The Maker's Space

Supplies needed: watercolor paper, pen and watercolors and water container Welcome to the Maker’s Space. Relax and enjoy this time that you have set aside to feed your creative side, where you have something in common with our creative God. This is our second session of Creative Prayer. We are going to be focusing on 3 different types of prayer,   meditation, contemplation and thanksgiving.   Both meditation and contemplation are introspective, quiet and reflective, and are often confused, but meditation is stimulated by something external;   a text, a quote, a sound, an image, a thought or even a repetitive action, while contemplation deals with the purely internal:   silence, stillness, void, release, and the lack of emphasis on reasoning and rational thought. Contemplation uses your imagination or day dreaming, and in meditation we will use a tree image to think back over things in your past and how they have shaped you.   So, we will be using a little bit of...

Supplies needed:  watercolor paper, pen, acrylic paints   Welcome to The Maker’s Space.   We are creatures of emotion, and prayer is a conversation of emotion.   In this series of Creative Prayer , we are going to use art to help us pray in a creative way.   Sometimes using words, but most of the time trying to rely on the Holy Spirit to use color and form in order to express our hearts to God.   It may make no sense to you, but you are allowing the Holy Spirit to pray for you. It takes practice to notice your intuitions and to let go of control.

 Why pray?  "First, God.  God is the subject of life.  God is foundational for living.  If we don't have a sense of the primacy of God, we will never get it right, get life right, get our lives right.  Not God at the margins; not God as an option; not God on the weekends.  God at center and circumference; God first and last. Having a conversation with God may be less about you and more about God.  Your focus may shift away from yourself and toward your creator.  If you have a friend who constantly asks you for things but never really wants to listen to you, how deep can your relationship go?  Sometimes we forget that God has a personality and a creative side to Him, and wants to engage us at a deeper level.  Let prayer be a time to savor.  Look forward to spending time with God, using art as a tool to slow down and be with God.  Allow this to be a time in which God speaks to you and you actively seek Him.  An audible ...

 August 2022, a reunion of the Wheaton College Summer Leadership Study Program was held in Malenovici, Czech Republic.

July 2022 Once again, Purpose By Design held their summer retreat for teenage girls from Fox Valley Christian Action/FVCA and St. Sabina's Church all from the greater Chicagoland area.  Our topic was Emotions, with speakers on Domestic Violence and abuse.  In between speakers, there was time for Financial Literacy encouragements from our partner Foolproof Financial Literacy program, budgeting and shopping at the Purpose By Design Store, swimming, making healthy snacks, free time to relax and debrief the sessions, and of course the art worship workshop by The Maker's Space.

Summer's here!! It's time to get back into the great outdoors!  One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to read some interesting books. Here are 3 great books that I have been reading this summer, which will inspire you to get outside and enjoy all of the health benefits that nature provides, free of charge!!  I highly recommend all three!

  Welcome to The Maker’s Space where we come to intentionally slow down from the busyness of the life around us, and create a space to listen. The #1 Session centered on the question “Where are you?” and can be found on www.themakersspace.us The #2 Session centered on the question “Who told you that?” and can be found on www.themakersspace.us The #3 Session centered on the question “What are you seeking?” and can be found on www.themakersspace.us The #4 Session centered on the question “Why are you afraid?” and can be found on www.themakersspace.us The #5 Session will be centered around the question “How much more?” and can be found on www.themakersspace.us Our first 2 questions are found in the Bible and are asked by God.   The last 3 questions are found in the new testament and are asked by Jesus.   Did you realize that God asks us questions because He wants to have a dialogue with us our whole lives.   He can keep asking us these questions, because we and Him are ...

On April 4, 64 clients were invited to participate in making art and writing their stories so that their voices could be present at the first evening Gala for Haymarket Center. We explored the art of Neurographica which connects the subconscious emotions with the conscious using line drawing. The stories that connect with the art are sometimes heartbreaking but always real and show the creative human being behind the addictions.

