Life has become a bit more complicated lately, and it has become necessary to streamline my blogging here. I see some of you are stopping by to read the posts, but since no one is commenting, it is hard to gauge the benefit. My intent is to take a break on the book discussion for a month and let some of you give feedback as to whether you would like it to continue. Please write your name after your post, otherwise you will be "anonymous". Thanks.

The following quotes are so meaty that I will divide this chapter up into a few posts to allow for comments on each group. Pick your favorite to discuss or just mull it over..

 
“...even when we one denies God, to serve music, or painting, or words is a religious activity, whether or not the conscious mind is willing to accept that fact...all true art is incarnational, and therfore 'religious'”. (p. 25)
 
“...a God who allows no pain, no grief, also allows no choice.” (p.25)
 
“We human beings have been given the terrible gift of free will, and this ability to make choices, to help write our own story, even when we make the wrong choices, abusing our freedom and the freedom of others.” (p.26)
 
“...to serve any discipline of art...is to affirm meaning, despite all the ambiuguities and tragedies and misunderstanding which surround us.” (p.27)
 

“It is impossible for an artist to attempt a graphic reproduction of Jesus in any way that is meant to be literal.” (p.28)
 
About the widow who gave the mite: “Her poverty was rich because all she had belonged to the living Lord.” (p.31)
 
 
 

Chapter One: Cosmos from Chaos
 
"It is a frightening thing to open oneself to the strange and dark side of the divine; it means letting go our sane self-control, that control which gives us the illusion of safety. But safety is only an illusion, and letting go is part of listening to the silence, and to the Spirit." (p.15)
 
This is the first quote from L'Engle's book, Walking on Water that begs me to stop and let my eyes perceive each word to savor each one more thoroughly. This book is one of the classic, revered tomes on faith and creativity that, along with other such works as Art and the Bible by Francis Schaeffer, has been quoted from and referred to by hundreds if not thousands of Christians in the arts. Many of them view it as not simply a handbook and source of inspiration, but a invigorating validation and encouragement of their potential as well as their craft. It is truly a joy to now be able to share reviews on each delicious chapter and hopefully read some of your comments on each.
 
She writes that her thoughts about art and her thoughts about the Creator are inseparable. (p.16) The depth and complexity of the thought left me momentarily perplexed. It will take me a few days to let it rattle around inside my cranium and settle, much like a ball in a pinball game or roulette wheel. Do you feel the same way? Why or why not? How about her comment on Leonard Bernstein's thoughts when she writes, “And it is true not only of music; all art is cosmos, cosmos found within chaos.” (p.16) She goes on to write that some modern art forms are a result of the artist only reproducing chaos instead of discovering cosmos. Do you agree or disagree with this thought? Feel free to comment about her subsequent feeling: “As far as I can see, the reproduction of chaos is neither art, nor is it Christian.” (p.16)
 
What do you think about the artist being what she terms, “a birth giver” in that it is an act of obedience to serve the work and bring it to life just as Mary was willing to carry out the will of God as the mother of Jesus? (p.18) While in some ways, the two are inconceivably different, there is a weighty reality to the responsibility our calling as artists places on us. How does this make you feel about your art?
 
Along with “enfleshing” the work, L'Engle stresses that the job of the artist is to serve the work. (p.23) I love that she writes that she has never been able to serve a work as it ought to be served, as if there is a higher, almost unattainable standard to it. (p.23) “When the artist is truly the servant of the work, the work is better than the artist...When the work takes over, then the artist listens.” She does add that this takes work. “Until I have worked through self, I will not be enabled to get out of the way.” (p.24) My own experience testifies to this truth, though many a time, I walk to the altar with the offering of my own will, only to be amazed by the fire of inspiration that God sends down as “the things of man” are consumed. The resulting piece is refined by this Holy creative fire and the result? Beyond any human effort or expectation.
 
Yes, Lord, let me be wiling to serve the work you call me to enflesh, rather than serve the empty shell of self.
 
Please feel free to share thoughts or a prayer about any of the above.
 
 

At this time of pressing circumstances, it is hard to even think about simplifying. It may not be an option. Yet it is so vital to streamline in order to survive. As a creative person, it is crucial to cling to our faith and art amidst a swirling vortex of demands, information overload and clutter. We are officially the most over-informed and communication saturated generation yet, so it is no wonder our creative time is ever-decreasing. In chapter seven, Janice Elsheimer gave us insight and advice about reclaiming our time as artists. While the book was written some time ago, the next chapter still offers valuable guidance on simplifying which may be more important than ever before if we are to keep our spiritual sanity and guard our craft.
 

