A sketch pad. Paintbrushes. Pens. Watercolors. My Bible. Music.
That’s all I’ve wanted every night since I’ve been home from training camp.
If you know me, you would know that I’m not artsy. At all. I never thought I was creative enough to think of something and then actually make it. I’ve always been envious of those people who are so talented with painting or drawing and always wanted to be that person who could create something beautiful.
Growing up, I would always want to be in all the art classes in high school, but would get so discouraged by looking at everyone else’s artwork that I felt like I didn’t even come close to how good they were. So I stopped doing artwork all together. I never tried to be creative and I never expressed myself artistically.
While at training camp, there was a session about creative journaling. I thought it was going to be something about writing, (which I’ve always loved) so I signed up for it and thought it would be a great way to learn some more tips on how to express yourself through words.
But what surprised me, was when I walked in and I saw crayons, watercolors, paintbrushes, magazines, glue, colored pencils, and different patterns of paper. I immediately was like, oh dang.. this is not for me. But I decided to stay anyway and see what it was going to be about. She said we journal to release emotions, to process, to reflect and to pray. She told us to follow our intuition and whatever we feel drawn to, don’t second guess it.. just put it down on your blank piece of paper.
At first, I had no clue what to put down, but I just started grabbing things Reds, yellows, and oranges were catching my eye, so I just put it all down on my paper. I found some words in a magazine, cut them out and glued them to my paper. And by the end of the session, I didn’t look at what other people did on their paper. I didn’t look around to see who’s I thought was the best so I could compare it to my work, but I looked at what I had created. It was something that made me feel alive while doing it. It’s a feeling I had never felt before (I’m sure some of you artists out there know what I’m talking about?). I didn’t put a lot of thinking into it, I just went with my intuition. And I looked at what I had created and I really loved it.
The next day, after having some alone time with God, He showed me what the things on my paper meant. He showed me that everything I put down had some significance to what He was wanting me to see. And since then, I’ve been journaling every single day. Especially since being home from training camp, the creative juices have just kept coming and it’s not slowing down.
I always thought that for me, when I give my best worship, it’s by writing my words down. I love to write and have always kept journals so I thought that was my thing. But I have found a new way to worship, and I love it.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. – Genesis 1:1
God created. God is THE creator. He created what it means to create! It’s a major essence of who He is!
The reason why I feel so alive when I’m drawing or painting with my watercolors is because it’s something that makes me feel connected to God. It draws me to Him (no pun intended). What’s even better is that when I’ve finished something, I don’t feel like I need to compare it to anyone else’s. What God gave me vision to create is something that He spoke to me. It’s something that is for God, and God alone.
Creativity is something that God is the maker of. He has shown me a new way to worship and I want to tend to it and honor it. I want to cultivate creativity.
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