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Can beauty and progress coexist,

or must one always fade for the other to flourish?

In the heart of our paradise, what have we traded for the promise of tomorrow?

Is the soul of our island being sold piece by piece, or are we forging a new legacy?

Are we watching the change, or are we the architects of it?

How much of our paradise is left for those who call it home, and how much is lost to those who only see its price?

In the battle between preservation and transformation, where do we stand and what ground are we willing to defend?

Can the spirit of the Cayman Islands be measured in profits?or does its true value lie in the hearts of its people?

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God has blessed me tremendously with friends who LOVE to express their creativity in the visual arts. Working towards a common goal is soooo fulfilling! This project was created with love and a deep concern for our islands' trajectory.

We've decided to start sharing more of our work. After posting this, the following day we received a call from a gentleman who spoke life into us and shared his life story. He poured into us because we shared a piece of our hearts through our work. Total strangers were reaching out via messages and calls. Two of them were creatives who were in the music and film industry (they're both much older Caymanians). They felt drawn to share their testimonies! Imagine, this piece of work didn't have anything to do with our faith, but it still connected us to people who opened up to us about their faith journey. We hear people's stories every day in our line of work, but this was different as it was unexpected. One of them (an older lady) held back her tears as she encouraged us to continue shining our light and using our gifts. She shared how our work had ignited her to pick her heart project back up - a project she had left sitting for over 2 decades😭. She lovingly warned us about what the enemy might do to discourage us as we begin to share more, this includes people close to us. God clearly sent her our way to make sense of our confusion with one of our friend’s passive behavior regarding how we use our gifts. There was so much wisdom in each person’s words and experiences. But again, the point is this all happened by simply sharing our work. Connection can happen by simply sharing your work.

_{🌻 In the words of Matt Gottesman - "Your work is something to be proud of & it's of service to others".}

Even the simple act of speaking encouraging words can stir something up in others. Passive commentary does not build up anyone, it simply leads to confusion and bitterness between one another. It's important to ask ourselves, "what's the intention behind what I'm about to post or say?". We know from the Bible that God is direct. That's why His Word continues to transform lives today. Whether it comes with a sting or a warm embrace, it's backed by LOVE. We should use our voices, and use it responsibly. Our voices can be heard through our artwork, our music, our photography, our writing, our cooking, our acts of service, and so much more! Our voices build community in many different ways. God can use it all. It really comes down to what is in our hearts!❣️

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Self-Reflection Prompts

1. ^{How do you use your voice / gifts?}
2. ^{What fruit is produced in whatever you do or create? (Think about how you treat others, or how you speak of their efforts)}
3. ^{Have you encountered any challenges or moments of doubt in your creative journey, and if so, how do you remain steadfast in your commitment to sharing your talents/gifts?}