The Thriving Christian Artist

Latest Episodes:

316 - 5-Minute Mentoring: Drinking Coffee with the Lord Jan 21, 2022

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I know sometimes that we creatives can be a little resistant to routines. We’re free spirits! We let inspiration guide us! But over the years, I have realized that having a morning routine spending time with God gives me the time and focus I need to get ready for my day in a way that brings glory to Him.
Now, there are lots of gurus who will tell you that they have found the perfect morning routine, that their way is the right way, the only way…but I don't believe that’s true. There is no perfect morning routine for everyone…but with some trial-and-error, you can find the morning routine that’s perfect for you!
In this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, I’ll take you through my morning routine and tell you how I use that dedicated time to invite the Holy Spirit into my day so I can remain focused on Him throughout the day. I hope it speaks to you and inspires you to bring the Lord into your own morning routine this year!
I believe that having the right morning routine is key to thriving as a Christian artist (and as a human being in general!). If you’re ready to start thriving spiritually, artistically, and financially, here are 3 ways I can help:
1️⃣ Get my FREE Guide, "3 Biggest Misconceptions to Thriving as a Christian Artist" Struggling to figure out how to be an artist and a Christian simultaneously? If you believe these three misconceptions, that might be why!
Download here ➡️ https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/misconceptions-to-thriving

2️⃣ Subscribe to my FREE Podcast: Discover interviews with other artists and my 5-Minute Mentoring advice on The Thriving Christian Artist podcast on your favorite podcast player, listen on my website, or subscribe to my YouTube!
Listen on my website ➡️ https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/podcast
3️⃣ Connect with God: Discover how to connect with the Lord and discover His intention for you and your art in His Kingdom in my course, How to Connect with God to Create & Sell Your Art Get more details here ➡️ https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/how-to-connect
Connect with me online:
https://www.matttommeymentoring.com
https://www.instagram.com/thethrivingchristianartist
https://www.facebook.com/thethrivingchristianartist
https://www.youtube.com/mjtommey to watch the podcast on YouTube!

Support the show

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

Subscribe to The Thriving Christian Artist Weekly and receive powerful, faith-filled content every week—designed to encourage your heart, spark your creativity, and equip you to walk boldly in your God-given calling as an artist.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.

315 - Impact vs Influence: A Conversation with Ray Hughes Part 1 Jan 18, 2022

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Do you want to have impact…or do you want to have influence?
I spent some time recently with one of my spiritual fathers, Ray Hughes, as we recorded this two-part podcast for you (Part 2 is coming next week!)
I’m still personally processing the deep things from that rich conversation, but two words stick out to me… impact vs influence.
Ray talked about these two words like musical forces: impact is percussive and in the moment like a rock dropped in the water, while influence is fluid and like a river that flows over a rock for 500 years, it shapes and forms all within its path.
Life is full of moments of impact. And that’s great - I want to have an impact in my generation. But more and more, I pray for a life of influence… a legacy that lasts. A legacy in the Spirit that points people to the goodness of God and all that’s possible in Him.
“And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17
Keep an ear out for Part 2 of my conversation with Ray, which we’ll release next week!
Thanks for listening! You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at youtube.com/matttommeymentoring. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
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Connect with Matt online:
www.matttommeymentoring.com
www.instagram.com/thethrivingchristianartist
www.facebook.com/thethrivingchristianartist

Support the show

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.

