The Thriving Christian Artist
The Thriving Christian Artist
The Core4: How to Make Progress as an Artist
Have you ever felt like your journey as an artist is more complicated than it needs to be? On "The Thriving Christian Artist," I, Matt Tommey, share my personal experiences of wrestling with this very notion and how I discovered a clearer path to thriving in God's kingdom. This episode reveals how we can often become our own biggest roadblocks and how, with consistent action and faith, we can overcome these challenges. By focusing on the "core four" pillars—Connect, Clarify, Create, and Cultivate—I guide you on how to invite God's wisdom into every corner of your life and art. You'll hear about my breakthrough moments and the powerful transformations I've witnessed in others who embrace this approach.
You'll learn about the incredible power of setting clear goals and pursuing them with intention. We discuss the importance of writing down your vision and the real impact daily actions can have on achieving your creative dreams. This episode emphasizes the dance between prayer and proactive effort, showing how both are crucial to aligning with God's plan. I also highlight the importance of surrounding yourself with a supportive community, which can open doors and help you steward your God-given talents. It's a journey of faith, action, and growth that promises to illuminate your creative path and lead to success.
Need help starting or growing your art business? Join us inside the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program! http://www.matttommeymentoring.com/artmentor
Join us inside the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program at http://www.matttommeymentoring.com/artmentor
Welcome to the Thriving Christian Artist, the podcast where we hope you connect with God to bust through the roadblocks that have held you back for years, create the work you love and really live the life you know. God created you to live as an artist in His kingdom. I'm Matt Tommey, your host. Let's get started. Well, hey, my friend, welcome to another edition of the podcast. I'm Matt Tomm Tommy, your host, super glad that you are here. You know, when I think back to why I started doing work with artists and trying to help artists along their journey, it really came out of my own experience of trying to make it as an artist and trying to figure out what God had for my life and trying to make it through all of the roadblocks and junk that the enemy had put in my way to keep me from stepping into all that God had for me. And over the years that just became a platform for me to be able to share my story with others and to be able to hopefully give you some tips along the way. I can honestly say I never really started out to create whatever. You know. I just I've always kind of been a helper of people and I've always liked to see people get breakthrough. I always love to see people get these aha moments in their life so they can really step into the place of joy and fulfillment that God has for them, not only as an artist, but just as a person. And you know, one of the things that kind of became a realization for me in my life, and one of the things that I see people struggle a lot, is just this idea of how do I really get started in pursuing the thing that God has for me. And I'll just be honest, let me just say this Having mentored and spoken into the lives of thousands upon thousands of artists over the years, we just about more than anybody else sure know how to complicate things. We can overcomplicate and overcomplicate and overthink things until we're blue in the face and really prevent ourselves from doing the things that God has for us to do as an artist.
Speaker 1:And as I look back at my own journey as an artist and then I look at the journey of those in our mentoring program and those I've had the joy to be able to walk with, it really is a few simple things that if you'll do these consistently that's the key word, consistently you'll do these consistently on a daily basis. Over time, you will see results happen in your life. You will see growth, you will see progress. One of the things that stops people from progress is not that they don't know what to do, but is that they start doing it and then somewhere along the way something happens. They drop it and they never go back. And when that happens, it absolutely stalls out your progress, because in those moments the enemy comes in and accuses you of not knowing what you're doing, not being good enough, you know, tells you that you'll always be a failure, you'll never be able to achieve your dreams. All the stuff right, but if we can realize that this journey that we have as an artist is not about doing everything perfectly every day, but it's choosing to do the right things on a consistent basis, day by day, by day. And if you miss a day, but it's choosing to do the right things on a consistent basis, day by day, by day, if you miss a day, do it the next day, and if you mess up one day, do it again the next day. You know, keep trying to put one foot in front of another.
Speaker 1:I think, if I can look back, you know, on my own journey, and even right now in my life, I think the thing that really has marked any success that I've had is just that I don't give up. No matter how hard things are, no matter how many times I mess up, no matter how many times the enemy accuses me of this, that or the other, I really believe in my heart of hearts that you know what His mercies are new. Every morning I got to get up, I got to try again, I got to hit this thing again, and so I want to share with you four things that I call the core four that have really been a linchpin for me, really foundational pillars for me in my life, as I have endeavored to not only be a successful artist myself and step into all the things that God has for me and live a beautiful life that the Lord has for all of us, but also help others along the way. And so I want to give you these four, and then I'm going to go back and kind of walk through each one of them quickly Connect, clarify, create and cultivate. All right, connect, clarify, create and cultivate.
