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[00:00:17] The Missional Life - Dan: All right. Welcome back to Mission Live podcast. Today we have Kim Gentry Meyer on the show. Kim is an award-winning singer, songwriter, poet, visual artist, and former Miss Massachusetts 2020. Her debut album Herald was recognized as one of the top 12 albums of 2023, and she recently released Harold Reflections, a devotional book that weaves together her music.

[00:00:39] The Missional Life - Dan: Art and faith. She also leads painting workshops in prisons using creativity as a pathway to healing and spiritual growth. Kim, welcome to the show.

[00:00:48] Kim Gentry Meyer: Welcome. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me. I'm looking forward to the conversation. Yes,

[00:00:54] The Missional Life - Dan: we are too. Hey, Kim, your journey from music to authorship is really inspiring.

[00:00:59] The Missional Life - Dan: Let's dive into that. How did your creation of the Harold album lead to your new book, Harold Reflections?

[00:01:07] Kim Gentry Meyer: Yeah. . So, , I had put out the album of original songs in fall of 2023 and also. , There are eight paintings, Harold paintings that go along with it. One painting for each of the songs.

[00:01:19] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so as I was, you know, talking about the album, sharing the songs, talking about the stories behind the songs, kind of where they came from, what were the scriptures that anchored each song, because that's really important to me. For everything to be very ly based. As I was doing all that and, and, and then talking about the paintings, you know, people like working, where can we see the paintings?

[00:01:39] Kim Gentry Meyer: Where, where can we read this? Where can we hear this? And I thought, goodness, it would be nice if there was one location that we could just put everything in, you know? And so I thought, well, why don't I just create

[00:01:50] it?

[00:01:51] Kim Gentry Meyer: So that, you know, in someone's hand, they could have, you know, the songs, the paintings, a little bit of, of a devotional, right?

[00:01:58] Kim Gentry Meyer: That, seemed like a good format. Just to, to have a, a, a quick little snippet of what the song's about. Read those bible verses, you know, have some reflection questions and a prayer for each chapter, which, you know, each chapter is a song. It just felt like maybe a way to reach more people and just to be the Lord's Harold, you know, and, and, and kind of a.

[00:02:19] Kim Gentry Meyer: A bigger way. I, I just am trying, you know, to, to just proclaim the goodness of the Lord and, and his salvation and his return,

[00:02:26] and,

[00:02:26] Kim Gentry Meyer: Get other people to do the same thing too. You know, heck, if, if I can do this, anybody, you know, can step out and, and use what they have, you know, so this just felt like the next step I think is, is probably the answer.

[00:02:38] The Missional Life - Dan: It's the main thing that the book is. This unique blend of like, art, music, the spiritual reflection. And so just wondering, like how did you . Get that idea to use this project, to support healing and not just inspiration?

[00:02:52] Kim Gentry Meyer: Well, you know, I feel like Dan, that everyone kind of responds differently to different types of art forms. And so I felt like if I brought together, you know, writing visual art and music, that I could reach a, a broader base of people and, you know, they would pick up on something of it, right?

[00:03:09] Kim Gentry Meyer: Something would touch their spirit, you know, the Lord could use any of it to just draw them closer to him and begin a healing process. And, you know, I think the arts are such a kind of just level playing ground factor, right? Ev you know, everyone can relate to them. We are created to seek beauty to, you know, create beauty, to look for it, to respond to it.

[00:03:32] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so this just felt like you know, a, a compassionate and, easy way, maybe as an entry point for a lot of people. And you know, the thing about it is you can kind of go as deep as you want, right? You could just look at the paintings, you know, but then maybe you'll come back and read the, the lyrics of the songs as if you like poetry.

[00:03:50] Kim Gentry Meyer: Then maybe you'll QR code, you know, go on YouTube with the QR code, QR code, excuse me, and listen to the songs, and then. Okay, well maybe that will pique your interest and you'll read about the songs and that'll get you into the word right with all of the Bible verses. So I think, you know, I see it as kind of a multi-step process.

[00:04:05] Kim Gentry Meyer: So even though it's a very quick read, because I do not like things that are drawn out, I. My family always laugh to me. Anything I read, I'm like, oh, come on, just get to the point. You know? So that's why this is brief. Like I just got to the point, but you know, so, so you can zoom through this thing, but I also think you can, you know, continue to dig deeper and, and use it.

[00:04:23] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so that really is, is the hope that it would be, you know a path to healing.

[00:04:28] Hmm.

[00:04:29] The Missional Life - Amanda: It's so beautiful, you know, and as we're sitting here for listeners who, , can't see the video there's beautiful paintings behind Kim there. It looks like sunsets or sunrises water. And it looks like your cover has a similar picture on it.

[00:04:45] The Missional Life - Amanda: So can you just speak to, what's inspiring, that sort of painting . You know, to have that on your book cover and , what drew you to paint that.

[00:04:55] Kim Gentry Meyer: Yeah, absolutely. So yeah, these paintings behind me are part of, of the Harold Collection of eight paintings. One for each of the songs on my Harold album.

[00:05:02] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so the book features, and, and you're right, this is behind me is, is the exact painting. And then, so the book just has, you know I can open it. They just, there's one of them, but, each chapter starts with one of my paintings. And so yeah, so that all came about. So, you know, back when I, I did the album the Lord had just kind of given me the direction to do this album, Harold, and, and had said, you're my Harold.

[00:05:23] Kim Gentry Meyer: Because I'd asked him, it's kind of at a crossroads. I was like, Lord, who am I to you? I need something specific. I know what your word says. You know, I, I received all of that, but I need something specific. I just felt, felt like I needed some direction and he said, you're my herald. And I was like, oh. I wasn't expecting that, but we all are, right?

[00:05:39] Kim Gentry Meyer: I mean, we're all, we're all called to do that. And so I said, well, what do you wanna do? And then he told me to do the album and then he said, paint. And you know, I laid down the brushes because I just felt like I wasn't. Eh, you know, I don't have anything to offer in that. There's better painters than me.

[00:05:51] Kim Gentry Meyer: The world does not need my paintings, you know? And so he said, no, do it. And so and then he started, I think to, you know, try to motivate me a little bit more because I can be really stubborn and, you know, and just say, Nope. He started y'all, I, I'm not even kidding. He put visions, kind of like images of sunsets in my head.

[00:06:09] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so all these are really, it's just the interpretations of what. I saw from him. And so I just paired one painting with each of the eight songs. So, so I mean, when you go through this book, it's literally just, I give a little intro and talk about what I just said. You know, where Harold, the word Harold came from, where the album and paintings came from.

[00:06:27] Kim Gentry Meyer: But it's just the painting. It's a song lyric. It's the QR code of the song, and then the scriptures, the reflection questions and prayer. That's it. And then, then it just does that for each of the songs. So that's kind of where the paintings came from, and I just felt like you know, it would be. Fun to kind of make a devotional slash art book so that it wasn't just all words on the page, but you could also kind of take in the art, because I think if, you know, I prayed over these, oh my goodness, I prayed over these paintings, you know?

