It’s a blank page. It’s always a blank page. And yet every time it’s turned into a beautiful story. Even though it’s often far from eloquent, far from coherent, far from perfection, it’s a story. Your story, my story. Any word poured out on a page, any syllable uttered from the mouth, any brush spread across a canvas, any root stretched a little deeper. They are utterances of our stories. And they matter.
There are a handful of word artists that I deeply respect. For some, I haven’t even read all of one of their books. But the theme coming from each of their voices is that your art matters. Your art that my not feel like art at all? It is. It matters because it releases your person as you really are. It leads you to notice the beautiful and creative around you. It leads you to express, release, and give thanks. It leads you to the King. Every little step of the process is important, so much more important than anyone can make you realize unless you believe the Creator Himself. I read Shauna Niequist, Emily Freeman, Hannah Brencher, and so many more, and in one way or another I’m redirected to my King in the purest, most sensible way my heart knows. I think that is art accomplished.
Read MoreIt's gooey. It's warm from the oven. It's dusted in sugar. It's crispy and fudgy all at the same time. It's pretty much a circular, underbaked brownie that you get to call cake and can serve for the fanciest meals. In fact, I would like to test the theory that this cake, in all its messy and delicious chocolatey glory, would unravel even the tightest of dinner parties. Pursed lips splitting with laughter, uncomfortably straight backbones swaying with chatter, and previously clasped hands waving with expression. That's how great this brownie-cake is.
Read MoreAbout two years ago I wrote about this same topic, I believe. Or maybe more recently. Maybe it's this time of year, this time that just grabs me and melts me and flutters my heart every hour or so. And certain days seem more glorious and heaven-glimpsing than others, like today. They just hover above you, bringing perfection closer to you for just a few hours, and you just erupt in gratitude and jump in excitement, but afraid to move too abruptly because then you might snap back into real life and turn to stress and anxiety and schedules again.
It's on these days when I put my foot down, my stubborn stomp, and I refuse to let those things get in the way. Because no matter what I do today, I know that it is God-ordained. Whether I have my quiet time or not, I know He is calling me to glorify Him in some way. And it's on these days when you simply can't resist it. It's like they're our purpose-calling days. Our glory-manifesting days. Our time to use the gifts God has given us, because there's nothing more that gives Him glory than doing exactly what He hardwired us to do. And so today, I create.
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