July 8, 2025 • 17 mins
Have you ever wondered what truly sets apart artists who thrive in both their creative practice and business? It's not extraordinary talent, prolific output, or insider connections. The real differentiator is their ability to create intentional invitations – opportunities for meaningful connection through their art, process, story, and values.
When artists begin creating with connection deliberately in mind, a beautiful transformation occurs. This isn't just clever marketing; it's tapping into the spiritual principle found in Proverbs 11:25: "A generous person will prosper. Whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed." As you generously share your creative journey, you're watering others' souls while God simultaneously waters yours.
Many creatives resist sharing their work, feeling uncomfortable with self-promotion or fearing imperfection. But what if we reframed this entirely? Your willingness to authentically share your process, inspiration, and even struggles creates a magnetic attraction that draws people into your artistic world. This vulnerability and generosity become the backbone of both spiritual fulfillment and commercial success – because nobody buys art from necessity; they buy from connection.
The most powerful truth is that your unwillingness to release your work ultimately says, "I don't trust God in me." The freedom you're seeking comes when you can offer your best while trusting that God can multiply your efforts beyond imagination. Your art and life become signs and wonders, creating environments where others encounter beauty, meaning, and perhaps even the divine.
Ready to transform how you approach your creative practice? Remember: God cares more that we create than precisely what we create. Start creating simple, authentic invitations into your artistic journey today, and watch how both your audience and your own spirit flourish in response.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know, over the years, I've noticed something
really powerful about artistswho thrive.
They're not always the mosttalented or the ones that are
making the most art or the oneswho have all the great marketing
connections.
They're actually the ones whoconsistently create invitations,
invitations into their process,their story, their values and,
of course, their connection withtheir art, whether that be just
(00:22):
purely from themselves or alsoin their connection with the
Lord.
And here's the truth when youstart creating intentionally
with that connection in mind,something beautiful happens, not
just for everybody else, notjust for selling your art, but
inside of you too.
And so today we're going to betalking about that creating
invitations for connection todayon the Thriving Christian
(00:42):
Artist podcast.
Welcome to the ThrivingChristian Artist podcast.
Welcome to the ThrivingChristian Artist, the podcast
where we hope you connect withGod, to bust through the
roadblocks that have held youback for years, create the work
you love and really live thelife you know.
God created you to live as anartist in his kingdom.
I'm Matt Tama, your host.
Let's get started.
(01:19):
Intentional invitations toconnect with others.
Now, you know I love to startwith scripture.
I want to start today withProverbs 11, 25, one of my
favorite scriptures and it saysthis this is a promise from the
Lord, right, so you can bank onthis and begin to claim this for
yourself.
It says in Proverbs 11, 25,.
A generous person will prosper.
(01:39):
Whoever refreshes others willhimself be refreshed.
I love that this idea ofrefreshing that it's talking
about in this verse is actuallya Hebrew word that talks about
this idea of watering or causingsomebody to flourish.
And so when you are pouring outand when I'm pouring out, not
(01:59):
only what we do in our artprocess, but also as we're
sharing that, when we'reteaching, when we're giving
generously, especially in ourmarketing and especially in our
making and teaching, we're notjust blessing others, we're not
just kind of doing this thingthat makes us feel like a good
person.
We're actually refreshingothers and watering their soul.
(02:19):
And, in the process, what Godis watering our own soul as well
.
And listen, that's just akingdom principle.
I think you should take thatand just rub it in, maybe write
that scripture on your wall that, listen, I'm going to walk in a
way that is refreshing others,because I know that when I do,
god promises to bring refreshingto me as well.
(02:41):
So people often ask well, matt,that's a great scripture right,
but what does that actually looklike practically?
So, as artists, it's super easyto get tunnel vision right,
just to think that our job is tobe in the studio making art and
listen.
That's vital, it's important.
We've got to be doing it everyday.
