Hawaii 2014

I'm heading back out onto the art ministry trail. I'll be traveling to the Pacific Islands of Hawaii. I've been asked to pack my art bags and go on an adventure to the islands of Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii where I'll connect with old friends and new friends and friends yet to be made.

I've been to Hawaii before. It was a long time ago though. I used to live on the island of Oahu when I was between the ages of 8 and 10 years old. My dad was in the US Navy and was stationed at Pearl Harbor during the late 70's. He was a corpsman (a medical guy) on nuclear submarines at the time. I remember my mom and I traveled to the island first while dad was out at sea. It was the 2 of us on our own for a bit...making a life for ourselves until dad was able to join us. 

I have fond memories of my time in Hawaii. It was a child's dream to grow up in such a tropical paradise, spending endless time at the beach, playing in the sand, swimming in the ocean, enjoying warm weather, fresh fruit and seafood, and learning about the Hawaiian culture through art, dance, and music. I am looking forward to going back to Hawaii to experience it through fresh artistic eyes and a heart that desires to paint on people's lives with the love of Jesus. This time I get to explore 2 islands I've not been to. I wonder what kind of fun God and I will get ourselves into this time? 

The island of Maui.

The Big Island of Hawaii.

Would you like to come along with me? I will be posting here about my trip and sharing stories and photos with you along the way. 

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Let's go on an artistic adventure! 

ALOHA FROM HAWAII

 I made it to Maui. 

I'm still in a bit of a jet lagged fog and experiencing some surreal dejavu, but I'm overwhelmed with emotion about being here.

Currently I'm staying in the upcountry area of Kula at Mt. Haleakala. It's a mountainous area with lush green everywhere. The mountainside is covered in ferns and eucalyptus trees and palms and rolling green pastures with cows and horses and every so often you catch a glimpse of the red clay dirt. It's a different kind of Hawaii than the beaches and surf of the coastal areas. But there's plenty of time for that...right now I'm familiarizing myself with island weather. In one day I've experienced intervals of blue skies and sun along with complete overcast clouds with downpours of rain. 

Welcome to Hawaii! 

HANGING IN KULA, PUKELANI, AND KAHULUI

sugar cane fields

My first week on Maui I'm staying in Kula with friends, Bill and Ana Hollingsworth. I've known Bill since the mid 80's when we were in high school in Richland, WA. Though we've not seen each other since that time, Bill and I have kept in contact all these years. It's been really cool to reconnect face to face again. 

That's the heart of these art ministry trips...relationship. I travel to various places around the world connecting in with those I have relationship with to come along side them in ministry through creativity to those in their sphere of influence and to those I meet along the way. That can look different in each situation and in each place and culture. It's about connecting in with the conversation God is already having with people (in and out of the church). 

Bill is a pastor at Grace Church (Assemblies of God) in Pukalani and travels to Africa ministering to pastors and communities in Uganda. His wife Ana teaches Christ Fit (Dance, Eat, Pray) several times a week (it's a women's group combining zumba dance, healthy eating and body care, Bible study and prayer). 

So far this weekend I've gotten some really wonderful opportunities to engage with some of the people here. 

I attended Ana's Christ Fit class on Saturday held at Grace Church. I got to meet some really fun ladies through it. We zumba danced to latino music for 2 hours! I had a blast! It was my first time doing zumba and though I had plenty of mistake moments and trying to keep up, I really enjoyed the choreography of the dances...it was a great way to trick me to exercise! Anyone who knows me well knows though I am fit from all the live action painting and performance art events, I don't like to do the "e" word when it's put in the context of...well, exercise. Ha! I know many people back home who are involved in these sorts of dance/fitness groups but Christ Fit is a bit different...and perhaps this also why I had a blast. After dancing for 2 hours we ate a really healthy meal prepared by Ana of gluten free, dairy free, vegan soup, salad, pizza, and dessert. Let me tell you...she is a culinary artist! Wow! That food was so beautiful to the eye and so delicious to the palate that I was once again tricked. Then after lunch we spent some time studying a book (based on Biblical principles) about the important roles of women in ministry. I was particularly interested in this being an art minister. After our study Ana taught us some health tips about keeping the elasticity of our skin (really good tips) and then we spent time in prayer for each other. It was really a beautiful thing to hear the hearts of the women and unite together in prayer. I fully enjoyed Christ Fit and the time I spent with the Ana and the women in her group. She's got a special thing going on there. 

Speaking of dance...I've been invited to attend a Hula Dance practice at Grace Church this week. YES...many churches in Hawaii have Hula Dance Groups that dance during worship. Hula is a form of storytelling with the body. I'll post more about this after I attend. 

I was able to attend a worship service at AMP Church in Kahului. AMP stands for Apostalic Ministries of the Pacific and it's affiliated with Bethel Church in Redding, CA. Bill knows the pastor at AMP and introduced me. I thoroughly enjoyed worshipping with these guys at AMP. They are very open to the creative and prophetic arts and have had worship painters before. I've been invited to paint live during worship sometime during the month I'm here...so stay tuned on that. 

I did get to paint live during worship at Grace Church in Pukalani where Bill is an associate pastor. Pastor Robb Finberg is the head pastor and was fully receptive to having me paint and share with them. It was an honor to partner with the worship team at Grace through creativity. They are an amazing bunch of people. 

Before I came over to Hawaii I received prayer from the pastors and staff of my home church Vineyard Boise and from my Commissioning group (pastors & mentors who cover me and pray for me and keep me accountable regarding these ministry trips) specifically for this trip. Many had prophetic words and pictures that they shared with me. I carefully wrote them in my travel journal and have spent time in prayer over them, seeking God regarding what He is speaking to me for the people of Hawaii that I will encounter. 

Before I paint live somewhere I always spend time in prayer seeking God for an image, for words and Scriptures that might be incorporated into the image. My heart is to hear His voice and to be able to put onto canvas what He would be speaking. Sometimes I'm able to ask questions to those ministering during the service as to what the topic is going to be for the sermon which then gives me some direction. So I spend time preparing to paint like a pastor spends time preparing his sermon, like a worship band spends time practicing their songs, like a teacher spends time prepping their lesson. And just like a pastor, a worship leader, a teacher, I also spend time listening to the Holy Spirit during the actual act of painting...allowing for Divine inspiration in the moment. 

