#89 S4 EP 9: A Potter's Touch to Life's Imperfections with Morgan

Hello, hello everybody. Welcome back to God's Diamonds in the Rough. We are so glad to be back with you one more time, one more day. The Lord has blessed us to come here and be together today. For those of you that are watching by video, we have a guest with us, a-man. Her name is Morgan. She just looks like she's sweet as can be. I'm definitely excited about this conversation and how our pain can lead to a passion. We never thought it was there. If you don't hear, michael hears, because he's at work. She and I are going to get into it in just a moment. Morgan, you want to say hello to everybody real quick.

Hi everyone and thank you so much for having me on this podcast. I'm super excited to be here.

We're so glad to have you honey. Okay, y'all know we gotta do real quick, we gotta pray. Father, we thank you so much for this day. Thank you, god, for allowing us to come together one more time. I pray in the name of Jesus that as we go into this conversation, you would just be here in the midst of us. We pray, god, that you will touch every diamond, touch the heart and touch the mind, touch that desire. God, we pray that we can give a word that would sound just like you. We pray, god, that you will use us to your glory and we bless your name. We pray this prayer in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. We do pray, amen, amen, amen.

Amen.

So, morgan, would you tell us a little bit about yourself before we dig into this topic?

Yes, of course. So I am a Christian. I became a Christian when I was young. I was raised in a Christian household. I gave my heart to Jesus at about age seven and my faith really became real to me when I was about 14. I had scoliosis spinal fusion surgery and that was a pretty major surgery and I was pretty young, and so that really really just took a lot of prayer to get through. And so that's really when my faith started to become real to me.

And through that recovery process and I'm sure we'll go into this more, but through that recovery process I found a love of ceramics. My mom signed me up for a pottery class over the summer it was just some kids' art camp and I just absolutely fell in love with it and I ended up going to college to get my degree for ceramics and that really just kickstarted my life. And without the scoliosis experience I don't know if I ever would have found pottery, which is such a crazy path that God put me on. But I'm so thankful for it, and all of that has led even into me writing a book about it, and so that's just kind of my story and basics.

Okay, cool, sounds very much so like something just like God. You know what I mean. He'll just take something that you never expect and turn it into your passion Amen. And so I would gather you know the pain it really brought you into where, into your passion and the passion of ceramics. So can you just kind of explain the passion and what it does for your heart, what it does for your ministry and how it is that God is just how he's directing you in your steps?

Sure, of course, that's a great question. Well before my scoliosis surgery, I loved dancing. I did. I respect dancing, believe it or not, and did that for years, and I loved it so much. And so I was really missing that creative outlet when I had that scoliosis experience. The surgery is a complete fusion of my spine and so I have two titanium rods and about 18 screws in my back and so I can't bend my back at all, and so that was a year-long recovery process of me not really bending or twisting or doing anything that could endanger that hardware from really fusing together and healing like that. And so I was missing that creative outlet of dancing.

And that's why ceramics was just so amazing. I was able to really just touch the clay with my hands and really get into that creative process in a different way that I had never experienced before. And it was so personal and so tactile, just to be able to hold something and just mold it into something completely new and completely different. And it started from dirt, and that's such the Christian experience as well, and there's so many Bible verses that talk about that. Just seeing my relationship with the clay helped me understand God's relationship with me as God being the potter and so that's really kind of all basically my ministry. The book that I wrote is called God the Artist and I really just encourage everyone. Everyone is creative and I can say that because it's true, because God is creative and he created us and his image, so by default we're all creative and it looks different for everyone. But it just breaks my heart when people say that they aren't creative. Of course you are, you just have to tap into that. God gave you that.

Absolutely. I think that sometimes people are so busy looking at what they have to gain that they can't embrace the creativity that God has given all of us, and that's just a worry for somebody. Embrace that hobby, embrace that thing you just seem to enjoy. No, you're not getting paid for it. You might not be getting paid for it, but then again you might. But the reality is that we all to enjoy the goodness that is in our lives. Would you agree?

Oh, yes, of course I would agree, and creativity brings me joy. I love to make things and some things I sell. I do pottery and I do sell that. And then there's some things I do just for me. I draw a little bit and paint, I sew some, and that's just for pure joy and God gives us that joy and so just to be able to honor Him, just by creating. In general, you don't have to sell and make money off of your things to honor God. So just really embracing creativity and understanding that what you make probably won't be perfect and I say that to myself too, because that's hard, that's hard to make something and say that's not what I thought it was going to be but just keep trying and just keep doing it and know that God is with you through the process and he's giving you the abilities along the way and he's watching you do it, right there beside you.

That's right. So you know the fact that you are doing something that often times perfection can become our worst enemy. Can you speak just to perfection, and how? I guess I would say how a relationship with Jesus has defined the perfection that you bring forth through your pottery?

