Ever wonder why your plans fail—especially after investing so much thought and time in them? 

We live in a culture addicted to the new. Past wisdom that’s proven true for centuries somehow suddenly seems irrelevant for present times.  

When God invites us to do something with him, it’s good to clarify the timing. If he says now, then our next step is clear. Begin the work. 

Imagine an invention that could make you twenty years younger in the blink of an eye…yet you’d still retain all you’ve learned in the past two decades.  

Creative people often worry that others will steal their ideas and beat them to the marketplace. That might be true for generic widgets, but not for God-given creativity. 

One of my dad’s expressions was “It is what it is.” The older I get, the less I like that phrase. Because the words convey a sense of insurmountable inevitability. 

A few weeks ago, I started a conversation on our relationship with time. It was so well received, I decided to share the second half of the podcast with you today. 

Sometimes we’re so determined to create, we forget to ask if we have anything worth saying. 

During my last year in college, I decided to get a dog. That moment led to sixteen years of joy.

The One who created you and gave you the desire to create has the only true perspective on your creativity.

What’s the main thing standing in the way of your creative goals? It’s important to know and name that hurdle. Yet doing so is never enough.  

We regularly wish people good luck on an upcoming test or project. The question is…why? 

Are you waiting to feel qualified before taking on the project that God has stirred in you? If so, ask yourself what’s behind the hesitation.

One of the most insightful books about the isolating effects of screens and technological overreach was written 114 years before any of our modern technology existed.

During an interview, best-selling author Neil Gaiman was asked where his ideas come from. I love his response. 

I’m a big fan of vinyl albums (check out this eclectic design for Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas). And as any lover of physical records knows, it matters where you drop the needle.

For decades, Christian movies, novels, and songs have been viewed as subpar to secular offerings. Sometimes the criticism is unjustified, but other times, it’s accurate from a craft perspective.

The way we interact with time impacts every aspect of our lives. But most view the concept of time somewhat like gravity. It’s the same for everyone. It just is what it is. 

As the founding Fiction publisher at one of the world’s largest Christian publishing houses, I oversaw the release of more than 500 novels. During that decade, I noticed the growing shift among Christian publishers towards what I’d call Clean Fiction. 

Those determined to create with God will, by necessity, become good friends with mystery, wonder, risk, and faith.