Spirit-Filled Easter

Painting Jesus Live - Shot by Stephanie Fenton

This Easter season was so wonderful in so many ways.  I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit so deeply--all during Holy Week.  My mind and heart were set on Him, and I praise Him for the amazing love I felt.  I was given the opportunity to paint live during the Maundy Thursday service at First Baptist Church in Athens, and I've never felt such a KNOWING of doing something that He led me to do.  I was never nervous about painting in front of a few hundred people--that never hit me.  I truly can say that I painted for an audience of one, and He emerged slowly, crucified, bloody onto my large canvas as the Celebration Choir of over a hundred angelic voices sang the somber, yet loving choruses depicting the crucifixion.  I was ONE with my savior that night.  The people felt it.  I heard people shedding tears.  Truly moving.   Notes from people that I've received since that night spell out an account that night of feeling closer to God than ever before.  I credit Ryan Leffel, the amazing choir director for having the foresight to mix the arts of music and painting to create a moving worship experience for our community.  I thank him for that.  It was a chance to give our God-given gifts back to our Lord in an act of worship.  How amazing!  How wonderful!

Shot by Stephanie Fenton

Shot by Decatur Daily photographer

I praise God for allowing me to have a gift that I can share with people to bring them to Christ.  My Jesus paintings have been an amazing  way to connect  people to their Creator.  As happened Christmas Eve when a person visited my gallery and found one of my paintings, someone came into my gallery Easter Eve and found another one.  It was a moment of sharing my Jesus Painting Tour Ministry with her and tears welled up in her eyes, and bang! I knew it was God there prompting me to share one of my paintings with her.  I did.  It was the small one I painted this week to launch my latest painting tour.  But, I 'll paint another one. Sherry is a sweet, beautiful lady who came in with her daughter and shared that her brother is suffering from cancer.  A minister in Mississippi, he collects works of art that depict Jesus.  Sherry plans a trip to visit him and bring him my painting.  How awesome is that?  I can't wait t hear how it goes.

Sherry & Me

Spirit-Filled Easter