That's a great question, man. Pottery is a dangerous world for perfection. There are so many things that can go wrong. So many things, I mean, even just from the basics of throwing something on the pottery wheel and you know, if the clay is too wet or too dry it'll fall off the wheel, it'll crumble or collapse or a number of things. And then, if it survives that stage, then you've got to trim all the bottom, get all that excess clay off. And again, if it's not the exact way you need it to be, if it's uncentered or whatever, it will again just be ruined. But if you get it through those two stages, then you've got to fire it, and that goes up to at least 1900 degrees Fahrenheit and it has a potential to explode or crack in the kiln. And once, if it survives that process, then you've got to glaze it and fire it a second time. And there's all kinds of things that can happen with glazing and if the glaze doesn't come out right, it might not be food safe.

And so perfection God has worked on that with me and just accepting that perfection is not really real. You know, it's something that we all want, but it doesn't really exist except through Jesus, except through God. And so there's no way that we'll ever reach perfection. Of course we can strive for it, but we have to give ourselves some grace. I mean, if God is able to give us grace, then who are we to not give ourselves grace? We have to. And so just recognizing, of course there'll be flaws, there are flaws in us, of course there's going to be flaws in our work. How can we make perfect work in a fallen world when we're not perfect? That's just impossible. So just being able to recognize that in ourselves and give ourselves a little bit of grace along the process too, and just know that God's in control, Absolutely so.

I mean I just love what you said because you know, I just don't believe that there's such things. Perfection. I mean, how can we really define perfection when God looks at us and he looks at you and he sees perfection? Because he sees us where we are and he loves us as we are and the Bible teaches us that as we grow and as we develop, he's constantly perfecting us for our internal home. And so, you know, the dig here is for us to not seek perfection but to seek out, I would guess. I guess I could say the desire that God has for us. In the only way we find out that desire is through his word.

And whatever he's gifted us at, whatever he's gifted you at, at being able to do, and that thing that you fall in love with. Ask him what is the connection, god? What is it that you're trying to show me and make me understand? I think that is a beautiful thing. When we can find our purpose, you know, and I believe that our purpose is wrapped up in our love for whatever it is that we do. You know what I mean, right?

Right, and it might take time too. I had that surgery over 12 years ago, as this podcast is being recorded, and for 10 years I didn't even speak about it. I was not comfortable talking about my experience, my surgery at all, and so just know, like, it's okay, god is working through you and God has his own timeline and I am very impatient. So that's just. It's just as hard for me to grasp as it is for me to say but it's true, it's true, I didn't really feel comfortable even sharing my story for 10 years. That's a long time, but now it's so freeing. I mean, of course it's still scary, but recognizing that this is why God gave me the story that I have to be able to have the experiences that I have and to be able to share them and help others through those experiences. Sure, it took me some time to get here, but God's not surprised.

Right and it's a you know, you know it's like you know, it's one of those things you know, we hear, you hear people say it all the time and if it's a message for your testimony, your message, for your message, the victimization is for your victory and your story. And you know, we didn't dig that deep, haven't dug that deep into your story, but it's essentially, it's that you know, everything that you've been through and all of the struggles, through the pain, has become your testimony. It's become your message, not only verbally, but through your art, through your ceramics that has become your message and you know, can you.

Is there anything that you haven't shared, that you wanted to share in regard to through the condition, through the healing, anything else that you want to share about that process before you actually got to the book is we want to talk a little bit more about your book as well.

Sure, of course. Well, my scoliosis experience. So in fifth grade I found out I was diagnosed with scoliosis and, for those who are unfamiliar, basically when I hit that growth spurt in fifth grade, my spine didn't grow straight, it grew like an S curve, and not only side to side but it was also twisting. And so the more I grew, the more my spine was twisting and I wore a back brace, at night especially, and then it got to be more and more increments of time of wearing this brace. That was kind of holding my position to try to stop that growth. And we were really just waiting for my bones to kind of finish growing, of course, to see where everything was going to kind of settle. And then the doctor said you know, the brace isn't really doing what we need it to. It's kind of your spine is now affecting your other organs, so, like my lungs and things like that, I wasn't able to have full capacity of air in my lungs and of course that's going to be an issue for me later on in life. And so at that point we decided I needed to have this, the spinal fusion surgery, and I actually had that at Shriners hospitals for children in Greenville and they're so amazing. It was a week in the hospital of, I mean, everything was just adjusted. So when they straightened out my spine I actually grew an inch and a half that's how twisted my spine was and so just that process of healing and recovery was just so major.

I was did school from home for a while and just different things that really affected me like physical pain and then, of course, like psychological, emotional pain.

