An artist’s reflection: Jo Brookshaw

The finished artwork. Image: Major Steven Haworth

BY JO BROOKSHAW

“Come.” 

The first house I lived in with my husband Pete was close to the main street of our city, and we often heard people talking as they walked past our bedroom window, just metres away. Some nights, as we went to sleep, we would laugh about the things we could hear – a one-sided conversation from a person on the phone, friends walking home from the footy, or someone puffing away as they ran to catch the late-night train.

One night, we had been praying together, and as I lay there quietly, expecting as usual to hear voices outside, I instead heard a voice inside ... impressed deep within my spirit, just as clearly as if he had spoken directly into my ear, Jesus said, “I want you to paint - me.”  I felt the weight of a hand in my outstretched hand and caught my breath ... I was suddenly overcome by the Holy Spirit. Waves of joy and peace washed over me as I tried to understand the magnitude of what I had just heard and felt. I knew this was a moment of blessing and anointing, but didn’t know what to do with it! So I told my husband Pete - he recognised the Spirit at work and prayed over me as I continued to feel the presence of Jesus right there with me and have those words resounding in my heart.  

I would like to say I got straight to painting the very next day, but I had very little experience of painting at the time and had only painted an image of Jesus once, so I put it to the side as a special purpose that God had for me “one day”.  

Fast forward 10 years, and I was in full-time ministry with three little children. I didn’t have much time for art, but I began to paint again. I painted during worship and used art to point people to Jesus. I studied art and shared with a community art group, I taught art to young people at camps and painted prophetic art at special events. It was a journey of artistic discovery I loved, and around the edges, yes, I painted Jesus (a little).  

Twenty years have now passed since that night I heard Jesus, and to be honest, I haven’t thought about it for a very long time. I was recently asked by Rosy Keane [Territorial Spiritual Life Secretary] to paint a prophetic image on a wall at THQ. This wasn’t just any image; it would be a floor-to-ceiling mural, bathed in prayer from start to finish.

The mural project began with a blank wall and a line-drawn tree painted in blue. Through Rosy’s invitation, it flourished with prayer ‘leaves’ added day-by-day, people bringing their prayers to see The Salvation Army become more ‘Jesus-centred, Spirit-led, Hope Revealed’. When the time came, these leaves were collected, and I read through them, ready and hoping for inspiration to come. I definitely felt inspired by the prayers, but not yet inspired with an image! So I read and prayed (a bit insistently!) and searched God for direction.  

The next day was Pentecost, and having travelled all the way from Western Australia to Victoria, I placed myself intentionally at my home church – Wyndham City Corps. This is where my first painting of Jesus ‘lives’ and where I knew I could rely on godly prayer warriors to pray with me. Catherine and Phil Abram, Rintje Taekema, Susan and Brett Stobie and others prayed red-hot prophetic prayers over the project. It was the day I was going to start the painting and – praise God – as the time edged nearer, the image became clearer in my Spirit!  I drove to THQ, ready, but nervous to begin. That day, I wanted to prepare a special background to help with sketching out the outlines, but more importantly, to provide a solid basis of prayer. I adapted the following passages from the prayer leaves:  

“LORD, THIS PENTECOST WE PRAY FOR YOUR HOLY SPIRIT TO BRING RENEWAL ACROSS AUSTRALIA & A PASSION PUT INTO ACTION TO SEE PEOPLE FIND HOPE IN JESUS. HELP US TO LIVE THE GOOD NEWS AND BE THE GOOD NEWS! LORD, BE IN ALL OUR THINKING, DECISIONS & ACTIONS. WE NEED YOU! CONSUME US BY YOUR HOLY SPIRIT IN ALL WE DO, THAT ALL PEOPLE COME TO KNOW JESUS. HELP US TO BE BOLD & BRAVE TO STEP OUT IN NEW WAYS, GOD MOVE US TO BE PART OF GROWING GOD’S KINGDOM, SEND MORE WORKERS INTO THE FIELDS! LORD, MAY EVERY PART OF OUR BODY BE SURRENDERED TO THE HEAD, THE HEART, THE CENTRE - JESUS. WE PRAY FOR HEARTS AWAKENED, THAT WE’LL RETURN TO OUR FIRST LOVE. LORD GOD BRING REVIVAL & AWAKENING! WE PRAY ALL OF THIS IN JESUS’ NAME, AMEN.”  

