THE CREATIVE SEASON
Written by Allie Sampson
Photographed by Sydnee Mela
The Cageless Birds calendar year rotates between two different six-month seasons: the discipleship season and the creative season. We have found that both of these are equally important and essential to our growth and wholeness. During our six month creative season, our community scales back down from 65 people to 20, and we invite the Father to inspire new ideas and make space for fresh dreams in our hearts. As children of God, we believe that it is part of our original design to be creative. We believe that creativity is a key to wholeness; we create because He is the Creator and we are made in His image. This season not only makes space for our hearts to encounter the inspiration and intimacy of the Father, but it breathes new hope and resets our hearts. We open up to dreaming and set our hands to new creative ventures by taking risks and cultivating our dependency on the Holy Spirit. This is the season that refreshes our hearts and calls to who we truly are.
In the creative season, we feel the invitation to take on our greatest creative adventures. Over the past few years, we have set our hands to everything from music to leather to books, all for the purpose of coming alive and supporting the ministry through creativity. One creative adventure that’s come from the quiet season is the launch of our small batch coffee roasting business, Maker Coffee. Coffee roasting involves a balance of art and science. It brings value to both the need for a specific process and the importance of innovation and expression. We have loved the challenge of pioneering this art form on the land this year we are honored to partner with the Father in something that we love so much! He knew that in the process of roasting coffee, we would come alive.
Maker Coffee is just one small window into the incredible things the Father is doing on the land in our off-season. This is the season when we consistently find ourselves blown away by the brilliant ideas of the Father and saying over and over again, “We never knew He could be this good!” As we approach the quiet and creative season of 2016, our hearts are flooded with expectancy. Over the next six months, you’ll be hearing more from us about what the Father is doing with our creative season. We encourage you to ask the Father where He is inviting you into creativity in your own life! Creativity is not a talent, and it isn’t for the select few. Because you were made in His image, you have a calling and a need to be creative. It is our hope that you will be inspired to take a risk and sit with Him and explore His dream for creativity over your life!
