Breathe (3:22 a.m.)

2 a.m. and I'm still awake writing a song/If I get it all down on paper its no longer inside of me/threatening the life it belongs to/and I feel like I'm naked in front of the crowd/cause these words are my diary screaming out loud/and I know that you'll use them however you want to

Anna Nalick/Breathe (2 a.m.)

Actually, it's 3:22 a.m. and I'm still awake because I had entirely too much coffee tonight. Nevertheless, I'm sitting here writing because I feel like I have to. There is nothing else that I can do. Well, there are things that I could be done-like sleeping for one, or washing this morning's cereal bowl, or answering the string of emails I've neglected over the past week-but none of these things are as compelling as writing is right now. And I'm not even sure I have anything to say but here I am, in front of this blasted screen, knowing that tomorrow morning is quick approaching.

Does anyone have any insight into how all of this works? Why is it that the cereal bowl loses tonight but inevitably wins when I have carved out the time to write, am seated in my favorite chair with well-chosen music playing in the background, and have decided exactly what it is that I want to communicate?

Many people talk about inspiration. Others insist that art is born out of discipline. Maybe it is a combination of both. My experience diverges sharply from either theory. I mostly write out of emotional necessity. Honestly, sometimes writing tips the scales back toward sanity for me when I am getting dangerously close to losing it. It grounds me. It brings all of the things in my head into reality.

Furthermore, how is it that I find the guts to strip naked emotionally on paper? I can't believe some of the things I've posted on my blog...things I honestly believe I could not use my voice box to say. In fact, now that I think about it, I can't believe that I just told you that I'm sometimes dangerously close to mental meltdown!?

I had a sort-of-conversation about this awhile back with my artsy sort-of-neighbor...wish we could have finished it but we got interrupted. Do you mind helping me answer some of the questions that were asked but not answered?

Why do you create? What is your impetus? How are your motivations for writing or painting or photographing or programming or crocheting or playing/plucking/strumming _______ different than my motivations for doing what I do? What is it about creativity that communicates more fully? Does it? Always? Sometimes? Never?

Answer. Ask. Philosophize. Theorize. Opinionize. Let's engage.

But what about encouragement?

Have you ever had someone say something to you that was such an encouragement that it just about left you speechless? Maybe someone spoke a word of encouragment to you long ago but you still remember those words to this very day. An encouraging word is liberating in the face of oppression and uplifting in the face of depression. Encouragement builds up with no hidden motives and fans the flames of our inner-most being. Encouragement sheds light on the areas of our lives which deserve acknowledgment but all too often get lost in the clutter of our everyday lives.

Our small group started having "encouragement evenings" the first Thursday of every month. It's an opportunity for us to encourage each other in our life's endeavors, our gifts, and walk with Christ. These nights have been an incredible encouragement to me and to others in the group as well. What we must always remember is that we must continually reach out to others and not keep things to ourselves. In understanding and experiencing encouragement we're meant to then encourage others. Everyone needs encouragement. I mean, c'mon, let's face it. Who couldn't use their own cheering section? People standing on the sideline of your life shouting, "two four six eight, we think you are really great!!!"... ok, maybe something more meaningful but you get the picture.

Let me give you some illustrations from my own life. Back in 7th grade I attended church camp with maybe a 1000+ plus people. One of the nights at camp while we were all standing the speaker said, "I believe God is calling many of you into leadership and I want you to come forward for prayer." Unexpectedly, my feet made a move for the aisle. Before my feet got too carried away my brain took over and calmly posed the question, "ARE YOU NUTS?!?!? I had an fierce internal struggle but unfortunately, I won. I didn't go forward and just stood there wondering if someone had noticed what had just happened.

Fast forward to 2001.

A few years ago my first small group leader pulled me aside during prayer ministry time and said he wanted to pray for me. Afterwards he said, "I believe that God has given you the gift of leadership and is calling you into leadership." A few weeks later I stepped forward on a Sunday for prayer and the person praying for me said, "... and God, I believe you are calling John into leadership..." Yikes. A few weeks following I was in a class offered at church. People went through the crowd praying for everyone who came. A man came to me and asked me how he could pray for me. I told him I could use prayer for a pain in my back due to the curvature of my spine. He prayed for my back but guess what else he mentioned in prayer? That I should become a world class chef? No no no. It was about God calling me into leadership. On three seperate occasions people called out something in me which had always been there but had fallen to the back of my mind. Everytime someone brought it up I was reminded of that day at church camp.

I've been leading small groups now for close to 3 years, am currently enrolled in the Vineyard Leadership Institute, and will begin working an internship position at the church this fall. I am thankful to each and every person who spoke those words of encouragement into my life and stirred up the desires of my heart which were buried under years of commotion ever since I was in junior high school.

My second illustration of encouragement actually happened a couple months ago in VLI. A man from a Vineyard Church in Vancouver, whom I'd previously never met, led our class in an exercise. At the end of class he walked up to me and said, "I don't know you but as I panned the crowd during class I felt God gave me a word to share with you. I saw an image of you reaching one hand out to the people around you and your other hand reaching out towards God. The word God wants to share with you is that He's given you a gift of reaching out to others and drawing them closer to God. This is God's gift to you. Don't ever abuse it." I stood there speechless. Honestly, I don't even remember his name but his words were such an encouragement to me and called me to remain humble before the Lord.

So, after saying all that my charge to you, Creativity Encouraged, or anyone else who stumbles across this blog entry is to speak a word of encouragement into someone's life. Hebrews 3:13 tells us to encourage each other daily. I don't think you need to look hard to find someone either. A friend, someone in your family, your spouse, and even someone you have a reeeeaaalllly hard time loving. Don't feel like you have to come up with something deep and profound either. Simple is good. Our words can hurtufully break someone down or encourage them to achieve greatness. I believe words of encouragement have such a profound and lasting impact on people and through encouragement you could provide the key to unlock a gift in someone's life.

Everyday creativity

I've been thinking a lot recently about my idea of a creative person. I think its easy to say that includes people with interests in music, drama, writing, dance and fine arts. But I've been working on a different definition of creative lately.

I'll call it everyday creativity in the face of adversity.

Last night as I scavenged our kitchen for a snack to bring to small group, I was again reminded of how imaginative you become on a budget. I amazed myself by pulling off homemade brownies (with oreo cookies crumbs) and a plate of sliced vegetable and pita with roasted red pepper hummus (leftovers from company earlier in the week) all the while dealing with time and money shortages.

Time, money, patience, skill, we all find ourselves deficient in something and must find solutions to everyday problems that arise while dealing with our shortcomings. I like to imagine us as superheroes saving the world from natural disasters and tragedy all the while battling evil villains with names like The Time Waster, or Over-Budget Man.

Its the everyday stuff we do that goes unnoticed that I think deserves some creativity recognition.
People who get an entire new wardrobe at a thrift store for $50
Those who find new routes through traffic to get to their appointment on time
Someone with no previous plumbing experience who runs water lines and installs a new sink
A VLI student who records his notes to an MP3 so he can do yard work and study at the same time

These are the true superheroes of everyday creativity!