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Over the weekend, I was thinking about my creative process.

Two things came to mind:

Uncommon focus and consistency.

Uncommon focus helps me continually produce and ship new ideas into the world.

When an idea arises, I consider first whether it’s one I want to pursue.

Some I discard as potentially good ideas but not God ones. I leave those well alone.

For others, I press pause and let them stew a while before I pull any triggers. If the idea keeps bubbling up, I take it to prayer.

But once an idea hooks my heart, I think about how I can move it forward. First, I take time up front to think: “OK, if I choose to do this, how can it be easy?”

Complex things never get done, or stall before they are complete.

Simple things happen because resistance doesn’t have the same traction to kill the momentum.

And then I take action.

Uncommon Focus

I describe this as “uncommon focus”.

For a short time nothing else exists until the process or prototype is in a form that can be released and tested in the ‘real’ world. This is a limited window where ‘hustle’ makes sense to me.

Like anything that moves, the energy required to overcome the “static friction” present in a stationary vehicle is significantly more than what’s required to keep that vehicle moving. A burst of forceful energy is needed to get the wheels moving.

Consistency

Consistency then keeps the vehicle moving toward its intended destination. Smaller but regular amounts of attention and energy can now be applied to move the project or idea forward. A gentle press on the accelerator is often all that’s needed once the process is matured.

A recent example is my Faithful Creative Christmas Countdown. This idea had been stewing for a while, until last week, with the encouragement of my wife, I decided to roll with it (sidenote: listen to your wife guys).

Two days of uncommon focus then realised my thoughts into something that can help, bless and build others.

The ideas were already well formed as I’d chewed them over for quite some weeks, but the actual formation of those ideas happened in a flurry of concentrated energy that ensured they didn’t stay simmering as “one day maybes” and became “Today’s” reality.

Two of my favourite New Testament chapters are Hebrews 3 and 4.

Take note how many times “To day” is mentioned.

​“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day” (Hebrews 3:13 KJV)

This verse was the fuel for my tank as I set time aside to create the Faithful Creative countdown for this year, a daily dose of focussed encouragment to build a prosperous creative life from a foundation of peace.

You can check it out here: https://christmas.teachery.co/go

And while you do take a listen to these chill new sounds: https://open.spotify.com/album/1N1cBtbqRN9O32pBnYWqJR?si=j2kdWawlRMqr5sxT2P6iUg

One of the keys that keeps me creating is counterintuitive.

I uncouple from outcomes.

Being assured of the end result once something is created is often the reason people don’t take the first step.

What if I write a book and no one wants to read it?

What if I try something new and it doesn’t work out?

It’s safer sometimes to stay shackled to the status quo. At least that way you cannot “fail”.

One of my favourite (and to me most thought-provoking) scriptures is direct from the lips of Jesus:

​“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17 KJV)

Look at the sequence here.

Do and you will know.

Too often people want to know before they do.

They want to be certain that their efforts will be rewarded. They want guarantees that their ideas will land in the real world, or else why do it in the first place.

But often, especially in creative endeavours, we have to do before we know. The real test only takes place once the ideas are thrust into the world.

A book is tested when it’s read, not languishing on a harddrive.

A song’s metal is only known when it’s sung and heard by ears other than your own.

We have to learn to be willing to test and try. To make and create from a place of uncertainty.

A place that doesn’t require applause before we’ll act.

As Scripture so plainly states, the results sometimes belong to God. Our part is to obey.

​“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” (1 Corinthians 3:6 KJV)

Learning to stand up (recognise the value of your ideas)

Step out (take action to make them tangible)

and sit back (commit the outcome of the work to God’s providence and faithfulness)

is a muscle worth developing.

One more sweet dripping word before we close:

​“Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” (Psalm 37:5 KJV)

Stand up, step out and leave the outcomes to God.

Make something awesome today!