What a prayer of action and deep spiritual focus! My heart was caught up with the centrality of Jesus in these prayers and a deep trust in the Holy Spirit’s power to bring renewal. The Salvation Army’s mission and vision were expressed so clearly through the hearts and minds of those who had contributed.

Rosy and the Spiritual Life Team came together and prayed as one that afternoon, over The Salvation Army in Australia, echoing and sharing the heartfelt prayers of those who had prayed before. The words I had scrawled in desperate capitals stood bold and yellow on the wall – a declaration that would remain spiritually alive, but soon covered over by an image, which I hoped to be just as bold and spiritually arresting!  

I shared with the team about the image I had felt drawn to. It was big and confronting, but was soon confirmed by what God had spoken through the service they had attended that Pentecost morning, where the very same passage had been referenced.

The image is Jesus – walking on water, standing on wild waves, facing towards Peter, whom he had, moments before, invited to come and join him. Peter bravely stepped out of the creaking boat and walked across the sea towards Jesus, but with the storm raging fiercely around him, he soon doubted and sank suddenly beneath the waves.

Now Jesus reaches, hand outstretched, eyes searching intently as he extends his urgent invitation for Peter to be saved from the watery depths below. It is better told from Matthew’s account (Matthew 14:27-31a TPT), “Then Jesus said, ‘Be brave and don’t be afraid. I am here!’ Peter shouted out, ‘Lord, if it’s really you, then have me join you on the water!’ ‘Come and join me,’ Jesus replied. So Peter stepped out onto the water and began to walk toward Jesus. But when he realised how high the waves were, he became frightened and started to sink. ‘Save me, Lord!’ he cried out. Jesus immediately stretched out his hand and lifted him up ...”  

In the mural‘s image, Jesus reaches out to you. You may place yourself as Peter – keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus’ invitation or distracted by the lightning and waves around you.

What can’t be ignored is that Jesus is the calm amidst the storm. Though his hair is whipped wildly by the wind and the lightning glimmers across his face, his eyes are locked on yours, inviting you to come; steadfast, calm and reassuring. Looking towards the right, another message appears. A lighthouse rises from the mist as its beams of light pierce the dark and thundering sky. It stands as a reminder of the visionary parables of The Salvation Army. The prophetic storytelling of earlier days is vividly etched into our collective memory. Here stands the lighthouse of In Darkest England and the Way Out, where the crashing seas condemn poor souls to drown in sin and vice and brokenness ... whilst the lighthouse of salvation boldly shines to lead them to safety, for now and eternity (see James 4:7-10 for more encouragement).  

In the powerful parable of William Booth's ‘Vision of the Lost’, he says, “Jesus Christ, the Son of God is, through His Spirit, in the midst of this dying multitude, struggling to save them. And He is calling on you to jump into the sea – to go right away to His side and help Him in the holy strife. Will you jump? That is, will you go to His feet and place yourself absolutely at His disposal?”  

William Booth‘s words hold a personal challenge, and I hope so does this artwork. As you stand before Jesus, he extends an invitation to you today. If you find yourself as Peter, aiming to bravely stand in faith, but finding yourself sinking because of the challenges that surround you, Jesus says, “Come”. If you find yourself invited to join in the work of saving others, and are willing to give your all in doing so, Jesus says, “Come”. If you find yourself drowning in the storms of life, dragged down by your own struggles with sin and brokenness, Jesus says, “Come”.  

He extends his hand to save you. It is the good news our world needs today. It is a personal and powerful message that is integral to who we are and what we do as The Salvation Army. It is the gospel itself. Jesus saves. And we are His  Salvation Army.  

Now, as far as the story of the mural goes, there isn’t much more to tell. Aside from acknowledging the incredible support I had from Majors Kim and Steven Haworth, who were friends, encouragers and documenters of the journey; the wonderful people who stopped by to chat with me at THQ, my amazing parents who blessed me with transport and a place to stay, my husband Pete who held the fort at home, all those who prayed, and of course the visionary prayer-activist and brave creative soul, Rosy Keane.  

Finally, I have experienced through this journey that Jesus is so faithful, he is so good, and I am so very thankful he called me to this work. My hope is that if God could use my art to help people recognise Jesus, that they would seek him, find him, know his voice and discover his saving love for themselves. 

To download your own copy of Jo’s work, click here.

To see more photos from the process, click here.