For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be an artist. It is a passion that goes as deep as my soul.

As a young girl, I did not cope well with life, and as a result, I got caught up in rebellion and found myself in the prison of addiction.

Then there was “that” day. It started like any other, but it turned out to be the day that God took over. It was the day that I finally recognized that doing it my way was not working. In agony, I cried out for His help, and He was there. It is hard to explain, but everything changed. God answered my cry through the grace and mercy of His son, Jesus Christ. I submitted my will, and I was blessed to have received the gift of sobriety right there and then. That was the day that I began to crawl from the wreckage that was my life. I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn, so I will be on this recovery journey for the rest of my life.

Now, let's fast forward just a little bit. Life delivered some hard lessons for me and I’m okay to say it…that stressed me out! Over the years, I have learned that as an addict, it is critical for me to take quick action when upset arrives. My action? I ran headlong into the bible. I ran as if my life depended on it. I immersed myself in deep bible study. I suddenly became aware at how incomplete my understanding was! I studied more. The bible is book that calls to action. And that is exactly what happened. It was not long before I began to ask: How can I be of service? What is my purpose? Is it here or is it there? Was it big or was it little? Was I being called to some far-off land to spread the word? Should I learn a foreign language? Well, God is good, and it turned out to be remarkably simple. Amazingly simple. So simple, I almost missed it! I should share my story and my testimony.

Matthew 28:7 says “Do not be afraid…. go quickly and tell.”

Not knowing how this would work, I prayed for direction. Then one morning, it came to me! Ah ha! Use my creative spirit to share the story of salvation through art! Spending time with God’s word and blending it with my own sense of quirky creativity in honor of all He has done for me would be a dream come true! God understood my needs and graciously provided a perfectly designed opportunity to use my talents for His glory.

My message is simple. Please take a moment to consider God. Consider reading His word and consider His son, Jesus Christ and consider inviting Him into your heart.

Thank you for reading my story and to God be the Glory!