The Art of Teaching // Joyce Lang

My sixth-grade teacher called me out of the blue last month, just to check in on me. It so dearly warmed my heart. As I have been praying about who to interview for CCA, it came to me that this woman personified the art of teaching. She cared so deeply and exuded God’s love in the classroom. Memories in her classroom range from starring in the Anne of Green Gables play, to memorizing the entire book of Ephesians at the age of 12. In the interview we discuss teaching and more! Thank you, Joyce, for sharing part of your story and heart with us!

CCA: You mastered the art of teaching so well and I would love for you to tell me a little bit about your teaching career.

Joyce: Well, I think I’ll start back to the wonderful teachers I had. When I was six-years-old, I loved my teacher - in fact I loved all my teachers. But, my first-grade teacher would be my model. That really was the beginning of my career.  

As a child, my mother and I would play school. My mother, I had a wonderful one, she was incredible and carried me in her womb when she was 47 going on 48. She was such a precious soul I long to see in the Kingdom of God. She only had achieved a sixth-grade education and so, I taught her everything I knew. It was so much fun. 

During the winters, my father would take me to school. As a six-year-old, I would stay with my teacher five days a week during the really severe winter months. As soon as school was over and I was home, I would take my dolls out and started teaching! I would rearrange my mother’s living room and have chairs for all my dolls... I taught out of books I didn’t know anything about. I thought I was teaching, and I did. I would work all day, so you can see it was something God called me to do. I like that best of all because I didn’t feel like there was anything else to do. I loved kids and I liked learning. Teaching is a creative gift because you never have to do things the same way. Unless you find something that is golden. 

CCA: So, tell me some things you absolutely loved about teaching.

Joyce: Well, I loved everything! I don’t know where I would even start. I loved my kids - they were a bit of sunshine in my life. I loved the feeling of having a little family come into my room every day. I felt more responsible for their life because I had them most of their waking hours and in spite of my many mistakes, I learned that God would make up for my mistakes when I did the very best I knew - that was a very comforting thought.

I’m going to tell you one little story about a little boy that came to me one time. 

There was dispute on the playground and I thought I had handled it correctly, but this little boy came up to me afterwards, and in the sweetest way, “Mrs. Lang, are you sure you handled that right?” I had to think about it, I had to admit it to him, “I think you have valid point.” So, I apologized to the class. I felt that we were a family, and families have lots of disagreements, we didn’t always have to agree. But, when we departed from each other at the end of the day, I felt we needed to have those things resolved. 

I think of children who taught me the most, rather than all the book learning I did. But, I never felt like anyone got to my soul on a deeper level than children. They are so honest. 

CCA: I remember doing a lot of plays in your classroom! Tell me more about the creativity you fostered in the classroom. 

Joyce: You know, my theory behind drama was that you can take an opportunity for a kid who is very, very shy and put them in a character in a play, and they can actually stretch themselves. I witnessed that over and over. We all need encouragement. 

I used music a lot too. I love music! I had my kids sing hymns every morning in class and we sang all the stanzas.

CCA: So, teachers reading this today, they are all teaching online! Because of the COVID-19 pandemic. What would you say to these teachers?

 Joyce: I would say, “Bless you, you have more courage than I would have.” I admire them so much, they have to be creative and God-gifted to go through a time like this. We pray for all these kinds of things today. We need to find out how we can grow each other whether as adults, or children... and how can we help each other when we have dark times. And we all have them.

CCA: What are some of the biggest lessons you learned in your teaching career? 

Joyce: Well, I guess the biggest lesson I learned was that God is faithful, and when things seem so difficult to understand always and when I was trying to do my best, but kept on failing - I am still learning this - the grace of God is really all I need. I love things that make me know that I can be more through Jesus Christ. 

CCA: One last thing, any scripture on your heart that has been speaking to you during these last few weeks?

Joyce: Well, I always hold onto the simple scriptures my mother had in my room. “He cares for you, be not afraid...”  If I’m failing to trust, I come back to that and remember, oh yes, He cares. And He is with me always, even to the end of the world. It’s the simple ones I love. 

