Ecclesiastes 3:3 To everything, there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven, and it was now the winter of 2015, and it was time to be born. The Bible says, "You said in your heart, I will ASCEND to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God," and I surrendered to Spirit, and I began again at my start.
I did what I had to do for so long, working the corporate desk, keeping my head down, collecting my pay, paying my bills, and caring for my family. And then it started. Images of feathers. Everywhere. Pictures in my mind of me painting the same feather repeatedly for so many different people. Same feather. Different story. Different color. But always the same. I wasn't painting, though. I had not been for years, and I had no wish to. But Jesus missed me and wanted me to come home. Thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. Ezekiel 34:11. Yes, I was a Christian, and yes, I followed His path, but I also was living my own life according to others' expectations of me. And the strain of living for others was taking its toll on me, and He heard my heart's plea. He answered by sending me the message of "My yoke is easy, my burden is light." from Matthew 11:30. In Him, I will ascend to the heavens.
I was afraid. I was scared to rattle those bones that would undoubtedly wake up the evil, sending attacks and attempting to insinuate evil into my paintings. Last time, I burned all of my works and put myself in a timeout for 30 years as I chose to give up myself for the Lord I love. But this time was different; yes, my soul was desiring...and the desire was firm and unyielding. Thomas Merton had said, "For each one of us, there is only one thing necessary, to fulfill our own destiny, according to God's will, to be what God wants us to be."
I was born an artist. I wanted to paint the dreams I dreamed. I walked with the Holy Spirit, and I often felt the angels close to me. For as long as I can remember, "Jesus Loves Me" had been my anthem song. And Jesus stepped in and called my name, stirred my heart, and said, "pick up your brushes; it's been long enough." I still wasn't ready to hear it. I let it go. "when I turn my back, I turn my back." But Jesus not only loves me, but He also refused to give up on me. And He set people upon my path. In a sequence of events, I came across met a woman who challenged me to "just try it." And so I did.
This is ASCEND. At first, I reached into my limited vision of God. The painting came out looking like I used a standard eight-piece child's crayon set and resembled the coloring of new age chakras worthy of a restaurant child's menu than an homage to my Father in heaven. Over time, Jesus revealed the glory that He is the essence of all colors and without limits.
Show me your glory Father that I might rise up to you in it. This is where I belong cause I was made for love. And I was born for the love of Jesus.
And I will see you on the other side.
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