Prophetic Art Workshop

















On Saturday, November 12th I had the privilege of running my first ever prophetic art workshop with Bethesda House. A former staff had been running them for a few years but she recently moved to Scotland and is working there as a missionary. I have taken on her role and am responsible for a lot of the art related things that go on at Bethesda House. I am so thankful. I always knew I would have a large involvement in my life with art but I was never sure what it would look like because of choosing to travel and go on the mission field rather than art school after graduating. In the past few years God has been bringing both passions together but in an even better way than I thought possible. Now art and encouraging, life changing ministry are the same thing. It is no longer a side project but a focus. 

Anyway, so Saturday....

We had 10 students and a full day of teaching. There were lessons on what is prophetic art, imagination, colour, imagery in the Bible, art as a tool for healing, and art evangelism. All of which had a practical hands on creative aspect. Most of the day was spent using one medium or another to experiment and create with God and communicate what He was speaking through creativity. 

It is so amazing to see people start the day with many reservations and then end the day full of life and freedom in their creativity. There is something that happens in each person as they realize that we are all creative! I wish this was a truth that all people knew deeply as part of who they are. God is the most creative one and we are made in His image, therefore, we are all creative! I don't think it has to look a certain way or even pertain to artwork but I do think that creativity should flow through all of us in whatever we are called to. You can be creative with math and problem solving and cooking and medicine and language and dealing with people and farming etc. In everything. God is not limited and neither are we. 

The day is not only full of teaching and art but there is also a lot of prayer and ministry that happens for the students. We spend time at the end praying for each one and prophesying encouragement and truth into who they are. As we ended off the day and I prayed for one girl she started crying and said, "I didn't expect to get this today!" That was the best for me. If people leave feeling like they had fun and learned a lot thats good but how much better is it when they meet God in the process and leave overwhelmed at His goodness and love for them! I think people left with a lot more than they expected and their hearts were full and encouraged. 

In art evangelism we teach that prophetic art is a means to an end. The picture you create is great and beautiful but it is about the message that goes with it. The end goal is an encounter with Jesus. God loves to speak to people and one of those ways is through art. I have seen more people truly encounter God through painting a small picture for them that God gave me than any other evangelism I have done. Art passes through barriers and touches people deeply. It is beautiful. The workshop itself is like that. It is a means to an end. The teaching, the artwork, it is all to ultimately encounter and grow in relationship with Jesus and then enable them to go and do the same for other people. 

Watch out world. There is a generation of creatives rising up to stand tall and use their gift to proclaim the glory of God. 

October 30th / 40 weeks & 1 day of Ira Gray





I am a few weeks late in sharing this but it was such a sweet day for me as a mother that I thought I would share it still. (pretend with me I am posting this at the right time) I am sure for many people it isn't a big deal but I marked this special day on my calendar a long time ago. Sunday, October 30th, the day Ira would be 40 weeks and one day old. He was in my belly for 40 weeks and one day and now has been in my arms for the same. I can't express it with words but it makes my heart feel so many emotions. I never knew the love you could have for a single person could cause your heart to feel so much pain. It hurts to love so hard yet to even imagine life without that pain is far worse than the pain itself. It's like a constant ache but sharper and grows slowly stronger with every beat. Sometimes it feels as if your heart will come right out of your chest but then, really, it already has in the form of a 21lb joyful crawling little munchkin. Other times it feels like it can't get any bigger or hold any more love and then you blink and your boy is bigger and your heart keeps stretching still to fit him all in. 

And she loved a little boy, very very much - even more than she loved herself. -Shel Silverstein


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