Art Awakens, The Spirit Awakens // Desiree Wentland

Water Lilies, Monet

Desiree enjoys art and viewing it awakens in her a desire to reflect and write. Here are some thoughts that arose when she viewed this paintings by Monet:

“I sing of your glories o God. The colors of light and love dance in my eyes and heart, singing your praises and glory. O, that I could stay in your presence forever! Filled with your warmth, color, and light.

Colors swim before my eyes, wrapping me in your presence and love. All creation sings your glory and majesty oh, God of heaven and earth!”

“Light, pure light! O Lord my soul is overwhelmed by you. Your beauty , your dynamic soul - unchanging in who you are, so dynamic and playful. Your beauty is unmatched in all creation. You dance and sparkle throughout my mind.”
-Desiree Wentland

Seashore Sainte Adresse, Monet 1864

Desiree Wentland is a radically inclusive Christian, who was born and raised in the Walla Walla valley of eastern Washington.  Desiree is a geologist who currently works for a software company in Golden, Colorado and lives with her husband and two children in Littleton, Colorado.

Desiree, we’ve talked over the phone now about three times! My goodness, your story has moved me. So let’s get to it…

K: You speak of being comfortably asleep in your walk with God, what did that look like? What did that feel like? 

D: Being comfortably asleep meant that I was kind of… well, intellectually I knew what it was like to have a relationship with God and I thought I had a pretty good one. I knew of God, I knew what Jesus has done for me in my life, I talked to God and went to church semi-regularly; but I was craving something more, yet I didn't know what it was or what was missing. I was just going through the traditions I had been brought up with and I had what I had been told should be most of the signs of a good relationship with God: prayer, bible reading (semi-regularly), security in salvation, wanting to help people…yet I was able to slowly, but easily fall away from those traditions (not completely out of them) because they weren’t my first passion in life. So, being comfortably asleep meant I was divided, double-minded in what was important in my life and was completely unaware.

K: There was a three year period or season in your life that was extremely trying and you were awakened by the Holy Spirit during this time of grief and pain. Can you tell us more about that?

“In the midst of all the sobs, I actually heard God.”

D: It was a season of really, really deep grief. A season of deep shaking that really broke down all the walls I had erected. Being asleep in my circumstances, I didn’t realize that I was trapped in that place of false comfort and security.  But when the devil began to attack those places to shake what little trust I had in God at the time, God used it to awaken me.

I'm reading this Bible study called “Trustworthy” by Lysa Terkeurst right now. She talks about how the Israelite’s had erected these high places of worship to false gods and I think the part of being comfortably asleep is that we don't recognize the idols in our lives. I didn't recognize the idols of pride and the false sense of security that I had until the devil started really attacking those places to try to drive me deeper into depression and deeper into despair. But God had given me small kernels of wisdom and truth about who He was and just a taste of what was possible with the Holy Spirit to keep me hanging on.

God placed me in a small group at just the right time to foster that truth and wisdom for when I needed it most.  This small community was important as we were all searching for the same thing, that “missing” experience we craved, all at the same time.  Having an authentic community where we could question, struggle, and pray together was vital for my spiritual and emotional growth during this season and actually awakened me to those idols in my life and the fake identity I had built for myself.  

During this season, I had to grieve. I had grieve the loss of who I thought I was, in order to really truly awaken to the truth. The grief was so overwhelming and painful, physically painful at times, that I finally understood what people mean when they say “I just need to cut myself to feel better or good”.  I had never understood that before this season.  I didn’t ever cut myself, but I thought about it and that was scary.  The devil was trying to use this time to take me into deep depression and despair; but God refined it in a way that now I only see the beauty in this time; which is a crazy miracle in and of itself!

Anyway, in that really, really deep pain that's where the awakening occurred. There are multiple moments of that time that God used, but night in particular stands out.  I had just learned the biggest thing I treasured as my safety net in my life, our marriage, wasn't at all what I thought. I was shattered. My very being took a huge toll.

