New Art: "In His Image"

By paintingforlife | August 8, 2011 |

This piece started as a tribute to an organization called Kimmy’s House. Kimmy’s House focuses on ministering to special needs orphans in India and Haiti.

The need is great. Either because of cultural beliefs or because of lack of resources, the special needs orphans of India and Haiti often times suffer great neglect, and can wind up on the street, unable to help themselves. By partnering with local ministers and pastors in the area, Kimmy’s House is able to help provide funding and resources to give these kids a chance at having a decent life. To learn more about their organization, click here.

We wanted to do something to help their cause, so we created this special tribute piece, in which 50% of the sales from this image would go to their organization.

They were inclined to the idea, so the next step was to create a piece that would speak of their mission statement. Shannon Neel, one of the executives of the organization, mentioned Genesis 1:27, and how she’s really been touched by the meaning of “image of God.” Even broken children, deformed by disability, are still part of that image of God. Letting the thought sink in, I realized how shallow I could be in my own life. We are all attracted to outwardly beauty. Surely, this represents His Image! With spiritual eyes, however, did I begin to see what Shannon was saying. There is an inner beauty that is so precious, that even deformed and mentally challenged humans are considered to be a part of His Image.

Wow. I was moved, but I struggled to find a way to get this message across in pictorial form. Finally, one night, the solution came to me in a dream. I woke up, sketched it out, and began the process of putting it together.

Finally, I really resonate with the struggles of special needs kids. While I have not been disadvantaged like they have, with my two transplants, and multiple hospital stays (all before the age of 16), I have lived a compromise life. Yet in the midst of all this, I am encouraged to know that God considers me to be part of His Image, just like considers each one of you.