Creative Resources

Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 12

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This week on Kintsugi of the Soul* I want to direct you to a website of jewelry artist and blogger Kenetha Stanton called A Kintsugi Life. This site is packed: blog articles, jewelry, links to kintsugi resources, and if you sign up for her email list, a free ebook called Living a Kintsugi Life. See, I’m not the only one taken with this trUly BEaUtiful metaphor for healing and restoration!

According to Kenetha:

“I use the metaphor of kintsugi, with its brokenness, healing, and subsequent gold, as a means of inspiring and supporting others through my artwork and writing.
I experienced a period of intense losses several years ago that affected every aspect of my life—relationships, career, identity, spirituality—that resulted in deep transformation that has changed me profoundly in many ways. It was during this period that I discovered the art form of kintsugi and found it to be a powerful guide and encouragement for what I was experiencing.”

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 11

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“Your life’s not over…
it’s just that you have to live it a new way.”
~ TBI patient Joseph Maxim

Today’s edition of Kintsugi of the Soul is a story that is so inspiring… the power of creation… recreation… sport… finding your purpose beyond brokeness… and HOPE!!

“The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable.
A perpetual series of occasions for hope.”

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 10

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On today’s edition of Kintsugi of the Soul*, I am referring you to a trUly BEaUtiful blog called Beauty Beyond Bones and a specific post called Glorious Wounds. The Beauty Beyond Blog shares the story of a young woman as she chronicled her battle with an eating disorder. Calling herself an ED Warrior, she writes openly and transparently about her fight for survival. The author admits her blog posts can be very graphic. However, she hopes that by shedding light on the dark battle she fought, it will help guide others (and their loved ones) on the path to recovery from disordered eating.

Beauty Beyond Bones writes:

“Jesus endured the greatest suffering of all: the Cross. And when He rose again after the third day, He greeted His loved ones and showed them the scars on His hands where He had been pierced. Thomas even put his hands in the holes. His wounds weren’t infected, but glorious and glowing. They were a victory.”

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 9

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So what does an artist do when he or she is struggling with questions, uncertainty and pain? They go to their art…

” . . . brush to canvas,
feet to stage,
finger to shutter,
pen to paper,
voice to music or character,
or hands to clay as we seek . . . “

As artists and creatives we often go to our art form when we’re struggling. And while we may not always find answers, we do find solace, often entering into that “thin place” between heaven and earth where our spirits find rest among the swirling questions in our mind, heart and soul.

In today’s edition of Kintusgi of the Soul* we find an artist struggling and turning to music as a way to find solace and also as a way to reach his mother who has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s. Jay Allen is a country music singer whose song “Blank Stares” resonates in the hearts of so many whose families have been struck by this awful disease.

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 8

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In this week’s “Kintsugi of the Soul,” Professor of Neurosurgery, James Doty, M.D., tells a touching story of how one interaction altered the course of a his life:

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 7

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This week’s edition of Kintsugi of the Soul features artist, author and encourager Matt Tommey. Matt is the author of several books that are “must-haves” for creative Christians including Unlocking the Heart of the Artist and Created to Thrive. He is also a wonderful encourager of creatives and artists through The Worship Studio, an equipping resource for artists and a place for creative Christians to connect and Created to Thrive, his mentoring program for artists.

In this video, Matt reflects on his healing journey with God. He talks about the “movie” that would play over and over in his mind… the negative self-talk that sabotaged his creativity. And yet… as he aligned his thoughts with Christ’s “kingdom thoughts,” he found that God supernaturally began to open doors of favor and provision in his life.

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 6

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In this week’s edition of Kintsugi of the Soul I want to share The Movement of Healing: a deep and soul-packed blog of Susan Cochrane. I’ll allow her to tell you about herself in her own voice. She writes:

“I’ve practiced law, practiced the piano, practiced creative writing and practiced meditation. I practiced with specific goals in mind:- success, mastery, achievement, enlightenment.

Now I practice letting go of goals.