But I believe we're also calledto not just create, but create
with connection in mind andcreate these connection points
(03:03):
where beautiful moments canhappen, where people can step
into, if you will, the storybehind your art, the process,
your heart for creativity, yourheart for the Lord, your heart
for your materials and themetaphors you're using, and also
the transformation that God'sdone in and through you.
And listen.
That doesn't always have to beovert Like, look what Jesus did
(03:24):
in my heart.
No, it can be this beautifulthing where, in the mystery of
creating art, god shows up anduses not only our life but our
art to speak something really,really powerful.
And so I want you to get inthis idea that when you're doing
what you do right whether it'ssharing a blog post or doing a
reel on Instagram about yourprocess or in your studio, or
(03:46):
maybe you're even having aconversation in your, in your
booth at a show, or or writing acaption for something on
Instagram or Tik TOK or Facebook.
When you're doing that, I wantyou to think about that Not as
just marketing Cause.
I know, listen, I get it A lotof artists are like I don't want
to market, I feel prideful andfeel prideful and I don't like
putting myself out there.
Don't think about it like that.
Think about it as extending aninvitation.
(04:10):
Think about it as saying, hey,here's what God's doing in me.
And again, you don't alwayshave to say, you know, make it
overtly spiritual necessarily,but hey, you know, in your heart
you're saying here's what Godis doing in me through my art.
Do you want to come along forthe ride?
Do you want to be along forthis transformation that's
happening in me and through me?
Do you want to learn about whatI do?
(04:30):
Do you want to see the studioand hear about the things that
really ring my bell?
Listen, that kind ofvulnerability and even
generosity and authenticity.
That is what is magnetic from amarketing perspective.
But there's also, again, thatspiritual process and purpose
behind it that when you refreshothers, when you're doing things
(04:51):
that build them up, when you'redoing things that bring them
into the beauty of the processthat God is doing inside of you
that refreshes them and you getrefreshed in the process.
You've heard me say it a milliontimes Nobody buys art because
they need it.
They buy because of connection.
They're not me say it a milliontimes Nobody buys art because
they need it.
They buy because of connection.
They're not just buying itbecause of this pretty, they're
not just buying it necessarilybecause it matches the couch.
(05:11):
People that really buy artoriginal art, expensive art even
they buy it because of aconnection not only to what
you're creating but also to you,to you as a maker, to your
approach and your values and theway that you show up in the
world.
They feel something right fromyour story and that story and
(05:33):
the unique way that you'reshowing up, not only as a maker
but also as one that's sharingyour making process.
That is a huge, huge part of howpeople connect with you and
that's also, I just want to say,listen, that's a big part of
the anointing of God on yourlife, that's a big part of God's
design and assignment on yourlife and I just I believe that
(05:55):
when we step into the thing thatGod created us to be and
created us to do, there'sautomatic favor and opportunity
and resources and relationshipstied to that, and so this is not
about just sharing you knowyour story in order to get
something back.
I want you to realize that thegetting something back, the you
being refreshed, the your artselling, the you being filled
(06:18):
and fulfilled as an artistthat's just the natural fruit of
you doing the thing that God'scalled you to do, and you don't
have to feel bad about that.
You don't have to feel badabout thing that God's called
you to do and you don't have tofeel bad about that.
You don't have to feel badabout marketing your art or
sharing what you do.
We share this, First of all,what we create these things,
whatever it is a song, a book, apoem, a painting, a piece of
sculpture, a basket, whatever itis we create these things in
(06:43):
faith with the Lord and werelease them trusting what that
God's going to use this somehownot only to maybe bring
provision back into your life asa part of your income, but also
to bless others and to bringthem along in their spiritual
process, and they're just livinga beautiful life.
You know, I've experienced thisso many times in my life, this,
this building of connection, andI wish I could say, you know,
I've experienced this so manytimes in my life this, this
(07:05):
building of connection, and Iwish I could say, oh, I was
totally intentional about this.
I was not when I first startedout, I didn't have any idea.
You know, somehow sometimes thethe Lord will show you things,
um, in hindsight, that youdidn't really know was going on
right then.
