BLESS THE WORK OF OUR HANDS Prayers and Reflections for Creatives
Author: Jane Walters
Published by: BRF ISBN 978-1800394186 RRP £9.99 – £12.99 144pp
BLURB
Pausing to think, pray and yield to God at every stage is a natural, vital element of the creative process. Bless the Work of Our Hands offers prayers, reflections, and biblical character studies to encourage Christian creatives to commit themselves and their projects to God. Written for hobbyists and paid professionals alike, playing and working in every genre, it encourages an honest, open-handed and open-hearted approach, in order that all we produce and all that we become from our creative toil may bring glory to God.
MY REVIEW
My first impression as I unwrapped my copy of Bless the Work of Our Hands was just how lovely the cover was, and what a handy size the book came in! I was excited to look inside and was not disappointed. This truly is a beautiful little book!
I am a creative, as are all of us, in some way or other. That is no surprise, as we are made in the image of a creator God (Genesis 1:27). The drive to create and produce things of beauty and worth is there inside of us, but its outworking comes in many different ways. I love to write creatively, but I also crochet, and bake, and occasionally make things out of paper. My husband takes photos, does DIY, and designs his garden. What I love about Jane’s resource is that is for everyone – however you express your creativity, and whether you do it as a paid job, or as a pastime.
Bless the Work of Our Hands comprises of a series of beautiful prayers and reflections, underpinned by relevant scriptures and the occasional biblical character study. It addresses all of the issues we might come across as we approach a creative project – from getting started, through the messy middle and to the end, with additional thoughts on helpful topics such as; yielding to the Maker, purity of motives and dealing with failure and loneliness. Whatever stage you are at in your creative journey there is encouragement for you here, an invitation to work in partnership with God, even a challenge in places.
Several of the prayers spoke to me very personally. They are written by someone who understands, who has experience, and whose heart is to bless others. One of the overriding themes of the book, which I found useful to remember, is that our creative work mirrors the work of God in our own lives. As we strive to create something of beauty, so He is at works in us – we are His masterpieces ( Ephesians 2:10).
Here is an image of one of many prayers that blessed me…
I love this book – and I can see me using it over and over again. It is just the right size to slip into my craft bag or laptop case! It offers a place to pause, mid project, to re-centre ourselves and remember that God wants to work with us, and through us, to His glory. Perhaps you know a creative who would love this book as a gift? Perhaps that creative is you! I highly recommend you get yourself a copy! It is a real treasure trove.
Available from Amazon, Eden, Waterstones, Aslan and direct from the Publisher
Jane Walters is chair of the Association of Christian Writers and enjoys supporting emerging talent through leading workshops and retreats. Her twin loves are being creative as a musician, skilled textile craftworker, and qualified interior designer, and drawing on her love and understanding of scripture, communicating it honestly and accessibly. You can find out more about her here www.janewyattwalters.com
Joy Margetts is a published author and blogger. Her books are works of Christian Historical fiction. Set in medieval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, they tell stories of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power.
She has also written two non-fiction devotionals. More information on Joy, and her books can be found here
