September 19, 2025 • 38 mins
In this powerful episode of The Thriving Christian Artist Podcast, I sit down with long-time friends Stephen and Tricia Preston, a creative couple whose lives are a beautiful example of artistry, ministry, and Kingdom impact working hand-in-hand. From running multiple creative ventures to hosting a thriving conference for artists in their church community, the Prestons have spent decades inspiring and equipping others to step boldly into their God-given creativity.
We talk about the joys and challenges of being a married creative team, how God has provided and guided their steps through seasons of transition, and why building authentic community is essential for artists who want to thrive spiritually, creatively, and relationally.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- How Stephen & Tricia blend artistry, ministry, and entrepreneurship
- The role of community in overcoming self-doubt and isolation
- Trusting God for provision in your creative calling
- Practical ways to gather and empower creatives in your church or city
- Lessons from launching and leading a creativity-focused conference
🌟 Favorite Quotes from This Episode:
“Being an artist is a walk of faith — you’re trusting God for inspiration, provision, and the courage to keep going.” — Tricia Preston
“In community, we breathe life into each other and silence the lies of inadequacy.” — Matt Tommey
“Our gifts aren’t just for ourselves — they’re meant to be shared, multiplied, and used to build the Kingdom.” — Stephen Preston
🌐 Connect with Stephen & Tricia Preston:
✅ Stay Connected & Grow as a Thriving Christian Artist:
- 📬 Subscribe to The Thriving Christian Artist Weekly: https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/tca-weekly
- 📚 Find My Best-Selling Books: https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/resources
- 🎓 Explore Artist Mentoring Programs: https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/mentoring
Find out more about The Created to Thrive Foundations Course
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All over the world, artists are awakening.
Painters and potters, writersand weavers, poets and dancers
not chasing followers or fame,but sons and daughters called
for such a time as this,transformed from the inside out,
creating with purpose,releasing the glory of God and
living in the power of thekingdom.
Right now, this is the ThrivingChristian Artist.
(00:21):
Well, hey, everybody, Welcomeback to the show.
So glad that you're here,listen, I am super excited.
It's not often that you get tohave friends that you've known
for a long time on the podcast,but Stephen and Tricia, preston
man, y'all are just I don't knowjust people that have been in
my life for a long time, who Ilove and trust and so respect in
(00:41):
all that God is doing in yourlife.
So thank you so much forjoining and welcome to the
podcast again.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Thanks, matt, so glad to be back with you.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
It's a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Yeah, it's funny.
I was telling somebody that Iwas going to be interviewing you
the other day and they're likehow long have you known them?
I'm like a long time.
Y'all been in our world for along time, yeah, it's been.
I want to say like We've beenin each other's lives in a lot
of ways that week.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, like 2008, 2010 , somewhere in there, I think.
Yeah, it's good.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
So crazy, so crazy.
So you guys were on the podcastbefore and I'll be sure to put
that in the show notes.
Everybody can listen to thatepisode as well, but maybe those
that are just getting to knowyou guys and everything give us
the thumbnail sketch of who youare, what you do, where you are
in the world and all that, andthen we'll start talking about
some other things today, aboutcommunity and and all that God's
(01:34):
doing in your business as well.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
So Awesome, yeah, so Steven and Tricia Preston, we've
been.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
We live up here in just outside of Stratford
Ontario a little town called StMary's and Canada, canada,
canada, eh.
Yes, we are Canada, eh.
Is that in Alabama?
That sounds like Alabama.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
You might hear a few A's in my conversation today,
but yeah, we've been doing allsorts of creative things for
quite a number of years, prettymuch since we got married, and I
was just talking to somebodythe other day.
It's of wedding a number ofyears pretty much since we got
married and I was just talkingto somebody the other day, um,
it's like seems like trish and Ido everything together, right,
(02:14):
and so it's like you know, shedoes her, she brings her uh
artistic dynamic to the table.
I bring my, my musical uhdynamic to the table and we just
kind of it's us right.
So, yeah, it's uh inspire.
Hopefully we're inspiringpeople and and uh, stirring
creativity and people andencouraging them and the things
that God has placed in them.
And we had a little businesscalled Fantastical Studios which
was stories, art and music andwe we would go into schools and
(02:37):
and different things like thatand just, you know, share our
stories and and stir creativityin the kids and let them know
that everybody can be creative.
Right, you've all got acreative bent somewhere in your
life.
So that was a lot of fun andit's funny because when we moved
out here to Stratford, god kindof morphed us into some other
things.
I'm the children's pastor atthe church, so we've been doing
(02:59):
art camps and different thingslike that at the church, but
he's also allowed us pretty coolopportunities just in doing
arts conferences at the church.
But he's also allowed us prettycool opportunities just in
doing arts conferences at thechurch.
And he's also brought us a funlittle art business as well,
called Social Art, which isbasically like a paint night
type of thing, where we go intorestaurants and businesses and
teach people how to paint.
(03:19):
So that's the nutshell versionof some of the things we've been
doing.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
We are, yeah, steve's the musician, I'm the artist,
I'm not musical.
Steve thinks I'm tone deaf.
That's, I don't know, that'sbecause, she is.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Listen, my mom used to say some people should sing
in the choir and some peopleshould pray for the choir and
when we got married, when wefirst started dating, it's like
how is this gonna work?
Speaker 2 (03:46):
he is so musical and I am so not, but it was so neat
to see how god really justgrafted our gifts together and
how there was such a commontheme of not just the lord but
creativity.
That really just came alivewhen we got married.
So we've kind of been trying towalk in that for 20 years now.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
So yeah, I'm sure, as y'all were first got married
and growing in your marriage andall that did, did your parents
or friends of y'all be like nowwe're glad y'all are creative,
but like, what are you actuallygoing to do for a living?
Like two artists gettingtogether Like this is not a
recipe for for what most peoplethink of success.
I mean, did y'all ever facethat and struggle with that?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I.
I didn't feel so much on myside.
I don't know about your family,but yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
I felt that it's like , well, what, yeah, basically,
what are you gonna do, like youshould be, in a job making money
and creativity?
You like a little more freedom,a little more flexibility to to
practice your craft and that.
So, yeah, definitely there wasa bit of that.
I would say yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Well, I was.
I mean, for me I was teachingmusic lessons, so I was bringing
in some income through that,right.
And actually the thing thatamazes me about it is, like you
know, typically, at least for uphere, at least in the summer
months, everybody's on holidays,right.
So you know, I just kind ofshut down the business for
teaching in the summers.
But God, he just provided thissupernatural connection with a
(05:11):
metal fabrication shop and I goin and I create there.
Wow, it's just a different way,and it just supplemented
everything that we needed.
So it's like there was neverreally felt like a place of lack
or anything like that, but itwas always there when I need it.
Actually, they, they, there's a.
At one point the plant managercame to me and says, yeah, you
can just anytime you want towork to show up.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
So yeah, it's not your everyday thing, but God's
faithful.
I'm just going to say being anartist really is like a complete
walk of faith, right, Cause,whether we're creating or
trusting God for income indifferent ways, it really is an
opportunity to trust him everyday and not get so tied up in
you know, my income's got to bethis much or look like this or
(05:55):
come in this way but just beable to, like you say, trust him
in that flow, right.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Totally, totally, and it's always multiple streams.
You've talked about this manytimes over the years right.
Just, you know, you've, you'vegot multiple streams of where,
where God chooses to pull in theincome for the season, Right.
So you know, for us right nowit's we've got social art, we've
got the stuff that we're doingat the church and you know, and
God's blessing us and which isamazing, right, and I had this
(06:20):
thing spoken over many years ago, and I had this thing spoken
over many years ago like you canalways make money, and that
always really took root in myheart.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So, regardless of how , there was always a way I could
make money, whether it'spainting or teaching a lesson or
something that always kind ofresonated with me, regardless of
how little or how much, therewas always opportunity to make
money.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
So yeah, yeah, I think for all of us, once you
get that revelation that God isthe provider right and if I'm
doing what he's called me to do,however he chooses to bring it
and in whatever amount, it'swhat I need for the season that
I'm in and that allows you thefreedom.
So I just I've always lovedthat about you guys, cause every
time you know we talk, it'slike we're doing this, we're
doing that, we're doing that,and you know but I love it, so
(07:04):
it's something different.
No, but there's this freedom torespond to what God's told me to
and, um, you know, one of thethings I love about you and I
know a lot of people love aboutyou is that you're not just
creative for yourself.
You really do have a heart, uh,for other creatives, not just
in teaching teaching, but reallyin gathering, and, um, that's
(07:25):
been something that's been along time coming in.
