You Are God’s Masterpiece

Have you ever stopped and thought: “Why am I here? What on earth am I supposed to be doing with my life?” I have. Probably more times than I can count. But let me start by saying this: when God created you, He didn’t just slap you together and say, “Well, let’s see how this one turns out.” No. You were handcrafted with a purpose.

The Bible says in Ephesians 2:10:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

The word workmanship in the original Greek is poiēma—which is where we get our word poem. That means you are God’s unique poem, His one-of-a-kind masterpiece. And the cool part? He already wrote the plan for your life before you even got here.

This means The Desires in Your Heart Are Not Random-Your Gods Masterpiece

So maybe you love to paint. Or sing. Or build furniture out of wood scraps in your garage. Or bake cookies that taste like heaven on earth (and honestly, if that’s you, I volunteer as a taste-tester). Maybe you write, sew, garden, play the piano, or take photographs of every sunset you see.

Those things aren’t hobbies you picked up, or things on your heart just to avoid a “real job.” They are desires God wove into your being. They’re fingerprints of His design on your life.

Sure, you can work that 9–5 factory shift or clock in at a restaurant because you need the paycheck. But if every morning when the alarm goes off you groan, “Not this again,” and you feel like life is draining out of you… then maybe you’re not walking in the very thing He created you to do. That’s not just a bad Monday mood—that’s God on your soul whispering, “This isn’t it.”

My Own Story of Wandering

For most of my life (really until recently), I wondered what my purpose was. Why am I here? What does God want me to do?

I sat alone in prayer. Looking back, the clues were there all along. When my dad and I moved from the big city to a Kentucky farm with my grandmother. The second my feet hit that green grass, I felt at home. Surrounded by animals, trees, and wide-open skies, something in me came alive.

As an only child, I learned to entertain myself—mostly with coloring books, reading, and writing. Around age 9 or 10, my Uncle Bill gave me a set of paints, canvases, and an easel. That gift meant more to me than I would even know at that time. Later, when I had kids, I’d sit and color with them. My oldest was more of a social butterfly (God gave her different gifts), but my youngest loved it so much that I enrolled her in after-school art classes. Eventually, we both attended the Academy of Art University—and graduated with degrees! I also went to school for writing.

And still, I asked: “God, what do you want me to do?”

Turns out, the answer had been stitched through every season of my life: art and writing.

• God brought me to the farm because He knew animals and landscapes would fill my canvases.

• He made me an only child so I’d learn to notice color, detail, and beauty.

• He gave me those art supplies to say this is what you are to do.

• He had me drawing with my kids to further spark that love.

• He had me go through things that I would journal to love writing, and gather my thoughts.

• He provided a way for me to go to art school, and writing school.

• He even gave me experiences with horses, dogs, barns, and fields—all the subjects that inspire my work today.

Even my anxiety (and yes, thats been a whole journey for me) became part of the story. Anxiety forced me to stop listening to the loud voices of the world and lean back into Him. He pulled me away from noise so I could finally hear His whispers.

Fear Is the Enemy’s Favorite Tool

Here’s the thing about fear: it doesn’t come from God. The enemy loves to use it to stop us from walking in our calling. He whispers lies like:

• “You’re not good enough.”

• "You're not smart enough."

• “You’ll never measure up.”

• “You don’t have the money, the education, or the connections.”

But the Bible reminds us:

Isaiah 43:19 – “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

God makes a way when we can’t see one. Always.

If we listen to the lies of the enemy, we risk living a life wasted—pursuing a path that was never ours to begin with.

Your Calling Might Look Different Than Mine. For me, it’s art. For you, it might be something completely opposite. Maybe you were born to teach, or to serve tables with such joy that people leave restaurants feeling lighter than when they came in. Maybe you’re meant to build, to bake, to farm, to lead, to encourage, to counsel, to invent, to create beauty where others only see brokenness.

Whatever it is—big or small in the world’s eyes—it matters in God’s plan. He placed it in your heart. He will see you through it.

So ask yourself:

• What brings you joy?

• What has God put before you time and again?

• What’s that thing you keep circling back to, no matter how many detours life takes you on?

• 
  

That’s probably it.

Lean In

Don’t let the world’s voices drown out God’s calling. Don’t let the enemy reshape you into someone you’re not. Keep your eyes above. Follow His lead. Trust that He knows best—because He does.

As for me? God created this glorious world, full of nature, animals, architecture, and fields—and He calls me to paint it. That’s where I see Him most clearly. That’s what fills my heart. Well, that and my writing. Spreading his word and goodness with sprinkles of wisdom he gives me onto you.

So, now that I’ve shared all this, I’m off to paint—well, after one last spark of inspiration. Back in college, I had the privilege of interviewing Will Terry for one of my assignments. He’s illustrated more than 30 children’s books for major publishers, worked with magazines like Time, Money, and The Wall Street Journal, and created ads for Sprint, Pizza Hut, and MasterCard. Today, he also co-runs SVSLearn with Jake Parker. But here’s the kicker—when he was in art school, he was told he’d never make it as an artist.

And yet… God had other plans.

Dr. Seuss’ very first book was rejected 27 times before he finally got a yes and went on to become one of the most beloved children’s authors of all time. Johnny Depp—born right here in Kentucky—once sold ballpoint pens before moving into acting. Acting wasn’t even his original plan, but performing was written into his story, and God opened the right doors at the right time.

Do you see the thread? Will Terry’s gift was illustration. Dr. Seuss’ gift was storytelling. Johnny Depp’s was performance. Each of them could have given up. Each of them could have stayed stuck where they were told they didn’t belong. But they didn’t. They leaned into the very thing God placed in their hearts—and He made a way.

Can you imagine if Dr. Seuss had stopped writing after rejection number 10? Or if Johnny Depp was still selling pens at the mall? Their lives—and our world—would look so different.

The same is true for you. What God has placed in your heart isn’t random. It’s your calling. And when you sit with it, nurture it, and step forward in faith, He will provide the way.

So, friend, don’t ignore the tug on your heart. Don’t let fear, rejection, or the opinions of others decide your future. If God placed it within you, it’s not by accident—it’s by design. Step into your calling, even if it feels small right now. Because the moment you walk in what He created you for, you’ll find the doors only He can open.

Your masterpiece is waiting. Pick up the pen, the brush, the instrument—whatever He’s given you—and begin. You are His masterpiece.

XO, Marie