Alyssa DeLosSantos
About the Author

Alyssa is a Jesus lover, hope hunter, and storyteller. She loves her family, friends, books, and clean floors!

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
Recent Posts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alyssa,
    How true that the painting cannot be complete without the lights AND the darks. I have found, in my life, that if I hadn’t experienced the pain, the trials, the sorrows (the darks) then I would not have the heartfelt and deep appreciation for the joys, the triumphs, the rejoicing (the lights). The lights stand out more prominently when layered over the darks. In order to be complete in Him, our lives need to have both. I love the painting analogy and you post!
    Blessings,
    Bev

    • It’s funny how it makes the most sense when I’m looking back on seasons. Something fruitful always emerges! I love that the pictures becomes vivid with lights & darks! Thanks for your words, Bev!

  2. Yes, this resonates with my season spot-on when our world was rocked with Hubby’s cancer. The dark places seem to have spilt onto the canvas, yet, through it all, leaning in, I have felt His Presence in ways I have not before, His Peace when I should have been overcome with anxiety, His Rest when weariness has overcome me. Love this!

    • Such a difficult season, Josie. I love how your leaning in teaches those watching…including me!

    • Josie,
      Prayers for you and your hubby. May God heal him and give him a great testimony. May He send strength and bless you with peace to endure. Praise God you can feel His presence and rest in His unfailing love.
      Blessings 🙂

  3. Thank you, Alyssa, for this beautiful posting 🙂 Praise be to our Lord for He is so good in reminding us of His character. As I think about the post, I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 1:4 that says to comfort others as we have been, something that the trials in life equip us to better do. I am so thankful that Jesus wastes nothing from our loves, redeeming them with the color of His grace if we persevere. So needed this this morning 🙂 May the Lord color us joyful today with His love, mercy, and grace 🙂

    • Such a good word, friend! Nothing is wasted–oh how that brings tears to my eyes. What grace!

  4. Wow! Amazingly gifted you are at the craft of writing; on a subject near and dear to you, the Lord’s glory blooms in every word of your eloquent piece. May you continue to use your gift for the glory of His Kingdom! You were already a beautiful piece of art when He gifted you to me in 2005…but yet He continues to draw beauty upon you… Love, John

    • Thank you for braving life with me & for showing up in this arena! His grace through you helps me endure dark seasons! ❤️

  5. “He uses the darks and lights to create a vivid image of Himself …” Love this!

    Also, love that when it seems we’re stuck in the middle of blah – lacking definition – the Eternal Artist is still in the process. Trust Him.

    Great thoughts!

  6. This is great and what I needed in this season of life! Thank you Alyssa, may God keep inspiring you to share with us :-).

    • Aw. Thank you, Aline! He is the supplier of all our needs & I’m so glad!! ❤️

  7. Yes! And I think sometimes that I could summon the courage to face the dark bits if only God would hurry up a little and get to the bright spots. It’s the waiting…

    • Aw, yes…the waiting. You are so right! I’m trying to collect constant reminders of God’s provision to sustain me in the waiting!

    • Catherine,
      Amen to the waiting! Waiting is so hard. It’s in the waiting that God teaches us patience.
      Blessings 🙂

  8. Wow, Alyssa! This another one of your beautiful works of art. Your way with words and the ability to create a picture and story amaze me. You are a true woman of God and I am beyond blessed to know you.

  9. Great perspective! Makes me wonder… What will the under-paintings of my life ultimately highlight as my life “theme”? How did I let Jesus work on getting those darks and lights just right so in the end it’s HIS masterpiece? Thank you, Alyssa for painting a beautiful word picture of the importance of both darkness and light on our life canvase.

    • Great thought, Sheena. Your questions are thought provoking & I will carry them with me! Grateful for your input, insight & engagement!

  10. In Him is no darkness, so His love and light overshadow it. Like a masterpiece in museum is illuminated with a light over it. And don’t forget He created day and night, and they were both good. While we think of the devil prowling at night or in the dark, things happen during the day as well. God has it all covered, and since night was a time of rest, so should our dark places cause us to settle into His rest.

    • Yes, Rebecca. I love how you’ve weaved in the idea of rest. Such a significant piece of our believing in and allowing God to be the Artist. Thanks for sharing these thoughts!

  11. Thanks Alyssa for the posting! It was just what I needed this morning. I love the symbolism. God isn’t through painting my masterpiece. I love that. I’m the masterpiece. ..a mixture of the light & dark slated to produce a one-of-a-kind portrait.

