Creator Issue (January/February 2021)

oh

beloved

one

JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2021

STAFF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR &

HEAD EDITOR

Amanda Brown

WRITERS

Bethany Myers / Janelle Martin /

Julia Findley / Olivia Nickerson

/ Eve Parnell / Kara Linaburg /

Celia A. Miller / Acacia Mitchell

/ Hannah Benson

BRAND STRATEGIST

Allison Joiner

MARKETING MANAGER

Kayla Johansen

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR

Kaitlyn Heriford

PHOTOGRAPHY

Amanda Brown

ILLUSTRATORS

Lisa Elis / Korin Linaburg

PROOFREADERS

Lisa Elis / Rebecca Brown

Volume No. 10, Issue No. 1

WWW.OHBELOVEDONE.COM

CONTENTS

CREATOR ISSUE

kingdom creatives: kaitlyn heriford 04

the creation story 10

the gardener 20

JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 1 24

4 nature activities to enjoy 25

the creation

story

10

the best things God has made 34

in His image 38

created to create 41

scrapbook of God's creation 47


what is salvation? 56

scrapbook of

God's creation

47

official 2021 travel guide: 5 must-visit locations 27

credits 57

cover: photo of Rachel Brown by Amanda Brown


different 31

visit

WWW.OHBELOVEDONE.COM

to purchase previous magazines

EDITOR’S NOTE

Amanda Brown

EDITOR - IN - CHIEF

Oh Beloved One has always been a symbiosis of words and

art. Its cornerstone is an understanding of the importance of

creativity in the life of Christians.

With Oh Beloved One, we combine creative words and images

to become a vehicle for God's truth. We believe that creativity

is innate because we were fashioned in the image of a creative

God. We believe that this creativity comes in many different

colors and shades: it is not defined merely as the ability to wield

a paintbrush well.

No, creativity is what sets us apart from anything else in this

world. We have a part in deciding our destiny (even if the whole

thing is a bit confusing), and God wants a personal relationship

with us.

Whether you are a self-professing creative or you would never

describe yourself as creative in a million years, I pray that this

issue helps open your eyes to how important our creative spirit

is in how we run the world . . . and make it better.

amanda brown + team

photo by abby marasigan and amanda brown

voidless nameless faceless hovering covering

EARTH

slow gentle form shape change dust

BIRTH

when i survey the heavens

the work of your hands which you have put into place

what is man that you are mindful?

mind outside of time dwelling and swelling with the

beauty of possibility and exquisite detail and intricacy

and unfailing love for all made and

each beautiful thing created on each beautiful day and

perfection to the point where even

the most holy being

looked at his work and said "it is good."

and in the beginning was the word and

the world and the father and the spirit confered about

the image that God would later take on earth and

BREATH/BREATHE

and inhaled by the first adam

the first image-bearer of Almighty Abba

what is man that you are mindful?

when i consider the heavens

the moon and the stars that you have put into place

and the

wild expanse of the darkness of space and think that i

can fall to my face and weep with the awe of the glory

of your name

it is too much for my mind.

it is too much to take.

— acacia mitchell

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM KINGDOM CREATIVES

k i n g d o m

c r e a t i v e s

meet kaitlyn heriford

OH BELOVED ONE | 4


BEGINNINGS

creative outlets & more

I am an abstract expressionist painter

living and working in Lansing, Michigan.

Through a mixed media process in oils,

acrylics, pastels, graphite, and sometimes

thread, I create abstract compositions

that acknowledge our hardships in this

world, but proclaim the source of our

hope outside of this world through the

contrast of darkness with light and broad

movements with intricate markings.

Reflecting on this truth during the process

of creating, I weave together abundant

boldness, rawness, shifting colors, and

distinct moments of pause. With paintings

endlessly inspired by seeking beauty and

purpose in everyday life, choosing joy

amidst sufferings, and holding onto grace

through it all; my work aims to magnify

the notion that the battle against darkness

is already overcome—we are free to live in

the light.

hand, I believed I would be a professional

artist one day. Throughout my youth, my

artistic style developed into hyper-realism,

and it wasn’t until college when I began

shifting toward abstraction—seeking its

freedom.

In 2019, after nearly six

years of working for an

art museum, I went fulltime

as an artist and

began working from the

studio where I continue

creating paintings full of

life and light today.

Ever since I could hold a crayon in my

GOD-GIVEN

CHARACTERISTICS

I am continuously in awe of the characteristics God gives

me to aid in my creativity, especially as a creative running

a business. He has grown a deep ability within me to seek

meaning, purpose, and beauty in my circumstances and in the

smallest of moments. These experiences find their ways into

my work through the abstraction, but with so much depth and

symbolism. I’ve also always had a strong “left brain” and “right

brain,” which is immensely helpful as I wear all the hats of my

business—the art, marketing, accounting, pricing and selling

of work, shipping, design, photography, etc. There are tons

of crucial skills that go into being a creative business owner

and sharing my work in beautiful, authentic ways, so having

knowledge and interest in these various areas has been an

incredible aid for me.

OH BELOVED ONE | 5


BEST TIPS

for young creatives

There are so many lessons I've learned as

I've grown and developed in this creative

field over time.

