Are you a creative person? I have some friends who are unbelievably creative, and they find such beautiful expressions for the deep heart that lies within them. I also have some friends who say that they don’t have a creative bone in them. But I don’t believe it.
I think that sometimes we look around and compare ourselves to the artistry that feels out of our grasp, and count our own thoughts as unworthy to be shared, less than what others could offer.
But the truth is that we are all created in God’s image, and He is the author of creativity! Each one of us has been given a heart that is meant to be opened up, through so many different forms of expression, in praise to our Father. Even when those expressions don’t look like those around us, even if those expressions don’t look like what we had hoped they might look like, there is still a beauty to be shared.
This past weekend, I once again joined in for a fun art collage type opportunity over on Instagram. The hosts there call it a “Gluebookparty,” and you can check out my Instagram feed for links to their pages and ideas. Several prompts are given, we gather our supplies: some kind of paper or journal, scissors, glue, and magazines or other paper art, and then we set to work creating fun pages that express the thoughts that lie in our heart. And while the prompts may seem simple, and my own artwork even simpler, God always speaks to me through the creative process.
The first prompt was “What color describes you now?” After I had made the art page, a simple Haiku fell into place that brought words to meet the cry in my heart:
Into the midst of weariness, and longings to see answers for so many different situations, God had shown me the true cry of my heart. Only His Living Water can bring me peace. He washes away the stress when I offer my heart to him.
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:38 NIV
When the second prompt came for “texture,” I found a word to cut out before I found any pictures. And it seemed strange to me until another Haiku trickled around my thoughts later:
In the storms of this life, everything falls away except the basics. We are left without the trappings of excess, and in the process our true questions rise to the surface. It is there that Jesus meets us with the answers that only His life flowing through us can bring.
The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11 NIV
Are you facing storms of trial and weariness? Maybe you are walking through a scorching desert that has taken away every means of support. I invite you to let God bring up from the deep places in your own heart a drop of creativity. Simple or plain, complicated or intense, I am sure there are bits of expression that only you and Jesus can paint together.
Would you pray with me today?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You have created us in Your image with creativity flowing through our veins. Will You draw from the deep places in our hearts the true expressions that are waiting to be released? Would You help us to offer those drops back to You? We need You so much. Thank You that You have brought Your own Son, the true Living Water, to dwell within our own hearts, to meet every thirsting of our souls. Oh Lord of Life flow through us now.
In the name of Your son Jesus, we pray,
Amen.
I am linking with:
BettieGsRAseasons 
Oh,Bettie, you did get it written! And it’s so good! I love your collages and your haiku and your words are so encouraging to me.
This especially – “In the storms of this life, everything falls away except the basics. We are left without the trappings of excess, and in the process our true questions rise to the surface. It is there that Jesus meets us with the answers that only His life flowing through us can bring.” Yes, when we set aside time to get away from all the noise, to be still and quiet, we allow our hearts to open and give Jesus our troubles and let His peace wash over us.
Blessings, love and hugs to you, dear sister/poet/friend! I’m working on getting a post ready for today or tomorrow.
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Dear Gayl, Thank you for your prayers and encouragement to let God bring His help to me! I am so glad that He finds ways to lift us up out of the noise and stress for a while, even through simple art journal pages. He is so good to wash us with His peace. And then He is so good to ask us to share what He’s given us, so that we can encourage each other too. I’m looking forward to reading your post also! Blessings,love and hugs to you too, my dear sister/poet/friend! xoxo
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Hi Bettie. I love your collages and haikus. The living water haiku especially calms my soul. We need that living water so desperately, don’t we? Love the song, too. This paragraph convicts me as so true for myself – “I think that sometimes we look around and compare ourselves to the artistry that feels out of our grasp, and count our own thoughts as unworthy to be shared, less than what others could offer.” I do that far too often for far too many years… Thank you for the reminder of the Author of Creativity in whose image we were created. Love and hugs to you!
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Dear Trudy,
Oh yes, we do need His Living Water so much! He has so much to give to us, but I don’t know why we give in so easily to those feelings of being unworthy, or unable to share. Even the smallest offering, when given to Jesus, becomes such a beautiful gift! I am thankful that you understand, and that we can pray for each other in that place. May you be blessed as you rest in His beauty today. You are such an encouragement to me also. Blessings, love and hugs to you!
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Amen, yup everyone has an ounce of creativity in them….
How are you dear friend?
