Author: Jody Thomae

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #104 — Embodied Prayer

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Embodied PrayerI consider Embodied Prayer: Towards Wholeness of Body, Mind and Soul by Celeste Snowber a must-read for any creative Christian who uses his or her body in their art form (dancers, actors, actresses, etc) and for those interested in praying through movement.

For many of us, we check our bodies at the doors of our churches like a coat-check at a restaurant. We engage our minds and our hearts in worship, but our bodies are in exile in the pew. We sit quietly and pray when our bodies long to reach out to Him who hears the words we can and cannot say. As a very kinetically-oriented person, this book awakened my mind to the Hebraic understanding of the body; my soul to the knowledge that I am a temple of the Holy Spirit; my heart to an awareness of God’s joy as I worship Him through movement; and my body to the possibilities in all of this!

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #103 — Create a Better Life

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D Weiss Creative

Need some creative inspiration and practical tips to get your new idea, dream, vision, project, or product up and running? Then check out this latest offering on DWeiss Creative! He’s been working on a 48 day project since mid-April called Create a Better Life: finding your creativity, putting it to work, building a better life. With 48 days of posts, he’s been creating a webinar for people who want to…. yes, you guessed it….create a better life by bringing their ideas to life! As you watch the project unfold through the postings, you get to see step-by-step what it takes to bring a creative idea, brand or product to life!! This journey of creativity ends May 30th with the release of Dave Weiss’ own project: the Build a Better Life webinar! It’s been fun watching this project develop!!

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #102 — Creative Inspiration from Tamika Hall

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Tamika Hall

I connected you with Tamika Hall Ministries back in January with a devotional podcast on 1st Peter. Wanted to share another of her podcasts today: How to Write & Publish a Devotional. Continue reading

Create-A-Day, your daily dose of creativity, edition#101 — Advice for Struggling Writers

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Writers

In this wonderful article, Mic.com compiles 17 words of advice for struggling writers, from the famous writers who’ve been there. Advice in the form of quotes from the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Anne Lamott, Anton Chekhov, and Stephen King.

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Create-A-Day, your daily dose of creativity, edition#100 — Willow Creek Drama

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We’ve made it to 100 creative resources!!

Referring you on over to Willow Creek Association today. They have a variety of creative resources to assist you in planning worship services. You can search for creative ideas by keyword. I have found some compelling dramas there. Both scripts and videos are available for the dramas, and most allow you to preview them.

Willow CreekWant to refer you to a specific drama today entitled “Let Go” with Ingrid DeSanctis. Paired with the song “Open Up,” It’s about letting go of the baggage in our lives. You can watch the drama by clicking the link above.

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WordPress Family Award

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WP Family AwardThank you Ellie of New Creations Ministries here on WordPress for nominating me for The WordPress Family Award. I humbly accept! Ellie writes about lifestyle and nutrition from a Biblical perspective. I love her insights! She is an author of several books and she offers “Life’s Too Short to Eat Bad Cheese” Seminars for women’s groups.

And yes indeed, life is way too short to eat bad cheese!! Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #99 — Beautiful Dance to Oceans

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HIllsong Oceans DancerI love the song Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Hillsong United. Love even more that this group did such an amazingly creative dance to it!!

May you be brought into the Lord’s protective presence as you watch and listen. May you know that even as Christ calls you out upon the water, He will guide you and keep you safe. Connect to this dance at the link below:

Hillsong United “Oceans” Dance

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #98 — Images that Matter

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I became familiar with photographer Hal Moran via Facebook. His photos have a ethereal quality about them, and it’s obvious they come from a deep place within. According to his website, Hal says this about his journey into creativity, artistry and beauty:

My aim is to “make images that matter.” When I capture an image, I’m really capturing the metaphors and untold hidden stories in creation that are often missed by casual observation. Why does that matter to me?

I grew up with and still struggle with Tourette Syndrome, ADD, and dyslexia. That makes the visual world around me of great importance. Seeing is how I learn. And, it’s how I communicate.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #97 — Brene Brown on Creativity

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We spent the end of February digging into art journaling. Well, I have another amazing resource for you that I believe is worth checking out!!

B Brown CreativityToday I want to introduce you to Brené Brown, PhD. She is the author of not one, but two #1 New York Times Bestsellers: Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead (2012) and The Gifts of Imperfection (2010). Her TED Talk on vulnerability is one of the most watched of the TED Talks.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #96 — Christian Poets & Writers FB Group

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FBIt’s another Facebook Friday!

