Susan Windham is an artist. The Carthage, Mississippi native recalls having a love for drawing and painting almost as long as she can remember. “I started drawing very early on. Carthage did not have an art program at the time, so any skills I learned were from self-training and God.”
Her passion for visual arts continued during high school and while attending ECCC. Then she married and moved to New Mexico. “I took a few classes and continued to paint while giving most of my art to family members. I also painted baptistries.”
“In the vision I was walking along and I felt like I had committed the most unpardonable sin. Then I fell into a pit. And I really needed to know that I had been forgiven for those sins. I needed to know if I was going to hell or not. A long period of time passed in the vision then these wings came and caught me. I went to the other side. And that’s when I realized I was forgiven.”
Susan created a painting of the vision and decided to take some pictures to document the process. “I saw things in the photographs that I had not intentionally painted. I saw these wings that looked like they were coming in to catch me and that’s when I realized the Lord was at work in my paintings. HE is part of my art.” What ensued was the beginning of her journey down the road of prophetic artistry, which is known as a visual art form that carries a message from the heart of God to strengthen, encourage and or comfort.
Through this process Susan also senses the Lord speaking to her directly. “Sometimes there are words that the Lord gives me with some of the paintings and drawings. As I start to draw, he will start talking. I was working on a piece I called Anchor of Our Soul. And I said “Lord, how are you the anchor of our soul? He told me to anchor the mind, will and emotions to Him. Cast down those imaginations. Do that by being gripped by Him, the Holy Spirit, and be bound in His love. Emotions have to be laid at his feet.”
So through this process, when does she feel closest to the Lord? “When worship and artwork is intertwined. Sometimes during worship at church, the Lord will give me a picture and I will start to draw. Then the Lord will start talking to me and might guide me to add things throughout the time of worship. And even at home when I paint, I invite Him to be there with me. With every painting there has been healing and almost always there was something I need to see as well.”
What would she say to encourage someone who feels they’ve missed their timing? “I would tell them about finishing strong. Surrender. Trust. Don’t be afraid. God was calling me for a long time, and I even felt like I knew what he was calling me to. I’d say to him ‘How are we gonna do that?’ I was really afraid, and now the more I surrender, the better it is. Surrendering has strengthened my relationship with Him. Also, God would say ‘Do you TRUST ME?’ I am learning to trust, even by taking the smallest step, a step at a time. And I am learning to be more obedient. I have even said ‘Lord, I don’t know where we are going. Lord, I don’t know what we are painting.’ And He has said ‘That’s ok, I do.’ I paint being led by the spirit, a step at a time.”
“I paint something now and see it as the Lord’s painting, the Lord’s art.”
To date she has rendered over 50 pieces, orchestrated by HIM.
For additional information, Susan Windham can be reached at windham3787@yahoo.com
by Robbie Watson
Susan is such a blessing to know! Everything she does is with a spirit of excellence. I have been blessed by watching the LORD work in and through. I look forward to what GOD has for them to paint next!
Beautiful testimony of HIS handiwork through her hands. God is so good. Thank you for putting the spotlight on this precious story.