Ricky Cruz
Ricky’s a graphic designer and marketing strategist getting after his dreams from Orange County, CA.
Driven by purpose and led by faith, Ricky uses all He creates to make a positive difference in the world around him. Whether it’s creating large scale graphics for conferences, designing social media posts for church, or curating new rollout strategies, Ricky’s always after one thing - Helping others find their faith.
What dream are you currently turning into reality?
Being able to wake up everyday, create, and do what I love. It’s always been a dream of mine to see my work directly impact the lives of people and to use my gifts to lead people towards Christ.
God has opened so many doors for me, and it’s been crazy to see how His presence has changed my life.
When did you first realize you discovered your dream?
I feel like I’ve always been creative from an early age. I remember waking up every Saturday morning as a kid and drawing Pokemon on my bedroom floor. I took design classes in school, but never saw myself pursuing a career out of it.
When I started my first year of college, I was dead set on a career that I wasn’t in love with, but I knew others wanted me to pursue. I was unhappy and I knew deep down that I wanted a career that gave me purpose. At that time, I was really wrestling in my faith and had trouble giving up control of my life.
I truly discovered my dream when I volunteered at my local church’s youth group. They didn’t have anyone to do social media and design, so I thought I would give it a shot. It turned out to be one of the most fulfilling moments of my life as I saw my work influence the faith lives of the people I was leading. That’s when I truly found peace knowing that was where God wanted me to be.
How does your faith go hand in hand with pursuing your dream?
Pursuing my dream has been filled with its ups and downs. Simply by saying “Yes”, God has completely changed my life for the better. My dream couldn’t have happened if I had not surrendered to what His plan was for me. Faith keeps me grounded in my work and motivates me to create everyday.
What’s one or two practical steps you take to keep moving forward?
When I was starting my career, I found myself constantly getting stuck and losing motivation. Since then, time management has been a huge benefit for me to make sure that I am constantly moving and getting things done. Creating a schedule allows me to set aside time to spend in prayer, to recharge, and to remain focused.
I am also very blessed to be surrounded by friends and family who constantly support and mentor me. As a designer, I feel like I fall into ruts where sometimes I question if I’m truly called to be pursuing my dream. Having a supportive community who is there for you, and there to provide encouragement, is very important to keep motivated and moving forward.
What encouragement would you share with someone who’s going after their dream?
Even in times that are more challenging, God is still there, and He’s constantly moving in your life. Going after your dream has its fair share of triumphs and road blocks. But by simply saying “Yes”, you are giving complete control over to God. Find your peace in saying “yes” to Him - He’ll lead you to places you would never expect.