Get Ready To Run

Men’s Conference, 2020

During the church fasting and prayer of the 2020 new year, a picture of this horse coming out of the canvas came to me. God showed me it was for the Men's Conference. The only words I felt God gave me for this art piece were "Get Ready to Run," hence its title. The process of creating this art piece felt like intercession. I felt as if I was interceding for people in the future who would be walking out this same kind of journey or for others who had been given a dream, an idea, or a vision from God. I pray it blesses you and captures what God is intending. If I have missed or misinterpreted anything, I pray that God will correct it. I pray this painting points you towards Jesus as He draws you closer to Him. Below is the impression of what I believe God was communicating. Take it to Him in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you about it as all truth comes from Him.

This piece was different from other art pieces I felt like God had given me. My first response when God showed it to me was "God, I have no idea how to do that." I said "yes," but I had no idea how to complete it. It was completely out of my comfort zone and knowledge base. Isn't that our response sometimes when God gives us a big idea? It seems overwhelming at first because we don't have the knowledge. We have to trust Him to guide us and take the first steps even when we don't know the outcomes. This art piece incorporated tools I had never used before and materials I had never worked with. A lot of research was involved as I learned what materials would chemically react well and bond with one another. At one point, there was fear to even begin. I felt like I had one shot at getting it right and if I failed ...

And fail I did. The best laid plans and research failed upon its application. I had researched how to create a cardboard model of a horse's head in order to spray expandable foam on. I constructed it to measurement, sprayed on the foam, and it collapsed, sticking to all that was around it in a big mess. This was a key moment. The enemy will tell us in these moments that it is too difficult, God chose the wrong person, or maybe we didn't really hear from God in the first place. A choice has to be made to believe more in God's ability and His choice in us than we do in ourselves. We have to choose whether we will give up in failure or learn and find our plan B. In that failure, I learned about the product, practiced carving it, and was better able to narrow down options for plan B. It wasn't a failure, it was learning experience. Now I had not only research and theory, but I had some practical experience.

Psalm 37:24 Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for theLORD upholds him with his hand.

I was completely dependent on Him and yet I was going to have to be the one walking it, willing to take a step each time. It was an intercessory journey of trusting, even in failure, that if He showed it to me, He would guide me and help me get it done. My job was to not quit and to trust.

Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Galatians 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if w e do not give up.

RM