The Practicing the Art of Faithful Presence podcast, hosted by Dr. David Wright, president of Indiana Wesleyan University, features conversations on ways in which people of faith are actively making the world a better place.  In this episode, Dr. Wright has a conversation with IWU alumnus Luke Wright.  Luke is the founder and owner of Mud Love, a pottery business in partnership with Water for Good, an organization that provides clean water for the Central African Republic.  Luke believes that God called him to deny himself and start this business, and he has seen much fruit as he has developed his craft, sought to love people well, and grown in his faith through navigating the financial sacrifices required by his business model.

 

Luke never planned to become an entrepreneur, but the seeds of his business were laid from his youth when he developed a love for art.  As a high school student living a comfortable, middle class life in a Christian family, Luke lost track of his artistic inclinations, and in general lost his way as he chose a path of rebellion.  At the time when he started college, Luke really did not know himself well, and he lacked purpose and fulfillment.  It took him until his junior year of college to recall his love for art, which in turn began a rebirth of his faith.  In fact, his life turned a corner when he changed his major to ceramics; having his hands anointed also contributed to the sense of purpose he developed.  However, he continued to have one foot in his new life and one foot in the old until he reached a rock bottom moment his senior year at IWU.  At that point, he turned his life around, begged God to save him from himself, and sought solace in the mentorship of his ceramics professor and working in the ceramics studio.

 

Thus the connection between art and faith was deeply forged for Luke, as was his conviction that God can and does use people who are “blemished,” working in his own good timing.  Luke finds that his past allows him to relate with people who are struggling; his experience in business has also added to this ability, giving him a whole new form of struggle to navigate.  Luke has had to learn the ropes of running a business, figuring out how to strengthen sales and systems while managing setbacks and mistakes.  At the same time, Luke has been able to grow a sweet partnership with Water for Good, which allows him to participate in a loving cause that is bigger than himself.  He contributes to Water for Good with every sale he makes, donates a percentage of profits, and works to raise awareness for the cause.  While giving of himself comes with a cost, Luke finds that stepping out in faith to love other people ministers to him.  His concluding advice to any struggling listeners is to accept that life is a journey, not get sidetracked by a destination, and pursue loving people.

 

Links:

Learn more about Luke’s business at mudlove.com.

Connect with Luke at [email protected].

Learn about Water for Good.

Learn about Indiana Wesleyan University and its president, Dr. David Wright.