Marked Down, Lifted Up

What if the places where you feel most “marked down” are exactly where God intends to lift you up?

Life can feel like pushing a cart through a crowded supermarket — searching for fulfillment, weighing every cost, trying to carry the weight of it all alone. But every quiet nudge to slow down, every urge to create, is the whisper of a Creator who is relentlessly pursuing you.

Marked Down, Lifted Up is an invitation into the studio of the soul. Part memoir, part interactive workbook, it’s for anyone longing for a deeper, more vibrant walk with God. Michelle weaves vulnerable storytelling together with practical spiritual disciplines — creative exercises, guided reflection, and hands-on prompts — to help you actively process your own journey with Him.

This isn’t a book to simply read. It’s a sanctuary for turning raw insight into tangible worship. Through a step-by-step framework, this workbook will help you:

• Respond to the sacred gravity pulling you closer to the One who made you.
• Pray beyond words — using the included prompts, pencils, paint, or journaling pages to give shape to what the Holy Spirit is stirring in you.
• Drop your bucket into your own lived experience and draw up the redemptive, timeless truths God has already placed inside you.

It’s time to step off the grid of self-sufficiency, discover the purpose you were made for, and find the wild, defiant joy of a life poured out for a kingdom that lasts.

About the author
With a Bachelor in Art Education and a Certificate IV in Ministry, Michelle Verster uniquely blends creative expression with deep spiritual formation. As an experienced ministry leader, she has served her community through pastoral care, small group facilitation, and designing resources that connect the heart to Scripture.

An adamant introvert who thrives in the sanctuary of silence, Michelle created Marked Down, Lifted Up to invite others into the studio of the soul—a space where she has learned to listen to the quiet movements of the Holy Spirit. Through her mentoring and business, Deeply Drawn, she serves as a curious student of life and a passionate guide for others. She firmly believes that paying attention is one of the most sacred things a person can do.

Her own life, marked by a delicate dance between fear and faith, challenges and hope, has taught her that the truest treasures are buried beneath the busy surface of our everyday lives. Michelle lives in Australia, where she encourages believers, creatives, and seeking souls to trade dry religious routines for a visual, heart-first dialogue with the Creator.