I took a pillow everywhere with me and so getting stairs, you know, just things that just mess with your head as a teenage girl about body image, on top of everything that social media throws at you with body image too. So I understand that struggle and just really coming out of that, and that's a daily battle as well, of course. But after the year of recovery I was able to kind of go back to normal activity for the most part, and so if you saw me today, you'd probably I've gotten comments, you have great posture, and I'm like, oh yeah, there's a reason for that, but you probably wouldn't know. And so sometimes the pain is still internal and if it's not visibly external, I don't have a pretty awesome scar, though I will say but. But that that's the gist of my painful experience through my surgery and then coming out of that. And, of course, I'm so thankful for my family and I know it was difficult for them to, but they were so awesome just helping me through that as well.

Right. So now would you talk about your passion, talk about this book, where people get your book, and all of the good stuff.

Of course it is available for preorder as of right now as the podcast is recording. It's available for preorder wherever books are sold so Amazon, target, walmart, barnes and Noble, and that is. It's called God the Artist by Morgan MacArthur, and the full title is God the Artist revealing God's creative side through pottery. And so the book really is my testimony, kind of what I've shared today. And then it also is looking at these verses that talk about pottery and really unpacking them from my perspective as a Christian ceramic artist. So really understanding like what does it mean when God's talking about like trampling on clay and some of these Old Testament verses that we just kind of skim over and they don't get a lot of time and a Sunday morning sermon, and really just taking the time to unpack them and say what does this really mean coming from the background of ceramics and the background of clay?

And it also kind of highlights God's creativity and God's creative nature, and my hope is that the reader can have a stronger relationship with God by recognizing these characteristics in him that maybe weren't recognized before and then also recognizing the creativity within themselves, and so at the end of each chapter there's actually a creative challenge. I call them my little creativity challenges. And it's for any type of art. You don't have to do pottery. It's any type of creative expression. So singing, writing, dancing, painting, anything you can think of to be creative. There's little prompts, so you can interact with the book and enhance your creativity as well as you read along.

I like it Sounds really good. I like it because you know what I've come over in the last two years. I've come to realize that art is one of those things that you know, kind of like a take it or leave it type of thing, but it's really very. Not only is it expressive, but it is absolutely a way where we can really release trauma, release things that subconsciously are there. You know, because you can kind of we can look at the same picture and see two different things. You know what I mean.

We look at art and we can see a couple of different things depending upon where we are Emotionally, spiritually, physically it just depends. And so you know, this creative side is, it's a place where I believe that we all can get to, do you believe?

that, oh, yes, yes, and it doesn't matter the level of creativity you're at either. I think that's important to remember Again, especially with social media. It's showing you everything. That's amazing, but everyone has to start somewhere right. And social media is not as real as we think it is. And so just acknowledging, I know right, just acknowledging, like you've got to start somewhere, why not? You know, if you want to do a different creative outlet for every creativity challenge, why not, like you know, be the Renaissance man or woman, try all the different things, bake for one of the challenges, I don't care. You know, this is for you and your relationship with God, and you are growing in your own creativity, and that is just. That's just such a powerful place to be Like. When we are creating, we are representing and paralleling that relationship of God and His creation. You know he created the whole world. That's the first thing he did in the beginning. God created. You know that's the first verb we have in the Bible creating. And so, of course, we're designed to make things, so why not?

So I suppose that you are a great influence to young people and you know where you serve. In regard to church art, you know, do the younger people around you receive art and ceramics as well?

I am in Asheville, north Carolina, and that's a huge ceramics community and so it's really fun to be here. I didn't grow up here, but I moved here recently and it's great, and the church I serve with Brookstone Church, they are just amazing and I am currently a seventh grade girls youth leader and I just love those girls. We recently did a retreat with the entire youth program where I was able to do a clay experience with everyone, and so we were in the mountains, it was beautiful fall weather and everyone was like taking leaves and pressing them into the clay and just creating these awesome patterns and it's amazing. I mean, again, age doesn't matter. There were students, you know, younger than me, who were making these beautiful designs and I thought, wow, I can be so inspired by them, you know, just creating and expressing themselves beautifully, with all its nature. It was amazing.

Did you record that Like on video, Did you put it on YouTube or anything?

I've got some pictures. I need to, you know, of course get the appropriate permissions before I do anything with them, but just the inspiration was amazing.

Well, there's an idea, there's an idea. Yeah, sure, so we are not quite at that 30 minute mark, but do you have an encouraging word for every listener, outside of anything else that you've already said?

Of course. If you don't mind, I'll just read a little excerpt from my book. If that's okay, please go ahead. Okay, we all have the ability and desire to be creative. I know you might doubt that, but hear me out. Every human being on the planet Earth is in some way creative. How do I know? How can I make such a blanket statement about the entire world? I know every one of us is creative because God created us in His image. If we believe the Bible is true, then we must take all of it as truth, and in doing that, we must believe that God created each of us with the capacity for creativity. Why would he do this? Because every creative aspect reveals more of Him and points us back to Himself.

