Well, it's official!  Read all about my Go Fund me campaign here!  thanks for the support & love!!
https://www.gofundme.com/artgallerystudio

Friends and family and other supporters from the art community: I have been given the green light from God to pursue a business using my gifts and talents to bring art into our community for the common good. This idea came to me vaguely in April, through the busy months with graduation and my sister's wedding it never went away, then it really took root in my heart several weeks ago. I feel God brought me to this place step by step, confirming gifts (talents) He gave to me just three days ago (see my previous blog post), then clarified for what purpose He gave me those gifts during today's sermon on the Gifts of the Spirit. That included how "the church" has failed to be a light in our world, and these truths have solidified my goals. So amazing. That timing is not a coincidence! Please continue to pray for me: now for my preparations, budget plans, securing a fully funded building, and for me to fulfill His will through all of this! I am writing my business plan right now but I had already written my mission statement and vision a week or so ago: my vision includes words like peace, hope, healing, and breaking down barriers. I think I have a purpose to bring light into our world. I'm thankful to God for this opportunity~ Love

Here's the thing.

This will seem out of nowhere for most, but a handful of you know what I asked for prayers for and this is the answer I got last night:

A little back story first-

Despite what I have been told starting from when I announced that I would major in art in college, to having children, to being a stay at home mom, and everything in between...I have had very few cheerleaders, but of course there have been a few. Key people in my life have told me over and over either directly to my face, in the form of a "I'm just kidding" backhanded dig, passive aggressive job suggestions, and a million other ways… that my existence has always fallen short of...I don't know what, their expectations? 

I let people tell me they are smarter than me, that art is a dead end career, that I'm smarter than I look, and that staying at home with my kids was a waste of my education. (And those are just the literal quotations I can think of in particular.)  I listened to them. I let them define my value. I don't know what it is about my personality, but I took every jab and insult over the last 20+ years to heart and I internalized it. I was picked apart, piece by piece, until THAT became who I am.

I started standing up for myself about four years ago. I thought, "This is it!! That magical age I heard about where I finally don't care what people think!" That didn't last for long, I do still care. But I did start standing up for myself. I stopped being victimized and I stopped acting like a victim. I got angry. I started calling people out on their BS, maybe not with as much grace as I had wished for looking back now, but this was new to me. (FYI, when people expect you to continue to be their doormat, they don't like it when you say no to their crap). My key relationships have changed. People still try to put me down. They like me better if they can keep me just enough under them; it fills some need they have to elevate themselves at any cost. But bad news for them! (Inside joke.)

A lot has changed. Fast forward to this week-

I've been praying about something specific (which I hope to share with you all soon), and now I can say this with clarity and confidence:

Since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to be a mommy. Being an artist has always been a part of who I am. These two things cannot be separated from me. God made me who I am.  HE made me this way. On purpose. For a reason. And despite what others think, despite no material success to measure value for who I am, this I know without a doubt:

MOTHERING is important

ART is important 

and

I AM IMPORTANT

That's the thing. That’s the answer I got from praying this week and answered last night. I'm going to do what God made me to do. I know can do it well. I'm actually pretty freaking talented. I have always had a passion for people, for art, for healing, for teaching. Most people don't know that. I'm done hiding behind insecurities of who people have told me I am. I KNOW who I am.
God made me, I am His daughter.
And since He is the King, that makes me a princess...

Which is even more awesome because I always thought that growing up too ;)

Please pray for me to have more grace now that I know who I am~

I'm not a writer.  I don't have an abundance of beautiful words always bouncing around in my head waiting to be written...but sometimes I do find myself wishing to put my thoughts and feelings out there to the world.  Is this how bloggers feel?  Or are most of them officially writers?  Or maybe they have this urge to simply publish helpful tips, lifestyle change encouragement, or parenting advice.  I don't know really, I guess everyone is different (thankfully)!  What drives each of us in life may have different words, but I find passion and connection to possibly be the common thread that runs through each of our lives...meaning each of us as individuals, whether we blog or not.  It's just how people are.  So here I go again, picking up this little page I started years ago...I'm excited to see what happens next...

new look!

I updated my personal blog look!  We have a new family blog (theTucker6) and the template I had previously used on here was too perfect for the fam.  So this one reflects just me a bit more and what I'm all about.  Enjoy!

Do you love our Christmas card as much as I do??  I always trust Shutterfly to give us excellent quality products!  LOVE them!

a real church

I heard something new in church today (I'm 38 and have been a Christian for 19 years, I've never heard this) I wanted to share some thoughts on, I pray you are blessed with this. The word "church" was translated in King James' time from the German word Kirche, which means "location" versus the original greek word -Ekklesia- which means "gathering". Imagine if we went to church to gather as Christians instead of going to our church location...defining our faith by our time together versus our building.

I don't know about you, but I hate the typical "church" that is built on rules and doctrine, where the people show up for their dose of peace and leave unchanged, where they say one thing and act differently. When we moved from Ohio to NC, we didn't know what type of church to go to. Our past experiences left a bad taste in our mouths and we were sick of the garbage that is involved with the hierarchy of many churches today. But we had never known anything different. My church here is awesome. Our pastor is bent on making our church the type of church God intended church to be. After Christ died, people gathered to talk about what He had taught when He was alive. It was a movement that spread quickly. Later, interventions happened and church became all about the location and the building and the rules and separating one group from another.

Something amazing is happening at my church, but that's not why I'm there...to be a part of the next big thing or whatever. I'm there because I know Christ died for me, He has healed my son's injured eye beyond all reason, He has rescued me from the depths of despair, from my suicidal tendencies, He healed my body when I prayed and prayed (in an instance where it simply was not going to heal). I know with everything I am that this is true and good and that my church is striving to be what is good and true. Not the best, not the biggest, just true. I hope every Christian can know the truth and the joy of living for God's kingdom, not for this world, while you are still living.

This is what a real church is, one that gathers together to praise God and to witness to others what Christ has done for them.

The Fellowship of the Believers Acts 2: 42-47
" 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. "