Living the Advent-ure: grace in retrospect

“the glory of God is man fully alive.”
-Saint Irenaeus

Hey there! Well this has been a year of high adventure and diving deeper. I’ve journeyed to the top of a mountain, I’ve zip-lined at amazing speeds high in the air across a canyon, I’ve waded out into the middle of a river to fly-fish, I’ve illustrated a book, I’ve continued to lead in ministry , I’ve reached new levels of creativity, I’ve even become a dog lover despite my life-long fear of dogs. These are all dear memories of overcoming fears and pushing forward in the adventure.

It’s been a great year of creativity. Along with painting a lot I’ve taught a great deal of art lessons & abstract workshops. I’ve even had the chance of illustrating a book that should go to print by the end of this year. And I’ve written a lot of poetry & short stories, as I am now a part of 2 writers groups in the community. I’m still very involved as a leader with the VineArts Ministry at the Boise Vineyard church here in Boise, Idaho. I oversee all the art exhibit installations in our art gallery. I’ve enjoyed getting to know some amazing artists this year who are very talented and who have a heart to let God shine through their creativity (no matter what their medium of choice). It’s also been a year of soul searching & deep intimate growth. We’ve been studying in the Gospel of Luke this year as a church focusing on believing for the Advent-ure (living a life of daring faith between Jesus’ first & second coming). I attend 2 home groups focused on deeper Biblical study and application. One group that I attend has been studying the Gospel of John and is now doing a book study of Randy Alcorn’s “Heaven”. The second group, I actually lead, and it has challenged me & enriched my life as a teacher and leader. We’ve begun a book study of John Eldredge’s “Waking the Dead”. I’ve also had some great opportunities this year doing some really fun stuff with my friends & family. Some of the highlights have been enjoying winter carnival, sledding & inner tubing, bowling & playing games, hiking up Tablerock Mtn, taking up beading & learning mosaic, going to rodeos & the fair, fishing, doing some watercolors & abstract collage paintings, getting back to the gym, embarking on road-trips, watching movies, taking in art galleries & concerts, eating a lot of great food, zip-lining, laughing hysterically, talking & sharing deep thoughts, playing with kids & pets, AND supporting each other through some tough times with love & tears & prayer.

This was a year of stepping into the fear. I'm relieved to say that I made it to the other side! I wonder what this coming year has in store? Perhaps bigger adventures with bigger risks? Hopefully I'll still be having a good time & laughing at myself. As I look back on this year I am so very thankful for the quality of people that I am blessed to be surrounded by. Whether close by or far away...friends & family are dear to my heart & I am better for all that I’ve experienced with you. You’ve helped to make this year a great one! Thank you! May you have a blessed Christmas & New Year and may you also live the advent-ure to the fullest!

DIVE DEEP!

Cheers!-Lisa

Sounds of Creativity

What does Creativity sound like?

Well in my art studio it can sound like many things:

The soft skritchy of a pencil across paper as it sketches a thought, a picture, a plan. The glug glug glug sound of a paint can being shaken to mix it's contents. The popping sound of a paint can being opened with a tool. The swishing sound of a brush moving over the surface of canvas. The squirting sound of a dollup of paint being squeezed from a tube onto a pallet. The splatting sound that wet house paint makes once it hits the canvas after being flung in the air by a mixing stick. The spraying of water in the sink as brushes and sticks and hands are being washed. The ripping sound of paper as images and words are utilized in a collage of paint on the canvas. The sound that paint makes as it's being moved about and mixed on the canvas with fingers (yes, there is a faint sound...somewhat like a squishy sucking sound). The pitter patter of feet or sneakers as they dance and adjust in movement around the painting. The squeeky sound of the art table legs as it moves with the rhythm of the finger or brush strokes being applied to the canvas with force and vigor. The loud joyous sound of worship music being played in the background as inspiration for creativity!

The many sounds of creativity are there...you just have to listen.

Art & Worship

you know that i’m an artist. you know that i’m a worshipper of God. and you also know that i try to live my life with the viewpoint that everything i do can be worship to the Lord…even art. within my art business “REVELATORART” i ask God to be revealed through the art i create, through the lessons that i teach, through the relationships i form. and within the arts ministry that i am in leadership with at the Vineyard Boise called, The VineArts League…i ask God to be revealed through the gallery exhibitions, through the workshops taught, through serving the church & the community creatively, through the relationships we form with other artists, through the art & worship services we hold. For you creative types (and even for those of you who don’t think you have artistic talents)…if you love worshipping God (singing, dancing, playing music, speaking words of poetry, etc.), if you love creating art (painting, drawing, sculpting, writing, filming, acting, etc.)…i encourage you to step out your comfort zone, take some risks, be willing to see God as so much bigger than you already see Him. get outside of the religious box that says “this is how we’ve always done things” or the critical skepticism of “art in church?! you can’t do that, that’s not right!”….YOU CAN! and it is right. God made us creative and He made us to worship…we can do both at the same time!i don’t know if you’ve ever had the experience of creating a piece of artwork during a time of worshipping God (whether alone at home or together with others in public)…but it can be one of the most profound tools of worship for not only the artist who is doing the creative worship, but also for the worshipper who is there amidst it all. i’ve had the incredible privilege of being a part of worship services where art is being created on the spot by others, and where i myself am creating art while worshipping. i’ve also held my own creative worship times in my art studio or outside in a large open area (sometimes by myself and other times with people joining me). God is the Grand Creator and He created us to be creative beings. He created us to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. And it’s through our worship (however that looks & sounds & feels & tastes) that we can connect and go deeper in relationship with God…more intimately. God can speak, God can heal, God can comfort, God can stir in us the adventure. it is all about relationship with our Creator.

photo taken by J.D.

To Paint

To paint…

I want to paint like Jackson Pollock.

To let the paint fly and find its’ own way to the canvas. Freeform emotion splattering onto a sea of innocence. That would be freedom to meIf I could paint like Jackson Pollock. I love the feeling of the paint between my fingers. Squishing and oozing into a kaleidoscope of color. The paint becomes a part of me, and I a part of it. We become one with the canvas. Like lovers intertwined we danceI’m intoxicated with passion as I stroke the canvas with my tinctured fingertips. Sometimes gently, sometimes rough. To know my paint is to know me. We are one essence. Shall I raise my hands to the air in praise of the God who poured out His creativity into me? To paint…to live…to worship…this, is my desire.

c. 2002 Lisa Marten

photo taken by R.H.