It is NOT your job to break anyone. As a creative, I have a pathological need to express myself creatively. So, I write, I produce, and I kinda direct (I said kinda because I know Im not half as decent at directing, as I am with writing and producing. Its not humility; it is just fact). I cannot design to save my life - but then my first Fine Arts teacher probably knew that. No, I do not sing. I cannot hear music. Forget being able to read music. In the absence of some truly unexplainable miracle, it is just not going to happen. So, I have a massive amount of respect for people who can really sing. It is hard. No, singing is not that caterwauling thing you do when youre having a shower, and convince yourself that you sound like Beyonce ... As a creative who is a Christian, I find that my frustration is caused by some who say they are Christians. People who say they are not Christians; I dont tend to have issues with. They instinctively know there are some kinds of work, I will not touch. There are too many of such work to categorise on here, so I wont start. Anyway, thats not the point of this. Any creative (writer, singer, actress, instrumentalist, etc) ever been in a place where you cannot breathe? Where you feel like you have to fight every decision thats been made on your work, everyday? Then, some insecure creature has the nerve to imply/say that youre un-teachable and unsubmissive? Or believe youre trying to take the spotlight from them? No, Im not currently in such a situation. Because I learned. Now, there was a time when I would take all kinds of nonsense - from insecure people who happened to be in leadership positions who would think I had come to take their shine. Theres something a lot of people dont get. While it is true that some creatives feed off adulation & feedback, many of us are also intensely, fiercely private people. Many of us are also quite flighty - so, sometimes were talking, but were not really saying anything because were actually thinking out loud. It takes someone who really gets us to know. That is why some of us keep people around, who keep us grounded. Like a manager/producer/PR person who tells us Yes, as an artiste, you want to float in specially engineered pink clouds for the first two hours of your show/book launch/etc; but here on earth, it is not going to happen. We cannot afford this latest jaunt of craziness. While that might be an excellent treat for your readers or fans, we have to deal with the practicalities. In this case, practicality is we dont have that kind of money. And even if we did, you might die during your stunt. You call it dying for your art; we call it not going to happen. I havent invested my time and hard work, so you can just die for your art. My point? It is very rare for a flighty person to aspire to any leadership position. Leaders are supposed to be stable, grounded, and very sensible. Many of us actually like being flighty and eccentric. Now, the battle between creatives and instituted leadership has been going on, longer than Ive been alive. When someone with a title decides Ah that singer/writer/actress is getting too much attention, they have this tendency to stomp down really hard. It is frustrating. When the creative doesnt tow the line, you start hearing things like He/she is talented, but not really broken. Thats why they have no discipline. The Holy Ghost hasnt finished working on them, yet. They think theyre all that. 1. You are still on earth, so you are clearly not ready for heaven, yourself = the Holy Ghost hasnt finished with you, yet. 2. Is it your job to break anyone? Some people really dont know when theyve started operating in witchcraft. Trying to manipulate someone, because you are desperate for control, is witchcraft. It is not that they have a rebellious spirit. When did you become the assistant Holy Ghost, that breaks people for God? 3. Yes, they are all that. People tell them, so. But many creatives suffer from impostor syndrome. We wonder in private What is the big deal with my writing/designing/modelling/singing? We appreciate that were not horrible at what we do. We just dont know WHY. We dont say this out, loud. Our PR people & managers will have fits, if we do. And say we are having a breakdown, so that they can send us to rehab. Plus, we like getting paid. No-one in their right mind wants to do that struggling artiste thing, forever. 4. You need to repent. 5. You need to repent, quickly. And stop harassing creatives. If someone is called to sing, what are they doing holding a broom? You want to check how humble they are. That is called witchcraft. Pentecostal witchcraft is still witchcraft. And no, it is not training, either. Youre deliberately standing in their way; and actually hurting your own ministry. Like I said before, this is not about me. There was a time I would take that, in the name of discipline. But I learned that discipline, and abuse are different. Now, I dont allow anyone bully me under the guise of spiritual authority. I just take my gifts elsewhere. And you (and your organisation) lose. If Im feeling really p*ssed, I go straight to your rival, and work for them. Possibly for free. It is really that simple. Some people threaten creatives by saying things that are just not true. Contrary to what many of us have heard, if God gives someone a gift, He NEVER takes it back. Yeah, He might provide another person who is even more talented; but your jealousy & insecurity, will drive them away. And the next person. And the one after them. God ALWAYS sends people help - but some are so insecure, that they see HELP, and call it a THREAT. Whose loss is it? This kind of attitude is something that frustrates creatives out of church. And when they leave, people say all kinds of nonsense. Because theyre not thinking. If a singer who was doing gospel got frustrated to the point where they start singing else, who do you (Mr/Mrs Holier-Than-Thou) think will listen to them? If you frustrate a designer/writer/actress out of church, who do you think will patronise them? The answer is your precious children. It doesnt matter how many times you plead the Blood of Jesus, or how many prayer meetings you have. You think Im playing? Just look around. Many creatives (in this regard) know exactly what theyre doing. If you frustrate a creative out of the kingdom of God, theyre not going to hell alone. Theyre taking your children with them. That is why you can be a bishop, very anointed, preaching against immorality; and find out that your precious daughters only ambition is to be a backing twerker in one depraved rap video. One in which lecherous men twice her age, feel her up in the name of music. And she auditioned really hard to get that part. You frustrate someone whose only crime is being creative, and you find that the one shes so desperate to twerk for, is the protegee of the musician you frustrated out of your church. Or your daughter has modelling dreams. And the only one shes interested in modelling for, is the designer who confuses inner wear for outerwear. Or as my mother would say, uses half yard of material to make an entire dress. So, what exactly have you achieved? This is not a curse. And it has nothing to do with the devil. The devil doesnt have to pursue you, he doesnt even know your name; youre doing a fantastic job all by yourself. Why would he bother with you? #FrustratingCreativesOutOfChurchIsNotInTheBestInterestsOfAnyone #JustSaying
Posted on: Sun, 02 Feb 2014 18:17:27 +0000