And I think that's probablymostly true about, about my,
this whole thing of buildingconnection and invitations
(07:28):
through my art process.
But I remember years ago, whenI started really leaning into,
uh, my art process, I was justkind of sharing, uh, a lot of
what I made, you know,especially when, when social
media started coming out and allthat.
But when I started sharing thewhy right, the why I love to
walk in the woods, the way thatI felt, felt God would speak to
(07:51):
me, you know, through thematerials or through nests, or
through recycled materials, orthe way that I felt more me than
I ever had before when I wasleaning into this process, the
more I even experienced andshared about the healing that
God brought in to my lifethrough my creative process.
God not only brought me clients, he not only brought me friends
(08:16):
in the art world.
He brought me tons of peoplelike you guys that are like I
never heard anybody say this,like I really I'm connecting
with this.
And God just started bringingpeople around me.
Not only that would bless me,but so I could bless them as
well.
And so suddenly, you know peoplethat were looking at my art on
social media.
They weren't just saying, oh,that is so great, they actually
(08:38):
started buying art and theyactually started, more than that
, stepping into these, thesemoments of invitation and these
moments of transformation where,when they walk into the studio
or walk into the gallery or seea piece on social media, all of
a sudden they're having thismoment of like wow, I can really
feel.
I can see what Matt's talkingabout when he's creating from
(09:02):
this place and listen when youdo that as an artist.
I don't know about you, butthat makes me feel alive, that
makes me feel like man.
Not only am I connecting withthe Lord in my creative process,
but he is using me and use in agood way, right, he's using me
in the work that I create forhis glory, and I'm able to and
you're able to in that moment,to give people a sort of a
(09:24):
window, if you will, into thekingdom of God, to be able to to
see life and creativity andbeauty in this invitation to
walk in a beautiful life.
We, we give them invitations tobe able to see that differently
and listen.
When you can begin to see yourart.
Not that every piece has to bethis salvation moment for
somebody, but that every piecethat we create, every moment
(09:46):
that we speak, every moment thatwe share, every image that we
offer out there in social mediaand on our website and an email
and whatever we're doing, it'splanting these seeds in people
where their heart and their mindbegin to wake up to more the
more that God has for them.
And so I, just again, I want toinvite you into that this week.
(10:08):
And so, practically, I thinkyou know you could start asking
yourself well, maybe how can Ishare the story behind the piece
that I'm creating right now?
Or maybe the story behindinspiration that you got this
week?
Maybe you had a flash of animagination or an idea, or you
heard a song and it sparkedsomething in you, or you read a
poem, or you saw a flash of animagination or an idea, or you
heard a song and it sparkedsomething in you.
Or you read a poem, or you sawanother piece of art and it
(10:29):
sparked something in you.
Maybe you share a behind thescenes video, you know of your
art process, or maybe even reachout with an encouragement or
prayer, or maybe a propheticword you know to your followers
about what you feel like God'ssaying right now or saying
through your art, or wants tosay to them and encourage them.
Listen, this doesn't have to bethese like big, monumental
(10:53):
things that you're like.
I spent three weeks trying toget this post ready.
No, listen, just simplesentences, right.
Just simple encouragement,simple opportunities to connect.
These can be these simplemoments where God divinely
intersects somebody's lifethrough your art and plants a
seed that can forever changethem.
(11:15):
Listen, this isn't aboutperformance.
This isn't about doing itperfectly.
This isn't about I'm not awriter, I'm not great at video,
I'm not a good Instagram person.
Listen, you got to set thatjunk to the side.
This is about connection.
You've been refreshed by theLord, you've been endowed with
this beautiful creative gift andit's our responsibility and
(11:36):
opportunity and joy to releasethat.
And if you don't feel perfectand if you don't feel ready,
just join the club, right, god'sgoing to use you along the way.
And yet you're going to getbetter.
Your reels are going to getbetter, your Instagram is going
to get better, your TikTok isgoing to get more followers,
your Facebook is going to havemore comments, all the stuff
right.
(11:56):
But you just got to get started.
