by Carole L. Haines

The sunbeams kissed the colored glass, glimmering transparently upon the floor of our Church. This bored little girl would gaze at the images depicted all around her, wondering at their stories. The Christian Tradition I grew up in was filled with imagery, from the stained-glass windows to the paintings of Christ’s Passion in the Stations of the Cross. I saw the Nativity as Mary gazed in wonder at her Savior, the child she had just birthed. Jesus sitting on the Mount preaching a Sermon and I saw Him brandishing a whip to clear the Temple as He cleansed His Father’s House of all worldliness in the hopes of restoring it to a House of Prayer. 

All this imagery prepared my young heart to receive the Gospel of Christ when I finally heard its message by ear. One morning our priest stood and shared how He had come to know Jesus as Savior and that now He was sure He would be with Him in Heaven. He invited others to come and hear more that Sunday Night. That evening, you could hardly find a seat. One of the women their shared the message with my mom, and she “got saved.” My mom changed so much and she in turn shared that message with me. When my ears heard the words, my heart remembered what my eyes had seen in those earlier years. That Suffering Man was Jesus and He carried that cross for me. He carried it, was nailed to it, died on it, buried and rose again the third day. 

Oh, I remember my heart was heavy and I felt the weight of my sin bearing down on my shoulders. I was only a girl of 9, but I was so aware of my need for this Savior. I remember kneeling at my bedside with my mom and praying to receive Jesus. But it was those early images, those paintings, those stained-glass windows, that touched my heart and the Holy Spirit used them in the life of this young girl to call her to come and see. I am a painter, a poet, a writer, a musician, and singer. I believe I am all these things because I first saw Jesus in art, not in word.  I was drawn to Him through art and music.

Now, I make crosses our of broken pieces of glass and pottery to share with those who are hurting, grieving and suffering loss. I do this because I have experienced a New Life from God that brings beauty out of brokenness. I believe all this love of Art in its many forms was birthed in me through those first beautiful images I saw as a child. I cannot be in a Church to this day without being carried back to those images ingrained in my memories. Therefore, I am so grateful for Christian Artists and the Art we all create.

Carole L. Haines blogs at HisShadowings.com. She identifies as a poet, songwriter, devotional writer, children’s author, and blogger. Her debut children’s book is called How Big is God?: Answering a Child’s Questions about God. Currently, Carole is working on a new devotional book.