Yvonne Palsha is a wife, mother, grandmother, semi-retired childcare provider—

and a woman who is learning to call herself an artist.

Creativity has been part of Yvonne’s life for as long as she can remember. Growing up, her grandmother, who lived with her family, was always crocheting something—doilies, tablecloths, or lace inserts for sheets and pillowcases. Her mother crocheted, knitted, sewed, and embroidered, and Yvonne and her sisters learned embroidery, sewing, and the basics of knitting and crocheting. Music was part of their home too, through concerts and piano lessons.

Still, Yvonne never really considered herself an artist.

Drawing and painting weren’t things she felt she did particularly well in school, but she always enjoyed making things, including Christmas presents for her siblings. As a young mom, she became interested in scrapbooking, especially documenting family vacations. That eventually led to stamping and cardmaking.

Today, cardmaking has even become part of Yvonne’s women’s ministry. She designs and creates encouragement cards with the help of a team, and four times a year those cards are sent to all the women in their church.

Painting entered her life much later.

Several paint-night events sparked Yvonne’s interest. She discovered that she could follow simple painting ideas and, more importantly, that she enjoyed the process. Then, as she approached her 60s, Yvonne decided she wanted to keep learning new things. Around that same time, a friend who owns an art studio began offering adult painting lessons.

About five years ago, Yvonne began taking classes.

Even as she progressed and completed paintings, she still struggled to identify herself as an artist. But slowly, through encouragement at the studio, feedback from friends, and what God was teaching her, her perspective began to change.

“I have begun to embrace the idea that I have been created to create.”

For Yvonne, that idea is rooted in Scripture. Genesis 1:27 reminds her that we are made in the image of a Creator God. Ephesians 2:10 describes us as God's workmanship, created anew in Christ Jesus for the good works He has prepared for us.

Those truths encourage Yvonne to continue creating—and to create in a way that honors Him.

She also sees something of the Christian life in the process of making art.

“Creating a piece of art takes time and effort. There are times when the process is slow, and the canvas looks like a hopeless mess. But when you continue to work through the process, the mess can become a thing of beauty.”

Yvonne has been a Christian since she was 11. Looking back, she can see seasons of life that weren’t always pretty—times of disobedience and doubt, as well as difficult circumstances. Yet through all of them, God has remained faithful.

For her, taking raw materials and slowly making something beautiful from them is not unlike the process of becoming a more mature follower of Christ. God continues His work, even when the process feels messy, bringing beauty from the ashes.

Today, Yvonne’s creativity is inspired by the beauty of God's creation, the desire to make something that will bless another person, and simply the God-given desire to create.

When she hears that one of her encouragement cards arrived at someone's home at exactly the right time, or when she is able to give someone something she has made, she is encouraged to keep going.

And after years of creating without thinking of herself as an artist, Yvonne is learning to embrace something that was there all along:

She was created to create.