The Creative Heart – Pray, Color, Repeat

Greetings Illustrated Faith Family!

So, a creative heart…..I believe we all have one.  Some of us may have more fire inside to create than others but all of us have a bit of God’s design woven into our souls.

Creating can take all forms.  It’s not limited to paints, paper, and inks.  You might be creative with words, food, decorating, gardening, music, or putting together just the right outfit.  You might be creative in loving others, teaching, leading and caring for young ones, or motivating teens.  You might even be creative with numbers — eeek! — that would be my husband and NOT me!    Moving on…

Whatever gift of creativity God has entrusted to you, it is exactly that.  It is a gift entrusted to YOU.  He has sewn it into your soul trusting that you will follow the path and use it.    He gave it to you so you could shine for Him and share a bit of who He is with the world.  To make things beautiful.  To build up and draw others to Him.  Oh my.

When I completed Day 9 of the Created to Create Devotional, I felt God press upon me the blessing of creating and the stretching and trust it takes to really create for Him.

I love that Shanna Noel’s first order to address on this day was:  perfectionism.  It has no place in the creative process.  If you are seeking perfection, stop.  Perfectionism feeds fear and keeps growth and new ideas from happening.   I heard a quote once, “being perfect is God’s business, not ours.”    The greatest strength of a creative person is they are not limited.   They do not think inside a box.   They think outside the box.  They let messes happen.  They take risks.  They are learners and they embrace the process of moving through creating.  They trust God with the journey!   Shanna writes, “give yourself permission to be messy, be free, make mistakes, and have fun!”  Whoopie!

Enemies often have friends and the friend of perfectionism is comparison.  Comparison kills joy.  Comparison is one of the gateways used by our enemy to feed the feeling we need to be perfect.  Friends, it has no place in our creative hearts.  Each of us see things in a unique way.  We create uniquely.  It’s by His design that we are different.  We should be dancing a jig in our differences and lifting others when we see them shine.  Comparison robs us of being uniquely ourselves and it divides creatives from each other.  It’s an all around thief.

So, if you struggle with perfectionism, and maybe comparison, what do you do?

PRAY friends.  PRAY.  

Bring God into the creative process.  Ask Him for courage to trust Him and let Him teach you something new!  Grow with Him.  Create with Him and not on your own.  Watch and see what He does.  I think He will blow you away with His creativity and His desire to create with you.

Next step.  Just do it.  COLOR.

You can “color” anywhere, in your Journaling Bible, an art journal, or the Illustrated Faith Praise Book.  If you are a gardener, dig in the dirt!  If you are a writer, write it out.  If you love paints, paint.  If you love paper, use paper pieces and stickers.  Wherever God is calling you to be creative, CREATE.  Use what you have and enter into the creative process.  And God will smile because you are doing exactly what He designed you to do!

Last step.  REPEAT.  Oh this is where we sometimes miss the boat.

Creating should never end.  It should go on and on and it should be shared.  Sometimes even the “ugly” stuff should be shared so that others can find courage to jump in the creative boat too.  After all, the art we create all belongs to Him.  Remember, it is a gift from Him.  It makes Him SMILE when His children use the gifts He has entrusted to them.

PRAY, COLOR, REPEAT my friends.  I can’t wait to see what He creates with you and through you — it’s all so beautiful to Him!

Hugs,  amy

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