Reignite your creativity

Register for a FREE faith-filled art journaling event that I'm a part of, an update, and being present where our body takes up space (a little photo journal of lately)

Hey friends!

Ever feel like your creativity is on pause? Like you have all this love for God, all these ideas, but when you sit down to create… nothing flows? You scroll for inspiration, watch tutorials, maybe even buy the supplies—but somehow, your journal stays blank.

I get it. And I know the way out.

The key? Just start. But not alone. And not aimlessly.

That’s where Faith Fest 2025 comes in. It’s an online creative workshop where 13 faith-filled artists (including me!) will show you step-by-step how to bring Scripture to life through art. We’re all working from the same Bible verse (Matthew 5:14-16), but you’ll see 12 completely different ways to interpret it. You’ll learn techniques, find fresh inspiration, and most importantly—get unstuck.

Here’s how it works:

● Join for free here and get access to 12 teachings, available for 24 hours each, rolled out over 3 days.

● Upgrade to the Lifetime Access pass for lifetime access, 14 exclusive bonuses, and the freedom to revisit anytime. PLUS TWO BONUS Lessons, one from Bible Teacher Katie Ward and one from author Tara Royer Steele, to further your understanding and application of our focus verse!

● Create with confidence—because after this, you’ll never stare at a blank page the same way again.

Imagine a month from now… you’ve got a journal filled with meaningful pages. Your faith feels deeper, your creativity is flowing, and you actually look forward to time in your journal instead of feeling stuck.

Sound like what you need? Click here to sign up → YAY!!!!!

I can’t wait to create with you!

Now, an update

I’ve been quiet on socials lately and here on my Substack. I’m grateful for all of you who have supported me and stuck with me through the silence. It means more to me than you could know.

I had plans for the beginning of 2025 to look and feel WAAAAY differently than what has unfolded. This certainly is not a new concept for me with all of our family’s challenges, but I didn’t see it coming.

I’ve been trying for many years to ‘get my groove back’ (translate: feel like the sunshiney, sparkly, sanguine that is my truest self) and not allow trauma of all size T’s to interfere but, alas, I find myself in that familiar place. Again.

I shut down and haven’t been sure how to write about it, or what to write, or if I even should. These are not stories that can be tied into pretty bows. They are messy and real and chaotic and complicated, leaving very little space and margin for my laptop to open, much less type and send out an update or newsletter.

I am doing my very best to stay present where my body takes up space in these challenging days and resorting to my usual - seeking God’s beauty for my sustaining grace. This time around, though, I have to say, ‘beauty’ looks a little different. Yes, the awakening of the Earth, with spring’s blossoms bursting on trees and birdsong waking me up is there. But there is also beauty in resilience and boundary-setting; there is beauty in recognizing I’ve changed when these traumatic events come at me and am not responding the same ways I have in the past. There is beauty in small, incremental growth.

I’ve also committed to a Christian brain rewiring program, have taken some life-giving workshops, am reading some important books, am continuing therapy, and trying to incorporate more quiet time. All of this is happening while I am being as present as I can be to the waves of emotions that are crashing along the shores around me.

This means there has not been a place for socials and newsletters.

My need to draw inward comes from wanting to remain un-distracted and un-distractable.

I know myself and I know there are boundaries I must set.

I’ve always been one to want to share everything I’m learning. But all of this work feels different this time around.

I can’t say what the future holds about what I’ll choose to share or not, but I can say that I am grateful for you. I am committed to writing more frequently here despite not knowing what the topics will be, and I am truly excited about the Faith Fest art journaling event mentioned above. I was incredibly blessed by being asked to be a part of it during this tricky time in my life.

Fun fact - the day I filmed my video for this event, we suddenly had tornado and storm warnings in the area and loud, obnoxious alarms were going off from my phone while I was filming and the sky was as dark and gloomy. I appreciated the irony of the darkness surrounding my home and town while I was safe and snug in my art studio working on a spread for Matthew 5:14-16 - we are the light of the world…

I also appreciate the irony that when I filmed this, there was chaos all around me in my personal life - those T’s of all sizes…many with their own darkness surrounding them. But I am the light of the world. And what is in me, cannot be hidden or put out, even in the throes of chaos.

I’ll write again soon.

All my love,

Kelly

p.s. this is what being more present where my body takes up space looks like lately…

Chalk drawings on the driveway and this tree with the little neighborhood girls (gosh, do I miss this with my own daughter)

A visit to an art museum with Derrick…this particular piece caused the greatest pause. I miss my children. I miss them being healthy. I miss my daughter so much. I’m so exhausted from the fight. I just want to rest, like this. Maybe I want to be the child in this one. I want someone to hold me.

This sculpture is a part of a current exhibit at Art Space Raleigh called ‘Mom’ by artist Andrea Keys Connell.

I was immensely blessed by teaching this fingerprint piece to classes of middle and high schoolers at a local Christian school. And it was also emotional because I recognized that so many of these students didn’t believe that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. I saw so much pain in some of their eyes and I just wanted to weep for them.

I smiled during the entire production of Wonka, yet not one of my children were in it. I knew these two fellas, though, and it felt wonderful to support them and their families just cuz.

One of the most touching moments of this entire event was when I watched my son, sitting with his friend who is the younger brother of the boy on the left (playing Charlie), stand up and give a fist pump in the air when his friend’s brother nailed an awesome and hard, sustained note in a song. What joy! To feel that kind of unfiltered enthusiasm for another is contagious!!

I am the mom who shoots hoops in the driveway, throws baseball in the yard, competes in jumping rope competitions with the neighborhood boys, and puts fresh worms from a black, dirt-filled container on hooks for my son’s friend who wasn’t so comfortable doing it. These are the days.

And friends, it’s baseball season. My favorite! One son is on a travel team this year and this is the first time in a long time since I am NOT coaching from the dugout. I have to tell you, I’m not that good at just sitting. Thankfully, both of my boys are also playing in rec and I am coaching there. I’m not sure how I’ll feel about it when I no longer coach baseball. It’s been the most life-giving thing to me! Just yesterday, I tweaked a kiddo’s batting stance and watched as he immediately improved from my suggestions. It’s so rewarding to see them shine!

My Sacred Art Journaling workshop continues to be a huge blessing to me and I believe, the ladies, too. Not every week can everyone make it, but the ones who do are completely meant to be there for specific reasons we don’t know until we get started.

God is so amazing.

I am blessed.

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Being present where your body takes up space

Remember this poetry prompt I sent out a while back? If not, here it is again.

I recommend you give it a shot…

and here was the OG poem from last April that inspired it all…

Lots of love to you all. Thanks for being here! xo