A small glimpse into my writing process:
Step 1: Write. Write. Write. Write some more.
Step 2: Make sense of the mess I've created.

Creativity is, at it's core, the work of bringing order out of chaos. The first creative act found in Genesis is God taking a formless world and giving it shape. Throughout the narrative of Scripture, we watch as God continues this work of bringing clarity from distortion, peace from the storm, and home from wandering.

With creativity at the heart of each and every redemptive work that God does, how then can we discount the essential role that creativity must play in the mission of the church to reflect this God’s image?

The mission of God's people has been distorted. We are not called to stand apart from the chaos and sit comfortably in our well formed lives. We are called to enter into the chaos with the light and truth of Christ in the hopes of creating the kind of order that only our powerful God can bring.

Art is not chaos. Art is not safe. Much like the Kingdom of God, art is the movement between the two.

The name Bill Watterson is not easily recognized in most homes. His voice and his influence though, have graced nearly every young child's bookshelf for the last twenty years. Calvin and Hobbes, the famous comic strip recounting the adventures of a boy and his tiger, is one of the most iconic and memorable relationships in the of history comic art. While many of us could not name Bill Watterson, his thoughts, philosophy, humor, and voice have had a significant effect on many of our lives.

Great authors have a unique way of making their voice heard through the characters they create. A great character cannot separate himself from the voice of his author. He can only speak what the writer pours into him.

If we think of our lives as a story, we are often tempted to make ourselves the author and make God some sort of editor or publishing figure. We write our own tale and we grumble when He tries to make edits or changes.

The reality though, is that a relationship with God is strongest when we submit to Him as the sole author. We are the characters, and we are at our best when we speak with His voice. When we allow God's voice to flow through us, not only in our creative work but in every moment of our lives, His influence in us will be so much greater than if we tried to write our own story.

Our character is strongest when we allow our Author’s voice to become our voice.

Living in New York City means one does a lot of walking, and lots of walking means lots of street crossing. You can always tell the locals from the tourists when it comes to their attitudes at stoplights. The tourists will often wait patiently until the red hand turns into the white man, signaling a safe cross. The locals, on the other hand, have no interest in waiting for the electronic box to tell them what to do. If they see an opening, they go.

In seizing the opportunity to cross the street, the first person to go usually attracts plenty of followers. Those who are quick to follow usually get the same benefits as the leader. They cross safely to the other side. If you’re uncomfortable with leading, being an early follower is perfectly acceptable. For those who follow too late though, they find themselves caught in the middle of heavy traffic.

Leaders don’t wait for permission. Leaders seize opportunity. Leaders don’t wait for the signs to all point to safety. Leaders wait for an opening, and even if it’s seemingly small, they go.