"Trustful Prayer" c.2014 Lisa Marten

The painting I created for Grace Church is titled "Trustful Prayer". It's mixed media on wood. I actually used a wooden cabinet door (that I purchased for $5 at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore) as my canvas. I primed the center panel and prepped it by attaching pages from a Bible as texture. The specific pages I used were purposeful for the meaning of the painting. During worship I wrote a Scripture out on the surface with a Sharpee...and then I used acrylic paints with various texture techniques to create an abstract scene of sand and surf. I also painted words throughout in white. The meaning of the painting is very specific to the people of Grace Church. It's about being faithful in prayer and trusting God for the promises He has spoken. 

"Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place...My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually." -2 Chronicles 7:15-16

Grace Church is working on building a new facility for their congregation soon and also planning to build a Spiritual Heritage Center that will feature the missional and revival history of Hawaii. 

HANGING IN PAIA

today i was blessed to be able to hang for the afternoon at a small town called Paia near the ocean. it's my kind of town! a surfer-hippie-artist kind of town by the beach. it reminded me a lot of Raglan, New Zealand (oh how i loved that town!). i felt very much at home today as i walked the sandy beach picking up shells, letting the surf hug my feet and the sun kiss my skin. i felt very much at ease today as i meandered through the 2 main streets filled with surf shops and art galleries, restaurants and coffee shops. the sights of tanned shirtless men with dreadlocks getting surfboards prepped, sarong wearing beauties in bikini tops making espresso drinks, happy children eating ice cream. the smells of food grilling, coffee brewing, coconut suntan lotion and patchouli oil. the sounds of the surf ebbing and flowing with the sand, birds chirping in the balmy breeze, and people sharing in conversation. it's a town with friendly folk living aloha. it's a town i will return to. thank you Paia for your lazy day lifestyle that filled my soul. 

HANGING IN IAO

Today I was able to travel to the northwest end of Maui to the West Maui Mountains. This is completely opposite side of the island from the Kula area and Haleakala Crater where I've been staying. My friends dropped me off at the Iao Valley State Park, where I was able to spend a few hours hiking the mountain trails. It was breathtaking to experience the tropical rain forest jungle views that Maui so generously offers. Here at Mt. Pu'u Kukui is a rock formation called Iao Needle (pronounced "ee-ow"). I read a bit about it and it is called by another name, Kanaloa, after the Hawaiian god of the ocean. 

 Iao Needle

 I sat on a rock here and did some little watercolor sketches in my art journal.

 I created a small 3 rock cairn that set out on a large rock near the river as a permanent memory of my presence here.

It was a beautiful way to spend a morning on Maui.

It's been a treat to go exploring some parts of Maui the last couple of days. The next few days I have plans to spend connecting with more people and being a part of some more ministry opportunities. Stay tuned for updates. 

HANGING IN KAHULUI

So along with my connections in upper Kula on the mountain, I have connections down in Kahului on Maui. Last summer, when I was a part of a VineArts Ministry team from Vineyard Boise church to the Vineyard USA national conference in Anaheim Cali, I met Erica. She and I connected the first day through the art I was a part of during the worship sessions at the conference, we had many things in common we hit it off as friends right away...and we've kept in contact ever since. When I learned that she lived on Maui and was a part of the Ke Aha Vineyard church in Kahului, I got excited because I was already planning on coming over to Maui this year to do art ministry so I made sure that I'd be able to see her and to connect and hang out with the guys over at Ke Aha. 

Erica and I 

(I still can't believe I'm here!)

Pastors Kaleo and Shelley Waiau of the Ke Aha Vineyard in Kahului

They church planted a Vineyard here on Maui (many years ago) through skater ministry to teens and young adults and it continues to thrive today as a church that is maturing and growing up spiritually within community. The moment I stepped into the Waiau house I knew I had come home. These guys live love and community and are "doing the stuff" on a daily basis by being involved in people's lives (the good, the bad, all of it). There is a real sense of family with them. The pastors really have invested their lives into these folks. Most of the Ke Aha family are in their 20's. There's a tradition here in Hawaii that people who are mentors and heads of family (regardless of biological connection) are called Auntie and Uncle. To the guys at Ke Aha, Kaleo and Shelley are Uncle Kaleo and Auntie Shelley. 

The worship band at Ke Aha Vineyard (Leo leading & singing, Kylee singing).

During the week, Ke Aha Vineyard can be seen in each others homes and wherever they do life together...but on Sunday nights they meet at the Carpet One Warehouse, that they lease  part of, for their worship service. It's a real down to earth, artsy-edgy kind of atmosphere...and people can come as they are knowing they'll be loved. Worship is a huge part of this church's life... (as part of the worship team for the day, I got hang out for practice all afternoon and pray with them). During the service they have a full hour of worship...so I was able to paint and dance and be free for the full hour of worship during the service too. It was so fun! 

Once again, before I left Boise I had an artist friend pray for me. She is gifted in receiving pictures for people and she minsters through the art. She drew a picture of a person running at full speed with a huge hand towards the inner area of a triangle. Inside that triangle it was white. She got the word "Pursuit". She told me she didn't know if it was for me personally or if it was for people in Hawaii. Well, this week as I had been preparing to paint live at Ke Aha I prayed and asked God what He would want me to share with them. That image came to mind. Then he took me to some passages in the Bible to speak into it. I was led to do the painting...with some tweaking. The painting I created during worship called "Deep Pursuit" based on Scripture in Timothy and Chronicles. I created this in layers with acrylics. There are actual Bible pages in the white area. I used sharpee to write the words in the wave. The hand is made of brown paper. The main meaning behind the painting is about God pursuing us and us pursuing God with all we are.  What's crazy is that during the worship practice the band (who didn't know what I would be painting) played a song called "Pursuit" with the words "I will pursue you"!!! I about fell over and had tears in my eyes I was so excited to KNOW that once again I got the honor to listen into the conversation that God was already having with the people here and enter into it. This time it was through someone else in Boise who gave me the image and God used me to convey that message in person. The people resonated with the painting and I had confirmations through some that the message was speaking directly to them. This is how much God loves us! 

 I was also able to see my friend Nate, who is native (Big Island). He had spent time in Boise a few years ago. He was a part of a ministry college that Vineyard Boise offers. He is currently living on Maui and he came to Ke Aha to meet me and connect in with the church.   It was really a great time!

Also during the service they had some skits performed by The Covenant Players (an international drama group that travels and performs shorts skits to teach Biblical concepts and share the Gospel). It was joy it was to be a part of a service focusing on worship and creativity. Hawaii seems to be very open to the arts and this has made it a lot of fun.

