God has deposited a gift inside of you. Acclaimed angel artist Anne Neilson is on the show today, sharing her personal story of passion and purpose and how faith radiates from every canvas of her life. Through her book, The Brushstrokes of Life, she will help you see there are no coincidences with God.
Anne Neilson believes that each of us begins our life as a blank canvas: clean, fresh, and ready to find texture in our experiences. Each trial, each joy, each heartache, and each hope leaves an explosion of color and sweeping brushstrokes that shape us. When we allow God to take over as the Master artist, we will find that He carefully adds dimension and highlights to create a beautiful masterpiece in us. Often, though, it’s hard to find the beauty when we are wading through mess.
In this episode, Anne shares personal stories about why her faith is so important to her and resonates in all her work. Join us to learn how to:
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Open your hands to God’s possibilities
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Connect your trials from today into hope for tomorrow
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Trust God’s role in your story
God is the artist of our life. Creations are messy, but the divine artist never fails to reveal a masterpiece.
Quotes:
“I’ve got to create.”
“God planted that dream to be an artist when I was a little girl, but it was a long journey to realize that dream.”
“I doodled my way through life.”
“Don’t listen to the nos.”
“I had a rocky childhood. But I knew I was a child of God.”
“I wanted to paint something that expressed my faith.”
“I paint to praise music. Painting is my way to worship.”
“I’ve been painting angels for 20 years.”
“This is not about me. It’s a ministry. It’s about what God can do through my art.”
“We don’t worship the angels. We worship the God who created the angels.”
“We serve a God who loves us and carries us.”
“What started as a hobby and a passion became a ministry.”
“God has given us all an object in our hands, but we have to surrender it with open hands and open hearts. We have to give it to Him to use.”
“I love how God creates a message out of the mess. He is the master artist.”
“There are no mistakes in art.”
“Every child is an artist, but they forget when they grow up.” Pablo Picasso
“Be still with the Lord and ask Him what He’s given you as an object to use.”
“What are the desires of your heart? God cares about the desires of your heart.”
“Comparison is the thief of joy. It’s hard not to compare, but keep your eyes fixed on the Lord and what He’s given you.”
“You might fail, but take a leap of faith.”
“Be grateful for and steward well whatever God has put in your hands.”
“Every day is a gift.”
“When I don’t have the words, I paint the angels.”
Steven Curtis Chapman
“We have such a big God, but we tend to keep Him in a small box.”
Ephesians 3:20
“Wow, God, look at what you can do.”
Connect with Anne:
Art Gallery – Give back through art
The Same Kind of Different as Me book
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