Book excerpt: (Limited Collector's Edition - 150) This is an art book: oil paintings with accompanying scripture verses presented as a 365 daily devotional.The Spirit and the Brush is a collection of 124 paintings, along with several drawings, created over the past decade. They are arranged to guide the reader through a year of contemplation that echoes nature's life cycles: Spring's revival, birth, and joy; Summer's celebration and whimsy; Autumn's color, abundance, and bounty; and Winter's sleepy embrace encouraging rest and solace in the stark and beautiful landscape.Each image pairs with three scriptures (one per calendar day, leap year excluded). Guided by my daily contemplations and prayers, the scriptures are determined once a piece is completed. The selected passages embody the emotional and thematic direction of the work with the intention of bringing a deeper meaning of context and contemplation to the visual experience. Selected works meet three criteria: an intimate connection with a place I've been and an experience I had; an aesthetic level that I am at peace with; and a strong emotional context. Landscapes are interspersed with still lifes-often created during the cold of winter-that have a direct correlation to the bounty of the scene. I encourage you to find a quiet place of respite each day and ponder the images, consider the passages, and find your own connection to God's Word and His creations.Whether artist, lover of art, lover of the landscape, person of prayer or curious seeker, I hope you find peace and love when opening the book. I pray my efforts humbly point to God.... with Humility comes Wisdom.Proverbs 11:2