I have always been fascinated with how people become inspired to create things. “What made them think of that?” I often ask. At a young age, I remember visiting museums during school field trips and marveling not just at the works of art, but also that someone could translate a creative idea into a tangible thing of beauty.

This weekend, my two sons and I visited the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in nearby Nashville, Tennessee. What a great place! As a recent fan of country music, I had no idea about where the musical style came from and how it has progressed over the years. Much like my visit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio (where I mostly grew up—some trivia for you), I became motivated just by learning how other artists were inspired to create.
I was disappointed by one thing at the country music museum, though. There was plenty of information about musical inspirations, but almost none about spiritual inspirations. Anyone who listens to country music knows how deeply religious some of the songs can be. Not all, to be sure. But many past and present artists have been very clear about the spiritual foundation for their songwriting and performances. Indeed, many singers got their start by singing in the church choir or performing in front of congregations. It is sad that the museum does not give more than just a slight nod to something so important in the history of this wonderful musical genre. (I am disappointed enough that I am going to contact the museum and suggest the addition of a display that honors country music’s religious roots.)
Another Genre with Heavenly Inspiration
Speaking of religious roots, when I was first developing my ideas for Planet of Eden, some inspiration came from the desire to write a science fiction novel that presupposed the existence of God. Unlike most modern sci-fi that assumes naturalistic evolution as the foundation for science and the existence of life, I wanted to give readers another perspective.

Eden does not preach. It simply assumes that God exists and goes on from there. CS Lewis’s Space Trilogy, which also inspired my writing of Planet of Eden, does the same thing. And if you look back far enough at the history of the science fiction genre, you will find that many of its earliest authors had a biblical worldview—that is, they believed in the God of the Bible. I have even watched some early sci-fi films where the characters pay homage to the Creator of the cosmos. Interesting, right? It makes you wonder what happened.
Even if you do not consider yourself to be a religious person or a person of faith, I am sure you can appreciate how every aspect of a person’s life works to influence his or her art. A musician’s belief in a Higher Power is no less important in the development of his craft than a predilection toward a certain style or type of sound. Likewise, an author’s reverence for the Bible is no less important than her investigative bent when writing a mystery novel. To say that an artist should somehow discount his or her spiritual beliefs, or that a fan, devotee, follower, listener, or fellow artist should do the same while enjoying art, fails to recognize how all parts of a person’s life influence their craft.
Your spiritual formation—or lack of one—makes you who you are, and it helps to guide what you create. For some, art is itself a very spiritual experience. As a Christian, I believe that God created us to be like Him and do some of the things He does. That is not to say that we are little gods. But He put into us characteristics of Himself, including the power to create things—to take what is in our imaginations and turn it into something tangible and beautiful. How awesome! So, the next time you bake a delectable dessert; prepare a scrumptious, homemade meal; build, write, or perform something wonderful; craft a beautiful piece of art, or even think up an awesome, creative idea; consider that such creative power did not just appear in you at random. It is part of who you are—part of what makes you uniquely and awesomely human.
Are you inspired to create? Then go for it! Please do not allow the drudgeries of an average life to hold you back. You have so much more to offer the world. And we need your special perspective. As the character Uio teaches us in Planet of Eden, “Be an open hand.”
Stay well and stay awesome, fellow Edenites!