When You Think You’re Not Creative: Frances’ Story of How God Uses Art Anyway
So many women I speak to tell me the same thing:
“I’m not creative. I can’t draw a stickman. I’ve never been artistic.”
But here’s the truth: creativity isn’t about being perfect or producing a gallery-ready masterpiece. It’s about expressing what’s inside of you, connecting with God, and allowing Him to use the gifts He’s already placed in you.
I want to share with you the story of Frances, one of the wonderful members of the Creative Sanctuary. Her journey shows us what happens when you stop believing the lie that you’re “not creative” and start letting God speak through your art.
Frances’ Journey: From Regret to Renewal
Frances lives in Southampton, though she and her husband of over 44 years are planning to move north to be closer to family. Her life hasn’t always been straightforward. She trained and worked as an occupational therapist after years of not really knowing what she wanted to do.
Looking back, Frances admits she once dreamed of becoming an art teacher but didn’t feel confident enough. She even went to a college interview in her twenties but walked away because of self-doubt.
“I didn’t have the confidence then,” she told me. “If I’d had the confidence I have now, maybe I would have done it.”
Instead, she found herself working in psychiatric hospitals, eventually training as an OT. And here’s the beautiful twist: God still made space for her creativity. She discovered she could weave art into her work with patients. What she once thought was a missed opportunity was actually a different path — one where her creativity became a gift to others in unexpected places.
Frances’ faith also grew out of unexpected circumstances. She had grown up going to Sunday school, but it wasn’t until a trip to the Dutch Frisian Islands as a teenager that she truly encountered Jesus. A minister there spoke about having a personal relationship with Him — something she realised she didn’t yet have. That day, she decided to give her life to Christ.
Like many of us, she still faced challenges. In her twenties, she battled depression. But God brought mentors into her life — people she calls her “spiritual parents” — who encouraged her and helped her grow in confidence and faith.
Today, Frances combines her faith and creativity in ways she never imagined possible.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
— Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
Discovering the Power of Art Journaling
Frances had always loved drawing and painting. As a child, she spent hours sketching ballet dancers (even though she was “too clumsy” to be one herself). But it wasn’t until the last few years that she discovered art journaling — the practice of combining words, images, and colour to express faith and emotions.
She told me:
“I use art journaling to process what’s going on in my heart. It helps me clarify what God is speaking to me about, whether it’s Scripture, relationships, or struggles in my life. I often start in one place and end up somewhere completely different. It becomes a journey with God on the page.”
Isn’t that powerful?
When words fail, colours speak. When prayers feel stuck, paint moves.
And Frances doesn’t just keep this to herself. She runs art journaling clubs in her church, helping young people use creativity to process what’s happening in their lives. Some of these teenagers are facing huge challenges, yet when they sit down with paints and worship music, they find a safe space to express what they can’t always say out loud.
One evening, one of the teenagers asked to put on worship music. No one told them to. No one pressured them. It came from their heart. And as the music played, they painted. That moment was a glimpse of God at work — using art to open a door.
From Mess to Message
Like many of us, Frances sometimes wonders if she “missed it” by not becoming an art teacher. But she’s learning to see things differently.
She created an art journal page based on the acronym SHAPE (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experiences). As she painted, she reflected on her life:
Her spiritual gifts: encouraging, equipping, sharing with others.
Her heart: a passion for people struggling with mental health.
Her abilities: creativity, listening, compassion.
Her personality: warm, enthusiastic, servant-hearted.
Her experiences: both joyful and painful, but none wasted.
She included the Japanese concept of kintsugi — repairing broken pottery with gold — as a reminder that God uses our flaws and imperfections to make something even more beautiful.
As Frances said:
“No experience is ever wasted. Even the bits that went wrong, even when it’s gone pear-shaped. We can’t live on regret. It is what it is. We are where we are. And God works with what we’ve got.”
That’s a message so many of us need to hear.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
— Psalm 147:3 (NIV)
Creativity as Ministry
Frances hasn’t just used creativity for her own healing. She has shared it with others in powerful ways.