In the wake of newly minted trillionaires, eye-watering economic uncertainty, oligarchic political manoeuvering, and artificial intelligence (and all too real stupidity), it’s easy to be blindsided.

One could readily think that dollars are the measure of power and prestige.

But there are other measures you can judge by that are rarely in the news.

​“But godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6 KJV)

While the world chases “gain”, “greater gain” is waiting quietly in the wings.

As I often have to remind myself, “The richest man on earth is the one who is most content.”

A man who is content has discovered the gold.

He lacks nothing.

​“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1 KJV)

​“The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” (Psalm 23:1 NLT-SE)

​“ADONAI is my shepherd; I lack nothing.” (Psalm 23:1 CJB)

The right metrics make all the difference.

Yes, rewards exist for your efforts, talents and work here on earth. Rightly so.

But the real and lasting rewards await those who don’t fall for the lie.

“And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Revelation 22:12 KJV)

He won’t be asking, “How much did you make?”

He’ll ask, “How much did you love?”

Selah.

Time

to

THINK.

A novel idea in the days of social media and AI.

In a world crowded with distractions, with a deluge of technology that allows, nay encourages, abdication, “thinking time” can become extinct.

Thinking time is something a praying creator must covet so fervently he or she will lock the doors and, for seasons, throw away the key.

Those seasons can look like 20 minutes of uninterrupted silence, a day walking on the hills, or a week without devices. It could be a month where urgent gives place to important, or at the radical edge of the spectrum, a year of deep introspective course correction.

Do you take time not to do?

Is “do nothing” squarely on your to do list, knowing how fruitful “not doing” can be?

To simply sit with your thoughts.

To carefully consider the trajectory you are taking.

To ponder purpose.

Lean into life design rather than defer to the defaults?

The problem is this.

“Thinking time” takes time.

Thinking time is not just the moment of an idea strikes or an insight pops. That only takes a second.

But to get there you have to wait. Patiently.

Let the noise subside.

Pause long enough for the messy mud of urgent irrelevance to sink to the bottom of the jar, leaving the liquid of your thought life clear enough to see through.

Like a bottle of clear water with dirt in, shaken it will be opaque. That’s your brain. Shaken daily by demands and disruption.

The only way to get clear is to leave that sucker sitting long enough for the mess to come to rest.

Proverbs 20:5 tells us that thoughts are like deep waters:

​"The purposes of a person's heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out"

‘Thinking time’ is one of the buckets you can use to draw something fresh and clear.

Block it out in your schedule.

Add “do nothing” to your to do list.

Long enough for quietness to alight on your mind.

Like a dove, the still, small song of freedom will speak in your ear.

“Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live;” (Isaiah 55:3 KJV)

In a world drowned in noise, I’ve discovered a surprising secret to a satisfied life that rubs against the grain.

If everyone’s shouting in the room, no one listens, and volume becomes irrelevant.

Perhaps it’s time to shave our ambitions and return to the Source.

Something God spoke to me on January 18th this year has become my guiding light:

​“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you…” (1 Thessalonians 4:11 NIV)

This verse continues and concludes,

“…that you may lack nothing.” (1 Thessalonians 4:12 NKJV)

The riches hidden in these verses are endlessly beautiful to unpack. It’s now November, and I’m still discovering delightful new depths to the mysteries that they hide (in plain sight!).

First, and perhaps foremost, is the destination the Holy Ghost suggests as a worthy one: Quietness.

Not big, fast, easy, important, notable, remarkable, famous or full…

Quiet.

A quiet life.

One that’s aligned with your purpose and personality, recognises your God-given gifts, and is unencumbered with comparison, competition, accumulation and misdirected ambitions.

The new North Star to guide your ship safely into harbour.

It’s here in the quiet place you’ll find confidence and strength.

It’s here that the still, small voice of God becomes loud and clear, without competing voices wresting your attention.

It’s here that the daily grind becomes daily grace.

Selah.