A door closes...

In May of 2013 a friend and myself opened a small gallery in the arts and craft community in Gatlinburg.  Before we opened it we prayed about it and some things seemed to fall into place rather easily... we really believed God had opened the door for us to proceed.  Or maybe not..

Things began falling apart rather quickly and without going into much of what happened, I think it was a case of over zealous excitement to do this.. a dream of mine for years, and a lack of experience, a bad location, and I think most importantly for me, it was the inability to be able to give it 100% because I had to continue working my regular job to have an income. Whatever it was, we closed the doors to our little gallery last weekend. It was a sad day for me but i know i learned some valuable lessons along the way.

So I ponder, does God really open doors? Did he open it and I failed him in some way? Thats certainly a possibility I considered. Or is God opening and closing doors just a myth? I mean I would think Paul getting shipwrecked might be seen as a closed door but it didn't stop Paul... The persecution the apostles endured would look like a closed door to some people...  I honestly don't know. 

Revelation 3:8 "I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.

1 Corinthians 16:9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Good things did come of this venture.  I painted A LOT!  I started teaching painting classes at local resorts.. that may or may not have happened as I was already teaching locally before opening the gallery. I learned alot and met some great people. 

Anyway.. to soothe  my sadness I painted a beach painting, something I haven't done in a while since we catered to a "Smoky Mountain" clientele.

Snow at Sunrise in Bay Head
Pastel
9" x 12"