Why is exploring creativity important?
Creating is at the core of who God is. Our first glimpse at understanding God can be found by looking at his first action: He created (see Genesis 1:1). In Scripture, this Hebrew phrase is bara, which means to divinely create, shape, or form. As image bearers, we were fashioned after the qualities and character of our God, including his creativity. And he’s still working! God continually creates life, transforms hearts, and brings salvation as we, his creation, reveal him to the world.
Creative expression can look like finding new ways to solve a problem, building new tools and resources, and even thinking about situations differently.
As you pour over these pages, maybe with a favorite cup of coffee or tea, I want to challenge you to consider how you are in active partnership with the Lord, continually creating with him. Creative expression can look like finding new ways to solve a problem, building new tools and resources, and even thinking about situations differently. Because whether we realize it or not, we are engaging in creativity daily. Even the most ordinary tools and abilities were birthed from creativity. Nothing is truly ordinary when we pause to observe and inhale the wonder around us.
Truly magazine’s Create issue video featuring words by artist ChanMi Jung
Will you humor me for a minute? Consider this magazine. Pause and feel the paper you’re holding. Flip through the pages and feel the air fan your face as you catch the scent of ink and paper fibers. You and I are enjoying a craft that has been honed and perfected over the past 4,500 years since ink was first invented. Reading and visual communication are blessings that are only possible because of an ancient creative use of resources. Someone’s ingenuity paved the way to marking important events using a pigment and carrier.
These everyday objects, originally charcoal and oil, were blended together to transfer words and imagery to a medium. The creation of ink birthed the movement of recorded ancient history and stories told, and brought us all sorts of wonderful designs on most of the world around us. Can you imagine how chaotic jeans shopping would be if there were no size labels printed? We might never know the full effect of our decisions to experiment, step out of our comfort zones, and try something new.
You can choose to value your creativity by the level of admiration you might receive from others, or by an entirely different standard—how you uniquely live out your purpose.
If you struggle to embrace your creative identity, know this: To fully grasp our creative identity is to embrace and understand God as the Creator who brought order from chaos. He has done this from the very beginning, and he is continually working and creating in and through you. It’s not just for the crafters, painters, and singers. Creativity is wired into us all.
You can choose to value your creativity by the level of admiration you might receive from others, or by an entirely different standard—how you uniquely live out your purpose. You must decide if you will accept the labels others place on you or if you will choose to embrace and elevate your creativity based on how God wired you. Being creative isn’t just a gift, it’s part of your design and a reflection of God.
Whether you create systems, capture moments, care for others, develop ideas, or design works of art, our prayer is that you will be inspired by the Holy Spirit to see yourself as God intended—a reflection of himself to the world around you. May we honor the holy work of creating in partnership with him.
Lindsay May @heylindsaymay Publisher & Founder
The Truly Co. is proud to include the following contributors in the Create issue of
Truly magazine
Writers
Jen Allee @Jen.allee | Denise Debois @vertedenise | Hannah Sink Hamza @hannahhamzacreative | Jonna Meidal @jonnameidal | Linnea Orians @linesbylinnea | Kierstin Almstrum @theelegant_butterfly | Caitlin Deems @cait_mombodiespt | Neidy Hess @neidyhess | Vina Bermudez Mogg @vinabmogg | Caroline Williams @carolinejwilliams | Alicia Boyce @aliciathewriter | Ashlee Gadd @ashleegadd | Leslie Jones @jonesleslieann | Ashley C. Shannon @ashley_c_shannon | Jessica Broberg @spamtownmom | Tina Savant Gibson @tinasavantgibson | Anna Marum @annamarumphotography | Rachel Booth Smith @rboothsmith | Megan Craig @meganvcraig | Shiloh Gideon-Sjostrom @shiloh.gideon | Shay S. Mason @shaysmason | Jennifer Trautmann @gratitudephotompls
Photographers
Brianna Baarson @brirosephotography | Ashlee Gadd @ashleegadd | Ashley Burke @ashrobburke | Jenny Huddleson @zhena.cova | Krista Dumire @k.dumes | Abby Erickson @abbyjoy.photos | Kristi Ellison @klee_ellison | Aaron Parsons @aaronrobertsphoto
Artists
Grace Boelter @grace.matha.23 | ChanMi Jung @chanmisartjourney | Brynlee May | Shelley Hand Qian @junoniaarts | Alysse Valiante @alyssevaliante
Leadership
Lindsay May @heylindsaymay | Natasha Sperling @nsperling2 | Allison Lee @alaynelee | Jen Allee @Jen.allee | Kristi Ellison @klee_ellison | Anna Marum @annamarumphotography | Brooke Osell @brookeosell | Grace Boelter @grace.matha.23 | Shiloh Gideon-Sjostrom @shiloh.gideon | Detra Clark @prosperouslivingdetra | Krista Dumire @k.dumes | Ben Hanan @beneclectic