rise to Bethel

Today is the start of new beginnings created and inspired by the word of God.

Today God has spoken and said get prepared to share my WORD for the Good News is alive and transforming lives. Rise to Bethel. Bethel is the House of God.

Today I invite you to rise to Bethel. To take time daily to discover the WORD of God, the scripture, the Bible.

Yesterday our pastor preached on the topic of Rising to Bethel, to return to the house of God. To remind ourselves of where God found us and what he has done thus far. Where he has led us out of, where he leads us daily, and where he wants to lead us in the future. This blog entry is in honor of the new beginning God has created in my heart. He has reignited a fire in my heart and it's all about LOVE.

Where God found me...

My blog page started back in 2011 after I had experienced my second layoff from work (the 1st layoff was a shock and drew me into depression quickly). My family and prayers helped me sustain that fall. It was also painful because in June 2010 I opened my creative business ALCHEMY at Building Character, an artisan market located in downtown Lancaster, PA. We opened to success making rent and profit all in one month! But the JOY was short-lived. By the start of July 2010 (yes, the next month after launching ALCHEMY) I had to close everything down because I received word that I was being laid off from my full-time job. And although ALCHEMY had made a profit in its first month of business, the future was not sure and it was just a part-time business and I needed full-time finance. So I closed ALCHEMY and I must admit my prayer life was not as strong as it is now (so glad God never gave up on me). So that summer of 2010 I was very depressed - I had never been unemployed since age 16. It was during this time in the summer of 2010 that my father helped me turn my small attic into a working art studio. My father knew his daughter! He knew that my mind, body, and soul were suffering and that I needed to be allowed to have the freedom to create. In later years a good artist friend would share with me that what my father did for me was help me CLAIM MY SPACE. I am so grateful that my "daddy" Abel was born as my father and he was so aware of the needs of his daughter (even as a full-grown woman, I needed my dad's love and support).  Every day I would awaken to spend time in that small secret space "attic art studio" discovering how to transfer my anxiety into an expression of faith through the process of creating abstract artworks. YES, expressions of faith that were inspired through the many empowering, encouraging words of scripture. For just as I needed my birth father's love and support, I required my heavenly father's spiritual leading to help me through the many stages of emotional unbalance that I was experiencing. STRESS IS A KILLER, not just of your mind and body but of your soul; your spirit. Thus, began my daily art practice. Later in 2022, a wonderful lady named Deb would provide me the appropriate name for this practice which is healing arts. Scripture and artmaking as one process allowing my every movement of creativity to be Spirit-led. God's word transformed me, changed me! I began to understand that I was called to be a changeMAKER, a person who loved the Creator above all things and sought his Spirit to be my helper to provide me Godly wisdom to make changes that would heal and transform my mindset (from sadness to joy), my physical aches and pains (my migraine headaches disappeared), my soul/spirit breathed in freedom to know that I actively, consciously was choosing to walk with Jesus. To devote my first love to  Jesus Christ, my Savior. By the end of August of 2010, I was rehired to work full-time again.

The 2nd layoff was ALL GOD in the details. FYI: my full time work was PA grant funded through Dept. of Education. I was a Community School Director employed by nonprofits to work in the public school systems of Lancaster City. Thus, the many layoffs. This was the 2nd and there would be a 3rd  but then God had that already worked out for me... BUT THAT'S A LATER STORY :) 

What I discovered during this wonderful time was that God had turned something meant to harm me (like a job layoff) into a blessing. With very little funds my primary time was spent at home. I used that time to dive deeper into the word of God and color, paint, draw, cut, glue, stitch, and stamp my expressions of faith into a daily spiritual discipline that would continue to provide me spiritual care.

Where God is leading me daily...

