MICHELE REISING

Daughter, Wife, Mother, Business Owner, and Fashion Connoisseur—with a heart for lost sheep.

Fashion and creativity have been my passion since childhood. I graduated Baylor with a Fashion Marketing degree and launched my career designing a line of children’s clothing. From there, I worked as a Fashion Director for one of the largest commercial photography studios in the world—partnering with top modeling and talent agencies such as Elite, Ford, The Campbell Agency, Kim Dawson, and more. I also moonlighted as a model for The Kim Dawson Agency on the side.

I went on to be a Booking Agent for Independent Artists—booking top stylists, hair & make-up artists, and coordinating photography shoots and commercials for clients like Metropolitan Home, PierOne, and Mercedes. I was hired away to be a Senior Booking Agent with Page Parkes—Intermedia. I found myself pivoting between Houston, Miami, and New York. I even booked two of the first ever “13 year old Models” on the cover of Seventeen Magazine, and ran creative lead on projects for L'Oréal and Vogue.

While I was running in the fast-paced world of high fashion, my soul was suffering. I knew God was calling me back to Him in a real and genuine way. Through friends that connected to me at church, I began to rediscover God's plan for my life and He began to open up a whole new world.

I met my husband, Richard, who was also a model but a strong Christ-follower. We were dating when I had my first stroke. I vividly remember having to learn how to use my left arm and leg again. God's work in my health was remarkable and we soon married just after we caught God's dream for starting a creative agency that would serve the Church worldwide.

From there, we started the agency God called us to (Artistry Labs), and as the business grew, so did my health challenges. I walked through six TIA's (small strokes) and another major stroke. I've had dozens of surgeries and sport a pace-maker-type device that causes several of my organs to function. Few years have past that did not involve time spent in a hospital. And as I recovered in my many hospitals stays (at least over 8 month's worth), I began to see a pattern.

God began to deal with me about finding too much of my value in my work. This became a major heart challenge as I was forced to lay work aside to recover time and time again. I would run into a friend who I had not seen in years or meet someone new at a Bible study only to hear the question I hated most, "What do you do?" These often frequent first words in our introductions echoed in my ears as if the answer truly defined me.

The fact that I found my value in my work was a painful reality that challenged me to my core. I had to learn and seek out the truth that I, indeed, was valuable outside of what I did. God showed me that all women, young and old, are valuable not because of what they do or don't do. We are valuable because of **Who** created us. In the same way I find my creative efforts valuable, God finds His creation in us immeasurably valuable.

The verse that changed it all for me is Zachariah 9:16. "On that day the Lord their God will save them, as the flock of His people. **For they will sparkle like Jewels in His crown**, **they shall shine on His land**. For how great is his goodness and how great is His beauty!"

We were built to sparkle. We are His creation. We are jewels in His crown. We are created to shine. Every jewels is unique—with distinct, cut and clarity, with flaws and everything—just like us. **We are jewels in His crown.**

This verse has become a life verse for me and inspired me to share the message of how God values his daughters to friends in my Bible studies, to others in ministry, and to the people I meet around the globe as I serve church leaders with my husband and our amazing team.

A few years ago, I was volunteering at an event for young women at Gateway Church and I saw an opportunity to bless this precious group with a piece of art that would remind them of their unique value and beauty.

Little did I know that it would be a hit—that it would strike a chord inside women and help them realize how God saw them. From this moment on I began creating a line of small unique prints, t-shirts, journals, stickers and more. I am constantly dreaming about creative ways to encourage young girls and women to see their value to God.

Today, with over 25 years working in the creative industry, ministry is where my heart is at. I have been honored to serve on the board of many great ministries, as well as advise business leaders and ministry leaders alike. This is what I do for fun! I also paint, create, and travel. I have a brilliant husband and a 6 year old miracle child who brings more joy to my day than I could ever explain.

With *I am His Jewel*, I get to fulfill God's call on my life to ascribe His value on young girls and women—to encourage them about their value and worth. I hope to inspire women everywhere to be the brilliant, bold, and beautiful—to find their worth in God their Father and to shine with all their might for Him.

I am blessed. I still am battling health issues every day. I've had more than a few doctors tell me that I am their one-in-a-million patient they can't figure out. I think Mayo Clinic knows me by name. I am committed to persevere—to shine—not for my glory, but for His. For I am a jewel in His crown—full of beautiful cuts and cracks—formed in heat and pressure over time.

You are His Jewel!
Love

Michele