One of the most important lessons is

to seek freedom and allow

mistakes in the process of

creating. Growing up as a perfectionist,

I allowed no room for error, which

resulted in losing the joy and exploration

of art that is so important to me. Today

I am always making sure I’m changing

up the sizes, surfaces, materials, colors,

and other variables to make my work feel

fresh. When something isn't working, I

allow it to be so, give the piece time and

space away, and then come back with fresh

eyes—even willing to cover it all up with

new paint sometimes.

Something I wish I would have known

at a younger age was that I did not

have to fear sharing my

faith through my art. For

so long in my youth and in college, I

believed I wouldn't be taken seriously as a

professional artist and individuals would

turn away from me if I were to fully let my

faith be known to the world. I kept my

faith quiet in response to a fear that I later

found to be such a lie. I reached a point

where I could no longer hold my love for

Christ down, so I let it be known boldly

and authentically. The opposite of my fear

was the response—the professional world

and individuals all have turned toward me

in ways I never fathomed. I am endlessly

astounded, and pray that young creatives

today can share that boldness.

Lastly, seek inspiration outside

of social media often. There

is so much talent and creativity shared on

social media, but if that is the only place we

set our eyes for inspiration, it can be easy

to lose one's own voice or have difficulty

solidifying one's style. For my own work, I

find endless inspiration in the experiences,

colors, and landscapes of the outdoors;

in the gratitude and growth I’ve found in

relationships; in books; and especially in

the Word.

OH BELOVED ONE | 6


GOD IS CREATOR

how that changes how i create

God’s creativity in nature and His

identity as Creator has greatly impacted

me as an artist. I see it as such an honor

to experience and share the small taste

of Him as Creator with others, thanks

to Him gifting me the ability to create.

It helps me recognize and appreciate

creativity and art around me all the more,

too.

With nature having such a strong presence

in the inspiration behind my art, it’s made

me realize the importance of spending

time away from my studio creating to

spend time in nature and fill myself with

its beauty. Nature reminds me of the

goodness, gentleness, and kindness of

God, even when the rest of the world

or my circumstances do not seem good,

gentle, or kind. It reminds of what a gift it

is to be a part of God’s creation, just like

the flowers, mountains, trees, waters, and

sunsets that I see as being so beautiful. I

get to believe in the beauty found within

myself, too.

This sense of peace, gratitude, and rest

that come in these moments weave

themselves into my paintings through the

delicate, soft, and light-filled markings.

Find Kaitlyn!

Instagram: @kaitlynrose.artist

Website: https://kaitlyn-rose.com

OH BELOVED ONE | 7

GOD

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE

IS MY

CREATOR

OH BELOVED ONE | 8

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE

In the beginning, God created the heavens

and the earth. And God saw everything

that he had made, and behold, it was very

good. Genesis 1:1, 31

OH BELOVED ONE | 9

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM THE CREATION STORY

the

Creation

Story

a narrative by bethany myers

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

THE CREATION STORY

5

3

1

2

4

6

OH BELOVED ONE | 11

Silence... complete

silence...then out

of nothing came

everything.

OH BELOVED ONE | 12


1

Silence utter silence,

darkness covers the earth like a

blanket,

a holy hush sweeps over the

waters.

The heavy silence and darkness

are broken by the majestic

voice of God—from this voice an

eruption of light is sent.

The darkness and light are then

split in two, never to meet again.

And God saw that this was

as it should, it was good!

OH BELOVED ONE | 13


Waters divided—

just imagine that point where the

Earth meets the sky.

The crashing of water against

the shore displaying God’s glory

forevermore,

the cotton clouds forming way up

high in the sky.

Still, the earth sits silent, void of

all life—

the only audible sound is restless,

yet the peaceful sound of the

waters.



OH BELOVED ONE | 14


3

The sea was then pushed into one

place and dry land emerged from

below the depths of the ocean.

The land was still silent, but the

scenery would soon be greatly

changed.

The aroma of

lilac,

roses,

fresh grass,

and so much more would fill this

peaceful world.

Green, purple, pink, blue and

so many stunning colors were

appearing. Grass, trees, flowers,

and plants of every kind begin to

pop and sprout everywhere.



OH BELOVED ONE | 15


4

As if that was not enough

then came day four;

He began to create so much

more.

The warmth of the shining

sun,

the beauty of the moon, and

stars—

how would life be without

these?

God set the sun to watch

over the earth by day, and

the moon and stars to rule

the night and make certain

that everyone has “hit the

hay.”

And God saw that this

was as it should, it was

good!

OH BELOVED ONE | 16


5

Finally the silence was broken

the oceans began to roar

and the sky began to cry out!

The eagle, screeching, began

to fly in the sky ocean and

the whale began to sing in

the sea.

The sky brought forth

glorious songs of praise

echoing throughout the sky,

and the ocean was

overflowing with such

beautiful life.



good!

OH BELOVED ONE | 17

6


6The

sky now had life

and the ocean had life,

but the earth sat lonely.

God knew this lovely earth

needed to abound with

life. Imagine feeling the

ground quake underneath an

elephant for the first time, the

joyous bark of a dog ringing

through the woods, the howl

of the wolf, the choir of frogs

by night, and choirs of birds

echoing by day.



good!

OH BELOVED ONE | 18


On day seven

God gazed upon His lovely

creation

as a painter admiring his

favorite masterpiece.

It was entirely perfect! The

animals roamed about freely,

without worry or fear of what

may be near.

Adam and Eve would walk

and talk with their Creator

every day in the cool of the

evening.

