My experience June 9th 2017 Body Notes Body painting day
My wife and I met for the very time in Times Square.. June 1999.. Didn't know then the many adventures we would encounter..
My Body Notes Experience
By Gregory Valentine
(Warning This blog contains nudity..)
But How?
The event was engineered by Artist Andy Golub. If you've lived in NYC then you may be aware that this is a city of artists and creatives. Andy has brought a unique message of reality to the streets that we humans are all amazing and that we need to accept one another. That body shame is a crime and many negatives of life flow from body shame. Negativity like Weight issues, self loathing, depression, bullying, pornography addiction, hatred, bullying, all flow from lack of self acceptance. Not knowing our worth, fearing the physical image of the God who made us. This truth has a tendency of freeing people from fears that bind. Andy paints men and women in the streets on NYC. There is nothing greater in the art world, than to paint upon another person's body. Think about it? People have made beautiful outfits, dresses and shoes. Many people have painted and drawn nudes.. Yet to paint on a nekkid human, beautiful art is wonderful and of a majestic significance that is second to none. Plus it's temporary ... wash, rinse, repeat :). It does require self acceptance, trusting strangers, and permission. Yes, we had legal permission to do this.. Because in this world permission to act is a powerful, unstoppable force. If you have never been body painted in your life time, do so with the right, safe for the skin, paint. You will be changed forever.
The event's motivation
The motivation of the event was to tell the world something very important to you as a message of hope and positivity.
Consider this
Just Imagine if preachers today were to preach naked? It would be shockingly powerful and a totally vulnerable form of preaching. Just trusting the Most High Creator for protection. I doubt many would do this.. It was scary and challenging.. This would be considered Naked and "Not" Afraid Preaching. Consider again.. There were several references to people in the Bible preaching sans clothing...ie; King Saul, the prophets, Micah, but here I will keep it to just one. In the Bible, a prophet named Isaiah (In Isaiah 20) was commanded by God, to remove his clothing and preach 3 years naked, as a sign to everybody, men, women, children, kings, queens, officials.... everyone!! Imagine having to do this? Imagine the excuses!! Yet Boldy Isaiah went.. warning people to flee from wrath to come without his clothes on..it's amazing! Obviously, God would not command someone to do something wicked or evil so the very act of disrobing to boldly tell a message is very powerful regarding truth. Hollywood Actors disrobe to play pretend roles in movies often, for money. Corporations and lingere companies sell sex and play peekaboo with human interest and desires for money.
The Creator made us naked and put us to live in a garden.. I guess our Maker thought it was the best thing? In centuries past, full immersion baptism was done nekkid in icy rivers, to show dedication to the decision made, to identify with Jesus.
Here in this event, there was no money exchanged, just bold quiet presentations of our hope message to the world. There were at least 150 human canvases here in Times Square, each with stories to tell.***
My story
This was my story that I wanted to share.
We were painted in broad daylight then we walked over to the bleachers. At the red steps we got many pictures.
A person came up to me and said I was the only one who presented Jesus and the Gospel!! He was impressed that I would share Jesus so boldly and lovingly . I was greatly humbled by this because not many people I know would do this and I agonized for months prior just wondering what to share, even up to the very last minute before the painting. Not whether to share... But what to share.. I settled on "Boldly Tell.. God's love conquered death.. Trust Jesus for Eternal life."
It was a great, and a very real, time. I felt like I was wearing a second coat of skin.. and I got to share my Savior. My family went with me to support me and hundreds of people got to see a Christian who really believes in Jesus.
I got to meet up with some of our friends from facebook and there's nothing more friendly that being in an amazing event with your friends together.
More images and a videos of the day to follow.
https://youtu.be/tTiC4lqDQS0
(**Disclaimer** This message was mine alone, it doesn't reflect the organization just my note of hope).
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