Imagine receiving a hand-crafted, leather journal with this note:

“This is your adventure journal for our times together. Have fun. Love, God.”

Here are five big lies the enemy will use to try and drain your creativity and numb your heart:

What limits do you place on your creativity? 

You may be certain there’s too little money to fund your dream. Or not enough time to start—or finish—the project at hand. Maybe you doubt anyone would care. Perhaps you’re stuck in neutral with no traction for moving forward. 

My high school senior and I were having a hard night at home. I’d gotten us tickets to a movie for a father / son night together. But things were quickly derailing. 

He had a few chores to do before we left but was stalling and complaining. I could feel my heart tanking. By the time the chores were finally done, so was I. Everything in me wanted to call the plans off. 

When you give anyone or anything other than God the power to validate your creativity, you set yourself up for striving and disappointment. And you put a burden on your art that it was never meant to carry.

Your art doesn't make you. You make your art.

Your point of pain and your search for answers makes a powerful canvas for your next creation. The best journey anyone’s art can invite us into into is the costly one the artist must walk first. 

In other words, the best art begins as a personal expression.  

Curiosity drives creativity.

Big questions spark the best quests. Wonder sparks the imagination. Asking “What if?” and “Why?” opens our eyes to see the world, and us, in new ways.

My journey of speaking, writing, and teaching on God and creativity began one decade ago in the towering redwoods of California.

As a boy , Superman was my favorite super hero. He was pretty much invincible…except for one weakness.

Kryptonite.

It's human nature to think the one thing we lack is what’s holding us back.

If only we had more ______, all would be well.

A creative's time is best spent on their creative gifting.

The trouble happens when we try to do everything ourselves.

That’s not how God created us…or this world.

Being called by God to create and feeling ready to create are two totally different things.

You will never feel—nor be—completely ready.

No human has ever entered into any arena of gifting or testing with 100% certainty of the outcome. Not unless they’re playing it way too safe on a playground they’ve long outgrown.

We are drawn to kindred spirits who have similar creative gifts. We understand the beauty, the talent, and the sacrifices required to excel in those specific arenas.

But what starts as appreciation or inspiration can turn to comparison if we begin to measure our progress by their success.

Years ago, I was with a friend, expressing how overly busy my life had become. John Moorhead was a generation older and had accomplished many great things in his life. But he was never in a hurry.

How do you choose which creative projects to pursue? 

Focusing on what makes your heart beat faster is a good start…especially if your heart is filled with the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).  

Artists are often asked "What are you creating?"  

A better question is "Why are you creating?"  

Passion, curiosity and joy fuel your creativity. Striving for validation or chasing fame or money drains it.  

Take a moment now to check your Creative Motive.

We want to be heard but have forgotten how to listen. 

We grow restless with silence so we seek distractions. We stare at our phones and miss each other's hearts. We lose interest in conversations that aren't about us. Our world grows small and we wonder why we're so lonely. 

Being creative involves a certain level of restless discontent.

That's an appropriate feeling—because something needs to be born and you're the only who sees it before it has form. Until then, others won’t understand the very thing you can’t quit thinking about it.  

Everything isn’t equal.

We know that, yet we keep falling for the allure of a balanced life.

Like an over-confidant plate spinner, we keep trying to balance more plates simultaneously. Doing so is exhausting—both for us and those around us. But as long as none fall and shatter, we keep adding on plates.

Imagine being at a rooftop party where you’re participating in an amazing celebration of freedom and creativity. But you aren’t just an observer or random attendee.

Your presence enhances the event.