On 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
embodied prayer
Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #158 — BodyPsalms
Standard
Our bodies often cry out to be heard, recognized, nourished. Yet sadly we ignore their cries and live disembodied lives bound by ill-health, dis-ease, and unhealthy desires!!
On BODYPSALMS, Dr. Celeste Snowber shares poetry with a distinctly body-oriented (and body-listening) spin! According to Celeste on her site:
“Bodypsalms are openings for us to deeply listen to words that hold the intention of our own depths, and call us back to living in our own skin. I write these in the tradition of the psalms, which extend from lament to ecstatic living, but are both an asking and listening at the same time. I have written them or they have written me out of the particularities of my own life, but I firmly believe that we live storied lives and we find each other in our collective stories.”
Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #150 — Color a Prayer
Standard
I 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.
Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #104 — Embodied Prayer
Standard
I 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!
Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #78 — Interactive Prayer Stations
Standard
Referring you to the Interactive Prayer Station tab of Still Waters blog today. Still Waters is the blog of Pastor Theresa who is a self-described second generation Korean-American Pastor and Mother. On her blog she has posted instructions and photos for well over 50 different themed interactive prayer stations focusing on everything from Epiphany, Lent, and Advent, to various Gospel stories, social justice issues, as well as light, love and baptism.
“Father, into your hands..” Last 7 Words of Jesus in Art, Poetry & Song (Create-A-Day #66)
“7” Virtual Art-Walk: Day 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
Matt Durbin (c) 2010
mattdurbinart.com
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
“It is finished!” Last 7 Words of Jesus in Art, Poetry & Song (Create-A-Day #65)
“7” Virtual Art-Walk: Day 6
“It is finished!” John 19:30
Matt Durbin (c) 2010
mattdurbinart.com
The Antique Rocking Chair
The carpenter is not disappointed
by the ruined finish or the broken arm,
loose spindles, failed glue joints.
“I am thirsty” Last 7 Words of Jesus in Art, Poetry & Song (Create-A-Day #64)
“7” Virtual Art-Walk: Day 5
Cup of Blessing
by Matt Durbin (C) 2011
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.
“Dear woman, here is your son…” Last 7 Words of Jesus in Art, Poetry & Song (Create-A-Day #62)
“7” Virtual Art-Walk: Day 3
[Jesus] said to [Mary], “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” John 19:26
Matt Durbin (c) 2010
mattdurbinart.com
Mary at the Cross
I am not old. A bewildered mother
since conception who stored up
each moment. Now I will recall
the way you reached for me, a babe,
“Today you will be with me…” Last 7 Words of Jesus in Art, Poetry & Song (Create-A-Day #61)
“7” Virtual Art-Walk: Day 2
“I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
Matt Durbin (c) 2010
mattdurbinart.com
Note: the broken way in which this poem is formatted is purposeful. Imagine the broken, jagged breath of the criminal on the cross next to Jesus… gasping for every breath… just to simply form sentences.
Breath
Jesus, why are you
up here
with me, why
is our blood
mixing with dirt,
why do our lungs Continue reading
“Father forgive them…” Last 7 Words of Jesus in Art, Poetry & Song (Create-A-Day #60)
“7” Virtual Art-Walk: Day 1
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34
Matt Durbin (c) 2014
mattdurbinart.com
The People Stood Watching
Come, see a man who told me everything
I ever did. A man who healed my eyes,
fed me bread he multiplied, poured my cup
of wine, washed my feet, called me out
“7” Virtual Art-Walk: The Last Words of Jesus in Art, Poetry & Song (Create-A-Day #59)
Standard
Several years ago our church creative arts ministry offered an event called “7” — a self-directed art-walk focusing on the last seven words of Christ spoken from the cross. Similar to a prayer-walk, an art-work utilizes art to help you prayerfully meditate while walking through a series of stations. There were seven stations and at each was a banner with the words of Christ, a poem by author and poet Sarah M. Wells, and a painting by artist Matt Durbin.
We will be re-creating a “virtual” version of “7” through the Create-A-Day posts with poetry by Sarah and artwork by Matt paired with songs. Our hope is that these posts will prepare your hearts for Resurrection Sunday, help you consider the cost of Christ’s priceless gift, and worship Jesus more deeply during this blessed season. Continue reading
Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #20 — Moving to Scripture
Standard
CaraMayan was developed by my friend Mary Jones, founder of International Christian Dance Fellowship. CaraMayan is a way of combining simple movement with scripture. This way of moving is sometimes called “embodied prayer,” and I’ll post more about that subject in the future. CaraMayan is very calming and meditative in nature and a great way to help you memorize scripture as the movement often helps the words become more a part of your being.
Nurturing the Creative Spirit Within 