Releasing Art

Since I can remember, I have been an artist in some form.  I've written poetry and songs.  I've drawn countless pages of different subjects ranging from cartoons to landscapes.  I've painted.  I've sang.  I've taken photos.  I've created jewelry.  I've tried most forms of art and have a great interest in all of them.  However, like most artists, I am quite sensitive to the opinions of others.  

This sensitivity has inhibited me from following dreams and pursuing passions.  It has swallowed me up in the camp of not good enough.  I've dreamed of being a great photographer, but then I think I could never take the kinds of pictures other people would be happy with.  The pressure of pleasing people overwhelms and my dream dies.

I've had dreams of writing a great novel and children's books with lots of different ideas for starting one, and the dream dies because I wonder if anyone would really like my words.  I dream of writing words on this blog that will speak to my readers, and then the dream dies because I see I have 10 followers and I'll never get a true following.  

What if for once, I gave those dreams to God and let Him just work through me without the fear of what others might think?  What if I chose to go all in for once?  What if God actually used my words to show someone how much He loves them?  What if I allow the breath of God to bring me to life and to work through my hands, my art?  It's not really my art anyway, it's all Him.  It's all for His glory.

I want to let go and let God do what He does best and lead.  Instead of me leading the way, I want to freely open myself up to His leading and see where He takes me.  My word for the year was "live".  While reading Ezekiel 37, the Lord spoke to my heart and said "speak to your dry bones, the word of the Lord, and tell them to live."  I knew what He was pointing me to, but I still resisted to truly live and go for it.  

Do you struggle with people pleasing while wanting to follow God?  Let's link arms and work encourage each other to pursue those passions He's placed in us today.

Lord, we lay it all at Your feet today.  We lay down our burdens to take on Your joy.  We lay down our dreams to take on Your plan.  We lay down our abilities to take on Your ability to work through us.  We ask you to give us strength in following You, to be what You've called us to be, and to do what You've called us to do - unashamed.  In Jesus Name, Amen!

31 Days Seeking God

I have been a Christian for a very long time.  I asked Jesus to come live in my heart when I was 5.  I loved Jesus more than anything, going to bed listening to teaching tapes and writing love songs to Jesus by age 7.  I went to Christian school for a few of my elementary school years.  I was in church Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night and for any special meetings in between.  I was a teenager in a youth group that went out and ministered several times a month at local churches and street events.  

Somewhere along the way, I learned the art of wearing the mask.  Hiding behind Christian clichés became my life.  After years of hiding, my heart became hard and tired.  I stopped seeking, stopped longing and the wonder of Jesus left.  

Recently, the Holy Spirit spoke to me in the middle of our Pastor's message and said "this is for you."  He was teaching on "seeking the Lord."  Immediately, I knew it was time to take Him at His word.  Jeremiah 29:13-14 (MSG) "When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree."

Oh God, I don't want to be disappointed.  I want to seek you with my whole heart.  I want to find you more than anything else.  This has been my prayer for the past month, and I’ve been learning to seek God with fresh eyes.  You know, when you’ve been in a relationship a long time, it is easy to lose that excitement of the new love.  I want that excitement back when I talk about Jesus, when I think of Him.

This 31 day series was born out of a desire to seek God with my whole heart.  To see Him, to hear Him, to know Him.  Join with me, and seek Him with me.  You will not be disappointed to see Him in your everyday life.  One of the rewards of seeking God is getting to know His promises.  The bible says His promises are Yes, and by that we say Amen.  I am going to spend 31 days seeking Him through various promises.  

There are many ways to seek God.  We can seek Him in prayer, worship, His Word, spending time with other believers to be sharpened, and the list goes on.  I hope you will join me and let’s fall back in love with Jesus.  Let’s let Him restore to us the joy of His salvation!

POSTS:

Day 1 - Be Anxious for Nothing
Day 2 - He Will Give Rest
Day 3 - He Will Quiet You by His Love
Day 4 - He is Near to the Broken
Day 5 - He Will Fulfill His Purpose for Me
Day 6 - He is Our Provider
Day 7 - His Grace is Sufficient
Day 8 - He Restores Us
Day 9 - He is Our Peace
Day 10 -  He Cares for You
Day 11 -  He is Faithful
Day 12 -  He is for You
Day 13 -  He is Our Joy
Day 14 -  He Keeps Watch Over Us
Day 15 -  He is Our Helper 
Day 16 -  He is Our Refuge and Strength 
Day 17 -  He Leads Us to Still Waters
Day 18 -  He Gives Us Favor
Day 19 -  His Mercies are New Every Morning
Day 20 -  He Fills Our Hearts Desire
Day 21 -  He is Our Redeemer
Day 22 -  He Makes All Things New
Day 23 -  He is with Us Always
Day 24 -  He Will Strengthen Us
Day 25 -  He is Working in Us
Day 26 -  He Makes All Things Possible
Day 27 -  He Moves Mountains
Day 28 -  He Works All Things for Our Good
Day 29 -  He Will Go Before You
Day 30 -  He is Our Freedom
Day 31 -  He Finished It All

By All Means, Write

Linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday... a couple days late.  Would you click over to her page to learn about this beautiful community of writers who write their hearts out for five minutes every Friday (or Sunday in my case), and link up to encourage one another?  I believe you will be blessed to join us!


