Books

  An avid reader, every night sees me winding down with a book. Usually it's a work of fiction but every once in a while, a non-fiction book comes my way that touches the inner fabric of my being. One such book landed in my hands as I perused the local second-hand bookshop a while back.
  The Artisan Soul by Erwin Raphael McManus. I'd never heard of him which isn't surprising. After devouring the newest tales of imaginary people, the last book in the stack-to-read was this one.
  I don't necessarily enjoy reading non-fiction. I struggle getting through encouraging, enlightening, instructive works penned by Christian authors. In fact, I wasn't even aware this book is based on Christian beliefs and scriptures when it was selected from a sagging shelf but the title grabbed me. The price was decent. The book in excellent shape, looking like it had never been opened.
  What I have come to realize is often a book contains a single treasure that the Lord meant for me to read and it isn't necessarily found only in non-fiction either. The Artisan Soul contained such a treasure that left me thinking long and hard. I even folded down the top corner of the page so this gem of an idea would be easy to find again; something I never, ever do.

  "We cannot create without risk."

   Boom!!!

  When I think of architects utilizing new technologies or materials...risk.
  An author submitting their works to a publishing company...risk.
  An inventor approaching the bank for funding...risk.
  A musician broadcasting their latest composition on the internet...risk.
  A painter revealing their art to the public...risk.
  A businesswoman streamlining office procedures...(yes, this is creativity paired with imagination!)...risk.

  Then there is a far greater element to face down. Taking the risk to fly against our own reluctance to share something we've made, or an idea, or a dream.
  And that...takes...Courage.
  Because it is baring our hearts, our passions, our artisan soul to the world of judgement.

  There is One, the Great Creator, who took the greatest risk of all. He unlocked His wonders with a full knowledge of the path humanity would choose to take.

  "Then God said,  "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us."  Genesis 1:26