 
While the verse she quotes seems like a ridiculous suggestion at this time in our history as a nation and world, the Truth of Scripture is ageless and always applicable. “Jesus taught us that, in order to have an authentic relationship with our Creator, we must trust God and not get caught up in the worries and busyness of life.” She is alluding to Luke:22, of course, as it was uttered by our Lord Jesus in simpler, yet not dissimilar times.(p.140)

 
Since the book was written, the majority of Amaricans have gotten into thousands of dollars in debt, many out of necessity. Yet there is still some truth to how she cuts to the chase with, “We need to step off the materialism treadmill and start trusting God to meet our needs.” Indeed, many of us don't just need our deisres satisfied, we need to return to a deep place of faith which informs our every-day mindset. Many need miracles in this economy and so their thoughts finally turn back to Him as the Giver of all good things. If at all possible, she encourages us to simplify by making life less complicated and focus on what brings greater meaning as well as stepping out of fear into faith. (p.141) Many people are living on just that right now. This is where faith hits the road...hard. It either stands up to the impact or crumbles. It makes me think of a commercial, "Got Faith?" We certainly need it right now. Perhaps that is the reason we are in this situation.

 
Much of what we consider necessity isn't. All those channels. Three types of sports for our children. Our daily latte. Six social media sites that take up our free time. There are usually things we can cut from our lives that will streamline and bring simplicity. Then relief. Then peace. The result is more time or money for the truly necessary and meaningful. “We need to selectively prune away the things in our lives that are not life-giving.” (p. 143) One practice Elsheimer empasizes is honesty. (p.146)  With a gentle yet firm honesty under the Holy Spirit's direction, we can avoid many pitalls that consume our time and energy against our wishes. God sometimes uses difficulty to draw us back to Him and so it is wise to respond to His call. As a creative, you are probably feeling the brunt of this economy acutely, whether you have followed Him closely lately or not, so this is even more important now. We must keep some space in our lives for meaningful communion with Him. “When we confess our sin, either in prayer or writing, we clear the air and reopen the lines of communion between His Spirit and us.” (p.148) The subsequent pages offer very helpful information as far as the financial aspects of an artist's life and sound advice for these difficult times. Creatives often struggle with this area, so Elsheimer's observations and helpful guidelines are a practical, timely help.

I hope you have enjoyed our journey through The Creative Call and taken away much. I encourage you to continue your Day Book and flip back in it often to see how the Faithful Creator has walked with you, leading you gently by the hand into greater creativity and faith.
The conclusion and appendices offer yet more insights and tips and are highly recommended. Thank you to the author for her wonderfully written resource. It has and will continue to be a valuable one in my library and for many others as well.

 
Our next book will be Madeleine L'Engle's Walking on Water: Reflections of Art and Faith. It will begin on January 11^th with the first chapter. I hope you will join us!

 
Time.

 
You must reclaim time to be creative if your art is to develop.

 
While Elsheimer agrees from the start that finding time for art is the battle of most creatives, she leaves little room for excuses. She challenges us to really examine our schedules, to prune away the unnecessary, the pointless and the meaningless to make room for a thriving relationship with our art form. (p.108-9) “To be an artist we have to integrate the spontaneity of the child with the disciplined mind of the adult.” (p.109) I love that. In essence, we must make time to play. We must put distractions out to pasture for a few hours each week and show up to play with focus. She goes on to explore the how divergent thinkers or those who shift from one thing to another quite easily, can actually benefit from doing so. I suppose then, the issue is to include shifting time into the process if this is your approach or tendency. Elsheimer quotes author of Time Management for Unmanageable People, Anne McGee-Cooper with the statement, “What seems like a disorganized, misdirected waste of time to the linear convergent person may be a divergent way of keeping the work going while we are waiting for our brain to produce the insights we need”. This choice allows for built-in breaks. While it works for me to a degree, I can easily go from break back to distraction.

