The Beginning; You

Hello everyone! I’m Naomi, a friend of Celine’s and a fellow lover of this blog!

 I am so honored to be a guest writer here and to talk about something she knows is so dear to my heart - creativity and how to find your creative voice. To jump in, let me give you more backstory on why creativity is such a big part of my life.

I like to think that my creative voice gave me my place at the table.

That is a bold statement. I know, but when I walk through my life it rings true. I was never the loud one in the group. I tend to shy away from conversations and large groups of people. I identify as an observer and prefer to wait to gather my thoughts. I always thought those traits meant that I would never be heard or noticed. It was not until I picked up a camera or editing software that I began to realize that I had a way to communicate. That was my catalyst that slingshot me into the life I am blessed with now. I am so grateful for that season because it introduced me to a passion that has shaped me massively. My faith has also played such a massive part of me discovering my creative voice.

I believe creativity is a God-breathed trait. We are made in the image of God and He created the entire universe for goodness sake. We can find examples of creativity in the Bible as well. One of my favorite examples is Bezalel. Bezalel was the head architect of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. He was a brilliant man, a master craftsman and architect. To my current knowledge, he is the first “creative” in the Bible that we learn about. I love this character (first mentioned in Exodus 31) because his name translates to “to rest in God’s shadow”. He was a master artisan and had every right to be confident in his abilities alone. As you read his story and his involvement with building two sacred spaces, his reputation precedes him. However, I have a suspicion that he did not draw his confidence from his work. Moses makes sure to mention that Bezalel was adorned with wisdom and understanding, and most importantly, that he was filled with the spirit of God. I believe that is where he drew from. That was his source. His own creative voice came from what was already placed inside of him. Everything else - the possible praise or criticism he may have received - was to be sorted after the fact. Bezalel was obedient to the call God has placed on him and the spirit placed in him. He created from the relationship he had with God and himself. I believe that is something we should all carry with us as creatives. That is where I believe our creative voices begin.

There is such beauty in creativity. It is so satisfying to create something that can inspire others or even let you express the deepest parts of yourself. That very expression is what makes your creative voice yours. It is a summary of everything you experience and how you process. It is your preferences and ideals.

That is why you cannot compare your voice against anyone else’s.

That is a fight you’ll never win. They say comparison is the thief of joy. I am a firm believer that it is the thief of individuality as well. If you want to find your creative voice, it has to come from you - not from what you think people want to see or what is popular. This doesn’t mean that you can’t be inspired by other things. It merely means that you have to make sure you sprinkle those inspirations into what you create - not base what you create off of them. You cannot frame something as your own if it feels inauthentic. To fully step into your individual creative voice, you have to get comfortable with you.

When we get out of our own way and realize that God has placed everything within us, we create out of a pure place. If you want to develop your creative voice, you have to remove the outside voices and start at the beginning of you. You are already qualified because you’re made in the Ultimate Creator’s image. So start asking yourself questions to identify your style. What do you like? What do you gravitate towards? How do other works of art make you feel? How do you feel at this very moment and how can you express it right now? The more you strip everything down, the more you will begin to find out what makes you tick. That is the key to finding your creative voice. Know that you’ve been deemed good enough. Know that you share this amazing quality with your Heavenly Father. Learn about yourself and take your inspirations as a grain of salt, then create from that place alone.

I pray this blesses you!

You can find me on Instagram @naomikyla - I’d love to connect with you!