Episode 116

#113. The Rocks Cry Out: Easter Crafts to Do With Kids (and a Testimony of Redemption) With Author Patti Rokus

Would you like to watch Patti create the artwork as we discuss her story? She graciously added our interview to YouTube for you to see her at work! https://youtu.be/yhEcfdVf6tM?si=imXAskf5SixAwPoh

Find Patti and lots of Easter activities here: https://rockstellstories.com/

In this interview, Patti vulnerably describes how the Lord has made beauty from ashes in her life. From unexpected heartbreak and unfulfilled hopes, Patti has seen her Savior turn it for good. She looks to what matters for eternity as she expectantly waits for the Lord's goodness yet again. With a heart to encourage moms, and to equip them with all they need--and give tips about where to find rocks!!!--Patti is a rare gem. Christian moms are sure to pause the episode to go order her book! You can find it here.

Don't forget to look for her other books too!

Listen to last week's episode of Again in which Stephanie explains how "Entrusted with a Child's Heart" can bless your church leaders and bring the moms in your church the encouragement, fellowship, and direction they've been looking for!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-again-podcast-for-christian-moms-encouragement-in/id1700555502?i=1000754826666

Learn more about the Entrusted with a Child's Heart study for moms: https://www.entrustedministries.com/studies#moms-study

Interested in our Entrusted Couples Study? https://www.entrustedministries.com/our-big-news

We provide free resources to equip parents here: https://www.entrustedministries.com/resources

An additional podcast walks moms through The Bible in a year, applying it to family life: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dwelling-place-bible-plan-for-christian-moms/id1863449227

Transcript
Patti:

when I knew that I got to tell the story of our savior Jesus

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Christ, and why he matters to us, to

children in a way that hopefully would

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bring faith and power to their lives.

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Nothing else mattered.

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And I was so beyond thrilled.

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I was like, Lord, if I

get to do this, it's okay.

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I get, get to have kids.

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Because.

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I could bring our savior to the

children in this unusual way.

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And I was so thrilled.

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It was like the happiest time of my life.

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Speaker 3: Hi there, moms happy Easter.

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We were gonna take a break from the

podcast, but in the Lord's kindness,

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he introduced me to a new friend,

author, and rock artist, Patty Rokus.

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She's written several amazing books, but

I've been particularly drawn to her her

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rock Creations to tell the Easter story.

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I wanna give you plenty of time to get

your hands on this book, to share it with

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those you know, both those who already

are surrendered to the Lord and those

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that you've been praying to be a light to.

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And Patty will share an incredible

testimony of how the Lord has

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used her book in just that way.

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Not only will you be inspired by

the art she creates, but also by the

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way that she's pressed into the Lord

no matter what has come her way.

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I encourage you to look at her website

for some really wonderful Easter

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activities to do with your kids.

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Without further ado, here is

the incredible Patty Rokus.

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Stephanie: I am so, so blessed to be

here today with you, Patty, and it's so

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the Lord's sovereignty and his goodness.

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A couple weeks ago, my kids and I,

they had some dentist appointments

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and we were passing by the library and

I thought, let's go get some books.

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And they had one of your books there.

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I didn't even open it up, but I

grabbed it and brought it home.

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And then I sat down with this

book and I thought, oh, this

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will be a quick read, but I just

needed to meditate on every page.

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I instantly had tears in my

eyes by the power of the work

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that God is calling you to.

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And every rock patty.

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It's absolutely beautiful.

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I'm so inspired by this and, and

really so thankful that the Lord

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allowed me to see, and then you were

so willing to share your time with

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us with it being right before Easter.

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I thought, what a blessing that

we could bring this to families.

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So thank you for all that you're doing.

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I know it's not your only book that

you've done, and I know that this isn't

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the path that you intended to go about.

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So I'm really excited to just hear more

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Patti: thank you.

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So

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Stephanie: thank you for

being here with us today.

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Patti: It's an honor, Stephanie.

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Stephanie: Mm-hmm.

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Patti: When I learned about your

podcast and that your mission is truly

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to serve mothers that's why I was

so excited to, to jump on with you.

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Mm-hmm.

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Because I love those mothers and I'm

so grateful because they are raising.

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The army that we need

in this next generation.

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And without them we've got nothing.

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And so anything we can do, yes,

right, to buoy them up, to inspire

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them, to encourage them and let them

know they're not alone in this work.

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And that your ministry, your effort to

do this is, um, powerful and needed.

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And so thank you so much for letting me

come and join in that effort with you.

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Stephanie: Thank you.

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Your heart is really incredible

that you do have such a love

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for children and for families.

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And the Lord has given

you a different story.

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But I think it speaks so much about a

person's freedom in the Lord and their

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security in him when they can say,

this isn't the expectation I had, but

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Lord, I still have a heart to minister.

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That You have no hindrance

in who you're ministering to.

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I'm so inspired by you.

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Patti: Wow, Stephanie.

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I feel the same way.

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And it's true.

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I didn't get to have any of my own

children, not even adopted children.

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I didn't even get married till I was in

my forties, and then that didn't work out.

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And so all of you know that hope

that you're gonna have this awesome

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marriage and these wonderful

children and none of that happening.

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But the Lord is awesome at compensating

and he has blessed me so immensely.

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I have this incredible love for children.

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I've done a meditation lullaby album

for children, you know, years ago.

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And, and then I end up doing these

rock stories where any child could

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go out and do these stories as well.

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It's been so interesting that even

though I have a career in technology

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and I've worked for these very large

companies, and that's been the way

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I've earned a living, I still have this

mother nurturer in me that wants to

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love and reach out to these children.

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And as I experience the challenges of

nurturing children from a distance.

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Mm-hmm.

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Even I just think, oh my word, the

effort of a mother, there's nothing

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I've done in corporate America that

could begin to be as difficult and

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as rewarding as being a mother.

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And I recognize that.

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I do believe in a millennium.

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I believe that eventually the Lord's going

to come and he's going to clean the earth,

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and we're gonna have peace and joy, and

I'm gonna have a boatload of children

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Stephanie: that's beautiful.

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There are some people in my life,,

I had the most incredible elementary

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principal, um, when I was a teacher,

and she, similar to you, always thought

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that would be part of her story and she

didn't have her own children, but that

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I saw how the Lord had allowed her to

minister to so many where if she had

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children in her own home, she might be

limited by those needs that you described.

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And so I think sometimes God says,

I see your heart and I am actually

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gonna allow you to bless hundreds

of children, thousands of children.

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And, , I just wanted to start

with that because really, I, I

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am blessed by your willingness to

serve the Lord however he calls you.

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Patti: That's all any of us can do.

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Yes.

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And I don't think that

anybody's life turned out the

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way they expected for anybody.

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Stephanie: Right.

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Yes.

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Patti: I think all of us face that,

you know, That's one of the great

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challenges of mortality is can we face

that and not be bitter about that?

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Can we face that and lean on

the Lord and receive his love

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and whatever he has in mind?

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And when we can submit to that, then

the joy comes and that keeps showing

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up again and again in my life.

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I want it a certain way

and it doesn't happen.

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And then can I just submit to

that and see what is there for me?

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And always it turns out to

be something very meaningful,

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Stephanie: and that's something

really with Entrusted that as we're

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trying to lay out this biblical

path, and these are the ways.

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That God intended for it to be.

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And then we live out

life in a broken world.

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How does God redeem these situations

and make beauty from ashes?

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I never want women to feel alienated oh,

this is what I expected and it hasn't

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happened, so the Lord can't redeem it.

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No, he absolutely can.

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And sometimes I wonder, how did we

even get these ideas through scripture?

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Because there's brokenness

from the beginning,

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Patti: And I'm going back to the

beginning and I'm starting with

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Genesis and reading through again.

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Stephanie: Mm-hmm.

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Patti: Right there in the beginning.

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In Genesis, it's broken families.

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It's messed up situations.

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Mm-hmm.

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It's not what anybody expected.

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Right.

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And yet God works through all of

that to create miracles, to create

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changes, to create a posterity

that Christ can come through.

