Consume Me Love!

Capture my soul
I delight in You
You are worthy
My great Reward
You rapture my heart
Touch me deeply
Your devoted love
I seek continually
Come to me
Passionate savors
Lightens my nights
I am where you are
Breathe upon me
Encompass me about
I am Yours

All Writing and Art by ©Tonya Ashe

I wanted to run...

I wanted to run, but where
I wanted to cry, but to whom
I've felt so lost
Abandoned and abused
My flesh cries out
My soul feels confused
I waited for you, but you never showed
Alone I was left
While you did your own
An outcast I am
Broken by you
Used in distorted pleasures
Consciously desiring you
And yet my heart cries
Where are you
A devoted sacrifice
Years of pain
Consecrated and set apart
Yet all in vain
All that is left
Is the scars that remain

All Writing and Art by ©Tonya Ashe

Enduring Determination

Though darkness encompasses me about
I shall sing
I shall endure
Though the light sometimes fades
And persecution surrounds me
I will press through
I will fight
I will hold onto the promises
Within these momentary afflictions
I look up to the One
Insulation besieging my soul
A surveillance of majesty
Replacing my emptiness
Pacifying the doubts
Amplifying my wholeness
My interceding begins
Impulses of love
Improvising my within
Gravitation toward you
Releasing the sin

All Writing and Art by ©Tonya Ashe

I am a gentle rose

I am a gentle rose
Yet so strong and bold
Fadeless under adversity
Using it to grow
Though I am cast down
I shall not wither away
For my heart beats loud
Against the torrent waves
My house stands firm
Against the winds of change
Cast down, but not utterly
I shall withstand the test
Break me and I will shine
My light shall shine forth
It peeks through the clouds
Though I cry many tears
My heart battered and bruised
Yet it beats so lovely
At that perfect tune
And I shall dance until I fly
And soon...once again...
I will soar on eagles wings
My arms shall release
The breath in me
I speak, live, and breathe
I am Love

All Writing and Art by ©Tonya Ashe

Pushing Toward

All Writing and Art by ©Tonya Ashe

Love Is My Banner

My banner is love
My heart does sing...
My heart speaks
My heart doest fly
Love flys here
On clouds of the morning skies
A sunset of disguise
Pouring out my heart
I reach out unto You
I touch moments of bliss
I savor Your heart
How can words describe
How I felt when with You
I am that lingering rain
That washes sin away
I passed by You
And I noticed Your heart
Stayed awhile to view
Consumed by the beauty seen
Reconnected for eternity

All Writing and Art by ©Tonya Ashe

Love is Freedom

Love is Freedom
Freedom to Live
Freedom to Be
Freedom to Fly

To be captivated by love is to be free...totally free!
Swept away into a garden of bliss and delight.
Passion ignited by love is an explosion of true and pure worship. You become drove into utter bliss and captured in passion that is fueled by love. Your desire for this love becomes desperate. You live, breathe... You truly love.
The object of your love becomes a spark of desire at every turn and glance. Captivated and invigorated...! You become enthralled into submission of warmth and affection that necessitates your entire being. You become luminous with radiating light from within.

Oh, let Thine light radiate from within.
I'm in love... drunk in love!

All Writing and Art by ©Tonya Ashe

Balance Paid In Full

I am a warrior of love, whose shield is love and my sword is charity.
I am Agape Love! The love that conquers all!
Ah . . . to be drunk with love and saturated into its entire being,
consumed in its purity,
overcome by its beauty . . .
Conquered by love!
With true love there is only selfless giving. Love conquers all in patience and kindness.
Love is pure beauty in its finest form. There is no evil in true love.
Love is a dream I dream; a taste I taste; a feeling I feel; a kiss of energy and life. Love is a rose so delicate, yet one that cannot wilt or fade away. Pull it apart and it will still remain, for its spirit lingers in the depths of majestic surprise and beauty. It consumes your heart before you know it, even as you stand guard and watch.
Ah . . . yes . . . love . . .
Let me drink of thine cup.
Let me become drunk in thy wine.
Let me savor thine taste . . .
Yes . . . love!
What hast Thou done to me my Rose of Sharon; my delightful cup?
Oh Lord . . . I delight in Thee.
Thou ravish mine heart with Thine words toward me . . . my Lord God Most High!

