ISSUE #034
If you’ve ever walked into your studio, looked at your materials, and felt absolutely nothing, you’re not alone. Creative block hits every artist sooner or later. But not all creative block is the same. Sometimes it feels like fog. Sometimes panic. Sometimes shame. But no matter how it shows up, it’s never a sign that you’ve lost your gift or that God has somehow stepped out of the room. More often than not, it’s simply a sign that you’ve been drawing from the wrong source.
The good news? Creative block isn’t a dead end—it’s a divine invitation. What the enemy tries to use as discouragement, the Holy Spirit can use as a reset, a reconnection, and a fresh infilling of creative flow.
This week, we’re going to break down the three root causes of creative block and show you exactly how to move back into alignment with God’s creative Spirit. You’re about to discover that the river of creativity is still flowing inside you… all you have to do is reconnect.
In His love and creativity,
Matt Tommey
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Featured Teaser
This week’s Featured Artist is quilt-maker and gallery owner Pamela Loewen. Her story is a masterclass in persistence, faith, and the breathtaking ways God uses our creativity when we refuse to quit. From 17 years of “no” to a museum acquisition, from a 100-year-old building to a Spirit-filled gallery—Pamela’s journey will stir your faith and inspire your creative walk in a big way. READ MORE
CONNECT
Creative block almost always begins with spiritual disconnection. Jesus said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5, NKJV). That wasn’t a threat—it was an invitation. When we create without abiding, the well dries up. But when we slow down, breathe, and acknowledge His presence, something powerful happens: peace replaces pressure, clarity replaces chaos, and creativity begins to stir again.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, thank You for being the well of life within me. I surrender every feeling of pressure, emptiness, and inadequacy. Reconnect my heart to Your presence. Refill me with Your peace, Your joy, and Your creative flow. Awaken my imagination again and align my spirit with Yours as I create. Amen.
Action Step:
Before you begin your next creative session, pause for 60 seconds. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Whisper, “Jesus, I reconnect with You right now.”
Feel everything shift.
CLARIFY
Creativity thrives when your focus is clear and grounded in faith, not feelings. If you’re waiting to “feel inspired” before creating, you’ll stay stuck. Faith says, “I show up anyway because this is who I am.” Ask the Lord: What is the one step You’re inviting me to take this week in my creative practice?
Action Step:
Choose ONE clear, doable creative goal this week—something small enough to complete, but meaningful enough to move you forward. Write it down and commit to it before the Lord.
CREATE
Waiting on inspiration is the fastest path to stagnation. But showing up—even without clarity—primes the pump. Play is often the doorway back into flow. Sketch. Swatch colors. Make marks. Mix paint. Shape clay. Write a paragraph. Hum a melody. Stir the waters, and watch the Holy Spirit meet you in motion.
Action Step:
Begin each studio session this week with 10 minutes of pure play—no agenda, no pressure, no expectations. Just exploration. Creativity loves to wake up in a judgment-free zone.
CULTIVATE
Your collectors, followers, and community don’t need perfection—they need resonance. When you share your creative process, not just your polished results, people feel connected to you. Vulnerability builds trust, and trust builds relationships… the kind that lead to impact and income.
Action Step:
Share a behind-the-scenes moment this week—your sketchbook, your messy table, your warmup marks, or even your honest struggle with creative block and how God is meeting you in it.
The Core4 Focus Planner™
A 90-Day Undated Planner to Help You Stay Focused, Grow Spiritually, and Make Measurable Progress in Your Art
“This planner is my “tool of intentionality” and sits next to my Bible and journal. It’s also the perfect size to hang on to as a way to go back and celebrate the work that I’ve done. Thanks so much!” – Debby
WATCH & LISTEN
This week’s episode dives deep into the three roots of creative block—disconnection, empty imagination, and passive creativity—and shows you how to reconnect with Jesus, create by faith, and cultivate inspiration on purpose. Whether you’re feeling stuck or simply wanting to strengthen your daily creative rhythm, this conversation will help you step back into confidence, clarity, and creative flow with the Holy Spirit.
ART TIP FOR THRIVING
The 3-Minute Mindful Entrance Ritual
This week’s “tech” is actually an art-studio mindfulness tool—perfect for busting creative block.
Before starting your creative session:
- Step into the studio and pause at the doorway.
Let your body arrive before your mind races ahead. - Notice three things you see.
Color. Light. A tool. A piece of unfinished work. Let gratitude rise. - Notice three things you hear.
Ambient sound, worship music, silence—whatever is present. - Lay your hand on your table or materials and say:
“Holy Spirit, I create with You today.”
