If We Could See Prayer
If We Could See Prayer
Talking with God is one of the greatest gifts He has given us. Some kids find this easy to do and others struggle. If We Could See Prayer beautifully illustrates different aspects of what prayer might look like so kids feel like they can pray too.
"This is the most extraordinary book about prayer!"
"I read it for our preschool staff devotions and we prayed like we never have before. I can't wait to tell you what happened next."
IF WE COULD SEE PRAYER: THE BACK STORY (by author Jane Van Antwerp)
If We Could See Prayer is the book that started it all! In 2012, the senior pastor I had worked for over 20 years was in the hospital in critical condition. The prayer request went out to all of us former staff. Walt Gerber's ministry and leadership meant the world to me, so I felt nudged to not only pray but to send him something. I bought a Dr. Seuss board book and figured out how to renovate it into a "card" that would hold the illustrations of a Blue Box children's sermon I wrote for a sermon of Walt's on prayer. Prayer was his favorite topic to preach on and Walt needed it now.
As I was hurriedly finishing If We Could See Prayer, Walt miraculously got better and was discharged from the hospital. I finished the "book" but paused long enough to show it to a local publisher and the Beyond the Blue Ministries Board. They loved it!!! I sent the prototype of all the future Blue Box Books to Walt, now at home, and went on to make several other book prototypes to show to a Sunday School class of 5th graders. I knew adults and preschoolers loved this little book, but Blue Box children's sermons were written for school aged kids. Of the 32 - 5th graders that were there that day and read the 6 prototype books, 100% of them said they wanted to keep it.
With that data and on faith, the BtB Board signed a contract to publish the first 3 Blue Box Books. They came out before Christmas 2012 and we shipped over a hundred that first week alone! Walt Gerber died in 2016 and he leaves a legacy of prayer for thousands he touched at all the churches he served, but also in the lives of kids who now read the Blue Box Book: If We Could See Prayer.