I've been able to spend a couple of days connecting with many of the people of Ke Aha and just a quick side note...these guys at Ke Aha ministered to me more than they know! I'm gonna try to do some more hanging out with them when I get back from the Big Island....which I leave for Kailua-Kona on Wednesday. When I get back to Maui next week I'll be hanging in Kihei till I return to the mainland. So stay tuned for more adventures to come. 

CHECKING OUT THE ART ON MAUI

Along with my own creations while I'm here on Maui, I have gotten a few chances to check out some art galleries and shops to see what the artists of Maui have been up to. 

KAHULUI

 I stopped into a gallery featuring art created from trash. It's an annual exhibit for local artists to submit work that has been crafted out of found things. I enjoyed getting to see the whimsical side of many artists here. 

PAIA

 On my exploration of the hippie/surfer town of Paia, I got to stop in at a few art galleries and talk to people. One gallery in particular, Art Project: Paia, was featuring photographs and surfboard art. This gallery has quarterly themed exhibits. Upon meeting me, I was invited to submit some of my work to upcoming shows if I was interested. This was encouraging. I was also interested in their art hanging system (I can't help myself, after 6 years of being a Gallery Installation Coordinator I find myself ALWAYS noticing stuff like that! it's habit)

 One thing I've noticed that is a commonality among the paintings of the local artists here is vibrant colors, lots of water and imagery of what is native to Hawaii. I'm sure part of this is geared to the tourist scene...but it also shows me that the artists are seeing the life that is abundant here. It shows in their art. 

 I've noticed a few murals too. Bold colors, lines, and shapes. 

MAKAWAO

 There's a tiny town in the lower mountain area called Makawao and I had the chance to spend a couple of hours there one day. I meandered through the shops and once again noticed vibrant colors as a signature style of the artists on Maui. 

 Colorful fluid beach scenes speak to the relaxed mood of the Hawaiian lifestyle. 

So I wanted to tell a story...I don't have photos for this one, but I want to sort of paint a picture with my words to express an encounter I had with the owner of a shop I went into.

I went into one of those shops with middle eastern/indian/asian clothing, decor, and accessories. I had struck up a conversation with the shop keeper and had given her my card. She asked me about the painting I have on the back (the one of "Communion: Breakfast on the Beach" she wanted to know what it was about.

So (in a vey non-religious way...and I believe very Holy Spirit led) I explained about how I'm very spiritual and I like to paint things that reveal hidden things, so my paintings have layers of things that have hidden meanings in them. I then went on to explain the areas of the beach (the center oil painting of a beach on the Isle of Tiree, Scotland that I spent time at) and the coffee cups (representing today how we spend time with each other over a cup of coffee or something like that to connect heart to heart) and the circular portal connecting us with the Christian concept of communion (referring very specifically to Jesus having a sort of communion of fish with his disciples on the beach after his resurrection) and my desire to bring that kind of face to face heart to heart kind of connection, of what (I believe) Jesus really meant by communion (when he was sharing the Passover with them in the upper room before his death)...it's about sharing with Him, with each other. I want to convey that to people today. 

Let me tell you...this lady (who I think was in her 60's) expressed herself as very spiritual too (I think she has more of an eastern-new age bent)...she totally tracked with me though and understood what I was sharing with her. In fact she told me that she had never looked at the concept of the religious ritual of Christian communion like that before. She had only known it to be something inside the religious bounds of Christian churches. She was quite taken with my view of it. It was really cool. I could see the wheels turning in her. Honestly I have to say that I had no idea my painting would translate to someone who doesn't have a faith in Jesus or a foundational Christian background. 

We continued our conversation as I asked her questions about her shop and she opened up to me about her present situation/life decisions/dreams/and concerns. I was able to speak words of encouragement to her in that moment. I expressed to her that what we were doing and experiencing right then was communion. Heart to heart. God in me to her. She had a sparkle in her eye. When we parted she seemed very encouraged. 

It was a highlight in my day. She was the art. 

"Communion: Breakfast on the Beach"

c. Lisa Marten

24x30 mixed media on canvas

Original for sale: $600 

Prints for sale

THE SECRET LIFE OF LISA MARTEN

The first leg of my Hawaiian Island Creative Adventures is over and I've entered into the second leg...in a very Walter Mitty lets take this adventure to the next level kind of way. 

I boarded a 10 seater commuter island hopper plane and flew from Maui to the Big Island of Hawaii. 

The plane was small enough that I could see on both sides of it out the windows, and through the cockpit window. At times in the flight we flew low enough that I got some great views of the beautiful Pacific Ocean and the rugged landscape of the islands. It was about an hour flight from Maui to the Big Island of Hawaii. And for that hour I felt like I was the main character in one of those adventurous feel good movies heading out over the ocean to unknown territory. 

Upon landing at Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, I was met with much welcome by long time dear friends Dave and Heather Goetter. They are living here in Kona and working at the international YWAM base (Youth With A Mission-an international parachurch organization that trains up and sends out people to do short term and long term missions around the world) which is just a quick drive from their house. Heather grew up here (her parents are amongst some of the founding people of YWAM and this particular training base). Currently she is a teacher on the base for the school that teaches many of the children of YWAM leaders/instructors. Dave is a very talented musician, singer-songwriter-composer, and recording producer. He is working with David Cunningham (son of the founders of YWAM) for film and music production. Dave and Heather have 3 children (Nation, Shylae, and Jaken). I met Dave and Heather years ago in Boise just after they had come back from serving several years in Niger, Africa. They are no strangers to missions and ministry on foreign soil and amongst different cultures. 

I get to spend a week with them and see Hawaii through their missional eyes. Stay tuned for more amazing artistical adventures ALOHA style! 

YWAM KONA-UNIVERSITY OF THE NATIONS

Here on the Big Island of Hawaii sits the YWAM base (Youth With A Mission), The University of the Nations at Kona. I spent part of my day today exploring the campus here on the Big Island of Hawaii. It was an honor to be there. I have known so many people and have so many friends who have walked the campus before me over the years to be trained and equipped to partner with God for missional adventures around the world. I have major respect for the hundreds of staff, leaders, instructors, students, families all over the world who have dedicated their lives to serving in such unique ways to other cultures. There are YWAM bases in 110 countries all over the world equipping people through 3 month DTS (Discipleship Training School) and then 3 month outreach (to another country/culture) to serve in practical hands on ways. It's the vision of founders Loren & Darlene Cunningham since the 60's to train up people to know God and make Him known through out the world...like a wave. 