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Stephanie: Yes.

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Patti: So it is a remarkable story

that even the great prophets of old

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had to suffer through incredible family

challenges, and I think most of us are

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suffering through amazing challenges in

our families in this fallen world as you.

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As you so well said.

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But how does anybody do

it without our savior?

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That's what

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Stephanie: I

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Patti: blows my mind.

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How are people that

don't have him doing it?

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But we do and we can

share him with others.

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What I love about what you're

doing is that you are reminding the

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mothers of who they are, of their

belovedness by the Father and the son.

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And when we really feel that acceptance

of God, no matter what's going on,

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no matter what we've done wrong

or didn't do right, or whatever.

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Stephanie: Mm-hmm.

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Patti: That that love and acceptance

is constantly pouring down on us.

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It's hard to remember that.

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Then we're like, oh yeah, that's right.

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I am beloved.

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I am a daughter of God.

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And then that gives us a strength

to do what we need to do.

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Stephanie: Yes, absolutely.

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I always think of when Peter

said, to whom shall we go?

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You have the words of eternal life.

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It's as hard as life gets.

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Jesus is so worthy and we might

not understand, but we can trust.

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So tell me a little bit more

how that unfolded in your life,

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going from corporate world.

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To now, you know, this completely

different career path of

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making beauty out of rocks.

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Patti: Let's just go right

to the middle of my life.

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there's so much to share and

I love to share it because

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God's in every detail of it.

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And now that I'm, I'm older, I'm

almost 60, and now that I'm at this

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point, I can look back and see how

God was in all the details, even

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in the hardest times when it didn't

make any sense and how he used that.

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Like Isaiah said, like you said,

how he used each one of those hard

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things to turn them into beauty,

to take the ashes and turn beauty.

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And so here's one of those stories.

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So drop me right into

the middle of my career.

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I'm in technology, helping

create large applications and

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systems for big companies.

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And it's a great career.

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And I meet someone and I get married for

the first time at 44 years old and it

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just turns out to be a total disaster.

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And it three years later I'm divorced.

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And it was just so crushing.

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'cause I thought finally my life's

finally taking off and the things

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I always dreamed of and everything.

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And here I am

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With nothing.

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I lost my house.

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I lost, I really, the most important

thing is I lost my identity and I

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just felt so confused and so crushed.

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And God, after all of this,

how could this happen?

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I think that's what so many people

feel is this crushing weight of I did

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everything I need to do or I didn't.

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But either way, you feel so crushed by it.

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Stephanie: Right.

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Patti: And at that point, I just didn't

even care about my career anymore.

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I was like, who cares?

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You know?

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Mm-hmm.

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At Nike, who cares if I'm

helping them sell shoes?

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Who cares?

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And who cares if I can market something

nothing seemed to matter anymore.

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, I finally just said, I

have to have some answers.

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I need a new career.

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I need a new life.

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I need something different.

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And I put a tent in my trunk

and without an itinerary, I

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drove to Montana, 12 hour drive.

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And I just knew there'd be

beautiful places where I could be

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in nature and just feel God's love

and pray and have some solitude.

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And I did so two weeks out there

and I just tripped across the

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most phenomenally beautiful place

in, if you know Montana at all.

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It would be on the western side.

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Northern side.

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Found this place called Ross Creek Cedars.

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That was, I'd never

heard of it in my life.

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Totally directed.

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And now that I look back, heavenly

father was just like coddling me.

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And I didn't know, set

up my tent all by myself.

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'cause it was way, it was spring.

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Nobody was out camping yet.

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Torrential rains and stuff.

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And I went hiking and I destination hike.

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I'd go for the waterfalls, I go for

the lakes, you know, and I've caught

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my big backpack on it and my lunch

and I'm just powering through and

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just begging, God, what do I do?

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Who am I?

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You know?

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Do you really know me?

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I mean, I used to really believe that.

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And just looking for

connection and answers.

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And there was a dry river bed very

soon into the hike, huge but dry

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with these big chunky rocks in it.

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And I'd never really

noticed rocks that much

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The long story short, is

instead of destination hiking,

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I ended up in the riverbed.

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Walking the riverbed and loving these

rocks and putting rocks in my backpack

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and got, after that whole trip, I

felt like I had no answers, didn't

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know what to do, anything different.

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It kind of felt like a waste.

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'cause I went for answers.

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But I came home with a bucket of

rocks and that last day I dumped

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out the bucket of rocks and just

started pushing them around.

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And was astonished to find that you

could put a couple rocks together.

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Like you could find a long rock

and a circle rock and you could put

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'em together and you got a person.

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And how that showed up was there was

this rock that was headless that looked

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like a woman kneeling, but it also

looked like there was a halo around it.

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So immediately I thought of Young

Mary, you know, the Annunciation before

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she's pregnant, that she's kneeling.

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And I thought, I've never even

thought a rock could have a

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shape that looked like something.

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So I found that Round Rock

and stuck it on there, and I

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thought, could there be an angel?

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What would that look like?

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Well, what if I got a triangle for

a wing and a long rock for the body?

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And and there was the annunciation

scene I was so stunned and joyful that

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I thought, okay, that's a nativity story.

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If that's in there.

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Is there a donkey where Mary's on

the donkey and is there a stable?

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Are there sheep?

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Everything of the whole story,

including camels and the wise men were

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in this one bucket of rocks and wow,

I just, I took the whole porch and

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I made each scene across the porch.

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I took pictures of my cell phone

and sent 'em to my friends.

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I'm like, you won't believe this.

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This is crazy.

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And they said, Hey, I want a book.

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And I'm like, A book, really?

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And so I ended up printing 24 little tiny

books and a friend of mine said, Hey, get

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on Facebook and, uh, let's do a video.

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And I wasn't even really on

Facebook at the time and a video.

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And so she holds up, you know, the camera

and I told the story in a little more

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detail and says, anybody want a book?

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And I thought maybe I could sell 10.

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Would be kind of cool in two weeks.

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This is December now.

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In two weeks I had sold 1500

books just from that one video.

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Wow.

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And I was still having a full-time

job, so it ruined Christmas.

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'cause I, every day after

work I'm coming home putting

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stamps on envelopes and stuff.

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But it was so shocking.

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And you know, that's when I realized

that there's a lot of us out there.

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I bet people listening right now

are like, yeah, I love rocks.

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I mean mm-hmm.

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Who hasn't put a rock in

their pocket for Right.

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No.

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No reason what mother hasn't

heard in their washing machine.

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Clang, cl clang.

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'cause their kids have rock

pockets that fallen out.

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I realize we love nature, we love rocks.

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Mm-hmm.

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We love to be outside.

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That turned, I mean, I could tell you

the miraculous story of how that turned

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into a publishing deal, but it did.

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It was Harper Collins, the

largest Christian publisher in

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the world with their Zander kids.

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Wow.

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They said, could you do an Easter book?

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And as soon as they said that.

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I almost are bawling when they

say that because I thought I could

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tell the story of the atonement

of Jesus Christ to children.

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Mm-hmm.

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You would let me do that.

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And I was just so beyond thrilled.

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It was like Christmas books, you

know, whatever Easter book that

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was the beginning of really the

Christmas book is so simple.

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You look at these pictures and

any child could recreate these,

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you know, it's a long rock with a

circle, and now you have a person.

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Mm-hmm.

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You know, you can recreate these,

any kid because it's just the

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simplest thing in the world.

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But when, when I knew that I got to

tell the story of our savior Jesus

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Christ, and why he matters to us, to

children in a way that hopefully would

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bring faith and power to their lives.

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Nothing else mattered.

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And I was so beyond thrilled.

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I was like, Lord, if I

get to do this, it's okay.

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I get, get to have kids.

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It's okay because.

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I could bring our savior to the

children in this unusual way.

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And I was so thrilled.

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It was like the happiest time of my life.

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The only problem, I wasn't in Montana

with rocks and I didn't know where I

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was gonna find them, but the Lord, I

just went on hikes in my local area.

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And that's why the rocks are

so different in that book.

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Mm-hmm.

