Tag: christian

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Sometimes you have to grow into a role…

Sometimes you have to wait a long time to get the work that you want. We may not understand the waiting time, but it has a purpose. In 2009, I decided to do some extra training to further my career so that I could widen my work portfolio; so I started a course in Life Coaching with a view of coaching and mentoring artists and creatives. I loved the training, passed the course and then started advertising for new clients. For years, there was a small stream of clients and then it would fizzle out, a cycle that repeated itself many times. I even joined forces with a business partner but the project never got off the ground. I was continually frustrated that this didn’t take off, and that the work was patchy and inconsistent. 

However, what I didn’t realise was that I was being prepared for this work. Over the last 17 years, I have been through many professional and personal situations that have given me a deeper experience of the artistic journey and life. Not only have I gained experience, but God was working on my character to make me into the artist that he wants me to be. Every project, performance, sale, failure, and success was giving me insight that would build my character and integrity not just in the creative world but in my spiritual life too.

Fast forward 17 years on, I received an unexpected email asking if I would like to mentor Christian artists. To be fair, the answer to the request was a no brainer, but as I reflect on my journey, I can see that I was being developed and prepared in response to a prayer that I prayed many years ago. And that’s the truth we don’t always want to hear: the answers to our prayers can often take decades because we need to become the person who can withstand the weight of the responsibility we are asking for. 

I also believe that there is a unique timing for this work too. We are coming into an era where Christian artists are needed more than ever, to express God’s love to a world in chaos. It is a privilege to be able to help artists hone the craft and develop projects that will bring joy and peace to many people. 

Development doesn’t happen quickly and God often develops our character in the dark. It’s the challenging times that can lead to the greatest growth as we wrestle with ourselves and our human nature. Like the process of a clam making a pearl, the waiting time though fractious, creates an irritant that produces something priceless and unique in us. By seeing the waiting time as a necessary training ground, we can become ready to receive the answers to our prayers. 

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There’s nothing wrong with being a multidisciplinary artist! Here are some of my thoughts on being a multidisciplinary artist and how we can truly be the artists that God has called us to be. It’s important to not be led by the opinions of others but to listen to what Jesus is saying to us. Also there’s an update on my latest projects including a jazz gig, my adventures with watercolour painting and my trip to Oxford to hear Amie McNee speak.

Read the blog: Becoming an artist, becoming you… https://helensandersonwhite.com/2019/05/15/becoming-an-artist-becoming-you/

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A few weeks ago, I lost something dear to me. It’s trivial really, I lost my gym locker token which I’ve had for ten years. Despite not being worth much in monetary value, it has great sentimental value as it supports a charity that is local to where I live and has connections with my children. I was quite annoyed that it had disappeared and was surprised to feel sad about it. I searched everywhere but couldn’t find it, and eventually I became resigned to the fact that it was gone.  

This morning, I got in the car to drive to work and as I put my bag down on the the passenger seat, I could see something metallic poking out from the back of the seat: there nestled in the crease was my token! I’ve no idea how it got there; the last time I saw it was on the counter in my kitchen.  

As I picked the token and put it back in my purse, I felt the Lord say that what has been lost or stolen from my life will be restored to me; even things that seem insignificant or too small to be important will come back to me in time. Having been through decades of unexpected loss, this gave me great hope that the Lord is in the process of bringing change and restoration.  

I then saw a picture of two number eights next to each other. Biblically the number eight means new life, and two of them signifies double new life. I immediately thought of Job 42:10 (NIV): 

“After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.”  

In the Old Testament, Job experienced great loss: he lost his health, wealth and children but he never lost his love for God and his willingness to follow him not matter how hard his life circumstances were. Job’s character was tested when his friends didn’t understand or help him; even God was angry with the way his friends lacked hope for his situation. However, Job had faith that God would restore his life and at the end of the book we’re told that when Job prayed for his friends, God restored everything he had lost by double the amount.  

I sense that many of us are coming to the end of hard seasons and trials. We may have lost a lot, but we have learnt plenty that will be useful for the season ahead. The Lord will restore double what we have lost and use what we have learnt to bring good in both our and others lives. The key to this double restoration is that we pray for those who have hurt us and forgive them. As we release these people and situations to the Lord, change will occur in unusual ways. Just as the token somehow made its way to my car, restoration will occur through people and places that we haven’t expected.  

As this season draws to a close, it’s time get our houses in order, release those who have wronged us and prepare ourselves for the double restoration that is coming to us. What was lost will be found again!