Creating Together

Jessie Nilo

Pen in sketchbook

Many times, our art ministry hosted a time of creating at a local Christian university, with over 80 pre-seminary students attending. I drew this response in my sketchbook as the kids created together on a large canvas. My friend Dean Estes shared verbally at the microphone, and quiet music played in the background.

Dean would tell the kids stories about everyday life with God as we painted. One of my favorites was a story about Dean’s wife, after losing her hearing in one ear, and how Dean spoke comfort, prophetic truth, and God’s love to her. You can read the story written on my sketchbook page.

“Speak life,” Dean would say to the kids, and the whole room would listen.