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In Ecclesiastes 3:11, we read that God makes everything beautiful in its time. It is comforting to know that nothing is wasted in God's economy, but all of it will be used for our good and His glory. You're invited to join us for poignant conversations and compelling interviews centered on believing for His beauty in every season.
Shannon Scott (00:02.338)
Well, hello, Lauren. Thank you so much for joining us on the Everything Made Beautiful podcast. It is good to see your face. Well, I'm grateful that you said yes, and I've already done the official bio that everyone has heard, but I just want to say it's been so fun to get to know you through, you know, our mutual friend, Christy. We have
Lauren Chandler (00:10.345)
Good to see you too, Shannon. Love it. I'm so honored to be on this podcast.
Shannon Scott (00:30.904)
first of all, got a sweet little circle of people that she has connected us to, but getting to spend some time with you, getting to go to the beach and just hang out and be casual, I have been so inspired by your faith walk, inspired by the way that you talk about God's faithfulness to you and your family. And so I'm grateful for the opportunity to have more people hear from you because it's so sweet and inspiring. So thank you, truly, thank you for doing this.
Lauren Chandler (00:58.673)
Absolutely. yeah, Christy, she is a beautiful, unique soul who brings people together. I know if like, if she likes them, I'm going to like them. And you are the perfect example of that. Like still got the humor, like sweet and thoughtful and deep, but also really funny. And I, that is really important to me.
Shannon Scott (01:04.898)
Mm -hmm.
Shannon Scott (01:12.998)
Well.
Shannon Scott (01:18.358)
you
Thank you for saying I'm sweet. I don't hear that a lot. have another friend who calls me her sweet Shannon. And so we always joke because I'm like, that doesn't happen a lot. So thank you. That means a lot to me.
Lauren Chandler (01:23.775)
You are!
Lauren Chandler (01:35.39)
Well, I mean
Shannon Scott (01:36.908)
Well, thank you. Well, I know so many people are probably familiar with you or your work or know of you, but I just kind of like to start back at the beginning, like give us kind of the origin story of Lauren Chandler and how you grew up and kind of what has brought you to where we are today.
Lauren Chandler (01:55.367)
Yeah, love origin stories and I'm really into like roots. I have a subscription to ancestry .com and I use that thing all the time. I think it's so fascinating to know where we've come from, who we've come from. So I love origin stories. I grew up in a believing home, my mom and dad. Actually, it's really neat. It's part of my origin story. I feel like I've got to tell a little bit of their story.
are both babies in their family. They're the third born and it's a lot of fun. But also, yeah, yeah, I love my parents. They're wonderful. And I still have a great relationship with them now. They don't live too far away, but they found themselves at a crossroad at Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches, which is not your bastion of probably Christian living, especially in the seventies.
But they had roots in the church and knew Jesus growing up, had strayed a bit, and then they kind of found each other and started like together, hey, we want to go back, back to church, return to the Lord. And so they did that. And so their faith was super important in my home growing
And they weren't in ministry. They were just loving Jesus as husband and wife, as a CPA, as a stay at home mom. My mom also worked for my grandparents, my grandfather. His family owned a funeral home in East Texas. Longview is my hometown. So I had a little bit of a my girl experience growing up.
Shannon Scott (03:39.143)
wow.
Shannon Scott (03:44.555)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (03:45.999)
I would after middle school, my middle school was down the road from the funeral home. And so I would walk over after school to the funeral home because my mom was usually working. And probably even before I was in middle school, I would go over. It sounds so crazy. But it was just like death was just a part of life to us. I mean, it was just, it was normal. That's all like I knew that we live and then yeah, there's going to be a day that we die.
And so they have what they're called state rooms. it's when it's a room, it's, and my mom helped decorate it, make it look real pretty. I think we had three or four. Each one of them had a different theme. And, and that's where the bodies would lie in state. So with a casket, in a casket with it open. So people who wanted to kind of pay their last respects or whatever the viewing, okay, they would do that. So I go in there.
Shannon Scott (04:41.292)
Yeah, the viewing.
Lauren Chandler (04:45.841)
and I would look and I would just look at the people. And so this was like so normal to me and I didn't realize that that is not normal. anyway, so grew up in Longview. My parent, my mom grew up there. Her family, her roots went real deep in Longview. We went to First Baptist Church. I have a younger brother. I was the princess.
