2021 was a year of holy unravelling. What began as confusion and grief slowly became the sacred ground where I discovered the heart of God again — not in the noise of religion or politics, but in the stillness of His presence.

A Year that Tested Love and Conviction

The months of restriction and division tore deep into my spirit. Watching families, churches, and communities fracture over “passports” and fear reopened the wounds of my past — the generational shame of the Holocaust, the trauma of apartheid, and the sting of rejection I thought long healed. It was as if the injustices of history were repeating themselves under a different name.

My heart wept for those being excluded, for churches turning people away when Jesus had said, “Come unto Me, ALL…” (Matthew 11:28). I felt the weight of silence — the same silence that once allowed evil to thrive. That grief found voice in pieces like “A Stand Against Division” and “Silence in the Face of Evil.” Yet even there, the Holy Spirit reminded me that obedience to truth is an act of love.

Visions, Paintings, and the Language of Healing

Through art, the Lord became my counsellor. Paintings such as “Power in the Blood of Jesus”, “Anointed to Heal the Brokenhearted,” and “The Cry Beneath the Colours” became my prayers in paint — expressions of intercession, lament, and redemption.

In “A New Song in My Soul,” Jesus showed me a vision of a scratched CD being replaced — a picture of Him freeing me from the repetitive lies of unworthiness and shame. In “Take a Leap of Faith,” the skydiver became a symbol of trust — a reminder that courage isn’t the absence of fear but the willingness to jump into the unknown held by His grace.

Each artwork, from “Knit Together with Love” to “Finding Refuge in the Cave,” was another step in healing — a kintsugi of the soul. Through broken pottery and flowing water, gold and crimson hues, I rediscovered that beauty is born through surrender.

When Faith Became Personal Again

2021 stripped away the structures that once defined “church” and brought me face to face with Jesus Himself — the One who never turns anyone away. In my isolation, I found intimacy. In my tears, I heard His whisper: “Give Me your old song, and I will give you a new one.”

Through online Healing Rooms, divine friendships, and the faithful prayers of intercessors, I began to taste freedom again. Anger turned to compassion. Division birthed intercession. What the enemy meant for evil, God truly began to use for good — turning the curse into a blessing (Nehemiah 13:2, Romans 8:28).

Redeemed Time and Restored Purpose

The Lord redeemed time in surprising ways — reconnecting me with spiritual parents I hadn’t spoken to in decades, stirring memories of grace that had lain dormant, and reminding me that none of my pain was wasted. Conversations with Oom Leon and words from those who saw me as a “beloved royal daughter” rekindled courage to keep standing for truth with love.

In every painting, every tear, every journal entry, the refrain of the year echoed: “He makes all things new.”

💡Reflection:

2021 will always be remembered as the year my heart broke — and began to heal. The year when silence became a song, pain became paint, and wounds became wells of living water. Through every fracture, the golden thread of grace held me fast.

Because Jesus never wastes suffering.

He turns curses into blessings, ashes into beauty, and division into deeper dependence on Him.

A Prayer for the Year Ahead

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for holding me when everything around me shook. Thank You for using brokenness as the brushstroke of Your glory. Teach me to carry truth with tenderness, conviction with compassion, and faith without fear. Let my art, words, and life become vessels of Your healing love to a world in need.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.