Bara' is the usual Hebrew word for create. It is found in the very first verse of the Bible.
Some Bible believers insist on a complete instantaneous creation. But must it really have been instantaneous? Would it be any less miraculous if it came in stages? God's usual way is actually to work through processes, not instantaneous fiat (commanded) creation. God gives us children, yet still there is a nine-month waiting period. And, like it or not, character change comes about slowly (Romans 5:3-4). How would endurance exist otherwise? (Can you imagine God saying, "No need to diet -- just fast for two hours and you'll lose all your excess weight," or "Hang on now, if you persevere for four seconds you'll be a totally transformed, dynamic individual"?) Creation is no less creation just because it occurs over a period of time!
Yes, it is often insisted that the Hebrew word bara', meaning "create," implies instantaneous creation. Yet Isaiah 43:1, 15 says that God "created" (bara') Israel, although it took centuries -- see the record of Old Testament history! Even Eve, who was "created" (Genesis 1:27), came to exist through a two-stage process, the second of which involved a surgical procedure performed on her husband.
Another thought: it doesn't have to be creatio ex nihilo (creation from nothing). The world already exists in the beginning of Genesis, although it is unformed.
Think about these things.