 
I enjoyed the quiz on time management on page 112 and found the time resolutions on page 116 to be a much-needed structure help (they may end up on my studio cork board). I decided on but have yet to implement the use of my phone alarms as an aid to this goal. Studio appointment hours = no chatting on said phone. I must need a Discipline App. She recommends treating this appointment as we would one with a cherished friend or clock time on a job. (p.118) Since I am self-employed, the former is more effective for me. My studio now has the same fun elements as a date with a friend: tea, healthy snacks and a cheerful, energizing atmosphere. Now I want to show up and get to work. It is a welcome change from a dark, cluttered storage area.
 
What changes can you make to your art space to create an inspiring, inviting atmosphere?

 
Her analysis on our culture of multitasking was right on. (p.120-121) I myself am a recovering multitasker who realized chaotic isn't always productive. It brings the freedom of focus. She also gives practical tips on how to tame the technological threats to our creative time. (p128-134)

 
By far the most helpful nugget I took away from this chapter is that, “When we find the time to engage in our art, we engage in a kind of ministry.” Not only does God use His Spirit to infuse our work, but He also ministers to us as we collaborate with Him which then produces what will minister to others. She goes on to write that, “Making time for the Spirit of God to work through the talents he has given us is creating a a kind of prayer time. In those minutes, or hours, we give back to God some of what he has given us: attention, time and talent. We offer him the new spaces we create in our lives so that he can speak to us, inspire us, and answer our prayer that we learn how to follow his creative call.” In doing so, she says we work with the expectation that what we give back to the world will be something that, as Madeleine L”Engle writes, will “draw people to Christ by...showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it."
 
So making time for God to minister to us as we prepare something which will minister to the world takes on a much deeper meaning and its importance demands a schedule to that effect.

First, Elsheimer relates how she began to breathe out and stop the “avoidance dance”, the stalling or postponing of creative work, and just started. She relays how she must start writing before she knows what she will write. (p.88) I can relate to that. Early on in my writing career (ok, grade school) I was taught the value of “faucet writing” when I was given freedom to just write what came to mind. The first three or four lines were always nonsense, but soon the deeper thoughts started to flow and some that followed were even profound.

 
In the next paragraph, she speaks of serving the work as well, simply being available to create the work that God brings to us and when there is no inspiration, we must still “show up” just as we do for work. We are to set a time for creative work, “prime our creative pump” with exercises, pay attention and be ready when the inspiration arrives. Scheduling and praying over this concentrated time is key. (p.89)

 
The powerful quote by Leo Tolstoy opened my eyes to the important task of obeying God, and in so doing, contributing to the greater good of the world. Sometimes it is easy to forget that what we do, even if we only share it in a miniscule way, can have an eternal impact. (p.90)

 
I can really relate to the paragraph about distraction coming from the enemy of our creative souls. While the needs of others can be important, I pray for discernment on whether I should spend time with them or get on to my creative task for the day. (p.91) Later on, she writes about how he masquerades as a critic of our work as well. This concept can also apply to what we were taught as children about how to spend our time. Was creativity given importance in your young life or pushed to the bottom of a to-do list and do you put your creativity there now? Do you struggle with distractions of a similar spiritual nature and how do you or can you combat them? My note in the margin reads, “Substitute Scripture for the lies.” If you come upon some good verses, please share them in a comment.

 
A good point emerges when she writes that, by nurturing our artistic self, we will be better able to function in our other roles, including that of helping others. (p. 92) I especially like the thought of taking more time for my creativity while giving others more concentrated “quality” time with me. I want to focus on what He wants me to, delegate what I can and prune the rest off. (p. 92) To do this, I plan to schedule days for painting, writing and “field trips” in my calendar and make scheduling them a part of my lifestyle. Also, no phone calls (made or taken) during creative time, which means planning meeting with friends and others in advance.
 
What will help you zero in on this time to create?

 
On the next two pages she provides a series of questions to help us determine what we are afraid of when thinking of these areas. (p.94-95) My biggest fear is that other things for my home, family and general life will not get done and that someone or something will suffer. Do you want to share one of your fears?

 
To find and keep a seperate space for creativity seems to be a challenge for many artists I know and for me as well. I loved her advice to find one, dedicate it to God's creative work and make an agreement with family on its use. For those of us with children, the boundaries must be especially clear so our supplies stay intact and available. (p. 96-97)

 
A theme throughout the chapter is to not worry about the outcome of your work; its success or failure. Just produce, create and enjoy the process.