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Stephanie: And I

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Patti: could tell you story after

story of how angels must have

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been the ones choosing these

rocks and putting them together.

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Stephanie: Mm-hmm.

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Patti: The joy of

creating the Easter book.

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It was really profound and I'm

so grateful I got to do it.

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Stephanie: And here you are.

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You're a spiritual mother and the

multiplication the Lord is doing with

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you that this is absolutely amazing.

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One thing that really stood out to

me is that God had given you exactly

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what you needed to make this book,

but you didn't even realize you had

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it in your bucket when you came home.

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And I just wonder, at the end of

that trip, did you feel like, God,

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I thought you were gonna meet with

me, and I'm coming home and I'm

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the same Patty, I'm still broken

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and I'm coming home.

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Patti: Yes.

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Yeah.

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Thank you for bringing that up,

because I think it's so poignant.

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It's so typical for all of our lives.

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I mean, who hasn't had a desperate

need and has gone to the Lord in faith,

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Stephanie: Uhhuh,

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Patti: and then felt like prayers

bounced off the ceiling, felt like

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nobody heard it, nothing happened.

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And that's how I felt.

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I was like, okay, that was really fun to

be in nature and that helped calm me down.

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But where's the answers?

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Like, really.

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Stephanie: Right.

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Patti: And it took me to show how

faithless I, it took me months and months

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to realize that the Lord had answered

my prayers, that he had been with me,

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that he was picking out rocks all along.

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Every rock I picked up was, um, a

message from him, but I really believed

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that he couldn't get through to me in

a, in a way that I would notice and

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acknowledge because I was so anxious.

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I've gotta find a job.

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I gotta change my career.

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I don't know who I am anymore

and I don't know what to do.

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All of that noise and stress was

keeping me from being able to hear him.

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Mm-hmm.

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And so I just find it incredible that

he would find a way, even though I

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:

was like too wound up to hear him,

he'd find a way to get through to me.

377

:

And somehow he was like,

pat, see that rock?

378

:

It's okay.

379

:

Get that rock.

380

:

Well, I love that rock.

381

:

Okay.

382

:

Okay.

383

:

But back to the real issue here.

384

:

Patty.

385

:

See that rock over?

386

:

That's a neat one, huh?

387

:

Yeah.

388

:

Oh, I love that rock.

389

:

That is so interesting.

390

:

Mm-hmm.

391

:

But can we talk about what I'm

supposed to do with my life?

392

:

I did not, and I think that's going

on all the time with all of us.

393

:

Anybody who's listening, take the

thing that's bothering you most

394

:

right now that you don't have an

answer for, and I promise you.

395

:

Something is going on to organize the

future and the possibilities for you.

396

:

Mm-hmm.

397

:

It's just that we don't

notice it right now.

398

:

We don't hear it right now,

but you will eventually.

399

:

And when we look back at the problems

we've had and how somehow it worked out,

400

:

somehow, and then if we take a minute

to look at those problems and how did

401

:

it work out, we start seeing the hand of

the Lord in our lives and then we start

402

:

having greater faith and trusting him.

403

:

But I needed to calm down.

404

:

Sure.

405

:

And nature does that for us.

406

:

Getting ourselves out into nature

instantly turns down that nervous system.

407

:

Stephanie: I agree with you,

and as we are so tempted to live

408

:

these lives with technology, the

distractions are ever before us.

409

:

I think this message is so important

that we would connect with God through

410

:

what he's created, and it all points

back to him, to his faithfulness.

411

:

His character.

412

:

So thank you that your, your work

isn't just pointing us to the

413

:

beauty on the pages, but it's

calling us to connect with the Lord,

414

:

Patti: You have a gift for, you

have a gift for summarizing and

415

:

then pulling the meat out of it.

416

:

Exactly right.

417

:

That, yes, the books are beautiful

and I hope that the main joy of the

418

:

books is that it inspires the kids

to get outside and go either recreate

419

:

those or make their own pictures.

420

:

Getting our kids out there instantly

helps 'em forget if they've got anxiety

421

:

or other issues, helps them just be

like outside of those worries and

422

:

noticing the wonder of God's creations.

423

:

And that's part of the power

of this is that worked for me.

424

:

And now I want to remind everybody

that it works for everybody.

425

:

And if we can get ourselves and our

kids outside, that's a beautiful

426

:

step in creating space for the

Holy Spirit to come in give us

427

:

peace, and help us move forward.

428

:

I get pictures sent to me all the

time of what the kids are creating,

429

:

and they do a better job than I do.

430

:

The kids know ambitions.

431

:

They're just like, oh, that's easy.

432

:

But if I, if I go and teach a class

to adults, I have to teach them how

433

:

sure kids don't have to be taught

how they know exactly what to do.

434

:

Stephanie: Then with the Easter

book, it's absolutely beautiful.

435

:

. Tell us more about the process.

436

:

Did you feel like certain pictures

were easier to create than others,

437

:

how did the Lord guide you in it?

438

:

Patti: Yeah, I'd love to.

439

:

There's so many neat stories, and I'll

show the pictures here on the video

440

:

version of this podcast, of these,

because we've been talking about

441

:

a little bit about disappointment

or wanting a certain thing and

442

:

that it doesn't show up that way.

443

:

I wanna share a story that's

very much like that I was in.

444

:

The Easter book, it's the Holy Week.

445

:

So I'm telling the sequence of events

that happens up until the resurrection,

446

:

and one of those is the Last Supper when

Jesus washes the feet of the disciples.

447

:

And I thought, oh, that would

be such a neat one to do.

448

:

And I had been living way, you

know, far away, several states away

449

:

from where I thought the best rocks

in the world were at the time.

450

:

I've since found other places, but so my

mom lived in Spokane and so I drove up

451

:

to Spokane on a, a vacation, and I took

her a three hour drive over to the Ross

452

:

Creek Cedars, where these rocks were that

I thought were the only rocks to go to.

453

:

But they are, they're

everywhere but there.

454

:

And to let her see the magic and

the beauty of this amazing place.

455

:

The cedar trees.

456

:

There are like the old

redwood trees of the coast.

457

:

You could get 10 people holding

hands around the trunk of a tree.

458

:

They're, they're massive and you

feel like a little gnome among

459

:

these massive, beautiful trees.

460

:

So I take her this beautiful place

and we spend the entire day in

461

:

this dry river bed while I make

Jesus washing the disciples feet.

462

:

And there's a huge fallen

tree that becomes my tabletop.

463

:

And there's all the god's art

supplies right there, you know,

464

:

'cause we're in the river bed.

465

:

Mm-hmm.

466

:

And I'm just trying one rock after

another of what would that be like?

467

:

And I finally complete the picture.

468

:

It takes us all day.

469

:

I'm thrilled.

470

:

'cause it often can take

me weeks to do a picture.

471

:

So I've finished it and I needed it

for the publisher for the book, and I.

472

:

Only had two more days before

I had to submit the picture.

473

:

So I was right on the edge and I

was so thrilled and it was cool.

474

:

And I took a picture and I put it all in

a little Ziploc baggy, all those rocks.

475

:

And I handed it to mom

'cause it was time to go.

476

:

And we had to walk across

the riverbed to go home.

477

:

And so she's walking across the river

bed and these are big chunky rocks, so

478

:

they're hard to walk on, is very awkward.

479

:

And she tripped and fell.

480

:

And of course I was horrified

because, uh, she hurt.

481

:

And fortunately she

wasn't hurt very badly.

482

:

A couple bruises.

483

:

And then I discovered that Ziploc bag had

flown out of her hands broken, and those

484

:

rocks scattered across the river bed.

485

:

And there was no way I would

find those rocks again.

486

:

And

487

:

Stephanie: I could

488

:

Patti: not believe it.

489

:

I was like, Lord, this book

is about you and it's for the

490

:

children and we don't have time.

491

:

And how could you let this happen?

492

:

You know, wasn't your protection over

us and you know, all those questions.

493

:

Right.

494

:

And I, I, I, of course, I didn't

tell mom all that ' cause I don't

495

:

wanna feel bad, but I can't.