You guys, you've got thisconference now that that you
guys are doing now at yourchurch, but where did that whole
passion for for community startwith with the creative
community?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
yeah, go ahead well, you know it.
Really a lot of it started withwhat you were doing um matt, um
, because when the things wewere really drawn to were the
fact that you like to gatherartisans for God's kingdom right
.
It was like gathering this army,and so when we went down to the
gathering there years ago, thatreally stirred something.
(07:59):
It was like a seed that gotplanted in our hearts and it's
like, well, why not do somethinglike that up here in Canada?
Because there was nothing inCanada.
So I think a lot of it startedgoing back to what you were
doing and there was inspirationfor us in that.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
But even before that, I mean we were doing our little
art gatherings, like in ourlocal church as well, right,
Just spots where people couldcome and create and see what the
Lord wanted to kind of birththrough them.
And in our gatherings together,right.
And I mean sometimes we woulddo things where we'd focus on a
theme and you know, like onetime we did a whole series on
(08:36):
creating something regardingsocial injustice stuff, right,
and then we took that out intothe community, we did a little
fundraiser and used and use thatto go towards homeless, the
homelessness in our, in our city.
At that point, right, yeah, andyou know, I mean it's always
kind of been there, you know,like I feel like it's funny,
cause, like I'm, I'm, you know,part of my gifting is pastoring,
(08:59):
right, and so I always want tosee how do we encourage people
in the way that God has wiredthem, and I think, just because
we're creative and it's justpart of who we are, right, it
just naturally flows out of usto those who are creative as
well, right, and, yeah, reallyreally neat opportunities that I
feel like God has really reallyblessed us with.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
In that sense, yeah, and there is also just
recognizing the need forcreatives to come together.
Yeah, I was going to say youknow where people they have a
lot of creative ideas butthey're not doing it, and them
being in an atmosphere withother creatives where they can
inspire one another.
We saw that helping each otherwas was a big part of that too.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
There was a need there for a community for
creatives yeah totally well, somany of us work by ourself right
in the studio or you're justnot around.
I mean, you know artists, youkind of feel like the the lone
man out.
Sometimes they're like nobodyelse is creative in my life.
So if you can get together withothers, you do feel like you're
not crazy and you know like youcan begin to share those ideas.
(10:03):
And I think one of the I meanyou know there's one of the
things that the enemy hits mostin creatives is just feelings of
inadequacy and in this you knownot being enough and and you
know not being qualified forwhat god's called you to do.
And it's in community rightthat we get to speak life into
each other and kind of combatsome of those things that the
enemy throw at us all the time.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Totally, there's something about community, right
, and you know it's.
You know, even like when westarted doing our creativity and
law conferences and you werethere for the first one, matt,
but it's like the thing that theresounding thing that came back
, it's like, oh, it's so good toconnect and gather with other
people that are just kind ofwired the same right.
Um, you know, like a lot, lotsof people look at artists and
say you guys are just wireddifferently.
(10:52):
So you know, yeah, I know andeven in the context of the
church, right like there's somany artists that were that have
been coming out of thewoodworks lately that say, you
know what?
I've just been hurt by thechurch.
I feel like they just don'tunderstand the way I'm wired
Right and uh, it's like, butthere's a place, I feel like
there's a place where where Ican go, you know, even if it's
(11:13):
only an annual thing, there's aplace where I can go and it's
like this is kind of my tribe.
These, these people kind of getthe way I'm wired.
They kind of see the same way Ido, Right.
So, um, really really coolstuff.
I think God is just kind ofbuilding, uh, in that sense,
here, uh up in Ontario at least,and uh, hopefully we'll see
this kind of go on a morenationwide thing, Um, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Yeah, that's so awesome.
I, I so enjoy being there andgetting to meet all the people
that were there, just kind of ofhang out, and one of the things
I think that struck me was thatyou know your pastors, other
leaders like they were there,involved in having a supportive
leadership team in your church.
I mean if you're, if somebodyis listening today or watching
today and wanting to servesomething in their church, I
(11:57):
mean that that's just huge andthat God knit your hearts
together as an artist with withthe leaders of your church,
realize this is not incompetition.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
This is here to to compliment and really build up
all the different parts of thebody of Christ.
Yeah, totally, totally yeah.
And I mean at Jubilee at ourchurch here in Stratford it's
like our pastor Trevor, he'sjust he's.
He's kind of wired creativelytoo, though in many ways right,
he's a musician and so he hekind of gets, gets it too, and
so he's just he.
He kind of looks at us and hesays okay, you got a dream, go
(12:31):
for it, right, yeah, and whichis amazing, which is absolutely
amazing, and even the dynamic ofyou know, like even just
putting resources into it, right, it's not just, hey, you can
use our building, it's like, hey, we're gonna, we're gonna put
some resources into this andenable you to to do this and to
do it well, right.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
And so that's huge.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Yeah, that's so good, you know, I think of, really, I
think, well, honestly, we weretalking a little bit before the
call.
I've been in kind of a seasonof of transition in these last
probably six or eight monthsthat he had for me, of raising
up this army of artists and and,um, when he first called me he
(13:11):
said, you know, ministry andmarketplace, both full-time.
That was the call and as oflate, I've been feeling the Lord
say mobilization, that that's abig thing that he's he's
calling me to and I'm just, Ithink if there's so many, you
know, nobody can be at allplaces at one time.
God's not called one man, oneperson, to be at all places at
(13:31):
one time.
God's not called one man, oneperson, to be in all places all
times.
It takes all of us as amovement of artists and I think
you know so many artists arelike, oh well, I wish I had
something like that in my church, I wish I had something like
that in my, my community, and Ijust always like to remind
people.
I just love your thoughts onthis.
You know, all of us are justregular people, right?
That just chose to say yes, um,to the call of god in in our
(13:54):
life, whether it was a smallbusiness or whether it was like
for me.
I started a small group at mystudio and it was eight people,
then 30 people, then it turnsinto conferences and then blah,
blah, blah.
And for you guys, same thingyou got a small business, but
you started gathering artists inyour, in your church.
And I guess, if you guys, samething You've got a small
business, but you startedgathering artists in your church
.
And I guess if you guys were topull the curtain back for
(14:15):
somebody that thinks, oh gosh, Icould never do something like
what you guys are doing hostinga conference or ministering to
artists.
I mean, we're really justtalking, in essence, about
loving each other and creating aspace for artists to get
together.
Right?
And share life and encourage oneanother.
I mean, this is not rocketscience, right?
If you got brownies and a bookand are willing to, you know I
(14:38):
have a comfy chair for somebodyto sit and you can do this,
right.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Yeah, you're right on .
It's like, I think for us itwas just like we just said,
let's just start something right.
And it's like if God puts thedesire in your heart and like, I
think, a lot of the time hejust stirs in you, it's like
it's almost like we get thedesire first for ourselves,
almost Right.
It's like I need that creativecommunity I need, I need
(15:04):
something to kind of people togather around me Right Cause I
mean we're wired for that, thatconnection right.
And if he puts that in yourheart, that's usually a pretty
good indication that maybe he'ssaying, hey, maybe it's you,
maybe you're the one to kind ofignite it, get things on the and
just step out in it on the road.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Yeah, to step out because, like I just say, why
not you?
Right, like, why not you,especially if there's a desire
inside of you?
Sometimes we talk ourselves outof this thing oh, that can't be
the Lord.
But what if it is the Lordputting that in your heart and
you don't know?
Like we've never known withanything 100% until we start
(15:42):
stepping right.
It's always requires faith, italways requires a step.
So, yeah, I would justencourage people in that.
If you're having a desire tostart something, I would just
encourage people in that.
If you're having a desire tostart something, why not Like?
Why not you Right?
Speaker 3 (15:55):
And the cool thing about it is that it just kind of
builds from there Right, like,like when we first started doing
our small groups at ourprevious church, when we, when
the Lord called us to go toJubilee to Stratford, he rose up
.
The next person to come in thathad been part of our group and
she just carried it on Right.
And so it's like it's.
It's like it's began tomultiply.
(16:15):
And there's another person fromour group who went up to a
totally different region inOntario and she'd started doing
one up in her area.
Right, and it's like it justkeeps on growing and it really
starts to build and grow.
It's like this this hive,almost right.
It's like every, every workeris a part of the bigger picture,
right, yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Well, that's it.
I'm just so passionate aboutthat because I, you know, again
the Lord's kind of been bringingme back to this original vision
of when he called me to raiseup this army of artists.