[00:06:56] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so I thought, well, you know, if the intention is there for minister, I think you can minister even through paint. You know? So that, that was the, that was the hope and the intention. Yeah.

[00:07:04] The Missional Life - Amanda: That's amazing. I, you know, just wanna add in this too, that I just saw a recent. Article about how the first person that was mentioned to be filled with the Holy Spirit in the Bible and the Old Testament was actually a craftsman.

[00:07:20] Somebody who was

[00:07:21] The Missional Life - Amanda: an artist, and that really struck me to think God thinks so much of art and beauty, and truly he wove that into his creation. Mm-hmm. , In the first six days where he spoke, , his word and created all the beautiful things that, that we get to paint, you know, that you painted in your book.

[00:07:40] The Missional Life - Amanda: Mm-hmm. You know, that he would choose that to be a focus that beauty is of God. And , I also wanna point out too, that what you shared about, , the world doesn't need my paintings. You know, , there's better painters than me. , There's people out there that , might paint differently, might be more popular, et cetera.

[00:08:01] The Missional Life - Amanda: And I think that's such alive the enemy to think, you know what? Like I have this talent, but there's other people who could do it better. Mm-hmm. And so I just want to point that out to listeners. If there's an area in your life where you feel like. Oh, there's someone who could do better than me, but God's put that in your heart, pay attention to God.

[00:08:20] The Missional Life - Amanda: Don't pay attention to that voice. So I just wanna commend you for listening to God in that and just putting that other thought aside and now you have a beautiful book to share with with all the listeners of the music, which is amazing.

[00:08:36] Kim Gentry Meyer: Well, Amanda, you know, I thank you for saying that, and I think that is such a, a trap, you know, of the enemy.

[00:08:41] Kim Gentry Meyer: And I, I, I have fallen for it. I mean, I, I can can't tell you the times. I mean, you know, I just had kind of given up on any of my creative arts because I just, you know, it's just that trap of comparison, right? And yes, you know, I, I think like, well, the world doesn't need another book. The world doesn't need another album.

[00:08:57] Kim Gentry Meyer: Oh, so-and-so sings better than me, or So-and-so does this. And you know, at the end of the day, what really convicted me to move forward with this was. He didn't call me to be the best, whatever, fill in the blank. He called me to use what he gave me. And, and what he gave me is unique and, and it's, it's unlike anyone else.

[00:09:17] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so I find myself saying that a lot to other people who are like, oh my gosh, you did this. I'm like, yeah, you know, I'm in midlife and I'm doing this stuff. You can do it too. It's never too late. And you know, there's something in you that, you know, you're, you know, there's something in you that you, that you're supposed to bring forth, right?

[00:09:34] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so what is that and what's the barrier? And how can we kind of pray through that and.

[00:09:41] Kim Gentry Meyer: Set up guardrails against that and, and, and, and get on this path is, is the old Irma quote that says Before.

[00:09:51] Kim Gentry Meyer: I hope I could say, I have nothing left. I used everything you gave me. And that doesn't, he, that quote doesn't say Only if I was the best at whatever. Right. He only if I was the best at this or that. It's just what he gave me. Right. You just empty it back out. I mean, yes, we need to cultivate it, right? Yes.

[00:10:06] Kim Gentry Meyer: We need to try to, you know, do it with excellence. But thank you for pulling that out because that's just a, just a real important theme to me in, in my journey because I, I have really felt like very, like just giving up, you know, very. Discouraged, you know about it. Mm-hmm. And so I just, you just have to push.

[00:10:23] Kim Gentry Meyer: I still do, you know, you just have to push through it every day. Every day. You can't look at it clicks, you can't look at, you know, ratings. You can't, you, you can't, at the end of the day, you cannot hang your hang, hang on, that you can't, you know, he, he didn't call me to get whatever many views, you know, he didn't call me to sell whatever many books.

[00:10:41] Kim Gentry Meyer: He called me to be his Harold and I'm, I preach. Keep,

[00:10:49] The Missional Life - Dan: keep preaching it, keep preaching it, and doing a good job. That's a message we're being convicted by it too. You know, we actually part a couple different conversations. The first one was about success and the person had made a comment like, man, there's no, there's no quick or easy way to success and.

[00:11:04] The Missional Life - Dan: I agreed with that, but I challenged it a little bit, you know, and I said, you know, honestly, there is. And they, and the room got quiet, like, whoa, what's, what's the, what's the secret to success? And, you know, everybody wants to hear this. , , And the truth is, the secret to success is just being obedient to the Lord.

[00:11:18] Hmm.

[00:11:19] The Missional Life - Dan: And, so no matter what the click, no matter what the sales, , whatever it is, you're successful , by being obedient to the Lord. And I think , that's really important. And a couple other conversations. One of 'em , we were talking about like what is one of your favorite attributes or what's one of your favorite things about God right now?

[00:11:35] The Missional Life - Dan: And I don't know if I would always choose this but I responded with creativity. Mm.

[00:11:40] And,

[00:11:41] The Missional Life - Dan: I love God's creativity. You look at the world and you see God's creativity. In fact we live here in Belize. And so one of the things that , I play piano professionally. I recorded albums as well, and so I love music and I've seen, have seen have seen God work through that as well.

[00:11:54] The Missional Life - Dan: But one of the ways I'm expressing my creativity is we have this like. Crazy amount of plants because, when we're from Ohio, everything dies in the winter. But here, everything lives, you know, all year round. And so like, our deck started with a couple plants and now, I mean, everyone walks, everyone walks in like, wow, you're starting your own nursery now.

[00:12:11] The Missional Life - Dan: But we express our creativity in different ways. And I heard a person wanna say that we're most like God when we're creating things we could caught as a creator. Love God. And I, I love that. And so I just see you creating, in the music space I see you creating in , the poetry, in the writing space and also in the art space.

[00:12:28] The Missional Life - Dan: I'm just wondering, take us back, , when did you. First start creating. And when did you start seeing those talents and when did people begin to notice that and how did you begin to channel that into using that for the Lord?

[00:12:40] Kim Gentry Meyer: Yeah, no, that's a great question. Well, you know, I've been doing music most of my life.

[00:12:45] Kim Gentry Meyer: I started playing piano, age four. So I, and I was classically trained, so I did a lot of that kind of thing growing up. And then just kind of sang in church, you know, played saxophone, accordion, you know, that kind of thing in church and bands, whatever. And then, you know, just kind of kept living my life.

[00:13:01] Kim Gentry Meyer: But, but always kind of church centered I would say, you know? But I think then as an adult, I've really. I, I've always, you know, loved to write and was the editor of my high school and college newspapers and all that kind of thing. But, you know, I think it was when I was kind of a young adult, I was like, okay, maybe I should think about writing songs, you know, and, and so kind of started experimenting with that and, and you know, because there just were certain things I was, it was mainly prayers, right?

