The Weapons of Our Warfare

"You are a light. You are the light. Never let anyone — any person or any force — dampen, dim or diminish your light … Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won." - John Lewis

This past week, I submitted an art piece to the Vallejo Art Museum as a part of their Reframed show featuring Vallejo artists. The theme of the show is Breaking Barriers.

The piece which will be featured, entitled "the Ether" is a 19x 22" mixed media piece which I began one week to the day before Brandon passed away in December 2022.

The day I began the piece, I texted him a quick message to encourage him through his rainy day working as a ramp agent at San Francisco International's United terminal. "This is the challenging part, the winter, remember?" I wrote. "Thought you might enjoy a glimpse into my afternoon."

With the text, I sent a picture of the art piece I had begun that day, December 3, 2022. I didn't know it then, but that day would mark exactly one week before he passed away.

"Fire," B wrote back. Then, a few moments later, "Whose lap you sitting on tho, babe?" His response makes me giggle, even now.

[Anyone who knew B knew his razor sharp wit was so unique, original and his own. The fact that he could make me roar with laughter --in addition to his radical kindness and creative spirit-- was one of the things that caused me to fall in love with him].

"Jesus," I would tell later tell answer him. That's whose lap I had been sitting on, in the vision, and now in the piece.

And yes, it was weird. A bit strange, even for a prophetic painter. The week before, I had what I believe to be a prophetic vision of myself sitting on Jesus' lap, and he was pointing to the sky, and showing me something I couldn't perceive on my own. I didn't know then that Brandon would pass away, and that much of what God would be showing me would be as I navigated the season of grief which followed. I had no idea that the vision I had painted into was a prophetic insight into the heartbreak I would be processing with God over the next three years. I had no idea that B himself would be featured in the piece, but he has emerged there.

In the words of a good friend from graduate school, my artwork tells stories. Stories which emerge over time.

On Tuesday, election day, I dropped my ballot, then my piece at the museum in time for it to be curated in the display.

The very next day, an evil person punched a hole through the connecting wall of my neighbor's garage in an attempt to break into mine. Adding insult to injury, they also cut the locks I had paid for on my own property and left the garage door in disrepair.

My garage is the space I used as my art studio, at least until recently. But as I await the HOA to do their due diligence and the process of repair and reimbursement for my garage to be completed, I realize that the timing of the attack was not random. It happened the day after I delivered the piece.

Can I tell you though: Not one piece of the 70 or so I had in that studio, was taken, or vandalized, or harmed. Because there are angels in my studio. I have prayed over that space. And the nature of the work I do in creating my art is emotional healing, brought about by the power of the Holy Spirit. So nothing in that space could be touched. Yes, the would-be thieves might have gained access to the space, but once they realized where they were, they had no choice but to leave.

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

But if you are so protected, some might say, why were the thieves allowed to break in? Why were they allowed to cause damage at all? Why was the man you loved allowed to be killed?

We aren't given the answer for why evil exists; we are just aware of the fact that it does. As long as humans are able to exercise their free will, they are able to choose. To choose to partner with good, and what God intends to bring about in the world through them; to choose to partner with evil, and to bring about death and destruction. We can't choose for every single person. We can only choose for ourselves. And then, once we choose, we gear up:

" Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints."

Ephesians 6: 10-18

Fam, we are not just here to take all the good vacations and eat all of the wonderful things. Our world is in the midst of a war. Sometimes that means heinous things happen. Sometimes that means evil has a day. But when everything looks as if it is falling apart, that is when we can lean on this truth. That in fact, ALL things work together. Even the heinous ones. Even the challenging ones. Even the terrible things. ALL things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to his purposes for them.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28

Reframed, an art exhibit featuring local artists, will run at the Vallejo Art Museum from November 8-23, 2025.