Courage Worldwide from the beginning believed in me.
When I was 17, my mother brought me to one of the first Courage meetings. Thank goodness because that sparked huge passions in my life. Jenny encouraged me to be me. I wrote a song God had layed on my heart and Jenny pulled me on stage to sing it for everyone. Facing a fear that had long developed over the years, opened a door to a future God had for me.
From that point on I pursued my dreams and passions that God had placed within me. God has used these passions and dreams in ways I could never imagine. After roughly 10 years now, I am a full-time Worship Pastor at Living Waters Church and an Artist with my own Business.
In the past two years, I have gone with Courage twice to Africa to meet the incredible Courage girls. I painted with them, hiked, laughed, cried, played games and was loved by them. There I saw God’s heart more than ever before. Those girls loved and laughed more than anyone I have ever encountered. I was so blessed by each girl and their future plans they are working towards. Every day, they worked so hard to learn and make a change to help their sisters. Africa is not an easy place for them to reach their dreams. Courage house provides and fosters a place for them to succeed. I watched Courage first hand give them a safe loving home while believing in them and giving opportunities for them to strive. There are no words to describe the bond the girls have and the strength God has given them.
Through the years I have pursued the arts and used my gift to also bring awareness to the reality of sex trafficking. I went to Michigan to enter into the biggest art show in United States “Art Prize”. The piece I showed was “Fenced in”. This piece represented my feelings of helplessness. I wanted to rescue this girl and all girls that have been trafficked but what could I do? Everyone who encountered this piece said the same thing. How can I help?
This reached over 400,000 people that came through the art show. I made top 5 in my category in hopes to win the 200,000 dollars to buy more homes for Courage girls. Sadly, that didn’t happen but the amazing thing is how many people were educated of the reality that’s in our world.
This year I am hosting my own art show (“Fenced in” will be shown).
This art show is called “Authenticity”
There are over 20 other artists joining me to do what they love.
I created this art show to believe in other artists and give them the opportunity to do what God has placed in their heart.
35 percent of all my artwork that sells, goes to Courage Worldwide.
Courage has believed in me. Now, I can’t stop being me 🙂
Do what you love and love others through it.
