His Creation

I write books. I write songs; I create arrangements when I lead worship. I would call myself an author, songwriter, singer, and worship leader. But some have dared to call me an artist, and for a long time, I hesitated at that title. I couldn’t possibly be an artist! Artists draw and paint pictures, sculpt pottery, and create various masterpieces out of numerous materials. True, I was creative, but I could never consider myself to be an artist.
This was true for me until I entered the competition at Immerse in 2010. I competed in songwriting and singing in Nashville, Tennessee, and I was entered into the “Artist” category. I had heard musicians referred to as artists before, but until that point, I had never truly made that connection in my mind.
From that point on, I began to think of my many creations as “artistic.” Like those who painted or sculpted pottery, I had created something. Often I didn’t have much to show physically for my efforts, but my creations were near and dear to my heart. I kept song lyrics and my novels stored on the computer, but many of my melodies and ideas were in my head, never to be seen or heard by anyone until the time was right.
Recently, someone asked me if I could pinpoint the best thing I had ever created. I couldn’t answer the question because there were far too many options and I loved a lot of my songs and stories with the same degree of attachment. It would be like asking a mother which of her three children she liked best. I was torn in my response. I loved The Promise because of my close connection to its themes and characters. I loved “Waiting Here,” because the song also came from a deep and personal place in my heart. And I loved my worship arrangements of “Center,” “Mystery,” and “Revelation Song.” My creations are near and dear to my heart, and I will protect and revere each one for years to come… maybe even for the rest of my life.
I made the correlation to how God must feel about His creation. Even though we as people are fallible, sinful, and sometimes just plain difficult, He continues to pursue us with amazing passion and love. And all along, He shows us glimpses of His love and promise.
A few weeks ago, I went to bed early, still trying to feel 100% after my bout with pneumonia. At 4:30 a.m., however, I woke up and couldn’t seem to get back to sleep. I ventured out of my bedroom, thinking that if I walked around for a bit and maybe prayed for awhile, I could return to bed eventually. But the second I stepped out of my bedroom and into the living room, I knew this was no ordinary pre-dawn experience. Silver light from the full moon spilled into the room, and it was brighter than anything I could ever imagine. It was almost as if it were light enough for the sun to come up. It was so beautiful that I stopped for a moment and just stared.
I simply couldn’t get enough of this awesome display. It was then that I knew God had given me a gift that morning. He knew that I had been battling through illness and questioning my purpose as a person with a disability. There’s nothing like sickness and boredom to get the wheels of your mind turning, and I had not been positive in my perspective.
I’m not proud of the fact that I questioned my Creator, but in that early morning moon’s light, I began to see His love poured out on me. He had awakened me, I truly believe, to receive this gift so that I could be assured of His love and provision. So in that moment with my eyes glued to the window, I praised Him for the beauty and reminder of His love for me. Then because I was wide awake and feeling spontaneous, I went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. With steaming beverage in hand, I sat in the glow of the moon and looked out over the artic-chilled landscape. I was warm, blessed, and feeling loved. There was nothing like taking in the beauty of His creation and realizing that He created me too.