Welcome to The Artist's Heart sponsored by The Grove Center for the Arts & Media. This is a place for you to explore your own heart and the hearts of other artists as we seek to equip, educate, and encourage the heart of every artist in the Church. Specifically, our desire is to nurture the spiritual development of passionate Christ-followers so that out of the abundance of our hearts, great art and passion for God will follow.

The Artist's Heart is for every artist, creative, innovator and dreamer who has a strong desire for developing a deeper, richer, fuller relationship with Christ and as a result, to see this whole and holy relationship integrated into every aspect of life and culture. Please join in to share your questions, passions, favorite authors, bible veryses, struggles, creative visions, ideas, spiritual disciplines, what you're reading and thinking about...whatever will nourish the heart of every artist who reads these pages.

Questions to consider as you post comments and make new pages at The Artist's Heart:
Where are you now in your journey with Christ?
Who has had a significance influence in your relationship with God?
What ignites your creativity?
How is your God-given creativity a pathway to know Him better?
What scriptures feeds your soul?
What fears do you need to let go of to enjoy your freedom in Christ?
How can the Holy Spirit lead you to be a vessel of God's grace and truth?
What is your unique contribution to your family, the Church, your town, the world?

(Please do not delete or edit the Welcome above...if you'd like to make a comment, please comment below. Or add a new page with your own comments, questions, thoughts, and ideas...thank you!)






















Please visit. www.hopetreestudio.blogspot.com


Questions to consider:
Where are you now in your journey with Christ? He who began a Good work in me will be faithful to complete it!
Who has had a significance influence in your relationship with God?
My Sister and my Husband.
What ignites your creativity? Reading the Bible
How is your God-given creativity a pathway to know Him better? Really it's not about me it's about JESUS!
What scriptures feeds your soul? So many I'll get back to you on this one!!! But Col. 3:2 is nice. Set your mind on things above and not on earthly things.
What fears do you need to let go of to enjoy your freedom in Christ?
Thinking on this one! Not to fear consider the birds they do not toil... but your heavenly father feeds them.....
How can the Holy Spirit lead you to be a vessel of God's grace and truth? Be humble!
What is your unique contribution to your family, the Church, your town, the world? I do crafts for the kids at my church. www.ccbf.net








From Anita ...

Getting my thoughts in about your "Questions to consider":

Where are you now in your journey with Christ? A few months ago I'd have said "soaring." A few weeks ago I'd have said "hit a wall, now on my face." Today I say "repositioned to see again how much His grace carries me." I've seen recently the hand of God in a new way and am reminded that though my choices and actions and thinking and persistence all matter, it is by far His faithfulness and timing and actions and care that move me along.

Who has had a significance influence in your relationship with God? I can think of several role models who have inspired me a great deal. Lately I am more aware that those around me--especially in my own home--are the ones who keep it real. If I'm not hearing them and responding well to them, I am missing the key things that God is doing. A major lesson these days is how easy it is to be theoretically merciful and compassionate--much more difficult to live it in the events at hand.

What ignites your creativity? Seeing something that I'd missed before. One example from last week was noticing the similarities/contrasts between Eve and Mary that I'd never before thought of:

Eve--
She was addressed by a fallen angel and invited to sin.
She doubted God's goodness, ate the fruit, sin entered the world.
"Lucifer" (meaning light) brought darkness
Satan came to Eve first. She chose to disobey, then invited Adam to join her

Mary--
She was addressed by Gabriel and invited to obey.
She believed God's goodness. The fruit of her womb would be the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. A righteous Savior entered the world.
The darkness of Mary's womb would release the Light of the World.
Gabriel came to Mary first. After she agreed to God's plan, Gabriel visited Joseph and he joined her in obedience and trust.

When I see how God's design is so complete and thorough, and the lengths He goes for restoration, I am astounded and want to communicate to others what He's done.

How is your God-given creativity a pathway to know Him better? I think I've been given an ability to "see" and a hunger to know Him better. I also have a mix of seeing both a big picture and the details that are needed to make the vision a reality. But, I realize that as I walk out the part I can see, He is always showing how much more He is and how it is His hand that moves along to unfold His plan. I am a part of it, but He is the center. We get to join in because He has made the way. It is an astonishing thing, and a slippery truth. I keep having to come back to that reality. Then He is again showing Himself to be deeper and wider than I'd imagined.

What scriptures feeds your soul?
"Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth." (Is. 65:16);

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion." (Ps. 84:5-7);

"Yet he (Abraham) did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." (Romans 4:20-21);

"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 'He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.' When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he sufferd, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." (1 Peter 2:21-23);

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." (Prov. 3:3)


What fears do you need to let go of to enjoy your freedom in Christ? The fear that because I don't have many earthly credentials I cannot be useful in the Kingdom. It is sometimes hard for me to remember how much God can do. I need to remember Moses, Joseph, David and Paul. Willingness was their greatest asset.

How can the Holy Spirit lead you to be a vessel of God's grace and truth? As I listen and follow and believe I will be an intrument that He will use. I learned that it isn't really faith if I only go so far in following that I can still catch myself. I have to go where only He can be God. My friend Judy calls it "believing with your feet."

What is your unique contribution to your family, the Church, your town, the world? I have a great hunger for seeing God clearly. The looking and attempting to follow have made marks and called others on. I am not so much a visual artist as I am a concept person who can catch a truth, but I have a great community of artistic friends who work with the concepts and make wonderful pieces that bless many. I have organizational skills and coordinate the projects and enable them to flow smoothly.--From Anita, edge of the porch

http://edgeoftheporch.blogspot.com