As a little girl I spent hours looking through our old family Bible. The pictures were dark and foreboding and I was sure the Lord was waiting for me to make a mistake so He could punish me. I think I am not alone in this. As I travel around I hear over and over statements like, “Why aren’t there any pictures of Jesus smiling or happy?”

I wanted to create a picture for my children and now grandchildren of the loving friend I longed for as a child. I wanted them to see that Jesus is not waiting to punish us; rather He is waiting to hold us, laugh with us, and love us. I wanted them to know that He is and will always be our hope, our happiness, our joy, and most importantly our friend.