Hey Element Church! Meet Skyla, this week’s Volunteer of the week. Skyla was nominated by Brielle, our Worship Director, who said this: “Skyla recently stepped up to serve as a Creative Arts Admin and use her gifting in graphic design. She is dedicated and spends hours working on projects and postcards, etc. for the church. She is always willing to adapt, grow, and push herself to learn new graphic design techniques. Thank you, Skyla for all you do!”
Skyla has been attending Element Church with her dad, Kevin Newman (Safety team), mom Christina (Hospitality), sister, Andrea, and brother Joel (Usher). She runs her own home business for digital illustration and enjoys video games, anything artsy like literature or music, weightlifting, and archery.
When asked why she serves here at Element, she said, “I have wanted to do something with my art for Element for a long time, like all the way back in like 2008-ish long time. But back then my artistic skills weren’t at the level that Element needed. I had hardly any digital art experience and no schooling. Back then I was really struggling with my faith, or even about having faith in the first place, and coming to Element made me realize that I do need Jesus in my life. I loved, and still love, this church and how accepting and welcoming it is. I wanted to give back in some way, and though I couldn’t really do it then, I can now. When I was 18 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which is a chronic widespread pain disorder that comes with a lot of other symptoms too. It’s made it difficult for me to get work and had discouraged me from volunteering when I came back to Cheyenne, but after my parents asked around, I discovered that artists were needed! I really am honored and excited and proud to be able to give what I have and do what I can. I am not letting a disease keep me from serving and God has given me a way to do so. In a way, it also helps me feel triumphant over the enemy, that no matter what I go through I will still be doing everything I can to glorify God, and he can’t stop me.”
Skyla, I’m so proud of you for stepping up to use your gift for God, even with your limitations and roadblocks. You are bringing glory to God by what you do and are a blessing to have on our team. What you do MATTERS!