God Isn't Preachy
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

God Isn't Preachy

As we create in trueness and avoid the dangers of indoctrination, it’s essential we don’t water down our creativity out of a fear of being “preachy.”

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Bent Creations
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

Bent Creations

As we create with God, our goal isn’t to force a heavy-handed message on others. That’s indoctrination—not creativity.

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On Auto-Repeat
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

On Auto-Repeat

When we find something that works for us, we want it to continue.

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The Benefit of Boredom
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

The Benefit of Boredom

During an interview, best-selling author Neil Gaiman was asked where his ideas come from. He responded…

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Risk is Required
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

Risk is Required

The desire for a good, safe life is alluring. But are those traits the hallmark of epic biblical stories…or the stories from Hallmark movies?

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Conditional Creators
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

Conditional Creators

When God invites us to create, we have a choice. We can say yes and create it with God. Or we can be conditional creators, proceeding only if perceived limits are first removed.

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Are You Replaceable?
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

Are You Replaceable?

There’s a growing concern among many that generative AI will soon be able to duplicate, if not exceed, our creativity. It can certainly compile things faster than us. But can it also create better than us? And if so, what happens then?

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Authentic Only
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

Authentic Only

It’s always better to propose a solution rather than just oppose a problem.

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nAIve
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

nAIve

So many creative people have ceded a part of their skill and confidence to AI. This is a self-inflicted glitch that will only grow worse over time.

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Don’t Be Split in Two
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

Don’t Be Split in Two

It’s one thing to love what we do. It’s another to look to it for our validation and salvation. That’s really what an idol is—anything we look to for life or success.

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The Goal of De-Creation
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

The Goal of De-Creation

Just as God is an intentional Creator, the enemy is an intentional de-creator who comes at our creativity in a uniquely destructive way.

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What Restores You?
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

What Restores You?

A good gauge of whether we’re pursuing our creativity from our own strength or with God is whether we’re mostly expectant…or exhausted.

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Exhilarating & Exhausting
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

Exhilarating & Exhausting

We’ve talked a lot about our creativity. But there’s an aspect of it that deserves more attention—creative exhaustion.

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Who Is Your Competition?
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

Who Is Your Competition?

Comparison is toxic.

When we compare our achievements or pursuits to others or even to us in another season, it either deflates our hearts (mine isn’t as good) or inflates our ego (mine is best).

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What Introverts Must Avoid
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

What Introverts Must Avoid

Isolation is one of the main areas we can get stuck. So I want to offer a few more thoughts before moving on to the next category.

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All Great Creations Have This
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

All Great Creations Have This

In Genesis 1, we see the Creator in his glory. So much happens in these first six movements of creation. The first thing to note is that God didn’t create alone.

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Order Isn’t Control
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

Order Isn’t Control

-An exclusive excerpt from Allen’s new book-

Madeleine L’Engle said, “To create a work of art, great or small, is work, hard work, and work requires discipline and order.”

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Are You Futurecasting?
Amanda Dykes Amanda Dykes

Are You Futurecasting?

In our excitement to make things happen, we can futurecast. That’s defined as the practice of envisioning and forecasting potential future scenarios to inform today’s decisions.

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