Blog Spotlight // Creativity in the Bible

    Hey hey everybody!! Welcome back, grab a seat and get comfy because today I will be sharing some extremely exciting news! But before we jump into that, I'll go ahead and give you the more in-depth update about my return to blogging that I promised in my last post. 😉

    Soooo, the big question is... what happened to Victoria that made her drop off the face of the blogosphere at the start of the year? In all honesty, there are many answers to that and I won't be sharing all of them because of #personalstuff. BUT the main answer I will give is that I started my very. last. semester. of high school!! Not only that but I've also officially graduated!!! Finishing high school and preparing for graduation took up a lot more time than I expected, and I knew I had to prioritize those things to end my high school years on a high note. That said, will I now be returning with a more consistent posting schedule? Weeeell, that depends. 

    I do have some posts I want to share with you all very soon (especially since I promised some people I would do them) XD so I'm hoping to get those out over the rest of the summer. But since I'll be starting college this fall, blogging will not be a top priority on my list. Knowing me, having a blogging schedule will be too stressful to manage while keeping up with college classes and any other extracurricular activities I may be doing. However, I don't want to suddenly vanish again without warning lol, so I'll try to get at least one post out a month even if it's a brief update on life but I'll try to make it more interesting than that XD Plus I'm also going keep up with my quarterly newsletter which I am in the process of putting together despite its tardiness so I'll shoot that out before college classes start too. All that being said, there's my summary of what's been happening the past few months and what you can expect on this blog in the future! Buuuuuuut, as for today, I told you I have some SUPER exciting news so I'll go ahead and get to the Good Stuff! 😉

    SO. I happen to have a certain amazing, super talented friend who many of you probably already know from the blog Teen Writers' Nook. This blog is well known for its wonderful community of writers seeing how the founders are writers themselves. But what you may not know is that my friend (and TWN co-founder) isn't just an incredible writer. This young lady is one of THE most crafty and creative gals I've ever met!! Like, I'm not lying here: I'd be shaking in my boots if I had to go up against her in an arts and crafts contest! I have literally no clue how she comes up with such inventive ideas, but I'm pretty sure it's a super power of some sort. XD Anyway, this gal's name just so happens to be M'Lady Katherine of Perry and she just so happens to be starting her very own blog to share her creative outlet with us!!!

Image credit: Issabelle Perry

    Here are Katherine's social links:

    Goodreads

    Pinterest

    Wakelet

    Teen Writer's Nook

    Aaaand.... HERE IS THE LINK... TO HER BRAND. NEW. BLOOOOOG!!!! Not me feeling like a WWE announcer just then lolol.

Katherine Perry's Blog

    There's also an EPIC giveaway announcement, but Imma share that at the end of the post because— 

Unless you decide to skip ahead of course *bombastic side eye* ReGaRdLeSs, before wrapping up the post I really want to talk a bit about ~ creativity ~. Specifically, how creativity is mentioned in the Bible.

    When I first visited Katherine's blog I noticed two things on the Home page. The first is a description which states, "Katherine Perry is a daughter of the Master Creator." The second is a tagline that says, "I create because I have been created." These sentences inspired me because they both point back to God who is ultimately the origin of creativity. I mean, this is made pretty clear in Genesis 1:1 when it declares, "God created the heavens and the earth." Another Bible verse, Colossians 1:15-17, reiterates this by saying, "He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." There are so many other verses in the Bible that touch on this subject, but they all make the same point: God is the Master Creator because he created everything. 

    Not only that, but as Katherine's tagline implies, he created us so we can create as well. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." I want to make it clear that this verse doesn't mean our good works will earn us salvation. Doing good things will not save us or get us into heaven. If that were the case then we would get the glory for our salvation instead of God. Instead, this verse refers to the good works that Christians do as a result of salvation—or rather, as a result of becoming a new creation in Christ Jesus when we choose to follow him. These good works that we are called to do after receiving salvation can be all sorts of things as long as they bring glory to God. In fact, he uses each of our unique abilities to do these works and to further his kingdom. Exodus 35:31-33 expresses, "and he [God] has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, and to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft." To give some context in this verse, the person who God filled with his Spirit was a man who God called to lead the construction of his tabernacle. Therefore, this shows how God gives each of us special abilities that we must use to create and do God's work. And it doesn't always have to be a literal construction of something! In the previous verse it may have talked about literally building God's tabernacle, and I know that Katherine is going to use her creative gifts to share hands-on craft ideas for her blog, but God gives everyone unique gifts for all kinds of different things. Romans 12:6-8 says, "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness." This verse gives so many examples of what our gifts may be, so that just proves how—even if you aren't the best at arts and crafts—God can still use your other abilities and creativity to build his kingdom and give him glory.

    That said, I'm so so proud of Katherine for recognizing this and making a platform where she can share her creativity, inspire others, and use it all to point to God. I can't wait to see where he takes her on this new blogging journey and I hope you join her on it as well!! (I.e. check the blog out, leave a comment if you so desire, and consider subscribing *nod nod* 😜)

    ALL RIGHTY. Noooowww, it's finally time for that giveaway info I hinted about!!!

The Infoooooooo:

    The giveaway will run from July 1st through July 11th. Enter by commenting on the tour’s Welcome post (at katherineperrycreator.wordpress.com) and then you can earn extra entries by commenting on any post in the tour. Anyone under 18 must have their parent’s permission before entering. 

    US entrants will be entered for a chance to win a free pack of summer-inspired stickers!

International entrants will be entered for a chance to win free printable bookmarks!

    Aaaaaand that's all for today's post!!! Don't forget to visit Katherine's blog, tune in for the rest of the tour, and enter that giveaway! 😉 I shall now release you to enjoy the rest of your evening (or day... or morning... or whenever) but I hope you have a very blessed week! And for my American friends I hope you all have a very happy Independence Day tomorrow!

Tally ho!

Victoria

Are you excited for the rest of the blog tour? Do you like arts and crafts and all things DIY?? Do you have a favorite Bible verse about God's creation? Tell me all about it in the comments below!

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