Abundant Harvest

/ Fresh Oil Artists / By

God’s glory resonates throughout His orderly creation and reflects His infinite intellect , logic, meticulous precision.

By Barbara Bonnell, based on Genesis 1:11-12 (NKJV): Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Bible Story Focus – Creation: The thought behind this painting depicts gathering food from the earth.  The picture features apple trees and their harvest, the fruit of which is rich in nutrition and abundant seeds for planting.

Reflection: People familiar with the Bible know the story of creation, where God originated and created all that is. This account is found in the very beginning of Genesis, the first Book of the Bible.  God reveals, day by day each creative work, completing it on the sixth day in the forming of man and resting on the seventh day. (See Genesis 1:1-31).

What can we learn about God from this descriptive account?  We learn that He is a God of order and logic.  What He creates is intricately put together with precise, meticulous thought—He has a plan and a purpose to fulfill.

We also learn He is an “all-knowing God” Who, through creation, brought into existence the heavens, the earth, and all that is on the earth. He enhances the visual scene by adding artistic beauty and interest through color, multiple shapes, sizes, and texture. Additionally, we see that He is a caring God who makes provision for what is required to sustain life, such as water, upon which all living things depend, and the great variety of foods, including specific seeds to be planted in the ground. 

In the creation story, we also find that God has and expresses feelings, as when His Work was finished and He proclaimed: “It is very good.”  By revealing “His Work” in the Bible, we learn that He desires communication and a relationship with what He created. We can praise the Lord for all this and say, as the Psalmist wrote in 104:1, “Bless the Lord, O my soul.  O my God, thou art very great: thou art clothed with honor and majesty.”

Prayer: Lord, we gratefully declare Psalm 104:24: “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is filled with thy riches.” Thank You for being so precise and meticulous not only in all of Your creation but also in our own lives. We are hungry to know You and trust You more day by day.

Medium: Watercolor.

Copyright © Barbara Bonnell, 2023

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Communications Advisor

Debbie Gustafson

Debbie Gustafson has been an active member and participating artist since the first Psalms Exhibit in 2012. Consistently, she has supported our events and exhibits with wisdom and excellence. Her wisdom and faithfulness to our vision prompted us to seek her support as a board member, and she graciously accepted although she also serves her church and community in a number of other roles, including arts and education. In addition, she is an original member of our blogging ministry that now comprises our “Fresh Oil” artists group.

Programs Advisor

Roberta Sawyer

Roberta (“Bobbie”) Sawyer describes herself as “a lifetime dabbler with a love of experimentation with learners young and old.” Currently an elder at Prairie Community Church in Eden Prairie, Bobbie has participated in numerous types of ministry. She has taught art seminars for children including her “Art in the Park” outdoor summer series, served as a scenarist for church skits, plays and musicals, led Bible study fellowships for 12 years, and created backdrops and props for Vacation Bible Schools. She has also served as a literacy tutor and office support staff for South Hennepin Adult Programs in Education. Also an original Great Commission Arts core group member, Bobbie co-coordinates the monthly Art Klatch painters fellowship group. As a board advisor, she contributes much prayer, a tenacious faith, and a love for people and artists of all definitions.
Outreach Advisor

Geraldine Antoinette Mehta

Geri Mehta has served in numerous ministry positions, which include teaching Sunday school at Way of the Cross church in Blaine, directing girls programs at Hospitality House in north Minneapolis, serving on the mission field in Guatemala and India, and co-leading a home church. She has also been active in community organizations such as Jaycees and Toastmasters.
Geri brings a clear sense of vision and discernment to the board, especially in the area of outreach. She has a passion for promoting the gospel with compassion, love, and respect. As a painter and original Great Commission Artists core group member, Geri has served GCA faithfully in numerous capacities. Her wisdom, like her art, inspires us to seek God’s heart in all things.
Pastoral Board Advisor

Reverend Roger Kuhn

Roger Kuhn has extensive ministry experience, including numerous pastoral positions in New York, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Ohio, and Minnesota. Most of his career he has served as lead pastor and has particularly enjoyed discipling new believers. Currently, Roger serves as the National Pastor of Member Care and the Director of Church Relations at International Ministerial Fellowship, the licensing organization for W.I.N.D. of the Spirit Ministries. Additionally, his pastoral responsibilities include all IMF Alliance Churches and 200 Lead Pastors. With deep faith and a thorough understanding of ministry, Roger provides pastoral supervision, support, and prayer for W.I.N.D. Ministries, including Great Commission Artists.
Founder & Director

Marianne McDonough

Licensed for ministry in the creative arts through International Ministerial Fellowship, Marianne McDonough serves as the director of W.I.N.D. of the Spirit Ministries and Great Commission Artists. Believing the arts have a unique capacity to exalt God and inspire His people, Marianne loves to encourage and mentor Christian artists toward the full expression of their gifts, especially in the context of worship. Marianne’s experience includes writing in secular and Christian venues, leadership in worship and dance ministries, teaching worship arts seminars for children, and sponsoring visual arts workshops and exhibits.

In 2010, she initiated “Art in the Beauty of Holiness” seminars, specifically designed for visual artists and subsequently produced in DVD format. After the formation of GCA and its core group in 2011, she produced four more DVDs featuring artists’ interviews and three other seminars: Worship in the Potter’s Hands, Waterfalls with Rev. Paul Oman, and Banners with Elsa Hammond. She also created a cable television presentation on art and worship. 

Starting in September of 2012, Marianne inaugurated the first Great Commission Artists Exhibition, “Psalms Exhibit and Creative Arts Celebration,” at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. This event included a juried exhibit, continuous original worship music provided by local composers, and dance presentations. Since then, as of spring of 2023, GCA has presented ten exhibitions with multi-generational artist participation, including numerous high school students from local high schools. The last five exhibitions have traveled for month-long display at Twin Cities’ churches.

Additionally, Marianne believes the Great Commission applies to all of the body of Christ, including artists of all definitions. Thus, she has guided Great Commission Artists to create a variety of teaching conferences and art-based community service projects including Kids Love, a popular Valentines day outreach to homeless children. Great Commission Artists is fulfilling its namesake mission to minister Christ to their world and glorify God.

With a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Minnesota, Marianne is an author and speaker. She also leads a Christian writers’ critique group. Her 2016 book, 8 Steps to Getting Real with Cancer, won the Midwest Book Awards in the health category. In 2018 she released Beating Cancer One Truth At A Time, another guide for newly diagnosed patients designed for individual or support group reflection.

Marianne enjoys writing in various genres and desires for writers to explore new ways to release their talents to exalt Christ. Her passion is to see God’s beauty revealed in all of the creative arts.