I love 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

My creative business is called Alchemy and it's inspired by this scripture. The relaunch of ALCHEMY from a retail business to a full-time creative, reupholstery business came about after my 3rd job layoff. God's leadership, support from friends and family, and especially the love of my husband, Alexis, have made it possible for Alchemy to grow into a full-time time job for me and a true blessing. As I spend my daily hours transforming old, forgotten furniture into new creations of new value in design and fabric. I take the time daily to worship my lord in songs of praise and prayer as I deconstruct, sew, and tack on new life to these furniture art forms. My favorite part is releasing the finished project back to its owner. The joy is abundant as both the client and I reflect on the journey and the end results. The work is not easy; very labor-intensive, and physically demanding and I give my best on every project. I turn to my father a retired upholsterer, for advice when I get stuck and I turn to God daily for inspiration and spirit to put forth my best heart in every project. I spend time praying over each project during the process and asking the Lord to bless the homes of each client, to bring forth peace, love, and purpose to each household.

I remind myself of 2 Corinthians 5:17 as I start (rise) to read the Bible and daily devotional. It speaks about a new creation, turning my heart over to God. Surrendering my life. To believe in Jesus Christ as my savior; Jesus is Lord! This is tough stuff. Submitting to anyone or anything is not a popular modern-day approach to living life. Especially not in American society which tells you to be self-reliant, and sufficient. When the world wants to take over my spirit I remind myself of where God found me in the summer of 2010.

I submitted that summer to what God's plans were and He began to transform my spirit into one of love. I surrendered feelings of depression, sadness, and anger. I learned that when you are submissive to God's plans ALL IS GOOD. God will always give you his best. He just was waiting for me to give him my best...my time, my attention, my heart! My life! To be made new is to say goodbye to the old and set your eyes on the new; to heavenly places. A place where good fruit is abundant and God's love rules over all of His perfect creation. 

Where God will lead me in future...

Being a follower of Jesus, a believer of John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

It is not an easy path to take but that summer of 2010 I began to take the first steps to surrender my life to God. To allow His will to take over my life. I no longer live, but Jesus lives in me.

It is now 2023 and so many amazing things have occurred. I am now married to my best friend, Alexis Roman-Rodriguez, I am self-employed with my own creative business, and I get to share my love of God through a creative community called ChangeMAKERS found through my creative business website (click here for info).

GOD HAS BEEN MORE THAN GOOD...HE HAS BEEN FAITHFUL!

His faithfulness is a reminder to me to continue to rise to Bethel. To continue to discover, explore, enjoy the transforming word of God that inspires my art-making. Glory to God for his faithfulness to His creation. For he loved us even when we were sinners. In a messed up broken world, only He has the power and full authority to redeem and restore us. There is only one peace and true love - its name is JESUS!

I encourage YOU today to allow God into your heart, to take that first step to submit to his pathways.
God dreams bigger, better dreams than we could ever dream for ourselves. I am a testimony to that. When I tried to organize, plan, and develop it on my own, my life, was a wreck or at best a falsehood of good lucky days and at its worst dark days of sorrow. Now with God as my pilot, I am flying high in the clouds with JOY, rooted in the WORD to keep me from self-destruction. The WORD is powerful and it transforms.

Thank you heavenly father for the gifts, talents, and love you bestow upon me and my household. I ask that these words shared here will be a seed in the hearts of others to grow their faith. To welcome you into their hearts so you may develop those seeds of Good Fruit to glorify your name and be a testimony to the power of a LIVING GOD that still reigns today. The Lord is healing power and full authority over my life. Allow Him to love you. If you are interested in receiving a free workshop on Healing Arts please register here. 

Amen
Sandra Granthon-Roman

Quiet Contemplation - "Here I AM"

This past week I have been meditating in the wonderful things the Lord has done for me and my family. And it's not just the good times that come to mind but also the trials and tribulations that He has guided me through. For it is said that we don't truly learn how to walk in faith unless our faith is tested. It's easy to give praise and glory to the Lord in times of happy circumstances. But the true mature spiritual living is found in the praising of our God during the times of upset, disappointment, and uncertainity. In the times of abstract living where nothing looks as it should; which is truly how the Lord guides my Art Memories. 