[00:13:24] Kim Gentry Meyer: You're praying to the Lord and you end up kind of singing them and, and you know, or trying to get a point across. And so I think it's just a journey. I can't really point to one. One time period. I think it's all kind of built upon each other, you know, kind of. Compounded, you might say to get me to this point, you know, and, and I don't know why at age 50, here I am, you know, I wish this had happened 20 years ago because I would've had a heck of a lot more energy to try to do this.

[00:13:51] Kim Gentry Meyer: Let me just say. But I think, again, you know, the Lord has, has a sense of humor and he is probably like, no. 'cause then you would just strive and do it in your, on your own, in your own ability. And I'm just gonna make you lean on me for this, you know, so that you can say, we can all say it's all for me, you know?

[00:14:06] Kim Gentry Meyer: So so I don't know. I don't know the answer exactly, but you know, it's, there's been a stirring in me certainly for a long time. I think I just always, you know, just figured, Hey, I am not, if I can't be the best, you know, why do it? And so now I'm just like. Just gonna do it anyway.

[00:14:22] The Missional Life - Dan: I think that's so important for, for all of us, that what the Lord is calling us into often is something that we've always been doing, you know, or it's connected to something that we've always had a passion for and interest for.

[00:14:36] The Missional Life - Dan: Maybe we've covered up for a season, maybe we walked away from it for a season, but it's something that God has always had in our hearts or acknowledged by other people. And oftentimes there's times that we need to. To dust it off or come back to it and say, Lord, yes. Like, how do you want me to use this in this season of my life?

[00:14:55] The Missional Life - Dan: Because yes sometimes we shelve it, you know, , whether we go through different things, something happens, whatever. We shelve that gift, but I. For those of us who are, are looking to identify what God's calling us into, I think the first question is to, how did God use me before?

[00:15:09] The Missional Life - Dan: Or what were some of my passions before in my life and how could I reorient that or recalibrate that into this season of my life? And so I'm just wondering.

[00:15:20] Yeah.

[00:15:20] The Missional Life - Dan: So , there's something about this creative process, right? Mm-hmm. And so you use this in, in music and painting. What is it, do you think that in the creative process that allows us to reconnect with God and with our identity and him?

[00:15:35] Kim Gentry Meyer: Yeah, I think when you start to create. You escape that trap of overthinking everything, you know, and you just flow. You just get into this flow. And again, like you said, he is a creative God. And, and so I think, you know, this whole idea of identifying, you know, with him and. Getting closer to him through creativity.

[00:15:59] Kim Gentry Meyer: You know, it shouldn't seem like such an odd thing to so many people because again, you know, it's, it's just, it's core. It's it's core to his identity and it's core to our identity in him. And so I think for me, it's just been freeing. You know, when I'm painting or singing or writing I feel the most like myself and I feel the, the least.

[00:16:17] Kim Gentry Meyer: Like I'm getting stuck in my head and overanalyzing everything and overthinking everything and, and worrying about things and how things might go, you know? And so I teach a, actually teach a painting class in our local jail, and I teach my Herald paintings. We do a simplified version. And what I've told the women so many times, you know, and then they're really learning it, is, is, you know, they started out so timid and hesitant to put paint to paper because they were like, what if I mess up?

[00:16:42] Kim Gentry Meyer: I'm like, don't overthink it. Just slap that paint down. Just start, start, you know, we can fix it. There's nothing you can do to mess it up. We can fix it. And so, you know, we can then, well, how do you, you know, how does that kind of translate to, to our relationship with the Lord? There's nothing we can do that's not so messed up that he can't fix us, that he can't see the beauty, that he can't make something beautiful out of it and, and anything that we do.

[00:17:09] Kim Gentry Meyer: You know, we're showing our own unique creative voice to it. And so that's why I tell the women, I say, you know. You're, we're developing your artistic style, you know, and as they do, as the paintings go on, I'm like, look, do you see that stroke? Do you see this? There's a stroke that you do that's consistent through every painting that you've done.

[00:17:25] Kim Gentry Meyer: That's your signature style. We all have our signature style because the Lord made each of us so incredibly unique. And so there's no one like us. No one has our signature style, you know, and, and to just feel good about that and, and I think to feel. Self-worth around that, which, you know, so many of us, especially some of the, the women I'm working with, they have just had some, a lot of trauma in their lives and just, you know, just, just having a really hard time and we all have at some point, right.

[00:17:52] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so I think if we can remember that, I think it really is, is helpful to kind of put the, the, connect the dots, put the pieces together.

[00:18:00] Mm-hmm.

[00:18:01] The Missional Life - Dan: I'd love to hear more about that. Where I'm thinking about the verse. Hebrews 13, three says, remember those in prison as if you were together with them, but you're not just remembering they're, you're actually together with them.

[00:18:11] The Missional Life - Dan: Mm-hmm. And I think sometimes we, we limit ourselves and we limit what God wants to do. And. By sticking to what we see as tried and true. Oh, I like writing. I'm gonna write a book and sell it into bookstore or Amazon. I like music. I'm gonna, you know, do such and such.

[00:18:26] The Missional Life - Dan: But with painting, I wouldn't in my mind say, Hey, the natural next step of this is let's go do workshops , in prison. Yeah. And so how did the Lord take something? That you had a gift in and begin to give you kind of an alternate route, like speak to that for our listeners that might have a gift set similar and be looking for another avenue of being a blessing with that gift.

[00:18:51] Kim Gentry Meyer: Yeah. Well, you know, again, the Lord just he, he has a sense of humor and he always does things so that you know, it's him. You know, because I had, like I said, I had not painted anything in quite some time. I had kind of just, you know. There was dust on it, everything, you know, and so I, I, you know, when I got back into it, I just, I, I really wanted to share it.

[00:19:08] Kim Gentry Meyer: And I think for several years as well, I really had had a heart, you know, been really desiring to go into jails and do some jail ministry. And because of COVID restrictions, I had been just really frustrating. I hadn't been able to, you know, to get in. And so about a year ago I was able to get in with the church group to do some, some just like, you know, Bible study, prayer, church ministry.

[00:19:28] Kim Gentry Meyer: But I really found that I wanted. Something. I wanted to do something else or something more. 'cause I wanted to go deeper with the women. I wanted to build relationship, you know, because. When you just come in and tell somebody, you know, okay, here's the Bible and this is what you need to do, and you know, like that's not as relational and maybe as welcoming as, as might be possible, right?

[00:19:49] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so I thought, well, if I could find a way to relate with them and just. Just be their friend and just listen, you know maybe what can I share? Okay, what can I share? You know? And then I thought, well, I could do something creative. So, you know, I went to to jail leadership and just said, Hey, could I start a creative arts program?

