New Year Same You

Last week, I found a goal-setting workbook that I had used at the start 2016. After reading it, I could see that I had accomplished almost none of the goals and business steps I had intended to take last year. Despite this fail, I was commissioned to create more custom-art projects for clients than ever before. The reality that success is truly not up to us or by our own power or directives washed over me. As we place our plans and dreams in God's hands, He moves. It's often not in the direction we expect or through the steps we intended to take. It's more. More challenges, more change, more slow growth in the directions that He has planned. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

​I'm seeing that as I take one small step of obedience in a direction that I think is right, God often redirects my efforts and magnifies results in unexpected, unplanned areas.

2016 was a year of beautiful and unexpected challenges

This year, instead of achieving my goal of having my art placed on merchandise, the Lord brought me work from locals who commissioned me to create deeply personal works of art for their families. As I worked on their projects, I was able to pray over their lives, their children, their conflicts, their hopes and dreams. 

A family heirloom created

One piece of artwork was for a family that lived their life together in a beautiful home on Lake Hayes. The homeowner had the photograph on the left for me to work from. We collaborated on what to include, what items to crop out and how to work in her kids as they would naturally be on an average day enjoying the lake. The pic on the right became my Photoshopped image to paint from.

The finished product above is what was given from a wife to her husband and children on Christmas Day. I hope that I captured some of the sun, relaxation and love of their family life on the water.

What unexpected projects or joys have you experienced this year?