After thirty-plus years practicing family law, including eighteen years on the family court bench in the busiest district in our state, I abruptly ended my law career to focus on a health crisis. After 10 cancer-free years, I found out the cancer was back and I was given a terminal diagnosis.

So I’m letting go of the old idea of writing books. My focus now is on positive, uplifting and inspiring people, ideas and stories. I’m embracing the opportunity to curate a blog that features short pieces I find particularly moving.” ~Susan Cochrane

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 5

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This week’s Kintsugi of the Soul features a man many of you have probably already heard about, Nick Vujicic, who was born without arms or legs. The first video is him speaking at Saddleback Church. It’s a long video so if you don’t have time to listen to the whole thing this week, at least tune in for the first six and a half minutes. God is using him to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to millions of people worldwide; protect the unborn; and influence those in powerful positions. His goal is to preach the Gospel to everyone across the globe… 7 billion people! To this point over a half million have put their faith in Jesus Christ through his evangelism efforts!! Praise God!

Note: in his intro video he speaks about John 9, which is one of the Bible Studies in chapter 7 of my most recent book, The Creator’s Healing Power—Restoring the Broken to Beautiful.

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 4

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From artist and storyteller Pamela Jacques, who uses creative mediums to serve those that some might call un-redeemable, un-restorable and un-worthy:

“In you is beauty to share,
purpose to unfurl,
and destiny to fulfill.
Always remember.”

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 3

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This week’s edition of Kintsugi of the Soul directs you to the story of a woman who used the creative process of writing to help her transcend her identity as “patient” and bring healing to herself and others.

I started writing my first memoir “Penetrating Madness,” about my long struggle with severe and persistent mental illness during my last psychiatric hospitalization   — in early 2007 on an eating disorder unit. Usually when I was in the hospital, I kept a journal, but during this hospitalization, journal writing had become repetitive and mundane. I needed more from my writing. Wanting to share my story, I wrote so others wouldn’t feel as alone as I was feeling, and because there was a desire from the writer within me who was struggling to emerge.

Read how writing and the desire to share her story brought about wholeness to writer and licensed social worker Gerri Luce in The Healing Power of Creativity: the ability of creativity to transcend the patient identity online at Psychology Today.

She ends her testimony with these powerful words:

The path to creativity has the ability to heal wounds, to soothe pain.

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 2

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This week’s Kintsugi of the Soul features the story of Emma Bennett and A Step Ahead Prosthetics, a story of redemption I write about in chapter six of The Creator’s Healing Power. This prosthetics company adapts American Girl dolls so that every child can have a doll that looks like them… making them feel both special and “normal” at the same time. Watch the touching story here:

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Kintsugi of the Soul, edition 1

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Our first edition of Kintsugi of the Soul features Two Blind Brothers, two brothers who have created a clothing line based primarily on the sense of touch. Watch below how these two men can say with confidence:

Visual impairment
has given more to us
than it’s taken away.

There are several amazing things about this redemptive story: 1) they use their “impairment” as an impetus for their clothing line; 2) 100% of their company profits go back into research to find a cure; and 3) their clothing is “manufactured” at Dallas Lighthouse for the Blind. Their entire mission is based in HOPE, and they give us this wisdom:

Your greatest challenge IS your greatest gift.

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Kintsugi of the Soul: a Year-long Project of Redemption, Healing & Wholeness

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Several years ago I embarked on a year-long project called Create-a-Day. Like a One-a-Day Vitamin, it was designed as a daily dose of creativity, in order to inspire others and to direct viewers to people and projects where creativity was making a difference in the lives of others.  With the publication of my second book in the Bible Studies to Nurture the Creative Spirit Within series, I will again be undertaking a year-long project starting September 4th to coincide with the release of my new title, The Creator’s Healing Power—Restoring the Broken to Beautiful. This project will be called…

“Kintsugi of the Soul” 

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Practicing the Presence of God through Creative Prayer Stations

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“Practicing the Presence” was created for a Healing Care Ministries seminar called The Essentials. The essence of this seminar to help those in caregiving ministries understand how to position people for lasting, healing change, particularly through engaging the right hemisphere of the brain through creative spiritual practices. “Practicing the Presence” was done each morning in lieu of traditional worship. Each day is spent focusing on one member of the Trinity with the following themes: Creator God, Christ our Royal Redeemer, and Holy Spirit, Flame of Love.