I had the opportunity to attend their weekly night of worship tonight at the Kona base. There was something so amazing about experiencing worship with hundreds of people representing a gazillion countries. 

May we be a wave "to know God"

"and to make him known"

YWAM founder Loren Cunningham (center)

Tonight speaker David Hamilton gave the second part of a sermon started by founder Loren Cunningham about the wave we are all called to be a part of to make a difference for the Kingdom throughout the world. 

Tonight I realized, as Loren was speaking, that not only am I a part of the wave he's talking about...but also I am a direct product of his influence (meaning I was influenced by the wave before I even knew I was called to be a part of the wave). You see...not only did I have many friends over the years who were a part of YWAM and who shared and taught me various things they were learning...but in 2001-2002 when I was living in Glasgow, Scotland and attending The Harvest Ministry College (HMC) at Glasgow Central Vineyard I was being trained at that time by leaders who had been YWAMers and knew the Cunninghams. Much of the curriculum for the leadership/ministry/missions training that i received at HMC was curriculum based on YWAM teaching. HMC was a 6 month training school that integrated DTS lecture style learning with practical hands on serving on a daily basis, along with some outreach travel. It was at HMC that I first learned I could be an ART MINISTER and do ART MISSIONS. This kind of freedom in ministry is foundational teaching of YWAM...all are called to the mission field. We all have been given special giftings and talents and we are all called to use those giftings and talents for the glory of God through ministry and service. 

But it wasn't till years later that I understood how that would look for me specifically, after being a leader with the VineArts Ministry at Vineyard Boise where I've been trained for 10 years with hands on practical service through art ministry on a local level. For the last 3 years I've been commissioned and sent out as a Traveling Art Minister to the Nations. And here I am today....out on this current art ministry trip to Hawaii, doing what I do, ministering through creativity, ministering to creatives, and painting on people's lives. 

It was a really cool moment tonight to hear Loren speak in person and to make that connection. I'm part of the wave. And so are you. 

THE WATERFRONT AT KONA

 Today I explored some of the waterfront area of Kona with friends. We walked along a stone wall that protects the street from the crashing waves of the surf. 

 There are several beaches throughout the waterfront. This particular one has several hotels/resorts nearby. A luau takes place out on the grass near that old style building on the water (which I was told has history with King Kamehameha). 

 At various points there were several surfboard, boogie board, kayak, and canoe rental places. Today many of the waves were surf worthy and I got to see several surfers out there making their attempts to ride them.

 On one of the beaches I got to see a sea turtle! A real one! A live one! He was sunning himself. It's the first sea turtle I've seen in the wild and I was very excited. Turtles are a protected species here so you need to keep your distance, but I was able to get some photos. I know I look calm but inside I was like "No way! This is so rad!"

  I call him Crush. We chatted for a bit. He was like "Dude" and I was like "Dude" 

 I got to go to a Hawaiian history museum with some colorful paintings depicting much of the Hawaiian royalty history, the discovery by Captain Cook, and the arrival of missionaries to the islands. I enjoyed the paintings very much. 

I also toured the first church established on Hawaii. It's a Congregational Church and is still in operation. 

This weekend I get to travel around the island with my friends. We'll head south to Green Sands Beach, over to Black Sands Beach, then into the Volcano area to see lava fields and tunnels and OH MY GOSH I'm so excited to see a real live volcano! Then we'll spend a day a bit north of here, hanging out at Hapuna Beach...oh yes! beach time! Life is good. 

Stay tuned for more...

EXPLORING SAND, VOLCANOS, AND TUNNELS WITH THE GOETTERS

 Touring with The Goetters is like traveling with a rock band. There's always a song to sing, a dance to groove, places to see, and a pose to own.  

 Today we traveled south to Black Sands Beach. and truly that sand was black! and it's not the fine kind of black sand (like I experienced in New Zealand) it's bigger. It's like the size difference between granulated sugar and raw sugar. 

 While we were exploring the beach we saw several sea turtles sunning themselves on the sand and the rocks in various places. 

 Next on the tour we traveled east and north to the center area of the island to The Volcanic National Park which has the famous Kilauea, Mauna Loa, and Mauna Kea volcanos. This is a photo of Kilauea. We were at the visitor center which sits at the top area of the caldera and you can see the smoke coming out of a deep deep deep hole that is alive. It's a live erupting volcano. A LIVE ERUPTING VOLCANO! Mauna Kea is the largest mountain in the world. THE LARGEST MOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD! That's right. But yer saying, "um, i don't think so, Mt. Everest is!" Well, actually...no. Mt. Everest is the largest from sea level up. But Mauna Kea is the largest from the bottom of the ocean floor up past sea level up. Seriously. Look it up. 

Yea I was just a bit excited to see a live volcano.

 Then we traveled in the same vicinity to a rain forest. Walking through it felt like I was in Jurassic Park. I kept expecting a Velaca Raptor to jump out. 

 And then we came up on this. It's a large tunnel. In fact, it was created by lava. It's a LAVA TUNNEL. The lava was so hot that it shot through the rock and as the rock cooled it solidified into a tunnel. We were able to walk through it. 

 As we walked through the tunnel all I could think of was the numerous Alien movies I've seen where the unsuspecting explorers find themselves in a large cavernous tunnel leading to who knows where, they get lost, and they become prey to whatever alien species the movie is about. If you're a sci-fi fan, you'll know what I mean. So walking through this felt other worldly to me and I had a blast! 

 Then we came out to this...a lava field. And that's when my imagination really took hold. I felt like I was stepping into the movie Prometheus. This would be the Alien world.

*don't you love the imagination? in fact, better yet...don't you love the imagination of God's creation? cuz this is real, not a movie. it sure makes life fun!

*and yes, we did walk all the way across this lava field and then we climbed up the other side!

 There were hundreds of lava rock piles strewn about the opening area built with lava rocks by those who had come before us. So I created this little one to leave my mark too. 

 While we trekked across the lava field there were many huge earthquake like cracks in the lava where the surface jutted up at various angles. It felt as if it were a post apocalyptic scene from a movie. Once again my imagination was having fun with the landscape.

When we got to the top of the other side, we had quite a trek back to where we had started...for a total of walking something like 6 miles roundtrip (in flip-flops, in the blazing heat). The last part we found ourselves out on the highway...wandering trying to find the parking lot where our car was...we had gotten a little...lost. But lost in Hawaii with friends is not so bad. It's made for good memories and a great story to tell. 