 
As I read the portion of Ephesians 6 which she includes. I began to circle certain words and ask myself what they had to do with my creativity. For example, what is the truth of my calling as a creative or its importance to salvation (mine or that of others)? Writing the answers validated my call all the more.

 
I love the concept of what I will call Spirit Room. Not just a place where we can focus on our projects, but space where the Spirit can inspire us. “Like the disciples, we have to place ourselves where the Spirit can meet us so he can open our hearts and our mouths to speak our 'new thing' “. (p. 103) So Elsheimer stresses that we need to attend to the work, be there and whether we are inspired to paint or not, work on our craft to be better prepared for those times when that inspiration “strikes”. (p.104)

 
“It is about discipline and perserverance, about setting aside a specific time and place for attending to the work... Begin with action, trusting God for the inspiraton.” (p.105)

 
Well done! See you for the review of chapter seven soon.

I  hope  you had a blessed Thanksgiving! I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share this blog with you and hope it is ministering to your spirit.
 
Breathing In opens with a little muse-ing. Some history on the muse gave a good background for the following thoughts.
 
According to the author, by 1674 the Holy Spirit replaced the mythological nymph of inspiration as Muse. (p.71-72). Elsheimer writes that, "This... is the same Spirit we call on today to inspire us, as artists, to become co-creators with God." (p. 71) "God has given us our talents and the Holy Spirit, when called on, will breathe life into us so that we will know what to do with those talents... Our art is not necessarily Christian in content, but it is centered in the truth that the Holy Spirit reveals." (p.72)
 
Ms. Elsheimer exhorts us by writing that the as we answer the call to create and respond to the invitation to co-create with God, three elements become vital in the process: "creator (artist), inspiration (Holy Spirit) and medium of expression (our creative language)". (p.74)
 
I love the quote from Isaiah used in the same section. This same verse planted the seed from which this ministry grew: "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:19)
 
My heart did a flip at the thought that God, the Master Artist, wants to breathe His Holy Inspiration into us. It is our job to reach out and simply receive it. (p. 77)
 
Have you ever just written or painted or danced without an agenda to see what what would happen? After a quick write exercise, Ms. Elsheimer shared this observation:
" ...just as God doesn't always answer our prayers when and how we think he should, he doesn't send us great, inspired artistic ideas on demand either... What we call artist's block often stems from reliance on oneself as a source of ideas and energy apart from our reliance on the Holy Spirit...Of course, our own humaness can get in the way." (p.78)
 
By far my favorite morsel from this chapter is that when God call us to create and inspires us, it is because His Spirit will last within us and what we create will also last because of that. She also encourages us to think of ourselves as artists and overcome the discomfort of calling ourselves as such so we can begin to pay attention as an artist does. (p. 79) 
Sharing a common theme with this ministry, she aptly shares that using our senses or what another author calls, "absorb(ing) the world around us and learn to see that world anew with eyes of child-like wonder" is very important. (p.80)
 
"We've defined "breathing exercises" as putting ourselves into places and positions where we can feed our sensory receptors and open our hearts to the inspiraton of the Holy Spirit." She also encourages us to get specific about a project, write it down and go places which will make sensory impressions on a similar theme. (p.85)
 
Her conclusion to this chapter is perfect. We are to stand at the ready in expectation with humility since we never know when the Spirit will send a new message. If we make time to receive it and do these things, we are on our way to becoming the artists He created us to be. (p.86)
 
How did this chapter spur you on creatively? What things can you do to "breathe in" the inspiration the Lord may have for you this week?

Update: If you are interested in meeting in person for the final four chapters and conclusion and live in the southern metro Denver area, please send us a message using the contact form to the left. We will be meeting at 2 p.m. on December 12th.  We will resume with our online discussion on another book focused on creativity and faith sometime in mid to late January. Check back for details. Thanks and have a great Thanksgiving holiday.
 
 

Chapter Four, Forgiving, went deeper into our creative soul. God used it to lovingly bring up some hurts from the past that trip us up and showed us how to overcome them in time.

