He Is Within Reach Large Wall Art

The third 2024 ‘word of the year’ painting. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been asked to paint the woman with the issue of blood. I am so honored to finally have the perfect opportunity to paint her. I love her and her story so much. She is one of the people I hope I can meet and hug in heaven. I think that her story could actually capture so many different words, but I chose to depict her story for the word ‘hope’ because I think that she is an incredible example of ‘hoping’. Hoping in the lonely, in the pain, in the suffering, in the uncertainty. After twelve years of being shunned, cast out, deemed unworthy, and left alone, she placed her hope in the Savior. During her twelve years of suffering, this woman had spent all of her money on medical treatments from various doctors. None of the treatments had worked, and she was left destitute and desperate for a miracle.

When she saw Jesus walking through a busy crowd, she found the strength and humility within herself to touch His robes, and in turn be healed. Because of her disease, she was considered ‘unclean’. She was not supposed to touch anyone, or else they would also become ‘unclean’. Learning this has made this story even more powerful to me. The amount of bravery and humility it must have taken her to touch Christ’s robes is astounding. And when she touched His robes, He did not become ‘unclean’. Instead, He made her clean. Fully, completely, healed and cleansed. To me, this woman is an example of faith, resilience, confidence, and more. But most of all she is an example of hope. If this woman could retain her hope for healing after twelve years of suffering, surely I can remain hopeful for healing in my life. Surely I can remain hopeful that He is the one who can heal me and take away what has burdened me.

In this piece I did not want to show the woman’s full face because I wanted anyone who looks at this piece to imagine that it is them. A reminder that He is always within reach. It takes a lot of faith, humility, and hope to reach for Him. But when we do, He can heal us. Fully, truly, completely, heal us.

Reproduced from the artist’s original artwork of Mixed Media on Paper.