Leaves Series: Paint Marker

Over the weekend I came home to find a beautifully colored leaf right in front of our house. It was deep red, orange, maroon and yellow. I started looking around at other leaves... beautifully changing for the new season. 

I was reminded of the way that Jesus tells us to die to ourselves (our plans, our dreams, our pride, etc.) and find our lives in Christ. (Something that's been on my heart a lot lately.)  I haven't thought about this transition much until I started looking at these leaves. Each one had brown creeping around the edges as they were letting go of their green color and letting God change their colors to vibrant and beautiful shades and hues.
When the leaves let go of their green color, only then can the tree change and grow into the next season and the tree becomes more lush and alive in the spring!

The colors of the leaf I found reminded of a painting I had started (see a peek in the background of the pics in this post!) I created the shape of the leaf around the colored background I already had. Then I added the other colors of the leaf like yellow, orange and a little green. 

Then I used my Liquitex Paint Marker sample (from that awesome box of goodies) to add more texture inside the leaf. There I wrote out this verse..

Matthew 16: 24-26 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

The Liquitex Paint Marker was really awesome to use because the paint flowed easily and the color was so rich! I also loved that it was water based so I could easily fix mistakes!

I'm planning to make three of these paintings with more Bible verses that talk about the truth of dying to myself and living in Christ! What's your favorite verse on this topic?

*Liquitex Paint Marker c/o Liquitex, opinions are mine :)