Why ‘Monday Meditations’? Fruit from a long-term relationship
One blessing of getting older is reconnecting with the past, an experience I’m celebrating today.
I’m thinking about the new weekly feature introduced two days ago, “Monday Meditations.”
Every Monday morning, a brief pick-me-up posted here will look at a familiar Bible story and find in it encouragement for the caregiver’s journey. Each short reflection will be illustrated with one example from a library of hundreds of Classic Bible Art pieces, each created and once owned by Standard Publishing where I served for more than 40 years.
And that’s the connection to the past.
Extensive library
When Standard Publishing was being sold in parts and pieces to more than one owner several years ago, no buyer was found for this art. Created over decades starting in the early twentieth century, these paintings were used to illustrate thousands of different Bible-teaching tools published by Standard. The originals, many of them worthy of museum display and depicting virtually every section of Scripture, were stored in a vault at the Standard offices that would soon be vacant.
Matt Lockhart
Enter Matt Lockhart, a creative product-development expert, with three decades of experience in Christian publishing, including a significant stint at Standard. As he was leaving Cincinnati for service elsewhere, Matt negotiated the purchase of this extensive library. Today he continues to make these pieces, beloved by so many for many decades, available to new generations of Bible students. (Click the links in the picture captions to see some of the ways Matt has recently published the art. To get illustrations from this series for your own projects, search for “Classic Bible Art” at Goodsalt.com.)
Fruitful friendship
Matt began at Standard as a colleague and later was my boss. In the process, we became friends, and I developed a deep regard for his goodness as well as his creativity. We’ve stayed in touch in the six years since we both left Standard.
These beautiful books are available from David C. Cook, specially priced as a set at Amazon.
When he discovered this blog and the circumstances that led me to start it, he had a brainstorm. Why not use the Classic Bible Art he now owns to illustrate encouraging messages from the Bible for the Unchosen Journey readers?
Hundreds of Bible stories assembled in a family keepsake.
The idea clicked with me. The artwork is timeless, and truth from God’s Word is always timely. At first I wondered if I was unwise to take on another weekly digital duty, but I’m being refreshed by reconsidering these familiar stories. They’re providing new peace and purpose for the path I find myself walking now.
Maybe they can bring a blessing to other caregivers, too, as well as those who love them. That’s my prayer as I embark on this project. (By the way, for the record, Matt is allowing my use of these copyrighted pieces free of charge, and he didn’t even suggest this post of promotion. It was my idea alone to tell you about the ministry of these paintings.)
As I get started with this enhancement to Unchosen Journey, I’m thanking God for how he uses people and shared experiences from the past in surprising ways to nurture those who love him today. It’s a blessing I’d wish for every caregiver.