Just start

 

This is a screen shot of what my kitchen looked like the second time I painted something, 5 months ago... Do you see that bird painting in the window, that was my first painting. And the plastic garbage bags protecting my kitchen table, and the cheap paint? And my children? They are always there. Oh, and my IPOD. When I first started this whole thing, I could only paint listening to music. Now, I am adorned with:

mommy, I have to go potty!

mommy, I need milk!

mommy, I pooped.

Can I have some goldfish???

I need to watch Little Einsteins!

A B C D E F G...

H I J K keeto meeto pee.

             ( my husband is standing over me right now correcting me. It was HIS IPOD that I borrowed for many months...Poor guy had no music in his car because he knew I needed it. What a guy. )

And if your interested, I now throw on Pandora. Right now I am totally into Sia and Beethoven. I know, two totally different genres but it gets the job done.

I wasnt kidding about them always being there. I didnt start painting out of pure passion, I knew I had a small talent in the arts but never intended for this to be a "release" or a "way of expression." The truth is, we are a military family and we need the income. I havent worked since we had Grace 4 years ago. I dont have a college degree, I dont have work experience relevant to anything that would pay enought for me to send my children to daycare...my options were limited.

Moving to San Antonio really made things clear. And when I say that, I dont mean I knew I was going to do what I am doing now, I mean God clearly spoke to me the day we found this house and has been arranging all the details for me since then. You can read more about that beginning here. 

I want nothing more than to share this story with anyone who is struggling to find their life. I dont know if I would be ok today if I didnt understand that there was a clear and beautiful path for me to just, follow. If I would have known many years ago that I didnt have to make everything happen for myself, things would be very different.

My first piece of advice is...

JUST START!

A few weeks ago, Joyce Meyer wrote " you have to be moving for God to show you which way to go." There could be nothing more true than this. There is nothing that will produce failure faster than the attitude that you must have all the answers before you start. When I first started I had no idea what kind of supplies to buy or where to buy them. I had no idea how to even start a website. I didnt know how or where to sell the art. I didnt know much. But what I know NOW, is that there was an answer for all of it. The answers unfolded for me as I just tried things. If I tried it and it worked, I took another step. And if it didnt work out, I moved in another direction.

God has led me to people, stores, art suppliers and website tutorials in order to get where I am right now. And honestly, I still feel like I am wet behind the ears. I still dont have any clue where this is going but I know that I am on the right track! I have gone back and forth with writing about my experiences so far for a while now but I am confident in a God who loves me and wants to see me prosper. I have faith in a God who is responsible for the very passion I feel when I create something. I know that He wants to see me succeed, so I am going to let this story unfold for you...

and me.

Don't let the details of what needs to be done overwhelm you enough to give up when things get tough or confusing.

Just pray and take action in sync with the desires of God. Use the resources you have. Ask questions. Watch people who do what you want to do and be inspired by them. The best thing that has happened for me so far is the renewed sense of gratitued I have. None of this would matter if I didnt appreciate where it came from  and I could not have even arranged half the things that have happend in my life in the last 5 months.

I have a shop online.

My art is displayed at a wine bar in Chicago.

I have been commissioned to do lots of art which has paid for all my trial and error so far.

I have created  2 websites and my shop with absolutley no knowledge of how to do any of it.

All because of Gods love and grace.

All in 5 months.

Proverbs 3 : 5 -6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways, submit to him and he will make your paths

straight.