I stumbled upon this quote about two months ago, and started a post with just this quote on it.  Then, I got distracted and abandoned the post.  It has stuck with me, and I can't shake that it's meant for all of the arts, including writing.  There is such freedom in the knowledge that all artists struggle with the same voice of doubt in their ability to produce the very art that makes them breathe and come alive.  

“If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” ~ Vincent Van Gogh

C.S. Lewis, Robert Louis Stevenson, Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen, and many other significant writers throughout history have woven together words that make our imaginations come to life...and then, there's me.  While I will never tell a story like the story tellers of yesterday, God put writing on my heart at an early age.

I remember around age 7, I would write songs of praise and worship to Him.  I once told my mom a poem that God put on my heart, and had no idea that she needed it right at that time.  I remember writing hundreds of letters of encouragement, poetry, journal entries, even a few English papers for some of my peers.  

Somewhere, somehow, I lost the confidence to call myself a writer, or to believe my story mattered.  I believe the voice within me saying "you cannot write".  There is power in our words.  The moment I start to speak those defeating words about myself, I start to live like I believe them.  Life and death flow off our tongues to inspire or breakdown the one who hears or reads our words.  

Speak to yourself words of life so that you can speak to others words of life.  Are you struggling to get the words out that seem buried deep within, to believe that you are a real writer?  I am so there with you, friend.  This has been a very quiet time for me in writing.  Let me encourage you to write something, even if just a word, a sentence, a paragraph.  By all means, write.  

Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you.  Let them bring grace and peace and let me always point others to Jesus and your steadfast love.  In Jesus Name, Amen!

Writing With Purpose

It's my favorite writing day of the week.  Five Minute Friday!  You can join us at Lisa Jo Baker's to learn more about it and link up with us.  We'd love to have you join us!  

Go.

Taking a break from blogging was the best and worst idea I had at the end of 2013.  The best idea because I needed to re-evaluate my "why", and the worst because I've had a hard time figuring that "why" out.  Just like exercise, when you take a break, it's hard to get back into the habit of writing regularly.  

I keep my journal, but it's mostly a prayer journal, and I don't write much about what God is working in me.  I also have my children's journals where I write their funny sayings, how much I love them, things I admired about what they did that day, etc.  

But my call, my passion is to write with purpose.  To encourage the hearts of women.  I am an encourager by nature, and gift, afterall.  I can remember the first song I ever wrote at the age of 7.  My mom talks about it all the time, and how much it ministered to her.  I had an 8th grade creative writing class in which I was the first time I realized that I really loved writing.  By the time I got to high school, I realized that I was pretty good at it.  

I don't want to lose sight of writing with purpose, because then it just becomes noise.  I want my words to mean something, and I want to be confident in writing them.  As Lisa Jo Baker said "The thing about writing is that at some point somebody’s going to want to read it. Let them." And, I hope to believe this down to my bones. That someone would want to read what I write. I am determined to be an open book and write with purpose.

Stop.

A Funny Thing Happened...

At the end of November, I made a choice that December was going to be a no/low blogging month.  I had no idea what was in store for us, but I thought it would be a time of family and reflection.  I had really big goals for my blog for 2014.  I had big plans for my personal writing time, and for where I wanted to take this thing.  

One thing was lacking, I was making goals without consulting with the One who directs my steps.

Then, my father-in-law passed away, my son was dealing with some school issues, my mom got the flu, my sister is getting married and I'm the matron of honor, so writing took a back seat in some old abandoned car parked in an overgrown field.  It just didn't come to mind.  

Since the beginning of the year, I've participated in a couple of link ups, but I have had absolutely no motivation to write like I was so determined to at the end of November.  I was working hard to network and make friends, learning the great benefits of twitter and facebook in regard to drawing readers in.  It was exciting, but then felt really empty for me.

All of those life things have become what God has used to re-prioritize my focus from me, and my goals to Him and His plan.  It's time for me to step aside and let God's plan become my plan and His dream for me become my dream for me.  

In fact, I have had no desire to write and pursue those goals.  I don't think this is a forever thing, just a season that either I need to rest in, or pray through.  I'm not sure which one yet because I'm not exactly in a hurry to get out of this season.  I've been enjoying my kids more, reading more, and getting back into a regular exercise habit.  

I'm also determined to make time with Jesus my number one priority.  I have devoted so little time to Him, to prayer, worship, and the Word that I have nothing to give, nothing to write about.  If I'm not prompted by a link up, I got nothin'.  

So, if you regularly read my blog, hang in there with me, and I'll be back to regular posting when I feel the focus is back on the right thing. -Not promoting me, but promoting Him.  Less of me, more of Him.  

I've heard it said so much over my life, but I really get it now - I must decrease, so He can increase.  I must withdraw from the business of being busy and building something so that I can hear Him more clearly and know the direction He has called me to go.