You know those years you’d rather delete than remember—the ones that seem to subtract more than they add? That’s where this story begins: a layoff from a K–8 art teaching job, a heart quietly leaning on benefits and paychecks, and a stack of polite rejections that made confidence wobble. I open up about how that unraveling exposed what I trusted most, and how the path back didn’t start with a perfect offer—it started with wise counsel, practical structure, and a daily choice to let God work within before anything changed around me.

We walk through the real steps: seeking guidance from spiritual parents, restructuring a creative business to reach larger clients, and getting certified with the state and government to access procurement opportunities. I share the unglamorous middle—forms, waiting, more waiting—and the spiritual assignment that reframed everything: declaring Ephesians 3:20 and finally seeing the words “through His power at work within us” as a blueprint, not a slogan. That inner shift—stretching prayer and discipline, pruning distractions, and rebuilding trust—set the stage for quiet breakthroughs to surface in public.

Then the doors cracked open. A LinkedIn message from a stranger, recommending me for a local design conference panel by someone I hadn’t spoken to in years. A call from the district’s supplier development office, revealing a new way back into education through small business work. Even a birthday regained its meaning, reminding me that timelines bend but faithfulness holds. If you’re navigating your own cave season, you’ll leave with a proven mix of spiritual alignment and practical tactics: how to balance trust in God with smart preparation, how to build capacity that sustains growth, and how to spot the early signs of breakthrough you might otherwise miss.

If this resonates, tap follow, share this with a friend who needs hope in a slow season, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway—what inner shift are you making this week?

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Have you ever noticed that right after you commit to your God-given assignment, all hell seems to break loose against your creativity? This isn't coincidence – it's creative warfare.

Drawing powerful parallels between modern creative entrepreneurs and Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem's walls under opposition, I explore how the enemy specifically targets faith-fueled creators with tactics designed to halt your progress. Brain fog, procrastination, imposter syndrome, and creative blocks aren't just random challenges – they're strategic spiritual attacks against your divine assignment.

The enemy employs three primary weapons against creatives: second-guessing (making you question if your work matters), shame (making you feel unworthy of the call), and silence (drying up your creative inspiration). These tactics aim not just to delay you, but to disconnect you completely from your purpose.

But like Nehemiah's workers who built with one hand and held a weapon in the other, you can learn to create while simultaneously defending your creativity. I share practical strategies for creative spiritual warfare: staying connected to God as your creativity source, implementing physical and emotional self-care routines, setting strategic boundaries with "blackout times" for focused work, seeking mentorship, overcoming perfectionism, and protecting aspects of your creativity that aren't for sale.

Remember – the fact that the enemy targets your creativity proves how significant your ideas truly are. You may be under pressure, but you're still anointed. Tag me @WhatARuckusPodcast and let's remind hell that creatives don't quit. We war wisely.

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Have you ever received a vision from God that left you paralyzed with fear? A dream so intimidating that you questioned whether you could ever possibly build it?

From childhood, I dreamed of becoming a Disney animator, dedicating my educational journey to studio art and graphic design. I worked my way from freelance designer to junior creative director, but burnout, lack of boundaries, and eventually job loss thrust me into one of the darkest periods of my life. This painful season became the fertile ground where God revealed His true blueprint for my future—one far beyond my limited imagination.

Through my journey of starting a business and finding my voice as a creative entrepreneur, I've discovered three fundamental principles that transformed my approach to God-given visions: You must build with boundaries (guarding your heart and learning to say no), your value comes directly from God (not your work or perfection), and you were never meant to build alone (just as God gave Moses 70 elders to share his burden).

The most profound revelation? If your dream doesn't terrify you with its magnitude, you're likely not dreaming big enough. God designs blueprints that showcase His power working through you, not just your own abilities. As Ephesians 3:20 reminds us, He "is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we could ask or think."

What dream has God placed in your heart that seems too overwhelming to tackle? Take that first step of obedience—write it down, sketch it out, do the research. Brick by obedient brick, with God beside you and the right support system around you, you can build something extraordinary that reflects His glory. Let's make a ruckus the right way, together!

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