314 - 5-Minute Mentoring: What Fishing Teaches Us About Business Jan 14, 2022

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I come from a long line of fishermen. As a kid, I spent hours out on the lake with a fishing pole in my hand, learning life’s lessons (and how to tell a great “fish tale!”).
When you’re fishing with just one pole, you can only catch one fish at a time, right? If you want more fish, you have to use a different tool - like a trotline, a fish trap, or even a fish wheel. The tool you use has a direct impact on the results you get.
Building your art business is a lot like fishing. Maybe you only need one fish at a time - then a cane pole may suit you just fine. And that’s great! But if you want to grow, you need the right tools and systems in place to support you so you can create and serve without working yourself into exhaustion.
In this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, I’m sharing a training that I did for the members of the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program in which I talk about how establishing the right systems can give you the freedom to spend your time creating and doing what you love most.
Want to learn more about how to create an art business that supports you artistically, spiritually, and financially? Here are 4 ways I can help:
1️⃣ Get my FREE Guide, “5 Biggest Mistakes Artists Make When Pricing Their Art”
Struggling to price your art in a way that feels authentic to you and your faith - but still makes you money? Make sure you’re not making any of these mistakes!
Download here ➡️ https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/5-biggest-mistakes-when-pricing-art
2️⃣ Subscribe to my FREE Podcast: Discover interviews with other artists and my 5-Minute Mentoring advice on The Thriving Christian Artist podcast!
Listen on your favorite podcast player
Listen on my website ➡️ https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/podcast
Subscribe here on YouTube ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/matttommeymentoring
3️⃣ Create Art and Profit: Discover how to create the art you love and provide for yourself financially in my “How to Price Your Art” workshop.
Get more details here ➡️ https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/how-to-price-your-art-evergreen
4️⃣ Ready to truly thrive? Join the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program to discover how to build your art business and live the abundant life Jesus promised you as an artist in His Kingdom!
Click here for details and to enroll! ➡️ https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/artmentor.html
Connect with me online:
https://www.matttommeymentoring.com
https://www.instagram.com/thethrivingchristianartist
https://www.facebook.com/thethrivingchristianartist
https://www.youtube.com/mjtommey to watch the podcast on YouTube!
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Support the show

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.

313 - Connecting Through the Power Of Story: A Conversation with Fred Koehler Jan 11, 2022

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They say that loose lips sink ships…and so does my guest and new friend Fred Koehler!
(Okay, so he’s only sunk one ship - his brother’s boat - but wait until you hear the story! 🌊)
Fred is an author, illustrator, and artist with a strong belief in the power of story - and in the potential that stories have to connect with one another, change hearts and minds, and understand and empathize with the world around us.
The truth is, we are all storytellers, no matter what creative medium we choose. When we create, we do so from a place of authenticity and vulnerability - which is exactly what draws people to our art and enables them to connect with it!
Join Fred and me as we talk about the Master Storyteller and how He has written a beautiful story through our lives - and how exciting it is that we get the chance to experience His story first-hand!
🚨 Awesome Opportunity Alert! 🚨
Fred is so passionate about stories that he is helping other people to uncover their own story with Ready Chapter 1, a novel workshop experience that takes you from concept to query in just 10 months! The program starts on February 1, and Fred has generously offered a discount just for our podcast listeners! Visit readychapter1.com and use the code TCA22 to receive $100 off enrollment to The Novel Academy.
If writing the Great American Novel has been on your bucket list, 2022 could be your year to check it off - and Fred and Ready Chapter 1 can help!
Learn more about Fred, his artwork, and Ready Chapter 1 here:
https://www.ilikefred.com/
https://www.readychapter1.com
https://www.facebook.com/superfredd
Thanks for listening! You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at youtube.com/matttommeymentoring. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!
===========
Connect with Matt online:
www.matttommeymentoring.com
www.instagram.com/thethrivingchristianartist
www.facebook.com/thethrivingchristianartist

Support the show

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.

312 - 5-Minute Mentoring: Assume Connection Jan 07, 2022

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Have you ever walked into an unfamiliar room and felt like everyone was talking about you?

Ugh…so uncomfortable, right?

But what if, instead of assuming they were saying bad things about you, you assumed they were singing your praises?

Would that change the way you carried yourself, how you walked, and how you interacted with those people?

The same applies for the idea of inviting the Holy Spirit into your creative process.

Scripture tells us that He’s with us and within us always…yet the act of consciously “inviting” Him in suggests that we’re assuming that He wasn’t there in the first place!

In this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, we’re talking about how assuming the Lord’s presence can change everything for us and our art!