Shannon Scott (04:50.027)
my gosh, I'm freaked
Lauren Chandler (05:13.431)
whose parade got rained on by my little brother showing up. I did not like the idea of having to share attention, but my, so my poor little brother, he's wonderful. He's, grown with two, married to a beautiful wife and has two beautiful daughters and we'll, keep in touch. they live about five hours away from us, but, so my
Shannon Scott (05:18.509)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (05:39.527)
relationship with my brother was a lot of love, but a lot of like sibling rivalry too. And then when I was eight years old, my mom, she was like, hey, have you ever considered inviting Jesus into your heart? And I was like, yeah, mean, duh, that's like the no brainer decision for me. I'd grown up knowing who he was, you know, going to Sunday school.
sitting in church with my family, feeling like I had some kind of relationship with the Lord. I at least felt his wooing as a little kid. And I was like, it felt like the most natural thing. Like, yes, I want to follow Jesus. And so, yeah, my mom pretty much shared the gospel with me. And then I met with our pastor, and he shared some things too, and I prayed with him.
was baptized a little bit later. And as far as I could understand, I loved Jesus and I was like, I want to live for Him all my days. I definitely was a good girl, rule follower, wanted to do things right. And I also, I loved school. My parents did not have to pay me for grades.
You know, which is that I hate I'm all for it like to some kind of incentive I needed no incentive to make all the A's I was like I want the A Do not give me a B whatever I can do whatever it takes to get the A and so definitely a perfectionist definitely a high achiever and Also loved music I had
lots of good memories sitting at our piano growing up or my grandparents piano and just remembering, kind of feeling the presence of God with me. I don't think I knew that's what it was then, but when I think back on it, there was just a sweet sadness is all I can tell you, where it was just something that was beyond, beyond...
Lauren Chandler (07:57.075)
beyond what I could really comprehend or grasp. And it was just, that's all I can describe it as a sweet sadness. There was that longing that what CS Lewis calls joy with a capital J that sensucht I think is what the German word is for it, where it's just, it's like the sweet sadness of longing for something more. And that's where I felt it a lot was sitting at the piano bench, just wanting to create something or
Shannon Scott (08:11.489)
Yes.
Lauren Chandler (08:26.655)
kind of sight reading or playing from ear. And then another place I found that was in my backyard. We had a real big backyard with a creek running in the back of it. And just being outside in nature, my grandparents had a ranch where they raised cows and they had feed corn, they grew feed corn. And just going on all the little cow trails or game trails that...
were carved out in their pastures were some of my sweetest memories growing up. So yeah, I had a real sweet childhood, parents that loved each other. I loved my brother, even though he probably didn't think I did. And grew up like with lots of sweet friends at the same church, had a great youth group. Yeah.
Shannon Scott (09:19.286)
Now I'm interested, you said, and this sounds a lot like how I grew up. It's like Christian home, parents on staff at a church. We were at the same church my entire childhood into young adulthood, high achiever, perfectionist, didn't have to be incentivized for grades because I wanted to be perfect. I'm wondering for you, did that ever cross over? I came to know Jesus when I was seven.
Lauren Chandler (09:23.465)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (09:36.777)
Yep. Yep.
Shannon Scott (09:46.274)
but I definitely struggled with a legalistic relationship. I have attributed some of that to, I went to a Christian school that was wonderful. I I loved it. And it's actually only now that I see some of the things, because my kids are also in a private school, and I see some of the ways that over the years we've tried to not make.
Lauren Chandler (09:50.271)
Smelling. Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (09:56.027)
Mmm.
Shannon Scott (10:12.058)
spiritual or biblical something that's not in, you know, in trying to set appropriate boundaries for behavior or what have you but I struggled with legalism, even from very, very well meaning people who were lovely and I adore them to this day. But did you find that as well with that high achiever perfectionist side that grace is a little bit more difficult for me to grasp than
Lauren Chandler (10:15.443)
Yes.
Lauren Chandler (10:32.73)
yeah.
Shannon Scott (10:41.208)
punishment or discipline.
Lauren Chandler (10:43.296)
Definitely. you know, I'm sure I heard grace in the gospel when I was that age. I just think my, how I'm put together, it was just really hard to sink in. I remember it might not have been until college that I really understood what grace was because, you know, I was kind of nailing it. I was kind of doing okay. And even if I didn't nail it, I could just
Shannon Scott (11:02.871)
Yeah, same.
Lauren Chandler (11:10.375)
you know, get frustrated with myself and just do better next time and try harder next time, you know. So I feel like it wasn't until college that I really understood grace and maybe I would take that back. There was a moment. So I'd been I, you know, was just kind of the poster kid of the youth group was in choir, was in an ensemble. And there was a lot
Shannon Scott (11:14.294)
Right. Right.
