My Commissioning Circle
What and Who are a Commissioning Circle?
Though I've been a traveler, an artist, and a minister for decades...combining all 3 officially started back in 2012....
These are my people...the ones who have chosen to gather around me to support me emotionally, to prepare me for each of my short term trips and my long term expeditions, to pray for me and those I am coming alongside, to send me out beyond my comfort zones, to listen in on the conversations with me, to keep me accountable to who I am and why I do what I do, and to debrief me and hold my heart carefully when I return.
It's not really about me.
It's not even really about the art.
It's always going to be about God's heart and love for people.
We get to collaborate together...to listen in on the conversations that God is already having with people and to enter into those conversations in creative ways...to love on people.
I'm thankful for friends that become mentors. Thankful for mentors that become friends. I couldn't come alongside others as a Traveling Art Minister without the support of those who come alongside me.
They are a group of 12 pastors, mentors, art ministers, friends who have surrounded me from the beginning to support in heart and spirit what I get to do as I listen in and join the conversations that God is already having with people around this world, through creativity and relational ministry.
They pray for me, plan with me, dream with me, send me out, converse daily with me, counsel with me and keep me accountable through the hard times, debrief with me when I return, and get to be a part of this worldwide creative conversation first hand. They are my surrounding support through the coming and the going, through the ups and the downs, through the heartaches and the rejoicing, through the active accounts and the tedious details. They are the behind the scenes...they are the faces of faithful love.
They are my Tribe.
They have been with me throughout my traveling journeys praying for me, conversing with me, speaking into my life, keeping me accountable along the way, giving insight, watching me grow and change with each trip, crying with me, laughing with me, challenging me, giving grace, cheering me on.
They care deeply not only for me but also for each group of people that I go to connect with elsewheres through creativity. They are a part of each conversation that I get to be a part of throughout my travels.
They meet with me before each trip. They message and communicate with me during each trip. They meet with me after each trip. And they stay connected with me between trips.
We get to do this together in collaboration. I'm grateful for who they are...each of them contributing their unique voice to the conversation.
They are just as much a part of these travels as I am.
Together we....
GO PAINT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES
UBUNTU OHANA
(I am because We are)
Ubuntu is an African word that means "I am because We are". Ohana is a Hawaiian word that means extended family.
There's a story of a group of African children who were challenged to race to a nearby tree for a prize of sweet treats. Upon being given the GO they took each others hands and ran together as one to the tree arriving all at the same time. The man who had given them the challenge realized that there was no individual winner and he asked the children why they had chosen to run together. The children said to him "Ubuntu" and then shared with him that they would rather the outcome be that either they all received the sweet treats or no one did. It was far better for all of them to win than one win a prize and their friends be left out. The man was impressed and handed the treats out to all the children and they sat down together with their feet touching in a circle as they enjoyed their prize together.
These art ministry travels aren't only about me.
They are about us.
That is who we are.
I am because we are.
THE CIRCLE IN ACTION
I want to share of an example of how My Commissioning Circle has helped to prepare me for travels and keep in contact with me while I am gone, and help me through debrief and re-entry once I'm back.
With a year long move to Maui where I took these art ministry travels to a new level and actually lived amidst the very ones I'd been traveling to for short term trips, this group of 13 became even more important in their roles.
We met up for one last gathering before I headed across the Pacific. We ate a meal together and then had some time of sharing about the move and the ministry partnership with Ke Aha Vineyard on Maui. We also spent some time remembering back over the last 7 years to that point of being a group and all the various trips I'd taken around the world and the experiences I had, the people I'd connected with, and the God stories that have come from those trips. Each trip has built on the next and each trip has equipped for the next.
We began our gathering with a meal together. As we ate we freely conversed of my upcoming move and there were many questions and details discussed amongst us. This was interwoven with the sharing of stories from past trips which filled us with laughter and tears and sparked even more stories. When we finished eating we gathered in a circle for some intentional affirmation, prayer, and worship.
One member of the group (Jen) had a special song to share with me. She sang it acapella lit by a single candle. It spoke of the journey together.
Another member of the group (Jessie) led us in songs of worship together.