Today’s group is Christian Poets & Writers administered by Mary Harwell Sayler. It’s group description is as follows:

The CHRISTIAN POETS & WRITERS group exists to encourage each other in our Christian faith and improve our writing in all genres to draw readers to Christ and up-build the church in Jesus’ Name.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #95 — Wonderful Ache of Beauty

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O rainbow-eyeNot wasting much time here today. Want to direct you to an amazing article called The Wonderful Ache of Beauty (Why We Need Art) by writer Jeff Gions.

Head on over—it is very much worth the read. And make sure you listen to the song—it is very much worth the listen!

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #94 — Freedom in the Dance

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Freedom In The Dance Ministry (FITD) is an evangelistic
praise dance ministry that travels the world teaching and ministering in dance. Established and ministering since 1988 under the direction and leadership of Mickye Castillo, who serves as the Director of Dance under Bishop T.D. Jakes at the Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #93 — What is a Meandering Book?

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Cross ArtWhat is a Meandering Book? is the question posed and explained by blogger Jessica Hollowell, Owner of JessCreateIt.com.

I love this creative idea! It would be great for art journaling, Bible art journaling, and scrapbookers. Perhaps you want to create a reminder of God’s faithfulness; a book of your favorite scripture verses; compile pictures of people and missionaries you pray for; or have a reminder of a mission trip you went on. I think this meandering book would be a great option for all these ideas and many more.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #92 — 100 Books on Worship

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W worship heartSummer is fast approaching, and for those of you who look for books to read over the summer, have I got a resource for you!

Worship the Rock blog has compiled an extensive list of 100 Books on Worship. Although it’s geared towards worship leaders, there are many titles on this list for everyone! I can tell you as a worship leader myself, many of these are the books we would love our congregations to be reading right alongside us!

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #91 — Healing Art

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We’ve spent the week examining the value of art from a heavenly perspective. Art can be redemptive or prophetic. It can be intercessory in nature or draw people into worship. Today let’s consider the healing or restorative value of art.

In this article, Christian Art for Healing, author/artist Sara Joseph shares her experience with using her creative process as a way to bring healing and restoration to her heart. She also offers suggestions and creative prompts to help you, as well. A powerful testimony of God’s healing power through art.

In this article, Sara shares this artwork and states:

“To my surprise, in my anxious conversations with God, He brings healing through the process of creating art.

Release Polymer Clay Relief Sculpture (C) Sara Joseph 11x14"

Release
Polymer Clay Relief Sculpture
(C) Sara Joseph
11×14″

I remember a deep concern that I had during a brief, but trying, season with one of my sons that resulted in the polymer clay sculpture shown here. It is called ‘Release’, because I knew that it was what I ought to do. Yet as I worked, it appeared as if my concerns and worries needed to be worked into the clay, before any sort of release could be attempted. So I doggedly expressed all my worries about him to God.”

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #90 — Intercessory Art

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P hands in prayerToday, in honor of the National Day of Prayer, I want to direct you to this song by Joshua Aaron called Hoshiana (Save, Please). It is a BEaUtiful song of intercession for the nations and a wonderful example of intercessory art, crying out to God on behalf of the nations!

No other name by which we are saved but the Name of the Lord
Oh that the world will know Your Name
That the nations will call on the Name of the Lord
The Name of Yeshua!

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #89 — Priestly Art

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Priestly art directs attention to God. It leads us into praise and worship of the Triune God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It ministers first to God and second to the people of God.

Called to Belong

Called to Belong Worship Event

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #88 — Prophetic Art

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I have featured Colleen Briggs and Fragments of Light here before. I want to direct you to her post entitled Prophetic Art.

Fragments of Light

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #87 — Redemptive Art

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As a Christian artist or creative, it is important to consider the redemptive value of your work. When viewed from a worldly perspective, we think of art in terms of monetary value—have we sold original pieces, prints, copies, songs, albums, scripts, . . . ? And we limit the value of our work to units sold. However, when we open ourselves as creatives to a heavenly view of value, we come to realize a whole new commodity. Are we changing lives, healing hearts, revealing beauty, seeking justice, claiming hearts for Our Creator? We begin to realize that there is a greater redemptive value to our work.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #86 — Christians in Visual Arts

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CIVA or Christians in the Visual Arts is a community of Christian artists who are: called to creative work; devoted to the church; and present in culture. Their vision statement is “Serious Art. Serious Faith,” and they seek after both pursuits.

On the CIVA.org webpage you can find links to resources, local and regional exhibits and events, as well as how you can rent a traveling exhibit for your church or ministry facility. There’s also information about their biennial summer conference held at Calvin College in Michigan. The 2015 conference is June 11-14.

CIVA.org

CIVA.org

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