And rest sweet rest

came at nightfall in this

beautiful garden of

Eden.

meet the

author

Bethany Myers inhales books as much as she does oxygen, and she loves writing as much as she loves chocolate milk (which is

seriously A LOT)! She is a junior elementary ed major at BJU, where she also runs cross country/track. She lives in a small town

in Virginia called Powhatan, where everyone knows each other and/or is related to each other! Her favorite Bible verse is Isaiah

41:10. You can follow her on insta @bethanymae_myers or @thecat_thatwrites.

OH BELOVED ONE | 19

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM THE GARDENER

gardener

the

by janelle martin

OH BELOVED ONE | 20


God needs to be present in our spiritual

lives if we want to mature and become

deeply rooted in Him. ...

When I think of a garden, I think of new life.

I think of the beauty of seeing a plant grow

and mature. I think of the dirt between my

hands, the sun shining on my skin, birds singing in the

nearby trees. The smell of spring in the air. There's

nothing like it.

Every April, I become excited to get my hands back

into the ground, to create something new and beautiful.

But a garden is also a lot of work. It’s spending hours

pulling weeds in the hot sun. It’s trying to figure out

what’s killing your cucumber plants, pruning back your

tomatoes so they don’t become unmanageable, and so

much more. It takes work and dedication to keep a

garden.

See, as nice as it might be, you can’t plant your seeds in

the ground and walk away thinking that everything will

come up as they should. It just doesn’t work like that.

The gardener needs to be there to watch over the plants

as they grow and mature. Without that, there is chaos.

Just as a gardener needs to be present in the vegetable

garden for the plants to flourish and grow, God needs to

be present in our spiritual lives if we want to mature and

become deeply rooted in Him.

OH BELOVED ONE | 21


Wow! Can it get any more brutally honest

than that?

Think about it this way. Instead of

vegetables, our spiritual gardens will

produce love, patience, trust,

kindness, faithfulness, and a joy

that’s not of this world, but rather

cultivated by the hands of a loving Father.

Doesn’t that sound amazing? Sure, there

may be some uncomfortable and painful

moments, but you can rest assured that

it’s so worth it when we look back at the

lush, beautiful garden.

But if we never put any effort into our

relationship with God, should we be

surprised when we grow more weeds than

flowers?

I know it can be hard, but I want to

challenge you today to take a deeper

look into your relationship with God. Be

honest with yourself. What is keeping you

from His presence?

When I look at my garden I see a lot of

work, but I also see the beauty that hard

work has produced. I see the zinnias, their

color in full glory; I smell the lavender, its

subtle fragrance intoxicating everything

near it. I look over at my raised bed full of

zucchinis and wonder whatever made me

plant so many of them. I see a few things

that still need improvement, but overall I

see beauty.

There’s a quote I have in my Bible; I’m not

sure who wrote it but every time I read

this I am prompted to take a look into my

life and see what is keeping me from the

presence of Jesus.

“If we rarely know

what it is to have

God be the strength

of our life, perhaps it

is because we trust so

many other things to

be our strength.”

OH BELOVED ONE | 22

if we never put any effort into our

relationship with God, should we be

surprised when we grow more weeds

than flowers?

...


When I look at my garden I see a lot of

work, but I also see the beauty that

hard work has produced. And I think

perhaps that’s the way God looks at us.

...

And I think perhaps that’s the way God

looks at us. As God’s children we know

that we are His!

We know that we are so incredibly and

deeply loved by Him! So why do we

close the gardens of our hearts to Him?

We trick ourselves into thinking we

can survive without Him, even while

our small flame is being stifled by the

influence of the world.

But I’m here to tell you something. Our

relationship with God is not meant to

simply survive, but rather to thrive! And

the only way to accomplish this is to get

into the Word, spend time in prayer,

humble yourself, and say yes to Christ.

meet the

author

...

Janelle believes traveling, classic books and a good chai tea are some of the most beautiful blessings. She is currently living in

upstate NY (when she isn’t wandering over the earth). She has a deep love for Jesus and is passionate about living a BOLD

prayer life! Find Janelle and her well-loved journaling Bible on Insta @exploringboldlove.

OH BELOVED ONE | 23

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 1

TIME TO

GROW.

Take this moment to write down a few things you want to

grow in. If you spend time with Jesus each day and allow

Him to begin something fresh and new, I promise that you

will start to see a beautiful transformation in your life.

OH BELOVED ONE | 24

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM 4 NATURE ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY

4 nature

activities

to enjoy

There are many things that

college has taught me.

Most might think of the

obvious: going to bed at a

decent hour allows you to

focus in class, and studying

all of your test material the

night before it is due might

not provide an A. However,

some of the biggest lessons

that I've learned haven’t

come from the classroom.

Throughout college, I have

found the outdoors calling

my name and allowing me

to find peace.

Wind whipping through my

hair, the tiny lizards finding

their way through the tall

grass . . . there are many

ways to spend your time in

the land that the Creator

has made.

by julia findley

x

illustrations by korin linaburg

01. Prayer walks

During my school-led Bible study

this semester, we were challenged to

discover our spiritual rhythms. As

we've gone through the semester,

we have been challenged to find

other ways that we were not used

to connecting with God. I found

that while I love worshiping

through music, there is something

so serene about sitting in nature

and hearing the animals’ and trees’

songs. I encourage you to take a

prayer walk, look at the trees, and

thank God for His creation. Hear

the birds chirp and ask Him for

guidance over your speech. Have a

conversation with our Father about

the things burdening you; there is

no right or wrong way to talk to

God.