I find a peace that brings me a spiritual joy when I surrender to God's word. It's a joy that is not dependant on circumstances but only on my faith that God is working His best for the children who He loves. I am that child! You are that child! 

It allows me to tread deeper into the water with Jesus; totally dependent on Him to direct my heart and mind to draw, paint, collage the artwork that will become my Art Memories.

Mini Artwork Mixed Media Collage "Here I AM" size 3x3 inches

This latest mini artwork is titled "Here I AM". It's my artistic response to the meditation of the following scriptures in my current situation of buying a new home (when all houses we view are vacant boxes and what my husband and I are searching for is a HOME). We pray, Lord, bring us HOME. We pray, Lord, let Your presence be found there. We pray, Lord, let it be a blessing to our hearts so we may use it to bless others. 

This artwork is an abstract storytelling of how the dark gray clouds and crimson red blood waters flowed over Egypt during the days of God's anger towards Pharaoh. For Pharaoh did not honor God's name, the great I AM and hear the words of his servant, Moses.

Exodus 9:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, so that they may worship me."

The colors in the background collage painted papers is a remembrance of ancient times when things appeared bleak to the Israelites. Where even Moses doubted if he was the right person for the job. But God answered Moses to remind him and reassure Moses of who it was that Moses served.

Exodus 3:14
God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM."

It was by faith that God lead Moses and the Israelites from Eygpt and parted the waters of the Red Sea to bring forth a new joy to His people. For when things appear impossible God does the possible. 

Psalm 92:4
For You have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done.

The foreground is collaged with painted papers of various shades of green and blue; a tree grows. There is a joyful movement of a winding path set before mountain peaks. The pathway beckons to follow by faith towards living waters yet its end is not in sight. Kind of like our house search. We started in May 2016 and now it's August and with our house (the house we are selling) under contract and our settlement date scheduled for end of September we pray for God to do the possible and lead us HOME (to the house we will buy).  

In my meditation of the word and through my art practice I become made new and pray my heart's prayer to God with a new found spiritual joy. 

MY HEART'S PRAYER 
(This I pray when in doubt and in anixousness)

In the stillness, in the quiet, in the surrender of all worldly things I find God. 
Here I AM...

In the present, in the now, in the HERE, the great I AM, my Father God, my Lord, my Rock, my Redeemer takes me by His powerful right hand and guides my pathways. Anxiousness has no power within my heart and mind. For my heart is not consumed with earthly falsehoods. Instead I meditate my mind in quiet contemplation on the words of my God. 

Exodus 3:14 God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM."
Psalm 92:4 For You have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done.

In my Father's hand I am in the Spirit; in power and glory. All wisdom onto my soul is sowed through the grace of the Lord that saves me. My joy is aboundant and my soul's desire to come closer to the Father has come full circle. It is the Alpha and the Omega that I trust my life to. For the seeds He has sown within my heart have developed into the harvest of Love that saves me from the fire of the wicked. 

In light we travel. My Savior and I. Hand in hand. To where? Heaven only knows but God is my guide. That is enough. My JOY is found in HIM, here I AM.

In Jesus name I pray.
~Sandra

Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am GOD.

God has been so good to me. He gave me an art ministry that brings me spiritual refreshness to make me into a NEW CREATION each day. My prayer relationship with God is my lifeline and that is why I make Prayer Pillows designed and inspired by scripture to encourage others to pray daily. When we PRAY we are living Psalm 46:10 Be Still and Know That I Am God. Praying is DOING, by slowing down to allow for a prayer life you are opening yourself up to surrender to God's will and ministry over your life. In today's times we are often too busy and too rushed to honor and value what it means to be STILL in the word of God. After I PRAY I often meditate in the word of God by making artwork inspired by God's ancient words. Below is a mini artwork 3.5 x 2.5 ATC card I created inspired by Psalm 46:10 and what it means to me to be STILL and be made into a NEW CREATION. The ARTWORK is titled "NEW CREATION"
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"NEW CREATION" mixed media size 3.5x2.5 inches

