By Micaela Arriola, EXALT21 Decoration Team I/C
Creativity is something I never really considered my strong suit. Even in school, I steered away from ‘arts subjects’ because I much preferred things with some sort of ‘right answer’. Art and creativity always seemed too vague and uncertain, but it was also always alluring. In recent years, the Holy Spirit has truly inspired me and given me the courage to use the creative spirit in me. However, the scale and significance of decorating EXALT21 was daunting. I wondered if what I had to offer, which felt like not much, was enough for EXALT21, enough to draw His people to Him.
Amidst the sea of endless possibilities (& endless pinterest pins) on how to decorate, I felt stranded – doubting my own opinions, wondering if this idea or design was ‘wrong’. I trapped myself in my own pride of wanting to do well, to create something no one can fault. The struggles began from the very beginning of the preparation, but undoubtedly, so did God’s providence. I remember watching a show one day during this period, just as part of my daily routine. It wasn’t a new show, in fact, it was a show I’ve watched over and over I could quote it line for line. But that day, this one line stood out and it was ‘there’s no wrong in art’. It was no coincidence that the word I was hung up on, trapped by – ‘wrong’ – was used. God revealed to me how much I didn’t believe that I was made good, that I relied on external validations like being ‘right’ or creating something ‘good’ in the eyes of the world to define my worth. Decorating for EXALT21 was the deep end dive I needed into trusting the Lord and allowing the spirit to lead me. I was still clueless, but who else better to turn to than the One who created the universe, the One who created me? The Lord gave me the courage to try new things and to claim the creativity he planted in me. He transformed the sea of creativity that seemed to engulf and trap me into a sea of freedom, because there really is no wrong in art.
From start to finish: Entrance to the tent, EXALT21
It was still a pretty tall task, and I was extremely fearful, but God invited me to take a leap of faith with EXALT21 and He did not fail to provide. At every step of the way, he blessed me – with a wonderful team of inspired friends, whose creativity never fail to edify me, many helping hands who showed up always exactly when we needed, angels with snacks. Even until the very end – after the many long days and hard nights, cutting and gluing, sweat and sunburn, and seemingly too much effort just to make something ‘pretty’ – as I gazed at the Blessed Sacrament during the overnight vigil, the Lord reminded me that, more often than not, He showed rather than told, assuring me that there is power in Beauty, Jesus being the most beautiful of all. I praise and thank the Lord for giving me, through EXALT21, this immense freedom and Joy – Joy from knowing the Beauty of the one I serve and the knowledge that I am His beautiful creation too.
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you, in God, whose word I praise, in God I put my trust and have no fear,” – Psalm 56:3-4.
