a team of young people learning what it means to have gifts from God to use for His glory…and how powerful they are when we step back and let Him use them…
When I say anointing, I’m talking about the supernatural enabling of the Holy Spirit.
and the difference between doing something you're anointed to do and doing something you're just really good at.
one impresses people.
one impacts people's eternity.
when we were up at Trout Lake Camp recently the speaker Brian Sumner (really legit guy with a really legit story - you can google him...and watch his I Am Second video...good stuff)
also talked about the Holy Spirit and His anointing.
and i just couldn't even handle it...it was so powerful and i just pray pray pray that people were paying attention.
he talked about how we need to be doing what we're anointed to do.
he said he skates because that's what he's anointed to do.
he doesn't paint or sing because that's not what he's anointed to do.
God didn't call him to those things, He didn't move the Spirit to do those things through him.
and so he skates.
that is his ministry. that's what God's calling him to do.
and that's where God moves through him.
what is your calling?
what are you anointed to do?
what does God want to use you for?
how do you know?
there is only one way.
get to know God.
ask Him.
listen to Him.
do what He asks you to do, change what He asks you to change, get rid of what He asks you to.
and then follow.
Brian also said this -
if i'm anointed to skate and called to skate...
but i never get on a skateboard.
am i really a professional skateboarder?
or am i a poser?
if i'm called to be creative, if i'm anointed to create and share God's word
but i never actually do it...
am i living out God's calling?
am i actually a follower of Jesus?
or am i just pretending to be...
God doesn't call us to look good.
He doesn't anoint us so we can do cool things for ourselves.
He calls us because He's got a kingdom to further, relationships to build and lives to save.
So this semester I am in a drawing level two class at my school, our latest assignment was a wall drawing (4ft x 6ft) on the topic of Identity. Thought I'd share what I came up with for this assignment! Here is my artist statement on the piece:
One’s past, present, and future actions, beliefs, and experiences are all part of their identity. Some believe that what makes up one’s identity would mainly be their life experiences, and how different events shape them as a person, others would argue it has to do with family, and the list goes on. However, all of these things contribute to the idea of identity, when I think of the word identity I first think of one’s physical identity. If I were to identify someone, I would say his or her body type, race, eye color, hair color, etc. The thought that no two people on this planet – even twins – look exactly alike is astonishing to me. We all have two arms, two eyes, two legs, a nose, and a mouth; but yours are unique to only you. Some would say that the fact that no two people go through the same life experiences is amazing, which is true. But the combination and number of different experiences someone can go through is endless. No one is born with five arms, an extra eye, or without a belly button, we all have the same physical traits; but there are over six billion people on the planet, all who look different, and that is fascinating. My work is focused on the human body, and face, concentrating on physical identity and how it can define someone, and also give us insight to their personal, and emotional identity. While still focusing on physical identity, I incorporated parts of my own identity within my work. My experiences with my faith, friends, and family, have greatly affected me, and my own personal identity. The smoky imagery seem throughout the piece was done very purposefully; my oldest brother once had an extreme drug addiction that drastically affected my life, and how I view drug abuse. What happened with him is a huge part of who I am, this part of me is also seen with the smoke coming out of the mouth of the small portrait in the middle of the piece. This is just one example of many on how my work also focuses on my personal identity, including my portrait located in the center of the piece.
This was my first day of working, took about an hour and a half...
Finished Product!
And here are some details of the piece...
And after this massive project, our teacher gave us a break for a week! So it was nice to not have to worry about doing any homework after taking on such a Huge project!
Today in class we got to work with COLOR!!! So much friendship, haven't been able to do
a drawing assignment in color yet since I've been in college!
So... our teacher let us just kind of play with our pastels.
I like oils... Deys nice :)
And then its time for some complementary color still life studies!!! YAY!
not really..
But what's this the teacher is saying? "Try to come up with interesting line work, and different ways of mark-making!"
Processing...
Interesting mark making = scribbles.