STORYTELLING - When I rise in the morning I trust in the Lord who has prepared the day for me. The seeds have been planted and are growing according to the power of the Holy Spirit that guides my pathways. Seeking the will of God as my teacher I surrender to Him and kneel, with folded hands, my eyes on Him only. He is the Savior that I cannot see in flesh but I put my trust in the abstract, the spiritual, and believe He is a living God that desires a personal relationship with me. My prayers are heard in the oneness I experience when I am STILL in the presence of my God. ~ Sandra

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Below are 2 Custom Prayer Pillows I created using this mini artwork and scripture as my inspiration.

GROW 18x18 mixed media Artisan Prayer Pillow.

Custom Prayer Pillow made as a gift for a male teenager.  The artwork was scanned and printed on cotton fabric using Spoonflower as my digital printer. I added a wooden fish as a reminder of how Jesus taught his disciples how to become FISHER of MEN. He developed them into men who would share the gospel so everyone may be saved by the word of God. It's tough to be a young person growing up in today's time, even when you grow up in the church. There are tons of questions and worldly temptations that can lead a young person away from living a Christian life. But it is okay to have doubts and concerns when you are in the process of becoming a mature Christian. When those times come take everything to God in Prayer. He will lead you to the TRUTH.

NEW CREATION 18x18 mixed media Artisan Prayer Pillow.

Custom Prayer Pillow made as a gift for a woman who recently bought a new home. The artwork was scanned and printed on white canvas using my personal HP Inkjet printer. I added the glass beads to reflect the raindrops that God provides the land so that it may bear good fruit and be fertile. Just as God provides for nature He provides for our needs such as a need for shelter, a home we can serve the Lord in. It's a BIG responsibility to buy a new home and money might get tight at times but God always provides for His children and through prayers we can stay connected to His peace and love to keep us afloat during times of tribulation.







To view current Artisan Prayer Pillows up for sale click here. To order your own custom prayer pillow email me at alchemymanager@yahoo.com.

Seeker of all things brave

Colossians 3:12

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;

Source: http://biblehub.com/colossians/3-12.htm

I especially like this bible verse because it speaks of how God wants us to act; how we should treat each other. With compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Sounds nice and cozy but yet my brain screams out "WAIT...that means I'm going to be tested". Because in actuality we cannot practice these behaviors unless we are put to the test. Meaning I cannot show compassion unless I find myself engaged with a person who (from the outside) appears as they are not respectful and do not deserve compassion. 

For example a person who disrespects you, speaks to you with unkind words because they are holding hurt emotions and find you in close range and unload on you. Your brain again would want to shout out "HURT THEM BACK, yell back, hit, kick...and so on" but if we are to be followers of Jesus we are to look into our Heart of Worship and show compassion for that person. Not stand in the line of fire to keep getting abused but remove ourselves from that moment with a forgiving heart for our offender. We should pray for that person. We should hold patience in our heart for them and visit them in the future with a fellow christian brother or sister and ask the person if they would like to talk. If they are okay, if they need help. If they would like to pray.

Many times the enemy tries to confuse us by sending hurt people our way to see how we react to them. When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus we can live out Colossians 3:12. When we are confused by the enemy that is when we might be tempted to disobey God. It is that time that we need to stop and pray and turn to Col. 3:12 for a reminder of how God wants us to tackle these trials and tribulations. This takes a brave heart. But God wants you to be a seeker of all things brave.

Blessings,
Sandra

Heart of Worship

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

1Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

2Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

3Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his^a ;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

5For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Source: http://biblehub.com/niv/psalms/100.htm

Fix My Eyes On Jesus

Hebrews 12:2

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Source: http://biblehub.com/hebrews/12-2.htm

Seeds Planted

Mixed media artwork in progress. Layering tissue paper, painted pages, metallic acrylic paint,  Japanese handmade paper, doodle transfers on wood. Now I start to add details with micron 01 ink pen.