In the midst of all the sobs, I actually heard God. I know not everybody does, but it was just like… it wasn't loud at all, but it was pointed enough to break through my grief and remind me that He was actually there and that He would redeem the situation. Not necessarily that He would reconcile the situation or make it better, but that He would redeem this pain for something bigger and better. And, He really did!

In that moment, I remembered the promise of the Holy Spirit and Pentecost. How the Holy Spirit would be poured out on us if we just ask and receive it. So, that's what I did. I prayed for the Holy Spirit to baptize me. I confessed having places of idol worship in my life. I opened myself up for the Holy Spirit to be poured into me and it was just this amazing experience of warmth, light, and oil just flowing over me. I felt an overwhelming peace and calm and love and joy in the midst of that despair. I awakened. That's when I realized that when we allow enough space to really grieve our losses; in God's presence, joy and peace and love can co-exist with sadness. God is capable of handling our authenticity and He desires that.

K: This is beautiful Desiree. I have to ask, after having been awakened by the Holy Spirit, what’s life been like? Can you describe the different life that you have now?

D: I actually can tell that I was asleep before. I had a relationship with God previously, but it wasn't complete, it wasn’t what my soul was needed for wholeness. Now, I have what I was craving, and I’m satisfied and full in my life. My life is not perfect. I still struggle with grief and sadness. I still have triggers at times and feel completely unlovable and ugly. But now I have the Spirit reminding me that it’s not who God says I am.

Now, I actually have a craving for God kind of like craving water, air, sugar or exercise. I actually crave it! When I miss time with Him, it’s like the little warning light in an airplane going off saying you're too low to the horizon, you need to rise. And when my craving for time with God is satisfied, it’s like finally having fresh air to breathe.

K: Thank you for being so open and honest with us here on CCA. I want to ask if you have any last thoughts you’d like to share with our readers?

“Luke 17:21, “You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.””

D: I would love for everybody to be able to wake up to the hope you have and not just the hope
of a brighter future when Jesus comes again, but the HOPE NOW! I believe heaven is dwelling in God's presence. And having the baptism of the Holy Spirit, literally is heaven now. Like the verse says in Luke 17:21, “You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.”

Desiree’s list of Book Influences:

·      Uninvited, when you feel less than, left out and lonely – Lysa Terkeurst

·      It’s Not Supposed to Be this Way – Lysa Terkeurst

·      The Baptism of the Holy Spirit – Dennis Smith

·      The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and New Wineskin Fellowship – Dennis Smith

·      The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Deliverance – Dennis Smith

·      The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Prayer – Dennis Smith

·      The Holy Spirit – Spiritual Gifts: Amazing Power for Everyday People – Susan Rohrer

·      A Better Way to Pray – Audio Sermon Series by Andrew Wommack

Singing, Teaching, and Art-ing // Sonja Einerson

A graduate from Walla Walla University, Sonja Einerson is a gifted singer, artist, and full-time art teacher. I was excited that she was willing to share with us part of her life’s journey with art, God, brain health, and more!

Kandyce: I have to ask, when did you discover your talent for singing, art, and teaching?

Sonja: All very different areas, that grew and blossomed at various times for sure!  I started to sing when I was very young.  My earliest memory was when my parents enrolled me in a Christian preschool and Kindergarten called “Children’s World of Music”.  This school had a strong emphasis on faith, music and performance, and definitely cultivated my love for singing early on.  It led into continuing it at church and schools in my elementary, high school, college, and adult years.  I’ve been very fortunate to have opportunities for growth and people who have mentored me in its development.

Teaching was a natural progression.  I’ve always loved being with kids.  I sometimes joke that the Lord created me to be with them rather than adults!  I grew up babysitting in my neighborhood, worked at a preschool in high school and college, and immediately knew elementary education was where my degree needed to be.  I’ve never questioned it, even now 11 years in.  My job is definitely one of the most challenging things I’ve undertaken, but without question the most rewarding.

A glimpse of the beautiful art that Sonja is creating.

