Aine’s Story
If I want to talk about how God has come into my life, I will have to start about a decade from when this blog post is becoming written ten years later. Looking back on the firm hand of the Father and the power of prayer that has been covered over me for years has left me in awe of the sovereignty of God Himself. A God Who growing up in the gilded chapels decked in gold and statues who was always a distant figure in Heaven rolling a pair of dice, seemingly uninterested with the people of the large congregation, thinking that this mysterious figure had better things to worry about than the life of a kid growing up in West Belfast.
One thing I can stand with my hand on my heart is that God is truly the pursuer of our hearts, even when we cannot see it. I was born in the 90s as a preemie and the number of stories that my parents have of unknowingly see God’s hand on, I could write them all in a book.
Perhaps that could be one day?
For now, consider this the cliff notes version.
Reflecting, I knew God pursued me, of all people, that introverted kid with the array of allergies and the ropey lungs who played way too many video games and probably should have gone outside more. That teenage girl who always thought because she had never kissed a boy before the age of 17, that she was something wrong with her. Even as a young woman in my 20’s not knowing what the next step is in my career and wondering if I will ever measure up to people around her.
I’ll cut out most of the details of growing up in an all-girls Catholic school trying to navigate your way through life, religion and those blackheads that did not shift no matter how many pore strips I used (ouch). However, a lot changed for me when I was around 13 when my parents got saved by Jesus. I was befuddled at the idea of the Gospel, the way it was presented to me in my church growing up (this is my journey personally in the church I grew up in, not a reflection of this denomination!) was jump through these hoops and maybe God will talk to you.
Maybe once? Perhaps even a tingle during prayer?
Goodness, how I wish I could talk to that young girl right now and look her in the eyes and tell her, “You have no idea how close God is to you.”
I was completely gobsmacked even more when this preacher who grew up around my neighbourhood who was a Pentecostal preacher with a zest for God and filled with the Holy Spirit in such a way it was a far cry from the quietness of the chapel. This preacher had a widespread ministry across Ireland, healing the sick, casting out demons, the more charismatic end of the spectrum.
When he shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that He lived a sinless life so that we could be reconciled to God, so that we could spend an eternity with Him in complete wholeness and to even have the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead to live on the inside of us every day.
Colour the 13-year-old me shocked.
So, what did all of this mean now? Suddenly, I felt like a vase being smashed to pieces, everything I knew up to that point was shattered and a new love began to bloom. Mind you, it took around 4 years of God knocking on my door. With a lot of prayers from my parents.
A few supernatural experiences and lot of “No weapon or evil formed against us shall prosper” being prayed over me constantly on my way to school (gratefully, I may add) perhaps I wanted to know about this Jesus whose name could make everything bow to their knees.
As a teenager and watching a demon being casted out as I was sitting beside this lady, perhaps there was something to this all along. I’ll spare the details after a lot of grief, bereavement, heartbreak from boys, disappointment from failure of many of creative pursuits, God began to meet me there. A lot of deep roots had been leading and the little curiosity that beamed in my mind.
I want this God who leaves the sheep’s fold with the 99.
I was that one sheep that came home.
Fast forward to 2016 and one year of a lukewarm area after that, the rest was history accepting Jesus as my Lord and my Saviour.
I won’t lie to you on this blog and say that everything was hunky dory. Because that is certainly not the case.
In fact, I would go as far to say that the storms were fiercer and stronger than ever before.
The difference is now that I have someone and the someone to travel through the thick of the rain and come out the other side.
I can attest to the strength and protection over my life as I navigated my early 20s (hurts to say as a nearly 26-year-old) in college with isolation but it was one of the most extraordinary times of creativity growing up as a former ballet dancer then turned artist. God really showed up for me and showed me how to give my gifts back to Him like it says in Colossians 3:17.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
I studied fashion production and business in college, hoping to go down the route of bridal design, RIP Thirty-One Clothing, but then that one little bug called COVID decided to reck havoc on the entire planet. Cue the lockdown and a bad break up later to finding myself not being able to go down the route I was so sure I was able to do. Cue, Aine Rafferty Art. I will preface, I NEVER planned on starting this business let alone ever picking up my paint brush after studying art in school. But God did and continues to expand my business to reach those who need to see the Light of God therefore showing the righteousness and goodness in a very dark world. A lot of work, failure, setbacks later, here we are still standing at 800 followers, a slow burn but a flame, nonetheless.
But God, threw another creative curveball in my midst in the best way possible.
I had an idea in my head to go along with my artwork with beloved characters I have created and then a whole lore spanned which turned into the first draft of a book which is so near and dear to me as a creative and a testament again to the sheer creativity of our Creator.
I had never thought in a million years I would be here. A little girl who loved the Barbie Princess movies, someone who loved to colour in books and play pretend. God knew what He was doing.
I won’t give away too many details so I will leave the social media handles as well as links to sign up to my upcoming newsletter Raff Writes and my art pages.
I will leave you with a few parting thoughts as we wrap up this blog.
God will give you dreams you did not even know that were in you.
Never underestimate the power of prayer and perhaps if you are a parent, never ever underestimate the covering and force of prayer over your children. Because one day, those prayers could lead to the testimony I have shared today to stand and say to you today that God is faithful, God is good, God wants to know you.
I hope that this has blessed you and I want to extend a special thank you for the opportunity from the lovely Sarahi who has been a wonderful artist friend that has blessed me so much from all away across the waters!
Love,
Aine xx
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Instagram and YouTube – aineraffertyart
Social media for writing!
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