[00:20:05] Kim Gentry Meyer: And they love the idea because we have a really great administration in our jail who's, you know, our sheriff and her whole team really are, they're very rehabilitation oriented, which I'm really, really blessed. That, that, you know, that team is in place and I don't think it's an accident. You know, I think just God's timing is, is perfect.

[00:20:21] Kim Gentry Meyer: And they said, yeah, you know, let's, let's go talk to the women and see what they want. So we literally did like a, a, an info session. Like we just said, Hey, you know, I was like, Hey, do you wanna write songs? Do you wanna write. Something else do you wanna do? What do you wanna do? Learn an instrument. Do you wanna paint?

[00:20:35] Kim Gentry Meyer: Do you wanna do art? And they also art because, you know, think about it, they don't really have color, you know, it's very drab, their environment. So, so that just to have some color, to have some creativity, you know, to connect with maybe their younger self, you know, who used to maybe draw or paint or use crayons or something.

[00:20:53] Kim Gentry Meyer: You know, it was really exciting for them. And it just, I think it was just a way to, to just have a, a, like, a, a stress reliever and, and just something that was so different. So yeah, that's what we've been doing. That's really the only thing, reason I didn't, I didn't know what I was doing. I still don't really know what I'm doing, to be honest.

[00:21:08] Kim Gentry Meyer: I. I'm not an expert instructor or anything, but I just, you know, showed them the methods I use and we go through and, you know, and, and they, man, they got, they have it down now. I mean, they can, they can paint a sunset with the best of 'em. I mean, they have it all figured out. And so, you know, as, as the weeks have gone by, they, they don't even really need my coaching much.

[00:21:27] Kim Gentry Meyer: I just go around and talk to them. Now I can go around and ask how their life's going. How was your weight? What can I pray for you about? You know, what's, how's, how are things going? When's your, when's your hearing, you know, whatever. And so it's just, it's just been very relationship building and, and I just want them to feel like they're not alone, you know, because let me tell you, you know, it could be any of us.

[00:21:45] Kim Gentry Meyer: I mean, one bad decision or being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and any of us could be sitting in that, in that cell right now, you know? And so I think we have to just understand that. You know, we, we need to try to get in each other's shoes, you know? And, and, and I agree with you about like, why are we preaching to the choir?

[00:22:03] Kim Gentry Meyer: You know, could we not go to places? That would really love some kindness and some color and a friend. And I think that's where we're being called to go. I mean, you see it throughout the Bible, right? I mean, that's where Jesus went. That's where, you know he ministered. It wasn't in the most obvious places.

[00:22:22] Kim Gentry Meyer: And, and it can be just a handful of people, but you can still make a difference. So that's, that's kind of where I'm headed with it. I don't know where we're headed next, but you know, they're really excited about the, the sunsets. We're gonna do a, a art show. Or they get to kind of, you know, we're gonna frame some of their art and talk about the sunset some more, and have like a kind of a community event out of it.

[00:22:40] Kim Gentry Meyer: So I'm really looking forward to that too.

[00:22:45] The Missional Life - Dan: There's so much there. First of all, the mark of,

[00:22:49] Kim Gentry Meyer: I'm sorry. I love to talk. I'm sorry. I need to quit talking. No, that's, that's great.

[00:22:51] The Missional Life - Dan: No, I just wanna make sure we unpack a little bit of that where man, the mark of ministry. I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm doing it, and, you know, and, and no clue.

[00:23:00] The Missional Life - Dan: , I think , if we talk to Christians that made differences throughout the ages, that would be something. You'd hear something similar, man, I just started doing it because those were the people that God showed me.

[00:23:13] Mm-hmm. And,

[00:23:15] The Missional Life - Dan: and what stuck out to me a little bit, it was hearing you say earlier that you just wanna get to the point I.

[00:23:22] The Missional Life - Dan: And, and yet here you are kind of going in with the painting and I, I, I, I think, you know, a person that wants to just get to the point and be direct. I, I think of this old, I don't know if it was a just kind of a, a comedian or, you know, old YouTube video, but he, this counselor, he is like. They come in and they, they do all this stuff and he says, just stop.

[00:23:40] The Missional Life - Dan: You know? I'm like, that's it. Just stop. Just do it. Yeah. And you know, and that's kind of what, you know, sometimes you walk in and where you, go in with a judging, , why did you do like, mm-hmm. Like, you need to get your life right. You need Jesus. You need like, and you could be direct and you can just like get to the point, but that's not what they need.

[00:23:57] The Missional Life - Dan: Yeah. That's not what they need. They don't need you to get to the point. They need somebody just to be a friend. Mm-hmm. Care for them. Hear their story. And just know that they are seen. That's one of the, one of the names of God, like the God who sees mm-hmm. The God who sees you.

[00:24:12] Yeah.

[00:24:12] The Missional Life - Dan: And you know, and that's who we are.

[00:24:14] The Missional Life - Dan: When we go into situations like that, we are the hands of the feet. The God who sees them in their darkest places, in their lowliest times, we're going in there and we're seeing 'em, and they're seen. And then once they're seen and they're noticed. They can begin to open their lives.

[00:24:31] The Missional Life - Dan: And I thinking of a former guest we had, , they did work in Mongolia, but did training , with the Navajo Nation. And there's reasons for that. But they went out and they would go sit in these little villages and they'd go out there to have conversations with them.

[00:24:43] The Missional Life - Dan: But they would just sit down and they would just sit in silence for. Hours and then they'd look up and say , oh, , the sun is shining and it's very hot today. And then like nothing. But they had to go through those silent times in order to get to the conversations. And later on their ministry, .

[00:25:01] The Missional Life - Dan: They had a huge impact because they had gone through those times of silence. They could then have the freedom to speak into the situation. And I love how you go into there with this tool, with this, Hey. Mm-hmm. Let's bring, let's bring light to a dark place. Yeah. Let's bring color to a dull place. And , you see impact.

[00:25:18] The Missional Life - Dan: And so, can you share with us a personal story of somebody that has been impacted by this amazing and very unique ministry. Painting.

[00:25:29] Kim Gentry Meyer: Yeah, sure. Well, I, you know, I think first of all, I, I agree with you, the, the painting's really just the method, right? It's just the tool.

[00:25:34] Kim Gentry Meyer: It's not really about the paintings. It's, it's the method to really build relationship and and just, you know, I. Be a companion. And I, I would say I'm really getting 10,000 times more out of it than they are. I mean, I walk away and just so blessed and, you know, I, I'm a little bit lonely. We've moved around a ton and I, you know, it's, I don't feel like I have a lot of friends where I live, you know, really sometimes.

[00:25:57] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so I'm like, I. I feel like I've just visited with my friends, you know, for an hour, hour and a half. And so I've told them, I'm like, y'all have become my friends. You know, you don't know how lonely I've been. This is wonderful. You know, and I, so I'm very vulnerable with them, you know, I, I share what I'm going through.

