Jesus & Creativity.
That’s me.

We all know brokenness.
The only difference between mine and yours is that I know my story intimately just as you know yours. The beauty isn’t just in the redemption, but where God meets us in our pieces. It’s in the cracks of imperfection that the Light shines through.
Let me tell you a couple stories so you can see my cracks better:

First, I don’t come from perfection.

 One of the clearest childhood memories that I hold is laying on the floor when the volume and tension of fighting was so high I couldn’t sleep. I also couldn’t find peace. I had no where to go, and turns out that was exactly where I needed to be anyway. With heart broken, and eyes puffed from tears spent,I remember calling out to God to do something with my brokenness. I needed something to heal me, to fill the void, to help. While I don’t remember any angels appearing reminding me how I’m loved…..I do remember this: God met me in my pain. I learned, and am still learning is that it’s essential to connect with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit when your relentless brokenness stares you down cold. I didn’t feel a thing in the moment, but the language of my life changed. I prayed like my life depended on it. I began to read God’s word. I wanted God more than life itself. And true to his word, he is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)  I, my friends, am living proof that rescue and redemption are possible.

 Second, I believe creativity and intimacy with God leads to our wholeness.

Over a decade ago, out of the blue, my Dad passed away from a heart attack. The fallout upturned everything in my life. In the same year of his death, we had already moved overseas (we were working full time in missions), and our third kiddo was born.The culmination of all this change resulted in the deepest depression that I’ve ever known and I almost ended my life. (You can read more about that redemption story another time, it’s coming!) After hitting rock bottom, it served as a catalyst to seek out healing as if my life depended on it. It did. I went into therapy to heal and learn the ways my Heavenly Father loves me, pursues me and that life is a mosaic-expression of God’s love for us. While I didn’t heal overnight, I learned that counseling, medicine, wholistic health, diet, exercise, nutrition and getting creative are not only important but essential in the recovery of our hearts and in the health of our every day lives. Jesus can meet us in anything. Whether it was writing, creatively experimenting with various art mediums, trying a new recipe or pouring a candle the combination of the love of God and the creative spirit brought me back to life. I believe it can do the same thing for you. That’s why this studio exists.That’s what your canvas, your life, offers the world. Your very existence matters because you matter. It might take years for you to see it, or even more to believe it, but you are “God’s masterpiece” (Ephesians 2:10) and creating with him, whatever the medium, puts your life on display for HIS glory. 

So, that is where the heart of this studio was born. While I can’t say that I am the perfect artist, the next Debussy or a budding Monet…..I can say that this tiny little space exists to see imperfect people encouraged in their intimacy with God in whatever creative medium you desire (spreadsheets, a new recipe, composing, painting, woodworking…. whatever!) If it is honoring to God, and from a heart of worship- the canvas and the call are ready for you to create. After you visit here, my heart is that you would know, and commune more deeply with God. I pray your time “in the studio” helps you to do exactly that. 

Thanks for stopping by friends!

Love, Joy 

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