This slows your nervous system, centers your spirit, awakens your imagination, and shifts you into alignment with God’s presence. It’s simple, but I promise—you’ll feel the difference.
Try it this week and watch the fog lift.
WORSHIP
This week, I want to invite you into a song that beautifully mirrors the heart of moving through creative block: “Make Room.” It’s a simple, powerful declaration of surrender—laying down our striving, pressure, and self-reliance so the Holy Spirit can breathe fresh life into our creativity.
As artists, we can so easily slip into performance mode, trying to force inspiration or muscle our way through dryness. This song pulls you right back to the center—into abiding, yielding, and reconnecting with the Source of all creativity.
Turn it on as you enter your creative space this week. Let the atmosphere shift. Let your heart settle. Let the river of the Spirit begin to flow again.
FEATURED ARTIST: Pamela Loewen
“Persistence Pays—And God Makes It Beautiful.”
There’s a holy kind of grit some artists carry—quiet, steady, Spirit-led determination that keeps them pressing forward when every obstacle says, “Turn back.” That’s the story of Michigan quilt artist and gallery owner Pamela Loewen.
With over 30 years of quilt-making behind her, Pamela has emerged as a powerful voice in contemporary fiber art. Growing up among the Amish farmlands of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she was shaped early by beauty, simplicity, and handmade craftsmanship. And while her roots run deep in traditional quilting, her expression today is bold, modern, and unmistakably her own. Visitors often say, “These are not your grandma’s quilts”—and they’re right. Pamela’s work is alive with color, form, and Spirit-led design.
A Calling She Didn’t Know Was Allowed
For years, Pamela lived under the assumption that “real ministry” belonged to someone else—preachers, evangelists, missionaries—but not artists. Art was something she loved, not something she believed God could use.
But He did. Persistently. Gently. Faithfully. And one day, she finally realized:
“If God can use the jawbone of a donkey, He can use a quilt.”
That realization opened a brand-new world—and God began putting His finger on her creative calling.
The Created to Thrive Difference
In this season of awakening, Pamela joined the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program, and it became a turning point.
She describes it this way:
- “Created to Thrive kept me going in the path the Lord laid out for me.”
- “When I questioned why I do art—or whether it mattered—the community pulled me back into clarity.”
- “Matt’s teaching helped me understand that art is a language God uses… and He designed me to speak it.”
The program gave her practical guidance, creative confidence, and a community of like-minded Christian artists who “got it”—people pursuing excellence in their craft without laying down their love for Jesus.
That encouragement became the fuel she needed to keep saying “yes” to the long, sometimes hard, but deeply beautiful journey ahead.
The Gallery God Built—Slowly, Miraculously
Years ago, a master artist pointed to Pamela and said, “You’re the one who should build a gallery.”
She laughed. Absolutely not.
But God had other plans.
She eventually bought a 100-year-old building in her Michigan town—soaring ceilings, tin walls, weathered wood, and endless potential. Then the testing began:
- Mandated building upgrades
- A required elevator
- Contractor delays
- COVID lockdowns
- Deep personal loss
Most would have quit. Pamela didn’t.
Created to Thrive helped her stay grounded in truth, clarity, and perseverance while the Holy Spirit kept whispering, “Keep going.”
Today, Lowen Gallery is a Spirit-filled destination where contemporary quilt-making is honored as fine art and where the presence of God is welcomed in every workshop, prayer gathering, and exhibit.
“Persistence Pays”—Literally
Pamela entered the prestigious Quilt National show for the first time in 2000.
She wasn’t accepted.
She tried again.
And again.
And again—for 17 years.
In 2017, she finally made it… and won the Persistence Pays Award.
That same quilt was later acquired by the International Quilt Museum.
Talk about God’s perfect timing.
Walking Out Her Calling
Now, Pamela is not only creating breathtaking fiber art—she’s mentoring others, hosting classes, leading prayer, and encouraging emerging artists to see their creativity the way she finally learned to see hers:
“God designed you to create—and He wants to move through what you make.”
Her life is proof that when you collaborate with the Holy Spirit, stay faithful in the studio, and surround yourself with a thriving creative community… God writes a story more beautiful than anything you could plan.
Apply to Be a Featured Artist
Would you like to be considered for one of our artist features? We love sharing the work from our friends around the world who create unique, beautiful and inspired art, regardless of creative medium. And just a reminder, your work does NOT have to be overtly faith-based to be considered. Interested? Just complete this application: https://forms.gle/vmtyk6wg3hSuUAhi9
Resources for Christian Artists
If you’re ready to grow as an artist in your faith, art and even business, then check out these affordable resources for artists just like you.