Prophesy
"and your daughters shall prophesy"
Acts 2:17
This piece was commissioned by the Baptist World Alliance. It was completed during the Baptist International Conference on Theological Education that took place between July 4th-7th 2019 in Nassau, The Bahamas.
The image was designed to fit with the theme of the conference: "TogetHER: Re-Imagining, Re-Reading HER story in the Church."
The originating concept for the design is as follows:
HER story has been closed (hence the closed book beneath her feet) and has not been fully told, acknowledged or recognised. But she stands on the truth, her feet bare, for this is truly holy ground. For now, she is able to open the book; to preach, to prophesy and to proclaim. The drapes are representative of the Holy Spirit who is instrumental in pulling back the barriers enabling HER story to be told.
A percentage of the profits from the sale of this design will go to the Baptist World Alliance.
I wrote the poem beneath the design to accompany the piece and the art work was presented to the conference with the poem as part of the closing worship.
Baptist Times
I wrote a reflection about my experience at the conference for the Baptist Times. You can read it here.
HER story
She spoke
She led
She prophesied
She confounded the enemy
She stood up to kings
She prayed
She preached
She learnt
She blessed
She worshipped
She anointed
She released the captives
She brought good news
This is Her story
No longer shrouded by the stories of others
No longer to be constrained by archaic thinking
No longer a fight, but a right
No longer to be held back
But released into the fullness of all that God calls her to be
So too now
She speaks
She leads
She prophesies
She confounds the enemy
She stands up to kings
She prays
She preaches
She learns
She blesses
She worships
She anoints
She releases the captives
She brings good news
This is HER story
This is OUR story
The fullness of God
Through the seal of the Holy Spirit Birthed in each woman
Who stands on the truth
That we are all called to be
Free to speak
Free to lead
Free to prophesy
Free to confound the enemy
Free to pray
Free to preach
Free to learn
Free to bless
Free to worship
Free to anoint
Free to release captives
Free to bring good news
HER story is OUR story
And OUR story is God's story
May HER story, and our story
No longer be silenced
But be told!
(c) Ali Taylor 2019