Making connections through creativity

 International (OM) — [EDITOR’S NOTE: This blog post from Operation Mobilization offers first-hand perspective on the connection between creativity and collaboration.]

Creativity. It’s a word you hear thrown around a lot in the communications world.

“Wow, you’re so creative!”

Many artists, including myself, are constantly being asked, “Where do you draw your inspiration from? Where do you get your creativity?” I always found it a bit of a funny question, because sometimes, we just don’t know. For me, it can be anything. Literally, anything. A memory, a colour, a word.

I feel that this question is best summed up by Steve Jobs, former chief executive of Apple, one of the most creative technology companies of our time: “Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.”

Jobs’s famous quote explains it very well. Creativity is ultimately making connections. We have ideas and connect them with the mediums we are passionate about— design, photography, videography, ceramics—whatever they may be.

For me, creativity goes back to the beginning. I am talking way, way back. Back to when God took a rib out of Adam and made Eve. God instilled in each of us, from that moment He first breathed life into us, a desire to create. And He loves it. He loves that all of us people, bearing the imago dei, are so crazy about making connections with creation.

Serving in the Middle East as an Operation Mobilization MENA Communications Intern this year has been such a rewarding experience in a number of ways, but one of the most rewarding parts has been working around people who further inspire your creativity. In the same way that God created us to create, He also created us to be with each othesr (hint: the whole Eve thing).

God designed us to create but to not create alone. He made us to create alongside each other. I find this to be such an amazingly beautiful thing. It’s not always easy working with others; I am sure Adam and Eve argued too.

For me, more inspiration and creativity comes from working with my teammates. We live life alongside each other while also working and creating together. Like I said, it’s not always easy, but the creations that come out of our working together is some of the best. By rubbing shoulders on a regular basis and learning from one another, we inspire each other to create.

It’s the image of God in each of each revealing itself to the others.

Working overseas as a creative is one of the best things you can do. Not only are you interacting with a new culture and place, but you’re learning how to connect with it, in every sense of the word.