You got to be authentic, yougot to be present, you got to be
willing.
Right, jesus was so clear.
Don't let the light that I putinside of you be hidden under a
bushel, the bushel of fear, thebushel of anxiety, the bushel of
I'm not enough or I'm not ready.
Get that thing out there andlet it start shining and trust
(12:18):
God.
You know, I just, I just thinkand this, this may step on
somebody's toes and maybe youneed it, but your unwillingness
to release your work and talkabout your work and really be
who you are it really.
If you're not willing to dothat, ultimately you're saying I
(12:38):
don't trust God in me.
I'm only putting my trust andmy hope in what I can do and
listen.
The height of freedom, thedepth of freedom that we all
want to get to, is we can belike hey, I've done my very best
, I'm going to release this tothe world and God.
I know that it only looks likefive loaves and two fishes to
(13:00):
everybody else, but, god, inyour hands, this can be
something that multiplies andimpacts tons and tons of people
for your glory.
And not only that, but there'sgoing to be plenty of overflow
left for me in the process.
Again, when you refresh others,he's going to refresh you.
Listen, you've heard me say itbefore.
I believe God cares much morethat we create than what we
(13:23):
create.
I believe that we're not onlyto create signs and wonders that
our work would be signs andwonders used by God but I
believe that our life is to besigns and wonders, that we're
not just to be about creatingthings, but we create these
experiences and theseopportunities, right, these
environments where people canexperience him.
And so when you choose again,this is an act of intentionality
(13:46):
on your part when you choose torefresh others with the
vulnerability of your creativeprocess, or through your
encouragement, or through, youknow, just the plain old
generosity of your creativeexpression and putting your work
out there for people to see,you are refreshing others, but
you yourself are being refreshed, and that is just this cycle of
(14:07):
abundance.
That is not my idea right.
This is God's idea, and so Iwould say to you right now if
you're feeling stuck, if you'refeeling inadequate, if you're
feeling disconnected, if you'refeeling all the feels right, all
the stuff that want to hold youback Big, big kingdom principle
you need to understand respondin the opposite spirit.
(14:28):
If you're feeling like you gotnothing pour out, if you're
feeling like you're feelinginadequate, go connect with
somebody, go serve, go speaklife into somebody else, go put
your art out there, even if youfeel it's not good enough, and
let God open the door tosomething deeper in your life.
Listen, friend.
God is made strong.
(14:48):
His strength is made perfect.
What?
Not in our perfection, but inour weakness.
Father, thank you right now forevery artist that's listening to
this podcast.
God, thank you that you'vecalled us to be generous with
the things not only that you putin our hands, but also with our
life.
That we'd be willing, god, to,even in the mystery, even in our
(15:10):
feeling like we're not ready,god, that we'd be willing and
ready and excited about justsharing who you are in us, what
you're doing through us, and thework that we create with our
hands and with the words of ourmouth.
God, we thank you for thisopportunity that, even though
what we do feels insignificantsometimes, god, you are the God
(15:31):
that multiplies and accelerates.
You're the God of more thanenough.
You're the God of more than wecan ask or imagine.
God, you're the God whoaccelerates and take things far
beyond what we ever even dreamedwas possible.
And, lord, you're not lookingfor our perfection, you're only
looking for our yes.
So, god, we say yes.
We say yes to share, yes tocreate, yes to show up in the
(15:53):
studio, yes, to show up in theworld and be the people and
share the work that you'vecreated us to create.
We love you.
We thank you for that.
Lord, in Jesus name.
Amen, my friend, I love you somuch.
I hope this encourages you likenone other.
Listen, we're on our way to twomillion downloads this year.
(16:13):
I can't believe it.
The only way we're going to getthere is if you subscribe and
if you let your friends who areartists know about this podcast
and say, hey, share it on socialmedia.
You're looking for something toshare.
Share this, share this episode.
Invite friends in your artguild at church, people that you
know online.
Let them know that the ThrivingChristian Artist podcast is out
(16:36):
here with over 500 life-givingepisodes that are absolutely
free, to equip you and encourageyou in everything that God's
called you to as an artist inthe kingdom.