Art is the one that has been the last to emerge.  The only art I grew up doing was alongside my grandmother, who was a gifted painter.  I never considered myself talented in it… in contrast, the exact opposite!  Much of my focus growing up was in music.  However, as I began to teach, I found a true love for doing art with my students.  Fast forward to a few years ago when my school decided they were in need of an art teacher.  I immediately felt God pointing me towards it, knowing I could do it well.  It’s now been three years teaching art to my Kindergarten through 5th graders, and it has brought more joy than I can express.  I began practicing my own personal art during this time as well, and have experienced much growth from putting in many hours.

Kandyce: Do you find that your faith intertwines with singing/art/teaching? If so, would you tell us about that? 

Sonja: Yes!  Especially in adult years, my faith has become an integral part of all areas of life.  There is such a reliance on Him needed for all of them, as each could not be possible or fruitful without His kindness and strength.

Kandyce: You’ve been open about your struggle with anxiety and I’m curious to know more about your journey with brain health and how God is guiding you. Would you share with us some insights you’ve had? 

Sonja: Anxiety is something that has been a slow burn for the past seven or so years, and reached its height a couple years ago… a journey that has brought a whirlwind of frustration, confusion, desperation, and a reach out towards God that I never saw coming.  As much as I long to be free from it, I can say without a doubt that my faith would not be what it is today without it.  Not ashamed to say that counseling and medication have also played an important part as I continue to work through it, and I’m passionate to defend each.  Our brain health is warred on fiercely in this broken world, and everyone’s makeup is completely different.  We need to be vigilant in our care for it. 

Walking with the Lord has been my greatest weapon, and has offered me the most tangible moments of peace through this that I’ve ever known.  I’ll never forget my pastor’s words on anxiety a few months back, which exactly convey my heart now as I battle it:

“Being prone to anxiety may be an issue God allows you to struggle with for the rest of your life.  God may never deliver you from it.  But He wants you to grow through it.  God gives us help and hope.  By prioritizing prayer, pursuing the priorities of Jesus, and by making a choice to trust for today. 

 Kandyce: We had a long conversation about our come to Jesus moments, would you elaborate about your experience? When did you find Him and what has that transformation been like for you?

Sonja: I grew up in the church, so the Bible and its stories have always surrounded me.  I definitely feel that growing up I simply “went through the motions” of a Christian kid from a believing family, and didn’t truly make my faith personal until my late twenties.  I was led to a church family when I moved back to the Vancouver area that fostered the importance of cultivating that one on one relationship piece with the Lord, something I didn’t have an appreciation for growing up.  I’d consider truly “finding Him” in my adult years, and has been a joy filled journey that continues to teach fulfillment, trust, and growth.

Kandyce: You’re not only a gifted singer, you also lead praise worship time at your church. How has that ministry impacted your life and journey with the Lord?

Sonja: I consider leading worship such a sacred privilege… something I constantly have to lay down and surrender at His feet.  I’m grateful for the many opportunities to lead over the years, and the friendships it’s brought me.  The Lord has been so so kind.  As my journey with Him deepens, so has my worship. 

There’s no one I’d rather sing for.

Art in action in Ms. Einerson’s classroom

Kandyce: I wish I could be a fly on the wall in your classroom. From the photos I see it looks like you have a blast with your kiddos. Would you tell us about your day to day in the classroom and what inspires you? 

Student making art in Ms. Einerson’s art class

Sonja: Being an art teacher is straight up CRAZY!  My days are nonstop.  With six different grade levels, each doing a different project and using different materials, at the end of the day I’m about ready to collapse.  But seeing the wonderment that art concepts and its processes provide them is worth it.  I gather my inspiration from all over… historical and contemporary artists, nature, pop culture, and various mediums and techniques.  It truly is a world of possibility.  

Kandyce: I love to ask this question, so I’m going to ask you — when was your last “God moment” and how did it inspire you or what did it teach you?

