Inspirational Paintings | My Vxw Site 477ae5

Art That Tells a Story........

A Gift That Speaks to the Heart.......

We write inspirational short stories and poems about some of our paintings. We hope you enjoy them, and are inspired as well. There are many more to come. Small canvas prints are available for sale. A copy of each story is included with all print purchases of that image. We do sell larger canvas prints of most of them, but not off the website yet.

Contact us if you are interested & we may be able to ship you one.

Amidst The Storm

The storms of life are many. Too often, we only see the struggles, the storms of everyday life. In "Amidst the Storm", we see strength within the storm. I took great pleasure in creating this painting because of its meaning in my life.

At first glance, the painting appears dark, dismal and even gloomy. One's interpretation of life can often be the same. When you look deeper into the painting and its meaning, you see brightness, optimism and hope. There is a dynamic relationship between the eagle, the storm and the sunlight. The eagle represents the strengths we all possess. The storm represents the struggles we face daily, both expected and unexpected. The sunlight represents God as the source of power and strength. It is the focus of my attention. There is a joy in knowing we have strength amidst the storms and in envisioning ourselves as eagles. The painting now becomes an uplifting experience because of the strength we possess within the storm.

God's written word can be an inspiration to us all, a great source of strength, hope and love. The comforting words of Isaiah 40:29-31 inspired me to create the painting "Amidst the Storm". "He gives power to the faint: and to them that have not might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall utterly fall; but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

by Robert Bishop

Copyright Robert S. Bishop 2013

Everlasting

Oceans of thought came to mind as I painted "Everlasting". Feelings of joy, pain, and sorrow poured in like waves beating on a sandy shore. Memories of this young man's death have left his family in tears. But what can be said?

We've all heard the scripture - John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life". So many of us can quote these words. This boy had the faith to believe them. He is about to cross the waters from this life to everlasting life. He is drawn to the light. It is a great walk of faith. Still, he will be missed. His family is in tears. With overwhelming pain, some cannot understand and question God. They must realize that God loves them and knows their pain. God's only Son was brutally killed. Instead of denouncing mankind, provisions were made for all who believe in His Son to have everlasting life. This our only answer and hope.

It is my hope, that through this young man's death, others will know life. I dedicate this painting to the lives of many who die, and yet live - life everlasting!

by Robert Bishop

Copyright Robert Bishop 2013

Eternity

Have you ever wondered how you would get through a difficult time, or where life is leading you? Have you ever asked, why Lord, why me? Often, I like to go to the water's edge to get the answers. The sound of the waves rippling along the shore, and the beauty of a peaceful sunset help to bring a calming mood.

As I began to paint "Eternity", I focused on the sunset's power over the soon to be night sky. The fiery sunset revealed two paths. One went straight to the sun. The other crossed the horizon and faded away. Life is a journey of daily steps and decisions that take us to our eternity.

Our chosen path leads us to or away from God's revealing light. So often, we wonder which way to go. We search for answers, direction and purpose. When faced with life's overwhelming situations, we may not understand why things have happened or what we are to do. We must remember that we are never alone. God is all around us. He will be there every step of the way. Proverbs 3:5,6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." His path will sustain us through this life and lead to a wonderful Eternity!

by Robert Bishop

Copyright Robert Bishop 2013

Pass It On

Deep inside my innermost thoughts is a place no person knows but me. It is a place of secrets, a place of dreams, a place where God speaks to me. His love lights a candle within me and glows within my soul.

This love is not to be kept inside, but to be passed on to all who need. In Matthew 5:14, Jesus said: "Ye are the light of the world." Take your candle to a world in need. Pass it on..... As Matthew 5:16 says: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

by Robert Bishop

Copyright Robert Bishop 2013

Out of the Darkness

Could you image being surrounded by a pack of wolves? Instead of thinking of the worst thing that could happen, I visualized and focused on the most wonderful things that could happen. The Northern Lights would become a perfect setting for this pack of wolves I was about to paint. I began painting a family unit working together to ensure their survival. I kept thinking about the leader of the pack, leading the pack out of the darkness into the marvelous beauty and power of the Northern Lights. I believe God has a plan for each of our lives. That completed plan is our true destiny.