496

:

Just so discouraged.

497

:

And when the next morning when I

woke up and I just had that day

498

:

left to make this picture, and all

I had were the rocks I took home.

499

:

I just said a prayer and I said,

I don't know how this is possible.

500

:

It took me eight hours to do

that piece, but here we go.

501

:

We need Jesus.

502

:

Disciple's feet and it,

20 minutes maybe or less.

503

:

There it was.

504

:

The rocks came right together and

there was Jesus washing the disciple's

505

:

feet in a way that was infinitely

better than what I had created.

506

:

Oh, when you, and I hope I can find

the picture to show you side by

507

:

side, what I created at the riverbed

and what the angels created right

508

:

there with the rocks I had left.

509

:

Mm.

510

:

So perfect.

511

:

So amazing.

512

:

And I,

513

:

Stephanie: wow.

514

:

Patti: I wept.

515

:

I'm like, this is so much better.

516

:

This is so incredible.

517

:

And I got the picture off of the

publisher at time, and the obvious,

518

:

you know, moral of the story is we

often hold so tightly to what we think

519

:

we need and what we think we've done.

520

:

And we work so hard at something and

we think this is the best we can do and

521

:

Stephanie: mm-hmm.

522

:

Patti: And nothing else.

523

:

We don't want anything else.

524

:

And if anything messes

that up, then all is lost.

525

:

And that was absolutely wrong.

526

:

The Lord had something

so much better for me.

527

:

He needed to rip it outta my hands.

528

:

He's like, no, Patty, Patty,

I've got something so much

529

:

better for the kids in mind.

530

:

And

531

:

Stephanie: wow,

532

:

Patti: that was a lesson that

I keep returning to because

533

:

disappointments continue to happen,

534

:

and are willing to say,

okay, I did my best.

535

:

Now let's see what the Lord has.

536

:

Stephanie: This is what's so inspiring

about you doing this because it's not

537

:

that you were an artist and that you,

God specifically, gave you eyes to see.

538

:

It's that you were a willing

servant and he has put this gift

539

:

in your hands, and so it does make

it feel like we can do this too.

540

:

It's, it there gifts from the Lord.

541

:

Patti: This idea of gifts

that you've brought up.

542

:

I'm not an artist.

543

:

I don't know how to do any

form of art except for music.

544

:

I'm very auditory, but not physical art.

545

:

And so, like you said, the fact he would

pick me to make these books, you know,

546

:

really defies logic, but the weak and

humble, you know, the ones he seems to

547

:

choose and that there are latent gifts

inside of us that we would think there's

548

:

no way that we possibly have and the

Lord is gonna ask us to do things that

549

:

we think there's no way I can do that.

550

:

But as we're, as we submit and as

we're willing, it's amazing what

551

:

can emerge in partnership with him.

552

:

Stephanie: Wow.

553

:

The way that you illustrated that page is

so thought provoking and you just feel it.

554

:

Patti: That was when the publisher

said, would you do Easter?

555

:

It was that same day when I was talking,

Lord, we get to do this, and immediately

556

:

this, this picture came into my mind.

557

:

Usually I don't know what I'm creating.

558

:

I just start moving rocks

around until something happens.

559

:

But I knew that if I

could create a picture.

560

:

A bunch of rocks on the back of the

savior pressing him into the ground.

561

:

And each one of those little rocks

representing our sorrows, things done to

562

:

us, things we've done that aren't right.

563

:

Anything that's kept us from

God is sitting on his back,

564

:

crushing him like the wine press.

565

:

I knew that, like the perfect

analogy and that's all I wanted

566

:

to do was make that picture.

567

:

And after I did that I had to do all

the rest, which was harder, but for

568

:

sure that was my favorite picture.

569

:

Stephanie: Was there a scene that was

particularly emotionally taxing to create

570

:

Patti: Yeah.

571

:

When I was doing the Easter

book, the, can you guess what

572

:

picture I would avoid making?

573

:

Like I just kept avoiding it.

574

:

I didn't even wanna think about it.

575

:

And that was a crucifix

576

:

Stephanie: crucifixion.

577

:

Patti: Yeah.

578

:

Yeah,

579

:

Stephanie: yeah.

580

:

Patti: So I like pretty much did

everything else except for that.

581

:

And then I was like, I have to face this.

582

:

Stephanie: I didn't want to

put our savior on a cross.

583

:

Patti: That was the problem.

584

:

I've never, you know, with movies

and stuff, whenever they show the

585

:

crucifixion scene or even fine

art, I just can't look at it.

586

:

It was just too much to think

of our God, the one who came to

587

:

save us, who would torture him.

588

:

So the idea that I was gonna do that was

a little much, but I prepared, I prepared

589

:

a Saturday that I was gonna do this.

590

:

I let heavenly father know it was coming.

591

:

I needed to strength and help.

592

:

I had a beautiful oratorium called

the Lamb of God music that was

593

:

just so profoundly beautiful to me.

594

:

And that Saturday, I, I set up the room

with all the rocks I had in the world and

595

:

played this beautiful music and prayed

and asked for help to get this done.

596

:

And I got help.

597

:

And it happened that fast.

598

:

And there's beautiful stories of those

actual long rocks I had collected

599

:

before I knew rocks, told stories.

600

:

I was able to dig those out of a

flower pot where I, they had been hid.

601

:

And it was neat that I was able to

have all the rocks I needed and I did

602

:

it and I finished it and I was maced.

603

:

There was only one problem.

604

:

So that, that was the hardest.

605

:

Piece I've done.

606

:

But if I can continue the story to

complete that piece I put for the head

607

:

of our savior, I put a, a white circle,

rock for the head to represent purity.

608

:

And I just thought that was

different and unusual and great.

609

:

But it didn't work because obviously he

was an anguish and it didn't represent

610

:

the scene, but I couldn't do a crown

of thorns, so I could not do the

611

:

crucifixion without a crown of thorns.

612

:

And I did not have know

how to do that in rocks.

613

:

I tried little rosebush

piece, I tried some grass.

614

:

I mean, I was really trying

anything and nothing worked.

615

:

So the whole piece was done by the end of

the day except for the crown of thorns.

616

:

And I knelt down and I thanked

God for helping me do this.

617

:

And, and it was, it

turned out pretty good.

618

:

Amazing.

619

:

I was happy with it.

620

:

And, but I didn't have a head.

621

:

Because the crown of thorns.

622

:

And so the next morning I woke up

and I, and I always go for a walk

623

:

into these foothills where I lived

and I said, I need a crown of thorns.

624

:

Let's go find that.

625

:

And I said, I have no idea what

that looks like, but please, will

626

:

you help me get a crown of thorns?

627

:

I'm hiking up, I'm power walking,

trying to jog a little bit.

628

:

And finally, I nothing.

629

:

I looked at all the bushes,

I looked around everywhere,

630

:

like it didn't make sense.

631

:

How are you gonna do that?

632

:

And finally, I just

spoke out loud, please.

633

:

I need a crown of thorns.

634

:

And then I look down

and I'm power walking.

635

:

And the next step, I pull my

foot back because I saw what,

636

:

what I was about to step on.

637

:

And I'm like, and I, I looked down

and I wish I had the rock for you,

638

:

but I carefully picked up that

rock and I just burst out crying.

639

:

I just could not believe

what I was seeing.

640

:

It was the perfect size, it was

the head and it had a crown of

641

:

thorns across the top of it.

642

:

And I was like, I could not,

I just couldn't believe it.

643

:

I should have believed

it by this time, uhhuh.

644

:

But across the top was like mud or

dirt or minerals or something, but

645

:

it looked like a crown of thorns.

646

:

And I was sure it was dirt.

647

:

And so I said, it's okay, heavenly

father, if dirt's how we do it.

648

:

I didn't know, but that's perfect.

649

:

I'll be so careful.

650

:

So I just very carefully, I

didn't power walk anymore.

651

:

I didn't want that dirt

falling off and I walked home.

652

:

And halfway home.

653

:

I just couldn't stand it.

