This is so goooood! The same serpent who tempted Eve, is the same tempter we have today. Thank you for reminding me that even in our creative writing process, there's a need for dying to ourselves so that Christ alone may be glorified. (By the way, Malcolm Guite's metaphor about the leaves and soil is similar to Neil Gaiman's concept of the compost heap, but it's so nice to hear about it in another way.) 🙌🏻
Thank you for articulating these insights! I know them to be true, but it has taken so much longer for me to get to them. The state of creative play is most possible when we enter the state of grace. Yes, yes, yes!
This was so beautiful to read. Thank you for the reminder to not place so much weight on the outcomes, but simply step in and begin. Jon Tyson spoke a similar message around the value of 'plodding'.
So persuasive, profound, and provocative. Thank you for introducing me to the Sertillanges quote and for the Guite paraphrase as well. I, too, am gratefully bookmarking this page.
Raed, this is beautiful, and so important. Thank you for this merciful nudge. I love: "And it is to this temptation that we must die—the way we connect our identity to output, our worth to the plaudits, our value to status." Indeed, there is fruit "He has appointed for us to bear," as you say, and it comes in collaboration with His Spirit, in full submission, in relinquishing outcomes. Wonderfully written!
Thank you for writing this piece. It spoke right into my heart and mind, reminding me why I write and whose glory I write for. It isn’t about me, my fame, my money or others admiration of my writing. It is about the One who gave me a creative mind, infused it with His Spirit and filled me the desire to express myself with the gifts that He has given.
Dear heavens, it's like someone overheard my thoughts last night. First, giving the bare minimum on a couple pieces I knew would only be limitedly "publishable" and then completely giving up on another, literally saying, "I have nothing original to say." It always comes back to abandonment, doesn't it? Thank you for this.
I mean… wow. This is fantastic.
This is so goooood! The same serpent who tempted Eve, is the same tempter we have today. Thank you for reminding me that even in our creative writing process, there's a need for dying to ourselves so that Christ alone may be glorified. (By the way, Malcolm Guite's metaphor about the leaves and soil is similar to Neil Gaiman's concept of the compost heap, but it's so nice to hear about it in another way.) 🙌🏻
So good! Bravo
Wow, I love this! Thank you for sharing. Saving it so I can return and read it again later.
Thank you for articulating these insights! I know them to be true, but it has taken so much longer for me to get to them. The state of creative play is most possible when we enter the state of grace. Yes, yes, yes!
This was so beautiful to read. Thank you for the reminder to not place so much weight on the outcomes, but simply step in and begin. Jon Tyson spoke a similar message around the value of 'plodding'.
Just what I needed to hear. Great piece.
This is an awesome piece. Thank you so much.
Really love this piece . . . I've been fighting for this childlikeness again and you've laid it all out beautifully.
So persuasive, profound, and provocative. Thank you for introducing me to the Sertillanges quote and for the Guite paraphrase as well. I, too, am gratefully bookmarking this page.
Beautifully written, Raed! I love your use of the Edenic narrative as a way to grapple through the creative life.
Thank you for this. That metaphor about the leaves and topsoil from Malcolm Guite alone is so rich!
Raed, this is beautiful, and so important. Thank you for this merciful nudge. I love: "And it is to this temptation that we must die—the way we connect our identity to output, our worth to the plaudits, our value to status." Indeed, there is fruit "He has appointed for us to bear," as you say, and it comes in collaboration with His Spirit, in full submission, in relinquishing outcomes. Wonderfully written!
Thank you for writing this piece. It spoke right into my heart and mind, reminding me why I write and whose glory I write for. It isn’t about me, my fame, my money or others admiration of my writing. It is about the One who gave me a creative mind, infused it with His Spirit and filled me the desire to express myself with the gifts that He has given.
Wow, bookmarking this for the difficult days of writing. Thank you.
Dear heavens, it's like someone overheard my thoughts last night. First, giving the bare minimum on a couple pieces I knew would only be limitedly "publishable" and then completely giving up on another, literally saying, "I have nothing original to say." It always comes back to abandonment, doesn't it? Thank you for this.