I love you, my friend.
Remember till next time youwere created to thrive.
Bye, hey, my friend.
Before you go, make sure thatyou're signed up for the
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(16:56):
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inspiration for you to keep youinspired and encouraged in
(17:18):
everything that God's got foryou as an artist in the kingdom.
You can click the link righthere in the show notes to join
us and it's a great way to stayconnected.
All right, love you.
You know, over the years, I've noticed something
really powerful about artistswho thrive.
They're not always the mosttalented or the ones that are
making the most art or the oneswho have all the great marketing
connections.
They're actually the ones whoconsistently create invitations,
invitations into their process,their story, their values and,
of course, their connection withtheir art, whether that be just
(00:22):
purely from themselves or alsoin their connection with the
Lord.
And here's the truth when youstart creating intentionally
with that connection in mind,something beautiful happens, not
just for everybody else, notjust for selling your art, but
inside of you too.
And so today we're going to betalking about that creating
invitations for connection todayon the Thriving Christian
(00:42):
Artist podcast.
Welcome to the ThrivingChristian Artist podcast.
Welcome to the ThrivingChristian Artist, the podcast
where we hope you connect withGod, to bust through the
roadblocks that have held youback for years, create the work
you love and really live thelife you know.
God created you to live as anartist in his kingdom.
I'm Matt Tama, your host.
Let's get started.
(01:19):
Intentional invitations toconnect with others.
Now, you know I love to startwith scripture.
I want to start today withProverbs 11, 25, one of my
favorite scriptures and it saysthis this is a promise from the
Lord, right, so you can bank onthis and begin to claim this for
yourself.
It says in Proverbs 11, 25,.
A generous person will prosper.
(01:39):
Whoever refreshes others willhimself be refreshed.
I love that this idea ofrefreshing that it's talking
about in this verse is actuallya Hebrew word that talks about
this idea of watering or causingsomebody to flourish.
And so when you are pouring outand when I'm pouring out, not
(01:59):
only what we do in our artprocess, but also as we're
sharing that, when we'reteaching, when we're giving
generously, especially in ourmarketing and especially in our
making and teaching, we're notjust blessing others, we're not
just kind of doing this thingthat makes us feel like a good
person.
We're actually refreshingothers and watering their soul.
(02:19):
And, in the process, what Godis watering our own soul as well
.
And listen, that's just akingdom principle.
I think you should take thatand just rub it in, maybe write
that scripture on your wall that, listen, I'm going to walk in a
way that is refreshing others,because I know that when I do,
god promises to bring refreshingto me as well.
(02:41):
So people often ask well, matt,that's a great scripture right,
but what does that actually looklike practically?
So, as artists, it's super easyto get tunnel vision right,
just to think that our job is tobe in the studio making art and
listen.
That's vital, it's important.
We've got to be doing it everyday.
But I believe we're also calledto not just create, but create
with connection in mind andcreate these connection points
(03:03):
where beautiful moments canhappen, where people can step
into, if you will, the storybehind your art, the process,
your heart for creativity, yourheart for the Lord, your heart
for your materials and themetaphors you're using, and also
the transformation that God'sdone in and through you.
And listen.
That doesn't always have to beovert Like, look what Jesus did
(03:24):
in my heart.
No, it can be this beautifulthing where, in the mystery of
creating art, god shows up anduses not only our life but our
art to speak something really,really powerful.
And so I want you to get inthis idea that when you're doing
what you do right whether it'ssharing a blog post or doing a
reel on Instagram about yourprocess or in your studio, or
(03:46):
maybe you're even having aconversation in your, in your
booth at a show, or or writing acaption for something on
Instagram or Tik TOK or Facebook.
When you're doing that, I wantyou to think about that Not as
just marketing Cause.
I know, listen, I get it A lotof artists are like I don't want
to market, I feel prideful andfeel prideful and I don't like
putting myself out there.
Don't think about it like that.
Think about it as extending aninvitation.
