Helping Hands

This past weekend was a very special moment for me.  It was a mark in time where God allowed me to see a desire come to reality.  He allowed me to see a wish transform into action and action (covered in grace) transform into amazing fruit.  

...

I fell in love with Busboys and Poets over five years ago.  Busboys became my work zone- my place for creativity and late night papers.  I loved the ambiance- from the books to the seating to the music.  About two years ago, the thought came to mind about possibly submitting work to be on display.  I felt under-qualified:  I didn't have enough pieces, the sizes of my pieces were smaller than I thought was acceptable, and I didn't have a website or central location for people to look up my work.  So, I put the thought on the shelf and said, "One day..."  "Another day..."

Well, Sunday morning at 7:00, my "one day" became TODAY.  About a year ago, I started buying larger canvases to paint on.  My collection began to grow.  I was just doing life...and painting about it.  On January 1, 2015, I started this blog- a central location to post my work.  One day while working on applications, the thought came to mind again about applying to submit work at Busboys.  This time instead of telling myself, "not now," I asked myself, "why not now?"  My logic was: if I still wasn't ready and my work wasn't accepted, I'd just keep working and resubmit every six months.  

On March 3rd, I received an email from Busboys and Poets' curator, Ms. Carol Dyson.  She wanted two of my pieces!!! AND a poem!  I was ELATED, excited, encouraged, motivated...

As mentioned before, on yesterday, Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 7:00 AM, I installed my first two pieces and a poem for display at Busboys and Poets Hyattsville location.

GOD IS GOOD.

And He's faithful.

And He cares.

At the beginning of this blog, I posted the picture of the hands working together to put my picture up because it is symbolic and significant to me.  These two sets of hands mounting my picture are not my hands.  They are the hands of a loved one (my Alabama) and Ms. Dyson.  To me this is a reminder of all the hands that have helped me be who I am...

all the hands that have uplifted me along the way...

all the hands that have been tangible representatives of God's very present help and hand in and on my life...

We can see these natural hands with our natural eye,

but I see what the camera could not capture.

I see God's hands and all the human hands He's used to help and uphold me.

I

AM

GRATEFUL.

What more can I say?

I.  AM.  GRATEFUL.

Praise wells up in my heart.  I am so grateful.  I am about to post the pictures from the installation below, but what I need you to know is this:  His hands are present in your life too. So...

Keep dreaming.

Keep believing.

Keep doing.

Keep growing.

Keep getting back up.

Lift your eyes and heart to HIM.

And in time...

You will see HIM connecting the dots in your life.

Be encouraged.

I pray you soar.

Sincerely,

a humble heart welling over with gratitude:

AJM