Today was a great day exploring parts of Hawaii with The Goetters. They rock!

EXPLORING LAVA TUBES, HANGING OUT ON KUA BAY BEACH, AND MAKING SANDCASTLES

 Today the girls and I traveled just a bit north of Kailua-Kona for a day of beach relaxation. Along the way we spotted a HUGE lava tube near the side of the highway. So we stopped to go exploring out on the lava field. 

 What we came upon was a vast lava tube that had caved in at various places. Once again it was like stepping into the desolate terrain of a sci-fi movie. Lava rock was smooth in some places and sharp and craggy in others. 

 There were entry areas that allowed us to do a bit of cave spelunking. 

 And there were other areas that were open like caverns. Notice Heather and Shylae across the way from me. They had climbed out and were on the surface while I was still within the tube as I took the photo.

 Then we made our way to Kua Bay Beach (a smaller beach that is a bit more popular by locals) to spend the afternoon relaxing. 

 The water was a beautiful aqua blue-green color and the sand was a a vibrant tan (or white as many call it). The water was warm like bath water and made swimming and body surfing quite pleasant. 

It was such a fun day playing in the water.

 The sand was so soft and perfect for making sandcastles. I have many fond memories of me and my family living in Hawaii when I was a kid where my dad was stationed in the Navy at Pearl Harbor on Oahu. One of those memories is of my dad and I making sandcastles on the beach together. I have an old photo of me sitting inside a sandcastle that my dad and I made and it's been a great memento of a cherished time in my childhood. So today...in honor of that memory I wanted to build a sandcastle big enough I could sit in it! So I recruited a helper and we built one. It's more like a sand fortress than a castle (it has 2 motes). It actually reminds me a bit of Solomon's Temple. 

 This is not me when I was a kid (although this photo is a lot like the one of me when I was young), it's my sandcastle partner Shylae who helped me create today. 

Here I am today...inside the sandcastle we build. A new memory made. God is so good in how he gives us moments like this in our lives to live to the fullest. 

It was a great day!

BACK ON MAUI, HANGING OUT AT KIHEI, DOIN ART

I'm now into the last week of my Hawaiian art adventures. I'm spending it back on Maui in the city of Kihei on the coast. 

 I've been blessed (by some very generous people who desire to bless pastors/ministers/missionaries in need of respite while here on Maui) to stay on my own in a condo that is located across the street from the beach. This is my amazing view. The blue in the center of the photo is the water, it's only a 3 minute walk from the condo to the beach! This is a great location! 

While at the condo I've set up a small art studio space in the living room so I can create freely. This has been a lot of fun taking the little watercolors I've painted in my art journal throughout the trip and creating larger mixed media paintings from them on brown paper (using graphite, charcoal, soft pastels, acrylic paint, Bible passages on paper, matte medium). 

art journal watercolor paintings:

watercolor of the beach at Paia, Maui

watercolor of the river in the Iao Valley, Maui

watercolor of the waterfront in Kona, The Big Island

watercolor of a sea turtle at Black Beach, The Big Island

watercolor of the volcano Kilauea, The Big Island

brown paper mixed media paintings:

 mixed media of the sea turtle 

 mixed media of the beach at Paia

 mixed media of the beach at Kona, The Big Island

mixed media of surfboards at Kona, The Big Island

The use of brown paper will allow me to easily transport the paintings back home. 

Hawaii has been so inspirational to my creative muse. I think my creativity has been more prolific here than I can recall from any of my other trips (besides Scotland). 

SURFING MAUI!

so i have a bit of a confession. for years i have struggled with water fears. oh don't get me wrong...i love the water. in fact, anyone who knows me well knows that i find refreshment and respite being by an ocean or a river or a lake or some form of water. it's in my blood (having grown up in a navy family that lived near coast lines for a good chunk of my life). and it's how and where i feel the most connected to God. and as you know, water can be spotted in a majority of my paintings throughout my artistic career because I love to paint what speaks life to me. i also love to fish in rivers and on lakes and i love to go boating (be it on small waters or vast oceans).

but all of that considered, i seem to also have an intense fear of drowning when it comes to raging splashing deep waters. now if i'm on a boat...no worries. i'm able to weather the storms safely perched on decks high above the waterline. but put me (my body) into a tiny vessel like a kayak or a raft or an inner tube with the same raging waters and I will panic. even more so...put me (just me) into those waters and I will opt out. 

this love-hate thing i have going with water is something I've been actively working on overcoming throughout the last 7 years. i've taken up fly-fishing in Idaho (I've been able to stand in the middle of a flowing river and artfully cast my line with strength and beauty), i've river kayaked in Alaska (I've been able to row a class 3 river with the aid of a kayak guide), i've been able to walk across a raging river in Idaho (with the guidance of a trusted friend), and ...I've begun to learn to surf (first in New Zealand and now in Hawaii). 

but the surfing thing is proving more of a challenge. it's a bit different than standing still casting a fishing line. it's a bit different than floating in a tiny boat with a paddle in hand. it's a bit different than hanging onto a friend and slowly placing each foot firmly on rocks. surfing is about facing the waves. waves that come from the deep with a force that can take you under. yes, surfing is proving to be more of a challenge for me...physically, but also mentally and spiritually. 

 with the generous spirit of that reminds me of my Kiwi friend Tash who took me for my first surfing experience in Raglan, New Zealand, today i set out with my new friend Kylee to tackle the waves at Lahaina on Maui (and this time my surfing lesson would build on what i had experienced in NZ). so Kylee and I and our friend Erica set out with surfboards on the car and headed up the coast for aquatic adventures together. 

the drive to Lahaina was beautiful. the ocean was so blue and you could see the island of Molokai in the distance. 

 once we got to the beach Kylee talked me through some starter steps.

 and then we both headed out into what i would call the toughest water fear tackling lesson i've experienced yet. and i mean that in a good way. 

 she taught me how to paddle and how to direct the surfboard so we could get out past the breaking waves into deeper waters. this deemed tougher than i had imagined. dude, seriously surfers have to be some of the strongest people ever...it takes muscle to paddle the weight of you and your board through currents that are going against you. and when waves actually build and come at you...

 she taught me how to face them head on and then raise my body up so that the water would roll between me and the board so i'd stay afloat. of course when i did it right it was actually quite an invigorating feeling to come up atop a wave. but the times i was a bit off in my direction or i wasn't quite stable on the board...the force of the waves were strong enough to knock me off the board into the water. thankfully i was attached to the board with a cord around my right ankle...but being dumped in the deep and pushed backward with a board knocking about by a crashing wave was not invigorating, it was rather terrifying for me. this is where i faced some of my biggest fears regarding drowning. 

