Fly Forward

 Jennie Schut, Founder of FlyForward, Author of Waking Up Grey, Artist, Speaker, Mom of four daughters, Wife of James.

Our Mission Statement:

Fly Forward exists to help facilitate creative awakening in God's image-bearers through educational materials, retreats, creative groups, leadership training and hands-on studio time to the end that we learn to experience the creative process as a means of worship and a road by which we take a pilgrimage into the vast terrain that is God's heart all for the revelation of God's glory.   

 My story of Awakening:
I've always been somewhat creative.  But after I had four children and having experienced some hurts around my creativity, those creative parts of myself began to deteriorate.  It was like a piece of ice in a warm drink.  The essence was still there, but with each assault, the ice cube would shrink and threaten to disappear completely.   Before the ice cube melted away entirely, I came to the realization that I needed some regeneration in this area.  I started on an exploration of some terrain that I had never walked before.  I took a drawing class and discovered that I could draw.  This dormant part was a catalyst for me into the creative process.  I became a lover of the creative process.  Any creativity I became involved in became a long conversation with the Lord.  I began to learn to reparent myself, understanding that the process of "making" was extremely valuable.  In the process of creating, I am learning to value the process rather than the product.  To enter into the mystery of art rather than drawing conclusions to that mystery is where life is.  It becomes an act of worship.  Art becomes our cathedral.

I will give you a snippet of what I've been up to since this whole crazy process  began!!  I've been doing a lot of drawing and painting.  I went to Peru in 2006 to teach art to these beautiful Peruvian kiddos.  Mixed into the calling to make art is also a calling to help others retrieve their own ability to create.  I wrote a book called Waking Up Grey: An Exploration of Creative Awakening.  It is designed to help others into this process and to unlock and release creativity that we all have the capacity for.  I have led many groups of women through the book and have done retreats for these ladies.   I am training leaders to facilitate groups through the book.  I have returned to school and am working on my art degree.  I have also enjoyed being a speaker for different venues.  I have enjoyed a trip to Italy to study art as a part of my studies.  You can look on the blog page to hear about my experience there.

In Waking Up Grey groups, many are finding a kindred fellowship of artist community and support. If you are looking for support in a small, intimate setting, a Waking Up Grey community may be just the thing. New groups are always starting. To find out how to get connected into an official group led by a trained facilitator in your area, or to learn how you can lead your own group, please click on Waking Up Grey and you'll be directed to a list of groups starting.
 
Here's what people are saying about Waking Up Grey:

"I realized I wasn't stuck in my creativity, but stuck in my spiritual growth.  I had false views of my Master.  I feel like I have just changed a prescription for eyeglasses.  I have a completely different view and relationship in my life with Him than I ever have.  He is different than what I knew before.  I am different.  My husband and I are more intimate.  I am truly thankful that this has found me and that it is such a safe place." - Amy

"We discussed many issues I had been wrestling with. It enlarged my thinking on creativity greatly." - Betsy

"Waking Up Grey is a fantastic study for artists that has helped me tremendously in my creative pursuits. When I came, I was creatively knotted up, but week after week, Jennie led us through thought provoking insights, I began to untangle the knot. By the end of the 11 weeks, I noticed that I had learned to look at my art from a completely different perspective. Art is something that God is doing through me! I believe this book will be used by God to transform thousands of women's lives through art." - Bethany

"My fellow Searchers are a huge blessing to me - I'm moving forward in journaling and drawing due to their courage and encouragement to me. We have shared so much of the heart, they will be 'Artist' friends forever." - Nicky

"I knew that I had some areas of artistic wounding and being a member of one of Jennie's creative groups helped me find a place to both create art and experience a safe community of fellow artists.The encouragement, healing and growth have been great blessings in my spiritual and artistic life! Thank you, Jennie, for the timely invitation to walk the creative path with you!" - Tori Grant, Artist

"This course has felt like taking a cloth stopper out of a bottle. Little bits of creativity would trickle through but the flow was interrupted. It has also been a means of experiencing God's overwhelming presence through my creative processing. The best part is that I know it's just the beginning. The dam is about to break." - Holly