Created Creative Podcast

Ruth Hetland and Dawn Trautman

Embark on a journey with Ruth, creator of the wildly popular ConseCrate subscription box for ministers, and Dawn, veteran life coach to leaders to churches and non-profits through her business Big Picture Big Purpose, as they navigate the labyrinth of creativity on "Created Creative." Together, these creative entrepreneurs delve into the universal aspects of the creative life. From the restlessness within that compels us to build something new, whether it's a Lego castle or a life-altering venture, they celebrate the beauty and sanctity of these creative stirrings. Join them in exploring the transformative power of paying attention to that inner restlessness and making space for the growth of new, beautiful things. Welcome to a podcast that recognizes and celebrates how we are all "Created Creative."

  1. May 24

    Ep 128 - Brian Spahr - Writing 59 Songs in a Year: Brian’s Return to Songwriting

    (The audio ended abruptly on this episode but we are posting what we have - please check out Brian's music - he is amazing!!)Dawn and Ruth open the Created Creative podcast by celebrating Ruth’s birthday, discussing Memorial Day and a graveside service involving ashes finally buried after 12 years, then Dawn shares attending a live meeting about a world-schooling organization offering furnished apartments, Finnish-system schooling, and community in multiple countries on three-month cycles. They introduce an interview with Brian, a singer-songwriter, author, and chaplain in Fort Wayne, Indiana, whom they know from Youth Encounter. Brian describes starting songwriting in college, releasing CDs, then taking a 20-year break due to life demands and discouragement, before returning during COVID after mentoring a young songwriter and joining an online workshop. He built a practice of writing and publicly posting a completed song every Monday, producing 59 songs in a year, refining his lyric-focused storytelling voice; one song, “Threadbare,” was published in American Songwriter. He now prioritizes relational engagement over chasing streams while preparing an EP. Join Created Creative Podcast's Patreon: patreon.com/u11072417 Learn more about Brian Spahr's music: https://brianspahrmusic.com/home Here is the link to the crowdfunding page https://threadbarecreative.com/welcome-to-struggleville-junction And here is the playlist of "Threadbare Songs" https://untitled.stream/library/project/zL0z4lXtFXsrf03Aguv3P 00:00 Songwriting Rhythm Breakthrough 00:21 Birthday Banter and Holidays 00:50 Memorial Day and Veterans 01:17 Twelve Year Ashes Story 03:01 Spain Update and Worldschooling Pitch 04:12 Choosing Countries and Timing 05:56 Closed System Schooling Explained 06:46 Introducing Brian Interview 07:13 Brian in Fort Wayne 07:42 Wildwood Studio in Brooklyn 08:29 Pastor to Chaplain Career Path 09:06 Youth Encounter Team Days 09:52 Catching Up With Tammy 10:21 Songwriting Origins 11:09 Music Industry Shifts 12:00 Why He Stopped Writing 13:02 COVID Spark Returns 14:55 Monday Song Challenge 16:54 Finding His Voice 19:51 Validation Versus Streams 21:28 Relational Music Making 22:53 Making Time To Create 23:50 Advice For The Hiatus 24:48 Closing Thanks And Links

    25 min

  2. May 11

    Ep 127 - The Magic is in the Pivot

    Dawn and Ruth are shifting Created Creative to every other week episodes. Why? Running a top 5% podcast (yes, our humble little podcast is in the top 5% in the world) comes with an admin and editing load that’s getting heavy, and they need help. They're asking listeners to join their Patreon to help hire support and keep the show ad-free. In return, patrons get to join monthly "Created Creative Conversations" for community and coaching. They explore why people pay to belong to communities like NPR, churches, and yoga studios, while acknowledging how weird it feels to ask for support for less tangible creative work. But here's the core message: Creative projects are allowed to change. Rigid rules choke creativity, and "the magic is in the pivot"—as long as you communicate openly instead of just quitting. Dawn and Ruth model this beautifully, sharing life updates that show them both pivoting: funerals and sermon writing, painting projects, planning for Spain, and decluttering goals. This episode is for anyone who's felt guilty about changing direction on a creative project, or who thinks pivoting means failure. It doesn't. Sometimes the magic happens precisely when you're brave enough to adjust course and keep going, don't cha know. Because the opposite of quitting isn't sticking rigidly to the original plan—it's staying curious enough to let your project evolve. LINKS: Join our Patreon: patreon.com/u11072417 00:00 Magic In The Pivot 00:21 Why We Need Patreon 01:14 Community Membership Mindset 02:24 Patron Perks And Coaching 03:49 Changing The Rules 05:23 Life Updates And Sermons 07:31 NYC Plans And Kid Crafts 09:09 Decluttering Ten Percent 11:03 Asking For Support Feels Weird 12:02 Pivot Advice And Wrap Up

