Burnout and the biblical importance of rest
Dear Readers,
Ephesians 2:10 NLT says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
This issue is so special to me as I get to introduce you to close friends of mine who are unashamedly living out their faith in their respective creative industries. In these interviews, I have been
personally encouraged and challenged by the faith and wisdom of these women. Most of the interviewees have never met, and yet there is a clear common theme throughout the conversations I had with them—no matter what creative gifts you have or how you use them, they can always be used to share the gospel and as a form of worship. Whether you work in a traditional ministry setting
| Triple Threat
| Styled by Ayla
| Sabbath 02
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Aitana Gluth’s story of creative expression and worship
Hair stylist Ayla Doyle is redefining the beauty industry through ministry
Contents
14 | Made to Worship
such as worship ministry, or a less traditional setting such as a salon, God has given us specific and unique gifts and talents for the purpose of His glory and His kingdom. The consistency of this message is something I never could have orchestrated and is undeniably God’s doing. I am truly excited for you to reap the benefits of the hard labor invested in this magazine and to see what God is doing in and
16 | Capturing Creativity
Tips for creating quality photos for your professional social media account
18 | Behind the Lens
through the testimonies within these pages.
Danielle Metzger Editor
Contributors Publisher
Danielle Metzger
Editor
Danielle Metzger
Graphic Designer
Danielle Metzger
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Hannah Suddeth talks about the creative aspects of worship ministry
Holly Mindrup talks about the work-life balance of being a freelance photographer
MADE WORSHIP to
Written and Designed by Danielle Metzger
Creativity has a unique and pivotol role in the church, which can be seen in a worship leader’s use of their musical gifts and talents to lead people in worshipping the Lord. One such worship leader, Hannah Suddeth, spoke in an interview about the creative aspects of worship ministry and explained the crucial distinction between worship and performance.
I don’t think I really understood the weight of worship leading until my freshman year of college. It was the very first chapel I had ever been to. My freshman year, 2021, in the Furnace at SEU. At the time I was asking the Lord to confirm that I had chosen the right major, which was worship ministry, and during worship I just felt God’s presence so heavily and I felt in my heart that God said “stay. this is where I want you.” So from that day on I made it my mission to pursue this calling and obey God’s will for my life.
Q: What opportunities does being a worship leader present for being creative and finding creative fulfillment?
Q: When and how did you realize you were called to lead worship?
A: Before going to Southeastern University, I had led worship for about 2 years already but
A: In leading worship, it’s really fun to work with other creative people, and along with playing music there is writing music, so being able to write and express worship from my own thoughts has been a great creative outlet. Allowing room during worship for the spirit to intervene is another really cool way that I find creative fulfillment through leading
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worship. I love when God takes over a worship set and everything changes or new songs are introduced. Alterations like these are super cool to experience because it’s non-prepared, authentic worship that’s from the Lord’s heart downloaded to the leaders and sung in unity in the church.
Q: How would you describe the relationship between music and worship?
A: Music is sounds that people make. People have created music with just their hands and voices for years and it’s developed greatly with the use of instruments and technology. But worship is a posture. What makes worship
worship is the heart and intentionality behind the music. You can sing a song about God and not engage in worship. But when you sing a song about God and your posture is to praise the Lord for who he is and bring glory to his name, that’s when it becomes worship– when the focus turns away from self and onto Jesus. So when brought together, music was created by God and worship is to glorify God, therefore music as worship is using God given gifts to glorify the Kingdom, which honors the Lord. And this is just one of so many ways to honor the Lord with our gifts.
Q: What advice would you give to those who feel called into worship ministry?
A: Stay humble and keep learning. Worship can easily lead to a prideful attitude but it is so important to remember that it is a privilege to serve in any leadership position. Remember who and what worship is all about and surrender your will to God before leading. A platform means nothing. Worship is an encounter with Jesus, not a talent show (to put it simply). Secondly, always be learning something. You will never outgrow learning from God and his word. My first semester I auditioned for SEU Worship and I am so glad that I got rejected because in that semester God taught me so much about worship and my relationship with him. Take time to learn from God and continue implementing his word in your life. Your worship will change throughout your life and learning from the Lord and those he’s put in your life to help develop your gift will aid in this change. My worship my freshman year is not the same as my worship now, and will not be the same in two more years. Allow God to lead you as he uses you to lead others.
Hannah leading worship. (photo courtesy of Hannah Suddeth)
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Behind the Lens
A Q&A With Holly Mindrup
Written and Designed by Danielle Metzger
For busy women, juggling the responsibilities of daily life can make the pursuit of creative hobbies or side hustles seem far fetched. However, there are inspiring creative women who defy these odds and make time to nurture their creativity while fulfilling their daily roles. Holly Mindrup is a mom of four, small business owner, and a freelance photographer whose journey emodies the delicate balance between business and family responsibilities and personal creative fulfillment. In an interview with Holly, she talked to us about how photography fits into her busy life, and how her work as a photographer is influenced by her faith.
Q: How did you first get into photography and how did you know it was something you wanted to continue doing?
A: It had always been a dream of mine to photograph my boys and document their early years with a quality camera. In 2015 I became very sick
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and I was hospitalized for a week with pneumonia. After several misdiagnosis over a week, the second hospital I visited discovered it was pneumonia and the infection in my lungs was really bad. I’ll never forget the doctor standing in the doorway telling me that if I hadn’t come in when I did, I likely wouldn’t have made it. The week after I got home, my husband gifted me my first DSLR camera and told me, “Life is too short to not live your dreams.”
It wasn’t long after posting pictures of my boys on social media that the requests came pouring in to photograph their families. The rest is history!
Q: What does doing photography look like for you right now?
A: Photography is definitely a much smaller side hustle these days. I have about a dozen clients that I photograph yearly. I will occasionally take new clients by word of mouth recommendations from that handful of clients I still serve.
A: I currently shoot with a canon t7s. You’ll typically find the Ef 85mm 1.8 lens on my camera or if I’m lucky enough to rent a lens, my go to is the EF 24-70 2.8 IS II.
Q: How does your Christian faith influence the way you view photography, your interactions with clients, and your photography itself?
A: When I photograph families I don’t just see it as a chance to make some quick money. I see it as an opportunity to encourage families because let’s be honest, parenting is hard. It’s also an opportunity make deeper connections and see past the surface in an attempt to meet needs of those who I serve.
Q: What camera are you using currently?
Q: Why is it meaningful for you to have a creative outlet like photography?
A: As a mom of four, I’m often consumed with caring for my family, which I love doing. It’s truly such a precious gift the Lord has given me, but having the opportunity to serve other families or even my church is a “cup filler.” My cup runneth over!
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©2024