654

:

I'm like, is that permanent?

655

:

So just on the edge I kinda pushed on

it thinking it could push off, you know?

656

:

And it was very strong.

657

:

So I pushed it harder, very strong.

658

:

And then I pushed it really hard.

659

:

It would not budge.

660

:

It was a mineral deposit

on the rock, permanent.

661

:

And I, my mind was just like,

like the board, this work doesn't

662

:

exist anywhere else in the world.

663

:

Stephanie: That's incredible.

664

:

Patti: Then I put that

on and we were done.

665

:

Stephanie: And the heart

that you placed over him.

666

:

Yeah, the broken heart rock,

667

:

Patti: it was the same area.

668

:

I had found that rock a few weeks before.

669

:

It was the same area where I

found that crown of thorns.

670

:

And it's that same mineral?

671

:

Yes.

672

:

That's holding the two pieces together,

the broken heart on the cross.

673

:

Wow.

674

:

I've never seen a heart shaped

rock that's held together by

675

:

minerals in my entire life.

676

:

Cannot take credit for any of this.

677

:

This is just all a testimony

of how God works in our lives.

678

:

Yes.

679

:

And who is us?

680

:

And that's when I really started

realizing that, you know what?

681

:

There's a lot of stuff in our life

that we can't change, we can't fix, we,

682

:

there's no answer for it, no solution.

683

:

There's no way we're gonna do it.

684

:

But we have God.

685

:

And he has all the solutions,

and there are miracles to be had.

686

:

So believe it.

687

:

Believe it.

688

:

There was a real part of me when

I went out to that walk, that

689

:

somehow something was gonna emerge.

690

:

Sure.

691

:

And every time I live my life that way,

that somehow something's gonna emerge.

692

:

The publisher doesn't want my books

anymore and they're stopping to print this

693

:

one, that could be really devastating.

694

:

But you know what?

695

:

I know God has something better

in mind and something is gonna

696

:

emerge and it's gonna be amazing.

697

:

And you call me in six

months or a year from now.

698

:

Yes.

699

:

I'm gonna tell you the story of

what happened because I can't

700

:

Stephanie: wait to hear it.

701

:

That's

702

:

Patti: what he wants.

703

:

He wants us to walk in faith that even

though it doesn't make any sense and

704

:

it's not possible, it's not rational.

705

:

We walk in faith that solution is coming.

706

:

Stephanie: Yes.

707

:

Patti: And he comes because

that's who our God is,

708

:

Stephanie: And Hebrews tells us Hebrew

11, six as it's impossible to please

709

:

him unless he, we believe he exists

and that he rewards those who seek him.

710

:

I remember once when I was in, I

got to go to Africa on a missions

711

:

trip, and one of our last days there,

one of my friends just desperately

712

:

wanted to see a leopard and.

713

:

We looked and we looked and we looked

and we just couldn't see one anywhere.

714

:

Finally, we re resigned and the tour

guide was taking us back so we could exit.

715

:

And one of my friends just right

then moment, she's like, and a

716

:

leopard came up through the Savannah

and just popped up and we saw him.

717

:

And that just is what that verse

reminds me of, that as diligently

718

:

as we were looking for that leopard.

719

:

That's how diligently we should

be watching for the Lord to work.

720

:

Like, I know you're gonna do it, but

where is it and when is it gonna happen?

721

:

And I don't wanna miss it.

722

:

And your hunt for this incredible one

of a kind rock that the Lord created

723

:

just for this work reminds me of that.

724

:

. I really want you to tell the story

of you were at a party and I heard

725

:

you explain this on an interview that

you had just submitted this to the

726

:

publisher, I believe, and someone

asked, I think what you did, and you

727

:

had an opportunity to share what you

did with them and it was so impactful.

728

:

Patti: Yeah.

729

:

Thank you.

730

:

I'd love to share this story.

731

:

This blew my mind.

732

:

I was.

733

:

I had finished the book and

I had not yet seen what it

734

:

would look like in book format.

735

:

So I'd finished all the art I

had submitted, all the publisher.

736

:

They had sent it off to be

printed, and now the very first

737

:

book was ready and I received it

in the mail at my friend's house.

738

:

I'm traveling, I'm in Oregon, and I

received the book in the mail that

739

:

day, and I can't tell you the joy of

opening that and seeing it in book form.

740

:

I was so thrilled.

741

:

And that night there was a retirement

party at the house and that

742

:

neighborhood was very Christian.

743

:

Most of the people in that neighborhood

were Christian, all knew each other and.

744

:

The people I was staying with, the

husband was retiring, the big party.

745

:

So all the neighbors came,

everybody came for the party.

746

:

And I'm don't know anybody, but I'm

meeting everybody and I meet this darling

747

:

couple, about 60 years old, just so

fun and cute and alive and, and we're

748

:

just chatting and I'm, what do you do?

749

:

And they tell me and they ask

me what I do and I'm like, ah.

750

:

What do you say to people

when they ask that?

751

:

I'm like, well, I collect rocks

and pebbles when I go hiking.

752

:

And then I make pictures

out of 'em and they

753

:

Stephanie: feel so

754

:

remedial.

755

:

Patti: You know, I used to be able

to say, I work for Nike, and now I'm

756

:

like, uh, rocks and pebbles and hiking.

757

:

And they're kind.

758

:

No throwing the brow, like, huh?

759

:

And I said, well, as a matter of

fact, my book just arrived today.

760

:

Nobody has seen it.

761

:

You know, would you like to see it?

762

:

Mm-hmm.

763

:

I didn't wanna be so prideful,

but I was so excited.

764

:

And they're like, yeah, sure.

765

:

So I ran and grab, grabbed the book,

and I hand it to 'em, you know?

766

:

Mm-hmm.

767

:

And they're taking the book and they're

opening it up and, you know, page by page.

768

:

So they sit down on the couch and they

start each page going through it very

769

:

carefully, really deeply studying.

770

:

And I'm getting really uncomfortable.

771

:

'cause I thought we were just celebrating.

772

:

I have a book, and so then I just

kind of sit down and what can you do?

773

:

And waited while they just went through

every event of the Holy Week and

774

:

through Gethsemane and the cross and

the whole, and then the resurrection.

775

:

And then finally they shut the book

and they look up at me, very somber.

776

:

These were very playful, fun people.

777

:

Mm-hmm.

778

:

Very somber.

779

:

And the husband looks up at me and he

says, is this what Christians believe?

780

:

And I took a gulp because I thought

I was among a bunch of Christians.

781

:

I didn't know.

782

:

And I realized that nobody had ever

told them the story of our savior in

783

:

a way that had touched them before.

784

:

And I was so humbled by this.

785

:

And I then proceeded to ask 'em

questions about, you know, were, did

786

:

you have any religion in your family?

787

:

No.

788

:

Neither of them.

789

:

Nothing.

790

:

Their whole lives, nothing.

791

:

Have you ever heard this

story of Christ before?

792

:

No.

793

:

Pretty much, no.

794

:

And so I got to share my testimony

with them and they listened

795

:

and they were in intrigued.

796

:

I don't know if it went anywhere, but

that, after everybody left, my friend

797

:

came up to me and said I noticed

you were sharing your book with a.

798

:

The couple, they're atheists and none of

us have been able to get through to them.

799

:

They refuse to talk about religion.

800

:

And that's when I realized that these

rocks are so humble, so simple, and

801

:

you just don't expect a rock and pebble

to say something profound, right?

802

:

It's just right children's play.

803

:

And yet the Lord was able to use the

most humble, simple thing in the world.

804

:

The dust of our feet, the rocks we

trample on these used, abused, worn

805

:

out things to reach somebody he's

never been able to reach in this life.

806

:

And that's when I realized

this is a ministry that's much

807

:

bigger than I had any idea.

808

:

It doesn't matter who you are, it

doesn't matter if you don't feel like

809

:

you're articulate or you you're scared

to talk to people none of that matters.

810

:

The Lord

811

:

Stephanie: mm-hmm.

812

:

Patti: Will use you if you're

willing to love and reach out.

