All creatives need Laura Bartnick's book, Being Creative, to keep their feet on the ground while reaching for the stars.
God is the master creator—the source, the beginning, and end. His creativity is all around us, to enjoy and to give thanks for all his blessings. This book is godsend at a time where I question whether what I do matters and where my special niche is in this world. It must be said upfront that Christian creatives will get the most benefit from this book.
Finding your niche
While I am a huge fan of God’s creativity and love to admire his handiwork every day, insecurity and “compare-ri-itis” can chip away at the confidence that I am to follow in my Father’s footsteps. This book helps me to see that creatives are to imitate him, using the gifts he's blessed us with, and never stop giving thanks to him. Bye-bye negative thoughts! And, “hello” to the faith-building scriptures from the Bible liberally sprinkled throughout the book.
I love that I can use my talents without compromising on my convictions and boundaries. Instead, I can walk my path in “a pure and circumspect way as God reveals.” And, while this may entail working in the corporate world, I love the author’s encouragement that “if there’s a need and you can fill it, accept your career as a gift.”
The power of humour
One of the biggest takeaways for me is the power of humour, and not to take myself or what I do too seriously. Rather, that being creative is a “boisterous load of fun”, and that “humor is absolutely necessary to human survival.”
While the writing leans to the academic and reads like a textbook, there are enough personal examples, from the author and other creatives, to make up for this. But it means there are places where you need to pause or reread the text to appreciate the message.
Finally, kudos to the author for allowing the Spirit to use her to encourage other creatives. This is a book that you can dip into again and again for reassurance, and a reminder it always boils down to staying close to God, following in his footsteps, and giving him all the glory. It is a must-read.
You can find Laura Bartnick's book here: https://www.amazon.com/BEING-CREATIVE-Laura-Bartnick-ebook/dp/B0927GN3CW