Meet Rachel Reigard

We recently connected with Rachel Reigard and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

Think like a kid! Whenever I start to feel creatively empty, I listen to what my brain is telling me it needs. Do I just need to have fun for a little while? Then I go have fun. Do I need to spend time outside in all of this beautiful creation? Then I do. Near my workspace, I have slime, word searches, puzzles, fidget tools, and coloring pages. All of these tools help me exercise certain parts of my brain that, as adults, we often forget about. We will always need inspiration, laughter, and silliness, no matter how old we are. I think that is why people lose their imagination and creativity; they forget how to be kids. Life is serious enough; let yourself have fun and get ready for the amazing ideas that you come up with.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

When I was younger, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I prayed and prayed and never knew what my calling was, but I did know I wanted to help people. When I first got started in ministry, I could tell there was something awakening in me that had been asleep for a long time—a true sense of purpose. I get to help make a difference in this world, which is an incredible blessing and responsibility I do not take lightly. I love being a children’s pastor and getting to teach kids about the Bible in such unique ways. That is how I feel in love with writing because I get to find new ways for people to connect with God.

As someone with ADHD and huge distraction issues, I was looking for tools to assist me but could not find any I enjoyed or showed my personality. This is why I created my own line of Church Notes for people to take notes during Sunday’s sermon. I now have 18 different cover designs to highlight people’s different interests. Love the coastal cowgirl look? Or are you more a book lover? How about a plain Jane? I have a Church Note Journal for you.

Most recently, I have created a line of Focus Prayer Journals to help people focus on prayer. I know how hard it can be to pray when your mind is racing, so I created a custom journal for you. Each Journal has short prompts to help you stay focused while praying, along with tips to help you pray and a place to draw. There are 4 different covers, each with a matching Church Notes. You can find my journals on Amazon for all under $10.00. It is my primary goal to always be affordable and accessible to all.

Since I started writing, I found that the more I said yes to the things that would usually scare me, the more opportunities I had to be challenged and grow. I currently write for the Youversion Bible app, authored my first book called Bad Reviews, and created a Theology activity book for kids called, Discovering the Bible. I am able to keep building because I know when to pray, rest, celebrate, and work.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Energy Management: This is so important because all of us work differently. I find that my best writing is done in the mornings, but by the afternoon, I am better suited to run errands, organize, or create. Get to know yourself, what tasks should be done, and when. Trying to work best while not knowing how your energy works is like trying to shove a square into a circle opening; it is not going to happen.

Confidence: I truly believe a lot of success comes down to confidence. After all, if you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else? There is always room for improvement, and true confidence is being able to take constructive criticism, but you have to start somewhere. If you wait to start until you are perfect, you will wait forever. Start now; you don’t need validation from others when you believe in what you are doing.

Conflict Resolution: Conflict is a part of life. You could be the kindest and most gracious person, but there will still be times when you have to address conflict. Learn how to talk to difficult people; don’t waste your time gossiping about them; that is not going to change the situation. Take a deep breath, think through what you need to say, and you may be surprised at the outcome. Conflict sounds scary, but actually, conflict can help deepen relationships and make things better if it is addressed, not ignored.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am always looking for collaboration. I would love to partner with other creatives or small businesses. Seeing my journals and books in local stores would be a dream come true and an amazing way to support each other. I know how hard it is out there for small creators so if there is anyway we could join forces I am in.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Anhonestanswerblog.com
• Instagram: Rachelkatlyn
• Other: Tiktok: rachelreigard

Image Credits

Rachel Reigard