"I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly"
~Jesus
Resurrection. It speaks to life after death. We will know it, and we have known it. Lazarus was not the only man who experienced resurrection before his final home-going. And Jesus is not solitary in His crucifixion. We have been crucified, too. And even now, we have been raised to newness of life. (Rom 6:4)
We can know resurrection life today. Now. And this is why I love art and why this place, Imagination Nexus, exists in the blogosphere. With art, we are creating, making something new, practicing resurrection with each stroke, stitch, note and word.
I met a new artist today. Well, new to me. Rachel Anne Ridge has been working in wall graphics, murals and other areas of interior design for many years. However, just recently she dared to try something new: paint on canvas and open her own on-line shoppe. This tiny, little, beautiful blonde thing from Texas. Mama to three and wife to the man she's loved since she was 19. Living in a yellow barn a few stone throws from Dallas, cooking up meals on her own formica- fake- butcher-block while painting detailed scrollwork on the Sistine Chapel-like ceilings of rich folk.
She sends out a thing called "Small Things" to people she calls her "Company Girls". Basically, if you sign up to be a Company Girl, she sends you little daily pokes to help you make your home a sanctuary. Thus, the name of her blog: Home Sanctuary. Her small things are just that, little things you can do that cumulate to big change over awhile, and often they are accompanied by scripture.
She has written a book (I know! right?) called Company Girl. The story behind Company Girl is too good for me to tell... you can read about it here.
In short, this lady is my hero.
In sharing some of her background with me about how she started her mural business 10 years ago, and then more recently transitioned to adding in studio art, she says,
"I can say it's a God thing because I would never have considered myself a candidate for being an artist. My 7th grade art teacher told me to drop Art because I struggled with the very first assignment, which was something called "blind drawing." How I wish he had told me that there are a million different artforms and that MOST of art can be learned, like any skill. Well, crushed, I never picked up a paintbrush or pencil again....until that Christmas when I had three little kids and no money to buy presents. I think God has a sense of humor! This has kept me dependent on Him like nothing else....because when it went from "hobby" to "job" I had no choice but to tell people "sure, I can paint that!" when I was shaking inside, completely afraid of failure."
From her blog post on Being Brave Enough to Dream, she writes,
"Being brave doesn't mean you have no fear. It means you act in spite of your fear. And you trust that God is with you, because He is."
This is what resurrection in Rachel looks like. Sometimes we lose sight of what resurrection means in our own life. Isn't it good to see it so clearly in someone else? Doesn't it help to recognize, then, what it could look like in you?
"I truly believe that creativity can be learned, and "talent" can be cultivated. I will never be Rembrandt, but I love color and design and I've come to realize that "art" is very subjective. If you work at finding your style, you will almost always find others who appreciate your style...especially now with the internet. It's amazing."
~Rachel Anne Ridge| Rachel Anne Ridge |
So go create! And go check out Rachel's store: Rachel Anne Ridge: Art & Home
You can also join her and her Company Girls at Home Sanctuary, where currently she is promoting the grande opening of her store and *hint hint*, I think there is a Discount and Give Away involved!
Kara Lynn Liechty
Kara Lynn Liechty