Can you name the discouragers in your creative life whose actions still hold you back in some way today? On page fifty-four Elsheimer writes, "Forgiveness is not just something we grant another person. It is a gift we give ourselves." So true. We have all been trapped in resentment over an offense and weighed down by the cyclical pain it causes. How much better to be set free to pursue our own creative potential unhindered? It takes time, of course. It can't be rushed. Nor does it mean we allow ourselves to be creative victims again. With a bit of pain, then forgiveness and healing, wisdom and strength begin to take root and flourish. I shared that an experience I had taught me to use wisdom in friendships, forgive myself for mistakes, trust God's sovereignty and gave me fortitude in the Lord I never thought possible. In fact, it has been instrumental in running this ministry.

 
We had some fun with the exercise on page fifty-seven by coming up with confident retorts to discouraging statements. Jump in and give us a comeback to one or all! I know some of you have a sharp wit!
 
Try this when you feel insignificant artistically. Read Exodus 35:30-35 but use your name instead of the names listed for the craftsmen and let God blow you away with his feelings and validation for creatives (page 59).
 
Elsheimer points out that, if the Lord validated creatives back then, He must today as well. Why should we let selected people trip us up with discouragement when our Heavenly Dad who gave us the gift, calls us by name and is our constant Encourger (page 60)? Next, she had us list our heroes; those who encouraged us along the way (page 61). Would you like to share about yours?
 
She writes that for each discourager there is a hero, or a group of them, to help us along our path. Ultimately, she writes, God Himself is our greatest Encourager. (page 60) "Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:5-7 NIV. Once we understand who our greatest Encourager is, "they" can't stop us! How does this change or confirm things for you?
  
Sometimes we are getting in our own way. Sometimes a Mountain of Me gets on my road to productivity and won't budge! An encourger can help us get out of our own way. She stresses the importance of forgiving ourselves when we do (pages 62, 63).
 
Here are some of the gems of that we uncovered in these two chapers, then tucked away in our hearts.  Which one means the most to you?
1. Our creativity takes many forms. Caregiving, blogging, cooking, coordinating projects and more are all creative problem solving. Just because we aren't practicing a particular artistic hobby doesn't mean we aren't using our time creatively.
2. We don't need to let past events determine our present or future productivity or influence. Through repentance, forgiveness and healing, barriers to our artistic progress are destroyed and our shackles drop off.
3. We have the power of God at our disposal. Got a mountain? Not a problem! Whether it moves all at once or starts to move with one shovel's worth, mountains can and do move out of our way by His might.
4. We can trust the One who called us to our craft. He is our primary Encourager who sticks closer than a brother or earthly friend.
 
Madeleinge L'Engle's words about our journey are a perfect way to wrap this up: "Inspiration far more often comes during the work than before it because the largest part of the job of the artist is to listen to the work and go where it tells him to go." (page 49) If that work is inspired, infused and influenced by the Holy Spirit, then we can relax and discover it as we go. Nothing will be able to stand in our way! I wonder what adventures await us as the Master Creator, the Craftsman at His side and the Holy Spirit of inspiration, lead us toward further revelation about ourselves and our creative lives.
 
 
 

Our group drew in closely. We knew that chapters one would reach down and touch a deep place in our souls.
 
We were right.
 
The deeper we dug, the more treasures we found.  I hope you enjoy pondering and commenting on them as well as my questions to you.
 
"The fear of not being 'good enough' can keep us from using our talents and gifts, especially if those gifts have lain dormant for a while. The problem with this kind of thinking, apart from the fact that it's self-defeating, is that it is based on assumptions that we have no right to make. To begin with, it is not our place to decide for ourseves whether we are 'good enough' to glorify God with our talent." (Page 39)
 
How does this phrase resonate with you? 
 
Elsheirmer's next words resulted in nods of agreement. "Comparing ourselves to others is pointless because we don't know how God intends to use us once we let him have his way with us. Do we really think God would give us a talent and then provide no venue for it?" (Page 40)
 
Insecurity is no stranger to the creative person. It seemed to be with us just then, creeping around the coffeeshop where we had gathred as if to distract and taunt us. As we read on, however, we uncovered truth to counteract the scars from our past and apprehension about the future. We began to wake up to the deceit that shackled us. Then our definition of successful was changed in a moment:
"Being successful is syonymous with doing God's will." I loved that. Simple and liberating.
What does it mean to you?
 
She quotes Oswald Chambers, who saw it this way: "When God sends His inspiration, it comes to us with such miraculous power that we are able to 'arise from the dead' and do the impossible." (Page 47) Or in the words of another Master of words, "Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." (John 8:23 NIV)