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It’s that time when I ask the Lord for a prophetic word to focus on for the year. There has been a recurring theme over the last few weeks of a new thing and newness; this has been echoed in a Bible verse that I have received many times, Isaiah 43:18-19:

18 Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.

I sense that 2025 is a year to let go of the past and embrace the new things that the Lord is bringing to our attention. The time of dismantling that has taken place over the last 5 years is over; it’s been a period of preparation and training for what’s to come. There are new projects, adventures, places and people coming to us. A time of opportunity and creating something new. Not rebuilding things from the past, but building from scratch; something fresh and much needed for a generation who have walked through a tough season. We will be anointed with a creativity that connects with those who are ready to hear the gospel, that speaks truth and love, and brings lasting change. 

These new opportunities will spring up from nowhere, but we will need to be focused on God so that we see what he is doing. A deeper relationship with the Lord is needed, so that we aren’t sidetracked by distractions. It’s easy to go off course when everything seems exciting and different. 

In verse 18 of the Isaiah passage, we are reminded to forget the former things. If we cannot let go of the past, we will struggle to walk into our future. There may be things holding us back that we aren’t aware of, so it’s important to ask the Lord what needs to be left in the past. By letting go of things that are no longer fruitful, there is room for God to work in our lives and situations so that he can bring the new. 

And finally, verse 19 reminds us that the Lord creates a way where we cannot see a way forward. He creates a path through the mess and rubble of our lives to bring us the new things he has planned for us. No situation is too hard for him to bring change. This means that we need to be open to what the Lord has for us and open to the change. It may come in ways that we don’t expect, it may not look the way we think it should, but it will bring the newness we desire and lead us into greater things. So this year, step into the new…

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There comes a point in every artist’s life where you come to a crossroads; a fork in the road, a separation from your current life, a change in scenery. Sometimes this change can be unexpected, unwelcome and sudden, and other times it can creep up slowly without us realising that change is taking place. 

Separation from people who we thought were for us can be painful. The saliant point here is that we thought these people were for us but in reality they weren’t. It may be they never had the same vision as us; we were mislead and distracted by something that they offered that on the surface looked good but ultimately wasn’t. Equally it may be the that season of running together has come to an end; some relationships have a temporary purpose but they are not lifelong commitments. It’s not that the relationship is bad, it’s just that it no longer serves its purpose and that both parties need to head off on new ventures and paths in order to find fulfillment and their God given destiny. 

The artistic journey can be lonely. Most artists experience being misunderstood or overlooked. They are considered to be dreamers, unrealistic, irrelevant or avant garde. Artists are prophetic voices in an impaired and self-absorbed world. They voice disturbing truths, they speak out against the injustice and challenge cultural norms. They are consumed by a message that they must convey and express in a unique and profound way. Change makers and pioneers rarely have a large group of close acquaintances; their friendship groups tend to be small as few understand and support the message that they carry. 

If we don’t let go of people who aren’t meant to be walking through life with us, we can miss out on seasons, experiences and relationships that are part of God’s plan. The wrong people may delay our calling, hinder progress or distract us from doing God’s will. This can lead to a detour that we do not need to make. Obedience to God’s plan can look like everything is disintegrating, whereas from God’s point of view, he is rearranging our lives to reflect his plan for us. With God, a loss eventually becomes a gain. Nothing can withstand God’s divine alignment for our lives if we submit to the changes that he takes us through. Certain things must end, so that better things can begin. As people leave, we make room and clear a path for the new; a preparation time for what’s to come. 

Not all relationships end well and that can be distressing; however, for God’s message of love to be spread further afield, separation is a good thing. In Acts 15:36-39, Paul and Barnabas disagree over whether John Mark should come with them on a mission trip, the disagreement is so sharp that they split up and head off in different directions. The result of this disagreement and separation is that the gospel is spread further afield. The disagreement led to a positive spiritual outcome. Jesus takes the difficult and unexplainable things in our lives and turns them around for our good. 

If you are going through a season of people leaving and line up changes, it might be that God is changing your relationships to enable you to grow, develop and go further than you can imagine. What seems like a period of emptiness could lead to a time of fullness, fulfilment, and contentment; a period of time where the vision is refined and honed. He is clearing out what is no longer useful or needed, so that healthy, productive relationships can begin. If you want the creative message you carry to go further, submit to the clearing out process and allow God to reshape your life, in doing so your artistic work will have a greater impact. Wait for the season to change and for God to bring the right people to you. People who care for you, support your vision and have your best interests at heart. With the right team in place, you have a promising future. Not everyone can come with you on the journey…

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We live in a world that loves to rush around. A world that encourages busyness and never having enough time to do everything on our list. We are constantly goal seeking and looking to the next thing; racing rather than resting. The need to always be present, online or looking busy can be draining. I meet many artists from all backgrounds who mention their exhaustion, disrupted focus, and unmet deadlines that eventually lead to disillusionment and burn out. The fear of missing out or not having enough work leads to having stakes in too many projects and can leave a feeling that we haven’t given our best.  

