My whole life I was told that I couldn’t be an artist. I could be anything but that. I was told this so much that I began to believe it myself. I told myself that “I couldn’t draw anything other than a stick figure” or even that “I didn’t have a creative bone in my body”. I didn’t know anything different. I didn’t know that we were designed by a Creative Father to be just that… CREATIVE. Because of this, I shut down anything art related and handed off all art related things to other people that I believed were far more creative than I. When I became a believer, I began craving the freedom the Lord had for me and my entire family. I let the Lord into every area of my life… but this one: art. Little did I know that He had a magnificent story written for me and healing in a way that I least expected.

One night, my husband Evan and I attended a conference where Latimer was going to be painting. I’ve always loved watching Latimer paint and having her reveal what the Father is showing her with every stroke of her paint brush. After we “hugged and howdied” with Latimer, she bent down suddenly and handed me a new pastel paper book and pastels. I was honestly shocked because I didn’t even know how to draw… remember, I was still believing that lie.

Latimer insisted that I have these despite my protests of “I can’t even draw a stick figure”. But Latimer being the freedom seeker she is, began to pray for me and released me from the years of lies I believed for myself. That night I was set free from the lies of “not creative” and “not enough” by the grace of Jesus Christ. 

Fast forward to 1 month later and I remember vividly being in labor with my first daughter, and drawing with those pastels. It was so peaceful and life-giving to be rejoicing over new life while drawing and creating with the Creator. Once I became comfortable with that I dove headfirst into calligraphy and graphic design. Through acts of obedience and worship in art, I felt more alive than I had in years. 

It’s been 8 years since that night and now, I am a digital designer and calligrapher. I work with Project 7 Billion, creating captivating, visual, weekly bible studies for social media as well as other companies to help with the digital presence online. Without Latimer’s obedience in listening to the Holy Spirit and insisting that I take those pastels, I believe I wouldn’t be the designer I am today. She’s taught me that staying in “delicious obedience” to the Lord is the way to be an incredible artist and that I alone cannot do what I do, but that it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we create!

And in her words, “Yippee, Amen, and Hallelujah”!