02. picnics

I have a deep love for picnics. The

idea of having a meal on the grass

while having a conversation with a

friend brings me joy. Whether you

make a fantastic lunch or pick up

your favorite sandwich from the

deli, the deep conversations and

fellowship tie everything together.

Ask a friend to sit outside and

spend just 30 minutes talking about

God’s impact in your life.

03. silence

Have you ever sat and done

nothing? Forgotten about the text

messages, turned off the music, put

down the book? There is something

so powerful about sitting outside

in the sun and listening only to the

voice of God. While going through

a trial, I was asked to sit in silence

and listen to what was being said.

At first, I struggled to keep my

mind from racing, but after closing

my eyes and listening I heard the

words that I had been failing to

hear. While this is not something I

do often, sometimes it is the right

encouragement that I need.

OH BELOVED ONE | 25

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM 4 NATURE ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY

04. art

Although I am a communications

major, I am required to take art

classes. My creative brain does not

think in terms of lines and shapes.

Instead, I want to tell stories.

However, for one of my classes,

we had to go around our campus

and find the things that we found

beautiful, things that told a story.

Suddenly, I realized that there was

a story revolving around me; I had

just been too busy to see it. Not

every medium is easy to do, but

step out of your comfort zone and

create something outside.

meet the

author

Julia is a student who loves to travel and loves to use her words to impact others. When she is not working you can find her

sipping coffee, strumming her ukulele Bucky, studying or napping.

OH BELOVED ONE | 26

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM OFFICIAL 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE

official 2021

TRAVEL

GUIDE

5 must-visit locations

by olivia nickerson

illustrations by lisa elis

I love to travel. I especially love road trips

with my family. Growing up, we have had

the best adventures, and we’ve visited

many different places across Canada and

in the United States. In our church service

recently, we were reading through Genesis

1. As I write this article, it reminds me

of that passage that we looked at on that

particular Sunday.

God created the world. When I think about

that statement and apply it to my thinking

when looking at God’s creation, I am filled

with awe and amazement. That being

said, I wanted to share some of my favorite

places that I’ve been to.

Zion National

Park

Found in Utah, the park is an epic

collection of rusty orange mountains,

cascading cliffs, sparkling clear water,

and great hiking trails. Definitely a

must-visit.

OH BELOVED ONE | 27


Bryce Canyon

National Park

Also found in Utah, this place is probably one of

my favorite places I’ve ever visited. It is wellknown

for its bright orange “hoodoos” and

other structures. It looks on for miles and miles,

and the skyline never seems to end. I felt as if

I could look on forever, and it would just keep

going and going.

Yosemite

National Park

So peaceful. It’s a perfect place

for a nature-imbibed hike, and the

scenery is stunning. What a way

to get into God’s creation and just

enjoy it. Turn off your phone and

turn on your appreciation of all the

beautiful things around you. It really

is such a refreshing place.

Prince Edward

Island, Canada

Just the whole island.

From rusty orange

sand dunes, rustic

lighthouses, peaceful

beaches, and waving

sea grass, to the most

delicious and creamy

homemade ice cream

from Cow’s Creamery

and to visiting Anne of

Green Gables, this is a

place that is near and

dear to my heart.

OH BELOVED ONE | 28


Peggy's Cove

Found in Nova Scotia, Canada.

I’ve been several times and each

time has been amazing. Usually

our family walks on the gigantic

boulders and rock slabs that

face the ocean. On a sunny day,

the water sparkles and it is a

perfect place to (if the sun is nice

and warm) sit and relax, read

a book, think, or just watch the

waves crash against the rocks.

A cloudy day can seem much

more stormy, however, which

can be super fun (just be careful)

to watch the waves churn and

foam. There is also a super neat

lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove (great

for pictures if you’re that kind of

gal) and a gift shop, among other

attractions.

THE

creator

OF IT ALL

There are so, so, so many more beautiful locations to visit in this world that God has created. I’ve only

listed five. They are all equally astounding in different ways. And as we read in Genesis, God merely

spoke and it came to be.

What an amazing Creator and God we have. He created the raging waters by Peggy’s Cove, but also

the still ones at Yosemite National Park. He created the soft and wild sand dunes as well as the vast

picturesque horizon of Bryce Canyon. He created the big and the little, all by His speech. All He had

to do was speak and “It was so and it was good.”

It. was. so. What small, yet powerful words. What a Creator.

I hope this encourages you to get out (when you can) and take in the beauty of it all, even if it’s

only for a walk around your neighborhood or down the road. And when you are astounded at the

purple-pink sunsets, starry nights, or thunderous storms, remember that only from an astounding

Creator could all of this have taken place. This same Creator died for sinners like you and me. Are

you following Him today? We must turn from our sinful ways, trust in His Son’s sacrifice on the cross,

and follow Him. What are you waiting for?

meet the

author

Olivia Nickerson is a high-school student, growing writer, and a Christian saved by grace. She loves Lindt chocolate, being an

aunt to little Jasper, spending time with her family and friends, and dreaming. Besides writing, Olivia loves spending time with

her family and friends in almost any way, playing board games, sports, and music.

OH BELOVED ONE | 29

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 2

TIME TO

APPRECIATE.

Where can you go to marvel at God's creation? Write your

ideas below! (We'd go to an observatory, the beach, the

Grand Canyon . . . the list goes on.)

