Akiane’s angel, drawn when Akiane was four years old
“Today I met God,” (A four-year-old girl whispered to her mother one morning).
“What is God?” (The atheist mother was stunned.)
“God is light—warm and good. It knows everything and talks with me. It is my parent.”
“Tell me more about your dream.” (The mother felt concerned. To her the word, “God,” sounded absurd and primitive.)
“It was not a dream. It was real!”
“Why did you think it was God?”
“Just like I know you are my mommy, and you know I am Akiane.”[1]
Oprah’s favorite, “The Planted Eyes,” was painted when Akiane was eight years old.
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Akiane was born in a shack in Illinois, into an impoverished Lithuanian family. Her name means “Ocean” in Russian. In her childhood, she became a world-renown artist with paintings that sold for $100,000. Also honored as a celebrated poet, she appeared on Oprah’s show. All this by age ten.
Akiane with her brother
She had no formal art training and was homeschooled. Growing up, her brothers were her only friends. The family didn’t own a TV. Her parents were atheists and never talked about religion. How did she find out?
From God, Himself!
When Akiane was ten, The Museum of Religious Art in Iowa invited her to have an exhibition that her mother later said, “proved to be an unforgettable event.”
Questions from viewers came at her from all directions:
“‘What church do you belong to? What denomination?’ someone from the crowd asked loudly.
‘I belong to God,” Akiane responded.Continue reading
