2020 has been a strange year, to say the least. Shortly after I turned 50 in January, COVID-19 hit. Even though the impact on my business has been manageable, new jobs have been slow in coming in. As a result, I was left with a lot of free time—time to fret and stare at the ceiling, wondering if things were going to get worse before they got better.
Then my daughter suggested I take up art again. I don’t have art training but I dabbled in it mostly during my undergraduate days. Since then, I’d barely touched it, except for a few pieces in the 1990s. In May 2020, I decided to draw building sketches of the Spain family holiday we had taken in 2019, using markers. What started out as an activity to pass time quickly evolved into a whirlwind adventure in art that consumed me.
One month after I picked up a marker, I started selling art for charity. At first, the hardest part was not the work, but parting with the drawings. I asked God, “Remove my attachment to the drawings and let my heart for the needy be bigger.” And remarkably, He did. By mid-July, I had sold 21 art pieces and raised almost $2,500.
I also found my skills improving exponentially. I ventured into drawing animals, something which had previously been difficult for me, and found to my amazement that I now had a knack for it. I remember drawing a dog and telling God, “I’ve never drawn tongues or teeth—that looks impossible!” I just copied the reference photo as best as I could, stepped back and was shocked to discover that it looked realistic. No one was more excited than I was! I’m convinced God’s hand was guiding mine.
After successfully drawing ONE dog and ONE cat, I recklessly decided to offer pet portrait services to fund-raise. I guess I assumed God would come through for me. “God, I offer my service, and you bring the customers, ok?”
I got my first commission almost right away, from a complete stranger. She didn’t want a cat or a dog, but two rabbits. “God, I’ve never drawn rabbits!” I prayed. “Someone’s paying good money for this. You’ve gotta help me.” (Yes, I was trying to emotionally blackmail God.) And God, being gracious, acquiesced.
After that, I received more commissions, and even as I struggled with some of them, they all miraculously turned out well each time. To date, over $4,800 has been raised for charity. People tell me my art is a gift and I agree—it is not a talent, but a present. I’m finding this art journey incredibly fulfilling, and I believe that because I dedicated the gift to God to bless others, He’s blessing me in ways that I cannot fathom.
I don’t know where this is headed but wherever God leads, I’m ready.
Monica is selling her artwork and taking commissions for pet portraits. 80 per cent of the price of each work will go to one of these four charities (the buyer’s choice): TWC2; HealthServe; Willing Hearts; or YWAM. The remaining will cover the cost of materials and postage. For more information, go to
Monica Lim runs a copywriting agency and a blog on kids and education. She is the author of The Good, the Bad and the PSLE, and has co-authored 14 children’s books with her daughter, Lesley-Anne, some of which have garnered awards. She is a member of Christ Methodist Church. / Photos courtesy of Monica Lim
