The best ideas often come to me in prayer (and more specifically, on prayer walks). Ideas may come bounding to us all throughout our days, but when they happen during prayer there’s a zooming in—a focusing effect—that is very clarifying. There’s also the deeper conviction that they are not random and do not originate in self. They are a gift. Something given by the Creator God who loves to birth things through His children, if we will only make the space for Him with our time and intimacy.
My artist friend (and fellow York Country Prayer team member), Lauren, always wanted to illustrate a children’s book, but she wasn’t sure if she could write one. So I love that one morning when we were spending time with Jesus in a prayer room, God downloaded the words of this book to her pen.
What He gave her is lovely and whimsical and perfect for a children’s book, but what He would later reveal to Lauren about the story’s application to her (and to all of His children) is even more compelling.
Listen here for the full video interview where Lauren shares the stories on:
How the book was conceived in a prayer room (1:00)
What God spoke to her about the story and His heart for us today (5:26)
How God delights in our creativity (15:02)
…and many more tidbits throughout (including
revelations in the shower, Chariots of Fire, the weighty Tim Mackie message “Paradise Now” from 2022, The Table, chasing sunrises)
“There is a life so much bigger than the darkened coziness of our little worlds.” - Lauren Paden
God is calling us all to a deeper awakened state. If you’ve ever felt like there is so much stirring inside of you, or that there are things you are meant to birth, listen in at the end where Lauren prays a blessing for all the creatives (17:12).
May we all make room for God to plant His seeds of Life within us, and give Him our “yeses” no matter how uncertain or uncomfortable we feel. Surely He is leading us deeper into a place of awakened wonder.
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