That the Cookie Says & What I Just Might End Up Doing

Now I'm not too sure if God speaks through fortune cookies, but today I got one that said:

"You are capable of tremendous creativity."

In the past month or so I have been questioning God about what He wants me to do with my creativity, and I think I have the answer. Actually, I think I had the answer and since then I've been questioning if that is really what I should do because I doubt my creativity. You might have heard me say before that I am not an artist so much as a creative person who's creativeness sometimes comes out as art. Art has a difficult definition. Is it in the production? Must it require skill? Who determines aesthetic value? Part of the reason I love the movie Mona Lisa's Smile is that Julia Roberts challenges our paradigm of art; something which cutting edge artists and musicians are always doing.

Do I make art? I'm not always so sure. Some people might love it as art. I have no doubt others don't consider it as such. Its hard to set a value for your art and proclaim yourself as an artist, vying into the community of people seeking the same pedestal. These people who are also amazingly self and others critical, often emotional, and are constantly begging for worth at the same time they are oozing pride. Artists really are just a unique brand of people. Really. Go meet yourself an artist if you don't know one, and imagine surrounding yourself with that type of people. I am not too sure I want to go back into that world and set myself up as an artist.

Yet at the same time I think I might have stumbled across what it seems I should do. I am always coming up with new ideas of what I should "do" which I am pretty sure is why I shouldn't have done any of them. Whether a lawyer to fight for human rights, a teacher to reproduce my worldview, a writer to sneak ideas into the minds of the masses......I am always convinced I should do a new activity. I know I am a visionary, and some of the visions I have I really do hope to do someday. They are tucked away within my heart for another time. Either which way, I am constantly driven by the calling I believe God has given me to "change the world." What's really ridiculous is that I actually believe that is what I am supposed to do, unlike, I am guessing, 98% of the population who is like "sure, whatever."

How the heck do you change the world? I really don't know how to do that. I generally used to think big, until I moved to Ashburn. Then I started feeling so hopeless and fighting the phrase "just change your corner of the world." Okay, I have become okay with that idea as long as it is one corner at a time *smile*. I guess I've known for awhile that my life is supposed to do with my family (Josh, Avi, baby & extended family), creativity (art and music), and something international (very vague, I know....travel, missions, cultures, international justice issues). Also somewhere in there is loving people, and helping other people with their struggles and all the things I am gifted at doing (whatever those might be at whatever time). But generally, over the times I have sought God about what I am supposed to do with my life, this is what He has showed me.

Honestly, for the most part, since I have moved to Ashburn, I know I have been establishing my family and have been growing by leaps and bounds in maturity, humility, selflessness, not finding my identity in what I do and a ton of other things. Okay, maybe none of you see that, but really, if you could compare me with how bad I was before in these ways, you'd see a difference (even if I'm still bad now). On a not so positive note, I have also grown more reserved in self-conscious way, struggle with depression and purposeless and have stopped playing and writing music to a large extent. Yet it seems maybe, just maybe, I am moving into a new season.

Okay, moving beyond my unnecessarily huge preface: So, what is it? What am I going to do? So this is what I've been pondering. I collect old furniture and such people needlessly throw away in our area. I love to paint them and refurbish them. If I could sell them as art, I could make a profit. If I could make a profit, I could help by giving money to all the international issues I care so much about and want to make others aware of. Therefore I am changing the world (although not in a massive way) by taking my creativity, using it to bless the nations, and all the while still able to invest in and care for my family first. And, on top of which, it is actually possible, like now! Generally I come up with these things that I'd have to change a lot, go back to school to add to my education, and are often conflicting with other important things in my life (such as having another baby). This has to be the first time that this has not been the case.

I am not too sure I even remember how this idea came to be, except it suddenly came to me while lying in my bed one night, unable to fall asleep. Since then it has taken a greater form. I've been thinking over it a lot, planning how it would work, talking about it with Josh and some other people, and praying about it. I have my doubts if it would work. I often wonder why anyone would buy my work in the first place. People have before, but not enough for this to seem like a promising endeavor. I have put something on Craig's list and it hasn't sold. Part of me has been doing this as a Gideon's fleece. Therefore I wonder if I should take it as a sign from God I shouldn't do this or if I am not trusting God by using this as a Gideon's fleece when everything else He seems to be saying is go for it. There is a lot more personal stuff in how God has been speaking to me, and I won't go there now. But all to say, I keep getting a vibe that God wants me to step out, trust Him to do this big thing of selling my art, and see my worth in Him. I kinda like that idea. It gives me shivers as it is so....dangerous. We like to ask God to give us big visions, not really to have the faith for them to come about. So, although this is actually a very possible reality for my life right now, its still big enough to make me need a big good God. Its exciting to be on this limb.

So, there is my idea. I guess by sharing it on my blog I am taking another step forward by making it public. Now that I've got that over, hopefully I'll find the time to share with you the plans of how I'll actually maybe do this. Exciting! Yey!