[00:26:11] Kim Gentry Meyer: They'll say, Kim, you look really tired. This, you know, this weekend you do not look good. You know, they're really honest. But you know, so I think that's been funny and just fun to kind of build that rapport. And, you know, some of course, you, you become closer too. But yeah, I mean, I think I think what I've seen the most is just.

[00:26:26] Kim Gentry Meyer: The confidence and then, you know being, you know, believing more in their own abilities, but in themselves and their own voice and how they, they help each other, you know? So if somebody misses a week, like the, the, the next week that person comes back or whatever, and they sit in kind of tables, you know, out in kind of this open area.

[00:26:45] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so they kind of, they kind of do a team approach, which I didn't tell them to do. They just do it. They help each other, they share paints, they, you know. Catch people up, you know, like I said. So I think that's been really cool. But yeah, I think. You know, it's interesting because, so I still do the, the, the church ministry too, you know, going with my church.

[00:27:05] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so they'll be like, oh, you know, are you going tomorrow? Are you gonna be here tomorrow? You know, yeah, I'll be here. Or, no, it's not my week, or whatever. So I feel like, oh, okay, you're a normal person. You're not totally crazy and you seem like you're not, you know, you're okay. Well if you're gonna go, maybe.

[00:27:20] Kim Gentry Meyer: I could go, you know, maybe I, I'll come, maybe I'll see what it's about, you know, because I think, again, it's first like relationship and I don't act all churchy. I don't use all the church lingo, you know, I don't act whatever. I don't, I don't like that. I don't think that that's. Appropriate. You know, like I don't answer everything with a Bible verse, you know, I just try to be kind and down to earth.

[00:27:41] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so I think it's, I think I'll keep seeing it, but it's really been a very slow kind of progression of just relationship building. And, and you know, hopefully. I'll probably do this series again with another group. I'm not sure how we're gonna do it. They want me to keep going and I'm like, well guys, I gotta work.

[00:27:56] Kim Gentry Meyer: I don't, they can't do like 10 painting classes. They wanna do flowers now, but then the rest of the, so I'm in a pod, like there's like maybe 30 something women I'm that, that are in programs that I'm allowed to work with. So I've like 17, but like now the others, you know, like, well, we wanna do the sunset too.

[00:28:09] Kim Gentry Meyer: And then, but the first group's like, well, we wanna do flowers next. And I'm like, ah, am I gonna, but it's problem. Figure it out. I'll, I'll find, I tell, well, you know what I think I'm gonna have 'em do is I think I'm gonna have them help me teach some of them team teach. Mm-hmm. You know, so that'll be another way, I think to kind of build leadership skills and just relate to them a little bit better.

[00:28:28] Kim Gentry Meyer: And yeah, I mean, I would say I'm planning some ministry. There's, there's one woman who's getting who's, who's gonna be released soon. And she's already, you know, she's on fire for the Lord. And our, her story is just, would just. I'll blow you away, but she's we're gonna be doing some ministry stuff together.

[00:28:42] Kim Gentry Meyer: We've already been talking about it and and she's, she has all these ideas about how to promote the book. I'm like, you're, I'm exhausted. Just fine. Do whatever you wanna do. I don't know, you know, so so that's probably my most exciting thing is like to now, you know, those who are, who are believers, who, you know, to be able to do some stuff with them, you know?

[00:28:59] Kim Gentry Meyer: Mm-hmm.

[00:29:00] The Missional Life - Amanda: It's so beautiful.

[00:29:02] The Missional Life - Dan: Very, yeah.

[00:29:03] The Missional Life - Amanda: And you

[00:29:04] The Missional Life - Dan: mentioned a couple of key things there, and the first one is. Authenticity.

[00:29:09] Mm-hmm.

[00:29:09] The Missional Life - Dan: It's so important when we go, we can't be somebody else. We can't pretend to be somebody else. Yeah. Because, because people in the world, , they know authenticity. Authenticity, and they know when people are not being authentic.

[00:29:24] The Missional Life - Dan: Right? Mm-hmm. , And you can't go in there , with a whole other. Attitude then your true self. Because people will put up walls . The other you said was vulnerability. So important to be vulnerable. And I think Paul catches this a little bit too.

[00:29:40] The Missional Life - Dan: He was sent to the Gentiles, right? Mm-hmm. And here's like this Jew of Jew sent to the Gentil, and they're like. Who's this guy coming to talk to us?

[00:29:48] The Missional Life - Dan: Mm-hmm. What, do we have any comment? And he starts , like, you're a sinner. I'm the chief of sinners. And all of a sudden it's like, huh? Like, I wanna hear this guy. Mm-hmm. But he could have gone with that filter of, of who he was previously, but he went and identified like, Hey, this is who I am.

[00:30:02] The Missional Life - Dan: Lemme show you. I'm the chief of sin. I used to persecute these people and now I'm one of them. But man, it created this opportunity and this openness.

[00:30:11] For

[00:30:11] The Missional Life - Dan: people to, to listen. And I think it's, it's just important to have that authenticity and that vulnerability when we go and minister , to anyone.

[00:30:21] The Missional Life - Dan: And so I'm just, I'm, I'm so impressed and you're clearly living missionally through your art. Speak to the listener, what advice would you give to someone feeling called to serve a forgotten group? Like those in in prison or somebody like that? Yeah. But they feel unqualified to do it.

[00:30:37] Kim Gentry Meyer: Yeah. You know, I, I don't think you're ever gonna really, here's okay, here's what I think, you know, I don't think you're ever gonna feel qualified. I think if we wait until we feel qualified, I just don't know that it's gonna happen. I think, you know, just. Start making reach out, you know, see, okay, here, where is the Lord?

[00:30:56] Kim Gentry Meyer: Opening doors. There you go. Because I can tell you, he opens doors in the, the last place you would ever think a door would be open. You know, I'll, I'll ask, I'll reach out to church and wanna come to, they won't even write me back. I'm like, really? It's a church.

[00:31:17] Kim Gentry Meyer: At this church, but then, you know, he, you know, inmate services at this jail will let me teach. I'm like, really, Lord. I mean, you know, so I think it's, I think you don't, don't assume what it's going to look like, but if you have a people group or a topic or a cause on your heart. Just do some research and see what's out there.

[00:31:35] Kim Gentry Meyer: You know, see, see how, what are organizations you could partner with you know, and, and, and, and come alongside and, and, and get in, you know, start as a volunteer and then work from there, right? Because I think it happens organically. I think you can tell when something's like kind of contrived and, you know, prescrip.

[00:31:52] Kim Gentry Meyer: I think, I think it how this happens. Where it's effective is, is where it happens organically. So I mean, I think that's what I would say and, and just like you pointed out, be vulnerable. I don't know, at what point did we all who are trying to do any kind of ministry decide that we have to act perfect?

