Paint & Make Art - Five Minute Friday

Ironic... that for the first time in a LONG time, I knew I would have to skip out early on the Twitter Party (#fmfparty) on Thursday night... and the reason was because, for the first time in a long time, I had work to do. As in: paid, commissioned work - that just so happened to involve our One Word Prompt. So I cut the party short in order to finish up a couple of projects and even though I missed all the chatter, I felt His Presence as I painted.

Oh but - first - the fine print: if you don't know what FMF is!  Five Minute Fridays are hosted by Lisa Jo Baker.  It is open to anyone, so to learn more about it - and to jump in yourself (the more the merrier!) or just to find a linky to see what everyone is writing about today - click HERE!  The idea is to simply write... for Five Minutes flat... no editing, no deep thinking - or at least REthinking, no spell check - just write! Let it flow! We all write using a prompt that Lisa posts at 10pm Thursday night (EST.)  I'm loving the community of amazing bloggers and the creativity that flows from these magical Five Minutes!

So - here goes: Five Minute Friday - The Word Prompt is: PAINT

{GO}

Yeah... it says it right there on my business cards. Writer (which I wrote about last week!) Photographer. Artist.

Still... even after forcing myself to S-L-O-W-L-Y read through Emily Freemans' A Million Little Ways, I still have a hard time stepping up fully into the title of Artist.  

Oh - I know that I am.  I know that we are created by the Creator and we make Art with our lives everyday, from putting together an outfit, cooking a meal, telling a joke, loving well... all of it is glorious art.

Now Writer... as I said last week, I stand tall in that!  I paint pictures with words that I pray are pretty or funny and before you know it, they sink soul deep and settle in.  

But a paintbrush in hand... with confidence... silencing Self-Doubt (it is still the Lenten season, right?)... I paint because He gives me pictures and tells me to pour my heart and prayers into and onto each piece and it is prophetic and I believe it holds within it the power to impart... yeah, that. 

So - I paint on... I learn as I go.  In the beginning I would be so frustrated because what I would 'see' in my minds eye would be a picture, a photograph, a real life snapshot.  But I am not trained or skilled in knowing how to paint like that.  So what would come out would look different, but the message was all Him.  He would still speak through whatever attempt I made with acrylic and canvas.  

Yeah - that.  He is not limited to my skill set.  He desires to work with us - right where we are... so whether you are painting a picture with words or brushes, with ingredients or stories, with laughter or love... it is grace that flows through and brings beauty in the art that you make.

So I have learned...

Pray.  Worship.  Wait.

Seek His thoughts and His words and what He wants to impart... and then obey (and pray some more... and worship... and wait...)

The above sneak peak is the commissioned piece I was working on yesterday that just needed a few finishing touches.  The piece below is what overflowed...

{STOP}

I am learning to give myself Grace... I am reminding myself time and time again that it is a process and with everything, the more you practice and just do it - the better you get!

So, can I encourage you today to go make art!  Whatever form of 'paint' you choose to use: pray, worship, wait... listen for Him to give you words and pictures and make art with your life.  Invite Him in to paint a picture

Five Minute Fridays gives us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click here to read what others have to say about "PAINT"  

Simply because - well... simply because:

How do you make art? What do YOU use to paint with?