Is This Happening?

​​Hello Friends! I completely missed last week’s blog post, but not because the creative flow has finally ceased. Last week was an amazingly intense God week and I simply didn’t have the grace to sit down and provide an update. Amongst the variety of ways God moved last week I was able to work on a piece for two upcoming birthdays, begin bringing a dream to life, and gained clarity on continued steps towards becoming a full-time artist.

In early January I received a text from a mother looking to have a work of art created for her daughter – her TEENAGE daughter. Now, I shared how nervous I was about creating a piece for my own teenage daughter. The same feeling rose up within me at the prospect of creating this piece. Why do teenagers intimidate me so much? Oh, I don’t know, maybe because some days I’m not sure if I am going to hug a sweet little bunny, or if I’m going to be squeezing a rabid raccoon… Kidding! Sort of. In the essence of transparency, I could sense myself dragging my feet with this piece, nearly giving into my own thoughts of inadequacy. Exactly one month from the request, I sent the first concept… “I love the concept!! It is beautiful. I am so excited about this!!! She is going to love it! Thank you so much!!”

© 2020 Shanon Roberts. All rights reserved.

​With one satisfied Momma, I prayed for another. This mother requested a piece for her son’s dream to come to life. He had a very vivid dream one night regarding a Bible design – and even sketched it out. Details shared, formulated in my mind. My experience as a product development designer assisted in allowing me to create very precise features of the elements described. The first iteration was not "dead on", and I am continuing to refine towards the final piece, but the initial response from the gentleman with the dream? “Wow. That is amazing!!!” He provided direction on how specific elements needed to be modified to align with his dream and I am excited for the next chunk of time to meet with the Lord, then incorporate. I would LOVE to see this Bible to become reality for him!

Speaking of dreams becoming a reality, the Lord continues to provide EUREKA moments and clarity on the steps to take to transition into being a full-time artist that will support my family and the Rise Up ministry. In December, I really didn’t know the timing. All I had was a moment I had shared with my Husband just before Christmas. I was communicating to him what I sensed God revealing, literally sketching out a divine schematic for how I sensed the Lord intended the uniquely fashioned art to support the ministry He’s raised in my life. 

​​I was like a “mad scientist”, feverishly scratching arrows and circles filled with words to depicting the seed of a plan. It all seemed to make sense. This would appeal to his senses and logical mind. He would TOTALLY get it and be on board. When I looked up to make eye contact with him expecting to share the same buy-in… C-R-I-C-K-E-T-S. To help him finally make the leap, I added “and when I said to the Lord I can see this being a three year strat-plan, aligned with the timing of Kendra (our youngest babe) graduating, Holy Spirit near-instantly replied “Why not a year?”” ​“Uh… Ok.” He didn’t make the leap and I felt like I had fallen from the cloud I was frolicking around on.

© 2019 Shanon Roberts. All rights reserved.

Fast forward to last evening... I brought home my belongings from my cubicle, in preparation for being moved to a new area where I will bring the next ten months of the last leg of this journey in my career to an end. My husband held my patent plaques in his hands. He then relished at the magnetic photo capturing our family trip to Florida and pit stop in Chattanooga, TN - years ago. Then, he asked if I grabbed my Swingline stapler… Such a great sense of humor, this one! I had left it at work. We burst into laughter and I shared the new degree of clarity I believed I had gained. Then Holy Spirit reminded me of our conversation just before Christmas.

“Do you remember when we stood in the kitchen and I was sharing what I sensed God wanted to do? Do you remember how I shared I thought it was a good three year strategic exit plan and God right away asked “why not a year?”
 
Like a light bulb went off he replied, “Yeah, I do.” He actually gave a head nod to reinforce the significance of his awareness.
 
“I said that. Now here we are and it will be just around one year, not three”, I could tell God was communicating more than I was saying, and it was registering with my hubby.
 
“Yeah, you did”.
 
Is this really happening? Alright, Holy Spirit, I trust you with our lives and Your plans…