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About 2 Friend's Design - Inspirational Art & Gifts
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| (L to R) Mary Nielsen & Kathy Williams
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How It All Started
Have you ever wondered 'How can God use me to share His word with others?' Well, that's exactly what happened and led me, Mary Nielsen, to come up with the initial concept for 2 Friend's Design Inspirational Art & Gifts. In the spring of 2007, after listening to a sermon at my church, I felt that God was calling me to make a change.
One of the verses studied during that sermon was from the book of Romans. It was Romans 12:2, which says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The pastor was making his points on how to apply this truth to ones life, especially living within our media driven, self-absorbed world of today. This lesson soon began to resonate deep within my heart, soul, and mind, leading me to question exactly what I was doing personally to share His word with others. It really made me think, "Was I just conforming to the world I lived in?" Day after day, month after month, I kept asking myself, "What was God's will for me? and "How could I use the talents given to me, through the Holy Spirit, to share His word with others?" At this point in my life, I wasn't really one to 'share' my faith with others. But I felt a tremendous awareness that I was being called to make a change.... was I going to act on it?
2 Friend's Design Comes to Life
Many times throughout my day I would repeat the words from Romans 12:2. I would ask God what He wanted me to do with this. I was so inspired by this verse, that I went looking for, but not able to find, any type of wall print or plaque at my local christian gift store, with the verse Romans 12:2 on it, for my home and office. What to do? After months of trying to figure out what God was leading me to do, I got it! I approached my friend and business associate of eleven years, Kathy Williams, with my 'idea' that God had given me. Drawing upon our experiences within the photographic industry, we put our talents together, mine being strategic planning & marketing, Kathy a graphic artist, and officially incorporated 2 Friends Design, Inc. in June of 2008. The purpose of our work is used as our tag line: Spreading God’s Word Through Art. Each design starts with the verse. We wanted our art to be different, something that would reflect God's truths using rich, vibrant colors, photographic images, and a title, that together reflects the meaning of the verse on each piece. Our first design, titled REVITALIZE, with 'my' verse Romans 12:2, now hangs in my living room for all to see, and is on my business card as a constant reminder that we are here to do His work.
A Look for Today.... spreading Lasting Truths
Together our goal was to create vibrant, thought-provoking designs - with the purpose of Spreading God's Word Through Art...... to encourage and inspire others through His truths and abundant beauty!
Our Fine Art Prints & Gift Products include:
-Our Signature Giclée Gallery-Wrapped Canvas Prints
-Photographic Table Art Prints with Artist’s Easels
-Note Cards & Christmas Cards
-Journals & Log Books
-Note Pads w/Magnet
-Dry Erase Calendars
-Dry Erase Magnets
-Bookmarks, and more! Custom Design Services are also available.
Sharing.... spreading Lasting Hope
It has been a real joy these past years meeting with and sharing with our customers. One particuliar moment that especially touched me was when a man, probably in his late-thirties, kept walking by our booth at a local art show. He wasn't well groomed, and his clothes were dirty and torn. But he kept walking back to our booth, just standing at the outer edge, and would just stare at the prints we had on display. Around the third time that he did this, I went up to him and asked him which print had caught his attention. He told me that our design titled, "New Beginnings", was what he kept coming back to see. And that the verse on it, which says: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a New Creation; the old has gone, the New has come!" from 2 Corinithians 5:17, has been his story. He then proceeded to tell me that he had recently been released from prison. That he had been in for many years and since he didn't have anything better to do, he started reading a bible that someone else had tossed aside, and that it was this verse, from 2 Corinithians 5:17, that had begun his own transformation. He told me how he was a New Creation, and how grateful he was that God is so loving and forgiving. He told me how getting to know Christ has changed his life, from one leading to a dead end, to one now filled with the promise of salvation! He thanked me for not being afraid to show my faith. But you know what, I am the one that truly thanks him for walking into my life that day... to reminded me of just how marvelous the grace of our almightly Father is, and that noone is too lost to be found. Keep seeking Him!
Made in the USA!
We are pleased to say that all of our products are hand-crafted in our home town of Crown Point, Indiana, the heartland of the USA!
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