813

:

Stephanie: So many goosebumps.

814

:

Wow.

815

:

I there more details that you

shared this time that I didn't hear

816

:

before, that that is so powerful,

the ways the Lord is using you.

817

:

Wow, I need to get this book back to

the library so more people can see it.

818

:

I ordered my own copy.

819

:

Patti: The publisher just let me know

last week that they are no longer gonna

820

:

print it, so it's officially out of print

and there's about, they told me there's

821

:

about a hundred copies left on Amazon,

and that's it after those are gone.

822

:

And so if anybody does want it

I'm gonna get the rights back.

823

:

And then next year I hope that I will

figure out how to get the funding

824

:

and figure out how to, uh, reprint

it myself and get it back out there.

825

:

Because I have a series of four

and I want all four together.

826

:

And . If anybody wants that

it won't be there much longer,

827

:

Stephanie: Yes, absolutely.

828

:

And it's an incredibly

reasonable price right now.

829

:

Patti: Yeah.

830

:

They're blowing them

out for $10 a book, so,

831

:

Stephanie: I got the Christmas one and

the Easter one, and , they're done.

832

:

So Wow.

833

:

The gold lettering

834

:

tell us a little bit about the other

two books that you've worked on.

835

:

Patti: I would love to, because

there's a reason why I'm so excited.

836

:

There's only two big ones

you can buy on Amazon, the

837

:

Christmas one and the east one.

838

:

And then when I told the publisher,

Hey, I did the Old Testament one too.

839

:

They said, no thank you.

840

:

And I said, no, thank you.

841

:

What?

842

:

I was so excited because these pictures,

you know, like there's Jonah in the Well.

843

:

Stephanie: So cool.

844

:

Patti: I was amazed.

845

:

It's like the Lord said, okay, now

that you've figured out that rocks

846

:

tell stories, let's do better.

847

:

Mm-hmm.

848

:

And I feel like, you know,

over time those pictures,

849

:

Stephanie: wow,

850

:

Patti: got better and better.

851

:

But here's the deal.

852

:

And I didn't realize this till

I really worked on all four.

853

:

The first book teaches

us that Jesus is real.

854

:

Jesus was born.

855

:

So that's Christmas.

856

:

The second book teaches us the

mission of Jesus, the Holy Week, the

857

:

resurrection that he came to save us

all in joy to heal us and bring us home.

858

:

So the second one is what

Jesus has done for us.

859

:

So profound.

860

:

I thought I was done.

861

:

But then when I realized that, I read some

studies that 30 to 40% of the kids are er.

862

:

Clinically diagnosed with

anxiety or depression right now.

863

:

Stephanie: Hmm.

864

:

Patti: I was like, what is going on?

865

:

They feel powerless.

866

:

They're terrified.

867

:

Yes.

868

:

And so the Lord brought to my

understanding that the stories of

869

:

the Old Testament, the epic hero

stories of the Old Testament, David

870

:

and Goliath, Esther Ruth and Naomi,

Joshua Moses, and the Red Sea, they

871

:

are all stories of ordinary people.

872

:

Doing extraordinary things.

873

:

They're all stories of us, any

of us choosing to walk with God

874

:

and in doing so, being powerful.

875

:

Mm-hmm.

876

:

So if I could tell these stories

to the kids in terms of, look,

877

:

you too can walk with God.

878

:

Mm-hmm.

879

:

And you can be powerful.

880

:

I was just like, okay, that's amazing.

881

:

So I had to do that.

882

:

And then once I did that, I realized

I have to do the New Testament.

883

:

Mm-hmm.

884

:

And so I just finished

and it, nobody has it.

885

:

I, I, I'll show you some pictures here.

886

:

You'll be the first.

887

:

Ooh, thank you.

888

:

Picture

889

:

Stephanie: this.

890

:

Patti: It's amazing because I would

love to tell you a few of these miracle

891

:

stories of how these rocks came together.

892

:

But clearly the Lord wanted his

story of the miracles he's done told.

893

:

But why?

894

:

Why was that so important?

895

:

And by the time I started doing

it, I realized that there's a

896

:

scripture in John where the Lord

says something so remarkable.

897

:

I mean, it's so mind blowing.

898

:

After he's done all these miracles,

he is taught his disciples and.

899

:

And he's about to leave them and

they're all worried about it.

900

:

In John 1412, he says something to

the effect of He that believeth on me.

901

:

So he is talking to all of us, right?

902

:

Jesus says, the works that I do, so all

these miracles he shall do also, meaning

903

:

each one of us, you shall do also.

904

:

And then he says, and greater

works than these, shall he do?

905

:

Stephanie: And I'm like, that's amazing.

906

:

Patti: He's telling us he raised the dead.

907

:

He stopped storms.

908

:

You know, we say Peter from drowning.

909

:

He healed people of diseases

nobody could heal them from.

910

:

Jesus is saying that he wants to

give us his power to do miracles too.

911

:

And so that the sequence, the arc of

that, of knowing that Jesus is real,

912

:

being born of his mission, of saving us

913

:

the epic stories that

we can walk with them.

914

:

And then him saying, look, you walk

with me, you become my disciple.

915

:

You be filled with faith, hope

and love, and greater miracles

916

:

than I've even done you can do.

917

:

And in our world today, what

do we need more than that hope.

918

:

Stephanie: Right?

919

:

Patti: We need hope that we

can affect our environment.

920

:

We can change what's

happening in our lives.

921

:

We can bless others and serve

others in powerful ways.

922

:

And so I had the New Testament, so that's

the four books, and I think I'm done,

923

:

but maybe there's more work to be done.

924

:

But I hope to figure out how to or gain

the funds to print those last two books.

925

:

Okay.

926

:

This Old Testament one is just

paperback and it's on Amazon, it's

927

:

print on demand, but I wanna make

a full set like the hardbound ones,

928

:

This Christmas is my goal to

have the New Testament one

929

:

Stephanie: I love that you are

persevering, that God's putting it

930

:

on your heart, and then you have to

wait for the testimony of how he's

931

:

gonna provide to get them out there.

932

:

But I do see how the Lord is using

it and I, I pray that the right

933

:

publisher finds you and helps

just pave a way for you because.

934

:

This is such a powerful way to

share the story of the Lord.

935

:

And, um, in Luke 1940, what does that tell

us about the power of stories with rocks?

936

:

Patti: Well, I didn't

discover the scripture.

937

:

I mean, I didn't put two and two together

until I had already made the first book.

938

:

But when I read that scripture of

Palm Sunday, when Jesus was writing

939

:

through Jerusalem on a donkey, and

everybody's celebrating, the Messiah

940

:

has come, you know, we were saved.

941

:

The thrill and the worship and

the joy and Jesus is just, you

942

:

know, going through and allowing

the people to celebrate like that.

943

:

And then the mean Pharisees show up

and they're like, what are you doing?

944

:

You gotta stop them.

945

:

Stop them from celebrating.

946

:

This is blasphemy.

947

:

And they were so upset and Jesus says.

948

:

Basically, and this is Patty's

interpretation, and then we can read

949

:

the scripture, but Jesus basically

says, if I stop them from celebrating,

950

:

from praising, the stones will cry out.

951

:

Such an interesting thing to say.

952

:

And I, I always took that metaphorically,

you know, I found lots of ways to

953

:

interpret that, but I'm telling

you, the rocks are crying out.

954

:

They are testifying of Jesus and

they just need us to move them in

955

:

place and they are testifying of him.

956

:

And so when I read that scripture

that Jesus themselves said the stones

957

:

would cry out, I thought yes, indeed.

958

:

Indeed they are.

959

:

Stephanie: Wow.

960

:

And I mean, I'm hearing you say the words.

961

:

It's one thing to hear it, but it's

another to actually look through

962

:

the pictures and it, the way

that they take your breath away.

963

:

When you turn the page, then the

simplicity of the next page, and

964

:

then that takes you aback because it,

there's complexity on this page and and

965

:

the different textures of the rocks.

966

:

It's amazing.

