I am honored and excited to have my friend Maren Weinberger Maddry on the podcast! Maren’s artistic journey led her to be a professional opera singer. In our conversation we walk through her journey of deciding to pursue opera and both the highs and lows she’s experienced throughout her professional career. We also chat about the mental, emotional, and physical strength it takes to be a professional opera singer.

Maren shares about highlights such as performing with The Glimmerglass Opera Festival, her time with the Fort Worth Opera, and participating in various competitions including the international Lotte Lenya Competition where she won Second Prize in 2013.

We talk about the vulnerability it takes to be a performer and the importance of taking time to reflect on our “why.” Towards the end of our conversation, you will get to hear about Maren’s new business The Mill and Refill, which is a small batch, freshly milled flour company. She combines her love of food and cooking with her love of building community and bringing people together. May you be encouraged as you listen to Maren share about her journey!

Check out our website http://creativeimpactpodcast.com for the full show notes that include Maren's biography and additional links mentioned in this episode. You can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app.  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!

What a gift to catch up with my sweet friend, Jocelyn Lewis, for episode 62! Jocelyn and I met during our time dancing with Ad Deum II Dance Company. She has such a beautiful heart for the Lord, for community, and for creating with a purpose.

Jocelyn shares about her journey training as a dancer, her professional dance career, and her current work teaching dance. We look at the impact of beginning her professional career at the young age of twelve and how she developed a heart for ministering through dance. We talk about the power of dance to bring light to the darkness, whether that is through performance or teaching. We also dive into the topics of community, family, health (body, mind, and spirit), and more!

Check out our website http://creativeimpactpodcast.com for the full show notes that include Jocelyn's biography and additional links mentioned in this episode. You can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app.  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!

As we enter into a new year, we often reflect on the past and look forward in the hope of starting fresh. We desire to heal from our past and move forward in wholeness. Prayer minister Darlene Caldwell joins us for episode 61 to talk about the power of inner healing. We cover topics such as forgiveness, releasing judgements and expectations, renouncing lies and inner vows, and discovering our spiritual gifts! We also explore the topic of trauma and what it looks like to find healing from trauma in our lives. 

Are you ready for deeper healing and greater freedom in your life? We hope this conversation brings hope and practical tools to help you along your journey. 

Darlene received training through Elijah House Ministries. She served as a facilitator for the Elijah House School of Prayer Ministry and also as a prayer minister for Refreshing Spring Ministries. Darlene is currently a prayer minister with Heart Revival Ministries.

Links to Sample Inner Healing Prayers Read by Darlene:

• Introduction to Inner Healing Prayers - https://www.patreon.com/posts/introduction-to-61605684
• Sample Prayers for Forgiveness - https://www.patreon.com/posts/sample-prayers-61607752
• Sample Prayers for Renouncing Lies & Inner Vows - https://www.patreon.com/posts/sample-prayer-61607666
• Sample Prayer for Healing from Trauma - https://www.patreon.com/posts/sample-prayer-61607709

Check out our website http://creativeimpactpodcast.com for the full show notes that include Darlene's biography and additional links mentioned in this episode. You can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app.  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!

How is your heart this Christmas? Do you find yourself going through the motions of celebration while struggling to find joy? Are you grieving the loss of a loved one or all the change of the past year?
 
I thought it would be meaningful to go a different route with this episode. Join us for a conversation about how we can go through this Christmas season present to both the joy of Christmas and the suffering and grief a lot of us are experiencing in our lives currently. While grieving at the holidays is not new, this year we have collectively walked through a large amount of trauma, loss, and suffering. I felt that it would be timely to have a conversation that dives into grief and how to process our grief in a healthy way. How do we allow the Gospel to inform our grief process?

I am so grateful to have Pastor Mike Andrews joining me for this conversation! Mike was my youth pastor growing up, and his mentorship has had a profound impact on my life. Today, he sits down with me to talk about what the Bible says about our suffering, loss, grief, and the hope we have in Christ. You’ll hear us talk about things like how to deal with the hard emotions, the different stages of grief, what it looks like to grieve in a healthy way, and how we can support our friends who are grieving. Whether you are walking through grief yourself, or are walking alongside someone who is grieving, my hope is this conversation brings you hope and encouragement.

Check out our website http://creativeimpactpodcast.com for the full show notes that include Mike's biography and links mentioned in this episode. You can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app.  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!

