Recently I put a photo of one of my quilts on my Facebook Page, using this quote from my book: “We cannot communicate all the creative ability within us through one story, poem, song, painting, dance, craft, quilt… It will take many expressions, according to the pattern God set; it’s also encouraging to know our creative course will change and improve as we grow and mature.” Our work is never done.

In the book, my point is concluded a paragraph later with this statement: “Once we finish a piece of art, a quilt, a poem, a song, the purpose isn’t merely to be impressed by what we’ve produced and then quit. Instead, the finished product beckons us to initiate a new one.” (Chapter 3 – Created to be Creative.)

Pondering this concept, I began to correlate it with our walk with God. Though I already knew serving God was a process, a daily working out of my salvation – it hit me just how important it is to continue. To be a perpetual doer of God’s word. It’s recognizing that just because we may have done a great deed last week doesn’t negate the possibility of another opportunity presenting itself again in the near future. That one act of kindness, one labor of love – just like one creative success – is not an exclamation point and we’ve arrived. We must continually look for opportunities to serve the Lord, making our actions a lifestyle and not merely an event.

We recently held our annual church convention, which included four fantastic services and a full meal following each. Our congregation went above and beyond the normal call of duty to help make this weekend flow with grace and ease. Our guests felt welcomed and were refreshed both spiritually and physically.   But, just because we were a great blessing and our efforts made a huge difference in the lives of those who came, doesn’t mean our work is done. This alone does not fulfill our duty to the Lord, though it will be rewarded.

To me, it’s like planting a garden, it needs tending to produce a harvest: the earth tilled and prepared, seeds planted, weeds eliminated, watered and cultivated. But then what? If the gardener wants another crop, he/she must re-till the ground, plant new seeds, and start the process over…year after year. One harvest could be abundant, but the next crop could fail if not properly cared for. So it is with the Spirit within us. I’m sure most of us have had great seasons of harvest in our walks with the Lord, but if we are honest with ourselves, other seasons have not been as fruitful because we neglected some of our responsibilities or became weary in well-doing.

Let’s stay faithful to tend the garden of our hearts, season after season and year after year. Let’s continue to be used of the Lord through our talents and by our service, all the days of our lives, and our successes will be many.

James 1:25 “But whoever looks into the perfect Law of liberty and continues in it, he is not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work. This one shall be blessed in his doing.”

I’m the author of: Created to be Creative
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