I saw these fires all over aglobal map and, like these, you
know, creative communities andthis sort of thing, and of
course, you know, in my type aorganizational leader mind, you
(16:56):
know, I'm like we need to starta network and we need to have
everybody join and all this andI just it felt like the Lord
calling me so much lately.
And it's the same thing you'resaying of just mobilization
doesn't always mean control,doesn't always mean organized to
inspire, to inspire and to sayto people hey, if it's on your
heart, go for it.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Right, totally.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Others of us that are doing it too, and we can link
arms in whatever way that makessense, but this is not about
some organizational structure.
This is about you trusting Godto use you among the people that
you're around, and and let thatthat fire catch, and and god's
going to do something unique instratford that he does in texas
that he doesn't actually, orwhatever.
(17:39):
And that's the beautiful part,right, that's the that's exactly
it yeah that's exactly trueyeah, I love that.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I love the uniqueness because you can't have carbon
copies right.
It is going to be totallydifferent from one place to the
next, so I love that.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
I think that's the dynamic.
Like you know, like we're wiredcreatively, God is wired
creatively.
So why are we, why do we try todo a carbon copy all the time?
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Right, you know so it's like it makes sense to our
little mind, right?
Yeah, I know, no, I know, Iknow.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
So it's like what is, what is it that he's putting
you?
That's unique Right, and what'swhat's the?
You know, I, I, I say this alot about, about churches, in
regards to worship, right, youknow, it's like, you know, I'm
not saying I'm not knocking likethe Bethels or the Hills songs
or you know, elevation oranything like that, but that
(18:27):
they've, they do we just copyeverything that they do.
Or it's like what is the soundthat in your church, that that
God wants to bring out?
Right, it's not that you can'tdo their songs or anything like
that, but it's like what is theunique sound that you've got you
guys carry?
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Oh yeah.
Yeah, so all the all that stuff, right it, all it.
As much as you guys arepassionate about community and
all of that, you also love beingin the marketplace.
It's not one or the other, it'sboth.
And you guys are seeing Godshow up just as much in the
(19:01):
marketplace as you are inquote-unquote ministry.
And for somebody that says, canthat really happen?
Of course that can happen.
That's how the kingdom isdesigned to be released.
So what fun things are you guysseeing God do in the
marketplace, even right now?
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Yeah, so we go out fairly regularly with our
business and we basically justteach people how to paint.
It gives us such an opportunityjust to speak into people's
lives, a lot of people theydon't think they can.
They can paint, or it's soawesome to see when God starts
unlocking that ability in themthat they never knew they had.
(19:37):
I had one lady.
She was talking about how herdaughter was a painter and I
said, oh, did she get that fromyou?
And she was like no, no, Ican't paint all this.
And she then she began to justshare how her mother had told
her you wouldn't let her paintas a child like she was very
task oriented, so it was likepainting was just, you know,
(19:58):
something you didn't have timeto do, so she wasn't allowed to
do anything creative.
And I just said to her I saidWell, you know, maybe that's
just laying dormant in you,maybe it just needs to come out
of you.
And so she sat in our, in ourevent, and she absolutely loved
painting and at the end of it.
She was telling me how much thatwas like stirring in her mind,
(20:22):
just saying you know, maybethere's something dormant living
in like in you.
And she's like I think you'reright, and she was crying, she
was all tearing up at the end ofit because she realized there
had been something in her thathad not come out, that was kind
of squashed, you know, from whenshe was a child.
So we're we're hearing storieslike that of just the
(20:43):
opportunity to bring out, youknow, what has God put inside of
you, that's just been layingdormant inside of you.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Yeah, yeah, I mean we also get.
It's pretty cool becausesometimes you know, God just
highlights certain people incertain, maybe just certain
situations that might come up inour events, right, and he'll
say I want you to go pray forthem after, right, and I'll come
up to them after.
And it's like, you know,there's one she, she brought her
(21:11):
, her son who's handicapped,he's in a wheelchair, and I felt
the lord just say I want you togo tell her.
It's like I see you, everythingyou are doing for your son, it
has so much value.
And and she's just like oh,thank you so much.
Thank you so much, right, uh,my one of my favorite stories is
that, uh, at one of our socialart events, um, there's this
little guy who came.
He was probably about maybe nine, nine or 10.
(21:32):
And he started painting and hewas a little bit grumpy when he
came in.
I think it might've been one ofthose scenarios where mom just
kind of dragged him out You'regoing right and so but he
started painting and what he wasdoing wasn't bad, but he got
into this mode of perfectionismand he got super frustrated and
(21:53):
he took black paint and hebasically sabotaged the whole
canvas.
And I can't.
So I'm kind of watching thislike, okay, oh god, how do you
want me to, how do you want meto interact with this, with this
guy?
And I came over and I said Isaid to him it's like having a
hard time.
He's like, yeah, yeah, it'sokay.
Do you want me to help you?
Speaker 1 (22:12):
No, he's got this grump.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
It's like, okay, all right, it's like you know what
you were doing there.
It was looking pretty good.
It's like you were on the righttrack with it.
It's like it's like do you wantme to get you another canvas?
And you can, you can start itover again.
She's like no, you know, andand uh, finally I just said to
him it's like, okay, well,here's, here's the deal.
I'm gonna get you anothercanvas, I'm gonna put it on on
your, on your uh um, easel there, and you can do whatever you
(22:40):
want.
You don't have to do what we'repainting, you can just do
whatever you want.
It's like does that sound good?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So he finally got.
He asked me for a pencil.
He started drawing this stuffout and I kept on coming over.
It's like that's really cool.
And the words, the words that Ifeel like you know how sometimes
the holy spirit just speaksthrough you.
Yeah, the words that, the wordsthat I I said to him it's like
(23:03):
I don't even this isn't even theway I would talk, so I know it
was.
It was God, kind of justhighlighting that moment.
I said to him it's like it'slike I think you've got some
cool things going on.
It's like I want to, just canyou?
I want to see what comes out ofthat brilliant brain of yours.
It's like the word is just thewording that that God put in my,
through my mouth and he, just,he totally responded to that and
(23:25):
by the end of the night he wasexcited, he was, he was happy,
he was smiling.
His mom was like thank you somuch.
It's like just really, it waslike literally like you can
shift an atmosphere when youbring the presence of God into a
situation.
Right, and it's such a keything.
And it's like I know that kidwill go, we'll go from that
(23:48):
moment and it'll stick in hismind.
It's like that guy took thetime to see what I was doing,
see the frustration speak lifeinto me.
You know, and I don't knowwhere they're at in regards to
faith or anything like that, butit's like there's always a
moment somewhere, in whateversituation you're in, where you
can bring the life of Jesus.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Right, yeah, I had another lady.
It's funny because God willhighlight people to you you
don't necessarily even know why,right?
But he was kind of highlightingthis lady to me because I loved
what she was doing with herpainting and I see, so often
people's personalities juststart coming out in their
paintings, right, and I lovethat because I see they're
walking in what you know whothey are.
(24:28):
So this lady, this particularlady, I saw so much adventure
coming out in her painting.
It was different than everyoneelse's, and so I began to speak
that to her, because there'ssuch opportunity to even
prophesy over people.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Yeah, they don't even know it, right, I know you're
right.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
So I began to speak this know, I see, are you
adventurous?
Because I see a lot ofadventure in you.
And she's like, yes.
And then she started opening upto me and, uh, her husband I
had no idea had died two weeksprior, and so she just began to
cry and, uh, open up a lot to me.
I had a lot of opportunity tospeak into her life, but it
showed me that the lord was wasusing that moment to bring hope
(25:08):
into her, because I had said toher before I knew, you know her
husband had died, you knowthere's adventure ahead for you,
and it was like something she Ithink she needed to hear after
just losing her husband.
It is such a young age too,right?
So there's these little momentslike that that you're like, you
know, this is such a privilegeto be out in the marketplace,
(25:31):
yeah, uh, as a christian, andjust speaking the heart of god
into these people.
And you know, god, what it?
What is it that you want toshow me about them that I can,
you know, relay your heart toand uh that's one of our
favorite things I think aboutdoing it.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
I seriously love that .
Yeah, it.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
It isn't so much about hey, this is how you paint
a painting.
It's more about like you know,what can we speak into your life
?
Speaker 1 (25:54):
That's oh yeah, it's total undercover kingdom, right,
I mean I love that, yeah,totally.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
And the cool thing is it actually really brings life
to us too, right?
Sure, it's like when you'regoing out and you see those
moments where God just kind ofsteps in, it's like, oh, thank
you, jesus, this is awesome.
