Have you every felt like a lonely traveler on a sojourn through life—always searching yet never finding what will once and for all fill that empty ache in your heart?

I sure have. Oh I’ve enjoyed moments, days, and even seasons of settled; those wonderful times when God’s grace seems so real you can wrap your soul around content.

But then the prickly heart starts and you find yourself once again immersed in an impulse to escape…to travel to unknown places on the earth and of the heart in search of an illusive home.

Recently, my daughter sent me a link to a message that reminded her of me: Don’t Waste Your Pain by Rick Warren. I deeply respect this man who has suffered greatly with the loss of his son, so I read with an open heart. Though a difficult message to embrace, “Don’t Waste Your Pain” gave me a fresh perspective on those difficult travels we often take.

The Traveler is an acrylic painting inspired by women I know who have weathered the storms of life. These are courageous souls who have not only survived, but also dared to share what they’ve learned with others who are going through similar struggles.

I painted a thick coat collar on The Traveler because when the storms of life whip around your neck, a sense of your destiny protects you from the chill.

I’m dedicating The Traveler to those courageous sojourners who believe and endure even when their eyes can’t see a way through the pain.

My parents insist that we’ll never feel totally at home until heaven. I’m beginning to think they’re right.