We choose our character.

In fact, we create it every time we make choices. Whether to cop out or dig out of a hard situation. Whether to bend truth or stand under the weight of it. Whether to take the easy money or pay the price.

+ Your character determines who you are.

+ Who you are determines what you see.

+ What you see determines what you do.

I ran across an article in Create Magazine awhile back and its haunted me. In it, author Bob Kodzis lays out our struggle to overcome fear in creative endeavors.

Fear is the Adolf Hitler of creativity killers. It is responsible for supressing and destroying more brilliant ideas than all of the other creativity killers combined. It is a core ingredient of the most potent creative poisons. Fear limits the volume and dilutes the quality of the ideas we generate. It radically constricts the judgement of creative directors, bosses and clients.”

There’s no doubt that fear is paralyzing, it’s the single most destructive element in our minds. It can and will stop you from creating. Maybe it’s the fear of failure, or of being laughed at, or maybe just having someone think it was a stupid idea. But if you allow that to stop you from creating then you’re short changing yourself and ultimately God. These are irrational fears. We create first off for an audience of One. He matters most. But what he sees is the intent of the heart.

Secondly its a matter of faith. Faith that the gifts and talents you and I have been given are from God, and that he has a design in mind for you and your talents. God is bigger than us. He truly is a know it all… and I’ve got to have faith in that. I’ve got to have faith in the fact that God trust me with His creativity and in that I should never be fearful. I should create.

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.  – Eleanor Roosevelt

What are creativity killers in your life?

I got an email last week from a church in Peoria, Illinois that was inspired by our Faith Stimulus to do one in their community. How awesome is that, that this small act that we made is still going strong. Northwoods Community Church gave $60,000 to their people in white envelopes encouraging them to make a difference in their community. They’ve even set up a ‘Stories‘ site as well to hear first hand what’s happening with the money, check it out here.

I am blown away by how far God is taking this… I pray it goes where He wants and may it be a movement of love and compassion that changes our world.

To read a few of the stories from the Faith Stimulus that we did click here. Also, if you’re thinking about doing a Faith Stimulus in your community and you’d like a few pointers, leave a comment and I’ll get back with you.

Last weekend we started a new series with 1855 other churches around the globe called One Prayer. The concept is simple, we’re all standing together to finish the statement: God is ______.

So far we’ve heard two amazing messages, God is Love by Craig Groeschel & God is Good by our Pastor, Jerry Taylor. In the coming weeks its just going to get better and better.

Do me a quick favor and fill that blank in, what is God to you? Take a second and really think about how you would describe God, what one word would you use to capture who He is to you?

God is _________.

You can read a few of the stories from the stimulus here: stories.baycommunity.com. They are slowly coming in and some of them are absolutely amazing. There’s one particular story that I like a lot, one that truly reveals the heart of this project:

I just ran across this website and was really inspired. I am not a member of the church, but last week, I was pumping gas in Fairhope and went inside to pay. I never go inside to pay  and I also never pay with cash at the gas station. This time, for some reason, I decided to go inside. The woman in front of me was counting pennies to get enough money to buy a few dollars of gas. I have had that feeling before, of barely having enough to get home. I put down an extra $20 over her pile of change and said, “that is not enough, you need more than that.� The look on the woman’s face was priceless! She was shocked , and so was the attendant. I said, “Jesus loves you� She was still in shock as she was pumping gas, it was hilarious. I just kept saying, “Jesus loves you!� as I got in my car. I road away with the biggest smile on my face. -Amy

Anytime Bella pitches a little toddler tantrum (which is almost never mind you – ha), she does the typical squeal, kicking, and of course the gymnast-like back bend. The last few times we’ve had this kind of quality time together and she gets to the part of the routine with that crazy back bend I’ve just started letting her. I used to try to stop her (mistake), hold her up and fight it, but the other day I decided to just let it be, and something amazing happened. She stopped crying. I noticed that she’d stopped because she was seeing those extremely familiar surroundings upside down. She had a new perspective and immediately she stop crying. It changed everything.

About a month ago, we played a little game around here called “musical offices” in which we basically just rearranged everyone’s world, and combined a bunch of offices into an open environment. So for the first time in 5 years I’m looking at new walls everyday, working in a brand new atmosphere, and its helped me tremendously. The change in my perspective and surroundings has helped me be more creative, more productive, and my days seem to moving a lot smoother.

Sometimes we just need a new way of looking at the world, a new lens to see it through, a fresh vision for what’s to come or even for where we are now.

How are you seeing your problems, your circumstances, or your future? How long are you gonna keep looking at them from that same ol’ perspective until you realize its just not cutting it anymore, maybe its time for a new way of seeing old things.

The critical question for our generation – and for every gerneration – is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?

If you are truly in love with Christ, you could never be satisfied with heaven without him. So whats the verdict? Are you really in love with Christ? Is your life a reflection of Psalm 63:1-5?

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

When I read this last Thursday (no coincidence it was Jan 1), it rocked my world, made me really evaluate my heart toward my Savior. Maybe your not like me, but I need that kind of gut check as often as I can get it. I hope it does the same for you.

Can we get back to where we started
When creation lived peacefully in Your hands
Before the wars began

And all these years we have been divided
Jesus’ voice has been gently calling us home
And we can’t wait anymore

Lord we feel You now
Wanting to come down and teach us how to

Sing oh sing
With one voice how sweet it will be
When we sing oh sing
One church under one King and we will sing

Pride has no purpose in God’s kingdom
Now’s the time for His church to join hands again
Oh together we must stand

Lord we need You now
Send Your Spirit down and free us as we

Sing oh sing
With one voice how sweet it will be
When we sing oh sing
One church under one King and we will sing

Hear the voices ringing out (You are King)
We will stand together now (You are Lord)
Hear the voices singing loud (You are King)
Live in peace
Live in peace and

Let the church of God ring out (You are King)
We will stand together now (You are Lord)
Hear the voices singing loud (You are King)
There is only one King

So what do you think?

Get the song (or the whole album) on iTunes.