And you know, we often jokethat I'm like the event pastor,
I'm like the undercover pastor,because I like to schmooze.
I will readily admit it and Iwill go out and I will schmooze
(26:23):
with all these people, and it'slike God just gives us some neat
opportunities to speak life.
That's a lot of fun, a lot offun.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
You know, as you're talking, I just, I just kept
hearing no separation, noseparation, and it's like God is
.
I think that's when the kingdomgets fun, right, it's when we
get out of the silos and westart realizing hey, it's all
the kingdom, whatever I'm doing,it's an opportunity for
overflow and opportunity for thekingdom to intersect this
moment and, and whether somebodyrecognizes it or not, Right,
(26:51):
like that lady just may havethought well, gosh, that lady is
really nutritious, reallyencouraged me today.
Well, that's a seed.
Right, that's exactly it in herlife and we can just get used to
releasing that and not tryingto manage the outcomes.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Life is a lot more fun, doesn't it?
Speaker 1 (27:08):
Yeah, I know Totally.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
And seed planting is a huge thing, right?
I think sometimes you know theWestern church, you know we've
tended to focus so much on theharvest dynamic of it.
But a harvest never comeswithout seeds being planted.
That's right, right you got tohave the seeds planted, so every
opportunity that you get it maynot be this overt in your face.
Hey, Jesus loves you.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
You know the Lord?
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yeah yeah, exactly Right, and sometimes we get we
got to close the deal kind ofthing.
But it's like no, there's allthese different steps that God
takes and those seeds who knowswho how he's going to grow that
and how he's going to developthat and the next person comes
along it, how he's going to growthat and how he's going to
develop that, and the nextperson comes along.
It's like Paul talked about youknow, some water, some harvest,
some plant, but God is the onewho does it right.
(27:53):
He's the one who makes it grow.
So it's like every opportunityyou get there's, there's a
chance to plant seeds somewhere.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Yeah, yeah, that's so good.
You know, as y'all are, asy'all are talking, I just I just
heard the Lord.
I just feel like he wants torelease people today into the
same kind of creative adventurethat you guys are living on,
that, this, that this life is.
You're listening or watchingthis today on YouTube or on the
podcast or whatever you're going.
Oh my gosh, this sounds so muchfun.
(28:19):
Like I would.
I would love to live this Like.
This is the list.
Life is available to everybody,right?
Life in the kingdom, and I justI'd wonder if you guys would
just pray for people today thatmaybe are sitting out there
going.
I need a.
I need a new level of creativeadventure in my life.
I need a new level of of yes,just to be able to step out in
(28:41):
the things that God's called meto and be able to, to live in
the adventure that that you guyshave been living a long time
and are going to continue tolive and we're all trying to
live in.
But I just feel like the Lordwants to release that through
you guys today.
Would you do that?
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
Yeah, go ahead, Steve .
Okay, I'll start.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Yeah, father, thank you so much for all the goodness
that you bring to us each andevery day.
Father, thank you for your life, thank you for your vision,
thank you for your hope that yougive us, father.
And Father, I just pray forthose who are looking for
something more, who are justsaying there's got to be a
little bit more to life inserving Jesus and what I'm
experiencing, father.
(29:18):
I pray to God that they wouldrecognize the opportunities that
you place in front of themevery day.
Every day, there's alwayssomething and, father, I pray in
the name of Jesus, that theireyes will be open to it and then
, on top of that, that theywould have the boldness and the
courage to go forth and justplant those seeds.
And, father, and it's uniquelyin the way that they're wired
(29:38):
the sense I'm having is thatthere's a unique voice and a
unique way that you are wiredthat God wants to release
through you, and it's in a waythat nobody else will do.
So there's no pressure in it,it's just it just it's going to
naturally flow out of you intothe people around you.
And so, father, I bless them inthe name of Jesus that that
(30:01):
would just flow so easily and sonaturally, without it's like,
without, without being forced,without that pressure that comes
from it.
I got to do it this way, or Igot to do it the right way, or
did I say this the right way?
Just trusting you, holy Spirit,that you are speaking through
them and that you are flowingthrough them, the exact way that
is needed for that moment.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Yeah, as you were praying, steve, before you said
pressure, I'm hearing thepressure's off, yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
As you were praying Steve before you said pressure,
I'm hearing the pressure's off.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
So, god, I pray that off of people right now,
pressure to come off of you, andthat you would just be, you
would just be and thatcreativity is just a lifestyle,
it's all around you, it's itjust comes out of your fingers.
So, whatever you do, there'screativity and all around you
and that your eyes would be opento that and, as you walk in
that, just as you are to be,that there wouldn't be the
pressure and there'd be arelease.
(30:53):
There'd be actually a releasingthat would start coming from
you to people's lives creatively.
And, lord, that you would, yeah, you would use many people to
really inspire people in thembeing just who you've made them
to be.
And the uniqueness we just, wejust call forth, the uniqueness
in individuals and the divineappointments we don't even
(31:15):
always know, god, those divineappointments to come forward.
In the name of Jesus.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Yes, yes and Lord, I just I just want to finish with
this Lord, we, we call forththose, God, to raise up this
army of artists.
God, wherever you call peopleall over the world if they're
feeling this call to to gatherothers, to say that I need
encouragement, I need to be anencouragement giver.
Lord, I pray that you wouldjust light a fire in people,
even as they listen.
(31:41):
Today, lord, that creativecommunities would begin to spark
and start all over the world.
We just pray for your grace,your passion, your fire, god, to
begin to well up inside thecreative community would not
just be about a conference hereand a church service there, but,
god, it would be, a nightacross the creative community in
(32:01):
this world.
And the safe places, beautifulplaces, God places for artists
to be cared for and loved andnurtured and set free, and all
of those things God places forartists to be cared for and
loved and nurtured and set free,and all of those things, God,
we just, I pray God, birth that.
Birth that, Lord, even asyou've done that in us and
you're doing it in others, God,we just pray for more.
God you said that you'd give us.
Nations is our inheritance.
(32:21):
And God, we ask nations, andnations, creative communities,
God to be raised up all overthis world we thank you for that
god in jesus name.
In jesus name amen.
So good, yeah, amen I donepreached myself into
encouragement.
I tell you what this is goodyeah, you know, I just one.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
One quick thing I'd like to just mention is like god
will bring the people that youneed to connect with as well.
You know, like I'm amazed at,just you know, since we started
stepping out in some of thesethings, just the connections
that God has allowed us to haveand, um, you know, just even
just this past weekend, we had ameeting with with people from
across Canada about what God isdoing in the arts in Canada and
(33:04):
in the church and how he wantsto birth something really,
really cool in Canada,creatively, and it's like God
will bring the people that youneed and he'll bring the
resources you need to step intothings that he's called you to
do.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
That's right.
That's right.
Yeah, this does not have to bein anybody, any of our own
strength right, we're justresponding to the open doors
that the Lord gives.
So I remember the first timethat I went to Scotland years
ago and it was one of thosesituations like I think there
were more people in our team andthe worship team than there
were at the conference.
Like it was one of those likeI'm just here out of obedience
(33:41):
to the Lord you know, and ourgood friends Lynette and Keith G
gainer opened the door for usto, to come and um, but in that
little room there were artistsfrom all over europe and all of
them came were like leaders ofcreative communities and we
ended up sitting around thetable one night and god birthed
(34:01):
something so incredible and Iended up going to germ and Spain
and Romania and all the allthese places.
but so much of it came out ofthat little, that little
gathering, and I just, just,like you're, saying you never,
ever know what God's doing inthese little moments of your
obedience, just to go and do andopen your home or whatever, and
(34:24):
I don't know.
It's just an encouragement.
You guys are encouragement.
I know that people are going towant to connect with you, not
only what you're doingartistically, but also maybe
take a trip up to canada, cometo to stratford, come to your
conference that you're doing.
So give us all love where do we, where do we find out all that
stuff?
And we'll make sure to put inthe show notes as well, for
people yeah, well for us.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
Uh, you can follow us on fantasticalstudioscom or.
Uh, probably best spot isactually facebook or instagram
for that.
Um, social art as well,socialartca, um, or the church
is probably the best spot tofind out about the conferences.
Jubilee, straffordcom, and, uh,usually we have stuff up there
about the conferences that work,the creativity and law
(35:07):
conferences.
Uh, next conference is actuallyscheduled for the end of april,
um, so be watching for that.
We're working on gettinggetting next year's lineup
together, so yeah, we gotta getyou back up matt I know, I know
I'm ready.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Great worship, great creativity, great food, great
chinese food.
That's a back story.
Anyway, listen, guys, I loveyou.
