At our 3-day Cultivate Retreat in July, we’re taking a good bit of time to talk about doing heart-work that brings vision and bravery and helps push through resistance and fear. In some ways, this is the flip side to taking time to rest and and retreat.

We need to remember that Jesus calls the weary to come to him and rest, but he also calls us to abandon crippling fear, cast off thoughts of worthlessness, and actively follow him. He calls us to remember that He is with us (Joshua 1:9), He will take care of us (Psalm 91:4), and that He doesn’t call us to fear but to power, love, and self-control (II Timothy 1:7). Let your heart take courage, says Psalm 27, and be strong! 

God’s Word calls us, among other things, to glorify Him, to love him and our neighbors, and to LIVE. He gives us specific instruction in Genesis 1:28 to take care of the earth and develop our human culture, and he creates us uniquely. He gives us specific gifts and gives us the individual freedom to serve him creatively out of those gifts. For too many years I was afraid of embracing the freedom God gives us to serve Him, but God’s call to me to mimic his creativity in my own, small way is unmistakable. He calls us to excellent (Proverbs 22:29), diligent (Colossians 3:23), good (Ephesians 2:10) creativity. 

From these Scriptures and more, it’s clear that God has a plan for us to be creative, but for each of us that may mean something specific and different. Some of us he has called to be makers, or artists, some community-builders, some word-weavers, some musicians, some delightful chefs, some gardeners, some listeners, some bold speakers. We may all do some of these activities in the course of our lives, but if God has gifted you to do them especially well, then capitulating to the fear of failure, the unknowns of small business, your self-doubt, or anything else is no excuse for not adding skill to your gift and serving others with your creativity. 

I am so excited to learn about each of our guests’ creative lives at the retreat, and to work through these verses together and discuss how humility, joy, patience, love, peacefulness and more flow out of a creative life that’s obedient to God.

I know that this retreat is an investment, but I sincerely challenge you to look at it exactly that way – as an investment that you could make for yourself. It’s not for everyone, and there are only a very few spots available in it, but if you are ready to dig into God’s word, rest, worship, feast, soak in the beauty of our flower farm, and delve into some floral skills to refresh your creativity, then please consider joining us at the farm.

And one more quick thing – on Monday, March 2, we will announce a scholarship opportunity for the overnight Cultivate Retreat, so stay tuned for more information soon!