Issue #001
Welcome to Your New Weekly Rhythm!
Dear Friend,Welcome to the very first edition of The Thriving Christian Artist Weekly! I’ve been mentoring and encouraging artists now for over 15 years and there’s one thing I know: consistency is the number one way to see lasting success in your life. But let’s be honest, that’s not always easy. That’s why I’ve created this weekly blog.
Each week, I’ll share ONE clear, manageable action step in each area of our Core4™ Focus Framework – plus a few other inspiring and helpful things – to help you thrive spiritually, creatively, and practically—without feeling overwhelmed. And the best part? It’s absolutely free. Just make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss a week.
Each week, you can expect valuable content in each of the following areas:
- Connect: Devotions, prayer and encouragement for your spiritual journey with the Lord as an artist.
- Clarify: Tools to help you clarify what you’re doing each week in order to get the results you’re looking for.
- Create: Tips on how to enhance and grow your creative practice as an artist.
- Cultivate: Strategies for how to cultivate relationships with other artists, fans, clients and partners to help you make an impact with your art.
- Featured Artist: Stories of artists who are thriving in their creative callings with examples of their work and links to discover more.
- Resources: Practical resources you can take advantage of to grow in your creative calling as an artist in God’s Kingdom.
- And more: there will always be extras along the way, so be sure not to miss an issue!
So click the button below to subscribe real quick, and then enjoy this week’s post.
Connect
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” – Mark 11:24
Jesus teaches us something powerful here: genuine faith prays from the assurance that God has already heard and answered. As artists, we often wrestle with doubts about our abilities, direction, and purpose. But imagine approaching your creative journey with confident faith, fully trusting that God has already provided everything you need to thrive artistically and spiritually.
This week, let’s step into a deeper level of faith. Rather than pleading or hoping, let’s intentionally shift to gratitude and confident expectation in our prayers. Embrace the certainty that God has already prepared good things for you and your creative practice.
This Week’s Action:
Set aside 5-10 minutes daily to pray with thankfulness, clearly envisioning the growth, clarity, creativity, and provision you desire as an artist. Pray as if these things have already been given to you, because they are already yours in Christ.
Prayer:
Father, thank you that you have already provided everything I need to thrive as an artist. I trust fully in your provision and goodness. Today, I choose to walk by faith, confidently receiving clarity, creativity, opportunities, and abundant provision you’ve already prepared for me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Clarify
Your intentions shape your artistic journey. A clear intention guides your actions and decisions, keeping you aligned with your deeper purpose.
This Week’s Action:
Write down ONE clear intention for your creative practice this week. For example: “This week, I intend to create from a place of joy, without pressure or comparison.” Post this intention visibly in your workspace as a reminder each day. Once you accomplish it, celebrate with a post on social media and tag us @thethrivingchristianartist.
Create
Consistency in your creative practice transforms your artistry. Regular creative habits build confidence, clarity, and skill over time.
This Week’s Action:
Commit to ONE uninterrupted 60-minute creative session this week. Schedule it in your calendar immediately. Show up for this session no matter what, and allow yourself to create freely without judgment or expectation. Protect this time fiercely—it’s a promise you’re making to yourself and your creativity. After your session, take a photo of what you created
, post it on social media and tag us @thethrivingchristianartist.
Cultivate
Connecting authentically with your audience is key to growing visibility and interest in your art. This week, we’ll take one simple step to foster meaningful connection.
This Week’s Action:
Post ONE piece of your artwork on social media, and tell a brief story about what inspired it. Include a clear and friendly invitation for your audience to engage, such as, “I’d love to hear what this piece makes you feel! Comment below or DM me to share your thoughts.” This simple, genuine engagement builds connection and community around your art. And be sure to tag us @thethrivingchristianartist.
Listen
This week on The Thriving Christian Artist Podcast, Matt tackles a powerful struggle many creatives face: the fear-filled pendulum swing between doubting God’s provision and fearing success might distance them from Him. Sparked by a heartfelt question from a Foundations Course participant, Matt exposes how the enemy uses this cycle to keep artists stuck in scarcity and anxiety. He offers hope through the truth of grace-filled relationship with the Father—not fear-based religion—reminding us that we’re called to walk in abundance, authority, and purpose as redeemed sons and daughters. This episode will shift your mindset, anchor your heart in truth, and free your creativity to thrive.
Featured Artist: Casey Parrott
Website | Instagram
When you encounter Casey Parrott’s artwork—moody oil paintings of wide Texas landscapes and intimate family scenes—you can sense something deeper unfolding on the canvas. Light shimmers in quiet corners, emotion rests in brushstrokes, and the presence of God somehow fills even the most ordinary places. But this clarity didn’t come overnight.
Casey credits much of his artistic and spiritual growth to his time in the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program and the deeper transformation he experienced through the Mastery Program.
“I wouldn’t be where I am in my journey without the Mentoring podcast, Matt and Tanya, and the CTT community,” Casey shares. “Now, I not only have more confidence in my calling and design, but I have a clearer vision. I’m exceedingly better equipped to live as a thriving professional artist than ever before.”
More than technique or strategy, Casey says his greatest shift has been recognizing his divine partnership.
“I better understand my partnership with the God of creation for the advancing of Jesus’s Kingdom.”
Casey’s artistic focus is both simple and profound: he paints Texas landscapes with a moody, evocative edge, often placing his own family within the frame. He finds joy in merging observation, imagination, and recreation—capturing moments where light, particularly His light, transforms the mundane into something sacred.
One turning point came just as the world shut down during the pandemic. In a moment of reflection and creative exploration, Casey painted two imagined scenes that reconnected him to his early college work—only now, they carried more skill, more poetry, and a deeper spiritual resonance.
“My wife had a strong emotional response to those pieces and suggested they were a new benchmark for me. After time in prayer and meditation, I knew she was right.”
That breakthrough changed everything. His work since has touched hearts, opened spiritual conversations, and created space for others to experience God’s peace and presence through art.
“I’ve heard stories of people encountering wonder, hope, and healing through my paintings. To see the Holy Spirit move through my work is humbling and beautiful.”
Casey’s creative process is both thoughtful and strategic. He develops powerful sketches into reference images and works in batches, often progressing multiple paintings at once. This method has not only improved his workflow but has deepened his sense of creative freedom and clarity.
“Batching my work has become a powerful rhythm in my studio. It allows me to solve problems, stay productive, and tap into greater creative potency.”
His encouragement to fellow Christian artists is just as practical:
“Work from observation and imagination. Use both to refine your studio practice and hone your artistic voice. And most importantly, surround yourself with other devout Christians who are serious about their art. Their feedback and encouragement will grow your faith and your craft.”
Through every brushstroke, Casey Parrott is not just painting landscapes—he’s revealing the Light that transforms all things.
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Resources for Christian Artists
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