As a passionate 18 year old, I dreamed of starting an artist publication magazine much like this one. I saw a need for the artists that I knew to have a community to inspire and support each other. I worked on designs, reached out to artists, and even wrote up mission statements. I was writing and recording music, shooting and developing my own film, and pouring lattes at my favorite coffee shop in town. I knew I was made for this, and it seemed like everything was lining up perfectly.
Next thing you know, on a trip to visit family that fall, I crashed a car that didn’t belong to me in an elementary school parking lot. It was my first accident, and suddenly, I was thrust into thousands of dollars of debt. I had finally gotten the job I wanted. I was saving money and making progress on this new business idea. I was dating who I hoped would one day be my wife, but in the midst of all this, everything felt like it was crashing down on me. Pretty soon, I let the artists know that the magazine wasn’t going to happen, and I told my girlfriend that I would have to wait to move closer to her. A lot of things in my life went on pause for a bit.
Alright, now lets catch you up a little. I’m 21 years old now. Since then, I paid off that debt and moved Michigan. Me and Lily got married last July and have spent the last six months building a sprinter van to live/travel in. We are living our dream together in our self-converted sprinter van and traveling. And what about the business I was trying to start? It still hasn’t left the ground yet. It never worked out.
The point of this story isn’t just a cliché “It wasn’t the right timing” or an “everything happens for a reason” saying either. I realize now the art that God created in my life during these last few years. I remember the places he took me, the people I met, and the gifts He gave me. Sometimes as an artist, I hyper focus on my art. Or I get so obsessed with a new business or ministry idea that I completely miss the art that God is creating with my life. Sometimes it’s the everyday interactions, the picnics on the beach, the late night conversations, and even the accidents that God uses to create the best art from our lives. I used to say all the time, “If we are in relationship with the Creator, we should be making the best art.” I still firmly believe this, but I also don’t want to forget that God is still a creator. He wants to create with us, and even more than that, He wants to create art out of our lives.
By Nathan Kitner