    • Yes…a one of a kind portrait!! We need to be ever reminding each other of this truth, so that we persevere in the valleys.

  12. Thank you for this, it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I have had the worst 24 hours with my son. I have been praying for him for years and I was feeling so alone and as if God wasn’t hearing me call out to him in prayer, that I was doing something wrong for my prayers not to be heard. I needed these words to remind me that he hears me but maybe it’s my son he needs to hear and that he won’t give up on him. Thank you from a mom who is heart broken and needed this balm and word picture to pick me up and help me to keep on praying for him and waiting patiently for his timing!

    • You’ve given me the sweetest gift, LuAnn. You have shared a tender place with me and that is exactly what I prayed would happen with these words…that they would minister to our spirits and bring an extra measure of stamina. I would be honored to hold you & your son up in the waiting!

      • Thank you so much, it’s amazing when you put yourself out there and are transparent what comes back to you! I was in such a place of loneliness but feel refreshed and renewed now! Thank you! And thank you for praying for me and Matt!

  13. Your best writing ever. I love the ‘picture’ this painted in my mind and will keep it with me in my middle…
    Love you sweet friend,
    Christyn

  14. Alyssa, I love the way you paint with words! This is a beautiful post. Such a great reminder that there is a bigger picture and when our life is done we will see the beauty of the lights and darks blended together into the perfect painting God has planned all along.

    • Yes, Janet…a perfect painting which the Artist had envisioned all along. Oh that I would cling tightly to this hope!

  15. You are such a beautiful writer! Love your transparency. I could relate to just about every word you wrote! Thank you so much…I needed this today!

    • Your words speak life & encouragement into the depth of my spirit! Thank you for stopping by to read!

  16. Alyssa,
    I love the imagery you painted here. Yes, your words are art too! Thank you for the lovely reminder that even the darkest under painting enhances our value. I will carry this in my heart. Beautifully done!

    • Thank you, Melinda! I am honored to hear you say my words are art! I pray that prayer for myself…that God would use a girl like to me to point to Him, our great God and master Artist. Thank you for being here and supporting me!

  17. Alyssa,
    Yes every life needs lights and darks. The darks bring us closer to God and help us trust Him more. The lights are better and enjoyed more when positioned with the darks. This year has seen its share of darks, God has worked and turned those darks into lights. In the darks I sense the enemy hard at work to destroy everything. At that point I trust the artist and lean in hard.
    Blessings 🙂

    • I agree with you about the dark seasons…the enemy is manipulative and cunning, but that always diminishes when brought into the light of God’s unfailing love. Trusting the Artist is my ultimate goal-each and every day. Thank you for you words in this space, Beth!

  18. “Lean in…”
    The Lord spoke this phrase to my heart a couple of months ago, as I was blindsided by an event that rocked my world.
    The rest of the phrase was “… And listen. Lean in…and listen.” What a comfort those words have been to my soul! Over these passing weeks & months, I have read these exact words in several blogs, and random places. Your art, in this written form, has blessed and spoken to my heart in another facet.
    How precious is it, that truly nothing is wasted…He uses every process, and every “medium”, every spot on the canvases of our lives to create a masterpiece.
    Thank you for sharing such a timely word for me…
    May the Holy Spirit give us all vision to see what He’s creating, especially as we lean in & look more closely.
    -Rachel

    • Yes, Rachel. I want to have the vision to see the work in progress and be content with the timing. Leaning in is certainly something counter-intuitive, but so beneficial! I also appreciate the repeating theme…It’s hard to ignore the message when it keeps repeating. You’ve been an encouragement to me, friend!

  19. What thought-filled words! I praise our Master Painter/Creator for His many styles of ‘works in progress!’ Thank you Alyssa for your inspiring thoughts!

    • Thank you for showing up with words of encouragement, mom!!! Grateful for your on-going love, leading by example, and cheer-leading!

    • Joanna-I agree that the light is brightest when it’s completely dark! Grateful for you taking the time to share here!

  20. Alyssa, this is beautiful and so encouraging! Thank you for drawing out the truth in my spirit & reminding me that His light shines in & through the darkness. “For darkness is as light to Him”. Love you. Keep writing, my friend! Jesus is in all of this!

    • Thanks, Denalyn. I treasure your words and on-going encouragement far more than you know! Love you…