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Dear Ifeoma,
Yes, that ounce of creativity can amount to so much with God, right? Thank you for your concern and care dear friend! I am resting in my God’s great victory today. He keeps me going through the days that feel too much for me. I appreciate your prayers so much, and I am keeping you in my prayers also! Love and Hugs!
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Very well-said dear Bettie. Creativity lives in each of us. I loved your line that described our heart opening up to different types of expression in praise. Thank you for this post. Thank you for prayers. If you need specific prayers this week, you know where to find me💗
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Dear Julie,
Oh I am so blessed by your prayers, and your own expressions of creativity! You bring such praises to our Lord through your words. I am grateful that He has let us share together in these online communities. Blessings and Prayers for you too!
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Betti, I chuckled when I saw the color you decided on. I would have picked the same, but for totally different reasons. When I was in junior high, I was often blue. I saw life as sad, but I determined that if I trusted my future to the Lord my future could be as blue and as beautiful as the sky about us and stand for excitement, fulfillment, and God’s leading and protection.
God has shown so much creativity in creating us! I enjoyed your words of encouragement through art.
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Wow, Linda, I love it that you would have chosen blue also! But what a gift God gave you to show you the wide open blue of the sky and His leading and protection there. I see how your life is truly an expression of that! You bring His love and beauty to our family–even from a long distance across several states, I can see and know that! I wish we lived closer, but I am thankful for the ways that we are able to share now! Blessings to you and to Mike, and his Birthday this week!
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such a beautiful post and wonderful prayer. thank you Bettie.
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Oh Wendi, I am so thankful you were blessed here. Isn’t it amazing how our Lord brings such different forms of creativity to bless us all? Blessings to you Dear Sister!
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………and huge helpings of blessings to you my friend…….
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Thank you so much!
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my pleasure Bettie…………
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Bettie, I leave here inspired this morning and reminded again that God has shaped us in His image … and creativity is woven into the sacred fabric of who He is.
Thank you for taking us there …
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Dear LInda,
I am so thankful that the Lord inspired you here today. His beauty finds so many different ways to be expressed! May we each keep our hearts open to His inspiration and glimpses of glory throughout our days. Blessings to you!
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The simplicity of paper and glue. I need to try this. xoxo
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Oh yes, Susan, I hope you can try this simple collage, gluebooking! I think you would be blessed by it too.
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I LOVE your haiku’s! I think your collages are very creative 🙂 Praying…
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Oh thank you sweet friend! I appreciate your kind words and your prayers so much. What a gift to be able to share and to pray for each other across the miles!
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I love this post. I feel so much inspiration from God ( despite my difficulties). I feel so much bursts of creativity and I know its a gift from God. Thank you.
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Thank you for your kind words and your visit here today. Yes, isn’t God so good to bring us gifts of creativity? He knows just what we need to help us in all of our difficulties. And He shows us how closely He dwells within us there! Blessings to you!
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Tired and weariness, my friend, YES. Oh, how that resonates with me tonight! Thank you for this refreshing, encouraging post and your sweet words at my blog. I have been trying to get over here and read your precious post and finally made it here tonight. Sending much love and gratitude to you for all you do, sweet friend.
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Dear Cheryl,
I am so grateful that you found refreshing here. Our Lord draws us into His places of sweet rest at just the right times, and He is so so good to us there! I am so thankful for all of your prayers and love my dear friend! Love and Blessings to you!
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What a treat to see you venturing into the collage world. Your haikus pair perfectly and your finished collages are wonderful. I bet it was so much fun stretching yourself in this creative way.
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Thank you Mary! Yes it really is a fun type of creativity because it’s so open and flowing. I am so thankful that God finds way to bring out creativity even as the seasons have changed, and I’m not able to do the things I once was. He is such a creative God! Blessings to you!
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Dear Bettie, I love your collages and haiku! It’s such an apt pairing. The “texture” one speaks to me the most but they are both beautifully creative and inspiring. I’ve had rather a dry creative well for months and neglected anything arty for way too long but you have succeeded in stirring up that longing at least. Thank you, sweet friend! Blessings and love. xoxo ❤
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Dear Joy,
Oh I am so thankful that drops of creativity were stirred up within you also, here today! I pray that the Lord will continue to bring up from the depths of your heart, the beauty that He has planted there. I am hoping to be able to do more of these art collages, as Gayl has shared hers too. It is such a beautiful way of walking through prayer with Jesus! Blessings, love, and hugs to you my dear friend! xoxo
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