“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
-Genesis 1:27
As my son grows from a baby into a toddler I find him becoming progressively less clingy, allowing me short periods of time to connect with the things I enjoy. In this strange quarentine time I’ve been exploring hobbies I enjoyed when I was younger, such as paper crafts, as well as trying new things like metal stamping and making pin-back buttons. Reading and writing are things I continually struggle to get back into as I find they take longer periods of uninterrupted focus than my son allows.
I feel my soul refreshed as I make art. When I’m able to sell or give away something I make and I see delight on another person’s face, I’m filled with a sense of joy that I could bring a little sunshine into someone else’s day. Maybe God feels this same way when we appreciate the beauty of nature.
An incident which inspired me was when I painted rocks to leave in a painted rock exchange box at my favorite coffee shop. As I sat sipping my coffee, I saw a little girl go up to the box. She picked out one I had painted which had a Bible verse on it (1 John 4:7, if I recall). The little girl picked it up and exclaimed, “Mommy, this is the best one!”
The girl’s mother wore a dark t-shirt which was covered in pentagrams and goat skulls. She whispered something to her daughter who then put the rock back. It struck me how presenting scripture through art left an impression, however small, on this little girl whose mother was evidently disinterested in Christian things.
I understand now that a creative outlet is a inbuilt need every person has. Everyone gravitates to differant outlets, but creativity is a reflection of God’s nature in us. Art, crafts, writing, building, engineering and cooking are just a few ways in which different people express their creativity.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”
-Colossians 3:23 ESV
And so I would encourage my friends and readers to prioritize time for being creative and discovering the personal creative gift which God has given you. And, most importantly, use your God-given creativity to worship Him!
Anna Sojourning 