And when you’re ready to stop striving and start thriving, here are 4 ways I can help:

1️⃣ Get my FREE Guide, “5 Biggest Misconceptions About Prophetic Art”

Wondering how to create your art with God or what prophetic art is all about? Grab my free guide and make sure you’re not stuck in any of these misconceptions about prophetic art! Download here ➡️ https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/5-biggest-misconceptions-about-prophetic-art

2️⃣ Grab a good book: Want to dive even more deeply into this idea of prophetic art? Head on over to Amazon and grab a copy of my book, “Prophetic Art: A Practical Guide to Creating with the Holy Spirit” in print, Kindle, or audio formats! View on Amazon here ➡️ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B099CGYKMH/

3️⃣ Connect with God: Discover how to connect with the Lord and discover His intention for you and your art in His Kingdom in my course, How to Connect with God to Create & Sell Your Art
Get more details here ➡️ https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/how-to-connect

4️⃣ Ready to truly thrive? Join the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program to discover how to build your art business and live the abundant life Jesus promised you as an artist in His Kingdom!
Click here for details and to enroll! ➡️ https://www.matttommeymentoring.com/artmentor.html

Connect with me online:

https://www.matttommeymentoring.com
https://www.instagram.com/thethrivingchristianartist
https://www.facebook.com/thethrivingchristianartist
https://www.youtube.com/mjtommey to watch the podcast on YouTube!

Support the show

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.

311 - Called to Create : A Conversation with Tina Honerkamp Jan 04, 2022

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“What kind of tree are you?”

This was the question that Tina Honerkamp’s husband, Nick, asked her when she told him that she had received a prophetic download from the Lord that she was “a tree bearing both fruit and flower.”

This was also the question that started Tina on a journey of faith, self-discovery, and healing.

At the time, Tina was searching for her own identity in the Lord outside of her role as a mom and pastor’s wife…for her own special calling that He had just for her.

As she began to lean into the Lord’s plan for her, Tina captured the world around her - the wildlife and botanicals found in her native Western North Carolina. And when she did, the Lord opened exactly the doors she needed to grow in her art and her business - and to share the beauty of His creation with the world through her art.

Tina is one of my all-time favorite artists, and I’m excited to introduce you to her and her story on this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist Podcast!

You can follow Tina and learn more about her art at

https://www.tinahonerkampart.com/
https://www.instagram.com/tinahonerkampart/
https://www.facebook.com/tinahonerkampart/
Connect with Matt online:

www.matttommeymentoring.com
www.instagram.com/thethrivingchristianartist
www.facebook.com/thethrivingchristianartist

You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at youtube.com/matttommeymentoring. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Support the show

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.

310 - 5-Minute Mentoring: Process vs Purpose Dec 17, 2021

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Do you ever get stuck in analysis paralysis?

It’s so easy to be overwhelmed with possibilities and options that we creatives tend to overthink the answers to the swarm of questions buzzing in your head.

When it comes right down to it, though, I've found that there are really two kinds of questions: purpose questions and process questions. Recognizing the difference between the two can reframe the situation and create clarity and breakthrough in your art career.

On this week’s episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, we're talking about how to distinguish between purpose questions and process questions. We're also breaking down how to get past analysis paralysis when you're feeling stuck on a difficult question.

Finding clarity around your purpose and your process is essential to thriving as a Christian artist. If you’re struggling to find that clarity, check out my new free guide! Download it by clicking the link below!

The 3 Biggest Misconceptions to Thriving as a Christian Artist
https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/misconceptions-to-thriving

Connect with me online:

Support the show

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.

309 - The Realities of Thriving as a Full Time Artist : A Conversation with Luke Allsbrook Dec 14, 2021

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Whether you’re at church, a party, or on an airplane, small talk often starts with the simple question, “So what do you do?”

If you struggle to answer this question with, “I’m an artist,” just know that the struggle is real. Between the reality of repeated rejection and the tenuous track of securing a spot in tenured teaching, a full-time art career has a reputation as a really risky business.

Around here we don’t shy away from the realities of a career as a thriving Christian artist - so get ready for real talk on what it really takes to make a real living in the fine arts with Luke Allsbrook.

