We are Created to Create

... This began as a post about Paris, and turned into a post about life :) so here it goes .... 


Life here in Austin, TX has been quite busy and crazy, and full of joyful days with the hubs. Currently, my days are still hectic and filled with cleaning, getting things ready, cooking, editing photos, and doing lots a lot of research. You see, I am a photographer. Why is that so hard to say? I decide on a business title, I cherish my camera and almost never put it down, and my heart skips a beat for clean, crisp, creative snapshots of our lives. The truth is, my friends, I have been absolutely terrified of pursuing this dream. There are so many things to do, so many people to try to connect with, to get my name out there, etc... My biggest fear has been being in a completely new city and knowing barely anyone. 


BUT. 


God is so much greater. 
                      And if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us?, right??


All my life I've been "ARTSY," a creative one... lots of ideas, kind of no direction. I've grown up being known as the dancer. Don't get me wrong, God has, is, and will, use dancing in my life in miraculous ways-- growing me deeper spiritually, showing me His character, humbling me immensely, and providing wonderful women of God to become friends with. It's kind of hard to transition from that. 


I moved here with the mindset of knowing what I wanted to do as Bryan's wife: I want to be a photographer. Lately, when people ask me what it is I do, I've felt hesitant to say, "I am a photographer." I've felt arrogant and prideful. How could I claim to be something when I don't have a studio, a set business, etc?? Well, one thing about me, is that through life I've always tried to do things with 100% excellence. Whether for the Lord or for man, with excellence. I've had to work hard, sure, but almost nothing has been as hard as trusting the Lord with this dream... 


A few weeks ago, Bryan and I went to church at the Stone.  I've always been a note-taker, so I did what I do best... take notes. I felt so free just writing and listening, and applying to my mind the words that were spoken. It wasn't until the end of the sermon that Bryan leaned over and was amazed at my notes... "That looks so cool!! Do you think about how you're writing as you take notes??".... .
                                                    . "Huh??" At first I had no clue what he meant. But then I realized that my notes are not exactly normal. I LOVE handwriting, typography, anything that punches the point home with words. Therefore, I have genuine fun taking notes and letting my hand do what it wills. 

I realized something that day-- that creativity is not contained. Two incredible believers and authors, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien, both heavily believed and committed to the idea that 

                                                             we are created to create.
Some of us create computer code. 
Some of us create school curriculum. 
Some of us create laws to live under. 
Some of us create workout routines.


WHATever it is, we feel the most alive when we are Creating. We all have those things we do that genuinely make us feel alive. 


Funny enough, I attended Masterpiece conference a couple of weekends ago in College Station. It is a conference for 17-25 aged women who want to know who Christ is, who they are in Christ, and how they can impact the world with that knowledge. There was a breakout sessions called (wait for it, wait for it...) "Created to Create."   :) Brilliant.  It was basically a panel of 4 women-- a photographer, a musician, a dancer, and an artist. A few things were spoken that really struck home...

learn to release your ART-- it's not about you

tell someone's story with Jesus' eyes, and see people how HE sees them

hide behind the camera and be surprised by what you see

we are all. in. process. that's reality. you have to work at your art--

pursue it with EXCELLENCE

trying to be the best won't work-- it doesn't exist!

put in the work...... and God will provide the rest

put God first. the rest will follow. and you will NEVER be disappointed. 

BELIEVE that God will CHOOSE you, and that He will USE you. 

With everything I believe God has been putting in my path recently, I am finally learning to release it all back to Him, and to rest on the knowledge that 

                                         "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called."

Through God's will and grace, I will be bold in my calling. I am an artist. I am a photographer. Trying to subdue this calling will not work!! 

We are created to create. 

And I am humbled by the knowledge that doing anything less is ignoring the Father's will and being a Jonah.