Sonja: I am heading to Kenya in a couple months to teach art for 11 days in Nairobi!  It’s an opportunity that completely dropped into my lap unexpectedly, but something that God has worked out in every single detail.  I’m honestly in awe of His goodness over the whole thing.  One thing I’ve gleaned from the planning of it is how to better lean into His will, and trust in that.  He WILL make a way if He sees fit.  J 

Kandyce: Lastly, is there anything you’d like to add or impart any wisdom to our readers when it comes to stuff concerning relationship with God? 

Sonja: Something I’ve been convicted of lately is the true possibility of contentment in Christ alone.  I’ve found myself in moments of comparison over the years, of my life to that of those around me.  While I still struggle at times, the more I’ve sought Him, the more peace I’ve found in where I am.  I’m more convinced than ever of this life aligned with Him, and that the things of this world won’t ever come close. 

 If I could strive towards any verse in this life, it’d be this: 
“The Lord is my strength and my song.”  // Psalm 118:14 

Dreams and Other Things // Martha Mason

This project has been a dream come true and the first interview makes it all the more special. Today, I interviewed someone who has shaped my journey in art and my relationship with my One True Creator. My professor and mentor, Martha Mason has a great God story that I’m honored and privileged to share with you.

Thank you, Martha for helping me dream big and for being the first artist to come on board with Christian Creative Art. 

God speaks to us, He hears our prayers, and answers. This does not mean life here on this earth will be perfect, because it cannot be. But, He promises to stay faithful to us through it all. I’m honored to share just a smidgen of Martha’s story and how God revealed Himself to her.

// Interview //

Kandyce:
You once told me about a dream that you had that involved your foster father and I was very intrigued, can you tell me more about that and what it represented to you?

Martha:
Well, it was very visual dream. I dreamt I was in a room and I was looking into a hole. Instead of a house there was just a deep pit. My foster father was in the dream too. My foster father was the kind of guy that would stand and chew on a toothpick while he was thinking. But, anyway, I recognized from what I had studied about dreams, that the house represented my life and my foster father represented God. My foster father was a carpenter and builder. He was an important person in my life and an example of how I thought about God. He was a godly man. Not a perfect man but, he was a very godly man. I knew that at this point in my life I was not talking with God or acknowledging God and that this dream was kind of bringing me back. The dream was saying God is good and He's paying attention to me and caring about my life. God is working on and helping me reconstruct/build where I lived, which had pretty much gone to nothing.

Kandyce:
That dream, did it come to you while you were living in San Francisco?

Martha:
Yeah, I was having a bunch of dreams like that and they were all about God coming and saying I care about you and He was using just different language (dreams) that I could relate to.

Kandyce:
You also told me about some lights from across the street
that you saw out of your window of your apartment. Can you share about that experience?

Martha:
Around the same time that all the dreams were taking place, one night I looked out the window of my apartment down to the park. There's a church in the park – St. Peter Church and it was in August which is a celebration of Mary in the Catholic Church. The light they were using on the towers was a blue light for Mary. One of their ways of kind of visualizing that particular holiday and I just thought that it was so beautiful. I wasn't thinking about Mary; I wasn't thinking about anything I was just thinking about how beautiful that this little community could celebrate God and how that I could have no part of it because I was not a God person.

I made a prayer then. I just basically said, if I could ever be connected with God again, I don't know if it's possible because my life had not been very good – but, I said, “If I could ever reconnect with God, I would love that.” I wanted to be like this little community of people who in my mind where you know, happy Christian kind of people.

I know I simplify all this kind of in my mind I think that's what we do a lot of times. We make up little stories so that we can make an explanation for things and God is just as happy to use any of that I think.

Anyway, that was the blue light story. After that, a voice in the middle of the night said, “You could go back to church.” I asked my husband at the time, I said, “Did you hear something?”

He goes, “No.” and I said, “Well, I heard a voice and it woke me from my sleep.”

After that dream and that audible voice, I started visiting churches in San Francisco, which was kind of fun because there's a lot of wonderful old buildings - all the different downtown churches which I still love to visit. But, I did go to the one across the street with the blue lights and there was a quartet. They sang the mass but it was in Italian - and it brought me to tears and I thought to myself, “Why are you all emotional, if you don't have any faith?”

