She had never really painted before. My beautiful friend Danea didn’t even know that this talent was hidden inside of her. It was only after several years of trying circumstances and walking through suffering and brokenness, that she started expressing her pain and healing through various forms of art.
After a paralyzing battle with Guillain-Barre syndrome followed by a difficult back surgery, Danea had to learn to dress herself and walk again. It was a long road of suffering. Then soon after she recovered from these trials, she was suddenly facing a devastating divorce that left her reeling and traumatized.
Art became a form of therapy and a creative outlet. She started doodling, drawing, and trying different mediums of artistic expression. Soon, her kitchen was filled with canvases, notebooks, markers, paints, easels, paintbrushes, and more. She was amazed as were her friends with each new piece she painted and created. Danea never had any adult art classes or any formal training. But God was giving my friend a marvelous gift! She was experiencing beauty for ashes and the oil of joy that comes in the morning.
Many of us have now been the recipients of her beautiful works of art in acrylics and watercolors with her endless creativity and talent—from cityscapes to still life’s, to floral designs and fun characters, like snowmen. Her talent is now expanding to illustrations for children’s books and more. Danea found restoration and new life: it is being expressed artistically and profusely now.
What difficult trials are you facing? Are you in the midst of a dark season of the soul? Hold on because the morning is coming! And like my friend, can you pour out your tears and pain to God? He won’t disappoint. He will give you gifts of His redemptive love in due time. Your beauty for brokenness is just a paintbrush away. Your new day is coming.
Beloved:
I see your heartbreak. I see your brokenness. But I am your Redeemer. I am your new day that is yet to dawn upon your life. Come to Me with all your broken dreams and I will restore you! I will indeed give you beauty for ashes. I will restore your life with new gifts you have yet to discover. I love you My darling one.
“To those that mourn in Zion, I will give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…” (Isaiah 61:3)
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)
