Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #244 — More Advent Resources!

LEAD Advent Resource
Artwork by Vonda Drees

Directing you to LEAD: Living Every day As Disciples to yet another creative Advent resource! Look for Advent & Lenten Resources (under the “Resources” tab) which includes contemplative prayer liturgies and accompanying creative experiences for your use during Advent. Free printables for coloring, downloadable liturgies for bulletins, links to videos — everything is there for you! This is an amazing resource for use in your church, ministry or family!

Another resource added 2018: a free online resource from Brenda Warren of Saintsbridge. 40 Days of Advent devotionals called “Celts to the Creche” is inspired by Celtic and Anglo-Saxon saints. This pilgrimage to the creche in Bethlehem begins November 16. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #243 — The Voice of the Father

Throughout November and December I’ve been sharing Advent resources, gift ideas, and creative meditations for Christmas.

Yesterday I shared a meditation on the Love of Joseph, the earthly father of the Son of God, for the infant Jesus. I wanted to build on that today with a Father’s Day video created by Christian Comedian, Michael, Jr. Continue reading

Create-A-Day #242: ADVENTure Prayer Walk 4 — Love & Joseph

ADVENTure is a self-directed prayer walk pondering the true meaning of Christmas. You can read all about it here, as well as learn how you can do this as interactive prayer walk for your church or ministry.

This Sunday, December 20th is the fourth Sunday of Advent. As we consider the true meaning of CHRISTmas we light our fourth candle of the Advent Wreath; the Candle of LOVE and we think of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, the man who raised a child that wasn’t his.

Candle of Love: Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus

Read: Matthew 1:18-25

Meditation:

This passage tells us that Joseph was a righteous man. While he was probably disappointed when he first found out Mary was with child, God’s direction gave him reassurance. He walked in that reassurance and raised Jesus as his own son.

Now was Joseph simply obedient or did he grow to love Mary and her son Jesus? As a righteous man, a man of God, I believe he grew to love them both.

Matthew 13:35 tells us that Joseph was a carpenter. As Jesus’ earthly father, he would have taught his son his trade. They spent their days working side by side. Learning to build and hewn and nail.

by Jose Ortega

Thirty years later, a cross would be hewn and built from wood and nails were used to secure the hands and feet of Christ to that cross. The carpenter’s son crucified. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #240 — Christmas Devotional Experience

Mary and Jesus
by Podi Lawrence

Today I want to direct you to a Christmas Devotional Experience from Soul Shepherding. It can be adapted and used in a variety of contexts, including personal devotions, small groups, family gatherings and worship settings.

According to Soul Shepherding:

In this Christmas devotional we take a journey to welcome Christ to be born anew in our hearts. There are Scripture meditation and prayers to help you identify with eight different characters from the story — including some surprise characters that you wouldn’t have thought of! You can pick one character for the season and keep returning to related Scripture meditations and prayers or you can pick a different one each day. What a blessing it is to companion these characters as they adore the Christ child!

Create-A-Day #237: ADVENTure Prayer Walk 3 — Joy & Mother Mary

This Sunday, December 13th is the third Sunday of Advent. As we consider the true meaning of CHRISTmas we light our third candle of the Advent Wreath; the Candle of JOY and we consider the joy Mary must have felt at knowing she would bear the only Son of God, the Messiah, the Chosen One sent to save the people of Israel!

Candle of Joy: Mary, the Mother of Jesus

Read: Luke 1:26-38 & 46-55

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #236 — Worship Groups on Facebook

It’s our last Facebook Friday for the year!! And we have two groups featured today!

Our first group is At His Feet Ministries and is administered by Kristina Collins, Founder & Director of her ministry of the same name. Here’s the group description:

This group is for the arts! If you are a dance instructor, choreographer, dancer, artist, designer and you would like to network, advertise conferences, exchange advice and ideas, and get to know other artists, stay in fit condition in the journey God has you on… We welcome you to participate, and encourage each other. If you have art share it! A conference coming up… share it! Health tips… share it! We just want to expand the tent pegs!

A little about AHF: At His Feet Ministries is a non-profit 501-C3 organization founded by Kristina Collins. Rooted in the arts, AHF is a unique ministry geared towards creative outreach. Through music, dance, drama, art and teaching, AHF strives to train, equip and release the creative giftings of God into the hearts and lives of many.

