Do you yearn for a SAFE SPACE to be heard, a TIME OUT to stop and listen to the beat of your own heart, 6 weeks of self-proclaimed PERMISSION to process and work through your own deep inner work about identity, self-love and reflection in a non-stuffy, non-judgemental, moderated, Christ-centered community of fellow creative spirits?
If your answer is “YES”, stay tuned for the 2013 offering of the Shine Bright E-Course!
14 “Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. 15 If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. 16 Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand - shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.” ~Matthew 5: 14-16 (The Message)
Dear Sweet Friend,We didn’t always not know ourselves…
Maybe you are in transition in your life, perhaps motherhood or a new season is upon you, or you are noticing deep stirrings and aren’t sure what to do with it or where to go. Maybe you’ve been so busy taking care of everyone else for so long that you’ve begun to forget where you are going and what brings you joy. Or maybe you’ve been doing great, going along at full tilt for a while now and sense that you need a season to stop and reassess who you are becoming and where you are going with your art, your personal life, your growth as a woman.
Sometimes along the way to becoming truest version of ourselves, we lose bits of ourselves, our voices start to slowly change until we no longer recognized them as our own. And that audacious childlike confidence is all but gone.
If you recognize yourself in these words, welcome! Join us for 6 weeks together, as we stop to reflect, think and re-discover who we are as women, as light-bearers and as artists.
The Shine Bright: Discovering Our Light! E-Course is a wide open call to everyone who needs a safe space to bring their inner struggles about identity and voice out into the light—in a community facilitated through a uniquely Christian perspective. The purpose of this e-course is to hold each other’s hands as we walk together—each through our own inner lives—and practice asking questions and listening for the answers that live (and sometimes torment!) our souls. I think of the “Shine Bright” course as a chance to get reconnected with your authentic self;
if you already have it all together and know where you’re going and how to get there, this course really isn’t for you!
“Shine Bright” is a course for the rest of us—those of us who need a little bit of support in finally getting real with ourselves, it’s about unearthing and being honest with ourselves about the things we love and the things that repel us, it’s about discovering our natural giftings and learning to acknowledge and embrace our limitations, it’s about letting ourselves enjoy life and shine so that our work will be infused with the essence of who we are.
“Shine Bright” is 6-weeks of guilt-free permission to go deep, to ask ourselves the hard questions and listen for the answers, to focus on who God created you to be so that you can take your truest-self into the world in heartfelt service and it’s about doing this deep inner work in community with one another in non-confrontational and safe ways.
WHEN: 2013
• A pretty online classroom with photographs, illustrations and videos to complement the freshly written course content
• The experience of asking the deep questions about self-hood and voice in a supportive, Christ-centered community
• The fellowship of kindred spirits for you to belong to on your journey as an artist and a Jesus follower during the course
• A safe place to celebrate your victories, wrestle with your doubts, fears and insecurities
• A personalized .pdf guided journal to help you process your thoughts during the course…yours to download, print and keep for always! :)
• During and after course access to a private, secret facebook group (unmoderated) for life-long friendships and support
• Postings five times a week and moderated, threaded discussions on each posting.
We’ll cover the following topics, week by week:
Week 1: We are Already Loved
The Gladdest Thing of All
Creative Project
You Have Permission to Love Yourself (He Commands it Actually)
Video of the Week
Poem/Quote of the Week
Weekly Wrap-Up
Week 2: Living Honestly, with Courage
Living Honestly…
Creative Project
…With Courage
Video of the Week
Poem/Quote of the Week
Weekly Wrap-Up
Week 3: Listening to Our Whole Heart (Gifts & Limits)
Celebrating Your Gifts!
Creative Project
Embracing our Limitations
Video of the Week
Poem/Quote of the Week
Weekly Wrap-Up
Week 4: Self-Care for the Artist
Self-Care 101
Creative Project
Self-Care 102 and Depression
Answering the Call (no video this week)
Feeding the Artist’s Soul
Weekly Wrap-Up
Week 5: The Yearning for Safe Community
The Yearning to Belong (Belonging to Yourself First)
Creative Project
On Being a Safe Person
Video of the Week
Building Community (A Tribe to Call Your Own)
Weekly Wrap-Up
Week 6: The Road Ahead!
There is a Season
Creative Project
Split the World Open
Video of the Week
Poem/Quote of the Week
Weekly Wrap-Up
“I can honestly say this ecourse and Jan’s encouraging nourishing support has pulled me out of the rut I've been in artistically and gave me the courage to begin taking bold steps forward! Her course material is worthy of any book store shelf-but her personal guidance and presence throughout the course gave me so much more then I was expecting!”
~Crystal N., Crystal Neubauer Art & Objects
I am currently participating in the August 2012 Shine Bright group. I
wasn't sure what to expect from this course, but it has completely
surpassed all of my hopes (in a very good way!). Jan has created a
community that is loving, compassionate, empathetic, and supportive, and
embodies all of those traits beautifully herself as well. The course
material is insightful and tenderly written, and always seems to be
addressing a deep need or question within me. Sometimes the prompts are
challenging and uncomfortable, but in a good, soul-growing kind of way.
