This painting is inspired by my testimony and the story in John 9. Jesus says in John 9:39, "Then Jesus told him, 'I entered this world to render judgment — to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind." This piece is the first in my newest collection called "Hands of Jesus" that's being released February 1st, along with 2 other paintings, stickers, and more! This collection was supposed to be about the miracles that Jesus performed with His hands from the Bible, but quickly became a series that I decided to share my testimony through where Jesus' hands have been in my life.
This piece means a lot to me because not only is this the first painting that I've ever done that relates to my testimony and my story, but it shows how God worked through my story and brought me to this very moment in my life. This piece shows Jesus' hand covering my eyes, and through His power and His sacrifice, they are opened to seeing reality, seeing the truth, seeing HIM.
I grew up in church and knew of God but never fully accepted Him until October 18th, 2023. But before that, I spent years of my life rejecting God, getting into arguments about it with my parents, never wanting to read my Bible, and only praying when I was low and didn't want to deal with my own problems. I gave my life over to God for years and did it over and over again, but it never stuck. I always drifted, but in my heart, God was always there. Even when I didn't want Him and I left, God kept calling me back, and that's why I kept surrendering over and over and over again. I was spiritually blind, pushing God away, telling myself that I don't believe in Him (but I definitely did, looking back at how many times I "tried" again), and that He won't save me...
Well... He saved me, and that was the best thing that has ever happened in my life. Two weeks before October 18th, I started praying because after almost 4 years of going hunting and never getting a deer and barely seeing anything, I was wanting so desperately to get a deer that I prayed to God and basically said, "God, I don't know if You're real, but we could really use some help because it hasn't been going good for us." I kept praying every day and started reading my Bible again all of a sudden and prayed until we left for our trip. I continued to pray as we drove up and prayed while we were in the tree stand right before the sunset. I had hope. I had faith that something was gonna be different this year, and it was. It was drastically different in every way possible.
At the end of the first night, just before the sun was gone behind the trees, the biggest 8-point buck that I've ever seen in person walked right in front of our tree stand and gave me a perfect shot, stopping basically right in front of us broadside. I took the shot, and we got him. My dad and I were ecstatic. The first deer we got in almost 4 years was the second, but almost first, biggest buck to ever be hunted on that property. My first real buck, the second biggest buck on the property, an answered prayer, and a life saved. Not only was this year drastically different in terms of finally getting a deer (a pretty good sized one, might I add. We named him Tank lol), but that was the year I never looked back on God. I've had my rough moments, trials, and dangerous thoughts, but I never gave up or walked away from God. My faith finally "stuck."
So, here I am, writing this blog post about my first piece in a series of paintings that show parts of my testimony and sharing it with the world! I am so grateful for everything that God has done for me and for the fact that I am still here now pursuing my dream of becoming an artist—an artist that glorifies the Creator of the world.
0 comments