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Before the crowds and miracles, there was a workshop. We dive into the overlooked years of Jesus’ life and uncover five surprising lessons from His time as an artisan—insights that can transform your creative process, your sense of calling, and your daily life in the marketplace.

We explore how formation happens through process: patience, repetition, and the humility to start again. We talk about why learning people—presence, empathy, and emotional intelligence—matters as much as technique. We unpack how beauty trains the soul to see what others miss, and how structure and integrity give our work the strength to carry vision. Then we reframe hiddenness as sacred: most of Jesus’ life was offstage, and those years were not wasted. They built a resilient inner life that could hold a public assignment.

Along the way, we offer practical applications you can use right now. Treat your studio like a sanctuary where worship and craft meet. Ask God what He’s forming in you through your current season. Slow down to see the divine in the ordinary. Practice eye contact, focused listening, and undistracted attention with clients and neighbors. Build simple systems that protect your energy and honor your value. And give yourself permission to enjoy the season you’re in, trusting that quiet faithfulness is not second best—it’s God’s chosen path to strength.

If you’re an artist, maker, or creative professional hungry for clarity, confidence, and spiritual depth, this conversation will help you see your studio as holy ground and your marketplace role as a true ministry. Listen, reflect, and share your favorite insight with us. If this resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and send the episode to a friend who needs courage for their hidden season.

Find out more about The Created to Thrive Foundations Course

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.

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In this episode, I sit down with Nancy Thygesen, a cold wax and oil painter whose atmospheric landscapes and new ventures into equine art reflect a deep connection with God’s creation.

From the rugged beauty of British Columbia to her experiences as an art therapist, Nancy shares how her creative journey has been intertwined with personal healing, spiritual growth, and a desire to reveal God’s presence through her work.

We talk about the courage it takes to evolve artistically, the balance between sharing your faith and letting it speak naturally through your art, and the beauty of hearing God’s voice in nature. Nancy’s story is a powerful reminder that creativity can be a sacred pathway to both personal restoration and inspiring others.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How God’s creation inspires and shapes Nancy’s art
• The transition from encaustic and acrylic to cold wax and oil painting
• Insights from her background in art therapy and personal healing
• Finding balance in expressing faith through visual art
• The joy and freedom of exploring new creative directions

🌟 Favorite Quotes from This Episode:

🌐 Connect with Nancy Thygesen:
http://www.nancythygesen.com

✅ 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

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.

Send us a text

Feeling stuck at the canvas, camera, or keyboard doesn’t mean your gift is gone. It often means you’ve been drinking from a cracked cistern—striving without connection, waiting on feelings to lead, or letting your imagination run dry. In this heartfelt, practical conversation, we walk through three proven keys that help artists break through creative block and keep it from returning: reconnecting with Jesus as the living source of creativity, creating by faith instead of mood, and actively cultivating inspiration you can steward over time.

We start by resetting the core belief: the God of creativity isn’t distant; His Spirit lives within you. You’ll learn a simple reset prayer to trade panic for peace, ways to refresh your studio atmosphere with worship and Scripture, and how renewing your mind turns off the inner critic and the enemy’s accusations. Then we move to practice. When you don’t feel it, you can still show up: low‑stakes play, sketchbook sessions, color mixing, and musical noodling prime the pump and invite momentum. You’ll see why the river of creativity flows from the Father, not your feelings, and how consistent action opens space for the Holy Spirit to guide.

Finally, we dig into cultivating inspiration. From museum walks and great books to nature hikes and studio visits, the inputs you choose refill the well. Keep a journal or sketchbook to collect ideas, phrases, shapes, and prayers—your personal treasury for thin days. As you reconnect, act in faith, and steward what stirs your heart, shame lifts, curiosity returns, and your practice becomes a joyful collaboration with God. If you’re ready to move from stuck to flowing, this episode offers language, tools, and hope to light the way.

If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a creative friend, and leave a review so more artists can find it. Then tell us: what one practice will you try this week?

Check out my podcast on 5 Simple Ways to Create Your Art with God on this platform or Youtube.

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.