(04:10):
Think about it as saying, hey,here's what God's doing in me.
And again, you don't alwayshave to say, you know, make it
overtly spiritual necessarily,but hey, you know, in your heart
you're saying here's what Godis doing in me through my art.
Do you want to come along forthe ride?
Do you want to be along forthis transformation that's
happening in me and through me?
Do you want to learn about whatI do?
(04:30):
Do you want to see the studioand hear about the things that
really ring my bell?
Listen, that kind ofvulnerability and even
generosity and authenticity.
That is what is magnetic from amarketing perspective.
But there's also, again, thatspiritual process and purpose
behind it that when you refreshothers, when you're doing things
(04:51):
that build them up, when you'redoing things that bring them
into the beauty of the processthat God is doing inside of you
that refreshes them and you getrefreshed in the process.
You've heard me say it a milliontimes Nobody buys art because
they need it.
They buy because of connection.
They're not me say it a milliontimes Nobody buys art because
they need it.
They buy because of connection.
They're not just buying itbecause of this pretty, they're
not just buying it necessarilybecause it matches the couch.
(05:11):
People that really buy artoriginal art, expensive art even
they buy it because of aconnection not only to what
you're creating but also to you,to you as a maker, to your
approach and your values and theway that you show up in the
world.
They feel something right fromyour story and that story and
(05:33):
the unique way that you'reshowing up, not only as a maker
but also as one that's sharingyour making process.
That is a huge, huge part of howpeople connect with you and
that's also, I just want to say,listen, that's a big part of
the anointing of God on yourlife, that's a big part of God's
design and assignment on yourlife and I just I believe that
(05:55):
when we step into the thing thatGod created us to be and
created us to do, there'sautomatic favor and opportunity
and resources and relationshipstied to that, and so this is not
about just sharing you knowyour story in order to get
something back.
I want you to realize that thegetting something back, the you
being refreshed, the your artselling, the you being filled
(06:18):
and fulfilled as an artistthat's just the natural fruit of
you doing the thing that God'scalled you to do, and you don't
have to feel bad about that.
You don't have to feel badabout thing that God's called
you to do and you don't have tofeel bad about that.
You don't have to feel badabout marketing your art or
sharing what you do.
We share this, First of all,what we create these things,
whatever it is a song, a book, apoem, a painting, a piece of
sculpture, a basket, whatever itis we create these things in
(06:43):
faith with the Lord and werelease them trusting what that
God's going to use this somehownot only to maybe bring
provision back into your life asa part of your income, but also
to bless others and to bringthem along in their spiritual
process, and they're just livinga beautiful life.
You know, I've experienced thisso many times in my life, this,
this building of connection, andI wish I could say, you know,
I've experienced this so manytimes in my life this, this
(07:05):
building of connection, and Iwish I could say, oh, I was
totally intentional about this.
I was not when I first startedout, I didn't have any idea.
You know, somehow sometimes thethe Lord will show you things,
um, in hindsight, that youdidn't really know was going on
right then.
And I think that's probablymostly true about, about my,
this whole thing of buildingconnection and invitations
(07:28):
through my art process.
But I remember years ago, whenI started really leaning into,
uh, my art process, I was justkind of sharing, uh, a lot of
what I made, you know,especially when, when social
media started coming out and allthat.
But when I started sharing thewhy right, the why I love to
walk in the woods, the way thatI felt, felt God would speak to
(07:51):
me, you know, through thematerials or through nests, or
through recycled materials, orthe way that I felt more me than
I ever had before when I wasleaning into this process, the
more I even experienced andshared about the healing that
God brought in to my lifethrough my creative process.
God not only brought me clients, he not only brought me friends
(08:16):
in the art world.
He brought me tons of peoplelike you guys that are like I
never heard anybody say this,like I really I'm connecting
with this.
And God just started bringingpeople around me.
Not only that would bless me,but so I could bless them as
well.
And so suddenly, you know peoplethat were looking at my art on
social media.
