""Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. "Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." - Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭MSG

Those who are subscribed to the weekly Loto Letters from me have heard how God has awakened my spirit through creative prayer, specifically painting.

As a kid, my Mom used to call me "Jenn Ross" because I loved to paint with Bob on TV. I still do! It took me a long time to get to a place with my art where I could enjoy the process of creating without the burden of attachment to the outcome.

And I'm not just painting the landscape—happy trees and fluffy clouds— I'm painting my prayers. I am exploring the meditative practice of applying paint to canvas in unplanned sequence and form. Playing with color and texture to connect with the Holy Spirit and letting His words emerge through my brush as prophetic art.

Through this practice or creative surrender, God has been speaking loudly into my life. In one such instance, the Spirit told me to look up my married surname, Axcell. What I found led me down a path to these verses in Matthew.

Reflection Question: Have you ever felt God speaking to you through a creative or unexpected process? What was that like?

Axcell/Axtell is derived from a Middle English occupational nickname, Hacksalt, which denotes a "dealer in salt." Immediately, these verses where Jesus tells the disciples that they were to be salt and light into the world came to mind. As I usually do, I looked them up on my Bible app and compared various translations (a few of my faves besides the NIV are The Message, The Passion Translation, and the First Nations Version).

Do you ever read a verse and feel the Spirit speak directly to your heart? That's what happened to me when I read Matthew 13 in the FNVNT:

""As you walk the good road with me, you are the salt of the earth, bringing cleansing and healing to all. Salt is a good thing, but if it loses its saltiness, how will it get its flavor back? That kind of salt has no worth and is thrown out." - Gift from Creator Tells the Good Story‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭FNVNT‬‬

God clearly said to me that as Jennifer Axcell, He meant to use me as a "dealer in salt" and light to bring cleansing and healing to the world. Like the TPT translation of this verse states, as I walk with Jesus, my life will be used as salt among the people, influencing culture with my unique flavoring.

Reflection Question: When you think of your name or personal history, are there any connections that God might be using to affirm your identity and purpose in Them?

I was then given a vision of this painting, Salt + Light, and this urge to add salt to the wet paint. The result was a depiction of the Lord’s light radiating into the world through me and a deep conviction to reflect Their light boldly as and brightly as my unique self.

My friends, we were not meant to blend into the culture of this world; we were meant to influence it through our lives shared boldly for Christ.

Reflection Questions:

• How does your unique identity and character bring out the God-flavors in the world around you?

• What does it mean to you to be a light-bearer in your family, workplace, and community?

• Do you have a “salt and light” calling that God has placed on your heart? How can you take the next step to live it out this week?