The Bible teaches us that we have different callings, so that when we are united, we fulfill the destiny of God's people. Ephesians 4:11-13 says: "And He gave some, apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;"

The alpha male in the wolf pack takes control, and the future of the pack is largely dependent on his actions. The others come together and do their part. Remember that we all must do our part. We have power over the darkness because the Light of the Living God lives within us. That power is strengthened by our unity. Those who are strong will lead many out of the darkness to do His will. We will need to be patient until God reveals to us the vision He has planned for us. God will give us the vision, and I believe it will bring unity to the family of God, when fulfilled. Our light will shine above the darkness of this world, and the darkness will not overcome us. John 1:5 says: "And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness overcame it not."

by Robert Bishop

Copyright Robert Bishop 2013

In His Hand

May Love be with you always....

May God & His Angels watch over you.

In His Hand may you sleep.

Author unknown

Angels in the Sky

On a beautiful summer evening in Bayfield, Ontario, the sky on Lake Huron was incredible. The sun set power to the horizon as the sun's reflection shimmered to the shoreline. My daughter, Mandy, took a photograph of this event for me in August of 2001. I had to paint it because I saw angels in the sky. Angels were watching my daughter who was away at Camp Glenhuron.

As I painted, I felt the angels' presence. They were telling me that they are always nearby, sent by God just for you and I. What a wonderful sight indeed! I believe in angels. They walk with us and even talk to us. We may never even know how close our guardian angel came to us today. God's love is like the sun's reflection and comes to us no matter where we are. Psalms 34:7 says: "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about those who fear Him, and delivereth them." Just open your heart and receive God's love today.

by Robert Bishop

Copyright Robert Bishop 2013

Gray Brothers

Deep in the wilderness, a pair of young gray wolves scurry playfully to the edge of a ridge. The beauty of their surroundings is breathtaking. It is a setting of harmony.

As the full moon shines and the clouds begin to roll in, the wolves begin to howl. As I painted, I could hear their sound. The brush strokes flowed as a tune. Their duet echoed a glorious melody - the sound of praise to Almighty God. Whether they know of a God & Creator, I do not know. I do believe there is an awareness. Psalms 150:6 says: "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord." Even the creatures in the wild are to praise the Lord. "Gray Brothers" is my song of praise!

by Robert Bishop

Copyright Robert Bishop 2013

Little Things Mean A Lot

There are those who go through life touching the lives of others with the special things they do. These people remind me of hummingbirds, the tiny beautiful birds who flutter from flower to flower feeding, but also giving to the flowers as they help the pollination cycle. These birds could be seen as insignificant because of their size, but God has given them an important job. He has also given us an important job. We are to love one another and give to one another.

I began my hummingbird paintings with thoughts of someone very dear to me. This person was always doing thoughtful little things for me - the simple day- to- day things, that make life a little easier to deal with. Jesus tells us to love one another in St. John 13:34, 35: "A new commandment I give unto you, that we love one another, as I have loved you.... By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." I dedicate my hummingbirds to those who show their love for others in special ways, by simply doing the little things. They mean a lot!

by Robert Bishop

Copyright Robert Bishop 2013

The Promise

God's Promise is His Truth - His Promise of

-a bettter day,

-hope and direction in times of trouble,

-a light to find our way.

So, look confidently for God's Lighthouse in your life.

It comes in many forms and from many directions.

It is wonderful to know and trust in God who promises

His Love. In St. John 8:12, Jesus tells us that He is

the Light of the world, and when we follow Him, we

shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light

of life.

by Robert Bishop

Copyright Robert Bishop 2013

Face to Face

Daily, we come face to face with who we are

and who we are meant to be. As I prepared to

paint, my mind wandered into the cool of

dawn. The darkness of night lingered, as fear

tried to consume my innermost thoughts. This

was a place I would never forget.

I was in the presence of a creature who moved

with more confidence than I had ever seen. He

came closer and closer. What do I do? Do I

run? Do I hide? For a brief moment, our eyes

met. In that brief split second, I knew what I

was to do. In his eyes, I saw his courage to

face a daily struggle for survival in an ever-

changing world. I felt God all around me. The

cougar looked away and went on, but left me

with a message. Do not be afraid.

As I painted, especially the eyes, I came face

to face with the realization that I had much more

to do in my life. I was afraid to press on and move

forward. I know that I am not alone. The courage

and confidence to truly succeed comes only from

God. I believe God has given every person a

purpose, a direction and a destiny. Like the cougar,

we can have the courage to survive in this ever-

changing world. Psalms 31:24 says: "Be of good

courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all

ye that hope in the Lord." Trust and believe that

God's strength from within can become your

courage. Press on and press forward. You can

because God can!

by Robert Bishop