OH BELOVED ONE | 30

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM DIFFERENT

different

by hannah benson

Have you ever created

something? Maybe when

you were a kid, you

sculpted an elephant out of Play-

Doh or built a city out of building

blocks. Granted, when it was

finished, you probably stepped back

and admired all your creation, but

surely there was one part that stood

out to you from all the rest. One

aspect of your work that you were

most proud of.

Most readers of this magazine

probably know that God is a

Creator. I mean, “He created the

earth and everything in it” is what

we’ve been learning since Sunday

school!

If God created the earth and

everything in it (which included all

the different kinds of animals and

humans), we must ask ourselves,

why are we so special? What makes

me and you different from our pet

dog or fish?

In the biblical account of

Creation (Genesis 1), God created

everything that we see today out

of nothing in a single week, and

each day, after stepping back

and surveying His work, God

nodded approvingly and saw that

it was good. And so, the pattern

continued for five days, God

speaking life and creating a new

thing, then seeing that it was good.

But on the sixth day, all that

changed.

“Let us make a man in our image,

after our likeness….so God created

man in his own image, in the

image of God he created him; male

and female he created them” (vs.

26 and 27). Prior to the creation

of man, God had said, “Let there

be” and it was. “Let there be lights”

and “let the earth bring forth living

OH BELOVED ONE | 31


creatures according to their kinds.”

But when He created man, God

specifically said, “Let us make.”

This, my friends, was the

flourishing finish of creation.

This was the final touch of the

Creator’s masterpiece.

And, I think it’s worth mentioning

that in Genesis 2:7 it says, “Then,

the LORD God formed the man of

dust from the ground and breathed

into his nostrils the breath of

life, and the man became a living

creature.”

The Bible never says that God

breathed “the breath of life” into

the rest of His creation. The other

animals were clearly alive, but not

in the same spiritual sense that

mankind is.

Don’t get me wrong; God LOVES

the rest of His creation, which is

clearly shown when Jesus mentions

in Matthew 6 the care God bestows

on the sparrows and lilies.

But from the beginning, God has set

apart man so that He could have a

relationship with him, and He could

be our God.

Most of us have probably heard John

3:16 before, but here it is: “For God

so loved the world, that he gave

his only Son, that whoever believes

in him should not perish but have

eternal life.”

God loved you and me that much to

send his only Son to die for us.

Jesus died for people.

Not any other living creature that He

has made.

Jesus took on a human form when

He came to earth to die for the

world.

God chose humans to be His chosen

people.

The Creator loves all His creation

and took intricate care when creating

each new thing.

But humans, we are His chosen,

prized portion of Creation. We are

the part in the masterpiece which

upon stepping back and seeing His

work, He calls us his beloved.

For that is what we are.

meet the

author

You can probably find Emily hiding in her room with chocolate while pounding away at her computer, penning her next

novel or poem and belting off-key broadway songs. When not doing school or exploring her next bright idea, she co-blogs at

growingintofriends.com. To learn more about the books she hermits away to write, visit ekseaver.wordpress.com.

OH BELOVED ONE | 32


He leads the thick cloud with moisture;

the cloud scatter his lightning.

They turn around and around by his guidance,

to accomplish all that he commands them

on the face of the hospitable world,

whether for correction or for his land or for love,

he causes it to happen.

Job 37:11–13

OH BELOVED ONE | 33

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM THE BEST THINGS GOD HAS MADE

The best

things God

has made

by kara linaburg

These are my favorite things.

These are the things that make me believe that maybe, just maybe, there’s hope for tomorrow. These are the things

that remind me of the power of God’s love. These are the things that lessen the darkness.

OH BELOVED ONE | 34


⁰¹ Hugs

In a world where pure, innocent, physical touch

is often deemed sexual, dirty, or uncomfortable,

simple hugs are so healing for me. One of my

favorite moments of my day is when my friend

who I consider my second dad will wrap me in

a big hug, and just like that I feel like everything

will be alright.

⁰² Sunsets

I sit on my back porch every evening to be

reminded that this darkness coming is only

temporary; the light will come again.

⁰³ Laughter

The kind that makes your belly ache and tears

come into your eyes. When my brothers tell

jokes, when my friend reenacts her crazy stories,

when my whole family gets together and it’s late

and we’re all going a little crazy. Laughter. It’s like

medicine, like healing balm on a bad day.

⁰⁵ Music

I’m talking about those moments under the stars

when the music is high and you are free, and the

rest of the world is far away. I’m talking about

the music coming from your stereo in your car

and the tears running down your face because a

song is giving you the words you didn’t have. I’m

talking about the healing power of music. Like

hugs and sunsets and love and forgiveness and

kind words, God gave music its own beauty. Jon

Foreman once said that every song is a worship

song, we just have to ask who we’re worshiping. I

believe that’s true.

⁰⁴ Phone

calls

In a world where texting is common

communication, where social media shouldn’t

divide but still manages to seperate, phone calls

are special to me. I grew up where my closest

friends were at least one state away, and me and

my best friend spent hours on the phone.

OH BELOVED ONE | 35


⁰⁶ Words

of hope

Genuine words of hope. Not meaningless

nothingness, but words that you can tell are

meant from the depths of the heart. Words like,

“I’m proud of you,” and you know without a

doubt they are. Words that maybe you don’t

believe right now but keep you fighting. Words

that maybe you didn’t expect, but words that

touch you.

