Christian Living

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #189 — Windows of the Soul

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National Book MonthContinuing our book focus for the rest of September and October . . .

In Windows of the Soul, author Ken Gire proposes that art, poetry, scripture, movies, writing, nature, tears and depression are all windows given to us by God to see into our own souls. Imploring his readers to look with more than their eyes and to listen with more than their ears, he says:

“We must be aware, in all Windows of the Soultimes and in all places, because windows are everywhere, and at any time we may find one. Or one may find us. Though we hardly know it . . . unless we are searching for him who for so long has been searching for us.”

Published in 1996, it has helped readers find themselves through the many creative avenues that we hold so dear. My pastor mentored through this book during my time as worship pastor at our church. It’s a great tool for individual or group study, as well as for spiritual mentoring and direction.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #188 — The Impressionist

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National Book MonthContinuing our September/October focus on books for creatives, The Impressionist is a novella by Tim Clinton and Max Davis all about becoming the masterpiece you were created to be.

The jacket cover reads:

Middle aged, disappointed and self-loathing, Adam Camp is anything but the picture of a successful man. With his wife threatening to leave him and Impressionisttheir son addicted to drugs, Adam teeters on the verge of absolute despair—questioning his own existence and purpose for living.

After an explosive argument with his wife, Adam searches for an escape as he sets out on a journey that will dramatically recolor his world. While walking through the city park, Adam is approached by an old painter. The mysterious artist convinces Adam to let him paint his portrait and what happens next is nothing short of a masterpiece.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #186 — Books of Rory Noland

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National Book MonthContinuing our focus on books for creatives, artists and worshipers in light of National Book Month next month. . .

We began Create-A-Day postings with Rory Noland, author of Heart of the Artist, way back in January with our very first edition!

In addition to Heart of the Artist, Noland has several more books for artists and worshipers:

Worship on EarthHis newest book is Worship on Earth as it is in Heaven: Exploring Worship as a Spiritual Discipline. It explores both private and corporate worship. Want to go deeper in your worship? Then this is a great choice! Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #185 — Books from Jews for Jesus Writers

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National Book MonthOctober is National Book Month, so I’ll be posting links to books for creatives, artists and worshipers the rest of September and throughout October!

Today is Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for our Jewish and Messianic Jewish friends. So in honor of this holy day, I wanted to share several books that reveal Jesus Christ in the symbolism of several Jewish holidays.

PassoverTabernaclesPentecost

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #184 — An Altar in the World

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National Book MonthOctober is National Book Month, so I’ll be posting links to books for creatives, artists and worshipers the rest of September and throughout October!

AltarNew York Times Best Seller An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor takes spirituality out of the box. I love the way she suggests very non-traditional, creative ways to encounter God. As an artist or creative, her book will leave you with new ways to develop your own spiritual practices to commune and worship God.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #181 — Walking on Water

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National Book MonthOctober is National Book Month so for the rest of September and throughout October we’ll be focusing on books for creatives and artists.

Many of you have read Madeleine L’Engle’s popular 1980 book entitled Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith & Art many years ago. But of course, I do want to recommend it, just in case you are new to this “creative” or “artistic” journey. I would be remiss if I didn’t point it out.

There is so much to be gleaned Walkingfrom this treasure from an incredibly prolific and creative writer.

“But unless we are creators we are not fully alive. What do I mean by creators? Not only artists, whose acts of creation are the obvious ones of working with paint of clay or words. Creativity is a way of living life, no matter our vocation or how we earn our living. Creativity is not limited to the arts, or having some kind of important career.” ~ Madeleine L’Engle

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #177 — Artist of the Earth

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Andres Amador “paints” incredible designs on an interesting “canvas”—a canvas that disappears with the tide! Working with garden rakes, he creates beautiful geometric designs on beaches at low tide. I love watching the ease with which he works and hearing his heart of creativity!

