06/10/2026
This morning, I completed the line work for this dogwood. I chose the colors, added the watercolor washes, and then spent part of the day revisiting the painting to strengthen the shadows. I knew the flower needed more depth, so I kept working, trusting that eventually it would come alive.
As I painted, I realized how much this process mirrors what the Lord has done in me and in my family.
Growth rarely happens all at once. It develops through ordinary days, small acts of obedience, difficult seasons, and lessons learned over time. We celebrate the highlights, but it is often the shadows that create the depth. The Lord has used both joyful moments and challenging ones to shape us into who we are becoming.
Today also marks ten years of marriage for Chris and me. Last year, we both forgot our anniversary until two weeks after it had passed. This year, we remembered. We celebrated. We were intentional.
If I'm being honest, this has been one of the most difficult years of our marriage. Yet we are still here. The Lord is still working in us. He is still working in our children. He is still writing our story.
When I first looked at this flower, I saw potential. After the shadowing, I began to see dimension. The same is true of God's work in our lives. He sees the finished masterpiece long before we do.
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." — 2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
Today, I am thankful for the process. I am thankful for the growth I see in my children, in my marriage, and in myself. Most of all, I am thankful that God is not finished with any of us yet.🌼🎨❤️