TEAM
Had a good time in class today, listening to worship music and just drawing loving God and loving life. Then went on Facebook quick and saw a status update that I loved...
"When you're down to nothing, God's up to something..."
Such a true and comforting statement. He's got a plan, and its bigger and better than anything we could dream of!
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."
I, along with Erika Sanborn, Sarah Slegh, and Jordan Cross got up onstage during a wedding of a Liberian couple in our church,
and painted.
we painted this during a church service last year to end a sermon series called Morph...
the transformation from a broken heart to a new, healed heart that only God can make happen.
well this couple was really touched by these paintings and asked if it could be done during their wedding ceremony.
and after talking to the bride - she explained that it told their story.
they had gone through some hard situations not too long ago and their hearts were broken...
but God was healing them and putting them back together.
so it was an honor to do it again for their wedding.
and it was such a cool opportunity to be a part of their day!
bright colors and 13 sets of bridesmaids/groomsmen (yeah...crazy, but so fun to have so many loved ones up there for you), FUN music that you just had to dance to, so much laughter, so fun and SUCH a supportive, attentive audience.
it was so cool.
such a blessing.
so like i talked about in the last post - visuals that resonate and stick with you.
Holy Spirit led art - inspired by Him.
it speaks in ways we might not expect it to.
so cool to be a part of it.
here is the finished product!
thanks ladies for painting!!!!!!!
and thanks to Chelsea Kimball for playing our music for us!!!
if i see something - it sticks with me, when the test comes i can picture it, remember it and i've got the answer.
if i see something that resonates with me on some level - it sticks with me...and i continue learning from it. it stays in my mind and instead of just remembering some information - this picture comes to mind every now and then and just keeps building. it inspires thoughts and ideas.
and i used to use this ability for tests at school - its great, i hardly ever had to study. just show up.
however - since i met the Holy Spirit...
HE uses this ability, that He gave me- to teach me and use me.
He keeps it in my mind for the right moment, He leads my thoughts from that visual into the ideas He wants me to realize. He helps me see what He can teach me through the things I'm seeing.
from a second of footage from a movie of someone getting their feet ready to go into battle...
or seeing the face of a fighter in a place where he needs to surrender, but he just can't seem to...
or an abstract painting with colors that somehow seem to move and remind you to do the same...
or watching a rapper speak the words you've listened to SO many times...but now that you're seeing the emotion behind them - that's what sticks.
and i'm SURE that i'm not the only one out there who responds to visuals.
if i was - there would be no tv or commercials or magazines.
whether it be sometimes or all the time...
from movies to paintings to ads to tv to dramas to performances...whatever it might be.
we're taking it ALL in -usually at face value.
and if you don't know the Holy Spirit - there is SO much He wants to show you.
we live in a VERY visual culture. everything trying to grab your attention in the quickest way possible.
so we can see what the world wants us to...and it'll stick because its designed to stick.
OR we can ask the Holy Spirit to start (or to continue to) showing us what He wants us to see...
to see the things around us through His eyes...to grow us, teach us, lead us in His will. so that we can see more of His plan...and not forget it.
i LOVE seeing christian artists...any kind.
its SUCH a beautiful thing seeing people let God use the gifts He's given them.
and its soooooo cool to see God's words, God's heart - out there for the world to see.
in a way that will stick.
in a way that will not only speak - but will teach and inspire and move...
its powerful stuff.
so i am going to be posting some art over the next few days that has been done by people who have surrendered their gifts to the Lord and are seeing God use them.
its. a. beautiful. thing.
for the first one...
here's a video of Matoko.
they'll explain it for you...
letting God move.
not only in churches but because this artist has surrendered his gifts - God is able to use it in the mainstream art world.
can't believe its thursday again tomorrow!!!
exciting things are happening, friends!
we got the ok to build our room for dance/art ness! :)
praise the LORD!!!
we'll be starting classes (for younger kids) soon...but praying that we'll work our way up to a variety of ages!
yay :)
tomorrow (9/22) we'll be meeting up in the dungeon to art, pray, chill...etc.
so if you are even a LITTLE bit interested in seeing what ALIVE is all about and live in the area -
please please please come join. and don't worry if you only like to act but not dance, or if you only like to write or only like to draw - that is perfect :)
we are all about just using the gifts God has given us! and we all just happen to have creative ones... ;)
let me know if you have questions or talk to someone you know comes...because we'd love to have you!
a great night of music, food, fire, dance, volleyball, chillin...lots of fun.
and............a mashup dance.