At the end of the evening I had all of us (who were still present) gather around in a circle on the floor with our shoes off feet touching for some fun photos together. I gave each person an orange safflower (which is very thistle like, reminding me of a Scottish thistle...just different in color: the orange color made me think of Hawaii). This had symbolic meaning as back in 2001 I was sent out from Vineyard Boise church to come alongside Glasgow Central Vineyard church (a church plant from Vineyard Boise church) to serve, to attend a leadership/ministry/missions college (based on teachings of Vineyard and YWAM), and to serve through creativity. I lived there for almost a year. It was there that the prophetic word was spoken over me of being an Art Minister. And I recognized that 17 years later I was heading out on another long term trip (now being sent not just from Vineyard Boise church, but from representatives of so many other churches) to come alongside Ke Aha Vineyard church on Maui to serve and minister through creativity.
In 2001, I stepped out into uncharted territory to go to Scotland and begin my Traveling Art Ministry (though I didn't really understand that's what I was doing nor did I really know what would be up ahead on the road for me). I flew a week after 9-11 actually happened (the day the planes flew again) and I was encouraged deep in my soul with "Do not fear. Do not be afraid. Be strong and courageous. For the Lord your God is with you." It took years of journeying the path He was leading me on...connecting with important people and places and experiences along the way....bringing about key moments that would shift and change my course to come into alignment with His. These short term trips were launched in 2012 (with this Commissioning Group around me)...and the journey continued...learning to listen in on the conversations He is having with others and entering in through creativity. And here I was flying once again a week after 9-11 to step out into uncharted territory to go to Maui to continue my Traveling Art Ministry and I could see that what was started back then was only the beginning...my journey continues and I don't travel alone. We travel together. And that same kind of encouragement had been spoken once again.
Fast forward a few months into my time living and serving on Maui, during the Christmas season (when I was missing everyone and everything from home during the holidays) I received an email from my Commissioning Circle with a special surprise attached. They had created a video of themselves (and my parents) acting and singing the 12 Days of Christmas song (with a unique Hawaiian twist) to help me feel connected and to continue to encourage me to be right where I needed to be serving through creative ministry. And I can tell you that it helped me immensely (and made me laugh and cry in such gratitude for who they are in my life and for what I get to do with them for the Kingdom). This was just one example of how closely knit we are in this process.
Here is the link to that video:
I returned to Idaho a year after I had left for Maui and my Commissioning Circle was there for me to welcome me home with such gentle and open arms. Some meeting me at the airport, some meeting with me for a night of food and sharing and prayer, some meeting with me one on one for coffee to help me work through the multi-layered emotions of being back home from having allowed another place and people to become home too (each of them holding safe space for me and acknowledging the complexity of the re-entry process). Each step of the way, this special group of people are such a huge part of the conversation and I am so thankful for them.
"In the same way I was with Moses, I’ll be with you. I won’t give up on you; I won’t leave you. Strength! Courage! You are going to lead this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don’t get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed. Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.” -Joshua 1:8-9
I am because We are.
The circle spirals outward...
VineArts Boise and Vineyard Boise
For years (especially during the beginnings of my travels), the leadership of VineArts Boise, which is the local Arts Ministry at Vineyard Boise Church in Boise, Idaho (along with the Pastors and Staff of Vineyard Boise Church) was a huge support through prayer which helped to launch me and my art ministry endeavors and sent me out from them. They have been very much an important part of the creative conversation.
www.vineyardboise.org , www.vineartsboise.org
KeAha Vineyard
In recent years, the Pastors, leaders, and people of Ke Aha Vineyard Church in Kahului, Hawaii on Maui support me and my art ministry travels through prayer and encouragement and have sent me out from them. They have prayed for me before, during, and after my travels. We keep in correspondence with each other, communicating throughout. They have become a unique voice within the creative conversation.
Family and Friends
I am very thankful for the support of a very large group of family and friends who span the state of Idaho, throughout the US, and around the world. They are people who believe in who I am and what I get to do through creative ministry travels. They gather around me through prayer and encouragement and oftentimes offer financial support through monetary donations or purchasing my paintings or prints, or they offer art supply donations. They have been a huge part of the ongoing creative conversation.
The Circle is always expanding...
There is always room for more in this creative conversation!
It seems like every trip there are always new people who join the conversation through prayer and encouragement as they follow my blogposts and social media posts during my trips. Sometimes people have prepared encouraging notes and pictures for me to take with me while I'm traveling. Sometimes people have sent them to me while I'm on the trip. Oftentimes those words or pictures are creative ways God speaks into the specific trip to the people I'm ministering with or too. Sometimes people are prompted to help through financial support by purchasing my paintings or prints or they offer a one time generous donation or a commitment with an on-going monthly donation. God always provides just the amount of finances and supplies I need for a trip. There isn't a formula to how people join the conversation...it's creative!
You can be a part of the ever expanding Circle...go to The Conversation Page to learn more.
