Kintsugi of the Soul

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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