All Writing and Art by ©Tonya Ashe

In My Heart

In My Heart
Originally uploaded by Tonya Ashe

It is not all about me...
It is about inspiring you. It is about sharing my heart with you. It is about inspiring you to create and find the artist within your soul as well.
Every piece I create is a part of my heart that I share with the world. It took me a while to learn this as I have grown over the years into the artist that I am, but I feel as though I have come a long way from where I started.
We all have a strong desire to be noticed. But the question we all should ask ourselves is; how are we being noticed? Is it our own individuality we are sharing, or individualities of others?
I want to be noticed by God as the unique individual that I am, not by the individualities of others. God made us all unique. He gave us all our own talents and gifts.
You are seeing mine here. It is my heart as the individual that I am. Perfection does not exist here, but an open love for God, others, and a balanced love of myself.

All Writing and Art by ©Tonya Ashe

Near To Thee

Near To Thee
Originally uploaded by Tonya Ashe

A life with passion is a gift.
A life with a passion to help others is a gift of beauty, whether the beauty is hidden or open.
I see beauty when I see women who are passionate about helping others.
And yet amazed to see those that are reaching out even by means that go unnoticed by others.
I believe true beauty lies within the ones that are giving not to receive from others, but to just give and help others.
We all should have a deep inner desire to love, help, and give to others. Even if it is just a prayer for the peace of the world, however small, it is a sacrifice of oneself; a selfless moment in time, when the person directed all their thought into the need of someone else. Absolutely beautiful!
So many women suffer because of this selfless beauty to give in their hearts. Some give to every man that comes their way. Some give only at home to their husbands and children. Some have gave to many. I not only see beauty in the ones that only give of themselves at home, but also in the ones that give on the street.
I am touched when I think of all the times that women give out of charity, even if that charity was hidden or only kept to themselves. Some give of themselves to protect others and to lift up others.
I pray today that all women would be released from bondage, the seen and unseen, the known and unknown. I speak life over the heart of every woman, that we all may live in freedom and peace, full of joy and love.

All Writing and Art by ©Tonya Ashe

Emerge

Emerge
Originally uploaded by TonyaA

Mixed media collage with digital alteration.

Heart Of Change

Heart Of Change
Originally uploaded by TonyaA

This is a picture of a heart during change. The journey it goes through in depth and beauty can be very complex, yet still remain beautiful if the person chooses to embrace the change in a positive way.
©2008 Tonya Ashe

My Home Is A Castle

My Home Is A Castle
Originally uploaded by TonyaA

My home is a castle
Were I like to stay
Above in the sky
A place of my way
There I find muse
Freedom to play
In my own castle
Far, Far away
©2008 Tonya Ashe

I Have A Dream!

I dream that the world is full of good-hearted people. People who share, love, and help others as they can. You may not can do much, but do what you can. If we all could just offer one good deed every day, this world could be a better place.

What was your good deed today? Please share them in the comments. I would love to hear some of the kind things you have done to help others.
Here are a few suggestions:

• Lend a helping hand
• Tell someone you love them
• Compliment someone
• Encourage someone
• Smile at someone
• Pray for someone

There is so much we can do to make our world a better place. Love and be loved. This reminds me of a scripture in the Bible "You reap what you sow" Gal. 6:7. It truly amazes me how true this can be in the reality of our every day lives. Give and it shall be given to you...
I truly love you all. So I am sending you a big hug through the computer...smiles. Now please pass on this love to someone else.
Love Always,
Tonya

HotPink Flowers

This picture was taken by my dad, whom I love so very much. Yes, I am a daddy's girl and a family girl too. When I am not doing art, I am usually with my family. I just can't live without them. I love them so much. My dad takes some of the most beautiful pictures. And I am very fortunate to have access to them for inspiration.

HotPink Flowers
Originally uploaded by TonyaA

The colors are bright and gorgeous on these flowers. They make me want to do art and use the color pink.