BOOST #011: What's that in your hand? ✍️
Unleashing Extraordinary Potential with What You Already Have
💖 DEVOTIONAL:
📖 SCRIPTURE:
"Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”
“A staff,” he replied."
- Exodus 4:2 (NIV)
Have you ever thought about the power of surrendering what's in your hand to God? In Exodus 4:1-2, Moses learned firsthand that when we surrender what seems ordinary or insignificant to us, God can turn it into something extraordinary:
"Moses answered, 'What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?' Then the Lord said to him, 'What is that in your hand?' 'A staff,' he replied."
A staff is a simple object used for balance and assistance in walking. But when Moses surrendered his staff to God, it became a symbol of power and authority that was used to perform miracles and lead a nation.
As Christian creatives, we may feel like we don't have what it takes to make an impact with our art. We may feel like we need more followers, more education, better equipment, or more experience before we can create something truly great. But God doesn't need us to have all of that. He just needs us to use what we already have in our hand.
When we surrender our gifts and talents to God, we allow Him to use them for His glory in ways we could never imagine. He can take our simple pen and paper, camera, musical instrument, or even just our own voice and turn it into something powerful that can touch the hearts and minds of many.
So, when you feel like you don't have what it takes, remember Moses' staff. Surrender what's in your hand to God and trust that He can turn it into something extraordinary. Let's use our gifts and talents for His glory and watch as He works wonders through us.
🙏 PRAYER:
Father God, Thank you for the gifts and talents you have given me. Help me to trust that you can take what I have and turn it into something amazing. Remind me that when I rely on you, all things are possible. When I feel discouraged or overwhelmed, remind me of Moses' staff. Help me to see my gifts and talents as tools for your purposes. I pray that my creativity would honor you and touch the hearts and minds of those who experience it. May all that I do bring glory to your name. In Jesus' name, Amen.
🤔💭 APPLICATION:
Have you considered what's in your hand right now? Perhaps there is something you have been taking for granted that God is asking you to use for His glory and purposes. Take a moment to reflect on what that might be and consider how you can creatively utilize it this week. Whatever it may be, take the first step towards using what's in your hand to honor God and bless others. Let's step out in faith and see how God can use our simple offerings to do amazing things.
💡 TIP OF THE WEEK:
💪 Take an inventory of your skills and talents. This week's tip is to assess and evaluate your abilities and talents. When was the last time you took a moment to reflect on all the things you excel at? Create a comprehensive list of your strengths and consider how your unique skillset and experiences can contribute to serving God and making a positive impact on the people around you. By regularly reassessing your skills & strengths and how you can use them to serve others, you can continually grow and evolve as an individual. So, take some time this week to reflect on the skills you have gained through the years and explore ways to utilize them to make a difference in the world!
❓Q & A:
How do you find time to create graphics and how long does the process take from idea to execution? —Nelson Villa
Thanks for your question, Nelson. When it comes to finding time for creating graphics, I believe it's less about finding time and more about making time. One strategy that has worked well for me is to block out a dedicated time slot each week for graphic design work. For example, I set aside 3-4 hours every Monday to work on creating graphics for the week ahead.
To streamline the process, I keep a swipe file of ideas in my Notion workspace. Whenever I come across an interesting idea or design inspiration, I save it to my swipe file for future reference. This way, I always have a collection of ideas to draw from when it's time to start creating.
By batching the graphic design work and having a collection of ideas at the ready, I'm able to work more efficiently and effectively. While the exact amount of time it takes to execute an idea can vary depending on the complexity of the design, having a dedicated time slot and a stash of ideas helps to make the process smoother and more streamlined.
Hope that helps!
Brian Vee,
Founder, Indie Beginning
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As always, such a good word!! Thank you for this powerful reminder. Just this morning I journaled: "Serve God with what I have. The ability I have, the understanding I have, the knowledge I have, the supplies I have. What do I have available right now? What are my loaves and fish? What is my jar of oil?" I have been thinking about the boy who gave Jesus what he had, and the woman who listened to the prophet and poured her jar of oil into multiple jars. God is more than able to multiply and use whatever we give Him, no matter how humble or paltry. The hard part is to be faithful with it, and not hold back out of shame or thinking it's not good enough. However, for me, there is difficulty between serving with excellence versus being paralyzed by perfectionism. I do want to give God my best. And I always think, well this could be better. I could do this better. And so it never feels ready, never feels done. I will be thinking about this verse you shared at the beginning and praying about how this can be applicable in my life and art.