Long time, no see!
March 17, 2021
It’s been a while that I have been stepped back from blogging, making “art” 24/7, and from media and excessive technological communication in general. In my last two years at Tech, I prayed fervently that the Lord would just give me time to rest in His arms after college was over. Because halfway through my time at Tech, the Lord flipped my life upside down…He changed every little thing I thought I knew about myself and life, and consequently set my heart on a path to learn the Truth.
When He found me, I was still running from Him. But this time I was able to recognize Him for Who He is—the [only] One I can trust. He called me out by name, and I couldn’t run any further. His voice stopped me in my path, and I walked away trembling, crying, and shouting for joy to anyone who would listen, “Jesus is ALIVE, the kingdom of God is here now in this very place, and He is calling His sheep back to Him; come one, come all to Christ!”
With each late night I spent in the shop and every turned in assignment, I deeply longed for this time. In those days, I was so exhausted…mentally and spiritually spent, and all I could do was pray for the strength to push on and for rest in the next season to come QUICK. A season to really dig deep in the Word, to spend each day in complete peace, meditating in His presence, and to reflect on His many teachings, parables, and figures of speech. And I am so thankful to have been given this time to do just that. I have seen the Scriptures come alive before my eyes each day, and of course, am seeing an overflow of inspiration within the eyes of my heart. His calling on my life is stronger now more than ever before, and I stand convinced that greater things are yet to come (John 14:12). I never imagined Christ would capture my heart as an adult, I never thought He would send me to art school and ask me to proclaim the Gospel, I never expected Him to choose me. And yet, He has done all of this and so much more.
When He called me to follow Him, I thought I wasn’t ready. But I went anyways, because I trusted that nothing was impossible with Him (Mark 10:27). When He called me to use my art to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, I thought I wasn’t ready. But I did it anyways, because I knew it would be Him Who would be speaking through me (Matthew 10:19). And now, I hear Him calling me to teach His Word, to proclaim the kingdom of God to the ends of the earth, and to be a servant to all. I don’t feel ready (as usual!), but I’m going to do it anyways because I believe and have seen that He will complete the work in me which He began.
And He has revealed to me what is important in this life….ETERNAL LOVE. Mercy. Humility. Truth. I am not here for myself, I am not doing these things for myself or by my own will. I am not here to make meaningless art or to speak empty words, to waste my life seeking the approval of the world, or to glorify men or the work of their hands. I will not keep quiet or “chill” to make others comfortable, I will not refrain from using “church words” in front of unbelievers (who reject God anyways), and I will not water down or change His good news (Jeremiah 6). I am here on this earth to do the Lord’s will: to feed His lambs, to feed His sheep, and to shepherd His sheep (John 21:15-17).
The world may try to censure and reprove God’s people—but we will never be silenced, if that isn’t obvious yet. Even if we are martyred, our blood will cry out to God from the ground. I am tired and can no longer restrain myself from speaking these things. The truth is, this has always been my purpose from the beginning of time. I have always been called “wild” or “a mess” and that I am, and that’s exactly why He chose me. “For God selected what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame,” (1st Corinthians 1:27). And my story is no different.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”
Matthew 24:35
