This painting is inspired by the biblical story of Jonah, who was swallowed by a giant fish after fleeing God's command to go to Nineveh.

The text below and the artwork itself illustrate my personal dilemma between obedience and fear.

You cast your net and pulled me in. I abandoned the sea to be near you. But then you commissioned me to summon the others using the talent you bestowed upon me. So I sent and obeyed you.

From that moment on, I have given you my full devotion—until the seventh month, when fear overtook me.

How do I keep serving you if everything I have built has crumbled and all my resources are completely gone? How will I feed my family, and where do we sleep tonight? That is when I stared out at the vast sea. I was pulled back to a time when life was easy and comfortable. Part of me desperately wanted to run away.

However, I know that there's no net to break my fall when I return. There is only a sharp hook destined to tear through me and fling me to the mouths of monsters below. ORIGINAL ART: Watercolor and gouache on 8x10" archival paper. Signed and dated. Art print: The design is printed on 8x10" matte-finish paper.