For years, I viewed life through the lens of competition.

Theatre was competitive. University admissions were competitive. Careers were competitive.

And somewhere along the way, I started believing that if someone else succeeded, there was somehow less room for me.

Less opportunity. Less purpose. Less possibility.

But looking back on my own life—from a devastating rejection from my dream university, to studying theatre, moving to Scotland, meeting my husband, and building a life I never could have planned for myself—I’ve come to realize something:

✨ God’s plan for my life is not threatened by someone else’s success.

In this solo episode of The Creative Catholics, I share the story of a closed door that changed everything and explore what Scripture teaches us about competition, calling, comparison, and God’s providence.

Together we discuss: 🌿 Why comparison is so exhausting 🌿 What John the Baptist teaches us about abundance and mission 🌿 How the Body of Christ challenges a competitive mindset 🌿 Why God’s providence is often easier to see in reverse 🌿 How to stop measuring your life against someone else’s

If you've ever felt like you've fallen behind, missed an opportunity, or watched someone else receive the thing you thought you wanted, I hope this episode encourages you.

Because perhaps the goal was never to become the best.

Perhaps the goal was to become who God created you to be.

✨ Resources mentioned:

• One L by Scott Turow
• John 3:23–30
• 1 Corinthians 12

Connect with The Creative Catholics: Instagram: @thecreativecatholics Website: thecreativecatholics.com

Intro/outro music by Marie Miller

This episode is sponsored by Riverside

Follow @TheCreativeCatholics on Instagram to share your creations and join the community.

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe to The Creative Catholics Podcast.

A Catholic podcast exploring creativity, faith, vocation, and the hidden life.

What if one of the most effective ways to help children grow in virtue isn't through rules or lectures—but through stories?

In this episode of The Creative Catholics, Alex sits down with Dr. John Wood—eye doctor, author, speaker, and founder of Extraordinary Mission—to explore the creative world behind his inspiring Seven Deadly Dragons series and the deeper truths hidden within fantasy, imagination, and storytelling.

Together they discuss why dragons resonate so deeply with children, how stories shape the moral imagination, and how families can use the language of "dragon slaying" to talk about sin, temptation, virtue, and God's grace in everyday life.

John also shares the unexpected journey that led him from medicine to ministry, the family collaboration behind the Seven Deadly Dragons books, and why creativity, storytelling, and wonder remain powerful tools for evangelization in today's world.

• The inspiration behind the Seven Deadly Dragons series
• Why stories help us remember, love, and live the truth
• The connection between imagination and spiritual formation
• Building a family mission through creativity
• Encouraging children to develop their God-given gifts
• Why fairy tales and fantasy matter
• The dragons families face most in modern culture
• Trusting God when He calls us somewhere unexpected

At its heart, this conversation is about more than dragons. It's about helping children—and ourselves—recognize the spiritual battles we face, grow in virtue, and become the saints God created us to be.

• The Seven Deadly Dragons: A seven-book fantasy series helping children understand virtue, vice, and the spiritual life through the metaphor of dragon slaying.
• Extraordinary Mission: Faith formation resources, retreats, books, games, and media for Catholic families.
• Dragon Slayers TV: Streaming platform featuring family-friendly Catholic content, podcasts, and educational resources.

Connect with Dr. Wood: extraordinarymission.com

Connect with The Creative Catholics: Instagram: @thecreativecatholics Website: thecreativecatholics.com

Until next time, stay creative and keep making what matters most.

What if creativity isn't something reserved for artists, entrepreneurs, or people with lots of free time? What if it can be found in a family meal, a garden bed, a bedtime song, or a simple act of hospitality?

In this episode of The Creative Catholics, Alex sits down with Adele Collins of Simple Life Musings to explore the hidden creativity woven throughout family life, motherhood, and the home. Together they discuss cultivating beauty in seasons of scarcity, building a strong family culture, finding joy in hospitality, and why the second decade of parenting may be one of the great untold gifts of family life.

Adele also shares insights from Josef Pieper's Leisure: The Basis of Culture, reflecting on the importance of Sabbath rest, presence, wonder, and the role of leisure in a world obsessed with productivity.

Whether you're a parent, artist, homemaker, gardener, or simply someone longing to live more intentionally, this conversation is a beautiful reminder that holiness is often found in the ordinary moments of daily life.

• How My Ántonia shaped Adele's vision of motherhood
• Creating beauty and hospitality on a tight budget
• Why family life becomes richer over time
• Homemaking as a deeply creative vocation
• Gardening, pruning, and spiritual growth
• The wisdom of Leisure: The Basis of Culture
• Building family culture around the table
• Why mothers are guardians of culture
• The role of books, music, and beauty in the spiritual life

• My Ántonia — Willa Cather
• Leisure: The Basis of Culture — Josef Pieper
• East of Eden — John Steinbeck
• The More-with-Less Cookbook — Doris Janzen Longacre

Follow Adele online: @simplelifemusings

This episode is sponsored by Riverside.fm — the platform used to record this episode.

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe to The Creative Catholics Podcast.

A Catholic podcast exploring creativity, faith, vocation, and the hidden life.

Until next time, stay creative and keep making what matters most.