Dear Jonathan,

Belóved Gallery and Akiane Kramarik are thrilled to nominate you for the prestigious Faith through Art Legacy Award, which will be presented on October 26th at the Belóved Gala. This nomination recognizes your outstanding contributions to film, television, and media that have profoundly impacted minds and hearts. Your portrayal of Jesus in “The Chosen” has been a catalyst for cultural change, and your unwavering commitment to inspiring faith in audiences worldwide is evident in your work on “Jonathan and Jesus,” “Jesus Revolution,” and the Hallow App, where you guide millions toward the heart of Christ daily. Your excellence and courage in your craft, leadership in the industry, compassionate response to fans, ecumenical approach to building the body of Christ, and passion for helping people encounter the true Jesus are truly commendable.

Before we tell you more about this award, we must share the unbelievable story of its first recipient, world-renowned Master Fine Artist Akiane Kramarik. In 2003, an eight-year-old raised by atheist parents who had never attended church or read a bible painted a portrait of Jesus, Prince of Peace. Not only was Akiane declared a child prodigy by experts, but her painting of Jesus quickly became widely recognized and admired by people of all backgrounds and beliefs.

By age nine, Akiane appeared on worldwide media platforms, such as the Ophra Show, the Montel Williams Show, and the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Thousands of people wrote to her, telling her they had seen this face in their dreams, visions, and even during near-death experiences. It was a face that gave many hope for the future. A face representing Jesus that today millions have responded to…sound familiar?

Tragically, the Prince of Peace painting was stolen before Akiane turned ten. It wasn’t recovered until two decades later, when the painting found its home at Belóved Gallery in Marble Falls, Texas. Under Akiane’s blessing and guidance, Belóved Gallery’s premier exhibition, Akiane: The Early Years, debuted in April 2023 as the world’s first public exhibition of her works. To date, over 20,000 visitors from more than 25 countries have toured. Guests come from diverse backgrounds carrying their own stories – such as the young woman who rode a bus 14 hours from Monterey, Mexico, by herself to see Prince of Peace and the 80-year-old who found comfort at the gallery the day after losing his wife to cancer.

Even more extraordinary, guests have miraculous experiences in front of Akiane’s painting. One mother, Lorraine, who spent years grieving the loss of her non-verbal disabled son, left the gallery a new person, certain that her son is in Jesus’s arms.

Hadarah Belle, a five-year-old who had an experience of visiting Heaven, waited for hours at Belóved Gallery, determined to meet Akiane, “the girl who painted my Jesus.” A veteran who felt the presence of Christ during his visit later shared: “It was the most powerful experience of my life. Now, I don’t have to wait until I’m buried in the ground to know true peace.” These are just a few of the hundreds of physical and emotional healings and encounters of Christ’s love that we’ve witnessed. To say it’s been humbling and faith-building for our team is an understatement.

Not only have Belóved Gallery guests been impacted by Akiane’s Prince of Peace and her unique story, but Belóved Gallery and Akiane Gallery have a combined reach of 1.2 million followers, with thousands of testimonies submitted online. In one such testimony, a group of 72 villagers in Northern Nigeria were miraculously saved from terrorists one night by a man in white. The villagers later discovered that the face they saw on the man in white was the same one that Akiane painted.

In many ways, Akiane’s work has been a catalyst for sharing miracle stories and a doorway for many to meet Jesus who might not traditionally hear the gospel. The Faith through Art Legacy Award was established as part of the Belóved Gala to acknowledge and amplify the formative power of the arts to inspire faith in Jesus and spread the Good News. Recipients who are honored express their craft and represent their industry with the highest excellence, exemplifying a life that reveals Christ in both challenges and victories faced. They create art that points to the truth that God knows and loves all. The first recipient was Akiane, and this year, she nominated you, Jonathan, alongside the Belóved team!