    14 min

  3. Apr 27

    Ep 126 - Thomas Maltman on Making Stories Real

    What do you do when you have no ashes the night before Ash Wednesday? You burn something, of course. And then twenty years later, you write a novel about it. That's exactly what happened to novelist Thomas Maltman, who teaches at Normandale Community College, is married to a Lutheran pastor, and has four novels under his belt, including Ashes to Ashes (currently in Minnesota Book Award contention). The real-life Ash Wednesday mishap became the premise for his latest book: What if the ashes wouldn't wash away? What if this happened in a small town? How would people react? That's how you turn an awkward church moment into compelling fiction. Dawn and Ruth also dive into Thomas's writing process. He shares his morning routine, drafting by hand with full permission to "write badly," then revising through typing, printing, and reading everything aloud. He talks about the value of writing community, headphones, and why you should always start new projects during those long publishing waits. This episode is for writers, obviously, but also for anyone who's ever wondered how real life becomes story. Because sometimes the best fiction starts with the moments that make you think "you can't make this stuff up." LINKS: Join our Creative Community and support this podcast by joining our Patreon: patreon.com/u11072417 00:21 Springtime City Vibes 01:15 Confirmation Walk Treats 02:12 Botanic Garden Learning 02:59 Meet Thomas Maltman 04:56 Ashes to Ashes Origin 09:22 Writing in the Morning 10:23 Publishing Without an Agent 12:09 Writing Anywhere Tools 14:14 Finding Readers Today 17:29 Long Form Comeback 17:52 Start Small Write Rough 18:46 From Journal To Draft 20:39 Living In Story Worlds 23:21 Embodiment And Truth 24:50 Writing For Love Not Money 26:48 Favorite Creators And Community 27:58 Fantasy Roadblocks Coaching 29:56 Find Your Genre Audience 32:02 Gargoyles To Novellas

    35 min

  4. Apr 15

    Ep 125 - Creativity, Faith, and Early Brain Development with Dawn Rundman

    Dawn and Ruth welcome Dawn Rundman, a publishing professional at Augsburg Fortress since 2002 who also happens to have a PhD in developmental psychology. Her book Little Steps, Big Faith dives into using what we know about early childhood development to nurture children's faith through rituals, language, music, symbols, and worship. Dawn's suggestions for churches are practical and brilliant: upgrade those sad nurseries, provide higher-quality worship activity bags (not just broken crayons and photocopied sheets), create intergenerational making opportunities, and actually showcase children's art instead of hiding it away. Dawn also talks about creativity and discipline: how she leaves home to write because inspiration isn't enough, you need structure. She connects creativity and spirituality through communal worship traditions, showing how the practices that shape little brains also shape our own capacity for wonder and connection. This episode is for parents, church leaders, anyone who works with children, or anyone who's ever wondered why some environments nurture creativity while others shut it down. Because luck might be the residue of design, but good design starts with understanding how humans actually develop and thrive. LINKS: learn more about Dawn Rundman's work: https://www.dawnrundman.com/ Join our Patreon community: patreon.com/u11072417 00:17 Welcome And Weekly Catchup 00:57 Yacht Rock Flashbacks 02:03 Discern By Doing Business 03:50 Patreon Community Momentum 04:51 Meet Dawn Rudman 08:23 Little Steps Big Faith 10:28 Screens Boredom And Faith 11:53 How Creativity Begins 16:24 Church Spaces For Kids 18:41 Kids Art On Display 19:18 Beyond Art Creativity 20:21 Adults Need Permission 21:20 Small Steps To Start 23:02 Creative Inspirations 27:48 Life At Augsburg Fortress 29:24 Coaching A Team Well 32:35 Discipline Beats Inspiration 34:15 Writing Space And Routine 35:34 Creativity And Spirituality

