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TOM WEEKS:
I've wanted to make comics for a while, but I've
been too frustrated by how my imaginative reach exceeds my grasp of
drawing. I think to myself, "who are YOU to make a comic?
Be quiet and let the pros do it."
This year, however, God has arranged circumstances
around me such that it would be very convenient to start making
comics. Without even trying, I suddenly have an inker, a
publisher, and even a table at a big convention. God seems to
be saying, "I'll do something big with your love of drawing if
you'll trust me."
I didn't believe in myself anymore, but I definately
believed in God. So I trusted Him, and now I have a page
finished--the first in 10 years. Maybe it sounds silly to be
glad to finish just one page, but when you'd given up on ever
drawing anything of value, it means a lot. For me, the
one-page is not just a cute little vignette: it's a monument to God
overcoming my weaknesses.
I would be remiss if I did not mention Jeni Warwick,
who co-authored the one page submission, inked it, and has been
God's mouthpiece of encouragement for me since Day 0. She is a
great blessing to me for many many reasons (too many to list here).
Her energy, creativity, and boundless faith continually remind me
that God can do anything if we will only trust Him.
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JENI WARWICK:
"It is like I have a special sort of 'in' as an
inker. I got to do two projects for you guys. Let me
tell you, it is fun. My 'in' comes that I can be involved in
two projects that are almost complete opposites without going stark
raving mad. I bet you wouldn't have known that the same person
inked both of them unless you we told you. I am so
excited about what God has been doing. Have you ever had a
dream that you afraid to even hope for? That is what inking
was for me. I didn't even peruse it as more than a hobby.
Then God started giving me things that I didn't even ask for.
First he gave me nice people at the FallCon here in Minnesota last
fall. Than he gave me my first penciller, Alex Healy. I
didn't even fully realize that fact until Alex was at my door with
pages. I guess that I sort of expected it all to disappear if
I was to believe it. But it was true. As I moved forward
with Alex, I began to encourage those around me to do what it was
that they wanted to do. In Tom Weeks case, that was a long
dead dream of making a comic. Good think I took a first aid
and CPR class, because God and I were able to revive that
dream. Perhaps the dream wasn't dead after all, just
hibernating. At any rate, we (God and me) managed to wake it
up again. Then Tom and I went to the MicroCon in the spring
with the purpose of networking a little. We talked to some
self published people and they directed the guy who runs the show to
us. He offered Tom and I a table at the upcoming FallCon.
Incredible. Even if I was brave enough to ask God for a
penciller,
I wouldn't have even thought of asking for a table. It reminds
me of Matthew 7:9-11. My heavenly Father just loves to
surprise me." |
