Nosotros amamos a Dios porque él nos
amó primero.
1 Juan 4:19
During a recent art session with immigrant women seeking asylum, they created a mixed media art piece of their love story. The guided meditation included four steps to guide the reflection and the art process.
First: Use a pen or pencil and write your love story. How do you feel
or experience the love of God in your life? Who are the people in your life who
have shown you love? Grandparents? Parents? Brothers and sisters? Children?
Grandchildren? Aunts and uncles? Priest or minister? Teacher? Friend? What have
you learned about love from these special people. How has their love given you
encouragement, blessing, joy, or hope?
Second: Choose 1-2 favorite colors of acrylic paint and 2-3 different stencils—symbols (shapes) of your love story. Use a blue plastic square to scrape paint over the background (cover the words) and then quickly place a stencil on top of the paint before it dries and use a baby wipe to rub off the paint in the stencil/hole ( “reverse stencil art technique”). Repeat with a second color of paint and a different stencil. Clean stencils with baby wipes.
Third: Use an oil pastel (like a crayon) to fill the page with
hearts, start with a small heart and then make bigger and bigger hearts until
the page is full and you have covered the stencils. Use a pen or pencil and
write inside and around the heart shapes. You could write a prayer or a love
letter to a special person in your life.