⁰⁸ Forgiveness

⁰⁷ Unconditional

love

I don’t understand it. I doubt it. But

unconditional, judgement-free love —that’s

a wonder of the world. It’s true and pure and

rare. It’s a love that when you find it, you must

hold tight, because you should never take it for

granted. I think I began to understand it most

when a friend once told me, “Nothing you could

ever do would change my love for you. You know

that, right?” And I thought, that’s a Jesus kind of

love.

The kind that isn’t returned. The kind that isn’t

believed. The kind that is rejected. Those stories

are the most bittersweet, the hardest. Yet those

people who forgive, they are the strongest I’ve

ever met.

meet the

author

Kara Linaburg is passionate about finding beauty in brokenness, heart-to-heart talks, and hugs. When she's not planning

her next adventure, she's probably reading under a tree somewhere. Find her young adult fantasy books and read her blog

at www.thebeautifullybrokenblog.com.

OH BELOVED ONE | 36

Let all that I am

praise the Lord;

with my whole

heart, I will

praise

his

holy

name.

Ps 103:1

OH BELOVED ONE | 37

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

in His image

IN HIS IMAGE

by celia a. miller

OH BELOVED ONE | 38

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM IN HIS IMAGE

Each of us, as Jesus lovers and followers, are called to the deep responsibility of

bearing something extraordinary and life-changing. Sis, we were created and called to

be bearers of God’s image.

Let’s take a look at Genesis 1:26-27.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so

that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky,

over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures

that move along the ground.”So God created mankind in his own

image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he

created them. (NIV)

We were blessed with the precious honor of bearing God’s image and representing

His name. But what exactly does this look like in real life? How do we live out being

image-bearers of the One who created us in His likeness? Well, I believe that we can’t

truly understand what comes with the responsibility of bearing God’s image unless

we take a look at the heart of the One who created us.

1 John 4:8 tells us, “Whoever does not

love does not know God, because God is

love.” (NIV) If we were created in God’s

image and likeness, and God is love, then

that means we were created in love to

love God and be loved by Him. Genesis

2:7 shows us how we were created by

God and why the “how” illustrates the

kind of relationship He seeks to have

with His image-bearers; “Then the Lord

God formed a man from the dust of the

ground and breathed into his nostrils

the breath of life, and the man became

a living being.” (NIV) God bent down

and was face to face, nose to nose, with

Adam and breathed His very breath into

Adam’s lungs and then bestowed on him

His own image. Sis, this shows us that as

God’s image-bearers, He craves to walk in

intimate relationship with us as we were

so intimately created. This is His heart;

that we would know Him fully and be

fully known by embracing Him and the

love He aches to bestow on us.

OH BELOVED ONE | 39

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM IN HIS IMAGE

Psalm 139:13-14 tells the beautiful and

sound truth of how our Creator sees

us; “For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s

womb. I praise you because I am fearfully

and wonderfully made; your works are

wonderful, I know that full well.” (NIV)

As God’s image-bearers, created in His

likeness, we are given worth and value

that goes far beyond this world. We can

tether our souls to Jesus because He is

worthy of our trust and adoration. And

because He is worthy, Sister, and you

bear His image, you are worthy and are

of great value in His sight. It doesn’t

matter what the world may speak over

you or to you because the voice of Jesus

in you is the One who gives you true and

lasting value.

I want to circle back to 1 John 4 and take

a look at verses 11-12; “Dear friends,

since God so loved us, we also ought to

love one another. No one has ever seen

God; but if we love one another, God

lives in us and his love is made complete

in us.” (NIV) Because God is love, and

He so graciously and freely loves us

despite where we’ve been or what we’ve

done, we are called and created to love

one another. As God’s image-bearers, one

of the highest responsibilities we are given

with our time on this earth is to love

others well. We were created to give others

grace and forgive freely because at the

root of how we were created is the love of

Christ.

Knowing God’s heart and understanding our value as His Image Bearers enables us to pour that love out onto those around

us. Friend, when we draw closer to the heart of God and understand that our identity is rooted in His love, we can bloom

His image into the world. Because to know God is to love Him and to love God is to love His people. Our words become

softer and our eyes become kinder when we understand that our image belongs to the Image Maker and the likeness of others

reflects the creation of His hands.

You, Beloved girl, were created to bear God’s image and likeness. You were created to love God, be loved by Him, and to love

others well. Because to look through the lens of love is to bear the image of the One who created you.

meet the

author

Celia A. Miller is a blogger, writer, and coffee obsessor with a profound love for Jesus. She graduated from Grace College

with a bachelor’s degree in counseling, but her true passion lies in sharing the heart of Jesus through her writing. Celia and

her husband reside in small-town Indiana with their two furbabies. When she isn’t writing, you can find her enjoying time

with her family or reading a good book! Check out her blog at celiaamiller.com/the-blog or go say "hello" on Instagram

@celiaamiller.

OH BELOVED ONE | 40

Created

Create

to

Watch the hand of a five-year-old, drawing

big shapes across a blank page.

by acacia mitchell

From the beginning, we

were created to create.

In the beginning, God formed man,

exquisite sculpturing, precision

unmatched, shading divine.

And he said, "You are in My image."

we were

This one is for everyone—those who know

they are creative, and those who don’t.

The artists and writers, the dancers and

filmmakers, and those who don't know why or

what they are driven to create.

