💖 DEVOTIONAL:
📖 SCRIPTURE:
"All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.’”
- 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (ESV)
As Christian creatives, have you ever looked at the state of the world's art and entertainment and wondered, "What happened?" It can be disheartening to see so much of it devoid of God's values and not honoring to Him. But the truth is that what we create is often a reflection of the world we live in.
The reason for this distortion is sin. When sin entered the world, it marred God's original design for creation, which was to worship and enjoy a relationship with Him. Our relationship with our Creator was broken, and we became lost and broken ourselves.
But the good news is that through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, God has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him and for creation to be restored to its original design. And as God's children, we have a part to play in this restoration.
Think of it like restoring a painting. The painting is still beautiful, but it's been damaged over time. When we restore it, we bring it back to its original glory. In the same way, we are called to bring God's creation back to its original beauty and purpose.
We are not only reconciled and restored ourselves, but we are also given the ministry of reconciliation and restoration through Christ. As ambassadors for Christ, we have the privilege and responsibility of sharing the message of the Gospel through our art.
2 Corinthians 5:19 says, "that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."
By the grace of God, may we find the courage to share our work and the message of the Gospel, one artwork at a time. Imagine a world where all art and entertainment speaks of the glory of our Creator. Let us be a part of making that a reality, as we witness God's Kingdom advancing forcefully in our generation and generations to come.
We are restorers. Let us embrace our role and mission with joy and gratitude, knowing that we are making a difference in the world for God's glory.
🙏 PRAYER:
Dear God, thank you for reconciling us to yourself through Christ and for entrusting us with the ministry of reconciliation. Help us to embrace our role as ambassadors for Christ and to use our creativity to restore your creation back to its original beauty and purpose. Give us the courage and wisdom to share the message of the Gospel through our art, and may it bring glory to your name. Help us to be faithful in our mission, and may your Kingdom advance forcefully through our work, both in our generation and the generations to come. Amen.
🤔💭 APPLICATION:
Identify one specific project or piece of art you are currently working on or planning to create, and intentionally infuse it with a message of reconciliation and hope in Christ.
Take time to pray and seek God's direction on how you can use your creativity to share the Gospel and restore beauty back to a broken world.
Reflect on how your creative process has been impacted by this devotional and how you can continue to use your creativity for God's Kingdom in the future.
💡 TIP OF THE WEEK:
☝️ Art with Intention: As you create, be intentional about the messages you convey in your work and regularly evaluate your motives. Consider how your art could be interpreted and the impact it could have on viewers, and strive to avoid promoting or glorifying sinful behavior. Instead, aim to create work that reflects your values and beliefs, and honors God in every way possible. By being mindful of the messages you convey and regularly evaluating your motives, you can produce work that not only captures the imagination but also honors God in every way possible.
❓Q & A:
How to maintain productivity in my creative process? —Bryan
Maintaining productivity in your creative process can be a challenge, and I totally understand where you're coming from. As a fellow creative, I've struggled with this myself. But over time, I've learned a few things that have helped me stay on track. Here are three tips that come to mind:
Stay organized: This may sound obvious, but keeping your creative materials and workspace organized can make a huge difference in your productivity. For me, this means making sure my desktop is clutter-free, my project files (and Photoshop layers 😅) are named and organized, and my tools/templates are easily accessible. When everything has a place, it's easier to focus on the task at hand.
Establish a routine: When you're working on creative projects, it's easy to get lost in the process and lose track of time. That's why having a set routine or schedule for your creative work can be incredibly helpful. I try to set aside a specific time each day for creative work, and I stick to that schedule as much as possible. This helps me stay focused and motivated, even when I'm feeling uninspired.
Rest: As creatives, we often feel like we need to be constantly producing in order to be successful. But the truth is, that mindset only ever leads to burnout. Taking breaks and getting enough rest is crucial to our productivity. I've found that taking short breaks throughout the day, and setting aside time to rest and recharge, helps me stay fresh and energized. When I'm well-rested, my creative work is better for it.
I hope these tips help you stay productive in your creative process. Remember, productivity looks different for everyone, so don't be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you!
Brian Vee,
Founder, Indie Beginning
🙋♂️Ask Us Anything!
We want to hear from you and help you with any burning questions you might have! Send us your questions via Instagram by clicking the button below. We can't wait to hear from you! 👇
BOOST #013: We Are Creative Restorers ✨
Creative restorers...what a lifegiving way to think of our work as artists. Thank you for this. I will be thinking about this and how I can embody the concept in my own life and work.
You recommended Called to Create to me recently...I went and researched the author and got this book and another he wrote entitled "Master of One." I've not read Called yet, but I devoured Master of One as it really seemed to directly address areas I've struggled with, specifically: narrowing down creative pursuits and committing to one with the goal of becoming an expert. As a "multi passionate" artist this is something I've wrestled with for years. I'm a photographer...I'm a writer....I'm a perfumer...I'm a web designer...I'm a dollmaker...I'm a graphic designer...I'm a web designer...I'm an illustrator...Truth is, I've done all of these things, and some of them well, but none of them as well as I could if I eliminated many of the others and directed most of my creative resources to one or two.
Another author I greatly love, Alexander McConnell, wrote in his book "Small But Full": "You do well to let go of whatever is pulling you off your path and fix your eyes straight ahead. The joy that will bubble up in your heart will far outweigh any temporary grief or sense of loss."
I am trusting this and holding out hope that this is true. There actually has been a sense of grief or loss in letting go of certain expressions of creativity, but I want to devote more energy to becoming excellent at what is truly mine to embrace for the glory of God. In Master of One, Jordan Raynor suggests using experimentation to narrow down what seems to be natural, God-given talent and then moving forward from there. This is kind of where I am right now and I would appreciate your prayers, if you have a moment sometime.
There is a song that embodies what I long for my creative life to be. It's hard to put into words, but this song--lyrics, feeling, instruments, mood, everything--reveals presence and purpose and lament and longing and joy. The reason I mention it is that there is a cello player in the song who brings me to tears for the beauty of his craft as he contributes his part to the song. He has just his part but he clearly is a master artist. That kind of skill doesn't come overnight, and it makes me wonder what sacrifices he made along the course of his life to become that skilled at his musicianship. What other interests, dreams, and arts did he say no to in order to commit to becoming an excellent cellist? He has no idea that his gift moves a weary and longing mama to the point of tears streaming down her face.
My art is an instrument too, an instrument of worship, something of beauty. I would love to identify what precisely is mine to hold on to, devote myself to in service to God, and become excellent in for His glory and the blessing of others.
Brian, you and your ministry do this also! You are a wonderful example of this kind of focused, "boundaried" creativity that is powerful and lifegiving because you do not spread yourself so thin over a variety of pursuits that have nothing of substance left. I'm so thankful for the time you spend writing and creating, and for the wisdom you share.
Here is the song, by the way, if you're interested. It's the kind of song you put your headphones on and immerse yourself into. My favorite lyric of all time is in this song and I have been wanting to make art with it, but of course there is the question of copyright. But this song and these lyrics are my soul embodied:
For ‘God with Us’
Will come to save
And surely He shall comfort those he loves
And so we wait.
https://youtu.be/rXSqPJmLXKI