Included here are resources, coloring pages, accompanying scriptures and photographs so you can recreate this for your own church or ministry. Hand-outs are provided and can be used with permission by leaving the website and copyright information intact at the bottom of each page. Coloring pages were created by Pauline Mae Blankenship (©2018) for “Practicing the Presence,” and if you have The Creator’s Healing Power—Restoring the Broken to Beautiful, you will recognize these coloring pages from the book. She has graciously offered them for our use, and you will find links within each section below.

Each day we started in silence, which was broken with Lectio Divina. Then participants were released to explore creative prayer stations. Every day, one station included a cross with artwork to create a space where folks could kneel and pray, and another included the coloring pages at two large tables with coloring supplies:

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EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise #7, Hands Clapping

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

Exploring: Hands Clapping – Restoration & Victory

Psalm 47:1-3 – Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet.

Christ the King is our victory. As we shout praises and clap our hands, he stands up against injustice and rights the wrongs in our lives. Let us use a voice of triumph — one that speaks truth, victory, restoration and freedom — even in places of our lives that do not appear victorious. God is in control. Christ is on His throne. Continue reading

7 :: “Into your hands…”

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“7” Last Statements of Jesus
Spoken from the Cross: Week 7

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. Luke 23:46

 

M Durbin 2010 Into Your Hands

Matt Durbin (c) 2010

Enough

Here I am, my son.

Your struggle is over.

It was near impossible

to keep from turning

toward your cries.

I felt each lash,

wailed as they

drove the nails.

I blacked out the sun

so as not to see

your suffering.

Come to me now,

let me bandage

your wounds. Drink

from the spring

and rinse clean, rinse

until the water

runs clear. This part

of the journey

is finished. Continue reading

EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise #6, Hands Flat

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

Exploring: Bowing Low, Prostrate with Hands Flat – Submitting

I Chronicles 29:20 – Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the LORD your God.” So they all praised the LORD, the God of their fathers; they bowed low and fell prostrate before the LORD and the king.

I Kings 18:38-39 – (Elijah) Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD – he is God! The LORD – he is God!” Continue reading

7 :: “It is finished!”

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“7” Last Statements of Jesus
Spoken from the Cross: Day 6

“It is finished!”  John 19:30

M Durbin 2010 Jesus

Matt Durbin (c) 2010

The Antique Rocking Chair

The carpenter is not disappointed

by the ruined finish or the broken arm,

loose spindles, failed glue joints.

He checks the chair for its rhythm,

rests carefully in its solid seat and tests

the sway, hums an ancient hymn,

feels the wind that wore away the finish,

drove the rain between the grains

and diminished the lacquered polish. Continue reading

EMBODIED :: Postures of Prayer & Praise #5, Hands to Heart

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Postures of Prayer & Praise are
“outer representations of an inner reality”

Exploring: Hands to Heart – Pondering/Treasuring

Job 23:12b – I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

Luke 2:16-20 – Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Treasuring and pondering means taking time to remember all God has done in your life, to consider what He has planned for your life, to look at those gifts/talents that are uniquely yours to do that which God has uniquely designed you for. It is being still and quiet before the Lord.  Continue reading

7 :: “I am thirsty”

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“7” Last Statements of Jesus
Spoken from the Cross: Week 5

Cup of Blessing

Cup of Blessing by Matt Durbin (C) 2011 http://www.mattdurbinart.com

“Later, knowing that
all was now completed,

and so that the
Scripture would be fulfilled,

Jesus said,
‘I am thirsty.’”

– John 19:28

Drink 

The fount of living water

bellows drought. I want

to lift a ladle, cold and pure,

so you could be relieved.

But I’m deceived with ease.

My cup is sour, dilute

the wine from dirty

cisterns. Nothing I

can offer satisfies.

Are you glad you chose

to filter septic water,

offer your body to be

my purifier? How I love you. Continue reading