"writing on the wall" article in the Decatur Daily newspaper by Catherine Godbey.
Hannah Busing wonders how many people, unable to see beyond the paint peeling from the wooden slats, passed by the weather-worn window frame. In what many discarded as trash, Busing saw beauty. She saw an item "gloriously ruined." To the 20-year-old Athens State University student, the old windows, frames and pieces of wood found piled on the side of the road and in thrift shops represent her spiritual journey.
"I was ruined. God took me and transformed me. He gave meaning to my life so he could use me for his glory," Busing said. "This wood is like me. No one really wanted it. No one really saw its potential." Once designated for the landfill, the window frame, now displaying photographs and postcards, hangs on the wall of Busing's Decatur townhouse. Here, surrounded by Bible verses and inspirational quotes written in Busing's girly, free-flowing script, she creates art to glorify God.
"The Lord has given me a love for creating and I will use every bit of this passion for him," Busing said. "I hope that through my art, God can speak to others. He is the real artist." The impact of Busing's art extends beyond an inspirational message for one customer. Sales from Busing's Etsy shop, Gloriously Ruined, help finance mission trips.
Last year, the proceeds sent Busing to Kenya with the South Carolina-based Love Africa organization. The two weeks Busing worked with orphans living in poverty represented a life-changing step in her journey back to God.
Like many children growing up in the Bible Belt of Alabama, Busing attended church every Sunday. And, as expected, when the time came, she accepted Christ, publicly displaying her commitment to the faith through baptism.
"I never really understood what it all meant. I just knew it was what I was supposed to do and what everyone else did," Busing said. In middle school and high school, Busing, more concerned with popularity than religion, drifted away from the church. When given the choice, she stopped attending entirely. After two years, realizing material items failed to fill a longing she felt, Busing returned to her roots, to the church where she learned about Noah, Adam, Jonah and Mary Magdalene.
"Last year, I gave my life to Christ. I understood the Gospel in a way I hadn't before. I finally got it," Busing said. "A big part of that was my trip to Africa. After seeing how happy the kids were and they had nothing, I knew I would never be the same."
Busing found her role at Westmeade Baptist Church, where she leads a Bible study for middle school girls and created the Sisters ministry.
"What is unique about Hannah is she did not come in with her own agenda. She sat back and watched. She learned the names and faces of the girls and found where she would be of best service to God," said Justin McAlpin, Westmeade Baptist's youth minister. In the past year, McAlpin witnessed Busing's transformation into a role model.
"She has a burden and a passion to reach teenage girls. When she walks into a room, their faces light up," McAlpin said. "She is someone other than their mother or grandmother who loves and cares for them and makes them feel unique and important. Hannah is compassionate, kind-hearted and humble, and the girls know she genuinely cares about them."
Busing creates her art with the teenagers in mind. She strives to make pieces with a youthful flair that will appeal to a girl's fashion sense and, more importantly, their faith.
"I want them to be proud to show off their faith. I want to give them something cute with a Christian message they can hang on their wall," Busing said.
Currently, proceeds from Gloriously Ruined will fund a one-week mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where members of Westmeade Baptist will serve Lily House. The Christian organization teaches women formerly enslaved in prostitution how to create items so they can support themselves. Busing refuses to take credit for her actions.
"It is all God. He accepted the person I was two years ago and transformed me," Busing said. "As much as I am different for who I was, I know God is not finished working on me yet."
To see Busing's work, visit www.etsy.com/shop/gloriouslyruined.
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Catherine Godbey can be reached at 256-340-2441 or cgodbey [!at] decaturdaily.com. Follow on Twitter @DecaturLiving.
