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10/15/2017 1 Comment unfinished creatorsbehind my words there’s real frustration in all that i’m not & all that i want to be, but feel i can’t be. behind my words there’s always this restless tension - an impatient yearning to reach a standard of wholeness & perfection before i let anyone get too close. i want things figured out & i want all the answers & there’s a hideous pressure to have everything in life seamless. there’s brutal insecurity & a timid confidence that really wants to create, but is still learning to be sure of itself.
i did myself a favor & walked into an antique shop the other day with some friends. there were hundreds of random things that someone, at some point, claimed as treasure. someone’s hands felt the urge to create with keen attention what they believed resembled worth. the store was scattered with hundreds of brilliant ideas that were followed through by ambitious dreamers. a room full of royal blue teacups & poetry books & weathered chairs & proud jewels. a room full what he, what she, deemed beautiful. & as i walked around in silent marvel, i wanted to wake up the creativity that grew dormant in me. i felt the need to unleash the passion in me, instead of dulling it to stay safe. i’m tired of staying safe. i felt the urge to make art & invite others into it to discover His extravagance together. what would it look like to live in constant wonder? because when beauty breathes, i’m reminded that life is urgent & the cost of choosing to simply coast through is tragic. maybe the way He wired me wasn’t accidental. & maybe the wild way you dream is actually worth His attention because maybe they were His dreams for you before you ever even knew what it meant to really live. // i would argue that the world needs beautiful art. it needs creators & trainers & architects & photographers & business men & business women & poets & preachers & bankers & doctors & designers & teachers. & even though we’re all a bit unfinished, we create as we seek Him & trust that He’ll somehow use it to redeem the world. “…so we make lofty art :: see the presence of good art will unconsciously refine a community & poor art will do an incalculable harm.” propaganda :: lofty this all starts with delight. we’re led by delighting in Christ, delighting in the cross, delighting in being redeemed & delighting in all of who He is. & out of that sheer delight, we create beauty that draws others into the wonder of the Gospel. it’s delight in Him that leads us to all things lovely. because the One we delight in always gives His best when He creates & when He gives. still He gives His full attention to creation when only the stars are there to watch the wonder. still He gives the trees their leaves & birds their nest & sunflowers the freedom to grow & grow wildly. still He gives untainted mornings & unwasted moments on lone benches perched on the side of the road & a slow pace to the table because the mug is too full & random phone calls from sisters & soft smiles after long days & breakfast out & one way roads that He uses to remind you that there's only one way to live the most abundantly & it starts with Him & it's followed by giving grace & creating art & giving more. // so let’s create out of delight & never grow dull, but always discover & prove that adventure can be holy & love without limits & live all these Gospel moments in crazed abundance.
1 Comment
10/26/2017 06:47:13 am
I can relate to not wanting someone to get too close to see who I really am. My imperfections. Can also relate to the antique shop experience, some things we see as not worth anything or not important were some ones treasure. Why did they have to give them up? What is the story behind them? Loved the reflections dear Bethany. Love you pray for you often. Mrs. DeVries
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