Wow, what an adventure this whole DRAWN IN series has become. These past several months been very rewarding, and at the same time, very stressful.
REWARDING – experiencing the pure joy of CREATING (in all its aspects) and hearing from you how DRAWN IN has been helping. I especially love hearing how your kids (and you parents) can be laughing AND learning --- how humor/fun/even silliness –AND- doctrinal/spiritual/solid gospel teaching CAN coexist together! Yea! These kids need to experience that the Holy Ghost can be manifest in both styles.
And STRESSFUL - trying to keep the pace of creating 2 entire videos per week,in addition to running the regular business of selling my Jesus artwork/books online! Many a full days work (with some late night, early mornings thrown in). But it feels RIGHT. Feels like consecrated time to the Lord to help in building the kingdom… and one can’t help but feel joy when they are actively striving to fulfill their mortal missions (as Sister Wendy Watson Nelson has described)
SO, in a way it all feels kinda like serving a mission: Didn’t really know what I was getting into when I signed up, hardest I’ve ever worked in my career/but most rewarding as well, consecrating efforts to the Lord, and with a loving wife and kids back at home, 6 minutes drive away, whom I get to skype with from my gallery once a week (Haha. Just kidding. I do get to go home each day)
One of my all-time favorite scriptures is D&C 58:26-27. It talks about being “anxiously engaged in a good cause” and doing “many things of their own free will” and “bringing to pass much righteousness”. I am so inspired by people who did that in the scriptures and who do that today --- who MAKE righteous things happen, not wait around for someone else to make something happen. Who take the initiative, are proactive, who get inspired with God-given promptings and then see those ideas through to fruition (and usually not without lots of struggle): Moses freeing Israelites from bondage, David and Goliath, Rebekah and watering all those camels for Abraham’s servant, Sons of Mosiah and their “what-were-you-thinking??” mission to the Lamanites, Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty, and Nephi and his… EVERYTHING!
And then there’s you and me. Just trying to make our little, proactive, God-inspired ideas a reality. And especially as parents in our FAMILIES! That is the ultimate challenge sometimes, although it seems like it should be so easy. As you know, its not! In today’s world, it requires the ultimate in “Anxiously engaged-ness” … or my as my wife always says (who is a aweomse at this, by the way)- “Deliberate Parenting”. Its not easy. Its not natural for most of us. But I believe we’re doing better than we think, and Heavenly Father is so pleased with and blesses our simple efforts.
So, keep being “Anxiously Engaged”, my friends! God Bless ya! Would love to hear your thoughts on any of this below.
-Dave
mYiOIZANy
I found the Drawn in videos on my “Come follow me” subscription on the Red headed hostess website. I was looking for a way to get my kids attention. We watched 2 videos tonight and then I subscribed. My kids ages 11,13,15 loved it! I am so thankful to have found your videos.
I absolutely love your Drawn In lessons. They are fantastic and speak so perfectly to my 3 young boys. Thank you for doing this! Ruth from NY
I am so excited to find your drawn in series Woo Hoo❣️ It all started like this…my almost 8 year old has been really trying at scripture time and I was getting very frustrated. (He is #6 of 6 boys and 24 years younger than his oldest brother) My patience as a mom is slipping a bit! My next oldest son who is a junior in high school asked me one particularly trying night, “Where are those Whose Your Hero books we used to love? Remember how we used to laugh at the drawings and find the mouse?” I went searching and I finally found the 2nd volume book and I wanted to read it to him. So, I started to read it. He was so obstinate at first because it was scripture stuff and that’s boring. I just started reading the balloons and commenting on their expressions, looking for the mouse out loud to myself. It took 1 page! He LOVED it!! He was completely “Drawn In”. I decided to buy the 1st volume again (thanks for signing it by the way) and that was where things took off like wildfire!! We found your website, then found out about Drawn in. He sat there begging me to sign up for it. Before I could get signed up, he had found you on Youtube and we were giggling away!! You Rock!! We loved your 80’s rock hair! You came into our home in a desperate moment and I am so glad that my son invites you in almost every day. THANK YOU!!! We have loved you from the start and we are so thankful to be following you again!! You have been given an amazing gift, Thank you for sharing it with the world!!
Hi! Somehow I came across “Drawn In”…I wish I could remember how, but I can’t. Anyway, my kids love it! I really enjoy it too! We subscribed a week ago, and I’m so impressed with how creative the shows are, how directly linked to scripture they are, how funny they are, and how you share your insights so beautifully. Thank you!
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