CHRONICLES FROM THE PORCH - EXTRA EDITION!

I'm participating in the 5 Day Chart Your Course Challenge via John and Lisa Bevere. I want to share my reflection on the FORTH day, which was yesterday. I pray it blesses you. Day Four: Creativity. Not my favorite topic because I didn't see myself as creative. What this topic clearly showed me is I'm very creative! There's more to creativity than the narrow definition and understanding I had. I thought of art and the arts, neither of which I do. I can't draw a straight line without a ruler and even then there's no guarantee! I had to look deeper, at what I do, what brings me pleasure, what I can't wait to do, and seemingly do effortlessly. Looking at those things made me see the creativity that God has given me. For me it's writing, teaching and writing Bible studies, and encouragement! I love to write and tied to my writing is encouragement and teaching. I love to encourage others, and myself, in the Word of God. Writing and encouragement are at the heart of who I am and what I do for the glory of God. I journal almost daily and I've written and published three devotionals. From the world's perspective, based on sales and being recognizable, I'm not successful but God dropped something in my spirit when I wrote and published my first devotional that caused me to write another and another. I'm working on a fourth one! He said, Leisa, I left the 99 for the one. The one is important to Me. Will you make the one important to you? That's when I understood that my success, from God's perspective, was tied to the one, not sales or name recognition. When I reach one I've impacted the Kingdom and that's priceless and worth it all! God doesn't measure success like the world does! If we measure our success like the world does we will kill our creativity, waste time and energy chasing an illusion, and never start or accomplish anything. The question I ask myself is, did I touch, impact, one life? When I can answer yes, then I've been successful. Whether people ever know my name I can rest assured that God does! Now, that's a true definition of success, being known by God. Today we learned that creativity is: 1. Being intentional 2. Community creates clarity 3. A process With this in mind I'm going to continue writing, blogging, encouraging, and teaching. These are my areas of creativity and impact and I thank God for them. Embrace yours and make a difference right where you are! "He has filled them with wisdom of heart and ability to do all manner of craftsmanship, of the engraver, of the skillful workman, of the embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet [stuff] and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of those who do or design any skilled work." (Exodus 35:35 AMPC) #LeisaWilkins #EncouragementInTheWord Be Encouraged! ❤ www.leisawilkins.com