i'm a fairly strong and fit person. i mean...i've got some guns on my arms and i am quite active with painting and dancing. but i learned today that to be a surfer you need to build up endurance. those waves just keep coming and you don't get much of a break (especially once a set starts coming in). and honestly today (from what she told me) was not a spectacular day for surfing, the waves were small). but for me, those waves were like the Rocky Mountains and I was climbing them for the first time. 

 i need to interject for a moment and say that i am SO VERY THANKFUL for the generosity, the patience, the grace, the encouragement, that Kylee extended to me today. she's a great teacher and she stayed with me the whole time. and when i was too tired to paddle and i needed to paddle for all i was worth...she grabbed ahold of my board and helped me.   and when i was thrown off the board and the waves kept coming and i couldn't get back up, she coached me and kept me from panicking. I didn't stand on that board yet...but I got one step further. Kylee helped me face the waves head on today and for that I am very grateful. KYLEE YOU ROCK!

 here's our after the surf photo. we both viewed my surf today as a success. 

and afterwards Kylee and Erica and i went out to celebrate!

here we are...happy and tired. 

while we were eating we were discussing the painting i had created for Ke Aha Vineyard a couple of weeks ago (the hand reaching towards the wave that was reaching towards the hand-representing us pursuing God and God-as the wave-pursuing us)...and it hit me! today was an actual physical example of that painting. there i was paddling on the surfboard, facing the wave head on, in pursuit. the wave full on pursuing me with power. if i was correctly facing and raised up on the board, we both (the wave and me) met with mutual pursuit and we experienced something almost like a handshake. but if i was off, turned elsewhere, unstable on the board, or didn't raise up, thus wasn't in pursuit of the wave, but the wave kept pursuing me...we both (the wave and me) crashed like 2 opposing forces. it was a perfect picture of what it can look like in relationship with God. in that moment i heard His voice speaking to me through that surfing lesson. this was more than trying to conquer a water fear. this was trying to understand how much he loves. 

COLLABORATION CONVERSATION IN COMMUNITY: PAINTING LIVE AT KE AHA ONCE AGAIN

 I've been quite blessed during my last week in Hawaii to be able to spend a great deal of it with the people of the Ke Aha Vineyard church in Kahului. I was invited back to paint live during another Sunday night service. Uncle Kaleo (Pastor) met with me ahead of time to discuss some ideas of what we could do together. We landed on the idea of having me paint during his sermon instead of during the music worship time. This would be a way that he and I could partner together (him speaking, me painting, and then me speaking) to present the message in a creative way. It was a really cool way to collaborate. 

The message was on the Book of Ruth...focusing on Kinsmen Redeemer. 

 Ke Aha meets in a carpet warehouse for their services on Sundays, but in homes the rest of the week. I was able to once again join the worship team for practice before the service. These kinds of times are really special to me. It's the chance to set up my paint station, the chance to be behind the scenes of a bands creative process, the chance to hear the set of songs ahead of time, and the chance to allow the music to help me be in an attitude of worship and praise and prayer before the service. Tonight I spent some time letting myself dance in worship while the band practiced. 

Then came time for the service and the band led us in worship for an hour. Everyone in the room gave their all in singing and giving God glory. It was such a powerfully deep intimate time filled with full robust "worship your guts out all the way from your toes" kind of giving glory to God worship. 

This helped set the atmosphere for the evening to listen to God's heart for us. 

Here is the painting I created. It's an 18x24 mixed media (marker, acrylic paint, brown paper, Bible passages on paper) on canvas. It's titled "Kinsmen Redeemer" 

So here's a bit of artist's creative process revealed. When I had met with Uncle Kaleo earlier and he explained his message was to be on the Book of Ruth, I had received the image in my head of what to paint. But I didn't know details other than putting in the arms (which I describe below). BUT it was during worship tonight that I received the knowledge of what to do on the background of the painting. And throughout the message time I kept listening to Holy Spirit and to what Uncle Kaleo was speaking...and new things were coming to me as I painted. I would stop and listen and then God would direct. It was a beautiful moment of collaboration! 

Uncle Kaleo began speaking about how we all are can allow our weaknesses to rule in our lives...depression and despair can take over. I started out writing with marker, in large lettering, words that describe how we can feel when we are responding out of our . Words like "insecurity", "brokeness", ""no home", "fear". Then I smeared black paint, then some brown around and then a diagonal slash of red. These colors represented the pain and the wounding, the darkness we can be in when we are either not "in Christ" or even if we're "in" Christ, but we aren't surrendering our hearts and our lives and our all to Him. Uncle Kaleo spoke about how Ruth chose to be a part of Naomi's family ("your people will be my people, your God will be my God") and I painted blue and green throughout. Blue was specifically representative of the Jewish culture. Green was representative of us Gentiles. As Uncle Kaleo spoke about the opportunity that Boaz took to redeem Ruth's life, her family, her heritage through his, I began smearing white and yellow and red in circular movements in the center. These colors were representative of the the result of surrender...purity and life of redemption. It's how Boaz saw Ruth (clean and pure) and it's how God sees us. It's how it can be when we allow God to graft us into the Body of Christ. We become a part of a new family, a new heritage, a new legacy. I then glued on the arm representing Ruth (us) on the left and then the arm representing Boaz (Christ) on the right (it has pages from the Book of Ruth on it, and a red diamond representing the wounds Christ took for us). These arms are holding onto each other in a locked embrace. This is representative of how God takes hold of us in pursuit and we are to take hold of him in pursuit (just as Ruth made herself available to Boaz, Boaz chose Ruth). Uncle Kaleo also spoke about how it was at a cost of Boaz (as it was for Jesus) to redeem Ruth...but Boaz saw it as worth it, he believed Ruth was worth it (and that's how God sees it for us). So I dripped the white from the Boaz-Christ arm. Uncle Kaleo also spoke about how it was at a cost for Ruth too (and that's where we come in...it costs us to surrender our lives to Christ, it costs us to surrender our lives to the Body of Christ, to community, to love). So I dripped the yellow from the Ruth-us arm. I also painted in words speaking the Scripture and statements of the message. 