  Questions?-Session #4   Why are you afraid? Supplies:   Alcohol ink paper, [Yupo brand or other], black alcohol ink and one other color of alcohol ink, straw, eye dropper, and 91%-99% alcohol in a small container. Welcome to The Maker’s Space.   This is time you have carved out for yourself, to slow down from all of the chaos around you, and to use art, to try something new and listen to what God might be saying to you. This is the 4th question in our series of Questions? where we are looking at 5 questions that God asks in the Bible to start a dialogue with you.    Our 4th question is “Why are you afraid?”   Whether you are looking for the “what’s next” in your life, or just want to move from languishing to flourishing, this dialogue with God will help you start moving again. The #1 Session centered on the question “Where are you?” and can be found on www.themakersspace.us The #2 Session centered on the question “Who told you that?” and can be found...

  “Whether you realize it or not, you spend the majority of your day doing things you’ve already done hundreds or thousands of times before. Very rarely do you actually try new things for the purpose of engaging a unique experience. But what if you made it a point to do exactly that? There are many benefits to doing new things – don’t cheat yourself out of them.   Ask any highly creative person how they continue to innovate and express themselves in new ways – they’ll tell you the key to their success is a commitment to trying new things.   When you try new things, you put your brain into unique situations that force it to really think. This stimulates creativity, which eventually rubs off in other areas of your life. As a result, you begin to think about everything in a new light.”—Larry Alton, Huffpost

photo by John Waites                     Session #3—What are you seeking? Supplies-   Clay, wooden skewers or pointed tools to cut away the clay Any type of clay will do, that you can find, even play dough will work. for this exercise.  It is the touching and kneading of the clay that has the healing mechanisms. Welcome to The Maker’s Space!   This is a safe place where we can slow down and use art to listen to God. You have chosen to come and take some time away from the busyness of the world, to spend time with yourself.   We try to provide an environment away from the chaos outside, to a quiet place where you can listen and hear from God.  This is the place your spiritual side can be transformed and grow if you allow to give it time and space. Only God can transform us into who He intended us to be. "Creation is always an act of faith, and faith is a spiritual issue, so is creativity.  As we strive for ou...

  In a recent Wall Street Journal article on HERE’S HOW TO TACKLE PANDEMIC FATIGUE, suggestions included; practicing mindfulness, seeking quality social connections, spending less time on screens and social media, and finding new interests.   All of these actions can relieve stress which increases inflammation in the body which can make us more prone to getting sick.   Finding new interests and creative outlets can help fight those feelings of stagnation or "languishing," which is a state between despair and flourishing.  

  QUESTION #2    "WHO TOLD YOU THAT?"   Supplies needed:   Colored tissue paper, a canvas or board, watered down glue in a bowl and a sponge brush, magazines. Welcome to The Maker’s Space.   This is a safe place where we slow down and use art to practice listening to God.   This year, The Maker’s Space will be looking at 5 questions that God asks us that we can ask ourselves in order to get to know ourselves and God, and others, better.   You might feel like you are at languishing point in your life, [a state between despair and flourishing] and I think that asking questions of God, ourselves and each other can help us do the “what’s next?” and move us into flourishing.   Think about doing this session by yourself, and then invite a group of friends or family to do it together and encourage conversations.   When we practice listening to God, we can then practice our listening skills with others.   There will be more discussion quest...

  Come, slow down, breathe, and we will use art to listen! We will be meeting in person @277 Hawthorne Ave., Glen Ellyn, IL  Jan. 23, 2022... 5:30-7:00pm All supplies will be provided in person. If you join us for our LIVE ZOOM, please RSVP to 2013themakersspace@gmail.com.  You can also subscribe to this website so that you don't miss a session and the link to the LIVE ZOOM.    Supplies you will need: canvas board, magazines, school glue, brush, container for glue, colored tissue paper. LINK FOR LIVE ZOOM!  SEE YOU SUNDAY NIGHT AT 5:30pm central time Topic: The Makers Space Time: Jan 23, 2022 05:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)   Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/ 87465563294   Meeting ID: 874 6556 3294 One tap mobile +13126266799,,87465563294# US (Chicago) +13017158592,,87465563294# US (Washington DC)   Dial by your location         +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)     ...

  There is an old slang of the word "snowed" meaning "to overwhelm with insincere talk, especially with flattery."  Much of the talk today, is insincere, whether it be television, politicians or social media.  I am craving meaningful conversation, real feelings, deep thought, not just the surface and what you see.