    39 min

  5. Apr 6

    Ep 124 - Creativity Grows Best in Good Soil

    Dawn and Ruth are celebrating Easter and swapping stories about Holy Week weather, canceled egg hunts, and Dawn's experience dyeing eggs at a New York community garden that sounds like the perfect "third space,” complete with potlucks, music, and the kind of welcoming energy that makes you want to stay all day. They're also reintroducing their new Patreon "Created Creative Conversations," themed around "seeds,” because that's how creative ideas actually work. They need nurturing, community, and the right conditions to grow. Join them for $10/month through the show notes. But the real magic happens when they share clips from past guests about how creativity actually emerges: Rob Bell describes novel-writing as this beautiful mix of loose direction and surprise—completely different from teaching, where you know where you're headed. Blessing talks about her "Sparkle Joy in New York City" microgrants, funded by leftover "Christmas Joy" money to spark neighborhood projects. Because sometimes the best ideas come from reimagining what you already have. Tyra explains how songs emerge while she's practicing—they require quiet focus and the willingness to let something unexpected unfold. Cathy Pino shares the story of writing "You are the Light of the World" at a stoplight and how community made it something that gets sung widely. Because creativity isn't just about the spark—it's about the people who help it grow. This episode is for anyone who's ever wondered how ideas actually turn into something real, or who needs reminding that creativity thrives in community, not isolation. LINKS: Join our Patreon here: patreon.com/u11072417 00:09 Holy Week Weather 01:10 Community Garden Eggs 02:23 Egg Hunt Traditions 03:11 Joining the Garden 05:04 Seeds Theme Patreon 06:46 Rob Bell Writing Flow 10:37 Blessing Microgrants Joy 12:04 Bubbles And Community Pins 12:40 Scaling Micro Grants Citywide 13:13 Funding From Christmas Joy 13:53 Small Money Big Impact 14:48 Songwriting With Tyra 15:33 Tyra Creative Process Deep Dive 21:44 Kathy Pinot Light Of World 25:18 Themes Beginnings And Patreon

    26 min

  6. Mar 30

    Ep 123 - Cleaning for Holy Week and the Moravian Gravestone Tradition (Because Sometimes Sacred Preparation Involves a Really Good Scrub)

    Dawn and Ruth dive into spring cleaning, hospitality, and the surprisingly spiritual act of preparing for Holy Week. But this isn't just about vacuuming. They're exploring a beautiful Moravian tradition of cleaning gravestones before Easter, bringing flowers, telling stories about loved ones, and sometimes even worshiping right there in the graveyard. They share the details of Ruth’s dining room refresh project, Dawn’s aversion to both cleaning and clutter, and coordinating the beautiful chaos of church logistics for Holy Week. This episode is for anyone who's ever felt like spiritual preparation should be more meaningful than just showing up, or who needs permission to find the sacred in the everyday work of making space—literally and figuratively—for what matters most. LINKS: Join our patreon and let us help you bring your project from idea to implementation: patreon.com/u11072417 00:23 Cleaning and Clutter 01:13 Dining Room Makeover 01:53 Yellow Kitchen Memories 03:01 Moravian Easter Prep 04:55 Decluttering and Toys 07:34 Holy Week Logistics 08:57 Stained Glass Art Project 11:20 Movies and Musicals 12:57 Easter Plans 14:43 Holy Week Encouragement 15:54 Closing and Farewell

    16 min

  7. Mar 23

    Ep 122 - Being Hearable: Regina Shands Stoltzfus on Teaching Peace, Trauma, and Sustaining Activism (Because You Can't Teach Peace Without Understanding Violence)

    If you enjoy Created Creative Podcast, we warmly invite you to become a patron: patreon.com/u11072417 For just $10 a month you can become part of our monthly Created Creative Conversations. Find out more below! Dawn and Ruth welcome Regina Shands Stoltzfus, Goshen College professor in northern Indiana and Mennonite Church USA member, whose journey from peace education and anti-racism training led her through activism, pastoring, seminary, and into higher education. Regina's book Resistance, Resilience, and Radical Love: Reflections on Blackness and Teaching Peace tackles something crucial: You can't teach peace without studying violence. And to do that effectively, you have to be "hearable" creating space where students can actually listen and engage without shutting down from trauma. She's using historical cases like the Wilmington Massacre of 1898 to teach about systemic violence, addressing secondary trauma in the classroom, and navigating the current political pressures around DEI work. Regina defines what it means to "work together for justice" across different professions and commits to creating an accountability plan for her next book on the seasons of activism life. This conversation is for educators, activists, and anyone wondering how to sustain justice work without burning out, how to teach difficult truths without retraumatizing people, and what it actually takes to be "hearable" in a world that's often too loud or too defensive to listen. LINKS: We love making this podcast for you and we'd love your support for! patreon.com/u11072417 Join at the $10 level and become part of Created Creative Conversations where you can get support from Dawn and Ruth and other creatives for your own new project! Want to write a book? Dreaming of starting a business? In April our theme is "Seeds of Possibility" and we'll help you get moving! Find out more about our guest, Regina Shands Stoltzfus: https://www.goshen.edu/academics/faculty/regina-shands-stoltzfus/ 00:17 New Tech Week 00:30 Tech Rage Stories 02:28 Get Human Help 02:44 Church Water Timer 03:32 Small Town Singalong 07:30 Meet Regina 08:11 From Activism to Academia 11:16 Teaching in a Red State 13:05 New Book Launch 14:06 Teaching Peace Studies Violence 16:35 Holding Trauma in Class 17:35 Writing Through Sabbatical 20:08 Course Design for Care 21:32 Hearable as Black Professor 23:22 Student Pushback and Growth 25:12 Systemic Violence Rhymes 26:00 Citations Over Opinions 26:15 Fake Historian Cred 26:47 First Solo Book 27:39 Writing Through 2024 29:30 Teaching Under Scrutiny 31:09 Choosing the Right Rooms 32:17 Work Together Justice 34:30 Conflict Skills Everywhere 36:53 Next Book Seasons 38:14 Accountability Mapping Plan 40:40 Memorial Day Deadline

