I was able to rent a room from my friend in her townhouse and the painting moved with me.
By mid October, the arrangement was too expensive and I moved in with an elderly lady to work as a caretaker. The painting moved with me.
By November, I realized that the lady needed more help than I could provide. A friend allowed me to sleep on her couch and the painting moved to a storage unit with the rest of my belongings.
For Christmas, I was on a missions trip in Uganda. January 2014 I returned to America and was able to live with a former coworker. The painting remained in storage.
By April, my hostess wanted me to sacrifice my tithe in order to pay rent to her. I refused and moved to live with another friend I had met at church. The painting remained in storage.
At this point, I called my self homeless. Because of the eviction and sacrifices I had made to attend the missions trip I was in debt. Even though I was working, I wasn't making enough money to afford rent.
My friend from church began to tell me that I was not homeless. She told me that my home was with her and it was because of her speaking this into my life at that time that I took a second job so that I could give her some money. I gave her $200 a month beginning in May.
In July, I traveled to Mexico for the first time and led a team from my church on a missions trip partnering with another organization. My job promoted me to full time from part-time and I was able to leave the second job. I began looking for an apartment.
A friend I had met while serving in AmeriCorps asked me to be her roommate. In September I moved in with her but after one week her landlord determined that I did not qualify to move in because of the eviction. The landlord gave me one week to move out.
I fasted and prayed for five days until The Lord provided a furnished, guest house which became available for me to rent.
Exactly one year after the eviction, I moved into another studio efficiency. I took the painting, and all of my belongings out of storage.
Again, I was eager to complete the painting. I completed it on May 2015. I posted it up in my studio, where the sun shined all around it and it was the first thing I opened my eyes to in the morning.
In October, a friend of mine came to visit me and she commented about how heavy and strong the painting was. How much emotional weight it seemed to carry. She suggested that I pray about letting the painting go.
I removed it from its elevated place and turned it so that I was not immediately faced with it when I woke up. And I began to seek The Lord about how to let go of the painting.
In May of 2016, I was moved to donate the painting to a local church. This particular church focuses on discipling people coming out of addiction, incarceration, poverty and homelessness; into a relationship with Jesus Christ. I have examined the fruit of this ministry and even though I belong to a different church, The Lord is undeniably present in this church and transforming people's lives through this ministry.
As I gave the painting to this church it was such a tender moment with The Lord. I realized how long I had been carrying the painting, planning for the painting, thinking about the painting, painting the painting, looking at the painting...it had become a part of me.
Out of all the time, money, clothes, food, etc. that I have given away to people this was the first time that it hurt to give. This gift came from a place deep in my heart where I had never given from before.
As I was worshipping The Lord alone that evening, I cried and cried and cried! I poured out to Him! I look forward to partnering with The Lord again to create more beautiful paintings of testimony to His love!
Thank you Lord for your everlasting grace, mercy, love, and faithfulness. Thank you that you chose jars of clay for your marvelous light! Thank you that You are our rock, our salvation, The Truth that we can always stand on! Thank you Lord that we cannot out give you and for your promise that we will reap as we have sown. Thank you Lord for planting Your Son Jesus Christ into the earth so that I could be among Your harvest that You are yet gathering. I am in awe of You Lord!!!!! With all my heart, Alyse.