[00:32:09] Kim Gentry Meyer: You know, I think I remember growing up and I'd look at my pastor and think, oh, he's so perfect, you know, pedestal, right? It's just the worst thing because we're all, I mean, I'm a disaster. You. I think we just have to be willing to be messy and, and vulnerable. But tenacious, you know, I think that's the one thing you cannot give up.

[00:32:30] You

[00:32:30] Kim Gentry Meyer: cannot give up. If you have something in your heart that you're on fire for and you're passionate about, you just have to, you just, you just keep trying, right? Until you find that open door again, I didn't think it would be in my local jail, but I absolutely love it. You know? I love it.

[00:32:45] The Missional Life - Dan: Yeah. I love working with kids.

[00:32:47] The Missional Life - Dan: It's one of my favorite things , to do. Hmm. And you know, we, we were talking earlier about what are identifying those different things in different seasons that yeah. You know has been doing in your life , and trying to go through those doors where he where he is leading.

[00:33:00] The Missional Life - Dan: And I was thinking about how I love music. I love kids and. When I was younger, I had this passion like, man, I'm just gonna go to the children's hospital and do music with these kids. And it started off with volunteering and after a few times they said, Hey, would you come here regularly and we'll pay you to be the musical therapist in this children's hospital?

[00:33:20] The Missional Life - Dan: And I tell you what, I can play the keys. That's it. So walking into a room and trying to take young kids and play the triangle and the rockas and all. I mean, , it was a ruckus. I bet they loved every minute of it, but it was fun and , for that moment, it took. , The focus off of the pain and all the trauma that they were experiencing.

[00:33:40] The Missional Life - Dan: Yeah. And much like you taking that painting and bringing color into a dull place, right? Yeah. It was bringing life into a very sick, challenging place. , But even now, like working with kids, God's opened doors I teach English , to children overseas and I love doing it.

[00:33:56] The Missional Life - Dan: Started off with just, Hey, I'll just knock on this door and now I love it. Much like you, like I didn't expect to get so much life from, but I do. Yeah. And even now with schools, like we're, there's opportunities for us to go share the gospel of all things into the schools here. Wow. That's amazing. And that's amazing.

[00:34:14] The Missional Life - Dan: And it all starts with that, God, I love working with kids. What kind of doors do you wanna open? Mm-hmm. And, and being willing to go through those doors. And it might not always be the door you think is going to open. Yeah. But it's , the right door for that season. It's that ask, seek, knock principle, you ask the Lord, you seek what his answer is.

[00:34:30] The Missional Life - Dan: Yeah. And then when you think you found it, you knock on that door and that door opens. That's the door for that season. Right.

[00:34:36] Kim Gentry Meyer: I love that. Yeah. No, that's really beautiful. And I think, you know, there, there will always be something in each season, and I think it's just we have to just, we can't give up.

[00:34:46] Kim Gentry Meyer: We have to keep moving forward. You know, we have to keep just trying to be available and just try to use what we have. I mean, you know. I, I, I don't know. I don't think there's any perfect answer, but I just, I think if everybody would, would just do this, what we're talking about and just step out in some way I think it would be a real game changer.

[00:35:08] Kim Gentry Meyer: I really do.

[00:35:10] Yeah.

[00:35:11] The Missional Life - Amanda: And I just wanna bring back to what you said about, you know, no one's perfect. Why did we have to decide like, Hey, we gotta keep up this perfect persona. Mm-hmm. It's like, but having that tenacity of like, you know what, I'm not perfect either. Mm-hmm. But. There's a perfect God who loves me and he loves you so deeply, and really just pointing people to Christ, saying, you know what?

[00:35:34] The Missional Life - Amanda: I'm not perfect either. Like we're all in the same boat, like we're so, the Bible says all of sin and fallen short, but God came down for all of us and we just have to respond to that love. So, it's so beautiful. , It reminds me of a time when Dan met with a pastor a long time ago, years ago when we first knew each other, and the first thing the pastor told him was, Dan, just don't put me on a white horse.

[00:36:02] The Missional Life - Amanda: Don't, don't put me up high 'cause I'll, I'll disappoint you. It's just very direct and very honest. And that was brilliant. Yeah,

[00:36:12] Kim Gentry Meyer: that was, yeah. Wow. That was awesome. That's, no, I, I just love that. I love that. It reminds me of that. So I wrote the chapter two, second song and album and chapter two, the book, it's Mind of Christ.

[00:36:21] Kim Gentry Meyer: And that's why I wrote that was just to be very vulnerable about my own struggle with depression, you know, and mental health. Mm-hmm. And so. And, and, and you know, really it centers, the song centers that scripture Romans, it says, the mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the spirit is life and peace.

[00:36:37] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so, you know how, like you said, we are far from perfect, but we serve a perfect God. And if we bring our minds to Christ. Right. And we renew our mind in Christ and we, you know, we, we take on the mind of Christ. And, and you could say that fill in the blank for whatever issue you have or you're going through.

[00:36:56] Kim Gentry Meyer: You know, we take it before him and we immediately, you know, and he, he just continues to transform us. He continues to renew us and he continues to just give us the wind in our sail for another day. And sometimes it may just be for the day, you know, but that's why we have to keep going back. And I, I'm very open about sharing that and I think, you know, we don't talk about it enough in the Christian community, anybody having any kind of issues, right?

[00:37:23] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so I, I can't believe that the amount of people who have said, oh my goodness, thank you for saying that. 'cause I. I, I struggle too, or, you know, I can relate to that. Or you know, whatever. And great, let's keep talking, you know, and, and let's use this song as a tool. Let's use the Bible verses as a tool.

[00:37:40] Kim Gentry Meyer: And let's just not go through something alone because we feel stigmatized or we just feel like we have to be perfect, you know? Because that's just, it's just a lie. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:37:53] The Missional Life - Dan: In your new book, Harold, reflections of the Listeners, make sure you go out and get that book. Is there a chapter, in there that you feel is most connecting with people right now and the responses that you've already seen from the book?

[00:38:08] Kim Gentry Meyer: That's a, that's a great question. I think definitely Mind of Christ, you know, just because of just the the vulnerability of that song and the hope that it. Contains I also did a music video for that song, so that's, that's on the QR code. It's like a, the QR code goes to a YouTube playlist and it has all the songs, a lyric video for all the songs, and then it has that one music video.

[00:38:30] Kim Gentry Meyer: So I've gotten some good feedback about that. I think the other one is you'll find me there, which is, I believe it's chapter three. You'd think I would, you'd think I'd know, wouldn't it? And it was actually, I, I wrote it as a poem and then it made it into a song, but it just talks about it, I use the fruits of the spirit as, as the kind of the center, you know, piece Bible verse for it.

[00:38:55] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so it just talks about, you know, when you show these kindnesses, when you do these things, you know, when you really live your life. According to the fruits of the spirit, you will find the Lord there, right? That he, he, you know, these are, these are his things. And so I have had folks kind of like, I think that, you know, have really responded to that.