Hannah Ueckert joins me for episode 59! Hannah is a beautiful dancer with a heart full of love for God and for others. She is working full time as the operations manager with Mei/Co. Dance alongside Meggie Belisle in College Station. I love hearing from Hannah about Mei/Co. Dance’s current work sharing people’s stories through dance and about the impact the arts can make on the lives of those around us. Hannah and I met while we were both dancing for Ad Deum II Dance Company. Since then, she has done a lot of teaching at various dance studios as well as working behind the scenes in relations with communications, stage managing, assistant stage managing, and event coordinating. Hannah also performed with Open Sky Arts Collective for five years before beginning her work with Mei/Co. Dance. In our conversation, we dive into the topics of dealing with injury, slowing down intentionally, quieting the noise in our lives, and creating space to listen to God. I love Hannah’s heart for drawing near to God.

Check out our website http://creativeimpactpodcast.com for the full show notes that include Hannah's biography and links mentioned in this episode. You can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app.  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!

Shayna Acosta joins me for episode 58, and she brings so much passion for the arts and encourages artists that we are here in this time and season for a purpose. I came out of this conversation with Shayna feeling so inspired and affirmed as an artist! Her passion for helping artists recognize their identity and the power of their art is unlike anything I’ve heard.
 
Shayna is a professional Dancer, Choreographer, and Movement Director. She has worked for a variety of Universities including Bethel Conservatory of the Arts. She has choreographed many national commercials, music videos, as well as routines for several hip hop crews featured on shows such as World of Dance.

Her love for science, mentorship, and dance birthed her workshop “Impossible Movement”, which mentors artists in finding their identity and the power of their art. We talk about why our movement matters and why all of the arts need each other. Her goal is to help artists discover their true expression and inspire them to do the impossible.

Check out our website http://creativeimpactpodcast.com for the full show notes that include Shayna's biography and links mentioned in this episode. You can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app.  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!

I am so excited to introduce you to Danielle Beckmann! Danielle is a powerhouse creative living in Los Angeles. She is an actor, writer, and creative coach. In 2017, Danielle co-founded the production company Brooklyn Quarter. Recently, she produced and starred in Liza Anonymous, a 2021 Tribeca Film Festival official selection short film.

Danielle shares about transitioning from the stage to film, keeping balance as an artist, and her experience continuing in creative pursuits through the pandemic. We also chat about her coaching company, The Spirited Storyteller, where she leads actors and creatives into their full potential and power. You are sure to be inspired by Danielle's passion and creativity!
 
Check out our website http://creativeimpactpodcast.com for the full show notes that include Danielle's biography and links mentioned in this episode. You can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app.  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to not just one, but two guests! Lisa Kidd and Emma Noble join me for Episode 56. Lisa is the Founder and Director of Arts Evangelica, training students in the arts as they learn to draw near to God. Emma is one of her students who just recently graduated from Lisa’ program and is currently a student at Belhaven University.

It was such a sweet time getting to know both of them and learning more about the ministry of Arts Evangelica! We talk about worshipping God through dance, their personal journeys, and what it means to live a lifestyle of worship. As you listen, may you be encouraged to pursue your calling!

Check out our website http://creativeimpactpodcast.com for the full show notes that include both Lisa and Emma's biographies and links mentioned in this episode. You can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app.  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!

Ginger Arrieta joins me for Episode 55 of the podcast! Ginger and I met at Belhaven University and danced together in Ad Deum II Dance Company. She is a dancer, teacher, and singer. Currently, Ginger is dancing with Open Sky Arts Collective and teaching at Faith Dance Studio.

In our conversation, we dive into a variety of topics, such as anxiety, burnout, building positive community, learning through seasons of waiting, and more. I love Ginger’s heart for bringing light and life to others!

Check out our website http://creativeimpactpodcast.com for the full show notes that include Ginger's biography and links mentioned in this episode. You can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app.  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!

Joining me for episode 54 is Hannah Newman-Pan! Hannah grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School. She graduated from the Ailey/Fordham BFA program in 2016 with a double major in Dance and English, and joined Peridance Contemporary Dance Company in 2016.

In addition to her dance career, Hannah works in writing and communications for nonprofits. She worked with Shining Light for 7 years as a teaching artist and grant writer: Shining Light seeks to unlock human potential in America’s prisons by providing holistic performing arts and well-being programming for incarcerated people.

Hannah shares about her journey growing up as a dancer and pursuing dance and writing as a career. We chat about the idea of risk-taking in dance, the realities of being a professional dancer in NYC during the pandemic, the power of dance to communicate ideas, and more. Hannah’s beautiful spirit and heart for others is sure to leave you inspired and encouraged as you live out your journey and calling!

Check out our website http://creativeimpactpodcast.com for the full show notes that include Hannah's biography and links mentioned in this episode. You can be sure not to miss a Creative Impact conversation by subscribing through your favorite podcast app.  We are so grateful to have you as a part of the Creative Impact community and would love it if you would share the show with your friends!