    44 min

  8. Mar 16

    Ep 121 - Small Steps, Big Hope: Kimberly Knowle Zeller on Blessings, Pilgrimage, and Writing

    Dawn and Ruth check in mid-Lent about rotating Wednesday pastorates, quirky church history discoveries, and children's theater outings before sitting down with Kim Knowle Zeller, ELCA pastor and writer from rural central Missouri. Kim's got two books under her belt: The Beauty of Motherhood: Grace-Filled Devotions for the Early Years (co-authored) and her new release Small Steps: Blessings to Lift Your Soul on the Pilgrimage of Life. But here's what makes her story compelling—the new book was born from her Camino de Santiago pilgrimage and a "100 Day Project" where she wrote one blessing daily. That practice changed everything. Kim learned to notice God's presence in small, ordinary moments instead of waiting for the big spiritual revelations. She reads "A Blessing for When the World Is on Fire" during the conversation, and honestly? It's the kind of blessing we all need right now. Kim shares her traditional publishing journey, marketing strategies, writing rhythms, and the truth about what blessings actually do. Spoiler: They don't guarantee safety or fix everything. But they do something maybe more important—they accompany people into a hard world so they're not alone. This conversation is for anyone who's ever wondered if the small, everyday moments of faith actually matter, or who needs permission to find the sacred in the ordinary instead of waiting for lightning bolts from heaven. Because sometimes the biggest hope comes from the smallest steps. If you love the work we do at Created Creative Podcast we invite you to become a patron! For just $10 a month you can be part of our Created Creative Conversations and get the support you need as you start your own next creative project! patreon.com/u11072417 Kimberly Knowle-Zeller is a writer, pastor, wife, mother of two, and the co-author of The Beauty of Motherhood: Grace-Filled Devotions for the Early Years, and the upcoming book of blessings, Small Steps: Blessings to Lift Your Soul on the Pilgrimage of Life. She lives with her family in Cole Camp, Missouri. She loves to walk around her town of 1,000 and enjoy the many festivals and events, as well as attend her monthly book club and trivia night. IG: @kknowlezeller Substack: https://kimberlyknowlezeller.substack.com Website: kimberlyknowlezeller.com 00:00 Blessing Not Bubblewrap 00:21 Lent Check In 00:36 Country Church Tales 04:28 Marionettes In Central Park 06:18 Meet Kim Knowle Zeller 08:24 Beauty Of Motherhood Book 11:00 Small Steps New Blessings 12:13 Hundred Day Blessing Habit 15:05 Structuring The Pilgrimage Lens 16:33 Finding An Agent Publisher 18:54 Landing a Publisher 19:21 Marketing Through Connection 20:22 Local Media and Events 21:02 Substack Over Instagram 21:48 Writing Rhythm and Routine 23:47 Favorite Devotionals and Reads 25:38 Reading a Blessing Aloud 27:27 Coaching for Motivation 29:57 Simple Reels and Tech Help 32:52 Blessings as Creative Faith 34:04 Final Thanks and Sendoff

    35 min
See All (129)

4.9
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

Embark on a journey with Ruth, creator of the wildly popular ConseCrate subscription box for ministers, and Dawn, veteran life coach to leaders to churches and non-profits through her business Big Picture Big Purpose, as they navigate the labyrinth of creativity on "Created Creative." Together, these creative entrepreneurs delve into the universal aspects of the creative life. From the restlessness within that compels us to build something new, whether it's a Lego castle or a life-altering venture, they celebrate the beauty and sanctity of these creative stirrings. Join them in exploring the transformative power of paying attention to that inner restlessness and making space for the growth of new, beautiful things. Welcome to a podcast that recognizes and celebrates how we are all "Created Creative."

Information

  • Creator
    Ruth Hetland and Dawn Trautman
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    129
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Ruth Hetland and Dawn Trautman
  • Show Website
    Created Creative Podcast

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