Happy Thanksgiving! Well, it may be the day after, but you get the point. I pray you had an amazing day with family, friends, or your family of friends. I am also praying the Lord bless you as we continue to move into the Christmas season. Bless you with His presence and all the fruits of His Spirit. This past week, the She Rose series for a regional exhibition opportunity was created and submitted, I was honored to create two more commissioned pieces, and I was blessed by the response of a Brother in Christ who received his uniquely fashioned piece of art for his birthday.

Not only was I moved to create the series, I was received two additional commissions. I now know when the Lord's grace is covering a work of art and His Spirit is providing the vision to create. I jump right in and the images are there, the ideas and stroke flow together, the Scripture and prayer saturate my mind and work space. I want to text the person I am creating a work for and simply say, "I love you!" But I can't. Because sometimes they don't know me, or they don't know me well. And that would be awkward. Below is an abstract "for fun" piece created. This piece was inspired by the piece created for another's loved one. It is available if you are interested. 

That picture is a forever keepsake that will stay in eyesight for my time on the planet". I grew misty-eyed and read it to my husband. Then I began crying.

You see, this is what this new season of life is about. It is not about me or my name or making myself a famous artist. It is about seeing God's vision for those He loves, capturing and creating, and then sharing. It is about encouraging and reviving and healing through the creative power of His Spirit. It is about simply being a creative conduit for the glory of God to enter the lives of those He loves and intricately drawing to Himself.

​Blessings!

​​This past week’s pace has been a bit slower on the artistic front. With finalizing Rise Up Commitment participants (the class is FULL, yay!), a family emergency and a pesky bug coming on to the scene, priorities had to shift. However, pieces for two of the commissions were received, ideas were downloaded for the Artlink submission, and another inquiry for commission came through.

I kid you not, in one day within thirty minutes of one another the UPS gal drove down the lane, followed by the FedEx gent and then our local mail carrier. I was a bit nervous wondering what each would think should they run into one another. ​​And the dogs… 

​I am also excited to get started on the Artlink project. Last Friday the kiddos were at a basketball game, and hubby was in the garage working on our oldest’s vehicle. I had some time. Perusing photos, synthesizing what I sensed the composition needed to be, I wanted to continue creating and stitching and piecing together the arrangement. He has been reminding me of something He shared with me in January of this year, “She Rose”. He then brought back to mind a concept from years ago, “Scarlet Thread”. When I opened the Word on Sunday morning to the Scripture, “see the scarlet…” in Nahum two verse three, I couldn’t help but believe this was confirmation to move forward with the work. Who “randomly” opens to Nahum? Too soon to share much more, but I sense this is an important piece to bring to fruition. Possibly even an almighty masterpiece.

Reading, it may seem like there is so much going on and you may be wondering, “How do you do it? Aren’t you overwhelmed with teenagers and work and ministry and LIFE?!” Friend, I’m not. I trust the Lord in this season and process. Resting in Him allows me to balance every single aspect of life in a way He knows will continue to GIVE life rather than sap it out of me – or others. I wake up giddy every day, ready to see what He has in store. He never disappoints and He is always reviving and ensuring we remain upright for His good work to be birthed into the earth where His glory may fill the space (see Numbers 14:21). The only thing overwhelming about that is He chooses to move through you and I to accomplish this in the earth. THAT is truly awe-inspiring. Please let me know how I might be able to create a unique work for you or your loved one, I would LOVE to connect with you. Blessings!

​Deliveries and commissions and exhibit application – OH MY!
 
I had the blessing of personally delivering another “uniquely fashioned for you” work of art yesterday. The entire process of prayer, visualizing, listening, formulating, composing, experimenting, and delivering, really does bless me at the core. The expression of joy on the recipient’s face warms my heart. The element of surprise when I share the gift within the gift and share God’s heart for the receiver is probably my favorite part. ​I get to see and be in the space and exchange the energy of ​love God ushers in with His presence through every component. I get to be a part of God saying, “I love you, here you go”. To be a vessel of such an blessed delivery is an HONOR.

to me, but sons and daughters to Him. I GET to be a part of this?! On this journey, I have been connecting with other artists all over – Texas, Georgia, Ohio, and North Carolina. 

concern for rejection, I’m looking forward to creating works specifically for this submission and seeing what God does. If not accepted? I have other works to share with folks interested. It's a win-win!

​Thank you for stopping by! Please let me know if you are interested in having a work of art created for you or a loved one. I am no longer accepting commissions for this year, but would love to chat with you and get your request in queue for 2020. Blessings!
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“I feel as though I have been riding this amazing wave for the past two months and I just crashed”. These were my words to my husband recently. He no doubt did not know what to think, let alone how to respond.
 
The past week, the intensity level of creating works was not as full throttle as the weeks before. With a speaking engagement and a need to button up Beyond 2020, completing one work was the extent of my creative capacity.

​This past weekend I had the privilege and honor of being the keynote speaker for a women’s retreat with gals in my community. CONNECTION is the annual retreat’s focal point, Beyond was the theme this year. The central focus of each session is the central focus of Beyond: Growing in our love for God through Scripture, prayer and Holy Spirit. ​For some, these daily connection opportunities with God are already established, for others, the ability to lay hold of these opportunities seems out of reach. ​For all, my prayer was for each gall to leave the weekend with ​ some degree of breakthrough,

Lord speaking, “I AM THE GIFT. The message I have for them through you is the best you can give them.” Well okie dokie. Thank You Jesus. As gals allowed others and me to pray for them, I was reminded of what He said. When gals raised their hands sharing they experienced breakthrough over the weekend, I praised Him for being our treasure and the only gift any of us will ever need! And wouldn’t you know? I had no issues publishing Beyond 2020 after the event? Ha! If you would like to get a jump start on the New Year, you can order your copy now or perhaps even consider as a gift for your loved ones. The content is primarily the same, but the calendars have been updated and there are added pages for VISION and doodling your revelations or thoughts.​

products for the market place. My entire career in design has held one common theme – LISTEN. Listening and paying attention, hearing what the client isn’t saying, and listening to Holy Spirit are the dimensions composing what one may consider prophetic art. And it is so cool! Especially when I receive messages like this from folks I have only spoken with once, but had the honor of blessing as God led me to...
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​So why did you feel like you crashed on the wave, you might be asking yourself? You’re likely familiar with this, when we take a step of obedience, the enemy is right there to counter. Enemies (yes plural) are waiting to retaliate, crouching, ready to pounce at any given, unexpected, moment (1 Peter 5:8). Once I kicked my feet up Sunday afternoon, after two days immersed in ministry – a fog of fatigue set in like I have not endured in quite some time. Add the time change, and I seemed to be all sorts of out of whack. I was able to fight through Monday and made our weekly Bible study. I was fervent to keep fighting Tuesday and made it to a city wide prayer meeting in Fort Wayne. Wednesday, the fatigue fought hard to keep me down and threw in a side of overwhelming, unmerited, sadness. I felt crushed – for no reason other than the powers and principalities and rulers of darkness were trying to get me to QUIT (Ephesians 6:12). Not today satan. Not today. Not now. Not ever! I called my Husband, my first source of guidance second to seeking the Lord. I then reached out to my personal prayer support. I listened, worshiped and took a walk to pray in the Spirit. It lifted! Thank You Lord!
 
I pray you are blessed this week and the Lord continues to draw you into the call He has for you, it truly is joy-filled to rest in the Lord! I praying you keep fighting the good fight of faith. Blessings!