Create-A-Day #232: ADVENTure Prayer Walk 2 — The Shepherds’ Peace

This Sunday, December 6th is the second Sunday of Advent. As we consider the true meaning of CHRISTmas we light our second candle of the Advent Wreath; the Candle of PEACE, and we consider the shepherds who came and worshiped and wondered at Jesus’ birth.

Candle of Peace: The Shepherds

http://www.seetheholyland.net

Read: Luke 2:8-20

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #230 — What is Advent?

I’ve already been posting ideas for CHRISTmas and Advent. For some, Advent is this vague concept that their church may or may not acknowledge or celebrate. For others, they are very familiar with Advent and are well into plans for the first Sunday of Advent coming this weekend. For those in both camps, I’d like to direct you to this great article by Reverend Dr. Mark D. Roberts. Continue reading

Create-A-Day #229: ADVENTure Prayer Walk 1 — Hope & the Wise Men

ADVENTure is a self-directed prayer walk pondering the true meaning of Christmas. You can read all about it here, as well as learn how you can do this interactive prayer walk for your church or ministry.

This coming Sunday, November 29th, is the first Sunday of Advent. As we consider the true meaning of CHRISTmas we light our first candle of the Advent Wreath, the Candle of HOPE, and we consider the Wise Men who traveled across many miles when the star appeared in the sky in the east.

Candle of Hope: The Wise Men

Read: Matthew 2:1-12

Meditation:

The Wise Men were men of knowledge and HOPE. Their knowledge gave them the information they needed to discern the coming king and where they would find Him. Their HOPE gave them the desire to seek after Him.

They followed a star – a brilliant light in the sky – and it led them directly to the “King of the Jews.” They sought hard after Him, and they found Him. They brought Him gifts and worshiped Him. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #220 — Creative Flourishing in the Desert Online Retreat

As year-end approaches, I will begin to post ideas for Advent, as well as a few Christmas gift ideas for the creative Christian. Today’s post is an example of a gift idea! So pass this along to your spouse, mom, grandma or friend with a “hint, hint” so they get the idea! 😉

Creative Flourishing in the Desert is a six-week self-study, online retreat offered by Christine Valters Paintner of the Abbey of the Arts. Based on the wisdom of creative Benedictine Abbess St. Hildegard of Bingen, weekly themes include: Viriditas (the “greening” power of God); Body, Soul, & Senses; Incarnation; The Greening of the Virtues; Holy Wisdom; and Music and Integration.

Museum – Hildegard von Bingen

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #219 — ADVENTure Prayer Walk

ADVENTure is a self-directed prayer walk we did several times at church on our college campus. It includes scriptures and short meditations combined with an activity at each prayer station designed to help ponder the true meaning of Christmas.

The church is set up with four candles around the outside of the room to represent a traditional Advent wreath. Another candle is positioned in the middle of the room to represent the Christ candle. These candles become the prayer stations where there are scripture meditations and supplies for an activity associated with each scripture passage. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #216 — Advent Illustrated

I LOVE the idea I’m sharing today! Sara Laughed is a fun and creative blog and this year she is doing a Bible journaling challenge called Advent Illustrated. Throughout the Advent season (from November 29th to December 24th), Sara will share a Bible verse, starting with Genesis and extending to the nativity story. She will also provide creative prompts for folks who need a little bit more inspiration. Everyone is encouraged to share their art journal project on her Facebook page or on Instagram with the hashtag #AdventIllustrated. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #214 — God’s Creative Gift

As we wrap up end our tribute to National Book Month, I would be remiss if I didn’t introduce my own book. “Last but not least” as the saying goes!

I wrote God’s Creative Gift—Unleashing the Artist in You in obedience to God’s calling in my life. Frankly, many of the topics I wrote about were thoughts and ideas that wouldn’t leave me alone until I had gently guided them onto paper. It is designed as a Bible study and devotional, great for individual or group study. It is not just for artists but creative folks of all forms, mediums and venues.

The Word of God is vital to our lives. It has much to say to all of us, and more than that, it has much to say to artists and creatives! Discover what God’s Word has to say to you as his masterpiece, his poem, his BEaUtiful creation! If you click here, it will lead you to my store where you can purchase a copy of my book signed with a personal blessing just for you! You can read more about my book here.

