Episode  30:Who's the Boss?Episode 30 explores the decision each artist of faith has to make concerning who has the final say over our art careers; as well as the implications of our decision.

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Read the transcriptHello, hello, and welcome to Episode 30 of the Kingdom Art Life podcast. I am Marlita Hill, here to help you flourish in faith, art, and career.

We are getting into our last two mindsets to help us build our art career without compromising our faith.

In each of our individual career walks, we need to decide who has the final say about our art career. Each of us have to decide that.

In an interview I was basically asked what advice I had to help people be in secular culture without compromising. In order to answer that question, I responded, there's another question that needs to be answered first. And the answer to this first question will determine what the answer to the original question will be.

And here's the first question: Who has ultimate say over your career, over how far it goes, where it goes, how long it lasts, what it experiences, etc?

As I said each of us has to answer that question for our individual career life. And our answer is a determination for whether we'll fall into compromise or not. Does the agent, the casting director, the curator, that critic, that artistic director, that conductor, that producer, that artist - do they have final say and ultimate authority over what happens to your career? Or does God?Again, you make that choice. But here's where that decision plays into whether we compromise or not;

If you decide that they, whoever they is, if they have ultimate say over your ability to have the career that you're pursuing, then you have to do what they say, whatever that is, whether it compromises you or not, or else you can't have the career. And if they have the final say then the eventual compromise becomes necessary for you to keep the career. So if that director or curator is the gateway to the rest of your career, then you're going to have to do what they say or else you can't have the career.

But, if you decide to recognize that God has the final say over your career, over the career vision He gave you, using the gifts He gave you, then all you have to do is follow Him. Then there's no need for compromise.

And, I know, some people say it's not that simple, Marlita. That's not how it works, Marlita. Don't make it so spiritual, Marlita. And to that I say, first of all, this is a spiritual matter. In fact you have the option to compromise or not do so because of your spiritual relationship.

Also, it is that simple. It may not be easy, but it is simple. You may have to muster up a lot of courage to say no to those industry Goliaths. You may have to confront some fears about what if I go against this industry giant, what if I go against this person and it turns out bad. You might have to muster up some courage to believe that if you turn down this project at God's leading, that He will still be able to get you where you need to go. So, I understand that it's not necessarily easy in the moment. And it may not be easy to stand in that decision strong in that decision once you make it. But it is simple. Do you believe God or not?

And to the idea that this is not how this works, it's not how they work. But you belong to a different system and you operate by different processes and principles. So that may not be how they work but you serve the living God, so it's how you work.

Again, we each have to decide who holds our careers in their hands. If it's the proverbial they, you're going to have to do what they say to keep your career whether you have to compromise your faith or not. But if it's God that holds the final say, then all you have to do is follow Him. And if you're following Him, how can you be compromising?

And to those who worry that following God will compromise the integrity of your art, don't. In fact,