OH BELOVED ONE | 41

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM CREATED TO CREATE

1. We are made in

God's image.

The first thing that we learn about God in the Bible is that He creates.

"In the beginning, God created" (Genisis 1:1).

Later on, we learn that we are made in God's image—to be like Him. This

means that part of our identity as people is to create things. There are

examples upon examples of this in the Bible.

Throughout the Psalms, we are given elaborate descriptions of the

natural beauty God created. (Psalm 8, 19, 33, 65)

Song of Solomon uses elaborate imagery to describe the beauty of love.

(Song of Solomon 7)

God gives exact instructions for the creation of the tabernacle.

(Exodus 25-31)

David dances his worship to God. (2 Samuel 6)

Jesus is the master storyteller, using parables to bring the gospel.

(Matthew 13)

God delights in the creating.

OH BELOVED ONE | 42


2.

Art is incredibly

powerful...&

it has been

corrupted.

Porn. Explicit music.

Blasphemous writing.

Raunchy dancing. All

of these are ways that

something beautiful has

been perverted. Part of

bringing God’s kingdom

to earth is claiming back

areas of beauty.

Think about a piece of music you heard

recently. Consider how it affected your

emotions and thoughts, for better or for

worse. Close your eyes; think of the lyrics

and how they set your mood. What did it

make you focus on?

photo by freepik

Art is an incredibly powerful tool. The Israelites

were commanded not to make "graven/engraved

images" of idols—not because a statue is the only

thing we can choose to worship besides God, but

because the representation of something beautiful has an

alluring effect on our hearts.

We as the church need to create for the glory of God.

OH BELOVED ONE | 43


3.Everything

we do should

glorify God.

“So whether you eat or drink

or whatever you do, do it all

for the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31

Being created in the image of God

means that we are called to be like him.

By creating things that glorify God, we

are practicing worship, bringing our

humble offerings before His feet, and

praying that they point other people to

Him.

What does creating for the glory of

God look like?

It looks like giving thanks to God for

the abilities He has given you. It looks

like working diligently at everything

He lays on your heart. Like centering

everything you create around the

gospel, whether directly or indirectly.

Like raising up other creators who

want to honor Jesus.

Creating for

the glory of

God looks

like creating

around the

gospel,

whether

directly or

indirectly.

OH BELOVED ONE | 44


Practice creating

Perhaps something has been

stirred in your soul as you read over

this. Go pick one of the Scriptures

under the heading, "We are made in

God's image." Meditate on it. Write

out certain phrases that stand out

to you. Thank God for His beautiful

handiwork in making you, for the

nature you get to be in awe of, and

for the gifts He's given you.

Then ask Him how you can

participate in His grand and

glorious art piece. You were

created to create.

meet the

author

Acacia Mitchell is a teen from Canada who moved to Scotland in 2015. She has been published on the Rebelution, written for

the stage, and is the author of Waiting Spaces, a collection of poetry. She has a passion for artistic expression and the way that it

reflects the Creator. Her blog can be found at thoughtsfromatree.com or you can follow her Instagram @acaciawritespoems.

OH BELOVED ONE | 45

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM SCRAPBOOK OF GOD'S CREATION

OH BELOVED ONE | 46


Scrapbook

of God's

photo by freepik

Creationby eve parnell

OH BELOVED ONE | 47


the heavens

Think with me for a minute.

Think about the stars, galaxies,

planets, moons, comets,

asteroids, constellations . . .

ALL THE SPACE!

You don’t have to think long

to figure out that the universe

is just a little bit complex and

wonderful! As Romans 1:20

talks about, creation makes

it obvious that there is an allknowing,

creative, powerful

Creator. When we slow down

and think about creation, we

realize just how awesome and

creative our God is.

OH BELOVED ONE | 48


& the earth

Think about the clouds, blue

sky, trees, flowers, birds,

animals, wind, rain, lightning

. . . HUMANS!

Ponder with me how galaxies

stay afloat in space, gravity

exists in the perfect balance,

molecules move, our brains

work (if your head hurts

thinking about that one, you

aren’t alone), animals know

how to survive, and babies are

formed in the womb.

OH BELOVED ONE | 49


OH BELOVED ONE | 50


01 02

03

There are so many different

shapes, colors, and sizes of

galaxies.

Check out images.nasa.gov

and search “galaxies”—you’ll

quickly see what I mean! They

are so beautiful and, when

you think about it, incredible.

There are BILLIONS of stars

in each galaxy! Yet, despite

the gravity each of those

stars possesses, stars don’t

frequently collapse or run into

each other.

Black holes—like . . . how cool

(and also a bit scary)! Nasa.gov/

black-holes says, “A black hole

has a gravitational pull that is

so intense that nothing, not

even light, can escape it once

inside a certain region, called

the event horizon.”

Not even light. Just . . . wow.

Stars are hot! They’re balls of

gasses (they aren’t solid— isn’t

that crazy??) and are even

different colors depending on

how hot they are! And they’re

BIG! Big, bright, hot balls of

gas. They also rarely burn up,

which is amazing considering

the fact that they are so warm.

Did I mention that they are

SUPER gravitational? All the

planets in our solar system

revolve around our sun and

none of them just fly away—all

thanks to the gravity of the sun.

OH BELOVED ONE | 51

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM SCRAPBOOK OF ARTICLE GOD'S TITLE CREATION HERE

01 02 03

Ah, earth. The best planet

ever (I’m not biased at all . . . ).