EXPRESSIONISTIC*

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*EXPRESSIONISTIC*

You paint. You draw. Your a graphic artist. You do photography. You sculpt. You write. You do drama. You dance. You sing. You compose music. You record. You play the bass... the guitar.... piano.... drums.... french horn....

You are talented. You are creative. What if there was more to it? What if you possess these abilities for a greater purpose?

Communication is essential to humans. We cannot survive without it; it is one of the greatest distinctions between humans and animals, and it is also the main factor separating people groups. Art is a language.

Communication is also essential to the character of God. He has communicated to us though His word, the Bible. He communicates to us through His Spirit, and He has communicated love to us by sending Jesus to meet us on earth, sacrificing Himself in our place so we can live eternally. He communicates through His Spirit, other people, and creation. Whether you are very aware and intimate with God speaking to you, or you are completely unaware, skeptical such communication is happening, or somewhere in-between, He is still directly speaking to your heart, “knocking at your heart’s door.”

We have a chance to communicate with God. How do we respond to God? Our art is a form of expression, a form of communicating with God. It can be a type of prayer, as prayer is simply talking with God. He understands what you are saying, even when you do not have the perfect words, or no words to do so. Expression is what this group is all about. Webster defines Expressionism as:

“n. A theory or practice in art of seeking to depict the subjective emotions and responses that objects and events arouse in the artist.”

This does not mean we should create in the form of the expressionist movement of the 1900’s (a distinctive artistic style), but in this group we mean communicating what you are feeling to God. Whether you are very creative and artistic, or you are just experimenting, God sees through your works to the depth of your heart. This is an opportunity to seek God; an opportunity to connect with Him. Even if your not too sure you want to “connect” with God, acknowledging and being open to Him can be a good place to start.

What if it was really not about us? Lets take this concept of expression a step further:

Do you think God gave you the gift of art, in whatever form or fashion, just for yourself? What you communicate to God can drastically help other people do the same. How many times have you heard that song on the radio that finally put into words what you were feeling? Seen a photograph which has finally portrayed life as it is? Drank of a poem which brought you understanding? Imagined yourself in a painting which brought you peace? God desires that we use what He blessed us with to bless others (following the example of Abraham, our “spiritual father” in Gen. 12). The expressions of our heart might be the very things someone else, despite background or belief, might need to connect with God. It can be the avenue people are looking for which they could have never found (made) themselves. We can use it in church, we can use it in the community. Possibilities are endless. We can get beyond ourselves with our talents to bless others.

Lets take it just one more step deeper....

If you already know God, Do you think He gave your craft(s) or creativity so you could make a name for yourself? This question leads us to the greatest way we can use our gift of creativity. We have the potential to praise and worship God through our art. God’s greatest purpose is to bring Himself glory, basically, fame. This isn’t because He is selfish. It is because He is deserving of this in a way our minds cannot understand. Throughout the Bible, we can see that He brings Himself fame mainly through bringing people back into relationship with Him in His sincere love and grace, and also conquering evil. These both make Him look good and bring Him praise. His creation, God’s own personal works of art, bring Him fame also (Romans 1). Instead of making a name for ourselves with our art, we can make God “famous” by our artistic expressions. Art can show beauty and mystery, both which are characteristics of God found in the Bible. It can be used to respond to Him and His goodness and greatness. One definition of worship is “to exchange love with God; responding to who He is and what He does.” It is common for people to think of worship as just music, or a weekly church service. Biblically, Worship is responding to God in thankfulness, love and deep awe (fear). This should be done in our lifestyle, obedience to God, to the extent even as “a living sacrifice....pleasing to God (Romans 12:1).” It also can be in music, (often with body movements accompanying, like dance), which is the most common way in the Bible, with more than a hundred examples. One of the first occupations in the Bible was a musician, right along with agriculture, livestock, and industry (Gen. 4:21).” But worshiping God is not limited to stringed instruments, percussion, song writing (poetry), and singing. Many people worshiped God through dance, an example being David’s dance in 2 Sam. 6. Drama is found in the Bible to express God’s word. Even a play backdrop was drawn to help (Ezek. 4). In Exodus (31 and 35) God specifically gave people the ability to design artistic works for creating the tabernacle (the center for worshiping God before Jesus came). These were generally visual arts, like sculpting, engraving, carving, tapestry making and even fashion designing. These and others were also used for creating the Temple (the later and more permanent version of the tabernacle). If other visual arts like photography and graphic design were around, I have no doubt they would be on the list too. A Biblical judgment on an evil people was to devoid the people of the richness of the arts, both musicians and “the craftsmen of any craft (Rev. 18:22).” This shows that God is very aware of the life art brings to humanity; it surely must bless Him. Lets use our creativity (or even lack thereof) to bring glory to God.

Compiled by Elisa Johnston, examples derived with the help of “The Heart of the Artist,” and of course the Bible.