. She loves sharing life with her husband, Jason, spending time with her nephews, baking, and running in the Chickamauga Battlefield Park with all the deer. You can see more of her art at Immersion Gallery on Broad St. after the opening on December 9. Feel free to follow her on Instagram (@screaminvivi) and check out her website to see more of her artwork: www.rachelveal.com.