Psalm 8:9 talks about how the

earth shows the majesty of the

Creator. We’re so blessed to

live on a planet that was hand

crafted by God for His glory.

I think that one of the coolest

things about Earth is that it is

unique. Out of all the planets,

earth is the only planet that

has life, because it’s the

only planet with the perfect

conditions for life. May I also

mention that God put us the

perfect distance from the sun?

We are just far enough away to

not be sweltering and burning

up, but close enough that we

aren’t a block of ice. Isn’t that

amazing?

Also, our atmosphere is just

what we need—the perfect

balance of protection and

letting the sunlight in.

Have you ever sat by a window

during a thunderstorm and

just watched the lightning?

If you haven’t yet, I highly

recommend doing so. It’s

amazing to watch those bolts

of electricity cross the sky at

ridiculous speeds. The colors

are super cool too! Sometimes

it’s purple, other times white

or blue. It’s awesome and

frightening at the same time.

Kind of how we should think

of God—we should be in awe

of Him and His beauty while

also having a deep respect

for Him. I love how creation

teaches us about the Creator.

Humans are God’s prized

creation. Out of all the things

He made, God made us

special. We are made in His

image (Genesis 1:27), and He

gave us abilities and features

that are unique to mankind.

Look around at your family

and friends, the people at

the grocery store, the man

or woman driving by on the

interstate. Look at yourself.

Look at how God made you

physically, spiritually, and

mentally. We are so complex

that only a divine Creator

could have put us together.

But all that isn’t the coolest

part about us. The coolest part

about being human is that we

can have a relationship with

our Creator. NOTHING

else in all creation has that

ability—only people. Now

THAT’S awesome!

OH BELOVED ONE | 52

OH BELOVED ONE | 52

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM SCRAPBOOK OF ARTICLE GOD'S TITLE CREATION HERE

We’ve barely scratched the

surface of creation today.

Never in a million years

could I write about all the

impeccable things that God

has made. Since we couldn’t

cover all of creation today,

go look at and explore it

yourself! I think you’ll find

that it makes you say,

“Your righteousness, O God,

reaches to the high heavens.

You have done great things,

O God, who is like you?”

(Psalm 71:19)

meet the

author

Eve Parnell is a homeschooled high schooler who loves upbeat Christian music, puppies, sugar and sunshine! She reads way

too many books and spends a lot of time looking at bookstagram posts. Eve doesn’t have a favorite Bible verse (because it varies

depending on what God is teaching her at the moment), so don’t ask her to pick just one!

OH BELOVED ONE | 53

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM WHAT IS SALVAATION?

WHAT IS SALVATION?

Ever wonder why some people can be so bad? So mean?

Why sometimes even you succumb to these feelings

of anger, jealousy, and lust? That's because all people,

including you and me, have a sin nature. This sin separates

us from God. He's so perfect that He can't even be in the

presence of a tiny bit of sin. Not only does sin separate

us from God, but there's also a price to pay for it: death,

after which comes suffering in Hell, burning for the rest of

eternity.

But God wants a relationship with us and doesn't want

anyone to perish, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take

the penalty of our sin. He took our place when He died

on the cross for us.

But it doesn't stop there, because Jesus did something we

couldn't do: three days after He was crucified, He rose

again! He defeated death. And, when we accept His gift

of salvation, we become a Child of God and get to spend

eternity in Heaven with Him.

So how do you accept this gift, you ask? Believe that Jesus

Christ is the Son of God and He died on the cross for

your sins, raising on the third day and defeating death.

Confess your sins and repent (turn away) from them.

If you have any questions, please feel free to write us on

our Instagram @beloved.magazine or Facebook. If you

accept Jesus into your heart, praise God! We want to

celebrate with you, so please let us know! You may want

to look at our previous issues from this year which talk

about reading your Bible and praying. For the rest of the

year, we'll be going over more aspects of your Christian

walk in great detail, so we hope these issues will be a great

encouragement to you!

OH BELOVED ONE | 54

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 OHBELOVEDONE.COM CREDITS

DISCLAIMER

Oh Beloved One is not responsible for any inaccurate information in

its magazine pages. Additionally, we are not responsible for plagiarism

on the part of our writers. We accept their work assuming that it is

their own. Please contact us if you have any problems.

Current reading material in our world today has been tainted and

darkened. In our pages, we strive to share clean and positive articles

that leave readers feeling blessed.

We will not stand down for our faith; however, we will not push our

beliefs on others. You are free to accept or reject things we say and

we will not discriminate against you for any reason. Additionally, just

because our pages are filled with positive articles does not mean we will

not stand up for what we believe in. However, we believe that at this

time it is best to look at the glass as half full.

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Copyright © 2012 by Crossway.

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DEDICAT-

ED TO

This issue is dedicated to the elderly

who haven't been able to see family

during this time. We pray God gives

them strength to get through and

reunites them with loved ones soon.

hey

look

it's the

page

no one

reads.

OH BELOVED ONE | 55

JULY/AUGUST 2019 OHBELOVEDONE.COM ARTICLE TITLE HERE

ohbelovedone.com

UP NEXT

JUDGE & LIGHT

Talking about God being our light is great and all . . . but

how is He also a fierce judge? We'll take a look at this

perfect combination in our next issue, releasing in March

of 2021.

OH BELOVED ONE | 56

Creator Issue (January/February 2021)

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