This is the Lord’s project. I have listened and obeyed, but there is no question that He is the One originating the ideas, opening doors (and closing them when I get off track), leading me daily, and providing the way. I am merely working for Him and He is a great leader!!!

The idea was conceived in December 2023 during Bible Study. One day we discussed how Christmas can feel secular making it hard to keep the reason for the season in focus. My friend shared how her toddler kept taking the porcelain baby Jesus from their nativity scene, carrying it around their home, inevitably, leaving it here and there, which had my friend constantly asking her toddler, where’s Jesus? Since that day, the Lord continued to press on my heart the idea of Finding Jesus, a simple and tangible way to keep our Savior’s birth the center of the Christmas holidays. It was not until mid February 2024 that I began to take action on the Lord’s prompting.

I felt strongly that God’s Word was the foundation of the product and no commentary from me or anyone else was to be incorporated. To make the words come to life, I wanted visuals that were attractive for adults yet playful for children. I needed an artist! I did not know one… BUT GOD did! I prayed for him to bring me an artist on a Friday and on that Sunday, through casual conversation with a friend, she mentioned her sister who happened to be an artist. I reached out to the sister and no surprise, it was an instant fit! Lauren Cox has been a dream to work with and oh my, her talent!!! She captured the spirit of this project with precious and playful illustrations for each day of scripture and a beautiful whimsical piece of art for the completed puzzle.

You may wonder why the completed puzzle isn’t on display anywhere to show where the next puzzle piece goes and how the finished artwork will look. The reality is that this parallels life walking with Jesus. It is an adventure and we just don’t know the masterpiece planned, but we can trust that His plans for us exceed any of our own.

We can paint our own canvas, go our own way but it will never truly satisfy. A surrendering of ourselves to Jesus and His ways, when it makes sense and when it doesn’t, unfolds the fullness of His goodness in our life and to His glory. Here is an example as it pertains to this project.

I wanted Finding Jesus to be made in the USA for so many reasons. I prayed for a manufacturer here, however at every turn, this option became unfeasible. I talked with the Lord about going to China and felt the green light to go. Every door flew open and the two manufacturers I chose have been incredible. Now I have two friends on the other side of the world who have been moved by the project, showing me that God is at work…but it doesn’t stop there! I was visiting with a friend about my hopes for one day manufacturing in the USA and she informed me that Christian missionaries are prohibited in China.