The Story Behind the Painting

     From the moment God first whispered the word "flourish" to my heart, I sensed that the cover of this book needed to carry more than a design—it needed to carry a message. I have always loved original art, especially oil paintings, and I’ve always loved gardens. There’s something sacred about the way God speaks through beauty, color, and creation. So I began praying for an artist who could capture the essence of what Grace to Flourish is all about.

     Not long after, my spiritual daughter mentioned someone in her church who painted. “You should meet Trevor,” she said. That simple connection turned into one of the most meaningful creative collaborations I’ve ever experienced.

     When Trevor and I first talked, he asked if he could read the manuscript. He wanted to understand the heart, the message, and the spiritual journey woven through every chapter. As he read, we spent long conversations talking about grace, healing, identity, and the presence of God. Those talks became part of the creative soil from which the painting grew.

     Before he ever picked up a brush, Trevor spent countless hours studying the flowers and color palettes of English cottage–style gardens—the style that has always spoken to my heart. He researched the kinds of blooms that convey softness, movement, fragrance, and beauty. He explored artistic compositions that would not just look lovely but reflect the themes of transformation, healing, and flourishing that run through the book.

     When he finally began to paint, something holy happened. The artwork became a prophetic visual expression of the message of the book — a glimpse of the beauty God brings into the deepest places of the human heart. It was created in prayer, with intention, and long before the book itself was complete.

     The first time I saw the painting, I knew.
     This was the one.
     It carried the movement of grace, the tenderness of God’s presence, and the quiet but powerful transformation that happens when we encounter His love.

     To see the painting become the cover of Grace to Flourish has been one of the great joys of this publishing journey. It’s more than a cover — it’s a testimony. A visual invitation. A doorway into the heart of the message.

     I am deeply grateful to Trevor for his exceptional artistry and skill, sensitivity, and devotion to reflecting God’s beauty on canvas. His work has become part of the story of this book, and part of the story I now get to share with you.

     May this artwork speak to your heart the way it has spoken to mine. And may you, too, flourish in His grace.