As an artist, there may be something you’re missing that’s completely derailing your creative efforts. But it’s not a lack of time, money, or talent. It’s not even a lack of the right platform or the right friends. It comes down to a lack of purpose. The most powerful creative tool at your disposal is […]
For the last ten years I have been a full-time professor at St. Louis Christian College in Florissant, MO. Like most professors in most colleges, my job has been a mix of teaching classes and other duties such as chairing an academic division and coordinating bi-weekly Chapel services. Last year I was asked to take […]
I stood there, frozen in my tracks, for what seemed like an eternity. All I could do was stare at her. Hundreds of people sat in silence in the darkened gym, waiting for me to say something. The problem was that I had no words. The year was 1990, and I was 16 years old. I […]
You may not think of yourself as an artist. Most people don’t. However, I believe everyone is an artist. I believe you are an artist. The question is not whether you are an artist. Rather, the question is what kind of art you do. When most people think of the word “art” they assume it means […]
If you’re an artist, it’s easy to wonder if what you do really matters in the vast scheme of things. With a few billion people in the world, does one person’s measly contribution really matter? Yes! It matters greatly. I know it’s a cliché, but art can change the world. True, not all art changes […]
The sanctuary was dark except for the light streaming in from the hallway. I made my way to the front right pew and sat down, bewildered. I was in my mid-20’s and we had just finished a rehearsal for the Easter musical at the church where I was the worship leader. The rehearsal had not […]
When I was a sophomore in high school I was cast in the lead role of Neil Simon’s Fools, our Spring play. This was my first lead role and I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. During the weeks of rehearsal, I worked hard to memorize the lines and bring the character of Leon Tolchinsky to […]
A few weeks ago I was working on a day-long project with several students. I decided to buy lunch for them at Taco Bell, the local fast-food favorite. My plan was to get a bunch of tacos, and before I left one of the students said, “Make sure to get a lot of Fire sauce […]
When we think of the giants in the fields of art and creative work (or any field, for that matter), it’s easy to assume they were successful all their lives. But one of the common threads in the tapestry of success is failure. That might seem contradictory, but in nearly every story of success there […]
When I was a kid I would sometimes calculate how old I would be when the year 2000 hit. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be 26 years old! 40 years old seemed like a lifetime away. Yet here I am today, turning 40 years old. This has been a very reflective time […]