Thank you for being on.
You've been a greatencouragement.
Folks, as you're listening andwatching, make sure to go to all
their links, connect with themand, especially if you're in
(35:41):
Canada, reach out.
I don't think I'm overstatingthat.
Reach out, connect to them andGod's going to be a big, it's
going to be a big encouragementfor you.
So, trisha and Stephen, thanksguys, love you very much.
Thanks for being on today.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
Thanks, matt, thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
Hey, my friend, before you go, make sure that
you're signed up for theThriving Christian Artist Weekly
.
It's my free newsletter, fullof spiritual encouragement,
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thrive in everything that God'scalled you to do as an artist in
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Every issue is absolutely freeand it includes the latest
podcast episode, featured artistspotlights, a worship song of
(36:18):
the week and, again, tons oftips and encouragement and
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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, bye.
All over the world, artists are awakening.
Painters and potters, writersand weavers, poets and dancers
not chasing followers or fame,but sons and daughters called
for such a time as this,transformed from the inside out,
creating with purpose,releasing the glory of God and
living in the power of thekingdom.
Right now, this is the ThrivingChristian Artist.
(00:21):
Well, hey, everybody, Welcomeback to the show.
So glad that you're here,listen, I am super excited.
It's not often that you get tohave friends that you've known
for a long time on the podcast,but Stephen and Tricia, preston
man, y'all are just I don't knowjust people that have been in
my life for a long time, who Ilove and trust and so respect in
(00:41):
all that God is doing in yourlife.
So thank you so much forjoining and welcome to the
podcast again.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Thanks, matt, so glad to be back with you.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
It's a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Yeah, it's funny.
I was telling somebody that Iwas going to be interviewing you
the other day and they're likehow long have you known them?
I'm like a long time.
Y'all been in our world for along time, yeah, it's been.
I want to say like We've beenin each other's lives in a lot
of ways that week.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah, like 2008, 2010 , somewhere in there, I think.
Yeah, it's good.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
So crazy, so crazy.
So you guys were on the podcastbefore and I'll be sure to put
that in the show notes.
Everybody can listen to thatepisode as well, but maybe those
that are just getting to knowyou guys and everything give us
the thumbnail sketch of who youare, what you do, where you are
in the world and all that, andthen we'll start talking about
some other things today, aboutcommunity and and all that God's
(01:34):
doing in your business as well.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
So Awesome, yeah, so Steven and Tricia Preston, we've
been.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
We live up here in just outside of Stratford
Ontario a little town called StMary's and Canada, canada,
canada, eh.
Yes, we are Canada, eh.
Is that in Alabama?
That sounds like Alabama.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
You might hear a few A's in my conversation today,
but yeah, we've been doing allsorts of creative things for
quite a number of years, prettymuch since we got married, and I
was just talking to somebodythe other day.
It's of wedding a number ofyears pretty much since we got
married and I was just talkingto somebody the other day, um,
it's like seems like trish and Ido everything together, right,
(02:14):
and so it's like you know, shedoes her, she brings her uh
artistic dynamic to the table.
I bring my, my musical uhdynamic to the table and we just
kind of it's us right.
So, yeah, it's uh inspire.
Hopefully we're inspiringpeople and and uh, stirring
creativity and people andencouraging them and the things
that God has placed in them.
And we had a little businesscalled Fantastical Studios which
was stories, art and music andwe we would go into schools and
(02:37):
and different things like thatand just, you know, share our
stories and and stir creativityin the kids and let them know
that everybody can be creative.
Right, you've all got acreative bent somewhere in your
life.
So that was a lot of fun andit's funny because when we moved
out here to Stratford, god kindof morphed us into some other
things.
I'm the children's pastor atthe church, so we've been doing
(02:59):
art camps and different thingslike that at the church, but
he's also allowed us pretty coolopportunities just in doing
arts conferences at the church.
But he's also allowed us prettycool opportunities just in
doing arts conferences at thechurch.
And he's also brought us a funlittle art business as well,
called Social Art, which isbasically like a paint night
type of thing, where we go intorestaurants and businesses and
teach people how to paint.
(03:19):
So that's the nutshell versionof some of the things we've been
doing.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
We are, yeah, steve's the musician, I'm the artist,
I'm not musical.
Steve thinks I'm tone deaf.
That's, I don't know, that'sbecause, she is.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Listen, my mom used to say some people should sing
in the choir and some peopleshould pray for the choir and
when we got married, when wefirst started dating, it's like
how is this gonna work?
Speaker 2 (03:46):
he is so musical and I am so not, but it was so neat
to see how god really justgrafted our gifts together and
how there was such a commontheme of not just the lord but
creativity.
That really just came alivewhen we got married.
So we've kind of been trying towalk in that for 20 years now.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
So yeah, I'm sure, as y'all were first got married
and growing in your marriage andall that did, did your parents
or friends of y'all be like nowwe're glad y'all are creative,
but like, what are you actuallygoing to do for a living?
Like two artists gettingtogether Like this is not a
recipe for for what most peoplethink of success.
I mean, did y'all ever facethat and struggle with that?
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I.
I didn't feel so much on myside.
I don't know about your family,but yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
I felt that it's like , well, what, yeah, basically,
what are you gonna do, like youshould be, in a job making money
and creativity?
You like a little more freedom,a little more flexibility to to
practice your craft and that.
So, yeah, definitely there wasa bit of that.
I would say yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Well, I was.
I mean, for me I was teachingmusic lessons, so I was bringing
in some income through that,right.
And actually the thing thatamazes me about it is, like you
know, typically, at least for uphere, at least in the summer
months, everybody's on holidays,right.
So you know, I just kind ofshut down the business for
teaching in the summers.
But God, he just provided thissupernatural connection with a
(05:11):
metal fabrication shop and I goin and I create there.
Wow, it's just a different way,and it just supplemented
everything that we needed.
So it's like there was neverreally felt like a place of lack
or anything like that, but itwas always there when I need it.
Actually, they, they, there's a.
At one point the plant managercame to me and says, yeah, you
can just anytime you want towork to show up.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
So yeah, it's not your everyday thing, but God's
faithful.
I'm just going to say being anartist really is like a complete
walk of faith, right, Cause,whether we're creating or
trusting God for income indifferent ways, it really is an
opportunity to trust him everyday and not get so tied up in
you know, my income's got to bethis much or look like this or
(05:55):
come in this way but just beable to, like you say, trust him
in that flow, right.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Totally, totally, and it's always multiple streams.
You've talked about this manytimes over the years right.
Just, you know, you've, you'vegot multiple streams of where,
where God chooses to pull in theincome for the season, Right.
So you know, for us right nowit's we've got social art, we've
got the stuff that we're doingat the church and you know, and
God's blessing us and which isamazing, right, and I had this
(06:20):
thing spoken over many years ago, and I had this thing spoken
over many years ago like you canalways make money, and that
always really took root in myheart.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So, regardless of how , there was always a way I could
make money, whether it'spainting or teaching a lesson or
something that always kind ofresonated with me, regardless of
how little or how much, therewas always opportunity to make
money.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
So yeah, yeah, I think for all of us, once you
get that revelation that God isthe provider right and if I'm
doing what he's called me to do,however he chooses to bring it
and in whatever amount, it'swhat I need for the season that
I'm in and that allows you thefreedom.
So I just I've always lovedthat about you guys, cause every
time you know we talk, it'slike we're doing this, we're
doing that, we're doing that,and you know but I love it, so
(07:04):
it's something different.
No, but there's this freedom torespond to what God's told me to
and, um, you know, one of thethings I love about you and I
know a lot of people love aboutyou is that you're not just
creative for yourself.
You really do have a heart, uh,for other creatives, not just
in teaching teaching, but reallyin gathering, and, um, that's
(07:25):
been something that's been along time coming in.
You guys, you've got thisconference now that that you
guys are doing now at yourchurch, but where did that whole
passion for for community startwith with the creative
community?
Speaker 2 (07:38):
yeah, go ahead well, you know it.
Really a lot of it started withwhat you were doing um matt, um
, because when the things wewere really drawn to were the
fact that you like to gatherartisans for God's kingdom right
.
It was like gathering this army,and so when we went down to the
gathering there years ago, thatreally stirred something.
(07:59):
It was like a seed that gotplanted in our hearts and it's
like, well, why not do somethinglike that up here in Canada?
Because there was nothing inCanada.
So I think a lot of it startedgoing back to what you were
doing and there was inspirationfor us in that.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
But even before that, I mean we were doing our little
art gatherings, like in ourlocal church as well, right,
Just spots where people couldcome and create and see what the
Lord wanted to kind of birththrough them.
