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13

Illumination Guest: Becca Blevins – Quiet and Light

I blame Becca for being the final “testimony” that got me to go Gluten-Free. For all of you who think it’s the “invisible disease,” go talk with Becca. Some ridiculous life transformation, people! Sadly (or not sadly depending on the way you look at it), after six weeks of no gluten in zee ol’ body, I decided to incorporate it back into my diet to see if I was actually allergic/would explode. Thankfully, I did not.

I want to officially announce that I have now gone Gluten-Free-Free.

But Becca is the real deal. Give her gluten and her arms will fall off. So for all you haters out there…trust Becca. It’s a real thing.

What else is real is her ability to capture magic through her photography. All of her work has a whimsical element that entices viewers to wonder where the rest of the chapter will take us. I love her work and her heart and I am so excited to have her featured as part of the Illumination Project.

Enjoy!

Quiet and Light

By: Becca Blevins

_____

I chose this piece because of its still and peaceful quality, similar to holding a bit of hope or light in the darkness. Hope comes from vision, vision that can only be found when the soul knows rest. 

God has been talking to me about the idea of rest for a long time. I’ve contemplated and written numerous journal entries on the subject without actually doing anything that looked remotely like resting. Three years ago, I decided to spend the winter in Barcelona, Spain to do just that. The idea was to provide space for my own sort of “illumination moment.”

A time set apart to focus on art, God, and rest.

As people we are often uncomfortable with empty space or unscheduled time. What happens when you turn off your cell phone, music, computer and just take a moment? Do you feel anxious, uncomfortable? Are you afraid of what you will think about?

What happens when you are left with just you?  

We are focused as humans on productivity, constantly producing, but we very rarely take the time to refill our source of inspiration. Even at this moment, while I am trying to force productivity and creativity, I have to remind myself that I am designed for a balance of rest, play, and hard work.

We need to take time to stop and breathe—not just a quick gasp, but a deep, slow breath. Stop.

At first, the idea of resting was difficult. I felt anxiety about what I wasn’t doing and tried to force myself into structured routines. But after a while, the quiet sunk in. My walks became longer, my sleep deeper, my chats and meals with friends had fewer boundaries. I learned to stop and really enjoy a meal, to put my work down, to take a moment and enjoy food shared with friends.

It was like the heavens opened.

I began to be comfortable with myself without having to rush off to the next thing to feel significant, needed, or important. What I found in that space was everything. I saw the unstructured time as it really was—a blank page—and it was my job to fill it with beauty. I became a seeker in search of beauty. Spending moments delighting in details, noticing God at every corner.

This piece came from my second trip to Spain, and is a reminder of this important idea of rest. It is not something that is done once but rather something that must become a rhythm. When I rest, God becomes a source of peace, hope, light, and vision for my heart in times of darkness.

_____

Questions

What are some ways you can become a seeker of beauty?

How do you find rest in your daily life?

_____________________________

Becca Blevins is a photographer and fine artist based out of Portland, Oregon.  She studied Fine Art at Portland State University, with an emphasis in painting and printmaking. Becca is a full-time photographer specializing in wedding and portrait photography. Her strong love of other cultures and travel informs her playful, elegant aesthetic. She has a strong interest in vintage and antique objects, often drawing inspiration from a particular item or time period in her work. Becca enjoys creating word-based art that draws from great literature or stories by recreating the story elements or characters in her photographs.

Find Becca on Twitter HERE. Check out Becca’s blog HERE. Check out Becca’s photography HERE.

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13 Comments

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    • Aron (@AronDarling) thinks...

      “I saw the unstructured time as it really was—a blank page—and it was my job to fill it with beauty.” Now there is a priceless quote. I had a friend suggest I read ‘The Rest of God’ not too long ago and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It’s all about respecting the ‘Sabbath’ and scheduling some down time. Another great book that got me scheduling more “Down Time” was ‘Ordering My Private World.’ Both are great reads.

      Thank you for sharing,

      A. Darling

      Reply| at |

      • Joy thinks...

        That IS a fantastic line.