967

:

And then I love that you have on your

website, you've guided parents and this

968

:

is how you would teach kids to do it.

969

:

And when you're watching the

kids actually put them together.

970

:

It's like, yes, we really can do this.

971

:

But I think one of the biggest questions

the moms are gonna be thinking is,

972

:

where can we hunt down these rocks?

973

:

And what if we don't have hours

upon hours to take the hikes or.

974

:

Patti: Yeah.

975

:

Stephanie: What would

you encourage them to do?

976

:

Patti: I'm glad you asked that question.

977

:

'cause absolutely.

978

:

I get people calling and saying,

will you sell me a bag of rocks?

979

:

I'm like, oh really?

980

:

That's the funnest part to go find them.

981

:

Right?

982

:

Right.

983

:

Stephanie: But

984

:

Patti: there are people that live

in apartment buildings downtown.

985

:

You know there's lot.

986

:

Mm-hmm.

987

:

You gotta handicap child

and you can't get out.

988

:

There's lots of reasons why it's

maybe harder to find the rocks.

989

:

And usually your children have a rock

collection if you let 'em, you know,

990

:

on the side of the house or somewhere

because they keep bringing 'em home.

991

:

Stephanie: Right.

992

:

Patti: Want to have an activity and you

want a bunch of rocks to work with and

993

:

you're not near streams or mountains or

hills or even the Costco parking lot.

994

:

I didn't say that, no,

don't take the rocks.

995

:

Really, there's a super easy way,

and that is every town, even small

996

:

towns, has some kind of co-op or

landscaping company where they've got

997

:

fertilizer and bark mulch and all that.

998

:

They usually also have bags, huge bins

and huge bags of rocks, and they have

999

:

different kinds, different grades.

:

00:41:25,862 --> 00:41:29,242

They got big giant boulders right

down to half inch little pebbles,

:

00:41:29,272 --> 00:41:32,652

and they usually sell them, you

know, by the truckload, right?

:

00:41:32,712 --> 00:41:34,482

And so they price them by the truckload.

:

00:41:34,482 --> 00:41:35,712

They don't price them by a bucket.

:

00:41:35,812 --> 00:41:38,752

And so if you just go to one of

those places and say, ah, I'm

:

00:41:38,752 --> 00:41:40,102

doing an art project with the kids.

:

00:41:40,102 --> 00:41:43,142

And I, and it's also a neat time

to testify Jesus, right there,

:

00:41:43,142 --> 00:41:44,847

if you're brave enough, you

know, we wanna make, absolutely

:

00:41:44,847 --> 00:41:46,287

choose with Jesus with the rocks.

:

00:41:46,387 --> 00:41:49,027

Usually they'll be like, oh yeah, go

out there, go get whatever you want.

:

00:41:49,127 --> 00:41:52,537

But I've the most anybody's charged

me for a five gallon bucket.

:

00:41:52,637 --> 00:41:55,667

Of river, beautiful river

rocks is five bucks.

:

00:41:55,727 --> 00:41:56,237

Stephanie: Wow.

:

00:41:56,337 --> 00:41:58,797

Patti: So just go out to those

places and just say, can I

:

00:41:58,797 --> 00:41:59,937

just have a bucket of rocks?

:

00:41:59,967 --> 00:42:03,417

And I, when I can't get out to what

I need, and suddenly I need to make a

:

00:42:03,417 --> 00:42:08,047

picture for somebody, I've been known

to go out there and climb up the pile

:

00:42:08,047 --> 00:42:11,257

of rocks and sit right there in the pile

and just start finding the ones I want.

:

00:42:11,357 --> 00:42:15,717

Because the long rocks, if you can

find tall rocks, they make mm-hmm.

:

00:42:15,817 --> 00:42:17,077

People's bodies really well.

:

00:42:17,077 --> 00:42:17,167

Sure.

:

00:42:17,317 --> 00:42:21,597

And then you can find little ish rocks

that's just a head and you're done.

:

00:42:21,597 --> 00:42:23,217

And you can make your family like this.

:

00:42:23,217 --> 00:42:25,557

There's mom, there's dad, and there's

each little kid all the way down.

:

00:42:25,557 --> 00:42:28,077

It's so cute and so fast

and so easy to make.

:

00:42:28,177 --> 00:42:33,197

And on my website there's a whole free

blog post with videos where I tell you

:

00:42:33,197 --> 00:42:34,907

where by the rocks and how to make 'em.

:

00:42:34,907 --> 00:42:38,397

And the, and it's so fun 'cause

the kids will just do it like that.

:

00:42:38,457 --> 00:42:41,007

And then you make your little

family and you write their names

:

00:42:41,007 --> 00:42:44,557

underneath each one and you glue

it down on a canvas and frame it.

:

00:42:44,677 --> 00:42:46,852

And you've just got this

beautiful piece of art for.

:

00:42:46,952 --> 00:42:50,252

Family or a gift for somebody's

birthday or Christmas or something.

:

00:42:50,342 --> 00:42:51,812

Stephanie: That's so, so neat.

:

00:42:51,812 --> 00:42:56,112

For years I've had my kids color or

use Play-Doh while I read to them but

:

00:42:56,172 --> 00:43:00,372

this is such a neat way to do it that's

accessible for as long as they're old

:

00:43:00,372 --> 00:43:03,982

enough to not put 'em in their mouths

all the way up through adulthood.

:

00:43:03,982 --> 00:43:07,252

And this is really a unifying activity.

:

00:43:07,312 --> 00:43:08,332

Patti: Yeah, it really is.

:

00:43:08,332 --> 00:43:10,192

And it's awesome for family reunions.

:

00:43:10,292 --> 00:43:11,902

But to your point, if you could.

:

00:43:12,002 --> 00:43:16,737

You can get like a, a collection of a

basket of rocks make sure you've got

:

00:43:16,737 --> 00:43:20,107

different sizes and triangles are the

next one to get to start looking for.

:

00:43:20,167 --> 00:43:20,497

Stephanie: Okay.

:

00:43:20,617 --> 00:43:24,757

Patti: Then when you're telling a story,

whether it's Easter, since we're talking

:

00:43:24,757 --> 00:43:29,467

about Easter on this podcast, let me just,

I'm gonna open my book to a story in my

:

00:43:29,497 --> 00:43:31,927

most favorite is The Garden of Gethsemane.

:

00:43:32,407 --> 00:43:35,857

So when you're teaching them about the

Garden of Gethsemane or you're teaching

:

00:43:35,857 --> 00:43:39,127

them a story, if they've got that

bucket of rocks, just like you're saying

:

00:43:39,227 --> 00:43:44,037

and you're talking through this, then

they're sitting there making this, and

:

00:43:44,037 --> 00:43:49,557

because our brains are being changed

by technology and it's sometimes super

:

00:43:49,557 --> 00:43:53,157

helpful for these kids to be able to do

something while you're talking to them.

:

00:43:53,277 --> 00:43:53,487

Yes.

:

00:43:53,487 --> 00:43:58,747

And so they're able to recreate a scene,

open the book, or open my website and

:

00:43:58,747 --> 00:44:02,587

show a picture, recreate that scene

while you're telling them the story.

:

00:44:02,677 --> 00:44:06,337

It's going to get the story into the

hearts and minds much more powerfully

:

00:44:06,337 --> 00:44:08,417

than if they were just sitting

in a classroom listening to you.

:

00:44:08,517 --> 00:44:08,727

Stephanie: Right,

:

00:44:08,727 --> 00:44:12,427

Patti: so it, like you said it, it

is just another medium, another way

:

00:44:12,547 --> 00:44:14,767

to keep their attention and teach.

:

00:44:15,120 --> 00:44:18,410

Stephanie: What would you recommend,

With Easter coming up how would you

:

00:44:18,410 --> 00:44:22,160

encourage us to have our children

start making some rock stories?

:

00:44:22,190 --> 00:44:22,790

Patti: Yeah.

:

00:44:22,840 --> 00:44:27,730

You don't need to buy the book, so if you

do, obviously open 'em a page, recreate

:

00:44:27,730 --> 00:44:29,600

it, go find some rocks and make it, but

:

00:44:29,605 --> 00:44:29,795

Stephanie: mm-hmm.

