I used to think dates were something you did with a partner, a lover, someone who was there to impress you. But over time, I discovered a kind of date far more intimate, healing, and life-changing than anything I’d ever experienced.

It started with a yearning I couldn’t explain—a longing to connect with something greater than myself. I was spiritually curious, creatively drained, and emotionally scattered. And somewhere deep inside, I was desperate to be seen, held, and restored.

So I took myself on a date—with God.

What began as a simple walk in the woods turned into a multi-year journey of sacred communion with the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the Father through nature. And from those encounters, Spirit ArtVentures was born.

The Inspiration: The Artist’s Way and the Awakening of Desire

Years ago, I read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. One of her core practices was the idea of taking yourself on an “artist date”—solo time, weekly, to explore beauty, curiosity, and creativity without distraction.

This concept resonated deeply. I had already been seeking healing and creative inspiration through New Age practices at the time. So I started planning quiet excursions into nature—solo hikes, river walks, and forest picnics where I’d sketch, journal, and just be.

But I wasn’t expecting what happened next.

Because these solo dates started to feel… holy.

Finding the Spirit of God in the Wild

I didn’t yet have language for it, but looking back, I now know I was meeting the Holy Spirit.

As I wandered through trails in the Pacific Northwest—especially remote forests with waterfalls, wildflowers, and ancient trees—I felt something sacred wrap around me. A divine peace. A Presence.

I would sit under cedar trees or soak in natural hot springs and feel waves of stillness, beauty, and love. I didn’t know much Scripture then. I wasn’t attending a church. I was spiritually disoriented but hungry for truth.

And nature became my sanctuary.

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made…” — Romans 1:20

Drawing Near to God Before Knowing His Name

These early nature dates weren’t yet rooted in the Gospel. I was still exploring. But I often spoke to “God” in the forest. I would thank Him. Ask Him questions. Cry to Him. And more often than not—I would feel comforted.

Over time, I started to call Him Father.

Eventually, I started reading the Bible.

And then, I encountered Jesus.

From God to Jesus: The Turning Point

In 2020, my entire spiritual journey shifted. I had a supernatural encounter with Jesus that left no doubt in my heart: He was the way, the truth, and the life.

All the forest whispers and waterfall revelations suddenly made sense.

It wasn’t “the Universe” that had met me in those quiet places—it was the living God.

From that moment on, my nature dates weren’t vague spiritual experiments. They became intentional appointments with my Savior.

What It Looks Like to Go on a Date with God

These “dates” weren’t grand or performative. In fact, they were delightfully simple.

• I’d pack a journal, a Bible, watercolors, and a few snacks.
• I’d drive to a remote location—hot springs, hidden trails, river bends.
• I’d set up a blanket or perch on a log and ask: “Holy Spirit, what do You want to say today?”
• Sometimes I’d paint. Other times I’d weep. Often I’d just sit, soaking in silence.

Each date was different. But every single one brought healing.

I learned how to:

• Be still and know (Psalm 46:10)
• Listen instead of striving
• Create from presence, not pressure
• Let Jesus hold my sorrow
• Delight in God’s creation and His design

And something beautiful began to awaken again: my creativity.

From Solitude to Spirit-Led Expression

I had always been an artist. But over the years, my creativity had been suffocated by pain, shame, performance, and burnout.

On these sacred dates, the Holy Spirit began breathing life into my imagination again.

I’d draw without judgment. Paint without fear. Write without editing. Dream without limits.

It felt like play—but it was more than that. It was worship.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” — Psalm 19:1

In nature, surrounded by His design, I was reminded that I, too, was created by a Master Artist.

Expanding the Journey: From Forests to Conferences

As my relationship with God deepened, my dates with Him expanded beyond nature.

I began planning trips to attend healing conferences, Christian retreats, and worship gatherings. I’d go alone—not to isolate, but to encounter.

In those spaces, I saw:

• People delivered from depression and addiction
• Children healed from chronic illness
• Hearts ignited by prophetic words
• Rooms filled with His glory

And every time, I would leave full.

Not because I received a miracle every time—but because I was falling deeper in love with the One who is the miracle.

Spirit ArtVentures Was Born

Somewhere in the rhythm of all these dates—forest walks, worship nights, trail journals, soaking worship—Spirit ArtVentures was born.

Not just as a brand. Not just as a concept.

But as a lifestyle.

Spirit ArtVentures is about:

• Traveling with God
• Creating with the Holy Spirit
• Experiencing healing and truth through beauty
• Going on personal faith journeys and returning with testimonies

And now, it’s something I get to share with others through art, courses, workshops, and personal mentoring.

What I’ve Learned from Dating God

1. God is not afraid of your solitude. He often speaks loudest when the world is quiet.
2. Jesus wants to romance your soul. He will meet you in the wild and whisper your true name.
3. The Holy Spirit is wildly creative. He will give you ideas, images, songs, and dreams you never imagined.
4. Nature is a classroom. Every leaf, waterfall, and sunrise is a sermon.
5. Time with God is never wasted. Even if all you do is cry, sit, or breathe—He is working.

Encouragement for You

You don’t need to be a wilderness expert or professional artist to go on dates with God.

You just need a willing heart.

Start with a walk around your neighborhood. Sit in a park with your Bible. Take a solo drive with worship music and no destination. Ask God to join you—and He will.

Try This:

• Bring a journal and write a letter to Jesus.
• Paint what you feel after prayer.
• Take communion beside a lake.
• Sit under a tree and read Psalm 139 out loud.
• Attend a healing service or creative retreat just for you and Him.

These aren’t acts of escape—they’re acts of devotion.

They’re how we learn to live with God, in God, for God.

Final Thoughts: Your Spirit ArtVenture Awaits

I never planned to start a ministry. I just wanted to breathe again.
I never set out to build a website. I just wanted to know God.

But that’s the beauty of dating the Divine—you don’t always know where you’re going, but you always end up home.

Let nature be your chapel. Let solitude be your sanctuary. Let Jesus be the One who meets you there.

Because He will.

And He’ll bring healing, creativity, identity, and adventure with Him.

Just say yes.

Your next Spirit ArtVenture is waiting.