[00:39:16] Kim Gentry Meyer: Because it's really, I think it's convicting, it's convicting for me. You know, I think it's convicting, but it's, I think it's also inspirational because, you will find him there. You will, you. It's not, you might find him there, you know? Mm-hmm. Maybe you'll find him there. It's, you'll find him there. So that's a real special song to me as well.

[00:39:35] The Missional Life - Amanda: That's so

[00:39:35] Kim Gentry Meyer: good.

[00:39:36] The Missional Life - Dan: Wow. That's such an important promise because it's like his word says, draw near to me and I will draw near to you. That's right. And we have to build our lives on those kind of promises and not our experiences. And I think our culture truly wants to. Reverse those, that my, my experience now defines my relationship and defines my perspective of God.

[00:39:59] The Missional Life - Dan: Yes. Yes. And when we start building on that wrong foundation, it can just entirely ruin everything.

[00:40:05] Kim Gentry Meyer: Yes, that's right. And you know, the, that's where we get into all this, you know, all of this. Now everyone's saying, oh, you know, different kinds of truth and my own truth and this No, no, there's no, you know, and so I think that was the first song.

[00:40:17] Kim Gentry Meyer: This is In Heaven. I kind of delved into that of how we get so caught up in the world and succeeding and whatever that, you know, we have to remember this is not our home. And, and you know, we're not, I mean, that was, that was. You know, verse two, all in on a lie that says, do as you please. There's no right and no wrong.

[00:40:32] Kim Gentry Meyer: There's just now, so people living your dreams. No. You know, but what do we, what do we gain at the end of the day when it all fades away? And I think yeah, we're just so caught in this culture right now, you know? Or can be. It's, it's really, it's nothing like I've ever seen in my lifetime. I don't know how you, how you all feel about it, but it's something else.

[00:40:51] The Missional Life - Amanda: Yeah. It's definitely amped up since 15, 20 years ago.

[00:40:56] The Missional Life - Dan: I love that song and I, I can't say it exactly right. But it says, why are we living like, this is heaven, this isn't heaven. Essentially. And and we have to remember that this is not our home.

[00:41:06] The Missional Life - Dan: Mm-hmm. As comfortable, unfortunately, as it can be in, in the US or in the western world or in different places around the world. There are are a lot of people that are uncomfortable and there's the mission to be accomplished. Mm-hmm. And this is not our home. And that's really, really important.

[00:41:21] The Missional Life - Dan: And I was just listening to a message about how God, tells him like, look like you're gonna be here a while. I want you to build homes. I want you to dig. Like, and so this isn't the place that I'm ultimately bringing you to, but you're gonna be here for a long time.

[00:41:32] Mm-hmm. And

[00:41:32] The Missional Life - Dan: I, that really hit me that like, man, we, we have to make sure that we are focused on our eternal home, not on this home. And we have to be making sure that we're living that mission. And so, I'm just curious, you've been living on a mission in different ways. You've been in the nonprofit space, you've been in mm-hmm.

[00:41:46] The Missional Life - Dan: Different other spaces. You've been in the art space, in the writing. And in painting and in music, we were talking about doors earlier. Where do you see God opening doors for you and where do you sense that God is leading you into this next season?

[00:41:59] Kim Gentry Meyer: Yeah. You know, I wish I knew more where that is.

[00:42:03] Kim Gentry Meyer: I find he only gives me one little step at a time, to be honest. Yes. I, I mean, I can tell you where I feel like my heart is, you know, is, is to just I would just love to be able to share. Kind of the themes of this book and share, you know, Harold, be a Harold, right? In more jails, you know, I'd love to get into ministry groups, you know, small groups, churches, whatever.

[00:42:28] Kim Gentry Meyer: And, and be able to talk about the book lead sessions, you know, lead sessions through some of the chapters, go through some of the reflection questions with, with groups, you know, do some of the painting. I mean, I have a, I've, I've written up a lot of, kind of the models of way I, models of the way I would do it.

[00:42:42] Kim Gentry Meyer: And, you know, I can even do retreats where we do a painting and then we do, you know, we, we can incorporate all of it, right? And so I just think I would love to just be able to engage in ministry around the book. I, you know, I don't know what that's gonna look like yet. By any means the Lord would just have to open the doors, you know, because I'm just my little independent self trying to do this.

[00:43:01] Kim Gentry Meyer: But but I just have to say, okay, Lord, you know, here I am, send me right. I'm I, let's do it. You know? So, I don't know. Please help me pray because I, I don't know. But I am really feeling called to like, okay, you've done this book now, you know. Share it. Right. Share it. Mm-hmm. And encourage other people to be a herald as well, because we're, we all are called to be that, you know, I mean, you both are a hundred thousand percent doing that and feeling that call and being a herald, you know?

[00:43:30] Kim Gentry Meyer: And so how do we, you know, what are the ways that we can really encourage other people to do it, and how do we come alongside them? Like I, I know one thing I am developing is I'm developing a. Kinda like a masterclass framework. It's gonna be like a maybe a three month engagement where I help people write their own devotional.

[00:43:48] Kim Gentry Meyer: You know, so if they have a topic in their heart and they've always felt like they wanna share it, but they just feel stuck, or I'm not, the world doesn't need another book, right? That whole thing, you know, we're gonna talk about, okay, well how do we really find like that unique, your unique perspective?

[00:44:01] Kim Gentry Meyer: Your unique voice, how do we put that into devotional and how do we get that out? So I just wanna help people be a herald. So that is one thing I, I am planning to do, just because I've had so many people say, gosh, I've always wanted to do that. I'm like, then just do it. You know? I didn't know what I was doing.

[00:44:14] Kim Gentry Meyer: I, I don't even think anything like this exists. I just made it up, you know? I'm like, I didn't see anything I liked out there. So I just was like, okay, go on and do this, and I wanna do this. And I found a publisher who was crazy enough to go along with it, you know, and and he's fitting words and then they're wonderful.

[00:44:28] Kim Gentry Meyer: But yeah. Just do it, man. Let's just do it.

[00:44:32] The Missional Life - Amanda: Hmm.

[00:44:33] The Missional Life - Dan: So important, so good and such, such gold right there. That just one step at a time. One step at a at a time, at a time, and, and how the Lord, how he works in, I would say anybody I've met, it would be, Hey, look, I just accomplished, I just did this. He put this on my heart, so I did it, and then the Lord gave me the next thing.

[00:44:55] The Missional Life - Dan: He didn't dump , 5, 10 things on him at one time. He just said like, do this. Boom. Done. Okay, next. And I think that's. So important for, for all of us to remember that just do the one thing that's on on your heart right now. Yeah. Yeah. Do the one thing that God's been working in and through your life for, for years or those, that thing that people have been saying, wow, you're really good at that.

