My quest to know God has taken me on a long and winding journey, through dark and dangerous territories and into peaceful, pleasant places. My foolishness has gotten me into trouble and caused pain to many. However, my courage and faith keep me going forward. These paintings span nearly seventy years and as I look back I see the bright hand of God’s love woven even into the most unlikely situations.

Recently I spent a year living in Scotland and studying the correlation between theology, art, and imagination. I’m intrigued with how all our senses offer inroads to connect with our Creator. John and I visited several labyrinths in Scotland and met with a woman who designs them. On returning to our retreat setting in Saugatuck, I built a moss-covered labyrinth in the woods. I laid out the pattern between the trees without thought of a compass, but it turns out to be oriented exactly north and south. When you enter the classic, seven-fold path you make turns right and left, sometimes seeming to go back from where you came, and end up in the center facing south, directly into the woods. As you turn around, the vista is completely different: you are on top of a ridge looking into the light above the tree tops.

Each time I walk the labyrinth I gain a new perspective on my life. It measures my mood, reveals my fears, encourages my perseverance, and mirrors my life. It always brings me hope.