Do you constantly feel pressed for time? How easy is it for you to relax? When you lie down at night, does the next day’s to-do list run through your mind? My guest today, Edie Melson, author of Soul Care, is perhaps the most productive and efficient woman I know. She writes, directs conferences, speaks … and yet, she does it all with joy, and reading her insightful thoughts today, I understand how.

Playing with God

By Edie Melson

Everywhere I turn I see people dealing with stress. As the world has become more technologically advanced, life has gotten busier. Along with that busyness comes a level of burn-out like never before. There are numerous reasons for the whirlpool of chaos, and while I don’t have all the answers, I’ve stumbled on something that helps me.

Playtime with God.

No, not hide and seek—we all know how that turned out with Adam and Eve. I’ve found the healing power of joy when I reconnect with the creativity God instilled inside me.

God is the ultimate Creator. He’s an artist, writer, composer, and story-crafter with infinite ideas. But He doesn’t just invite us to view His artwork. His invitation is to join Him.

We’ve ignored His prompting for far too long. And that. We’ve labeled play as wasted time, forgetting that God Himself ordained one day every week for rest and refreshing. If God sees the need, how can we be so bold as to disagree?

Playing with God looks different for each of us—because we’re each unique. For me it may mean grabbing my camera and taking a hike in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. Or pulling out my colored pens and pencils, along with a journal to doodle words and Bible verses.

I resisted the artistic side of play for a long time because I am not an artist. Even my stick figures are laughable. But I love color and found writing out a word or Bible verse in different colored ink frees my soul. And I’ve discovered that I adore doodling.

These times of creativity feed my soul and have become an intimate and precious time with God. Often I’ve heard Him whisper new truths how to apply them as I carve out space in my busy life to play.

But it wasn’t easy to develop this habit.

The erroneous belief that play time is wasted time was deeply ingrained. I love crossing things off my to-do list and somehow, 1pm: Doodling, with a check beside it didn’t seem the least bit productive.

But God didn’t give up on me. His Spirit called to mine as the busyness threatened to overwhelm my already over-full life. Once I began practicing fun-time with God, it grew into a habit that I now keep high on my priority list.

You can play too.

Start exploring your creativity as you experience the priceless joy of hanging out with God. Below is an exercise to help you get started.

Here is a list of possible supplies you might need:

• Crayons
• Colored pencils
• Stickers
• Journals or sketch book
• Cell phone camera (or regular camera)
• Bible or devotional book

An Exercise to Encourage Creativity

• Begin by removing expectations. It’s the process of play, not the end result that matters. Give yourself to be messy and imperfect.
• Invite God to join you and ask Him to bring to mind a word or phrase or Bible verse.
• Write what comes to mind on a blank sheet of paper.
• Add some color and doodles.
• As other, related thoughts come to mind, write those down.

Just like any new endeavor, even learning to have fun takes practice. I encourage you to keep playing. If doodling or coloring isn’t for you, find something else. Take a walk, grab a camera, sing a song—follow the path to your creative inheritance as you see where playtime with God can take you.

Get to know Edie!

Find your voice, live your story…is the foundation of Edie Melson’s message, and as an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts and apply them to their lives.

In addition to being a writer, Edie has this to say, “I’m creative out of self-defense. As the daughter of an artist-mother and musician-turned-photographer-father, I’d have been a disgrace if I hadn’t been true my own creativity.” Connect with her on her website, www.EdieMelson.com and through Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Check out her latest release:

Soul Care When You’re Weary

Our lives are busier each day, and the margin we have available for recovery and peace is shrinking.

Edie Melson helps you find Soul Care solutions using devotions and prayers and opportunities for creative expression. She has learned that sensory involvement deepens our relationship with the Father and gives rest to our weary souls. She will teach you to tap into your creativity.

Reconnect with God using your tactile creativity.

Warning! This book may become dog-eared and stained. Draw in it. Experiment with your creative passions. Learn the healing power of play. Allow God’s power to flow through creativity. Soul Care When You’re Weary will become your heart treasure.