And in our gatherings together,right.
And I mean sometimes we woulddo things where we'd focus on a
theme and you know, like onetime we did a whole series on
(08:36):
creating something regardingsocial injustice stuff, right,
and then we took that out intothe community, we did a little
fundraiser and used and use thatto go towards homeless, the
homelessness in our, in our city.
At that point, right, yeah, andyou know, I mean it's always
kind of been there, you know,like I feel like it's funny,
cause, like I'm, I'm, you know,part of my gifting is pastoring,
(08:59):
right, and so I always want tosee how do we encourage people
in the way that God has wiredthem, and I think, just because
we're creative and it's justpart of who we are, right, it
just naturally flows out of usto those who are creative as
well, right, and, yeah, reallyreally neat opportunities that I
feel like God has really reallyblessed us with.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
In that sense, yeah, and there is also just
recognizing the need forcreatives to come together.
Yeah, I was going to say youknow where people they have a
lot of creative ideas butthey're not doing it, and them
being in an atmosphere withother creatives where they can
inspire one another.
We saw that helping each otherwas was a big part of that too.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
There was a need there for a community for
creatives yeah totally well, somany of us work by ourself right
in the studio or you're justnot around.
I mean, you know artists, youkind of feel like the the lone
man out.
Sometimes they're like nobodyelse is creative in my life.
So if you can get together withothers, you do feel like you're
not crazy and you know like youcan begin to share those ideas.
(10:03):
And I think one of the I meanyou know there's one of the
things that the enemy hits mostin creatives is just feelings of
inadequacy and in this you knownot being enough and and you
know not being qualified forwhat god's called you to do.
And it's in community rightthat we get to speak life into
each other and kind of combatsome of those things that the
enemy throw at us all the time.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Totally, there's something about community, right
, and you know it's.
You know, even like when westarted doing our creativity and
law conferences and you werethere for the first one, matt,
but it's like the thing that theresounding thing that came back
, it's like, oh, it's so good toconnect and gather with other
people that are just kind ofwired the same right.
Um, you know, like a lot, lotsof people look at artists and
say you guys are just wireddifferently.
(10:52):
So you know, yeah, I know andeven in the context of the
church, right like there's somany artists that were that have
been coming out of thewoodworks lately that say, you
know what?
I've just been hurt by thechurch.
I feel like they just don'tunderstand the way I'm wired
Right and uh, it's like, butthere's a place, I feel like
there's a place where where Ican go, you know, even if it's
(11:13):
only an annual thing, there's aplace where I can go and it's
like this is kind of my tribe.
These, these people kind of getthe way I'm wired.
They kind of see the same way Ido, Right.
So, um, really really coolstuff.
I think God is just kind ofbuilding, uh, in that sense,
here, uh up in Ontario at least,and uh, hopefully we'll see
this kind of go on a morenationwide thing, Um, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Yeah, that's so awesome.
I, I so enjoy being there andgetting to meet all the people
that were there, just kind of ofhang out, and one of the things
I think that struck me was thatyou know your pastors, other
leaders like they were there,involved in having a supportive
leadership team in your church.
I mean if you're, if somebodyis listening today or watching
today and wanting to servesomething in their church, I
(11:57):
mean that that's just huge andthat God knit your hearts
together as an artist with withthe leaders of your church,
realize this is not incompetition.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
This is here to to compliment and really build up
all the different parts of thebody of Christ.
Yeah, totally, totally yeah.
And I mean at Jubilee at ourchurch here in Stratford it's
like our pastor Trevor, he'sjust he's.
He's kind of wired creativelytoo, though in many ways right,
he's a musician and so he hekind of gets, gets it too, and
so he's just he.
He kind of looks at us and hesays okay, you got a dream, go
(12:31):
for it, right, yeah, and whichis amazing, which is absolutely
amazing, and even the dynamic ofyou know, like even just
putting resources into it, right, it's not just, hey, you can
use our building, it's like, hey, we're gonna, we're gonna put
some resources into this andenable you to to do this and to
do it well, right.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
And so that's huge.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
Yeah, that's so good, you know, I think of, really, I
think, well, honestly, we weretalking a little bit before the
call.
I've been in kind of a seasonof of transition in these last
probably six or eight monthsthat he had for me, of raising
up this army of artists and and,um, when he first called me he
(13:11):
said, you know, ministry andmarketplace, both full-time.
That was the call and as oflate, I've been feeling the Lord
say mobilization, that that's abig thing that he's he's
calling me to and I'm just, Ithink if there's so many, you
know, nobody can be at allplaces at one time.
God's not called one man, oneperson, to be at all places at
(13:31):
one time.
God's not called one man, oneperson, to be in all places all
times.
It takes all of us as amovement of artists and I think
you know so many artists arelike, oh well, I wish I had
something like that in my church, I wish I had something like
that in my, my community, and Ijust always like to remind
people.
I just love your thoughts onthis.
You know, all of us are justregular people, right?
That just chose to say yes, um,to the call of god in in our
(13:54):
life, whether it was a smallbusiness or whether it was like
for me.
I started a small group at mystudio and it was eight people,
then 30 people, then it turnsinto conferences and then blah,
blah, blah.
And for you guys, same thingyou got a small business, but
you started gathering artists inyour, in your church.
And I guess, if you guys, samething You've got a small
business, but you startedgathering artists in your church
.
And I guess if you guys were topull the curtain back for
(14:15):
somebody that thinks, oh gosh, Icould never do something like
what you guys are doing hostinga conference or ministering to
artists.
I mean, we're really justtalking, in essence, about
loving each other and creating aspace for artists to get
together.
Right?
And share life and encourage oneanother.
I mean, this is not rocketscience, right?
If you got brownies and a bookand are willing to, you know I
(14:38):
have a comfy chair for somebodyto sit and you can do this,
right.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Yeah, you're right on .
It's like, I think for us itwas just like we just said,
let's just start something right.
And it's like if God puts thedesire in your heart and like, I
think, a lot of the time hejust stirs in you, it's like
it's almost like we get thedesire first for ourselves,
almost Right.
It's like I need that creativecommunity I need, I need
(15:04):
something to kind of people togather around me Right Cause I
mean we're wired for that, thatconnection right.
And if he puts that in yourheart, that's usually a pretty
good indication that maybe he'ssaying, hey, maybe it's you,
maybe you're the one to kind ofignite it, get things on the and
just step out in it on the road.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Yeah, to step out because, like I just say, why
not you?
Right, like, why not you,especially if there's a desire
inside of you?
Sometimes we talk ourselves outof this thing oh, that can't be
the Lord.
But what if it is the Lordputting that in your heart and
you don't know?
Like we've never known withanything 100% until we start
(15:42):
stepping right.
It's always requires faith, italways requires a step.
So, yeah, I would justencourage people in that.
If you're having a desire tostart something, I would just
encourage people in that.
If you're having a desire tostart something, why not Like?
Why not you Right?
Speaker 3 (15:55):
And the cool thing about it is that it just kind of
builds from there Right, like,like when we first started doing
our small groups at ourprevious church, when we, when
the Lord called us to go toJubilee to Stratford, he rose up
.
The next person to come in thathad been part of our group and
she just carried it on Right.
And so it's like it's.
It's like it's began tomultiply.
(16:15):
And there's another person fromour group who went up to a
totally different region inOntario and she'd started doing
one up in her area.
Right, and it's like it justkeeps on growing and it really
starts to build and grow.
It's like this this hive,almost right.
It's like every, every workeris a part of the bigger picture,
right, yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Well, that's it.
I'm just so passionate aboutthat because I, you know, again
the Lord's kind of been bringingme back to this original vision
of when he called me to raiseup this army of artists.
I saw these fires all over aglobal map and, like these, you
know, creative communities andthis sort of thing, and of
course, you know, in my type aorganizational leader mind, you
(16:56):
know, I'm like we need to starta network and we need to have
everybody join and all this andI just it felt like the Lord
calling me so much lately.
And it's the same thing you'resaying of just mobilization
doesn't always mean control,doesn't always mean organized to
inspire, to inspire and to sayto people hey, if it's on your
heart, go for it.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Right, totally.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Others of us that are doing it too, and we can link
arms in whatever way that makessense, but this is not about
some organizational structure.
This is about you trusting Godto use you among the people that
you're around, and and let thatthat fire catch, and and god's
going to do something unique instratford that he does in texas
that he doesn't actually, orwhatever.
(17:39):
And that's the beautiful part,right, that's the that's exactly
it yeah that's exactly trueyeah, I love that.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I love the uniqueness because you can't have carbon
copies right.