She once ran a programme through her mental health charity called SPACE (Suicide Prevention Awareness Connection in Education). As part of it, she brought in art journaling as a way for people in crisis to process what was going on in their hearts and minds.
Now, new doors may be opening again. Frances recently told me she is praying about getting involved with a mobile coffee shop project in Southampton, designed to reach people on the edge of despair. She’s wondering if art journaling could be offered there as a safe, creative outlet for people in crisis.
Can you imagine? Sitting in a mobile coffee shop with a cup of tea, some paints or pens in front of you, and the freedom to express what’s too heavy to carry alone.
This is the heart of creativity as ministry — not about perfecting technique, but about offering hope, expression, and the presence of God in the middle of brokenness.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
— 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
A Member of the Creative Sanctuary
Frances is one of the women inside the Creative Sanctuary, and I am humbled by her words about what it has meant to her. She recently wrote to me:
“I stand in awe of what you have been able to create and especially the resources. I joined the Sanctuary because I witnessed with your spirit and with what you were trying to achieve. I would definitely do an art journaling retreat with you and I’m sure we could do a day one to start. Pray for God to guide me regarding an opening for creativity with the new coffee mate project. I look forward to seeing you next Monday. Thanks once again. — Frances”
Her testimony isn’t about me. It’s about what God is doing through creativity when we step out and make space for Him to move.
The Lesson for You
Maybe you’ve been telling yourself you’re not creative. Maybe you’ve carried regrets about paths not taken. Maybe you’ve thought creativity is for other people — the “real artists.”
But Frances’ story shows us something different.
You don’t have to go to art school to use your creativity.
You don’t need to produce perfect paintings to glorify God.
You don’t even need confidence to start — confidence grows as you step out.
The truth is this: creativity is in your DNA because you were created in the image of the Creator.
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
— Genesis 1:27 (NIV)
When you pick up a pen, a paintbrush, or even scraps of paper and glue, you are reflecting God’s own nature. And in that process, He meets you, heals you, and often speaks in ways words alone cannot.
Takeaways and Journaling Prompts
Here are some lessons from Frances’ story that you can take into your own life:
Key Takeaways
1. No experience is wasted. Even regrets and “wrong turns” can be redeemed by God.
2. Your flaws are part of your beauty. Like kintsugi pottery, God fills the cracks with gold.
3. Creativity heals. Art journaling is a way to process emotions, find peace, and hear God’s voice.
4. Creativity blesses others. Your art can open doors for healing, conversation, and ministry.
5. You are creative because God is creative. It’s part of your identity in Him.
Journaling Prompts to Try
What regrets or “if only” thoughts do I still carry? How might God want to redeem them?
Where have I seen God turn a mess in my life into a message?
Draw or paint an image that represents your “cracks” or imperfections. Then, add gold (pen, paint, or collage) to show how God fills those places with His beauty.
Write a prayer to God expressing your honest feelings. Tear it up, and then use the pieces as collage in a journal page. What does the new picture say to you?
Reflect on Genesis 1:27. What does being made in the image of the Creator mean for how you see yourself today?
Conclusion
Frances’ story reminds us that creativity is never wasted. It can heal your own heart, encourage young people, support those in crisis, and glorify God in the process.
So next time you hear that voice saying, “I’m not creative” — silence it. Pick up a pen, a brush, or a handful of scraps. Invite God into the process. See what He might do.
And if you’d like a space to explore this journey with others, know that Frances found her home inside the Creative Sanctuary — a place where women grow in faith, creativity, and confidence together.
Because you are creative.
Because you are made in His image.
And because God delights in the work of your hands.
Bev x
Want to Experience This Through Art?
Join me for my next free Creative Calm Workshop:
Drawn to Peace: A Prayerful Zentangle Workshop✨ A live, Spirit-led session where we combine Zentangle patterns with prayer, reflection, and journaling.
📅 Thursday 28th August at 8:00 PM UK / 3:00 PM Eastern⏳ Replay available for 24 hours only👉 Save your free spot here: https://creativesoulspace.com/zen25
Let’s stop striving. Let’s start creating from a place of grace.
You are unfinished. And that is sacred.
