Going from Black and White to Color

As a budding artist, I spend hours drawing and perfecting my skill. My own lack of confidence did me a service as well as a disservice. Working very hard I become excellent at creating a perfect portrait in black and white, however, it was not always enjoyable as I didn’t feel I had the time it took because I felt it had to be perfect. I denied myself the pleasure of creating and I wasn’t expressing my heart completely. I was stuck in black and white; not living and creating in color.
One weekend I went to an artist retreat with an Anglian Priest and his wife. He led the spiritual and she taught the art. Even though excited to learn watercolor and calligraphy, the first words that came out of her mouth made my heart sink. “Tonight we are just going to play as if we were at kindergarten.”
This is not what I signed up for but a surprising journey of healing began. By the end of the weekend, I was bawling. A crack of hope began to open up this gift of creativity that would bring me from black and white to color.
The crack opened up even further one day as I was journaling my prayers. I kept getting distracted by drawing little pictures in the corner of my journal.
I sighed a prayer to the Father, “Help me focus on You!”
A soft and tender voice came to my spirit, “I made you that way. Go and paint your worship.”
With canvas, paints and worship music, I began. I let my worship pour out onto that canvas. The outcome was freeing and beautiful. Since then color truly flows with unique flavor, expression, beauty, joy and various styles. A deeper richer relationship with the Creator flows too with truths, insights, blessings, and intercessions. God speaks to me through my art. The worship I give to Him reflects back to me. We are co-creating and I have truly gone from black and white to color.