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I love words.

Some more than others.

One that I adore is the word ‘convergence’.

It’s a word that the Holy Ghost spoke to me in a prayer meeting. Flow was happening, with hearts connecting and powerfully interceding. The whole was so much more than the sum of the parts and you could sense the reality of being in one accord. Unity in prayer is truly life-changing.

I asked the Lord what happened in that room and He said it was a ‘convergence’.

According to the dictionary, “Convergence is when two or more things come together to form a new whole”

Prayer works like that, and so does calling.

Your creative calling in Christ is where your gifts and anointing connect and come together with the hunger and needs of others.

For me, the point of convergence is where my content and writing meet creative Christian authors, creators and early-stage entrepreneurs – when that occurs remarkable things take place and new things spring to life.

Books are written.

Online courses are created.

New blogs, podcasts and products spring forth.

My dear brothers and sisters are emboldened to act on their ideas.

It’s a beautiful thing to behold as the people you serve step up, step out and shine!

Two things are needed in creative business – YOU and your AUDIENCE. It can take time, trial, and testing to discover both. But when you do, a “new whole” springs into miraculous existence. God be praised forever for His generous anointing!

The most restful place on the planet is a haven called TRUST.

Trusting God is the antidote to anxiety.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” (Philippians 4:6 NKJV)

The word anxious here means to “take thought”.

That’s the way Jesus described it:

“And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.” (Luke 12:22–23 KJV)

“Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6:34 KJV)

What thoughts are you taking?

Circumstances come with a bag load of thoughts attached to them.

Devil’s peddle thought bombs, looking for a buyer.

Tomorrow and life itself carry thoughts to the table.

Thoughts are everywhere begging for someone to pick them up.

You can take them, or leave them.

You choose which ones you want to embrace.

As Martin Luther said, “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”

Let me remind you

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9 KJV)

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” (Psalm 139:17 NKJV)

Your Papa also places thoughts on the shelves that you can pull down and pack for your journey, many of them recorded in His love story, the Bible.

How precious His thoughts toward you. Not thoughts of judgement, but mercy.

Not thoughts of disaster but of a hopeful future.

Be careful what thoughts you take today.

Make sure you choose some good ones!

Then share them here…

Modern society wants instant results. In a ‘now’ culture waiting for anything seems untenable. The idea that one should work and wait is preposterous. Should I not be able to press a button and boom my world changes?

Let me share some wisdom here, not my own. I’m borrowing from the Bible. I recommend you do the same.

Roast Your Best Thoughts Well

I’m a heartfelt believer that connecting with your calling is not a difficult thing, but it does take work. Sometimes many years of work. Work is not a dirty word. Hard-won victories are so much more precious than those handed on a plate.

As Solomon said:

“The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.” (Proverbs 12:27 KJV)

See how the slothful despised what he had in his hand?

Unwilling to put the work in to taste its goodness his substance diminishes. He never grasps the potential that rests in his bosom.

But the diligent recognises the value of her gifts and is willing to work to fulfil them. As an idea person, an author or creator, what ideas are you cooking up to share with the world?

Don’t despise them, count them precious and worthy of roasting.

Place value on your ideas enough to invest time and money to see them deliciously roasted and realised.

Roasted ideas (and by that I mean ones that have been carefully considered, crafted and carved) can be shared with the world. Half-baked ones don’t go far.

Boardroom or bored room?

“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” (Proverbs 10:4 KJV)

Don’t be slack in your dealings, especially with yourself.

Stop discounting your thoughts as worthless or weak. Give them attention. Take time in God’s presence and place them on the table.

You do know that there’s a table in Heaven’s boardroom right? One that you’re invited to sit at and discuss your ideas with the greatest Geniuses ever?

God wants to partner with you in your business. To infuse how you show up in the world with His fire and flair.

But again, the road of the creative isn’t the easy choice. It takes diligence and determination to work through the difficulties.

But it’s better than boredom.

As Marcus Aurelius said, "It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live."

Better to live and die trying than never live at all. Our short stay on earth should be filled with the fruits of our pursuing the plantings of God in our hearts!

Don’t Be In a Rush

Back to the modern malady. Rush and reasoning that everything should be easy, cheap and instant leaves people crippled. Value yourself and your ideas enough to invest time and money in them.

“The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.” (Proverbs 21:5 KJV)

There was a day when I had zero audience.

Even now my pool of influence is a tiny drop in a vast ocean.

Should I quit because things don’t grow or change as quickly as I would like them to?

Not at all, and I’ll tell you why.

Because I must grow and change.

And the only and best way to do that is to be diligent. Perfect my abilities through practice, pursue my passions and purpose with patience. And share the journey.

Destinations are great, but if you can’t share the journey you miss the meaning. You don’t need to have it all together before you begin. Just start and share your steps.

Where you stand today is the perfect place to take the next one.

So what will it be? What step will you take today to turn up the heat on your delicious ideas so they can become something others can enjoy and benefit from?

There are strange things on this earth, but one of the most peculiar are perpetual pregnancies.

So many creative people with ideas that have been stuck in the womb for decades. Every so often they still feel a kick but have learned the art of quiet resignation and shake off the prod.

Here are four short words for you:

“Quench not the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19 KJV)

Dear friend, creative ideas are like seeds. They land in the heart from Heaven and take on a life of their own. Given time and watered with prayer they grow and take form, invisible at first, but as real as real can be.

Like our Father, we bring things forth from nothing. Just a thought, an inspiration, a fleeting notion of possibilities not yet realised.

Your job as an author and co-creator is to carry that babe to full term and bring it to birth.

God-planted notions are designed to move from the womb to the world!

Do you have ideas that are kicking on the inside?

Things planted that long to see the light of day?

Maybe a book? A course? A journal or a blog? A poem, a product, a teaching, a truth that needs to be shared?

Don’t let your genius die in the womb. Carefully cultivate the necessary mindset, environment, confidence and skills to bring your ideas to kicking and screaming life!

The romanticised view of the troubled artist or the solitary writer is overrated.

It makes for a great drama, but let’s face it, who needs more drama?

Better to be connected to others who have learned to cheer.

I’m sure you’ve watched marathons on TV. The crowds line the sidewalk urging the runners to take their next courageous step.

As Christian creatives, we need that.

Having a merry band of believers to bolster your believing when the going gets tough is paramount.

I’ve walked this creative writing road for decades now. I’ve developed an online Bible School, built a fabulous publishing business, and crafted numerous courses and resources for creatives to step up, step out, and make a difference. Yet, I still need brothers and sisters alongside me to remind me who I am.

That’s what inspired the Unlocking Your God Given Genius Adventure. I want every day to remember who I am, and remind others that they are remarkable, and that God does indeed have a plan for their lives.

The world will do all it can to put you in a can and close the lid.

Christ has come to open the can, crush it, and crown you with His kindness.

And with that crown of sonship comes fresh hope. Fresh faith. A new perspective that awakens you to your potential.

And the best way I’ve found to step into that potential is to encourage someone else and help them see what’s possible if they commit to keep Christ at the centre of their creative work.