In Genesis, a clear pattern of work and rest is displayed in the creation story. It’s not just a pattern but a rhythm that continues infinitely. God works for six days of the week, then on the seventh day he rests. This continuous divinely inspired rhythm invites us to foster a lifestyle that is sustainable, that protects our health and well-being and gives us space to enjoy our lives. It also gives us room to enjoy our relationship with God and to spend time with him. God’s attitude to rest is so important that it’s highlighted in the first chapter of the first book of the Bible; it is part of his design for humanity right from the word go. 

Genesis 2 verses 2-3 says 

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.1 

We learn from this story that God ordained the completion of work and the time to rest as holy. Holy meaning sacred, set apart, consecrated, to be treated with reverence and respect. I know for many artists at the end of a project we begin to rush into the next, never fully giving ourselves time to rest, reflect and recharge ourselves for the new. We start the next project half empty without respecting our basic need to just be rather than to do. If our artistic work is for the Lord whether Christian or secular, following God’s pattern will help us to make creations that are holy and reverent, and we will be physically, mentally and spiritually ready to do the work.  

Creativity is a rhythm, a lifestyle, a choice. Yes there are times when it flows freely and we want to make the most of the ideas; however if our creativity takes over our lives and doesn’t allow us to be, then this is counter-productive. Creativity should not control our lives, it should enhance it. Creativity should draw us nearer to God rather than moving us further away. 

1 New International Version (NIV) 

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® 

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A new track from my Eliana Hope project! Back in the early noughties, I lived and worked in West London; one of the colleges I lectured at was in Ladbroke Grove. I would regularly hang around Portobello Road searching through the market for treasure and enjoying the coffee shops. Such an eclectic area with the market, Electric Cinema and Rough Trade Records bordering the colourful Georgian houses. The tree lined streets adding to the creative muse. It became a place of sanctuary after a long day at work. This track reminds of spending time in that area of London and enjoying the ambience.

The track is available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and Youtube.

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Back in March I was asked to sing at the From the Fragment to the Whole art event supporting survivors of domestic abuse. It was a privilege to share my story of escaping an abusive relationship 8 years ago and starting life over. The project provides art therapy through glass work and each participant is encouraged to create a piece that is hopeful marking a new start in life. We heard from the panel of a professionals who had supported and work on the project and  then had time to look at the creations. 

Well done to artist, Roberta DeCaro and also my good friend, Anya Sizer who is the Speaker for Hackney Council, for hosting the event and bringing people from all backgrounds together for a celebration of hope. The above video gives you a flavour of the evening and the work of the From the Fragment to the Whole art project.

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Who is Eliana Hope? Recently I have been thinking about returning to writing instrumental music. Years ago I used to write all sorts in different genres but most of it was never released. I listen to a fair amount of lo-fi so I thought I’d offer my own contribution to the genre and today I released a new single called Sunday Chill in February of this year. I released this track under the pseudonym Eliana Hope as this music is different to my singer-songwriter work. 

You can listen to the track on Youtube or find it on the following platforms: 

Spotify
iTunes 
Apple Music
Amazon
Bandcamp

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A few weeks ago, my church curated The Narnia Experience, an interactive walk through tour with actors telling the C.S. Lewis story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Over 90 volunteers came together to create the experience; offering props, painting, set making and acting skills plus helping in many other areas to create a unique experience.  

I painted a backdrop of the White Witch’s ice castle; it is the biggest painting I’ve undertaken, and it took 10 hours to paint. The process started with a line drawing which I projected onto the material and sketched the outline in the bigger proportion design. 

There was a slight debacle with the actual painting as I didn’t have enough room at home to stretch the calico across the floor, so I had to roll up the material on one side, paint one end, wait for it dry and then roll the painted side up and paint the other end. One night I literally painted myself into a corner and couldn’t get out of the kitchen. I stood for 20 minutes waiting for the paint to dry before I climbed across the painting to get out. The next night, I painted until I was out of the kitchen door and then realised that I couldn’t get to the oven to cook the dinner! The kids were delighted with take away…  

@helensandersonwhite

I’m working on painting a backdrop for a Narnia event at church in February. It’s a work in long progress, 6 hours in and still some way to go. Also my kitchen floor isn’t big enough to lay the whole piece out flat so I have roll it up and do gymnastics to paint…. It’s the biggest piece I’ve ever painted. #painting #art #narnia

♬ Lights – Sped Up Version – Ellie Goulding & Speed Radio

One thing I learnt was that acrylic paint takes much longer to dry on calico; the paint needed to be quite thick to cover the material well and this more than doubled the drying time. Also, I found that drying it with a hairdryer can make the paint crack if the temperature is too hot.  

Anyway, here is the finished painting in situ, hanging on the wall ready for visitors… 

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Painting: Narnia Ice Castle by Helen Sanderson-White (Copyright 2024 Helen Sanderson-White. Do not reproduce without permission).