:

00:44:29,875 --> 00:44:29,955

But

:

00:44:30,050 --> 00:44:32,930

Patti: I've done a couple things, free

things that you can do that are so fun.

:

00:44:32,990 --> 00:44:35,450

I have animated every page of the book.

:

00:44:35,570 --> 00:44:39,630

So I've taken, I've taken my cell phone

and put it up high and down below I would

:

00:44:39,630 --> 00:44:43,300

like have the picture of the crucifixion

and I would add a rock and take a

:

00:44:43,300 --> 00:44:45,160

picture, add a rock, take a picture.

:

00:44:45,280 --> 00:44:48,190

I could animate on video

it all coming together.

:

00:44:48,250 --> 00:44:49,540

And so I have all.

:

00:44:49,640 --> 00:44:51,740

Of these in videos, they're very short.

:

00:44:51,740 --> 00:44:53,120

You know, just a few minutes each.

:

00:44:53,210 --> 00:44:57,420

So I create a little QR code and

so you can print out a sheet that

:

00:44:57,420 --> 00:44:58,980

has every one of my little videos.

:

00:44:59,055 --> 00:45:00,970

And got little strips on one page.

:

00:45:01,070 --> 00:45:04,620

Roll up those little strips and stick

them in those plastic Easter eggs.

:

00:45:04,740 --> 00:45:09,150

Now you've got eight Easter eggs that

you can go hide throughout the house or

:

00:45:09,150 --> 00:45:13,860

out in the yard, and every day of the

holy week if you want, or now, or just

:

00:45:13,860 --> 00:45:18,500

on Easter, if you want an Easter egg

hunt, the kids go find that Easter egg.

:

00:45:18,600 --> 00:45:22,440

They open it up and there's the strip with

the QR code that will, then you play it

:

00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:25,930

on your phone and now you watch the video

of what happened on that holy weekday.

:

00:45:25,930 --> 00:45:28,400

And now you can start the

conversation of why did, why

:

00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:29,990

was the last supper important?

:

00:45:30,090 --> 00:45:33,150

What happened at the last Supper

or Palm Sunday or whatever.

:

00:45:33,250 --> 00:45:36,700

So it's a conversation starter, and

the kids like the videos and they

:

00:45:36,700 --> 00:45:38,140

like hunting for the Easter eggs.

:

00:45:38,240 --> 00:45:42,120

So that's a really fun, easy thing that

you could do to make Easter special.

:

00:45:42,220 --> 00:45:43,270

You print out one page.

:

00:45:43,370 --> 00:45:45,440

You cut the strips up, stick

'em in the eggs and go hide 'em.

:

00:45:45,540 --> 00:45:46,020

So easy.

:

00:45:46,020 --> 00:45:49,720

And then the kids can take that strip,

fold it and you make those rings.

:

00:45:49,870 --> 00:45:51,380

The little, what do you call those?

:

00:45:51,500 --> 00:45:51,620

Yeah.

:

00:45:51,620 --> 00:45:52,700

Stephanie: Like a paper chain.

:

00:45:52,700 --> 00:45:53,420

Yes.

:

00:45:53,425 --> 00:45:53,835

Patti: Mm-hmm.

:

00:45:53,920 --> 00:45:56,820

And they can hang that on their door

and then if they have access to a

:

00:45:56,820 --> 00:45:59,340

phone at any time, they can watch

those videos again or whatever.

:

00:45:59,390 --> 00:45:59,990

So easy.

:

00:45:59,990 --> 00:46:00,200

Yes.

:

00:46:00,200 --> 00:46:00,290

Stephanie: Right.

:

00:46:00,390 --> 00:46:01,410

Patti: I've even, so sweet.

:

00:46:01,510 --> 00:46:04,030

Have you heard of lap books

where you take a file folder?

:

00:46:04,130 --> 00:46:04,220

Yes.

:

00:46:04,320 --> 00:46:05,970

Open up and fold those P pieces.

:

00:46:06,070 --> 00:46:09,760

There's even lap books for each of

the holy weekdays where the kids make

:

00:46:09,760 --> 00:46:12,860

the art on the lap book and little

questions and things like that.

:

00:46:12,860 --> 00:46:16,360

So there's, on my website, just

go look for the Easter activities

:

00:46:16,390 --> 00:46:17,560

I should put on the homepage.

:

00:46:17,710 --> 00:46:18,910

And then there's fun things you can do.

:

00:46:18,970 --> 00:46:19,360

Stephanie: I.

:

00:46:19,460 --> 00:46:24,190

Love how intentional you are and how you

let the Lord take this as far as he wanted

:

00:46:24,190 --> 00:46:28,940

to, just with applying it to so many

different holidays and families and kids.

:

00:46:28,940 --> 00:46:32,250

And I really love the activities

that you've provided for

:

00:46:32,250 --> 00:46:33,780

us to follow up with this.

:

00:46:33,860 --> 00:46:37,430

I think one of my favorite lines,

you said was God's art supplies,

:

00:46:37,530 --> 00:46:38,220

Patti: thank you.

:

00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:43,970

He is trying hard to pour his love

into us and open us up to receive it.

:

00:46:44,030 --> 00:46:48,700

And I think getting into nature is just

one beautiful, easy way to do that.

:

00:46:48,760 --> 00:46:49,120

Stephanie: Yep.

:

00:46:49,160 --> 00:46:52,800

I have it on my heart to buy several

of these copies and share them with

:

00:46:52,800 --> 00:46:57,880

people because it does tell most

powerful story that we could ever tell.

:

00:46:57,990 --> 00:47:00,820

Thank you for all that you're

doing to bring glory to the Lord.

:

00:47:00,964 --> 00:47:04,214

it's such a blessing to have

you here today to inspire us.

:

00:47:04,214 --> 00:47:05,234

Patti: Thank you, Stephanie.

:

00:47:05,294 --> 00:47:06,764

Thank you for the work you're doing.

:

00:47:06,764 --> 00:47:08,864

And may God be with you always.

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About the Podcast

Show artwork for The Again Podcast for Christian Moms: Encouragement In the Repetition of Biblical Parenting
The Again Podcast for Christian Moms: Encouragement In the Repetition of Biblical Parenting
Christian Parenting, Biblical Motherhood, Faith, Family

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Stephanie Hickox

Stephanie has always delighted in God’s Word and in sharing it with others. Whether it is equipping mothers and leaders through Entrusted with a Child’s Heart, inspiring students when teaching at homeschool co-ops or children’s ministry, or homeschooling her own children, Stephanie’s life mission is to encourage others to follow faithfully and joyfully after Jesus—especially if they hold her favorite job title: mom.

Betsy Corning wrote Entrusted with a Child’s Heart in 1999 in response to the needs she saw in families as she and David counseled young parents just a few years behind them. Entrusted has been taught in hundreds of churches nationwide, been translated into several foreign languages, and has made its way around the world. More recently, Betsy received her Masters in Biblical Studies from The Master’s University and is developing a new Bible Study program called Get the Word Out. Her passion for God’s Word, discipleship, and teaching biblical principles as they apply to family life has remained strong to this day. One of the greatest blessings in Betsy’s life are her three grown children, their spouses, and ten grandchildren that keep her constantly in touch with every age and stage.

Jen Freckman Is an incredible wealth of wisdom. She will tell you a natural remedy for just about anything! She is also a voracious reader and she is just overflowing with quotes and guidance that she's encountered through reading and being faithful. She delights in her children and is a devoted mother. She is also an amazingly creative problem solver! Her solutions to manage her home and guide her children are inspiring.

Emily Deyo is such a treasure. She is an incredible encourager and servant-hearted woman. When she has the mic in front of her, so much value comes out! She is a wordsmith and her heart consistently beats for how she can encourage and serve others. She is a truly loving and attentive mother.

Join Betsy, Emily, Jen, and Stephanie as they share the wisdom only Scripture and on-the-job training can provide to help untangle the joyful calling of motherhood.