The Creator Podcast

Season 3 kicks off with a short nibble of an episode – another story told live without notes at WBUR CitySpace in Brookline, MA. The theme of the night was Fortune, so Drew recounted how a coin toss nearly decided the selection of his first apartment.

Join us next week for The Twitter Episode.

The theme of the night was Legends, so Drew shared the tale of Giles Kavanagh, live at The Moth StorySlam at WBUR CitySpace in Brookline, MA. Recorded October 2021

Where did the Laegers nearly move to, before an eleventh-hour decision to chase their Nashville dreams? You’ll have to listen to find out (1:50). Sarah talks about what it was like to go Into the Unkown and make her side hustle THE hustle (3:00). (4:30) Sarah underplays what a bold move she and Phil have made and then reveals that they moved into a house sight unseen in Tennessee. Sarah talks about her hopes for the future of FourFortyFive Designs (7:00)

10:50 The Pulse

What is Sarah watching?

https://www.youtube.com/c/FlipItFurniture 

“Mate, you’ve got to do it. Do it now. Don’t put it off.” - Rachelle from Monnow Lane Furniture

https://www.youtube.com/c/BusinessFilmBoothOnline

What is Sarah listening to?

Her singer/songwriter husband, Phil’s new album: Calmed and Quieted. https://www.laeger.net/music/calmed-quieted

Drew: Maverick City Music aka the Baby Shark of worship bands https://www.maverickcitymusic.com/

Darell: The Casual Criminalist (cold reading of true crime stories) https://open.spotify.com/show/47GOTAdcNOCEmtH2CuiJqD?si=L5Eh-FTtR1SfLXFWM5gHEQ

Reading?

Darell: All the Missing Girls https://meganmiranda.com/books/adult-novels/all-the-missing-girls/

Drew: The Scarlet Letter

Sarah: Her daughter’s 6th grade essay. That’s right, 20 minutes into Part III of our conversation with Sarah, we finally get into the fact that she has made all of these courageous midlife choices, while home schooling her three children.

What is God saying to you in this season?

Sarah: Psalm 37

Darell: Be an intercessor to unlock his team’s full ministry potential

Drew: Reminding me that my storytelling gifts are most effectively used when telling the Gospel story.

What are you creating?

Sarah: A craft station for their daughter

Darell: Introducing metal and stone to his woodworking; a loft bed for their daughters

Drew: Asking himself if he should re-invest in blogging.

In this new feature, Drew or Darell present a Truly Terrible piece of pop culture and they discuss his (lack of) merits. In our first foray, AB$ounds song, Epstein Trials, is dissected and discussed. If you have an idea for a future Truly Terrible segment, email [email protected].

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Get your one-of-a-kind Ratbag shirt: https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/26279068-ratbag-fourfortyfive-designs Hoodies and tea cozies also available.

Sarah is hoping to grow her following “Numbers can’t be the goal. It’s got to be the people, connecting with people.” YouTube tutorials say “Don’t look at your subscriber count, but look at who your core people are, and connect with them and what they’re saying.”

(4:45) “My dad is my hero” Sarah describes his truly heartbreaking childhood as “a hard knock story.” (8:30) “He was a ratbag as well.” (9:45) Darell and Sarah geek out on woodworking & favorite tools: Sarah chose her nailgun and then waxes poetic about her miter saw. (11:00) The cardinal sin of painting hard wood and Sarah's favorite paint colors (13:45) “Any time I can show a wood grain, I’m borderline obsessed.”

(14:30) Sarah talks about the live edge desk she made for Phil. (17:00) Sarah’s HGTV dream and the woman who inspired her at a young age: Kristie Allsop https://www.preloved.co.uk/blog/inspiration/kirstie-allsopp-fill-house-free/

(21:30) Lastly, lovin’ a music man ain’t always what It’s supposed to be. The challenges of marriage and family life with an itinerant worship leader. (24:45) Drew asks “Where do you find the courage to leave your full-time job and pursue your dream?” And the episode ends on a classic CreatorPod cliffhanger.

