COLLECTION
Invited In 2021
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, linen, pumice, & various textural elements
Corresponding liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On Knowing You are Found and Heard and Seen”
Genesis 16
Breathe in:
The Lord has found you in the wilderness.
Breathe out:
The Lord has heard your cries.
Breathe In:
You can see the one who sees you.
Breathe Out:
Trust Him. His ways are better.
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, pumice, & various textural elements
36x48” framed in white ash (38x50”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On Tasting and Seeing Your Goodness”
Psalm 34:8
In moments that look ordinary, oh God, give me eyes to see their grandeur.
In days that sound quiet, oh God, give me ears to hear their message.
In weeks that smell stale, oh God, give me a nose to sense their potency.
In months that taste bland, oh God, give me a tongue to taste their brilliance.
In years that feel dry, oh God, give me a touch from you.
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, & various textural elements
36x36” framed in poplar (38x38”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On Being Made Pure”
Isaiah 1:18
I see a stained, patched up, struggling mess.
Riddled with shame,
Drowning in guilt,
Paralyzed by fear.
But you invite me in--you transform my heart.
What was riddled with shame is reconstructed with new life.
What was drowning in guilt is designed with grace.
What was paralyzed by fear is presented with purpose.
I now see an invitation.
Like snow quietly covering the ground, Jesus, you cover my mess and make me pure.
Keep me coming to you, oh God.
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, pumice, linen, & various textural elements
48x60” framed in natural poplar (50x62”)
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, fiber, pumice, & various textural elements
48x48” framed in natural poplar (50x50”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On the Sound of Sweet Grace”
Ephesians 2:8 and “Amazing Grace” by John Newton
God who makes ears hear,
Give me ears to hear the sweetness of your grace.
Grace sweeter than the sound of a heartbeat through a sonogram machine.
Grace sweeter than the sound of waves rushing the shore on the first day of a long anticipated vacation.
Grace sweeter than the sounds of birds chirping out a window after a long winter.
Grace sweeter than the sound of silence in the midst of a loud, chaotic day.
Grace sweeter than the sound of a perfectly played melody.
Grace sweeter than the sound of the purest laughs of joy between beloved friends.
God who makes ears hear,
Give me ears to hear the sweetness of your grace.
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, fiber, pumice, & various textural elements
30x40” framed in white ash (32x42”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On Invited In”
Matthew 16:24-25
Jesus, your invitation is that of denial for gain, death for life, apprenticeship for vision.
Trustworthy God, you have invited me in.
My career, my calling, my purpose, my people, my things, my treasures, my instincts, my impulses—I will lose them all to gain life with you.
Trustworthy God, I invite you in.
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, pumice, & various textural elements
36x48” framed in natural pine (38x50”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On a Content Soul”
1 TImothy 6:4-6
You’re the God of my heart, of my mind, of my words.
Let my soul sing in unison a song of contentment.
Place in my heart, oh God, a song of joy in what is in front of me.
Replace envy and skepticism with security and trust.
Place in my mind, oh God, a song of truth to fight the lies that find their way in.
Replace cynicism and arguments with steadiness and pure thoughts.
Place in my words, oh God, a song of encouragement to speak over others.
Replace slander and disagreement with words of life and truth.
When my soul is content, I have so much to gain.
You are the God of my heart, my mind, and my words.
Let my soul sing in unison a song of contentment.
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, fiber, & various textural elements
48x48” framed in white ash (50x50”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On Belief and Unbelief”
Mark 9:14-29
I believe that you want the impossible brought straight to you--but I diverge.
I believe that you have power to heal the body and spirit--but I delay.
I believe that you are compassionate and helpful and hold all authority--but I doubt.
Help my words to match my heart, oh God.
I do believe; help my unbelief!
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, & various textural elements
24x36” framed in natural pine (26x38”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On the GIfts the Father Gives His Children”
Matthew 7:7-11
Your merit becomes my merit.
What an unbelievable gift of rest.
Your joy becomes my joy.
A gift I wouldn’t know to ask for.
Your patience becomes my patience.
I would take just a fraction, but you gift it all.
Thank you, Father, for giving good gifts to your children.
Help us, your children, to have the courage to ask.
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, & various textural elements
30x48” framed in poplar (32x50”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On Finding Your Path”
Psalm 16
While I am drawn to make my own path,
You remain a steady refuge--the only good way I have.
While I make plans and attempt to control the minutes of my life,
You hold me close--the architect of the most beautiful future.
While I seek knowledge from finite minds,
You are the perfect counselor--a steady presence, keeping me secure.
So I can be full of gladness and I can live freely--
Not because of who I am, but because of who you are--
The giver of hope and joy and endless pleasure.
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, linen, & various textural elements
30x40” framed in white ash (32x42”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On Perspective in the Fiery Furnace”
Daniel 3:8-23
Their hate led to my steadiness.
Their blame led to my confidence.
Their rage led to my hope.
Their fire led to my safety.
Their punishment led to my reward.
You, oh God, never left my side in it all.
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal. linen, & various textural elements
24x36” framed in white ash (26x38”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On Always Needing the Gospel”
Ephesians 2-3
God, I have heard of your good news of salvation.
The news of the Father’s plan to bring us back.
The Son’s life, death, and resurrection to accomplish the plan.
The Spirit’s work of applying all the heavenly realities to my specific life.
My sacred confession is that Jesus is Lord and I have turned from placing my hope in anything else.
But I confess that the goodness of this news is often lost on me.
I am quick to doubt
And question
And forge my own way.
So I ask, oh God, that you would restore the joy of my salvation.
That you would sink the realities of the gospel deep in my soul.
Do more than I could ask or imagine for my joy and your glory.
Mixed Media on Canvas
acrylic, charcoal, linen, pumice, & various textural elements
48x60” framed in white ash (50x62”)
Corresponding Liturgy written by Allie Hobbs:
“On Renewal Through Jesus Alone”
Matthew 4:19, Mission and Vision of The Heights Church
You have promised a better way,
Not just the right way,
But a better way.
A way of life that is infused with your presence.
A way of life that is formed by your teaching.
A way of life that is equipped by your hand.
A way of life that is oriented toward your mission.
Father, renew me
As I do what Jesus said and no more
Through the help of the Holy Spirit.
-7x7”
-Archival, lay-flat pages
-gold foil stamped
Will ship approximately within 3-5 business days .
Inspired by the need for peace, love, and trust in a time of uncertainty; this collection is the beginning of inviting God into my work and allowing you into my thoughts, my faith, my doubts, and my journey chasing after Jesus.
This coffee table books contains the “Invited In” Collection— 12 paintings by Abbey Ratcliff paired with 12 liturgies by Allie Hobbs.