Staying Creative // Christy @ My Wings Are Made of Faith

Hi, friends! This week, I’m excited to introduce you to Christy! I met Christy a few years ago, and I’ve been so blessed by her sweet heart for the Lord. She has such a beautiful way of sharing that heart, too, through her words and her artwork and her God-given passions. I think you’ll be as encouraged and inspired by her as I am.

Take it away, Christy! ;)

Inspirations. Growing up, I’m not sure I ever really knew what inspired me. I was always creative. Making up dramatic plays in my grandmother’s basement. Writing stories. Drawing pictures and in love with colored pencils and pens, crayons, and markers. I’d say that my best friend growing up was my imagination. I could go anywhere, do anything, and be anything.

College years came and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I remember my mom taking me to a career fair. My dad really wanted me to be a nurse. Me, I fainted at the sight of blood and hospitals made me weak in the knees. Even though I didn’t know what my calling was, the one career path that stood out to me that night was that of a graphic designer.

I couldn’t draw. I couldn’t paint like Vincent van Gogh. I couldn’t put together a 3-D object. Sketching models and still lifes, yeah, not so much. And I still can’t do any of those things. The first 2 years of college I struggled with the foundational art classes, and I struggled to understand why my heart fell in love with design in the first place. It wasn’t until my junior year in college that I started to excel. Typography, page layout, color, photography — that was what I was good at, and I saw at that point the true reason why my heart felt called to design.

It’s been almost ten years since I graduated college and design inspires me, but I now realize that was only a catalyst to get to now. You see, God is changing me. A successful design career carried me financially through four very turbulent years. During a series of trying life events, God revealed to me a new inspiration, a new passion. And while I still love design, and it plays a role in my life, my new calling is helping people heal emotionally.

I share that little background story because I feel it’s important to realize that inspirations of yesterday will lead to tomorrow’s inspirations. I don’t believe for a second that you will always be inspired by the same things, especially as you learn, grow, and seek. What inspires you today will lead you to your biggest dreams — if you let it naturally carry you through the sometimes difficult, yet meaningful lessons in life. That being said, these are the three things that are currently inspiring me …

1. Faith. God’s love for me inspires the deepest part of me. For years, it was the only thing that could get me out of bed in the morning. I was exhausted. Lonely. Heartbroken. Empty. But it was He, through His Word, His comfort, and His encouragement that kept me pressing on. He had a much greater purpose for my life—much greater than the graphic designer that I could see. The way that God gently pushes me past my comfort zone to help me live out my passions energizes me.

2. My husband. Jason is my biggest fan. He supports my blogging, my creative adventures, and my dreams. Sometimes the overly organized house, constantly wanting to take creative photos, and my attraction to all things vintage and pretty drives him a little crazy, but he still helps me find ways to follow where God is leading me.

3. People. Everyone has a story to tell. They want to find meaning and a purpose. They want to know how to move forward in a time of crises. As an EPT practitioner (coaching people through an emotional healing process), I get to see people go from a broken spirit to living a full and joyful life. This inspiration has me embarking on my biggest project yet—52 Weeks of Wholly Healing for the mind, body, & soul.

I know that none of the three things I listed as my inspirations are “creative” in the sense of “art.” If you would’ve asked me four years ago, I would’ve said color, typography, and a good book. Those things still inspire me, but they inspire me to creatively share my thoughts at My Wings Are Made of Faith though typographic elements, photos, and real-life stories of struggle and joy.

I love how the simple inspirations of today blossom into a life of passion & joy …

Christy is a wife, a designer, EPT Practitioner (Emotional Healing), & heart-sharer at My Wings Are Made of Faith. She’s passionate about a naturally healthy home, being the daughter of a heavenly Father, and helping others find healing. Her   biggest project yet is taking her readers on a 52-week journey to getting wholly healthy— a year of slowly getting rid of the baggage we carry— emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually, and creating new, healthy habits. Look for Christy on Facebook  and Twitter.

Thanks for sharing your story + inspirations with us, Christy!

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How are you staying creative these days? I’d love to hear about your current inspirations. (You can use this hashtag to share them on Twitter:  #BeInspiredStayCreative.)