Shine Bright is positively impacting my view of God, my identity and
sense of self, and my worldview. I am so grateful and would recommend
this course to anyone who is interested in pursuing Jesus in a
revolutionary way with a compassionate, creative community. ~ Beth M., Finding Beauty Among the Ashes
"The Shine Bright eCourse started during a very transitional and crazy time in my life. At first I didn't think that I would be able to participate and really gain from it but I was completely wrong. Jan made sure to let me know that there was no pressure in how much I was able to participate and also she along with the rest of the group rallied around me in support and encouragement. After diving into the course, it has turned out to be exactly what I needed to hear at this very time in my life and I actually plan on taking this course again in the future!” ~ Jen L., Spring Lane Designs
A Warm, Big, Welcome Hug!
* * * * * * *
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) + Requirements
1. Are there any requirements to sign-up and participate in the course?
Yes, and they are very basic and purposeful:
a. Show up with a wide-open heart and spend some time reflecting on the discussion questions and engaging with others through the threaded discussions.
b. Willingly agree to be kind and non-judgemental with yourself and fellow classmates and abide by the Gentle Guidelines and Agreements for participating in our community. There are clear and gentle guidelines in place to ensure a safe environment for us all. You can read the full statement here.
2. Can I register for the “Shine Bright E-Course” and just do the readings? I don’t think I have the time/desire to actively participate in the discussion or creative projects right now.
The Instant Access, Self-Paced Module of the Shine Bright E-Course might be just the thing for you! Go HERE!
I would highly recommend that you wait until you feel ready to dive into the deeps in this safe community. As with everything else in life, the more you put in, the more you get out of it, and this is really true about the “Shine Bright E-Course” because more than just an online class, we are learning how to be a safe, grace-filled community together.
I realize this course might seem intimidating or scary, and sometimes coming face to face with our truth isn’t pleasant, but having been through this myself, I can promise you it is so worth the journey! And all of us—especially I—will hold your hand the entire step of the way.
This fully-moderated version of the Shine Bright E-Course isn’t designed for passive participants. You really won’t get your money’s worth or have a very satisfactory experience unless you can devote a minimum of about 4 to 5 hours a week (roughly an hour a day Mon.-Fri.) into the readings, guided journal writing, group discussions, weekly video viewing and the weekly creative project.
2. Do I need to be an artist to participate?
Nope! The course is designed with artists in mind, but really, anyone can join! This course is really about re-connecting with our true selves, and that means everybody! There will be a weekly creative project, but these will be fully explained and very, very doable for any and all skill levels. See below for what kinds of supplies you’ll need; they are very basic! You can so DO this!
3. What kinds of supplies will I need to participate in the course?
You’ll need some very basic tools and supplies:
a. A computer w/internet to access the course.
b. A Facebook account to join the private group.
c. A digital camera to take photos of your work so that you can share your finished projects with the group. There is also an optional video project at the very end of the course, but this is optional and you can choose to do something else if this proves too advanced for you; I give you a couple of choices!
d. Glue, paper, old magazine, scissors, pen, (paint if you wish for the collage project), iMovie, Quicktime or some other video editing program if you wish to create a video for your last project; this is totally optional and again, you’ll have a chance to choose to do something else.
e. The free, downloadable .pdf guided journal that I will send out to each participant.
5. What if I change my mind after I register and pay? Can I get my money back?
If you register during the EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION period, I will gladly refund your full registration fee as long as you ask to be released from the class on or before August 22nd. After August 22nd you can get a FULL REFUND if you are dissatisfied with the course at the end of your 6 week participation (you can read more here). Please be sure about the course before you register and feel free to email me if you have any questions! If you need to, I will gladly credit your registration so that you can participate during the Spring offering of the Shine Bright E-Course.
5. What if I’m not a Christian? Am I still welcome to join?
You are absolutely welcomed to join! I haven’t always been a Christian. There was a long journey for me before I finally found and accepted that Jesus loved me and maybe you are on the start of your own journey towards God, or somewhere in the middle. That’s great! Or maybe you’re in a season where you are experiencing a crisis of faith. I’ve been there too. As long as you are comfortable that we worship Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior here and that we honor God and His word, and for that matter, as long as mild language like “holy crap”—doesn’t get you tied up in knots, you’re good to go!
7. What if I have other questions?
Send me an email at: janavellana [at] hawaiiantel [dot] net! I’m totally happy to answer any questions or address any concerns you might have. :)
8. Is there anything else I should know?
Promise #1:
During our 6 weeks together, you to show up with your time and your whole heart and I’ll make it as pleasant and emotioanlly safe and easy to participate as humanly possible and I will hold your hand and give you encouragement every step of the way.
