Marla has been married to a fabulous man for 8 years, and is a mom to five boys, four here and one in heaven. Along with being a busy mom, she is an artist who gets so much joy out of creating paintings that are meaningful to others. In her stage of life, she finds it immensely satisfying to do something that doesn’t immediately get undone. :) She is also a photographer, but that hobby is a bit more on the back burner right now. 

Even though Marla grew up in a Christian home and became a Christian at a young age, she had a rough year or two in her teens where she got angry at God, and dealt with spiritual attacks and suicidal thoughts. One night, she was so tired of the sadness and wanted to be close to Jesus again, but she couldn’t say His name out loud. Finally, with her parents praying over her, she was able to say Jesus’ name, and welcome Him back into her life. It has been such a joy to serve Him ever since! When Marla’s firstborn son died at birth, she was so grateful she had Jesus with her to carry them through those awful days. Marla honestly believes she and her husband could not have gotten through it without Him.

Marla is passionate about enjoying the life she lives and making sure people remember to laugh. Looking for the beauty and gifts around her and acknowledging them out loud to her boys is one of her favorite ways to live in a thankful way. Being an adult doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself! 

Most of Marla’s daily worship with Jesus is through admiring His beautiful nature all around her, and by worshiping through song. Nature and singing are both dear to Marla, and she often bursts into song or finds excuses to get outside, even on busy days. :) Her children so often show Jesus to her too, when she hears them singing meaningful lyrics or in the way they are so quick to forgive her and her shortcomings. 

Something Marla feels like Jesus has been teaching her is to remember the power of prayer, and to pray for the day to day things. She whispers a prayer when she struggles with child training, or starts a morning off on the wrong foot, or finds herself worrying over whatever little thing she is mulling over in her mind.

Marla’s family loves to spend time outside, hunting or fishing together, exploring on the four wheeler, and swimming together. Currently, the obsession among her boys is fishing, and they go at it with consuming regularity.

If Marla wants to relax, painting something that just flows from whatever she is feeling in the moment is so calming. She also loves chatting with a close friend, or sitting down somewhere outside with a good cup of coffee, or hitting up a thrift store. 

Marla paints to order, and enjoys selling her paintings as a fun side gig. She also gets in an occasional photo session in between baby wrangling, keeping earthworms off her kitchen floor, and filleting the fish her boys bring in fresh from the creek.