Silence

Combining my love for drawing and doodling. Artwork in progress.

Heart of Worship

Artwork by Jerenis, age 11 (DO SOMETHING CLUB leader) collage heart used to create prayer cards for Children's Ministry Sunday School - Imparting Grace Ministry at Restoration in Christ Church, Mount Joy, PA. August 2014 theme is HEART OF WORSHIP. The lesson for August 17th was on the Holy Wedding.

This past Saturday the leaders of the DO SOMETHING CLUB created beautiful collage hearts. We spoke about Psalm 100
and how God wants us each to praise and worship our Savior Jesus Christ. For through his actions of love we were all saved. He gave His life on the cross so we may all be forgiven from our sins and have a personal relationship with our creator, GOD.

To have a personal one-to-one relationship with God is the act of WORSHIP. When we praise we celebrate with our voices, our hands, and feet and make a joyful sound to the Lord. But when we worship we do this on a one-to-one connection. YOU & GOD. This is done when we pray and mediate on the words of scripture, when we pray directly to Him and share all that our heart has to offer.

The more we read scripture and meditate on the truth the more our heart grows with spiritual strength. The more we pray and give thanks, and ask for forgiveness for our sins of the flesh (for we are all a work in progress... we are still in the PROCESS OF BECOMING); the more God reveals our purpose in life.

We want to fill our heart with love, peace, joy, truth, forgiveness, faith, trust, and all things worthy of our Lord. Leave no room for the enemy to take up shelter.

We want to be ready because Christ is coming to receive his bride, the church. The holy wedding is an event meant for all who have their eyes on Jesus and their hearts full of worship for God. For God created Jesus and us. For He loved us most!

Blessings ~ Sandra
(Mentor to the DO SOMETHING CLUB Leaders: Jerenis, Ryan, Justin, Yaneiris, Kayloni, Sasha, and Anthony)

God Sends Special Messengers

Bookmarker size 3 x 8.5 inches (free to download and share)

Curious Girls/Bible Explorations

A is for Angel

God Sends Special Messengers

{ Luke 1: 28, 30-31 }

28 The angel came to her and said

“Greetings! The Lord has blessed

you and is with you.”

30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be

afraid, Mary; God has shown you

his grace. 31 Listen! You will become

pregnant and give birth to a son, and

you will name him Jesus.

Exploration Questions:

When an angel delivers God's message to you 

how do you normally respond... with fear, doubt, 

worry? What does God expect for us to do when

he guides us with the angels he places in our life?

What are the consequences of believing or doubting God's message? Are you open to receive his message and live your life upon his will or do you still hold tight that you are in control of your destiny?

Life Learners Know Creativity COUNTS!

If you have ever experienced any change in your life either with your family relationships or friends, or at your job you are very aware that CREATIVITY COUNTS! It takes creativity to have a positive transformation experience. God created us to be creative beings. But of course it takes WORK and practice. Much, much practice to come up with a variety of problem solving solutions that can be agreeable to more then one person. Making art is a process that has helped me to keep my creativity alive. It has helped me think outside the box when working in community collaborative projects and it has also helped me when keeping my household happy with dinner recipes that are sure not to bore the Foodies in my life. Variety is key and change, transformation should not be feared or even worse IGNORED. 

 Mainstream society would have you believe that creativity stops after elementary school or at best when you are done with a formal educational engagement (high school, college, etc...). YES, Creativity is as important in education as literacy but let's not stop there. WE ARE TO BE LIFE LEARNERS not just formal brick and mortar learners. This means that we never stop learning, or thriving to learn more, to be creative, to overflow our artist tool belts with tools for how to make positive changes in our lives and in our world. 

It has been my life experience that by keeping my creative mind active (by art journaling, painting, drawing, making STUFF...) I keep my my brain in a healthy function tapping into my Art Memories for resources and exploring the lively world around me for inspiration. We do not live in a vacuum nor create in one, thus why I became a blogger and follow other bloggers. 

