The Lie that keeps you from Dreaming

Creativity

What do you see when you look at this picture?

(It’s called “Heart Dance” by my good friend Nicole.)

Do you think she’s creative?  Would you say that she has some artistic talent?  Don’t you just love this painting?!

When I look at this picture – it just makes me happy . . . it really does make my Heart Dance! 🙂

But Nicole hasn’t always been a painter.  She’s been a variety of things – but I don’t think she ever thought she was creative or talented enough to be a painter/artist.  However, when a close friend died – she picked up a paintbrush . . . and this is what came out.  She took a picture of this painting, and when she went to pick up the photo that had been developed – the person behind the counter was thrilled to find out just who painted that picture – because they loved it!

Nicole was surprised.  Was it really that good?

Are you creative?

How do you know if you are?

Is creativity just reserved for those artists that are well-known, nationally or inter-nationally recognized, have gone to prestigious schools and spent countless hours honing their craft (or were blessed by God in a savant-like way to be able to do something beautifully right away)?

Nicole knew she was good at a lot of things – she was creative in other areas . . . but soon found out that not only was she good at painting – but she LOVED it!  She started dreaming about what she could do with her art – and started exploring her options.

What’s in your heart?  What are you dreaming about?

Do you want to be an artist?  A musician?  A writer, doctor, advocate for the abused, poet, stay-at-home-mom . . . . .??

Or are you even dreaming?

Whether you believe it or not – you definitely ARE creative! We all are.  We were created with and out of creativity! 

For one reason or another – many people do not think they are creative – either because they compare themselves to “more talented” people around them, or they don’t realize that creativity comes in many shapes and forms!

I LOVE Bill Johnson’s book “Dreaming with God” (one of my all-time favorites!!).  If you haven’t read it – do so today!  It will inspire you to dream with God – to find out what He’s put in you that is unique and special – that only you can do . . . and then that it is OK to go do that! 🙂

I can’t be you . . . and you can’t be me!  We all carry a unique part of God – his DNA, His love, His character!  I might carry a unique expression of God’s Love, and you might carry a unique expression of His humor, or kindness, or compassion, or inventiveness, etc.  Be YOU – so that we can ALL fully express who God is to this world!

The Lie I’ve believed

Recently I was talking with God about my creativity – and why I don’t “feel” creative (and have said that about myself many times).

He showed me a vision of when I was little (maybe 2 – 3 years old).  I was making something in the snow.  My dad came along, picked me up, moved me aside, and then started making something great for me . . . for us.  It seemed well-intentioned.  He wanted to help me build something and play with me.  But I was overcome with the emotions of this little 2-3 year-old, thinking – “He’s destroying what I worked so hard at making” (even though it just looked like a little pile of snow).  I could feel the shame and sadness of realizing “I’m not good enough.  What I made wasn’t good enough – or creative.”

I found myself sobbing in my room as I watched this unfold in my mind’s eye.  It felt real. Was it?  I don’t know if it was a real experience from my childhood that I just don’t remember, or not – but it sure felt real!

What I took out of it, and what God was healing me from was this . . . God was showing me that somewhere in my childhood, I believed the lie that I am not good enough or creative – that what I come up with isn’t very good . . . that someone else is more creative than me (whether it’s my father, or anyone else).  It also explained why I always felt the need for approval from my dad (or others in authority) – and especially my heavenly Dad.  I didn’t want to “mess up” – so I would wait to be told what to do (by God, or others) or constantly ask if this is what I “should” be doing, etc.

But God said:

Lori, you are truly creative.  You truly are!  You are amazing and have an outstanding and superb ability to be creative and to create! You have created a beautiful family! You have created a beautiful home, beautiful relationships, and yes – you will create beautiful and love-filled writings, books, art, photography, and more.  Lori – you ARE creative!  You CAN create!  In so many more ways than you even know or imagine right now!  You ARE creative!

I am sorry that your dad came along and destroyed your creativity.  I am sorry that he came along and took away what you had built and worked hard at designing.  I am sorry that you felt hurt and that you took in the lie that you do not have the innate ability to create beautiful (and functional) things.  You do!  You really do!  You do not need your dad’s approval . . . nor do you need mine to go out and create! I have put it in you and I give my stamp of approval to create to your heart’s content Lori!  Create, create, create!!!  Create beauty all around you – in whatever way suits your fancy!  I will ALWAYS approve of it – and I will honor and respect what you have decided to do and create!

God HAS made me creative! {Yay!}

HE is the CREATOR (ie – very creative!) – and since we are made in His image . . . how can we NOT be creative? 🙂  It just looks different in everyone’s lives.

**What God had me do next, to heal from that lie I had believed, was to “forgive, release judgments and bless”.  Whether that vision was really what happened or not – I obviously had been carrying those feelings about my dad in my spirit.  I needed to forgive my dad, release him from any judgements I may have made (and ask God’s forgiveness for them), and then pray blessings upon my dad!  It’s amazing how those three things can help to set you free!!  It really does work (there’s a law of sowing and reaping going on . . . and I want to sow and reap new things!).

Give yourself permission to dream today!

Silence the voices of your parents, teachers, siblings, the enemy, or other people in your head that have tried to convince you for years that you are not creative!

You ARE!  It is in your DNA!  You are unique – and no one else can do what you can do the way you do it!  So – be YOU!! 🙂

If you don’t know who you are or what you can do . . . . start exploring and find out!  Start dreaming with God!

Want to be inspired more (re: creativity) today?

Read Jon Acuff’s blog post today (thanks Jon for inspiring me to sit down and be creative today!).

He also links another blog – Tammy from The Time of my Life.  Her post about “I am not” is a good one!  Go read them!

Dream Deep today!
– Lori 🙂