[00:45:18] The Missional Life - Dan: Have you thought about doing more with that man? Like, , those are, those are the fingerprints that are the clues that lead you to what God is wanting to do in your life now and potentially next. So

[00:45:30] Kim Gentry Meyer: I love that.

[00:45:32] The Missional Life - Dan: As we wrap up , we have , a couple fun questions here. We wanna make sure that , we hit you with a couple that , you're not quite expecting, but I think you'll be, be good.

[00:45:40] The Missional Life - Dan: So if you could, Kim, if you could have any biblical character as a duet partner, who would it be and why?

[00:45:50] Kim Gentry Meyer: A do a duet partner. Oh, that's so funny. You know, I really I think just because of my whole herald, you know, proclaim that the good news, you know, the, the name of the Lord proclaim his work, John the Baptist.

[00:46:03] Kim Gentry Meyer: I think like, I would just love to like, you know, like, because he just was so about, he just, that's what he was proclaiming to, right? He was, he was ushering in, you know, just proclaiming what was to come. He was the right, the forerunner. And I, I just, I feel that call so much, you know, I feel, I feel that just down, down to my deep soul.

[00:46:23] Kim Gentry Meyer: I think he and I could just like, I. It'd be interesting, right? I think it would be pretty hardcore.

[00:46:29] The Missional Life - Dan: I can see it, you know, you somebody that says the harsh things that he said, you know, he is not a, he's not a 10, he's gotta be a base. He's gotta see, he's gotta have that, like, that authority, you know, he's gotta be doing that with a, with a base.

[00:46:39] The Missional Life - Dan: So that would be, that be good.

[00:46:41] Kim Gentry Meyer: He's playing around, you know. Yeah.

[00:46:44] The Missional Life - Dan: Alright. What's the most unusual place you've found inspiration for a song or a painting?

[00:46:52] Kim Gentry Meyer: Oh goodness. Gosh, I don't know. I get a lot of, a lot of my, I'll find myself. Thinking of like, you know, phrases or, or tunes or whatever when I'm driving, you know?

[00:47:03] Kim Gentry Meyer: So it's not really like when I'm trying, like it's, what I'm not trying is when I feel like, all right, I know that's from the Lord because I wasn't, because you know, you can sit down and just make yourself come up with this something, right? But I think it's when I'm, I'm like, I'm driving or I'm, you know, scooping the cat litter box or like I'm, you know, doing something just really mundane around the house that and something pops into my head and that's where, and those are usually the ideas, like, so my kind of rule to myself is I don't write it down right away if I keep humming it or singing it or thinking about it.

[00:47:37] Kim Gentry Meyer: Mm-hmm. You know, for a series of time Then. Okay, well, if it's sticking with me, then I think it's a thing, right? And so, like I have a few things in my head right now that I'm like, okay, I think those things maybe should be fleshed out. But I really, I, I don't try to just contrive it because like I can just, you know, crank something out.

[00:47:54] Kim Gentry Meyer: But does that really mean it's anointed? Does that really mean it's, you know, what he's trying to tell me? Or is it just what I. Think I'll just say, because why not? So I think sometimes it's in the mundane, you know, that he, he speaks to you because again, you're not overthinking, you're not, and I'm an overthinker.

[00:48:10] Kim Gentry Meyer: I'm, I'm, you know, I'm overthinking everything. So

[00:48:17] Kim Gentry Meyer: I wanna control everything.

[00:48:19] The Missional Life - Amanda: I wanna control of everything. It's, it's a nice idea. It's a really, really nice idea.

[00:48:26] The Missional Life - Dan: All right, one more, you're in a creative session. You need you're having a creative block. What's your go-to snack during a creative block?

[00:48:36] Kim Gentry Meyer: Oh my goodness. My go-to snack. Well you know, I, I don't eat a lot of fun things anymore.

[00:48:44] Kim Gentry Meyer: I've had to, I. Really kind of cleaned up my diet just because of, of some I've had to just for, for my health. But I absolutely love protein drinks, so that's probably, you know, what I would have to do because that gives me the, the fuel that I need that is so boring. That is not a fun answer. Okay.

[00:49:01] Kim Gentry Meyer: If I was gonna answer in a fun way something I don't let myself eat, I mean, it would just be any dessert. I mean, like, I love, I'm just. Anything, any dessert. I love it. Love, love, love, love, love. But I just don't want myself.

[00:49:17] The Missional Life - Dan: That's, that's wise and disciplined and Yes, and, and encouraging and convicting all at the same time.

[00:49:26] Kim Gentry Meyer: Well, I don't know. I, I, you know, I, I, it wasn't by choice. I just, I've had to, I've just had to stick to it. It, it does help though, you know, actually Laura Laura Harris Smith, who, who did the Ford for this book, she's a, a natural.

[00:49:39] Kim Gentry Meyer: Naturopathic doctor and she's helped me a lot. Yeah. So she's helped me kind of come in alignment with, with my health and, and eating and everything. But yeah, no, I just would just eat pizza and. Chocolate. That's just what I would, I would eat nothing but pizza if that, if it were my choice. Pizza and chocolate.

[00:49:55] Kim Gentry Meyer: That's it. That's it. Yeah.

[00:49:57] The Missional Life - Dan: Well, I mean, is there anything else? Right?

[00:49:59] Kim Gentry Meyer: No pizza. Pizza and chocolate. That's it.

[00:50:03] The Missional Life - Dan: Well, tell our listeners, how can they connect with you? How can they find your book online and, and tell us all that information.

[00:50:10] Kim Gentry Meyer: Yeah, so just connect with me on my website, kim gentry meyer.com.

[00:50:14] Kim Gentry Meyer: There's a contact section. I'd love to talk with you, you know, if anybody's interested in having me, you know, come, come do something with a book or, you know do a zoom, do some zoom, zoom sessions with a group, with a book, or, you know, whatever. Let's just. Chat. And you can get the book on Amazon like every, you know, like you get everything else, or you can get it on my website as well.

[00:50:33] Kim Gentry Meyer: So if you don't use Amazon I made sure to put it on my store, my online store. And so you can, you can pick it up there as well. Yeah.

[00:50:39] The Missional Life - Dan: Awesome. Well, listeners, we'll have those in the show notes. Kim, what an honor and an encouragement to have you on the show today. And we're just so encouraged by how God is, using you to to bless people and how you're living on mission in so many different ways. And so we speak blessing over what you're putting your hand to. Thank and, and thank you so much. We're just so encouraged and we just pray that God will continue to open doors for Harold and that your message will help other people be Harold as well.

[00:51:05] Kim Gentry Meyer: Thank you so much. That means so much to me. Thank you both so much. It's been an honor to to talk with you and thank you for so many insightful and thoughtful.

[00:51:13] The Missional Life - Dan: Amen. Thank

[00:51:14] The Missional Life - Amanda: you.

[00:51:19]