Fully and Creatively Alive (Self-published, 2016)
Tom Eggebrecht introduces his self-published book Fully and Creatively Alive by defining the title concept. From Tom’s perspective, fully and creatively alive means “living out your total potential and doing it with uniqueness and flair.” In Tom’s book, it’s the only way to live. In addition, there’s always an artistic alternative to life. Very often, that alternative leads to your own joy while at the same time serving to help others.
However, even though living fully and creatively takes time, work, and effort, God stands ready to help you tap into your creativity. Specifically, the sentences of life’s fill-in-the-blank moments provide an amazing opportunity. You discover the creativity our Creator God places within you. Prayer also supports those fill-in-the-blank moments. When you pray, petition the Lord for inspiration and creative insight. You’ll respond to the Lord’s prompting with renewed energy, interesting ideas, and the desire to follow through. Therefore, create something because you like it, it affects your life, or evokes personal meaning.
Yet, when failure occurs, give yourself a kind of grace. Accept the existence of a learning curve and develop a positive, proactive, and optimistic attitude. Furthermore, use that failure as your mode of transformation. Then tell about it! For a positive attitude makes you, but a negative attitude breaks you. Also, a positive mindset centers on serving others, not shining the spotlight on yourself. As a result, the true test of your passion for something focuses on your motivation. In other words, you’ll do something you’re passionate about whether or not you get paid for it.
In conclusion, the author emphasizes that hard work succeeds when passion and purpose meet discipline. Remember not to focus too much on yourself. Let others help. Also, be willing to serve in unexpected ways. So, pick your head up, look at what you’re doing day to day, and be prepared to shift your dream. Tom closes with these words of encouragement:
“The world needs what you have to give. . . . Help those who need help. Live a better story. Surround yourself with people that fill the gaps in your life. This is your call to live a life that’s fully and creatively alive. Now go do it!”
