Fashioned in the heart of a creator are intricate details of his or her masterpiece, each idiosyncrasy designed for a very specific purpose. Some elements take more time than others to develop, and some will never see the light of day and yet they make up the very fibers of the creation that would be a totally different thing otherwise. Every stroke, every breath, every thought, and every touch of the artist matters—for it is his or her very life being woven into the prized object commanding all of his or her attention for a moment in time.

Each masterpiece becomes a living thing, for it reflects the inner workings of the artist. As the artist places value on his/her creation, so the creation retains its value.

If you are an artist, you may understand what I am talking about. Your art is important to you because in a sense, it is you. A reflection of your genius and beauty that you want others to admire and be moved by. And this, my friends, is what we are to our Father, our Creator.

As a writer, I possess a unique privilege. Using the gift of imagination that I have been endowed with by my Author, I have the ability to create characters. I have unlimited freedom when it comes to developing characters—their likes and dislikes, their appearance, their passions and dreams, their purpose, their unique ways of seeing their world and other people, the way they relate to others and process events. Every time I create a new character I sense an excitement bubbling up inside of me—this character has unlimited potential in my imagination. And I will love this character, even if they fail along the way, because he or she is a unique creation of my own design.

And I am proud.

This is an amazing privilege and opportunity to me, because I get just a small glimpse into what the Father must feel when he designs each one of us. He is the originator of imagination and creativity, and I’m sure He cannot contain his joy as he plans and strategizes our person and our stories. There is no limit to the great things he can instill in us—His “characters”— or the noble feats he can purpose for us to accomplish in His epic story.

Now, something I’ve noticed over my years composing stories is that often characters can make choices or reveal things about themselves that I didn’t anticipate. And yet it always somehow makes sense to either how I made them or to the key influencers in their lives. Likewise, God has authored our DNA and our stories, but He has given us free will. Our choices will not always line up with our true selves.

But God is never disappointed in us. He just wants us to know who we are.

I feel the same for my characters. Never do they let me down, even when they make awful choices. I just want them, in the course of the story, to figure out who they are and start believing it.

When I create characters I get a peek into my Creator’s heart. I get to commune with Him as I write, each time knowing just a little deeper inside just how much He loves me. Just how elated he feels when He thinks of me. Just how excited He must be to show me more about His original design.

And just how badly He wants me to believe in my own beauty, potential, and greatness.