When I began painting these alpine flowers in the summer of 2000, I wanted to capture their perseverance. But it was over the next several months that my own perseverance would be tested. Our daughter—our only child—passed on. We were concerned about the challenges that lay ahead for our son-in-law and four grandchildren, and wanted to be supportive in any way we could. And, of course, my own peace was torn away. Like the alpine flowers on that lonely mountain, I struggled to endure.
I turned to God for help. I leaned on His love to show me the way to find regeneration and hope. To lift me up again. To find peace I began to look for even the smallest glimmers of gratitude and joy in each day. I held to the Bible promise, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Prov. 3:5 . As I continued to pray and to trust, I gained more moments of spiritual strength.
When I returned to the painting a few months later, a flash of inspiration hit me. I saw those flowers differently. They no longer looked alone or misplaced in the arctic wild. Peeking out from cliffs and crags, these delicate plants braved the harsh winds and arid soil at the Rocky Mountain summit. They were in their rugged habitat where they grew naturally, close to the sun and fed by the winter snow. They were at home.