I think God was using my emotions because I'm a very emotional driven person. So, that was the language He used and it worked.

I had to find my way, it was the back door. I was too stubborn I had bad attitude about a lot of things for whatever reason. God knew we had to go our own way, so He took me to dreams and took me to people who were kind and didn’t have any agenda for me and that was a radical, radical thing. People that could just love me.

Kandyce:
Then what happened?

Martha:
You know Morris Venden came on the scene and that was the big turning point because once I got exposed to his ideas I was like wow that is something so totally wonderful and opposite from what I grew up with, you know?

Kandyce:
How did you hear about Morris Venden?

Martha:
From a book that I received when I went to the Adventist church.

My boss at the time who was also a Christian invited me to their Easter services. So,

I did go to the church, the Adventist church in San Francisco and I did find Jesus there. I was taken by surprise. The message was a simple Easter message and I said to myself, “Your emotional problem is that you do believe in Jesus and do you believe in this religion. I said, “Okay God if this is for real You need to get me some stuff, some reading material because I don't remember too much about it.”

The next week I did go to the church again and someone brought a bunch of books to me. The person said, “You might be interested in these.” And I sort of looked up to the ceiling like okay someone's listening – this is dangerous. I had to say, “Ok God.”

So, I looked through the books and they were a bunch of things in there that I couldn't relate to - BUT, there was one book called, Faith that Works by Morris Venden - it was like a morning watch book and I started to read that and I read it straight through - not day by day, straight through. Because, it was too good.

Basically, it said it's not about your behavior it's about who God is. I thought what a fabulous turnaround from all the things that I had grown up with.

Kandyce:
After you read the Morris Venden book what happened?

Martha:
Well, you know I was hooked. I would go to church every Saturday and finally, one of the deacons asked me when I was going to be baptized. I said, “I don't know I didn't know if anybody was ever going to ask me.” I was very passive. But, I was learning from Morris Venden to spend time with Jesus every day. In other words, I have to wake in the morning and talk to Jesus and read the Bible and not just skip over but, really spend time until you know He's with you. And it does take a commitment of time and energy but, that’s how I got through those days which were very tense. I didn't really have any answers for anybody. I just asked people to bear with me because you'll see that in the end it is a good thing.  

Kandyce:
How did you end up in Walla Walla?

Martha:
My family, part of my foster family introduced me to Jerry Mason and that was when Jerry and I got together and were married in 1992. I left the city of course because he was up in Placerville area. We lived around there for a while and we actually worked at Weimar for a while.

I think we were at Weimar for about 9 months and then we got a call from Walla Walla College. I would come and teach there and that was a fabulous, fabulous journey and both Jerry and I were really blessed. So, we started a whole new life in Walla Walla. Long journey – we met lots of memorable students and friends.

Kandyce:
Are there any other things you’d like to add about your journey with God?

Martha:
Oh, yeah there’s so many things. The main thing is to stay with Jesus and stay in His Word. He does, I don't think He needs to, but He does go outside the Word, like He did with me. But, He wants us to stay in the Word and it's fresh like manna. We like to read all kinds of good books and things but, a fresh connection with the Word every day is like a place, a service or a little chapel where He meets us and comes and gives us ideas.

“I feel the richness of His presence in those experiences and His leading which is the most precious thing.”

I love that He guides my thoughts so, I ask Him every day, “What do you want me to do, who do I connect with?” He doesn’t give me an audible answer, but I can look back each day and say I did this or I said that or I met this person and I feel the richness of His presence in those experiences and His leading which is the most precious thing. Then you can relax and enjoy your life and survive things - like my husband just died and I have to live alone and I don't know what I'm doing or where I'm going but, every day I know that Jesus is helping me.

I realize nobody knows what their life is going to be we take each day and we try to be faithful and confident that He will guide in whatever is happening. So, that's my little journey right now and I appreciate it all.