Amen, that's powerful, very powerful. So the essence of what you're saying I mean it's powerful because it all points back to Him. Hear me, it's not about Him. It's all about Him and you know anything and everything that you're doing makes sure that it's pointing back to Jesus. Yeah, because at the end of the day, he gets the glory. Amen. God gets the glory always, and I know that's your initiative, right.

It is yep, of course.

Yeah, so Do you have a website? I know you have your book. Do you have a website as well?

I do have a website. It's short and simple. It's just my name, morgan MacArthur comm. You can also follow me on Instagram. It's Morgan MacArthur porcelain. I'm on Facebook. I'm on Twitter as God the artist BK. Bk stands for book. I think that's just about every place I'm at. I'm on your LinkedIn.

LinkedIn is an interesting one yeah yes. Yeah, for sure. So would you do us a favor and please pray for our audience and Give a final encouraging word a man.

Of course, of course. Do you look? God, thank you for this day and thank you for just letting us all be here right now. There is no accident that everyone is here right now listening, and we just thank you for every listener, every diamond who is tuning in, and I just pray that each one of them feels so encouraged and so special and just that they understand how precious they are in your eyes and how much is inside of them, how much capacity to be creative that they have just hidden inside of them waiting to come out.

And I ask that you just give them the courage and strength and ideas they need to Show that creativity and to reveal that and to find that joy within themselves of creating and of being creative. And Whether that's, you know, like we've talked about, through Trauma and pain, or whether that's just through joy, I just ask that you give them the strength and the courage for that and take away any fears that they might have. Or, god, let them just have fun with this, them have a childlike wonder of just the experience of making something out of nothing. And I just ask these things in Jesus, beautiful name, amen.

Amen, amen, awesome, morgan, I just bless you on today. I mean, I see your youthfulness, I see your love and joy for the things of God and I'm just excited about where God is taking you and you know how he's gonna have you to impact this world. God the artist yeah, when we look in the sky, we can see the artist in God. I'm just looking in the sky and how he sets the sun and how he raises the sun. This is, it's just, it is awesome and it's beautiful when we find people who appreciate the, the Beauty that comes from him.

And again, I'm just so excited about what God is doing in your life and you know, you just know he got, he has a plan for you, he definitely has a plan for you and I'm just praying that you'll continue to walk in it and you know that's for every diamond that is here walking in the plan of God, not allowing people or things to get you distracted, to get you knocked off of where God is taking you. I mean, I personally have never heard of anyone to have a degree in ceramics is to me, you know, it's just kind of a odd thing, but you know what I mean. But go ahead something for you hey man right.

It is not the case that you're not.

It's nothing here for you that you're an accident, that you have no person. The devil is a liar, because all of us have something that God has put into us to bring glory to him. Amen and Morgan, I just say it again, I am very, very excited for you and where God is taking that. That is really what drew me to your profile your youth and cuz.

I'm gonna.

Yes, it's hard to find young people who are serious about the things of God.

You know that, yes.

And you know, I just asked you just before and just cuz we got a few more minutes speak to young people.

You know, just for a minute just speak to young people, sure, yeah, I'd love to, and Podcasts are amazing, for, for my generation and younger, I just love these, um. But yeah, don't, um, don't be afraid to do things just because you're young. Half the things I've gotten myself into I just applied to it, I just heard about it. I didn't research it that much, I just tried it out to see what would happen. And it's just amazing. You know the things that I don't think mean anything, and then they give me the courage. For instance, I taught English as a second language On line for just a couple of months, just transitioning jobs. Didn't think anything of it and that's what's given me.

You know the courage to do these podcasts, and it's just amazing how God connects things that I never thought would be connected, um. And then, looking back, you can see all these things and, like you said, I'm I'm pretty Young, so I'm just so excited to see what God will connect Later on in life. But don't be afraid to try things just because you're young, um, remember the in Job, the Elehu, his friend who spoke the most wisdom to him, was the youngest, and so I really just take that as a Human mentorship in a way, and an encouragement that God can empower us at any age and he can give us his grace to Speak his word at any age, and so I just encourage you guys to do what you're passionate about and do what God is telling you and calling you to do, um, because he's calling you now. He's not calling you for 30 years from now, it's right now, um, and so really just listen to that and just honor him through that calling.

Morgan, again I thank you for being here. We so appreciate your presence and um, again, I'm excited, absolutely. I wish you all the best. Um diamonds, y'all know what it is. The word has been given, the encouragement has been given, the prayer has been said and y'all know what Michael always says. Please remember you are a diamond in the rough. Amen, we'll see you next week. Amen, make sure you stay tuned in. We plan on being here and we hope that you do too. Blessings and love. Y'all have a great night.