Speaker 1:The first one connect, I think, is probably pretty obvious, but I'm amazed how many artists don't intentionally do this, and that is, connect with God in your heart of hearts on a daily basis, with regards not only to your life but also your art. Invite him into this process, dream with him, journal with him, read his word, ask questions. Begin to involve the wisdom and the leadership of the Holy Spirit in everything that you're doing every day. The Bible says the Holy Spirit is our guide. He leads us into all truth, and if you're looking for wisdom in your life, the Bible says you should ask, because God gives it generously and liberally to those who ask. How many of us are wallowing around in frustration simply because we don't ask?
Speaker 1:You know, everything in the kingdom starts with intimacy with the Lord, and I just want to. I want to call you back to this place of intimacy with him, because it is so easy to get out there and do things. Try to do things for God and out of this, this heart to serve and heart to do things for him, when really what God has asked us to do is walk with him in relationship, to cooperate with him and the things that he's doing in and through our life and in our generation, so that we can be his hands and feet, his conduits of life and light in everything that we do. And so everything in the kingdom starts with connection with God, not only in your identity, but also in what he's called you to do. Not only in your identity, but also in what he's called you to do, because I found in times that when we spend time with the Lord, he begins to drop his secrets, his dreams, his ideas, his revelation, into the hearts of those whose hearts are completely his. And that is a beautiful, beautiful place, because it no longer assumes that you got to try to make everything happen. You're only cooperating with what the Lord shows you to do.
Speaker 1:And that brings us to number two, which is clarify. Clarify what you want. And I would say, clarify what you want in terms of how does that fit with God's vision for your life? What are the goals, what are the plans that you have for your life? Where are you going? What does success and fulfillment look like for you in this season of life that you're in?
Speaker 1:You would be amazed maybe you wouldn't of the amount of people who have never written down a goal in their life and actually moved toward it with intentional action on a daily basis. Listen, most people don't do that and most people sit there wondering why can't I have any success in my life? Why can't I get any momentum in my life? Why can't I get any momentum in my life? It's because, number one, you may be praying a lot, but after praying and after God gives you something, are you writing it down, clarifying that vision and actually making daily movement toward that? Listen, goal setting is not some you know, hidden secret. It is literally having a desired outcome and then taking steps toward it every day to accomplish it. It's like climbing a ladder. If the goal is at the top of the ladder, then the rung is every little action that you have to do in order to get to the top of the ladder. But it has to happen on a daily basis, it has to happen on a regular basis. And if you don't write those things down, if you don't clarify who it is that God's called you to be, where you're going in your life, what he has for you, the direction you're moving in, then you constantly, just like the Bible says, without vision the people perish. You're constantly going here and there and everywhere trying to figure out the next thing. You're responding and reacting to the stimulus of life rather than moving in a defined direction that's in alignment with God's plan for your life.
Speaker 1:The third thing I would say in the core four is then you got to create work. I've met a lot of artists over the years who call themselves artists, who believe that God's called them and created them as an artist, but who never make intentional daily time to create. I have a friend, you know, that told me years ago. He just making a joke. He says you know, ushers, ush, painters, paint, artists, art. And I'm like I love it, artists art, and I'm like I love it, artists art.
Speaker 1:And if you're not arting on a regular basis, that's what defines you as an artist. You've got to be creating work on a regular basis in order to really pursue the thing that God has for you creatively. And if you're not, then you can't wonder why you're not experiencing the life and light of God in and through your creative process when you're not making time to do that. Now I can hear all of the people out there oh, I've got this and I've got that. Listen, we all have lots and lots of responsibilities family responsibilities, maybe job responsibilities, ministry responsibilities We've got sickness and maybe caregiver responsibilities ministry responsibilities, we've got sickness and, and you know, maybe a caregiver responsibilities, all the different stuff. But here's the deal If you're going to be an artist, that is, if you really feel, if you've connected with the Lord and clarified what you want, if you really believe that you're an artist, then you got to make time to do it, because nobody can make time for that except you.