In this episode, Luke and I discuss why finding peace in your art is so vital to the creative process - and how a lack of peace takes a toll on your art and your well-being. Luke shares about how to cultivate a place of peace and intimacy in the creative process.

Luke is a contemporary realist painter. In over 25 years as a professional fine artist, he’s produced a prolific volume of work for display in galleries, museums, and private collections all over the world - including Prince Charles’s private collection!

He’s become one of the most talented and celebrated artists in the contemporary art scene. Yet he’s also one of the most humble people I know.

We’re looking forward to Luke Allsbrook sharing his wisdom and knowledge as a keynote speaker at our highly anticipated Gathering of Artisans. More details to come out in spring of 2022.

In the meantime, connect with Luke at his website, https://lukeallsbrook.com
Connect with Matt online:

www.matttommeymentoring.com
www.instagram.com/thethrivingchristianartist
www.facebook.com/thethrivingchristianartist

You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at youtube.com/matttommeymentoring. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Support the show

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.

308 - 5-Minute Mentoring: Success in the Season You're In Dec 10, 2021

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“Comparison is the thief of joy.” - Theodore Roosevelt

In the age of Instagram, it’s hard not to get caught in the comparison trap...to see someone else having success and to lament that you're not experiencing the same.

Success looks different at each stage of your business - the keyword there being “your.” You can't compare your vision of success to anyone else's vision of success - especially when they're in a different season.

Inside our mentoring program, I get to walk with so many different artists in different stages of life. I also get to help those artists define what success looks like for each of them in their own season of life and business.

There are so many different variables that determine your own personal path to success, including:

✔️ Time that you may or may not have available

✔️ Funds that you have to invest in your craft

✔️ Skills that you've developed over time

✔️ Willingness to travel for shows

✔️ Desire to learn the latest technology

✔️ Financial rewards you're looking to reap

Whatever your current season, it's important for you to slow down and think, “What does success look like for me in this season of my life?” Remember that you can find joy in each season - if you allow yourself to experience it.

On this week’s episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, we’re talking about how to run your own race and find success no matter what season you’re in in your art, business, or life.

Defining your own success metrics is one of the keys to thriving as a Christian artist. To help you along this journey, I've developed a brand-new free resource - click below and I’ll send it right to you!

The 3 Biggest Misconceptions to Thriving as a Christian Artist

https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/misconceptions-to-thriving

Connect with me online:

Support the show

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.

307 - Waves of Creativity: A Conversation with Allen Arnold Dec 07, 2021

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“…Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar — the LORD Almighty is His name.” Jeremiah 31:35

If ever there were a perfect metaphor for the mystery of creativity—for trying to understand the beauty, life, and order of the universe—it may just be ocean waves.

Waves can be beautiful. Waves can be rough. Waves can move you gently or knock you off your feet.

My friend Allen Arnold's latest book, Waves of Creativity, is dedicated to creatives who are trying our best to figure out how to step into the deep and do this thing we love with God.

As a third-time guest, Allen is a bonafide sage of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast. He invites us to let these waves of creativity wash over us.

The invitation is not just to imagine but to experience creativity with no ego attached. The pressure is off. The joy is back. There's a feeling of freedom where you and the Creator of the universe are in agreement, “Let's do this together.”

Allen’s big but bite-sized ideas will motivate and encourage you as you pursue your God-given creativity each day.

Don’t miss my conversation with Allen this week and connect with Allen at his website https://withallen.com/ or on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheStoryofWith

If this idea of creating art with God intrigues you and you want to know more, I’ve created a brand-new guide called “The 5 Biggest Misconceptions About Prophetic Art” that I think you’ll love! Click below and I’ll send it right over!

The 5 Biggest Misconceptions About Prophetic Art

https://thrive.matttommeymentoring.com/5-biggest-misconceptions-about-prophetic-ar

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Connect with Matt online:

www.matttommeymentoring.com
www.instagram.com/thethrivingchristianartist
www.facebook.com/thethrivingchristianartist

You can also watch this podcast on YouTube at youtube.com/mjtommey. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode!

Support the show

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.