I’ve sifted through several books on creativity lately, and frankly, some disappoint me. Yet there is one book, according to John Hollandsworth , that “weaves together moving personal experience, sound exposition of Scriptures, and gathered wisdom from other creatives to give us a voice of guidance for a life of Christ-honoring creativity.”
What voice of guidance do we need? For those of us whose life is ‘hid in Christ,’ John says:
* We need a voice of wisdom, from someone who is skilled in the Bible and skilled in people.
* We need a voice of humility, from someone who does not think he is God’s gift to all artists.
* We need a voice of experience, from someone who doesn’t just think about creativity, but has lived it out in his life over decades of creative work.
* And lastly, we need a voice of eloquence, so that what is said penetrates deep into our heart and soul.
This voice is Michael Card. The book is Scribbling in the Sand
For the rest of this outstanding review, read Scribbling in the Sand at Godly Creative People by John Hollandsworth. John not only enjoyed the book, but met Michael Card in person. You’ll love what he discovered…
Read the book already? Share your thoughts!
Memo:
John Hollandsworth’s blog: Light Along the Journey.
Cool place for creatives to hang out: Godly Creative People
To order the book: Scribbling in the Sand
Gina Conroy just announced the Carnival of Christian Writers over at Portrait of a Writer Interrupted. Gina will host this new event on the last Monday of each month.
* Your post must be related to writing.
* Please check out the writing guidelines on host’s sidebar.
* Deadline is the LAST Saturday of each month.
Please write a one to two sentence blurb about your post, including your name, link to your blog, and the permalink to the actual blog post you’re submitting to the Carnival. Email it to Gina: Portraitwriter@gmail.com.
Okay, spread the word! It would be great to have writers from all genres and levels of experience participating in this new carnival. Looking foward to it, Gina!
In her book, Writing As a Way of Healing, Louise DeSalvo shares four ways to avoid self-defeating scenarios with our writing:
First, it is essential that we write regularly in a relaxed way. That we don’t fight our process or try to force or control it.
Second, it is essential that we watch with a relaxed awareness what occurs as we write.
Third, it is essential that we don’t judge ourselves or our work. That we write to create or, in time, to finish a piece of work but without expectation of the wealth or fame that such writing may bring.
Fourth, it is essential that we be patient. That we write routinely. But that we don’t hurry our work.
The writing process by itself is valuable, DeSalvo reminds us. If we just respect that process, “something worthwhile will emerge.”
“Instead of laying down a list of expectations of what your life should be, you can participate in the ongoing discovery of what God has designed your life to be.”
“When something beautiful strikes your eye, stop and gaze at it. Let it overwhelm your spirit and comfort your restless heart.”
“The unique, one-of-a-kind canvas of our existence is meant to be an inspiration to others—a true joy to behold and a heaven-sent blessing to those we meet and to the world around us. Paint your own life’s painting with the radiant colors of joy, peace, and the caring of your heavenly Father.”
“I believe that catching a vision for simplicity is the vital prerequisite for dealing with the storms of life, for exiting the fast lane and for changing our lives for the better.”
“I realized that my life and my talent are gifts, and they have been given to me for the purpose of helping others. So what I wanted to do as a painter was not just to express myself, but to create pictures that encouraged people, that brought them a sense of peace and joy, that inspired them to catch a vision for a better life.”
“Creative living at its best involves a rhythm of intense work and not-so-intense work, of times when you do something new and times when you simply enjoy a routine. It involves a balanced mix of the mental and the spiritual and the physical.”
Important thoughts to ponder from Acts, by Larry Woiwode:
“Some readers by now are looking for my theory of the way to produce Christian art or write Christian fiction, since theories are what people believe govern the world. They don’t, and I have none. I am working out my aesthetics (and perhaps salvation) with each book—with this one—and each book poses unique problems. But I can assure you that you will not begin to form your own aesthetics or way or writing unless you first belong to a church that teaches you fellowship and unity within Christ, and then begin to see writing as your daily humble job within that community. . . .
“The time has come for Christian artists in their communities to begin building that City on a hill again, and I hope that one young student, or even a middle-aged one, will understand what I’m saying and perhaps at this moment sense the stirrings or a first novel. If that student takes scripture seriously, he should know that the more he immerses himself in a particular communion and comes to understand the ways in which each person within it is essential, the more distinctive and original his writing will be. And I hope that some young woman has begun to visualize her lifework, a shining series of interlocking narratives that will provide the material to repair some of the buildings of the centuries-old tradition of Christian writing. These were left unfinished when the writers of my generation turned aside to imitate our culture rather than turning first to the community that always should be available in Christ.”
Larry Woiwode, Acts (Harper Collins, 1993), pp. 74, 75-76.
HT: Justin at Between Two Worlds
“Pray that He’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with His own energy so that it all amounts to something.”
~ 2 Thessalonians 1:11, The Message
“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that.” ~ Galatians 6:4, The Message
“Anyone who tries to live by his own effort, independent of God, is doomed to failure.” ~ Galatians 3:10, The Message