Afterwards, Uncle Kaleo had me speak for a bit. I loved this opportunity to speak from my heart to the people of Ke Aha, but more than that...I loved that I got the opportunity to speak God's heart to the people of Ke Aha. I explained the painting but also did a bit of a demonstration with Erica about the arms (so I could who everyone with another visual what I was meaning by the locked arms). God loves us so much that he will hold on to us...even if we are weak and we our grip slips or we struggle and our we let go. He is still there...He's got us. I also demonstrated the native New Zealander Maori greeting (which is very similar to the native Hawaiian greeting). Forehead to forehead, eyes looking into each other, breathing deeply, one hand behind head...and then the added locked arms. I spoke out  "I see you"...this is how intimate God wants to be with us. He cares about us that much. He loves us that much. He is our redeemer. And He wants us. 

Then we had some ministry time to pray for people. 

Tonight was an amazing night of "collaboration conversation" in community. 

I get the chance this Wednesday night to hang out some more with Ke Aha for a more intimate time of conversation about creative arts ministry. I'm really looking forward to more time with them. In fact, I have come to really LOVE these guys in such a short time, it's going to be hard to leave because of the relationship I'm forming with them. They're beautiful amazing people and I am convinced that God loves them so much He has heard their hearts cry to go deeper with him. 

I will say it again. It's not about me. It's not about the art. It will always always be about God's heart for us. That is why I do what I do. That is why I'm here on these travels. Creativity is a language that we can all speak...and it's the language that God oftentimes chooses to use to speak His heart to us.  

OCEANS

today as i spent time alone at the beach on Maui, these thoughts came to me.

some go to the mountains to be at peace. some go to the cities to feel alive. 

i go to the oceans. i go to the oceans to breathe in that unique sea air that smells of salt and sand and sea. i go to the oceans to dig my toes into the soft sand beneath my feet. i go to the oceans to feel the waters kiss my legs in a passionate embrace. i go to the oceans because i hear my name being called out upon the waters. i hear His voice calling my heart to trust deeper, to go further. to dive deep. 

I want to take a moment to quote a song and a book passage, both inspired by creation written by creatives who understand the Voice that calls the heart to go deeper. 

the song:

I'm reminded of a song that has been on my frequent playlist for several months now and seems to have come to life here on Maui (especially the day i went surfing). this is a song that has become a popular worship song in the last year with many churches, radio stations, and people's iPods. it's written and recorded by Hillsong United out of Australia. 

OCEANS (Where Feet May Fail)

Hillsong United

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

the book passage: 

I don't normally quote book passages in my posts...but I'm reminded of a passage from "Black" (the first book in the Circle Trilogy) by author Ted Dekker. "Black" is a book I purchased and read years ago but I find myself rereading it continually. I've even created a painting influenced by this passage. The main character, Thomas, is compelled to dive into a huge lake because he is overcome by the voice of Elyon (in the book that is the name for God) that calls out to him  to go deeper in relationship with him.

"Black", by Ted Dekker, pp.131-135.

"In that moment, knowing what he must do—what he wanted most desperately—Tom tore his feet from the sand and sprinted for the water's edge. He didn't stop at the shore and stoop to drink as the others did. Instead, he dived headlong over the bent posture of Michal and into the glowing waters. Screaming all the way.
The instant Tom hit the water, his body shook violently. A blue strobe exploded in his eyes, and he knew that he was going to die. That he had entered a forbidden pool, pulled by the wrong desire, and now he would pay with his life.
The warm water engulfed him. Flutters rippled through his body and erupted into a boiling heat that knocked the wind from his lungs. The shock alone might kill him.
But he didn't die. In fact, it was pleasure that racked his body, not death. Pleasure! The sensations coursed through his bones in great, unrelenting waves.
Elyon.

How he was certain he did not know. But he knew. Elyon was in this lake with him.Tom opened his eyes and found they did not sting. Gold light drifted by. No part of the water seemed darker than another. He lost all sense of direction. Which way was up?
The water pressed in on every inch of his body, as intense as any acid, but one that burned with pleasure instead of pain. His violent shaking gave way to a gentle trembling as he sank into the water. He opened his mouth and laughed. He wanted more, much more. He wanted to suck the water in and drink it.
Without thinking, he did that. He took a great gulp and then inhaled unintentionally. The liquid hit his lungs.
Tom pulled up, panicked. Tried to clear his lungs, hacking. Instead, he inhaled more of the water. He flailed and clawed in a direction he thought might be the surface. Was he drowning?
No. He didn't feel short of breath.
He carefully sucked more water and breathed it out slowly. Then again, deep and hard. Out with a soft whoosh.
He was breathing the water! In great heaves he was breathing the lake's intoxicating water.
Tom shrieked with laughter. He tumbled through the water, pulling his legs in close so he would roll, and then stretching them out so he thrust forward, farther into the colors surrounding him. He swam into the lake, deeper and deeper, twisting and rolling as he plummeted towardthe bottom. The power contained in this lake was far greater than any-thing he'd ever imagined. He could hardly contain himself.
In fact, he could not contain himself; he cried out with pleasure and swam deeper. Then he heard them. Three words.
I made this.
Tom pulled himself up, frozen. No, not words. Music that spoke. Pure notes piercing his heart and mind with as much meaning as an entire book. He whipped his body around, searching for its source.
A giggle rippled through the water. Like a child now.
Tom grinned stupidly and spun around. "Elyon?" His voice was muffled, hardly a voice at all.
I made this.
The words reached into Tom's bones, and he began to tremble again. He wasn't sure if it was an actual voice, or whether he was somehow imagining it.
"What are you? Where are you?" Light floated by. Waves of pleasure continued to sweep through him. "Who are you?"
I am Elyon. And I made you.
The words started in his mind and burned through his body like a spreading fire.
Do you like it?
Yes! Tom said. He might have spoken, he might have shouted, he didn't know. He only knew