They weren't just saying, oh,that is so great, they actually
(08:38):
started buying art and theyactually started, more than that
, stepping into these, thesemoments of invitation and these
moments of transformation where,when they walk into the studio
or walk into the gallery or seea piece on social media, all of
a sudden they're having thismoment of like wow, I can really
feel.
I can see what Matt's talkingabout when he's creating from
(09:02):
this place and listen when youdo that as an artist.
I don't know about you, butthat makes me feel alive, that
makes me feel like man.
Not only am I connecting withthe Lord in my creative process,
but he is using me and use in agood way, right, he's using me
in the work that I create forhis glory, and I'm able to and
you're able to in that moment,to give people a sort of a
(09:24):
window, if you will, into thekingdom of God, to be able to to
see life and creativity andbeauty in this invitation to
walk in a beautiful life.
We, we give them invitations tobe able to see that differently
and listen.
When you can begin to see yourart.
Not that every piece has to bethis salvation moment for
somebody, but that every piecethat we create, every moment
(09:46):
that we speak, every moment thatwe share, every image that we
offer out there in social mediaand on our website and an email
and whatever we're doing, it'splanting these seeds in people
where their heart and their mindbegin to wake up to more the
more that God has for them.
And so I, just again, I want toinvite you into that this week.
(10:08):
And so, practically, I thinkyou know you could start asking
yourself well, maybe how can Ishare the story behind the piece
that I'm creating right now?
Or maybe the story behindinspiration that you got this
week?
Maybe you had a flash of animagination or an idea, or you
heard a song and it sparkedsomething in you, or you read a
poem, or you saw a flash of animagination or an idea, or you
heard a song and it sparkedsomething in you.
Or you read a poem, or you sawanother piece of art and it
(10:29):
sparked something in you.
Maybe you share a behind thescenes video, you know of your
art process, or maybe even reachout with an encouragement or
prayer, or maybe a propheticword you know to your followers
about what you feel like God'ssaying right now or saying
through your art, or wants tosay to them and encourage them.
Listen, this doesn't have to bethese like big, monumental
(10:53):
things that you're like.
I spent three weeks trying toget this post ready.
No, listen, just simplesentences, right.
Just simple encouragement,simple opportunities to connect.
These can be these simplemoments where God divinely
intersects somebody's lifethrough your art and plants a
seed that can forever changethem.
(11:15):
Listen, this isn't aboutperformance.
This isn't about doing itperfectly.
This isn't about I'm not awriter, I'm not great at video,
I'm not a good Instagram person.
Listen, you got to set thatjunk to the side.
This is about connection.
You've been refreshed by theLord, you've been endowed with
this beautiful creative gift andit's our responsibility and
(11:36):
opportunity and joy to releasethat.
And if you don't feel perfectand if you don't feel ready,
just join the club, right, god'sgoing to use you along the way.
And yet you're going to getbetter.
Your reels are going to getbetter, your Instagram is going
to get better, your TikTok isgoing to get more followers,
your Facebook is going to havemore comments, all the stuff
right.
(11:56):
But you just got to get started.
You got to be authentic, yougot to be present, you got to be
willing.
Right, jesus was so clear.
Don't let the light that I putinside of you be hidden under a
bushel, the bushel of fear, thebushel of anxiety, the bushel of
I'm not enough or I'm not ready.
Get that thing out there andlet it start shining and trust
(12:18):
God.
You know, I just, I just thinkand this, this may step on
somebody's toes and maybe youneed it, but your unwillingness
to release your work and talkabout your work and really be
who you are it really.
If you're not willing to dothat, ultimately you're saying I
(12:38):
don't trust God in me.
I'm only putting my trust andmy hope in what I can do and
listen.
The height of freedom, thedepth of freedom that we all
want to get to, is we can belike hey, I've done my very best
, I'm going to release this tothe world and God.
I know that it only looks likefive loaves and two fishes to
(13:00):
everybody else, but, god, inyour hands, this can be
something that multiplies andimpacts tons and tons of people
for your glory.
