The Veil
For hundreds of years no one had access to the Glory of God except the High Priest of Israel who entered the Holy of Holies with
For hundreds of years no one had access to the Glory of God except the High Priest of Israel who entered the Holy of Holies with
We all tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves, thinking we’re never enough and that God expects us to be better, or wiser,
A woman in India sifted rice. For her it was an ordinary day, but for me, it was a lesson about glorifying God. By Cheryl
As a disciple, Peter faltered on occasion, but, as the leader of the early church, he glorified Jesus mightily and exemplified strength and courage. By
Peter fell to his knees. He had fished all night to no avail. But in an instant with one command, Jesus changed everything. By Debbie
God’s glory comforts us and wraps us in His love. By Charlotte Laxen Helfritz, based on Psalm 108:5 (NLT), Be exalted, O God, above the
The word “rest” resonates with us in all the seasons of our lives. Especially as we grow and mature, we understand how vital rest is
During a heavenly vision of the glory of God, Isaiah heard God’s call for a messenger and cried out, “Here am I, send me.” How
Change is hard. But in the hands of God, every step in every season reveals God’s gentle care for every detail. By Cheryl Barr, based
What do we learn about following Jesus from one of His most important ancestors, Boaz, the grandfather of King David? By Debbie Gustafson, based on
Communications Advisor
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.
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.