I was a terrible student.

Spent most of my time watching the clock tick, praying the teacher wouldn't call on me. Every class felt like that- except art. I wasn't great at it, but I liked to try. My teachers saw something and encouraged me. So art became the one thing I did to try and be good at something.

Faith came later.

My family took us to church growing up, but Jesus wasn't real to me until I had nowhere else to turn.

I was married, one kid, another on the way, and my business failed. Bankrupt. Lost the house. Lost the car. If I was my wife, I would've left me too.

I said, "Lord Jesus, here I am. I've run my life my way for 30 years and I've got nothing to show for it. You said you take care of your sheep. If you'll have me, I want you to be my Lord."

I started reading the Bible every day. Still do.

He's carried me and my family through many more storms since, but He has never left me.

That's why I paint.

I read the Word every day. The Spirit fills me up, and art is how I let Him out to light the world.

Jesus said if the people weren't praising Him, the very rocks would start shouting. He's God. If He's in you, you've got to tell people.

That's what I try to do with my art.

Why abstract?

Because faith is experiential. You can't always put it into words. Sometimes you have to feel it. I want my art to be what prayer looks like- the golds of glory, the reds of redemption, the blues of peace.

People ask why I paint with glue.

I tell them, so Jesus will stick with me.

Mark Lawrence Georgia, USA 800+ scripture-inspired works and counting

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth... it shall accomplish that which I please." — Isaiah 55:11