It is going to be totallydifferent from one place to the
next, so I love that.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
I think that's the dynamic.
Like you know, like we're wiredcreatively, God is wired
creatively.
So why are we, why do we try todo a carbon copy all the time?
Speaker 1 (18:01):
Right, you know so it's like it makes sense to our
little mind, right?
Yeah, I know, no, I know, Iknow.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
So it's like what is, what is it that he's putting
you?
That's unique Right, and what'swhat's the?
You know, I, I, I say this alot about, about churches, in
regards to worship, right, youknow, it's like, you know, I'm
not saying I'm not knocking likethe Bethels or the Hills songs
or you know, elevation oranything like that, but that
(18:27):
they've, they do we just copyeverything that they do.
Or it's like what is the soundthat in your church, that that
God wants to bring out?
Right, it's not that you can'tdo their songs or anything like
that, but it's like what is theunique sound that you've got you
guys carry?
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Oh yeah.
Yeah, so all the all that stuff, right it, all it.
As much as you guys arepassionate about community and
all of that, you also love beingin the marketplace.
It's not one or the other, it'sboth.
And you guys are seeing Godshow up just as much in the
(19:01):
marketplace as you are inquote-unquote ministry.
And for somebody that says, canthat really happen?
Of course that can happen.
That's how the kingdom isdesigned to be released.
So what fun things are you guysseeing God do in the
marketplace, even right now?
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Yeah, so we go out fairly regularly with our
business and we basically justteach people how to paint.
It gives us such an opportunityjust to speak into people's
lives, a lot of people theydon't think they can.
They can paint, or it's soawesome to see when God starts
unlocking that ability in themthat they never knew they had.
(19:37):
I had one lady.
She was talking about how herdaughter was a painter and I
said, oh, did she get that fromyou?
And she was like no, no, Ican't paint all this.
And she then she began to justshare how her mother had told
her you wouldn't let her paintas a child like she was very
task oriented, so it was likepainting was just, you know,
(19:58):
something you didn't have timeto do, so she wasn't allowed to
do anything creative.
And I just said to her I saidWell, you know, maybe that's
just laying dormant in you,maybe it just needs to come out
of you.
And so she sat in our, in ourevent, and she absolutely loved
painting and at the end of it.
She was telling me how much thatwas like stirring in her mind,
(20:22):
just saying you know, maybethere's something dormant living
in like in you.
And she's like I think you'reright, and she was crying, she
was all tearing up at the end ofit because she realized there
had been something in her thathad not come out, that was kind
of squashed, you know, from whenshe was a child.
So we're we're hearing storieslike that of just the
(20:43):
opportunity to bring out, youknow, what has God put inside of
you, that's just been layingdormant inside of you.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Yeah, yeah, I mean we also get.
It's pretty cool becausesometimes you know, God just
highlights certain people incertain, maybe just certain
situations that might come up inour events, right, and he'll
say I want you to go pray forthem after, right, and I'll come
up to them after.
And it's like, you know,there's one she, she brought her
(21:11):
, her son who's handicapped,he's in a wheelchair, and I felt
the lord just say I want you togo tell her.
It's like I see you, everythingyou are doing for your son, it
has so much value.
And and she's just like oh,thank you so much.
Thank you so much, right, uh,my one of my favorite stories is
that, uh, at one of our socialart events, um, there's this
little guy who came.
He was probably about maybe nine, nine or 10.
(21:32):
And he started painting and hewas a little bit grumpy when he
came in.
I think it might've been one ofthose scenarios where mom just
kind of dragged him out You'regoing right and so but he
started painting and what he wasdoing wasn't bad, but he got
into this mode of perfectionismand he got super frustrated and
(21:53):
he took black paint and hebasically sabotaged the whole
canvas.
And I can't.
So I'm kind of watching thislike, okay, oh god, how do you
want me to, how do you want meto interact with this, with this
guy?
And I came over and I said Isaid to him it's like having a
hard time.
He's like, yeah, yeah, it'sokay.
Do you want me to help you?
Speaker 1 (22:12):
No, he's got this grump.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
It's like, okay, all right, it's like you know what
you were doing there.
It was looking pretty good.
It's like you were on the righttrack with it.
It's like it's like do you wantme to get you another canvas?
And you can, you can start itover again.
She's like no, you know, andand uh, finally I just said to
him it's like, okay, well,here's, here's the deal.
I'm gonna get you anothercanvas, I'm gonna put it on on
your, on your uh um, easel there, and you can do whatever you
(22:40):
want.
You don't have to do what we'repainting, you can just do
whatever you want.
It's like does that sound good?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So he finally got.
He asked me for a pencil.
He started drawing this stuffout and I kept on coming over.
It's like that's really cool.
And the words, the words that Ifeel like you know how sometimes
the holy spirit just speaksthrough you.
Yeah, the words that, the wordsthat I I said to him it's like
(23:03):
I don't even this isn't even theway I would talk, so I know it
was.
It was God, kind of justhighlighting that moment.
I said to him it's like it'slike I think you've got some
cool things going on.
It's like I want to, just canyou?
I want to see what comes out ofthat brilliant brain of yours.
It's like the word is just thewording that that God put in my,
through my mouth and he, just,he totally responded to that and
(23:25):
by the end of the night he wasexcited, he was, he was happy,
he was smiling.
His mom was like thank you somuch.
It's like just really, it waslike literally like you can
shift an atmosphere when youbring the presence of God into a
situation.
Right, and it's such a keything.
And it's like I know that kidwill go, we'll go from that
(23:48):
moment and it'll stick in hismind.
It's like that guy took thetime to see what I was doing,
see the frustration speak lifeinto me.
You know, and I don't knowwhere they're at in regards to
faith or anything like that, butit's like there's always a
moment somewhere, in whateversituation you're in, where you
can bring the life of Jesus.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
Right, yeah, I had another lady.
It's funny because God willhighlight people to you you
don't necessarily even know why,right?
But he was kind of highlightingthis lady to me because I loved
what she was doing with herpainting and I see, so often
people's personalities juststart coming out in their
paintings, right, and I lovethat because I see they're
walking in what you know whothey are.
(24:28):
So this lady, this particularlady, I saw so much adventure
coming out in her painting.
It was different than everyoneelse's, and so I began to speak
that to her, because there'ssuch opportunity to even
prophesy over people.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Yeah, they don't even know it, right, I know you're
right.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
So I began to speak this know, I see, are you
adventurous?
Because I see a lot ofadventure in you.
And she's like, yes.
And then she started opening upto me and, uh, her husband I
had no idea had died two weeksprior, and so she just began to
cry and, uh, open up a lot to me.
I had a lot of opportunity tospeak into her life, but it
showed me that the lord was wasusing that moment to bring hope
(25:08):
into her, because I had said toher before I knew, you know her
husband had died, you knowthere's adventure ahead for you,
and it was like something she Ithink she needed to hear after
just losing her husband.
It is such a young age too,right?
So there's these little momentslike that that you're like, you
know, this is such a privilegeto be out in the marketplace,
(25:31):
yeah, uh, as a christian, andjust speaking the heart of god
into these people.
And you know, god, what it?
What is it that you want toshow me about them that I can,
you know, relay your heart toand uh that's one of our
favorite things I think aboutdoing it.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
I seriously love that .
Yeah, it.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
It isn't so much about hey, this is how you paint
a painting.
It's more about like you know,what can we speak into your life
?
Speaker 1 (25:54):
That's oh yeah, it's total undercover kingdom, right,
I mean I love that, yeah,totally.
Speaker 3 (25:58):
And the cool thing is it actually really brings life
to us too, right?
Sure, it's like when you'regoing out and you see those
moments where God just kind ofsteps in, it's like, oh, thank
you, jesus, this is awesome.
And you know, we often jokethat I'm like the event pastor,
I'm like the undercover pastor,because I like to schmooze.
I will readily admit it and Iwill go out and I will schmooze
(26:23):
with all these people, and it'slike God just gives us some neat
opportunities to speak life.
That's a lot of fun, a lot offun.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
You know, as you're talking, I just, I just kept
hearing no separation, noseparation, and it's like God is
.
I think that's when the kingdomgets fun, right, it's when we
get out of the silos and westart realizing hey, it's all
the kingdom, whatever I'm doing,it's an opportunity for
overflow and opportunity for thekingdom to intersect this
moment and, and whether somebodyrecognizes it or not, Right,
(26:51):
like that lady just may havethought well, gosh, that lady is
really nutritious, reallyencouraged me today.
