ARTIST STATEMENT

He swept into their lives like an irresistible force of nature. His presence so captivating, His words so compelling that many would leave everything behind and follow Him into an unknown and dangerous future. For three years they followed Him these disciples of Jesus; three years of campfires under the stars, meals enjoyed together, tears wept, laughs shared, fears conquered and miracles experienced. They were at the front lines of a movement affecting thousands. They bet it all on Jesus.

Then the unimaginable happened, this long awaited savior was beaten beyond recognition, nailed to a tree and left to die. There are no words to express the devastation this must have caused in the hearts of this family of friends. Their mission had failed, their lives were in danger and their leader was dead and buried in a cave. For three days, all hope was lost.

In a very real sense Jesus work of resurrection only began as the stone was rolled away. Next He immediately began the highly personal work of resurrecting hope in the hearts of His dearest friends. Remarkably, he didn’t have to… could have chosen choirs of angels, signs and wonders to celebrate the greatest victory in history. Instead the bible gives us a few highly personal 1-1 encounters. These moments make one thing abuntantly clear, Jesus cared deeply for His friends and made them a top priority.

Whether you hold to a biblical view of Jesus Christ or see Him as merely a significant historical figure, both He and His followers were very real people living real lives and their stories are truly inspiring. So should you find yourself on the other side of a dream that now lies in ruins, know that it is possible to reclaim hope , even after all hope is lost and may you find encouragement in these “stories of restoration.”