that his whole body screamed it.
Tom looked around. "Elyon?"
The voice was different now. Spoken. The music was gone. A simple, innocent question.
Do you doubt me?
In that single moment, the full weight of his terrible foolishness crashed in on him like a sledgehammer. How could he have doubted this?
Tom curled into a fetal position within the bowels of the lake and began to moan.
I see you, Thomas. I made you.
I love you.
The words washed over him, reaching into the deepest marrow of his bones, caressing each hidden synapse, flowing through every vein, as though he had been given a transfusion.
So then, why do you doubt?
It was the Thomas from his dreams—from his subconscious—that filled his mind now. He had more than just doubted. That was him, wasn't it?
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He thought he might die after all. "I'm sorry. I am so sorry," he moaned. "Please ..."
Sony? Why are you sorry?
"For everything. For . . . doubting. For ignoring . . ." Tom stopped, not sure exactly how else he had offended, only knowing that he had.
For not loving?
I love you, Thomas.
The words filled the entire lake, as though the water itself had become these words. Tom sobbed uncontrollably.
The water around his feet suddenly began to boil, and he felt the lake suck him deeper into itself. He gasped, pulled by a powerful current. And then he was flipped over and pushed headfirst by the same current. He opened his eyes, resigned to whatever awaited him.
A dark tunnel opened directly ahead of him, like the eye of a whirlpool. He rushed into it and the light fell away.
Pain hit him like a battering ram, and he gasped for breath. He instinctively arched his back in blind panic and reached back toward the entrance of the tunnel, straining to see it, but it had closed.
He began to scream, flailing in the water, rushing deeper into the dark tunnel. Pain raged through his entire body. He felt as if his flesh had been neatly filleted and packed with salt; each organ stuffed with burning coals; his bones drilled open and filled with molten lead.
For the first time in his life, Tom wanted desperately to die.

Then he saw the images streaming by, and he recognized where he must be. Images from the Crossing, from his dreams, strung out here for him to see.

Images of him spitting in his father's face. His father the chaplain."Let me die!" he heard himself shrieking. "Let me diiiieeee!"The water forced his eyes open and new images filled his mind. His mother, crying. The

images came faster now. Pictures of his life. A dark, terrible nature. A red-faced man was spitting obscenities with a long tongue that kept flashing from his gaping mouth like a snake's. Each time the tongue touched another person, they crumpled to the floor in a pile of bones. It was his face he saw. Memories of lives dead and gone, but here now and dying still.

And he knew then that he had entered his own soul.

Tom's back arched so that his head neared his heels. His spine stressed to the snapping point. He couldn't stop screaming.

The tunnel suddenly gaped below and spewed him out into soupy red water. Blood red. He sucked at the red water, filling his spent lungs.

From deep in the pit of the lake a moan began to fill his ears, replacing his own screams. Tom spun about, searching for the sound, but he found only thick red blood. The moan gained volume and grew to a wail and then a scream.

Elyon was screaming! In pain.

Tom pressed his hands to his ears and began to scream with the other, thinking now that this was worse than the dark tunnel. His body crawled with fire, as though every last cell revolted at the sound. And so they should, a voice whispered in his skull. Their Maker is screaming in pain!

Then he was through. Out of the red, into the green of the lake, hands still pressed firmly against his ears. Tom heard the words as if they came from within his own mind.

I love you, Thomas.

Immediately the pain was gone. Tom pulled his hands from his head and straightened out slightly in the water. He floated, too stunned to respond. Then the lake was filled with a song. A song more wonderful than any song could possibly sound, a hundred thousand melodies woven into one.

I love you.
I choose you. I rescue you. I cherish you.

"I love you too!" Tom cried desperately. "I choose you; I cherish you." He was sobbing, but with love. The feeling was more intense than the pain that had racked him." 

The current suddenly pulled at him again, tugging him up through the colors. His body again trembled with pleasure, and he hung limp as he sped through the water. He wanted to speak, to scream and to yell and to tell the whole world that he was the luckiest man in the universe. That he was loved by Elyon, Elyon himself, with his own voice, in a lake made by him.
But the words would not come.
How long he swam through the currents of the lake, he could never know. He dived into blue hues and found a deep pool of peace that numbed his body like Novocain. With the twist of his wrist, he altered his course into a gold stream and trembled with waves of absolute confidence that come only with great power and wealth. Then a turn of his head and he rushed into red water

bubbling with pleasure so great he felt himself go limp once again. Elyon laughed. And Tom laughed and dived deeper, twisting and turning."

I wanted to quote these in this post because this subject is on my thoughts and heart today...the call from the deep to go deeper with Him. He loves us. It's what I hear for me and for those I'm connecting with...every time I go out on one of these art ministry trips. It's what I've been hearing here in Hawaii. It's God's heart being revealed through creation (HIS and OURS). May we have eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts to receive and to give. 

FINDING YOUR TRIBE

back in 2004 when i first met Jessie Nilo (the VineArts Director at Vineyard Boise) i had no idea that meeting would take me on a journey of "painting on people's lives". through first being involved in VineArts as an attendee, and then an occasional volunteer, and then serving through VineArts on the leadership team, i have met some amazing people over the years. many have become kindred spirits. It's not only for being creatives and believers, but also of having hearts to love on other creatives in ministerial/pastoral sorts of ways by being in their lives in messy practical ways that make a difference.  

this is my tribe. my "Art Tribe". 

 back 2010 i attended a retreat for Pastors and Ministers to Artists at Laity Lodge in Texas. it's an annual retreat open to pastors and ministers (from all Christian denominations and churches based all over the world) who have a heart to minister to the creative heart (inside and outside the church). i have returned to this retreat every year since. it's a beautiful and intimate setting to share ideas and experiences with others, to learn from speakers (from all over the world) who want to help art ministers be more effective in ministering to the heart of artists. the moment i arrived amidst these people i knew i had found my tribe. 
my "Laity Tribe". 

 a few years ago when i began these art ministry travels i formed a group of 12 around me (2 were not able to be in the photo above) who are pastors/mentors/friends that have commissioned me to be sent out, who meet with me before i go out on my trips (to pray for me and help me prepare), who message with me daily while I'm out on my trips (to pray for me and help keep me accountable to who i am what God is calling me to do in each situation), who meet with me when i arrive back from my trips (as a group and one on one) to help me process and debrief, to pray for me and and who continue to keep in contact with me and do life with me in the "in between time" of trips. these guys have become a "lifeline" for me as i travel around the world doing ministry through creativity. no one should be alone. these guys have become some of my closest friends. they are my tribe, my "Commissioning Tribe".

what's fun for me is that as i travel around the world i get to meet some really great people. and occasionally i get the wonderful opportunity to gain new friends throughout the world who stay connected with me after i leave and head elsewheres. but rarely do i enter into a community somewhere else and feel as if i was already a part of them, as if i had always been with them, as if they were already life long friends. that's what happened for me with the community of Ke Aha Vineyard on Maui. the moment i was invited in and stepped into their house, i had stepped into their family. and this traveling artist (who has feet that rarely stay stationary for long) found a home within them. they are my tribe, my "Aloha Tribe"