I salute all the men and women who feed their creativity. More I SALUTE those who use it for the good of  humanity. God bless ~ Sandra

Colossians 3:23 "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters"

Do SOMETHING!

Years ago I prayed to God and asked him the question.. what are my "gifts, my blessings from you?". How should I use those blessings? God has been good to me and answered my prayers through the creation of my art ministry (Alchemy: Art Memories) and as of a year ago lead me to serve on the ministry team of Ministry Minjah Elohim as the Webpage Graphic Designer. My husband serves as the Treasurer. What a blessing this call to action has provided me. My personal relationship with God has grown tremendously and I see no end in sight. Only new adventures to discover, explore and enjoy for the GLORY OF GOD. Below is the something new God has called me to be involved in. ENJOY ~ Sandra

DO SOMETHING CLUB

The DO SOMETHING CLUB is a group created to share how families, friends and communities share God's message of Love to empower the little children to come closer to the kingdom of heaven. We are nurturing the next generation of disciples to continue where Jesus left off - to fore fill the Great Commission.

Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you."

Matthew 28:19-20

Group theme is ... DO SOMETHING! 

Question: What are you doing to show God's love to the little children in your life? All acts of love count.. from a hug, a kiss, to reading the bible and praying together and teaching your child how to say grace before a meal, how to ride a bike or clean their room... we are blessed with the time God provides us. How are you using that time to glorify and honor his name in the heart of a child? Please share your stories, pictures, videos here on our facebook group page. When we unite as a body of the church and share our stories of victory we bear good fruit and build his kingdom. God bless ~ MME Team

A child's prayer postcard. A reminder of what God wants children TO DO. Print size is 5x7 inches.

Share God's blessings. Please download and print this sweet postcard size reminder that GOD is calling you to DO SOMETHING to build a heart of worship in the life of a child. Post it at home in your child's room, in your kitchen, at your church youth room or anywhere children gather in your community. Better yet, give it to a child to invite them to have a relationship with God and learn about Jesus. When you do please take a  photo of what you did with it and share it here. 

God bless ~ MME Team

Digital Art Collage

Digital Art Collage created using original handmade doodles, monoprint, and vintage scanned wallpaper. Three layers created using Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0.

Time to Change Your Mind

I love this bible verse: Romans 12:2. It speaks of change and transformation. God changed my mind and transformed my heart one early morning in the summer of 2011. I was experiencing a second job layoff a year after being laid off from a 3 yr grant contract. 

The first layoff was a shocker (since age 16 I had never been without a job; in college I had 3 jobs... so being unemployed was an overwhelming concept to me). Needless to say I went through a great depression during the first layoff experience. I did not have a strong relationship with God at the time. Oh yeah, I was a praying woman - I was raised Catholic and believed in the father, the son, and the holy spirit. So I prayed. But I was not a Christian; I had not yet handed over my life to Christ and so my mind still belonged to ME and the WORLD. 

The time I spent the summer of  2010 was pretty much sad and wasted. I did very little except trying to find a job that I thought I needed to be in. When you pilot your own plane without a parachute or a pilot's license the outcome is inevitable... you are going to crash and it will hurt! So that summer I trusted no one, not myself, not my former employer to get me a new contract and worst of all not God. 

It was by God's grace and mercy that in the month of September 2010 I received a phone call to ask if I was interested in applying for a new position with a new agency under a new government grant. I immediately said yes and I preceded to do what I needed to do to land the job. 

So I became "happy" again. I was employed and gave thanks to my professional skill abilities for landing a new contract. The job went well but it felt a bit hollow...what was missing? I began to ask some very strong personal questions of myself in my prayer time with God. Why was I still not authentically satisfied? I had a job, there was money to pay the mortgage. What had I missed in my planning? I seeked counsel from my church pastor, family and friends. All good resources but I'd yet to understand that I needed to submit and seek counsel from the one who created me. GOD!