Sarah's channel: www.youtube.com/fourfortyfivedesigns

Outro Music: Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy Remix Justin Lucas www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNv-6xmKTVc

Sarah Laeger from 445 Designs joins Darell and Drew to talk furniture flipping and YouTube fame.

www.youtube.com/fourfortyfivedesigns

A huge fan of HGTV and YouTube furniture flippers, Sarah started flipping on her own channel in the beginning of 2021.

(7:15) What inspired the name, 445 Designs? (9:15) How many pieces did you finish before your first video? (10:55) On getting started, Sarah says,  “I don’t think I was brave enough maybe. I always felt like people wouldn’t want what I can do.” (11:15) Would 445 Designs exist today if COVID hadn’t happened? (12:25) “The Aussie way, we’ll just give it a go and see what happens.” (15:00) 445 Designs is a one-woman operation. Sarah sources the pieces, refinishes them and shoots and edits the entire process herself. (18:00) How Sarah differs from her YouTube flipping friends “They are very clean cut and well put together and shoot things at nice angles. I’m not knocking them at all, but it could not be further from who I am. I’m human and I think I’ve connected with a lot of people on that level." (21:00) The problem piece and how it nearly turned Sarah into an arsonist. (23:00) Darell asks, “How does it feel to be the only YouTuber with no thumbs down on your videos?” (25:30) What really makes Sarah's channel go? “I’m genuinely interested in people and how they connect with me on a piece and I try to answer every single comment because they’ve taken time.”

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Outro Music: Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy Remix Justin Lucas www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNv-6xmKTVc

What is a summer camp with no children? Amy and Jerome talk about camp in the time of COVID before taking The Pulse. (3:30) What is camp under normal circumstances? campswoneky.com (7:00) How has camp changed without having campers? A very sad forest (8:30) “Everyone feels a huge loss, that camp into happening. Collective sadness allows you to reach out.” (11:00) How the Wrays listened to Corps Officers (local pastors) to help define what Expeditionary Mission Teams could look like. (12:00) They discuss the extra layer of leadership development that is possible with a small team. 

(17:45) The Pulse

What are you reading? Jerome: Street Smarts from Proverbs; Amy A Praying Life by Paul Miller

Listening to? Amy: That Sounds Fun by Amy F. Downs; Jerome: Maverick City & Real Men Connect podcast

Watching? Jerome: Bluey, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Everything Spiderman, The Chosen; Amy: Space Jam, Mr. Iglesias; Darell: Manifest

What is God saying to you? Amy “Settle down & listen. Obedience reflects the holiness of God.” Jerome “You are where I want you to be. Listen, God speaks very specifically.”

What are you Creating? Amy: an artist (painter) within myself; Jerome memories with our boys & the team, family portraits for people who can’t afford them

Instagram: @awray25, @jeromewray, @campswoneky

Darell sits down with Southwest Ohio Northeast Kentucky (SWONEKY) Salvation Army power couple Jerome and Amy Wray. Recorded in late July, they were on the verge of finishing a completely different kind of summer at Camp Swoneky and elsewhere in the region. 

12:00 How has COVID pushed you out of your ministry comfort zone? Amy hates social media and self-identifies as the youngest boomer. COVID forced her out of her social media shell.

14:00 Jerome had to learn to be a content creator, and also discusses how hard live-streamed events are, especially when learning on the fly.

18:30 What is one thing that you've started that you'll continue to do?

21:00 Marital pause.

As always, brought to you by: https://www.redbubble.com/people/BoxerBeardCo/shop

Your favorite podcast hosts reconnect after a months-long hiatus. Season 2 rolls on! 

THE PULSE:

What's Drew reading? Sooley by John Grisham

Matt Luhn gives some surprising answers taking us inside becoming a parent during a global pandemic. Then we take The Pulse.

8:15 No guest in the history of podcasts has turned more red with embarrassment than Matt after answering what he’s watching.

12:00 What is God saying? I am enough.

We are taking the July 4th weekend off, but plan to be back the week of July 12 with episode 11.