        Reply| at |

      • lisa thinks...

        Building on Aron’s list of good reads, I also suggest this one: “Keeping the Sabbath Wholly”
        By: Marva J. Dawn. Ceasing, resting, embracing and feasting are key words in her book.

        Reply| at |

      • becca blevins thinks...

        Thanks for your comment. Great list of reads, I will have to check those out. This is an ongoing process for me, In fact I was recently confronted by a friend about needing to take an actual Sabath day away from my work. Ha, I’ve got to practice what I preach. It’s always good to be encouraged in this direction, especially when it is not much of a value in our culture.

        Reply| at |

    • Julie (@julespreever) thinks...

      Incredible picture. I learned how to actually rest a few years ago. I had to. Mentally and physically I was just so worn down I was starting to get sick. I just turned everything off. I started driving without the radio, writing without background noise or music, etc. These days it’s rare, but occasionally my body will still just shut down for a day or so. I get physically ill if I’ve overdone it, gone too fast for too long. I start to crave silence and alone time. Not at all like I used to be, but so thankful that I finally figured out a little bit of balance. It’s still tricky, but most days I do okay. Fantastic piece, Becca.

      Reply| at |

      • Joy thinks...

        Glad you enjoyed Becca. And yes, like you, I’ve had to fight to shut it down as well. I actually wrote about that recently on a post I did over at my friend Guy’s blog. http://faithoncampus.com/recalibrating-productivity-by-shuttin-it-down/

        Reply| at |

        • Julie (@julespreever) thinks...

          That kinda makes me wish I knew some monks. But you’re totally right about getting away. I can shut it off at home, but there’s always something to be done, and it’s distracting. I love the times where I can actually find the time to get out of Dodge. 🙂

          Reply| at |

      • becca blevins thinks...

        Thank you so much Julie. Great hearing about your experience.

        Reply| at |

    • Rebecca thinks...

      This post came near the end of (hopeufully) the busiest two weeks of school I have ever experienced. I understand the anxiety you are talking about. It’s really hard to find time to actually rest when finals are less than 5 weeks away and all the professors have decided to give large projects due before that. It’s exhausting and overwhelming.

      Reply| at |

      • Rebecca thinks...

        Interestingly enough our campus minister preached on being over commited earlier today at Chapel.

        Reply| at |

    • tiffany thinks...

      Love the post so much, but I am also curious about the gluten free part. Can you post another post about that? I am having a bazillion medical issues and I feel like this gluten free thing is my only other option (as I am baffling all the drs who say “nothing is wrong with me”). Just curious why someone with out any issues would try it? (or maybe you did?) I am also freaked out about trying it because it seems insanely hard. But I have to try something to get better!

      Reply| at |

      • becca blevins thinks...

        Hey Tiffany, you could consider seeing a naturopath or being tested for Celiac disease. Here’s the testimonial part she mentioned. *Sigh, now I am going to get pegged. I did have numerous health problems since the age of 5 such as; joint and stomach pain, chronic headaches, and exhaustion. It wasn’t until I started developing hives that I was tested for food allergies when I was 18. Since then, I for the most part, have cut out certain foods like wheat and dairy. Its a small price to pay to feel well.

        Reply| at |

    • becca blevins thinks...

      Firstly, thank you so much Joy for inviting me to be an Illumination guest. I love the work you do, and its so fun getting to be a part of it. Can’t wait to see the continued posts of work from other artists, I’m honored you asked me to participate. Oh and thank you for working with my procrastinating ways. You should go into cat herding after this.

      Secondly, I would like to make it known that I am not a gluten free gospel preacher. Joy and I went for coffee, she noted that I ordered a soy latte and the subject of food allergies came up. I do believe food sensitivity is common b/c half of what we eat cannot actually be considered real food, due to the way its processed and grown. I avoid certain foods but don’t have anything entirely eliminated from my diet. Now I’m deathly afraid I will be caught red handed with a cookie or something by her readership. I assure you my arms do not fall off, my head doesn’t start spinning….etc., I just might not feel as well. The End.

      Reply| at |

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