And not only that, but there'sgoing to be plenty of overflow
left for me in the process.
Again, when you refresh others,he's going to refresh you.
Listen, you've heard me say itbefore.
I believe God cares much morethat we create than what we
(13:23):
create.
I believe that we're not onlyto create signs and wonders that
our work would be signs andwonders used by God but I
believe that our life is to besigns and wonders, that we're
not just to be about creatingthings, but we create these
experiences and theseopportunities, right, these
environments where people canexperience him.
And so when you choose again,this is an act of intentionality
(13:46):
on your part when you choose torefresh others with the
vulnerability of your creativeprocess, or through your
encouragement, or through, youknow, just the plain old
generosity of your creativeexpression and putting your work
out there for people to see,you are refreshing others, but
you yourself are being refreshed, and that is just this cycle of
(14:07):
abundance.
That is not my idea right.
This is God's idea, and so Iwould say to you right now if
you're feeling stuck, if you'refeeling inadequate, if you're
feeling disconnected, if you'refeeling all the feels right, all
the stuff that want to hold youback Big, big kingdom principle
you need to understand respondin the opposite spirit.
(14:28):
If you're feeling like you gotnothing pour out, if you're
feeling like you're feelinginadequate, go connect with
somebody, go serve, go speaklife into somebody else, go put
your art out there, even if youfeel it's not good enough, and
let God open the door tosomething deeper in your life.
Listen, friend.
God is made strong.
(14:48):
His strength is made perfect.
What?
Not in our perfection, but inour weakness.
Father, thank you right now forevery artist that's listening to
this podcast.
God, thank you that you'vecalled us to be generous with
the things not only that you putin our hands, but also with our
life.
That we'd be willing, god, to,even in the mystery, even in our
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feeling like we're not ready,god, that we'd be willing and
ready and excited about justsharing who you are in us, what
you're doing through us, and thework that we create with our
hands and with the words of ourmouth.
God, we thank you for thisopportunity that, even though
what we do feels insignificantsometimes, god, you are the God
(15:31):
that multiplies and accelerates.
You're the God of more thanenough.
You're the God of more than wecan ask or imagine.
God, you're the God whoaccelerates and take things far
beyond what we ever even dreamedwas possible.
And, lord, you're not lookingfor our perfection, you're only
looking for our yes.
So, god, we say yes.
We say yes to share, yes tocreate, yes to show up in the
(15:53):
studio, yes, to show up in theworld and be the people and
share the work that you'vecreated us to create.
We love you.
We thank you for that.
Lord, in Jesus name.
Amen, my friend, I love you somuch.
I hope this encourages you likenone other.
Listen, we're on our way to twomillion downloads this year.
(16:13):
I can't believe it.
The only way we're going to getthere is if you subscribe and
if you let your friends who areartists know about this podcast
and say, hey, share it on socialmedia.
You're looking for something toshare.
Share this, share this episode.
Invite friends in your artguild at church, people that you
know online.
Let them know that the ThrivingChristian Artist podcast is out
(16:36):
here with over 500 life-givingepisodes that are absolutely
free, to equip you and encourageyou in everything that God's
called you to as an artist inthe kingdom.
I love you, my friend.
Remember till next time youwere created to thrive.
Bye, hey, my friend.
Before you go, make sure thatyou're signed up for the
Thriving Christian Artist Weekly.
(16:56):
It's my free newsletter, fullof spiritual encouragement,
creative inspiration andpractical tips to help you
thrive in everything that God'scalled you to do as an artist in
his kingdom.
Every issue is absolutely freeand it includes the latest
podcast episode, featured artistspotlights, a worship song of
the week and again tons of tipsand encouragement and
inspiration for you to keep youinspired and encouraged in
everything.
That episode featured artistspotlights, a worship song of
the week and again, tons of tipsand encouragement and
inspiration for you to keep youinspired and encouraged in
(17:18):
everything that God's got foryou as an artist in the kingdom.
You can click the link righthere in the show notes to join
us and it's a great way to stayconnected.
All right, love you.
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