God the Artist

For as long as I can remember I have had this need to create. Whether it was the coloring book pages, the collage of Teen-Beat magazine hearth throbs I strategically placed on my bedroom walls, paintings done in art class, doodles, sketches etc. It didn't matter, I felt the most free, the most sense of belonging when I was creating. There was this ethereal sense of other worldliness that happened in those moments. A time where my soul was at is happiest, at it's most content. Not until the last few years have I begun to understand all of this.

As I dive deeper into what it means to be an artist, a Christian artist and discover new things about God that previously I didn't fully understand or realize I am just in awe. Sure you read Genesis and it tells us that God created the heavens and the earth. So what. He needed a place to put us right? But oh man, when you read those chapters with the heart of an artist you begin to realize that it's more than just a place to put us. God has poured out His soul into each thing He created. I think of how I feel when I get an idea for a painting and I set the idea onto canvas and it comes together just as I imagined, the rush of euphoria that happens is unexplainable. To begin to fully grasp that moment when God looked at His creation and saw that it was good, man, what a rush that must've been! That knowing that you have just put together something that is just so good, and so right and so exactly what you've imagined is like nothing else.

I've read the Bible, in it's entirety and some books or passages more than others. One I've read a few times but read begrudgingly and with great annoyance starts in Exodus 36. The fact that God feels it's necessary to tell us all about the Tent of Meeting and all it's specifications and dimensions and how each and every thing that goes in the Tent of Meeting oh my goodness what is the point to all of this? Some people complain about all the begets of the Old Testament, not me, I complain about the Tent of Meeting. Or at least I used to. Did you read the part where God gave certain people the skill and talent to create things out of gold or fabric? God used His people to create something for Him. Wow! How could I have missed that all these years? I just find it fascinating that the one that that has made me the craziest is now the one thing that I find the most amazing.

In my 40 or so years of being a Christian I've failed to see God in the role of an artist. I never made the connection of the word Creator to the word Artist .Sure I understood in my head that He created everything, but some how it never got through to my soul that He created everything. I think I've been so caught up in the awe of who He is and what He has done for me, that I failed to see part of His heart. I've been so busy  trying to understand what He has in store for me and what His will for my life is, that I failed to just get to know who He is.

I just love this journey I am on, how awesome it is to always learn new things about God. However, I just shake my head because I just can't understand how I missed this. Wonder what else I've missed....

New journey!

Years ago when I started this adventure into Mixed Media I longed for other artists that did what I did. Or at the very least understood what I did or the at the very least the reasons I did what I do. I still long for that! I do have a few artist friends that get the process, however, up until recently no one quite understood the connection between my art and the Holy Spirit. They'd all nod and smile and say reaffirming things, but no one who actually experienced the same thing.

Some time ago I thought how awesome it would be to have an artists small group/Bible study, but like there's really a curriculum for that kind of thing right?? Besides, I'm busy leading the Wednesday morning women's Bible study, which I love! I can't possibly lead 2. So the idea got filed in the back of my "maybe someday" drawer in my brain.

One day I bought a book called Praying in Color off Amazon, and Amazon is a most awesome place that recommends things to you based on previous purchases. Lo and behold there was a huge selection of books about Christian artists and creating with the Holy Spirit and books about people who "got it". I think I cried!! I was excited about this, however, still not feeling that I could do anything with it other than read the books because I was still so in love with my Wednesday morning I just couldn't imagine that I'd do anything else.

After reading one of the books I just couldn't ignore the nudging I was getting from the Holy Spirit that I was supposed to move ahead with this dream of mine to have an artists small group. So many little treasures from God pointing me in that direction, and every time I'd take a step in that direction He would give me signs of affirmation that I was going the right way. I could no longer leave this in the "maybe someday" drawer because someday is quickly turning into a reality.

December 18th will be the last day that I lead the Wednesday morning ladies. This is bittersweet because that is something that I have loved and looked forward to each week. I pray fervently for each of them to find a new small group, a new group of ladies to build relationships with and to do life with. I'm so grateful that most of them I see weekly and talk to often so that we are still part of each others lives. They have been such a big part of my journey and my growth and I've learned so much from each one of them. I will miss our Wednesday mornings.

Now although I know I'm going in the right direction, God has been sort of secretive about how this all plays out. I keep asking for things to be revealed as far as what this new small group looks like, how it functions, who will come etc., but God just keeps telling me to wait, so I wait. I wait and I pray and I read. The waiting however, has not diminished my excitement though. Knowing that I'm headed in a direction that God wants me to go is exhilarating!!

Stay tuned!!