Love is: Connecting with God
Day 29 --“Love is: Connecting with God” 6x6, $185 (comment “sold” on instagram to purchase https://www.instagram.com/stephaniehockart/) I saved my favorite love story for very last. There are a lot of ways to feel love on this earth. But there is a love that transcends them all. I remember one of the first times I felt it, I was a little kid walking home by myself from elementary school. I had experienced a rough day with friends and felt so alone. I wanted so badly to have someone to talk to, so I started to pray. I pictured Jesus next to me, as comfortable and real as if I was talking to my mom. I spilled out everything inside of me and then I felt the most wonderful thing fill me up in its' place: the love of connecting with God. It felt warm and peaceful and joyful all at the same time. It was sacred and divine and so far beyond any feelings I had felt before. I felt filled up with LIGHT. I walked slower, just so I could savor this wonderful experience longer. It was the first of many, many times in my life when I would experience this connection. One of my heroes, Joseph Smith, used the phrase "pillar of light" to describe the first time he connected to heaven and I always feel like that describes my experience. Like I am completely plugged in to heaven, that there is a straight shaft of light streaming directly on me and in me. It makes me feel like whatever mortal problems I'm facing are small and not important in the grand scheme. I feel hope. It makes me feel filled with love and filled with such a desire to share that love with everyone around me. And most of all, like that day so long ago, I remember that I am not alone in the universe, that there is a God who loves me. God IS love.
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In February, I’m challenging myself to do a painting EVERY DAY!! The paintings will explore the theme of love stories- romantic love, parental love, self-love, love for nature, etc. As some of my favorite artists said, “in the end the love you give is equal to the love you make.” Therefore, I will always be on a quest to fill the world with as much love as I can. You’ll be able to see all the paintings at #lovestoriesstephhock.
Here’s how it will work: every painting will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Because they will each go to the first person to comment “sold,” you’ll want to turn on your push notifications so you can be notified each time I post a new painting! They’ll all be 6x6 inches and cost $185 each (plus tax and shipping.) Once a painting is claimed, you’ll see “🔴 SOLD” at the beginning of the caption (you can always claim second or third place in line in case the first sale doesn’t work out). Happy month of LOVE! ❤️