As I lie in bed, my mind awake with thoughts of the day, I am suddenly aware of a stirring within me. I can feel it in my bones – the call of creativity.
I know it must come out. Though I do not know what form it shall take, or to what extent the impact shall make, I feel the call of creativity stirring inside of me.
A work of art:
A collected state of understanding. Not from a place of knowledge or know-how, but the simplicity of an inner philosophy.
“Is what makes me ‘me’ derived from the creator of creativity?”
This muse has forged a deep desire in me to understand not only the sphere of art and how it impacts society, but also the why behind creativity, which is the birth place of art in all its glorious forms. At the very beginning, “God created” and the most interesting thing to me is that He hovered over the surface of the water before He started speaking form to the rest of His creation.
“Why is this important?”, you may ask. I believe that as a part of tapping into the depth of creation, the almighty God took time to wait. He hovered, taking in what He was about to release. The very first characteristic we see in our God is that He is Creator and he actually took time to wait before He created. This directly relates to us, as we are then introduced to the moment when God created us, human beings, designed in His image.
We were given form in the likeness of the Creator and therefore creativity has been built into the very fabric of our human society.
There is a deep urge to connect to God through art. Dance, music, poetry, fine art, acting, design, and so many others have served in formulating the cultures we come from and the direction that our societies grow towards whether in a positive light or in a destructive one.
It is so very important to see these impacts and how they shape our communities because it better equips us to engage in this sphere as Christians.
As someone working within the mission field, I found myself originally asking how can I use different forms of art to reach people? Because art is oftentimes an unspoken form of communication that transcends through different languages, it can be very effective. I was thoroughly encouraged when my team, here at YWAM Prague, collaborated with the YWAM Brisbane base and some locals to create the “I See Fire” dance. This dance shows the story of a young man’s journey in overcoming depression and suicidal thoughts as he realizes he is not alone and that there is power in standing together. We performed this dance two years ago in the streets of Prague and it was so incredible how many people came up to us afterwards, sharing how this dance had touched them because of personal stories or how they have felt the shift of peace from the anxiety they had been experiencing. This led us to opportunities to pray for people and share about God’s love. Since doing this dance it has inspired us to do more projects that release hope, empower, inspire and restore purpose and identity in youth and young adults.
There are so many different paths and avenues to take in the sphere of art. I think of some friends who are professional artists (The Millan Art Institute) and the way they are impacting other artists with Biblical principles through their art programs and master classes. I think of the Initiative— a previous filmmaking production company out of YWAM Brisbane, and the way they introduced aspiring actors to Christians and what it might be like to have a relationship with Jesus. I think of trEd— a prophetic movement group and the impactful spiritual warfare they engage in when they perform in different cities around the world. All of these paths are offered up to our heavenly Father, the Master Creator, and are powerful tools to bring about change into our communities.
What a joyous practice to connect with our Creator through art and engage with discovering the mysteries of who He is while inspiring others to seek Him out for themselves! Whether it’s Christians making art in the industry, those who make Christian art, or those who empower artists in order to bring a shift in the creative world, it is so important to engage in this sphere of society because of the underlying tones that filter into our youth, our communities, and our future. That is why I want to encourage us all to take time, wait, and learn to create with our Creator.
My name is Miranda Berg. I am originally from Arizona where I grew up hiking and doing a lot of exploring. I think that this attributes to my curious and creative side that wants to reflect God’s heart through creativity as He has revealed so much of himself through his creation. Now living in Europe, I am intrigued by the variety in culture, history, and perspective. I hope that I can, in some small way, discover more of God and live out his heart in this magnificent part of the world.