Episode 26: A Spoon Full of Faith

Nov 1

An interview with Jena Holliday

Jena takes us back to the beginning of her journey creating her studio & shares her 'in process' story of how God meets her personally & professionally.⁣⁣ We talk about the importance of using the gifts God has given each of us as part of the Body, and staying in our lane to fulfill His purpose.⁣⁣

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The Seeds

Name: Jena Holliday

Age: 34

Where do you call home: Minneapolis, Minnesota (Brooklyn Park)

Relationship Status: Married

Season of Work: Illustrator/Artist, Author

Hobbies: Creating, making, styling clothes/home, etc; planning gathering, making things look pretty lol

Jesus Journey: I grew up in church, so I have had those seeds planted since I was young. It wasn’t until I was about 25 that I found my own relationship with Jesus.

The Branches

Jena, you are an illustrator, author, and creative mama! Dip back into your memory bank...when did you realize you loved art? Who has influenced you along the way?

Ever since I was young, I’ve loved to create. I would say my parents although they were not technically artists. They were creative in many ways - raising a family of 7, and making it work. We were encouraged from a young age to try things, test things, create things and this encouraged me to create.

For some reason in our society we see the “shiny” beautiful project….we see what we consider “success” but we forget that there is a person and/or a team that worked hard and put in a lot of UNSEEN work that we’ll probably never know about. What are the small steps of obedience you took in the early days that led to opening “A Spoonful of Faith” studio?

Faithfulness & consistency. Not seeing the results but not giving up. Believing and trusting God’s promises to me.

When did you know it was time to open your studio?

I think once God gave me the vision and dream. I always knew it was going to be, but I didn’t know when. Things came to a rock and a hard place, and it was time for me to take the step or stay in the same place I was in. I knew it was time to try.

Often there is a HIGH COST to starting something new (time, money, fear of failure, etc.) What did starting “A Spoonful of Faith” cost you?

I truly believe that everything we go through is gonna give us a lesson. I spent a lot of time really in solitude with God building, and I did things by myself when I didn’t have to. I learned a lot in the process but went through lots of emotional feelings - this is where I think it wasn’t a cost - but more of a benefit. God showed me what was inside of me. He wanted to heal in this process and He healed depression, trying to live up to others’ expectations, and so much more of me in the process.

The cost…if anything…was my will. My expectations & thoughts. I have learned they are so much smaller than His. I couldn’t think this up. But He did.

On your website you say opening your doors to your studio was “One of the biggest leaps of faith that led you into a more fulfilling life, business and relationship with your Creator” how so? You just released “The Wildly Loved” Collection….in what ways is God asking you to TRUST him and continue to make leaps of faith?

I believe a life of trusting God and following Him is a place of adventure. Adventure may not look like hiking the highest mountain, instead, it might look like going into many unseen places. It might mean being around people that don’t think like you, act like you, or believe like you. It might mean people thinking you are not “Christian” enough or living up to their ideas of what you should be. God has always told me that He never wants me to be a “good Christian girl,’ He just wants me to be the best me. And I think I get to constantly do that in communion and relationship with Him.

Let’s switch gears a bit and talk about how God gifts His people. One of the gifts you possess is to create! Jena, you make beautiful art with a message that celebrates Our Creator & the Diversity of Women. If you were to sum up what God is calling you to do in this season with your giftings what would you say?

There have been a lot of things harvesting in the current season from seeds planted a while ago. He is opening my hands to think even bigger. This is sometimes hard for me because I didn’t think this big to begin with…haha. I have always been a big thinker but expanding my mind even further has been a wild experience. He’s constantly reminding me that I don’t need to prove my love to Him. I don’t need to prove my goodness to Him. I don’t need to prove my faithfulness to Him. Just like a true friend, a good father - He knows me. As long as we have this relationship and I continue to run to him, hold His hand, He will lead me and pull me out of things I don’t need to be in. I think that’s big trust.

In our culture, even in the Christian community, we have seen a trend of people placing their hope & faith in a person/system/political party/etc. We’re also seeing this “celebrity culture” make its way into “the church” and we’re treating those that possess gifts like “teaching, speaking, writing” as if they’re more valuable to the Kingdom of God when scripture tells us that, “ there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them” (1 Cor 12).

How do you make sure you run in the lane God has given you & be faithful? Is this ever a struggle for you?

Yes, I think we all have struggled at some point. Generally, I have to turn off all the noise and get in worship. That’s my thing. I know in worship I can get in my Father’s presence. And in His presence there is peace and there is joy. I can ask for wisdom and He will give it to me.

Your products are in big box stores & your business has grown….give us an example of how you’ve had to be faithful despite decisions you’re making maybe not being the most popular by worldly standards.

I constantly say “no” to things. I am often turning down offers if it does not align with my life or if I am not getting the green light from the Holy Spirit. But even in that, sometimes I might get it wrong. I trust God knew ahead I would, and will guide me back to what is right. For example, sometimes I take on too much, and just like a good father and friend - He reminds me of my priorities and what I desire and leads me back.

We’re still in a Pandemic….2020 & 2021 have been tough for ‘Olive Us’ in some way! Through the hard God reminds us that nothing is wasted. Jena, what has the Lord been teaching you?

God has shown me He needs me to show up the way He made me. Not be or do what everyone else is being or doing. Also being the church outside of the four walls. That means loving PEOPLE. We don’t understand how powerful love is and how powerful God’s love is for ALL. We can’t fathom sometimes how it goes past our sins, mistakes, etc, and because of that sometimes we can’t see past others. But that’s not love. It’s hard to sit down and love our neighbor, really love our neighbor, if we don’t get to know them. SO… let’s be the church by not just talking about it, but going out and loving people. That means doing life with people. Not just loving them from afar but doing life with them. Through that maybe they will see Him through us and be curious about Him if they don’t already know Him.