I first attempted this idea while I was home from college for the summer. I didn't put much time, energy, or thought into it, so it didn't turn out the way I envisioned. 

This is actually my third attempt, and I think I finally got it. 

It was inspired by a quote - a simple source of inspiration, not one that yields much of a blog post. But being the long-winded over-thinker that I am, I've been contemplating this image, and considering what I may be able to learn from it. That may seem like a weird thing for me to say, considering I'm the one who made the image, but I learn things from my art every time I create. 

It got me thinking about demons. 

Before I go on - if you haven't read Frank Peretti's "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness", I would highly recommend it. The way he illustrates demons in those books forever changed the way I perceive them. He calls them by "name" - doubt, fear, anxiety, anger, wrath, malice, jealousy, contempt, gossip, etc. Ever since then, I've thought of demons in the context he provides. That may be theologically flawed, but I'm ok with that for now. 

Anyway, this image got me thinking about demons. For anyone reading this who may not believe in the supernatural, "demons" can be interpreted as the struggles we all face - the things I listed as the names of demons. 

I asked myself what it is I'm struggling with. Who has the enemy sent to distract and influence me? What struggles am I facing? What have I left exposed? What is at risk of being targeted? How many more ways are there to phrase the same question? ;)

Reflecting on this intentionally revealed to me the areas where I stand to be attacked, and now I can be intentional about guarding them. 

Do you know your weaknesses? What can you do/what are you doing to protect yourself from the bad guys?

"We stopped looking for monsters under our bed when we realized they were inside us"