Speaker 1:If God thought it was important enough to create you with those giftings, it ought to be important enough for you to make time and space for it in your life. And I think that means having a regular time for creating, having a dedicated space for creating. That is your sacred place, your place to say this is where I do the thing that God has called me to do and listen honestly. Those three things I mean. If you just take time to connect with God every day, clarify what you want, make definitive, intentional effort to move toward the goals that God puts on your heart, to build your business and create every day, you would be amazed, just with that, what the Lord would do. But I add a fourth thing to this, and it's called cultivate, and by that I mean just start cultivating relationships with people who you know are the next step in your journey, to start sharing your work, whether that's potential buyers, whether that is partners, strategic partners that you can connect with, whether that's galleries or show coordinators or whatever it is that you believe is the next step for you to start getting your work out there. You got to be intentional about cultivating relationships.
Speaker 1:One of the things I see Christians do all the time is they pray and they never act. They pray oh, god's given me this vision. Oh, I'm going to be the. Yeah, I've had all these prophetic words. Oh, it's going to be awesome and I'm like awesome, show me your goals. What are you doing this week? What are you doing to actively move this thing forward? Well, you know, I'm just waiting on the Lord. I'm just waiting on God to open. Open the door.
Speaker 1:No, listen, god directs our steps as we walk with him, as we steward well the things that he's put inside of our heart, and one of the things that you can do is just cultivate relationships. It doesn't mean that every relationship that you, that you make, has to end in a sale, but you need to be talking about with people on a regular basis who you are and what you do, because as you do that, god begins to open people's heart to opportunities for you and open doors for you, and I just believe that's how the kingdom of God works. God uses relationships. He uses our forward motion. Yes, we wait on the Lord. Yes, we listen, we rest in him, we get the download of where we're going and even in times where we don't understand what you know, maybe the next clear step that we're supposed to be walking in if we steward well what God's put in our hands and we keep walking in relationship with him, faithfully stewarding the things that are in our hands, now he is faithful to bring increase in our life. That's how the kingdom of God works. And so listen for you. I don't know where you are in your journey. We have people that listen to this podcast all over the world in every stage of their career or art dream or art hobby or art ministry or whatever it is. But I'm telling you, if you will just do these four things connect with God on a regular basis, clarify what it is that you want and where it is that you're going, and start making intentional steps toward that, create with him every day. Make it a priority every day to do something with your artwork and actively cultivate relationships around that that you can start sharing and selling your work, or however it is that you believe that God's got for you to get it out there. I promise you, if you will only do those four things, you will see measurable results in your life. Now listen, I know there's a lot of other questions that you're probably asking and that's why we have the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program. We've been the flagship gold standard artist mentoring program for artists who love Jesus and want to integrate their faith into their art business since 2016. I'd love to help you with any of those detailed questions along the way, because there are a ton. It is no joke to build an art business that is profitable and that is fulfilling and that is honoring the Lord and really fitting you in the season of life you're in. And if that's you, I want to encourage you. Click the link that's in the show description. Today you can find out all about the Artist Mentoring Program, the different opportunities that we have for you to join us, that work for you. Listen, our heart, my heart, is to help you be everything that God has called you to be, and I hope today just gives you a little bit of hope and wind in yourselves and say listen, I don't have to do everything. If I can just connect, clarify, create and cultivate, I can see God begin to move. And once you start feeling that momentum friend, it'll be a lot easier to keep taking the next step of faith into all that God has for you. All right, I love you, my friend.
Speaker 1:Thanks for joining me on the podcast. Be sure to share it with a friend on social media, be sure to subscribe, be sure to comment and leave a review so that we know that the podcast is a blessing to you. And remember until next time you were created to thrive. Bye, hey. Thanks so much for spending a few minutes with me today on the podcast Listen. I hope it's been a huge encouragement to you on your journey as an artist. Hey, also, before you leave, make sure to hit the subscribe button so you don't miss any of the other episodes of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, and also be sure to connect with me on Facebook, instagram or at my website, which is matttommymentoringcom. Until next time. Remember, you were created to thrive. Bye, bye, thank you.