6 members of this amazing ministry spent HOURS over the past 3 weeks learning a dance.
a long dance...to a variety of different songs.
and even though it seemed crazy and overwhelming (and i can't even pretend to completely sympathize because i learned about 30 seconds of the dance...and i was on vacation for a couple of the practices)
they practiced and they worked at it and gave it all to God and they totally ROCKED it.
it was choreographed, taught to the group, part of it taught to some extremely talented adult leaders ;), learned and performed in just a few weeks...
(i just attended a leadership conference and one of the speakers talked on being willing to work for God's miracles...i just blogged on it - you can read more here!
oh, the beauty of working for God ;)
its always an adventure and He can do things we can't.
i just want to say thanks to the team for spending so much time on it!
i love seeing your hearts for ministry :)
and special thanks to all the Adult Leaders who came out and braved the Footloose dance.
you were amazing! :) (and i'm not just saying that cuz i was one of them...;) )
i will hopefully have a video of the performance (even the ending that i wasn't allowed to see until we were in front of everyone - test of my trust and my control issues...haha - pass!)
but until then...you can watch what happens when i'm on vacation and not at practice...
if there is anyone reading this who is creative or wants to use some of their creative gifts - art, painting, drawing, acting, dancing, whatever - join us!
we'll be posting some upcoming events...like art classes, dance classes, upcoming performances- and we would LOVE to have you join us by performing or writing dramas or whatever you feel called to do.
so there are a few things in process right now for the ALIVE team...
1) video.
i am motivated to cut/edit/put together a video...
but for some reason filming it just seems too overwhelming to me. haha and time is running short. haha so if anyone reading this really is just feeling the need to take a list of questions and just film people answering them - consider this your calling for right now. ;)
if not...then it means i just need to get motivated and do it. haha
2) dance.
now - before you stop reading this because you think "oh...i can't dance." just wait - we are working on a dance for a certain upcoming event...and if you have EVER thought to yourself "i wish i could be a part of that (easy, short, learnable in one practice) dance with that group doing a kind of "flash mob" style dance"
then THIS is your moment...
:)
be bold.
it'll be fun.
so let me know ASAP if this is something you'd like to be a part of (ANY and ALL ages welcome).
either comment or use that handy "contact us" tab at the top ;)
God is doing some fun things and i'm excited to see it all come together!!! :)))
God placed the dream to grow this ministry in us a few years ago...and its been forming and changing and it still is in process...it probably always will be -
but while most of the dream has seemed so huge and unattainable - for whatever reason, right now, it seems doable.
and that - has to be God.
so i'll keep you in suspense for the moment -
but just a preview...
a pretty epic dance...to a variety of songs.
leadership meeting...gonna nail down some logistics...VERY exciting.
shopping for hardwood floor very soon.
a schedule of every wednesday in my email and lots of room for "creative elements".
'bout to order canvas for an upcoming wedding.
lots of stuff. and so much more.
soooooo excited.
this - finna be a GOOD, challenging, stretching, exciting, different year...
:)
as long as God gets all the glory - i'm up for anything ;)
we're also looking for people interested in joining us!!!
we're going to be doing lots of arting and dramas and writing and videos and just anything that comes up...anything we can do.
SO - anyone out there who is interested in art of any form - let us know!
(did you notice the "contact us" tab at the top? use it!!! :) )
we would LOVE to talk to you!
so keep us in your prayers!
that we can allow God to bring our gifts to life to reach our world!!! :)