Several months before the accident, Jeremy bought a pack of blank canvases to paint on with a friend of his while staying at his brother Trav’s house in St. Louis. Trav’s wife, Jess is an artist and Jeremy thought it would be fun to learn some tips and have a fun night of painting. Trav and Jess had recently welcomed a new baby into the house and with that distraction and being tired new parents, the painting night did not happen as planned. Shortly after the accident, Trav discovered the unopened pack of canvases in his basement and was devastated.

Knowing Jeremy likely would never get to paint again and use the canvases, he got up to throw them away and get rid of that painful reminder that they didn’t paint with Jeremy that night. While doing so, suddenly out of nowhere, a voice told him Jeremy will paint on these canvases. “But how?” “He has no control of his hands and his arms have very little movement.” And immediately, the image of Jeremy using a makeshift harness attached to a brush on his left foot flashed in Trav’s head. This is how it would work and the idea seemed to be inspired from God himself. The first time Jeremy tried it, a huge smile overwhelmed his face and his foot began to dance with the brush. It was immediately natural like he’d been doing it his whole life. Jeremy had discovered a whole new realm through art — one he was re-made to do in a way that looked different than all other artists.

Even if Jeremy was never able to spell or do anything “meaningful” for the rest of his life, a simple brush stroke of bright acrylic laid onto stretched fabric by his foot or hand is itself a loud miracle. Jeremy shouldn’t be alive. His injury says he shouldn’t function in a meaningful way. He shouldn’t laugh. He shouldn’t inspire. He shouldn't have the hope to inspire making beauty. Yet he does! More powerful than anything else perhaps, painting reflects in a beautiful way the redemption of his own life story. The accident forced him to become a “new blank canvas,” while putting God, the ultimate creative-redemptive artist on full display. Jesus, the Author of Life, is incredibly near to Jeremy everyday. Jeremy’s painting is an outworking of his worship and true worship leads to shared worship.