In May of 2011 I was informed of the second layoff. I was told by my employer to be hopeful that a new grant would appear in the fall just as last year. By now I was praying more to God, I was speaking more with him and he had given me gifts of creating art with my hands. In my home attic art studio I surrendered myself to God. To tell  him of my fears, my needs, my anxieties and emotional strains of the uncontrollable situations the world presented me. Of course he knew all that my heart unveiled for he knew me before I was born and he created me. But my Father wanted me to speak the words to him; for me to confess my heart's weakness and to declare that I am not in control, I do not live my life for me, that I need Him to lead me so that I may live my authentic life - the life he created me to live. God was good. He was my autopilot. 

Nothing shall I fear when I have God on my side. When the holy spirit is housed in me.

This was the creation of ALCHEMY. A friend asked me what is alchemy? I said a gift from God; a metaphor for living my life in grace, in transformation, to do something (work) to glorify and honor God. 

July 1, 2011 I created this blog and Alchemy: discovering, exploring, enjoying is the gift God provided me to share with the world. Here is the first blog post. 

The summer of 2011 I spent it in my attic studio praying and talking to God; creating art and sharing it on this blog. I met a lot of wonderful women that summer; many who were suffering from health or unemployment concerns and we bonded through the process of creating art. Just as God had promised I discovered who was out there, like me who needed healing, how to share my Godly gifts with them and them with me. I explored the strengthens God provided me by reading bible verses and I enjoyed the summer sharing God's love and was once again blessed by God in September 2011 with a new grant contract. This time the contract was for three years. God had shown me his mercy and directed my pathways. 

Here I am today and I will experience my third job layoff on June 30th but I will be still and let God be in control. I am grateful for where he has lead me and my faith walk will continue with him as my leader. I had a very nice compliment the other day at a grant partner meeting. When I announced that my job would end next Monday; the reaction was commendable on my grace in character since layoffs are not desirable yet my actions were calm and of joy. I replied that God was leading me. 

This July 2014 God is leading me to host the first Alchemy (home studio) Christian Art Classes for children. 

Thank you Lord for your leadership. May I never conform to the wants of this world but be lead by your mercy and grace. Direct me for I seek you. 

Blessings,

~ Sandra

Create!!!.. to share the power of God's love.

Alchemy is a faith focused social enterprise, a gift from God. Created to share the power of God’s grace to transform a life. Promotes empathy, social-emotional connection, teamwork, and creative problem-solving to serve the good of humanity; to encourage the development of changemakers for social impact. To glorify and honor God.

Alchemy instructs faith based art workshops for youth and adults. Alchemy sells upcycled furniture, home decor, handmade (art, books, crafts) and offers custom upholstery to sustain free or low cost faith focused educational creative programs. To study the scripture of the bible and learn how God’s grace; gift for life can impact humanity. To go beyond doing “good works” to praise the one who empowers our efforts in life.

Blessings, Sandra Granthon-Roman (owner/founder)

Alchemy is currently offering a Mixed Media Workshop: Mini Works of Art see details below.

To get registration forms click on this link: http://alchemy-artmemories.blogspot.com/p/summer-art-classes.html

Summer is here... DO SOMETHING!

http://alchemy-artmemories.blogspot.com/p/summer-art-classes.html

BENEFITS OF CHRISTIAN ART EDUCATION

1. "MORAL EDUCATION & THE BIBLE"

"By studying the Bible (or any religious text), students will encounter a vocabulary and framework for thinking about morality and the human condition that will quite properly provide them with critical distance on the secular ideas and ideals they acquire from elsewhere in the curriculum—and from popular culture." 

2. DEVELOP LIFE SKILLS THROUGH 

ART ACTIVITIES

Art may seem like fun and games -- and it is! -- but you may not realize that your child is actually learning a lot through exploring the arts and doing art activities. Your children will gain useful life skills through art, so encourage them to get creative, and you will quickly see that your children are picking up these skills:

Communication Skills

 Problem-Solving Skills

Social & Emotional Skills

Fine Motor Skills

Self-Expression and Creativity