My friend just gifted me with a beautiful trip to Florida. We arrived home earlier this week after seven days of swimming, sun, and sightseeing. The variety of flowers, vegetation, reptiles, fish, and people reminded me of the beauty of creation. Stunning hues of blue, green, red, yellow, and more lavishly covered the area, bringing joy to our hearts. Scenes like this always cause me to give praise to our magnificent Creator.

I’m amazed to think about the universe and all the species, even the things that have been extinct. The Bible states, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Revelation 4:11 KJV) In the first chapter of the Bible, Genesis 1, we read about God’s almighty work as the Creator, and that God created mankind in His image. To me, this means that we are creators too; therefore, we have been given desires, gifts, and abilities to create.

Why is creativity so important? Yunjia Yang, PhD, from the University of Arizona Health Sciences, offered some answers to that question in an article titled “How Creative Arts Support Mental Health in Daily Life.” He stated, “Studies consistently show that engaging in creative activities lowers stress.” He cited a study showing that “… just 45 minutes of art-making significantly reduced cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone.” Dr. Yang also said that creativity helps us process emotions, refreshes focus and mental clarity, and develops a connection to others that builds belonging and reduces social isolation, strengthening both personal and collective well-being. 

Everyone has creative gifts. I believe this wholeheartedly and have witnessed the power of creativity and creative expression to heal. Working in mental health and substance use services, I have often asked people to talk about their creative gifts. I was saddened when individuals said they do not have creative gifts or talents. When I asked a few more questions, usually people said they were unable to create art (painting or drawing) or music (singing or playing an instrument). My experience has been that art and music are two areas of creativity that are most promoted in treatment services. And yes, those are wonderful and proven to be instrumental in recovery, yet creativity is as boundless as the universe.

In “Taught By The Ones I Served,” Chapter 18: “Stop Calling Evil Mental Illness,” I mention the scripture: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV) The thief is the devil. I believe one of the first things he tries to steal, destroy, or kill in and through us is our creative gifts and abilities because he knows they are a pathway to establishing a relationship with our loving Creator. Other reasons why I believe the devil does this are to

• Use our creative gifts for evil, like using phishing emails or malicious links to install malware on our computer systems, creating harmful chemicals that destroy our health and the environment, developing weapons of mass destruction to inflict large-scale death…
• Lessen our ability to both develop and use natural and healthy means to help us heal
• Lie to us about the beauty of our individual, unique identity through our creativity and our immeasurable value as a creator, which can cause us to reject our gifts, talents, and abilities, leading to feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness
• Rob us of the joy and pleasure of creating, imagining, dreaming, exploring, and connecting with others

The second half of John 10:10 says that Jesus Christ came to give us both life and life to the full, or in some translations, abundant life. Jesus is the Redeemer, Restorer, and merciful, gracious Savior who can help us to regain what was stolen; heal sicknesses and sorrows that steal our hopes, creativity, and joy; forgive us if we used our creativity for evil purposes; and awaken us to dream big.

I close this blog with a challenge: Create Something! Things to think about:

• If you do not currently know your creative gifts, have fun exploring! Ask Jesus to awaken creativity within you, and He will.
• Even if you are very creative, ask for new dimensions of your gifts and abilities, and new opportunities to share them. Maya Angelou said, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” 
• Connect with other people who love to create and who will encourage you, then create together.
• Celebrate your creativity even if it doesn’t appear to be the next greatest invention or a masterpiece. Enjoy the journey and keep experimenting.
• Be curious and dream about how things can be better or different. Pursue the dream until it becomes a reality.
• To help get creative juices going, spend time in nature and recognize the variety even within a particular species. Nature and fresh air can help us relax and open our minds to new ideas.
• Ask yourself, “If I were God for a day, what would I create?” Journal your answer because it may reveal new areas of creativity.
• Pray for dreams, inventions, and strategies to help solve problems. There are solutions to the problems you are facing and those that all mankind is experiencing.

Our Creator still has limitless inventions, strategies, solutions, sounds, and beauty to create that He will freely give to anyone. He takes pleasure in you: His beautiful creation and a creator made after His own image.

I would love to hear about your creativity at my email: [email protected]. Pictures are welcome too.  

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References:

KJV: King James Version. Public Domain

Yang, Yunjia. “How Creative Arts Support Mental Health in Daily Life.” The University of Arizona Health Sciences, 23 Feb. 2026, https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/news/how-creative-arts-support-mental-health-daily-life Accessed 9 May 2026.

NIV: New International Version Holy Bible: New International Version. Zondervan, 2011

Maya Angelou Quote taken from: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/153929-you-can-t-use-up-creativity-the-more-you-use-the

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Cover Photo: Taken at Silver Springs State Park in Florida. Try to count the number of turtles sunning themselves on the log. 😊