The narrative of Scripture show’s our Maker’s constant renewal of our brokenness, transforming it into something beautiful. He turns chaos into order. Death into life.
Daily, our actions mimic this story. We co-create with Him when we give birth to new life: human life and creative life. We order chaos when we turn a jumble of ingredients into a meal or use tubes of paint to create a masterpiece.
Art gives expression to our deepest sorrows and joys, even when other forms of communication fail.
It has a remarkable ability to reflect our deepest longings for love, justice, and belonging. For Christians, creativity becomes a continual reminder that even when the world seems senseless, we belong to a Sense-Maker who is making all things right.
This creativity takes many forms; it also faces many challenges.
Is my gift worth offering? How do I know the difference between Godly art and pursuing personal fame? Does creativity matter in a world of pain? In this issue, our contributors ask these and other questions through their written and visual art.
Robbie Down describes his experience learning to rest in the Lord during the pandemic. He writes that to be a Christian artist is “to be a profound listener.” Malik Dieleman points us to the hope at the end of the road through his powerful drawing inspired by the Book of Daniel.
In the Flipside, Dagmar Morgan relates how her experience with spoken word contributed to her healing process. Kerry Provost invites leaders to push past their fears and desires to maintain the old ways of doing things; these hesitations hold us back from considering new opportunities in a time where church ministries face so many challenges and uncertainties.
In our cover story, Mike Bonikowsky discusses how wrestling with the darkness of our human experience has become a lifeline for him. Through poetry, he’s able to size up his fears and examine them in light of what he believes about God.
This interview marks a fitting beginning to a new series featuring some of our Love Is Moving contributors over the next year. We hope you’re inspired and encouraged by how Christ is at work in their lives and vocations.
