It is sad that he feels money drives the artist, not the subject matter. I greatly differ with that judgment. There can be pure motivation, which goes beyond money, that drives the artist. I have experienced this in my own creativity. Once I was praying in our RV a few years ago when suddenly I heard, "Go to your guitar." It wasn't a voice, but a thought which I identified as not my own and I attributed it to God. I obeyed, opened my guitar case and withdrew the instrument. I sat on the bed and strummed a few chords. Within a few minutes I was given a song that my wife and I sing often. It is one of my most powerful songs entitled, John 2:15 (Jesus Made a Whip of Cords)." I was thrilled to receive this song and absolutely feel it was divinely inspired. God never had to say, "I will give you $1000 if you will write this song for Me." No, I was very glad to stop my prayer and go to my guitar as I was asked to do. It has been a few years since that song was written and I'm as poor as I ever was. Yet I am very happy that that song was born and is in the world now, potentially available, for all to hear (for free, by the way, linked from my website). This song will edify the body of Christ, when its time of emergence comes.

We will certainly never know what motivated Michelangelo and others in the Renaissance Age, but I believe that one can be motivated purely by God's Holy Spirit. I find too much passion and depth in those magnificent paintings to believe mere money motivated his work. While this is happening, sometimes the artist has to figuratively place an upturned hat on the sidewalk for money and the necessities of life, but, I pray, not often is one solely driven by the almighty dollar. Is this why the atheist authors write their books? I've found that most people who are only in something for the money, are not too fulfilled. It seems to me that the atheist has a very low evaluation of his supposedly highly evolved, fellow humans.

My conclusion, then, is that I believe that many others' Christ-centered projects are inspired, not by the love of money, as Dawkins and others seem to think, but by a God-given passion to create, and are endowed with their imagination by a very creative and powerful God, and the pure love of Christ.

Eva and I have been given many songs that we have birthed into this world—and many of them seemed to come in uncanny ways. One of our songs, "Seems like Nobody Wants to…" has a good story. I was picking out the music to this blues type song, outside one afternoon, scatting along wordlessly, when suddenly Eva came home, driving down the long driveway. She rolled down her window and shouted to me, "I've got words!" As far as I could tell, she hadn't even heard the bluesy melody I had come up with. I was in awe of God on this one and tell this story often. She quickly wrote down about four verses and I found the inspired words, fit like a glove, to that music.

Was money the motive? Or was our love of the Lord being rewarded with songs to help us share our love of the Lord with others? God-based creativity is the opposite of self-centered creativity. I find that God gives me material that is helpful to me, but, invariably, helpful to others, too. God has given Eva and me easily fifty songs since our marriage. They are a joy to write, a joy to learn, a joy to sing, and a joy to share. We have yet to sell any of these songs. They are shared voluntarily at nursing homes, prisons, parks and on the streets.

God has asked me (in His voiceless Voice—as an idea, not my own) to write many books. When I attempt to take the initiative and write my own books, I have to struggle very hard for every sentence. But when the ideas are God's, the writing flows with ease. Not too long ago God asked me to write something regarding TV. Shall I Pray or Watch TV? was born. The book is offered free on our website. Was money my motivation? No, it was a passion and desire to see Christians praying instead of watching dribble on the tube, and I believe that passion was from God. I felt God's Spirit tell me to write this book for Christians, which hopefully, encourages us to love the atheists in this world. The atheist has only himself to thank for all his creativity. How sad that is! I truly love being the recipient of God's creativity. And I love being grateful to Him for it.

Father of the universe, I want to be a vehicle through which Your creativity comes forth, blessing the world. I want people to know You, God. How can Your mighty hand write something creative through me, that will inspire people to want You, Lord? I so want my atheist buddy, Richard Dawkins, to be inspired to want You and to do a 180 degree turn and become an evangelist for You, Lord. He would be such a blessing to many, as he would utilize his creative writing skills, explaining You to the skeptic, the agnostic, and the atheist. I thank You, God that You are awesome and able to help us all be willing to give our lives totally to You, to use as You will for Your kingdom. In Jesus name, amen.

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