Well, that's a seed.
Right, that's exactly it in herlife and we can just get used to
releasing that and not tryingto manage the outcomes.
Speaker 3 (27:05):
Life is a lot more fun, doesn't it?
Speaker 1 (27:08):
Yeah, I know Totally.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
And seed planting is a huge thing, right?
I think sometimes you know theWestern church, you know we've
tended to focus so much on theharvest dynamic of it.
But a harvest never comeswithout seeds being planted.
That's right, right you got tohave the seeds planted, so every
opportunity that you get it maynot be this overt in your face.
Hey, Jesus loves you.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
You know the Lord?
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yeah yeah, exactly Right, and sometimes we get we
got to close the deal kind ofthing.
But it's like no, there's allthese different steps that God
takes and those seeds who knowswho how he's going to grow that
and how he's going to developthat and the next person comes
along it, how he's going to growthat and how he's going to
develop that, and the nextperson comes along.
It's like Paul talked about youknow, some water, some harvest,
some plant, but God is the onewho does it right.
(27:53):
He's the one who makes it grow.
So it's like every opportunityyou get there's, there's a
chance to plant seeds somewhere.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Yeah, yeah, that's so good.
You know, as y'all are, asy'all are talking, I just I just
heard the Lord.
I just feel like he wants torelease people today into the
same kind of creative adventurethat you guys are living on,
that, this, that this life is.
You're listening or watchingthis today on YouTube or on the
podcast or whatever you're going.
Oh my gosh, this sounds so muchfun.
(28:19):
Like I would.
I would love to live this Like.
This is the list.
Life is available to everybody,right?
Life in the kingdom, and I justI'd wonder if you guys would
just pray for people today thatmaybe are sitting out there
going.
I need a.
I need a new level of creativeadventure in my life.
I need a new level of of yes,just to be able to step out in
(28:41):
the things that God's called meto and be able to, to live in
the adventure that that you guyshave been living a long time
and are going to continue tolive and we're all trying to
live in.
But I just feel like the Lordwants to release that through
you guys today.
Would you do that?
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
Yeah, go ahead, Steve .
Okay, I'll start.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Yeah, father, thank you so much for all the goodness
that you bring to us each andevery day.
Father, thank you for your life, thank you for your vision,
thank you for your hope that yougive us, father.
And Father, I just pray forthose who are looking for
something more, who are justsaying there's got to be a
little bit more to life inserving Jesus and what I'm
experiencing, father.
(29:18):
I pray to God that they wouldrecognize the opportunities that
you place in front of themevery day.
Every day, there's alwayssomething and, father, I pray in
the name of Jesus, that theireyes will be open to it and then
, on top of that, that theywould have the boldness and the
courage to go forth and justplant those seeds.
And, father, and it's uniquelyin the way that they're wired
(29:38):
the sense I'm having is thatthere's a unique voice and a
unique way that you are wiredthat God wants to release
through you, and it's in a waythat nobody else will do.
So there's no pressure in it,it's just it just it's going to
naturally flow out of you intothe people around you.
And so, father, I bless them inthe name of Jesus that that
(30:01):
would just flow so easily and sonaturally, without it's like,
without, without being forced,without that pressure that comes
from it.
I got to do it this way, or Igot to do it the right way, or
did I say this the right way?
Just trusting you, holy Spirit,that you are speaking through
them and that you are flowingthrough them, the exact way that
is needed for that moment.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Yeah, as you were praying, steve, before you said
pressure, I'm hearing thepressure's off, yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
As you were praying Steve before you said pressure,
I'm hearing the pressure's off.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
So, god, I pray that off of people right now,
pressure to come off of you, andthat you would just be, you
would just be and thatcreativity is just a lifestyle,
it's all around you, it's itjust comes out of your fingers.
So, whatever you do, there'screativity and all around you
and that your eyes would be opento that and, as you walk in
that, just as you are to be,that there wouldn't be the
pressure and there'd be arelease.
(30:53):
There'd be actually a releasingthat would start coming from
you to people's lives creatively.
And, lord, that you would, yeah, you would use many people to
really inspire people in thembeing just who you've made them
to be.
And the uniqueness we just, wejust call forth, the uniqueness
in individuals and the divineappointments we don't even
(31:15):
always know, god, those divineappointments to come forward.
In the name of Jesus.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Yes, yes and Lord, I just I just want to finish with
this Lord, we, we call forththose, God, to raise up this
army of artists.
God, wherever you call peopleall over the world if they're
feeling this call to to gatherothers, to say that I need
encouragement, I need to be anencouragement giver.
Lord, I pray that you wouldjust light a fire in people,
even as they listen.
(31:41):
Today, lord, that creativecommunities would begin to spark
and start all over the world.
We just pray for your grace,your passion, your fire, god, to
begin to well up inside thecreative community would not
just be about a conference hereand a church service there, but,
god, it would be, a nightacross the creative community in
(32:01):
this world.
And the safe places, beautifulplaces, God places for artists
to be cared for and loved andnurtured and set free, and all
of those things God places forartists to be cared for and
loved and nurtured and set free,and all of those things, God,
we just, I pray God, birth that.
Birth that, Lord, even asyou've done that in us and
you're doing it in others, God,we just pray for more.
God you said that you'd give us.
Nations is our inheritance.
(32:21):
And God, we ask nations, andnations, creative communities,
God to be raised up all overthis world we thank you for that
god in jesus name.
In jesus name amen.
So good, yeah, amen I donepreached myself into
encouragement.
I tell you what this is goodyeah, you know, I just one.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
One quick thing I'd like to just mention is like god
will bring the people that youneed to connect with as well.
You know, like I'm amazed at,just you know, since we started
stepping out in some of thesethings, just the connections
that God has allowed us to haveand, um, you know, just even
just this past weekend, we had ameeting with with people from
across Canada about what God isdoing in the arts in Canada and
(33:04):
in the church and how he wantsto birth something really,
really cool in Canada,creatively, and it's like God
will bring the people that youneed and he'll bring the
resources you need to step intothings that he's called you to
do.
Speaker 1 (33:18):
That's right.
That's right.
Yeah, this does not have to bein anybody, any of our own
strength right, we're justresponding to the open doors
that the Lord gives.
So I remember the first timethat I went to Scotland years
ago and it was one of thosesituations like I think there
were more people in our team andthe worship team than there
were at the conference.
Like it was one of those likeI'm just here out of obedience
(33:41):
to the Lord you know, and ourgood friends Lynette and Keith G
gainer opened the door for usto, to come and um, but in that
little room there were artistsfrom all over europe and all of
them came were like leaders ofcreative communities and we
ended up sitting around thetable one night and god birthed
(34:01):
something so incredible and Iended up going to germ and Spain
and Romania and all the allthese places.
but so much of it came out ofthat little, that little
gathering, and I just, just,like you're, saying you never,
ever know what God's doing inthese little moments of your
obedience, just to go and do andopen your home or whatever, and
(34:24):
I don't know.
It's just an encouragement.
You guys are encouragement.
I know that people are going towant to connect with you, not
only what you're doingartistically, but also maybe
take a trip up to canada, cometo to stratford, come to your
conference that you're doing.
So give us all love where do we, where do we find out all that
stuff?
And we'll make sure to put inthe show notes as well, for
people yeah, well for us.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
Uh, you can follow us on fantasticalstudioscom or.
Uh, probably best spot isactually facebook or instagram
for that.
Um, social art as well,socialartca, um, or the church
is probably the best spot tofind out about the conferences.
Jubilee, straffordcom, and, uh,usually we have stuff up there
about the conferences that work,the creativity and law
(35:07):
conferences.
Uh, next conference is actuallyscheduled for the end of april,
um, so be watching for that.
We're working on gettinggetting next year's lineup
together, so yeah, we gotta getyou back up matt I know, I know
I'm ready.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Great worship, great creativity, great food, great
chinese food.
That's a back story.
Anyway, listen, guys, I loveyou.
Thank you for being on.
You've been a greatencouragement.
Folks, as you're listening andwatching, make sure to go to all
their links, connect with themand, especially if you're in
(35:41):
Canada, reach out.
I don't think I'm overstatingthat.
Reach out, connect to them andGod's going to be a big, it's
going to be a big encouragementfor you.
So, trisha and Stephen, thanksguys, love you very much.
Thanks for being on today.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
Thanks, matt, thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
Hey, my friend, before you go, make sure that
you're signed up for theThriving Christian Artist Weekly
.
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
(36:18):
the week and, again, tons oftips and encouragement and
inspiration for you to keep youinspired and encouraged in
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, bye.
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