Andres Amador

You can watch him in action here:

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #176 — No Longer Running

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There are some images that live in your memory forever. Consider this image:

Vietnam

Kim Phuc is the name of the young girl captured in this iconic photo from the Vietnam War. Today I want to refer you to a CNN article about her journey from this terrifying moment of excruciating pain to a beautiful place of healing and forgiveness. It’s a remarkable story. I encourage you to read the entire article and watch both videos. As you read consider if there’s a matter of unforgiveness in your life, and if there’s a way for you to move from pain to healing and restoration. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #169 — Walk Thru the Lord’s Prayer

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file000126098408On Steal Our Stuff blog you can find some great resources. I want to refer you to a specific post for an interactive prayer walk called A Walk Through the Lord’s Prayer. It was created for a youth confirmation program, and is now available as a free download for your use. A wonderful resource for your church, ministry or prayer event. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #166 — The Bible on Creativity & the Arts

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L Bible w heart
What does the Bible have to say about creativity and the arts? Although this list may not be exhaustive, it definitely reflects God’s heart toward creation, creativity, artistry, artisans and craftsmen. Please use and share this as a resource for those in creative and prophetic ministry!

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #157 — Tongues, Art & St. Paul

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HS dove stainglass

In this article entitled Tongues, Art and St, Paul’s Rules of Order: A Few Suggestions author Amber Noel proposes that a certain aspect of the arts could be taken as glossolalia or tongues:

“Could it be that art, at its best (or at what we might call its most Spirit-led), produces a kind of visual, verbal, aural glossolalia that others may then attempt (again, by the same Spirit) to interpret well? On the other hand, if an act of artistic “speech” and its translations fall flat, or explode into total, unmanaged chaos, then could we perhaps turn to First Corinthians for clues on discernment and order?”

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #155 — Women Who Dare to Believe

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“Women Who Dare to Believe” is a musical by veteran actresses and singers Bonnie King and Nan Gurley. Utilizing a 20-foot piece of scarlet fabric, they tell the story of 21 women of the Bible—women who are all part of God’s story of salvation and hope—bringing them to life through story, song and drama. They also have a CD and a two-part Bible study that accompany the musical. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #151 — Spoken Word Wedding Vows

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Sometime back in 2011, Janette…ikz, the official poet of the Passion 4 Christ Movement (P4CM.com), did this spoken word piece called Waiting at the Lyricist Lounge:

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #150 — Color a Prayer

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Celtic CreativityI have referred you to 12 Tribes, the art ministry of Cindy Fort before (see this post here), and I want to send you there again today to a post about coloring your prayers.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #140 — Created to Create

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Did you know you were created to create?

I’ve posted from The Anima Series before. Here’s another great video to encourage you on your creative path today!

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #129 — Free Indeed!

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Koren War Vet Mem

The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington DC makes this powerful statement:

Freedom is not free.

Take a moment, look at these images, and consider the cost.

Count the Cost

What did your freedom cost the young man above?

Natnl Cem

What did your freedom cost the men, the women, the families represented by the more than 285,000 headstones at Arlington National Cemetery?

From the American Revolution to the current situation in the Middle East, have you considered the cost paid for your freedom?

Don’t ever forget!

And don’t forget the cost paid by Jesus Christ as he took your sin to the cross and was buried in the tomb. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #114 — Who You Are

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photo by Joe Pelletier

photo by Joe Pelletier

Today’s post is dedicated to my son Evan in celebration of his birthday! You are Evan Godfrey, Young Warrior of God’s Peace! You are my amazing son! You are GOD’S amazing SON!

Who You Are: A Message to All Men

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #110 — Beautiful Bible

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St Johns BibleThe St. John’s Bible is masterful work of art and a wonderful work of God! It’s a Christian artist’s dream as far as Bibles go! In 1998, Saint John’s Abbey and University commissioned renowned calligrapher Donald Jackson to produce a hand-written, hand-illuminated Bible. Seven volumes later and the project was complete! I love what Jackson says about the process of working on this project:

“The continuous process of remaining open and accepting of what may reveal itself through hand and heart on a crafted page is the closest I have ever come to God.”

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #109 — Common Prayer

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www.commonprayer.net

Common Prayer is a site created by Shane Claiborne & Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, designed to draw people together in a virtual setting to pray common (or the same) prayers. As we join our hearts together across the world in these prayers, we are united with God’s people and places and purposes.

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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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