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #213 — The Seventy

As we wind down our focus on books for artists, creatives and worshipers, I want to direct you to a new book that came out just this month!

The Seventy: A Movement of Creativity in the Earth by Pastor Bernard Boulton is based on a prophetic prayer he spoke over his congregation in 2009.

This book announces a movement of creativity rising in the earth during the second decade of the twenty first century. The God of creativity who created the heavens and the earth and created mankind in His image is raising up and sending out a remnant of creative artists who have seen God with a pure heart and have a call on their lives to release the love of God through creative expression.

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #211 — Arts Ministry & More!

National Book Month is winding down! And we have THREE books—all for artists and creatives in church ministry! I know many creatives feel like the church has let them down, but these books help artists AND pastors walk through the process of starting a worship arts ministry together. All three make a strong case for the use of arts in our churches. Here they are and what others are saying about them!

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #208 — Wired for Creativity

For National Book Month we’ve been exploring books for artists, creatives and worshipers! The month is winding down, but we still have several more books to cover!

Candace L. Long is writer of plays (both screen and theater), books and songs, and a 40-year veteran of the arts and entertainment industry! She is the author of two books I’d like to point out today:

Wired for Creativity recounts her journey into a spiritual desert / wilderness experience and reveals over 60 biblical principles the Lord taught her on surviving the creative calling. According to one reviewer, “It’s a thorough discussion of the roots of the creative personality and real solutions to obstacles we encounter. It gave me some real peace and strength.” (Disclaimer: this book is VERY expensive on Amazon, but very affordable on Candace’s website.) Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #207 — Praying in Color

For National Book Month this month we are exploring books for creatives, artists and worshipers.

Yesterday we explored praying with the body; today let’s explore Praying In Color: Drawing a New Path to God by Sybil MacBeth.

Maybe you love color. Maybe you are a visual or kinesthetic learner, a distractable or impatient soul, or a word-weary pray-er. Perhaps you struggle with a short attention span, a restless body, or a tendency to live in your head.

If that describes you, perhaps this is the book for you! There’s even Praying in Black & White, especially geared towards men! You can explore more at MacBeth’s website Praying in Color.

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #206 — Praying With the Body

To celebrate National Book Month, we continue our focus on books for creatives, artists and worshipers.

Praying With the Body: Bringing the Psalms to Life by Ray DeLeon is a great resource for those who want to engage their whole selves in their prayer practice.

In Praying with the Body readers will find both prayer tools and companionship. Black and white drawings showing the postures and expressions of the body, accompany the scripture texts and explanations by Roy DeLeon. Working together, these elements invite readers to taste, explore, and discover a new and different way of knowing God. This book is for anyone who wants a more integrated and reconciled approach to prayer.

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #199 — Let the Bones Dance

October is National Book Month so we continue our focus on books for the creative soul.

Today’s recommendation is a book about embodiment called Let the Bones Dance by Rev. Marcia Mount Shoop, PhD. Don’t be mistaken in thinking this is simply a book for dancers, as it is for all who have left their feelings and bodies at the doors of their churches for a refined, safe religion.

“Why are feeling and body often demeaned in theology and church while cognition and mind esteemed? Beautifully written, deeply felt, Let the Bones Dance defies the disembodied ethos of Reform Protestantism that turns churches into dry, brittle places where we hide rather than reveal our bodily vulnerabilities. In its place, it offers a vivid theology relocated in the flesh and blood of life’s utter physicality. Finally a book to recommend when people ask about resources on bodies and theology!” — Bonnie Miller-McLemore, Professor of Pastoral Theology at Vanderbilty Divinity School

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #191 — Books for Worship Dance

Continuing our focus on books for creatives, artists and worshipers, I want to look at a variety of books today all geared towards those in worship dance ministry or who use dance as a personal way of worship. There are many, many books for dance so I want to consolidate some of them here.

First, Lynn Hayden of Dancing for Him Ministries has a full variety of books and instructional DVDs. I featured her awhile back, and you can refer back to that post here.

Here is a list of several more books I recommend: Continue reading

Nurturing the Creative Spirit Within

Inspiration, Resources & Bible studies from Jody Thomae

Christian Living

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #244 — More Advent Resources!

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #243 — The Voice of the Father

Create-A-Day #242: ADVENTure Prayer Walk 4 — Love & Joseph