Lauren Chandler (11:37.189)
internal struggles, and one of, know, kind of around music and singing, where I compared myself a lot, I felt a lot of competition there. And so a lot of ugliness came out there and a lot of frustration was manifested there. And so I could kind of feel that. And then probably my junior year of high school, I'd been a good girl.
done all the right things, gone to youth group, you know, had, didn't drink, didn't smoke, didn't, just didn't hang out with those kinds of people. And so thinking I'll just, I can do it, I can stay a good girl. And honestly, that's what I want for my kids to not have to have lots of regrets. I really, I pray for that. But there was like just kind of a moment,
Shannon Scott (12:18.498)
Yeah,
Lauren Chandler (12:36.613)
after my junior year of high school where I just kind of was like, well, I deserve to be a little mischievous, you know? And kind of gave in to that. And it wasn't even anything serious. It wasn't like earth shattering. But to me, when I kind of got caught, it was like the whole world was caving in on me.
Shannon Scott (13:03.724)
Yeah. Yes.
Lauren Chandler (13:05.693)
And my mom tells me this much later when I like confess to her what it was, she said internally it was this huge sigh of relief because she just thought I was pregnant, you know, and so it was nowhere close to that. Not even the, yeah. And so, and the thing is like the Lord can work even if it had been, you know, pregnancy. But anyway, the Lord just started to break my heart over.
Shannon Scott (13:16.256)
Yeah. Yes, exactly. Totally.
Lauren Chandler (13:35.547)
I can't do it. And I remember, look, I missed the mark and I'm not as good as I thought I was. And instead of being, okay, I can just do better. It was this, my faith is more than just being a good girl and doing the right thing. My faith is in a real God who loves and forgives. And I want to grow that relationship.
Shannon Scott (13:37.165)
Yeah, yep.
Lauren Chandler (14:05.319)
And what's kind of neat is it was around that time that I met Matt. So our story's a little, it sounds scandalous, it was not scandalous. But I, that summer after my junior year of high school, and I was always just an old soul. I loved to be around adults. When we would go on youth groups trips, I was always with the adults, talking to them. And so,
that summer I went to camp and Matt was our camp speaker. Now he was only like 22, maybe he just turned 23. So he was older, like I'm late in high school, about to be 18. And so anyway, but we connected, but I know so scandalous, but we connected and, but first what drew me to
Shannon Scott (14:39.391)
Okay.
Shannon Scott (14:54.56)
scandalous.
Lauren Chandler (15:05.021)
had nothing to do with his personality or his looks, no matter what he says. It was, I just hadn't seen that kind of passion for Jesus. I hadn't seen someone who was so thoroughly convinced of God's love and grace for them. And I just remember being like, I want that. Whatever that is, I want it.
I want to love him like he seems to love Jesus. I want to be convinced of Jesus' love for me like he is, like whatever that is. I want that. And so was very drawn to him, not romantically at first, but more like I want to love Jesus like that. And so that's how I got to know Matt or how I met him. And my dad was on the trip as like a sponsor.
a counselor and my little brother was there. So they met him and my dad kind of established a relationship with Matt. He was a CPA at the time and he was like, any way that I can serve you. So he was helping Matt form a 501c3 corporation. so they stayed in touch and I was working for my dad that summer. So Matt would call the office and I would answer.
Shannon Scott (16:26.977)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (16:27.217)
And then he'd start calling the house and I would answer. And so was kind of the slow progressions towards more than just friendship. my parents, mean, he was very respectful of my parents and asking for their blessing on the relationship. And my parents kind of helped the relationship happen.
they invited him to stay at our house when he was, driving, kind of not cross country, but from Abilene to, I think he was going to Missouri or something. He was like, Hey, break up your trip and you can stay here. We have an extra bedroom or actually at that point we didn't have an extra bedroom and he had to be in a bunk with my brother. So I think my brother did go to the top bunk so Matt could have the lower bunk, but,
And so he became a friend of our family and then he became eventually my boyfriend. And so we dated my senior year of high school. And I remember asking, seeking the Lord on where I would go for college. And what was so neat is the summer that I met him, I was also in Texas Baptist Allstate Choir. And the camp was at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene where
Shannon Scott (17:27.661)
Yes.
Lauren Chandler (17:51.771)
was in school. And so I remember walking the campus and praying, Lord, if this is where I'm supposed to be, even if Matt and I don't work out, would you give me a peace about it? And he did. And so I had made plans to go to Hardin Simmons. so I had my senior year of high school that was, it was hard because I think your senior year, whatever kind of high school career you've had as far as like what you're going
I would say even socially kind of cements. And I just, had friends that wanted to do a little bit more of the party scene. And then I had friends that wanted to be more serious and, and then, you know, I had a college boyfriend. So it made for an interesting time that I ended up spending a lot of time with my parents that year. And it was actually really sweet. And then went off to Hardin Simmons and was a freshman there.
halfway through my freshman year, Matt asked me to marry him and I said yes. And so we got married the summer after my freshman year of high school. Of college, not high school. That would be scandalous. Yeah, no. I was 19 when we got married and we're about to celebrate 25 years tomorrow, which is so, thank you. It's so crazy. 99.
Shannon Scott (19:04.265)
Now that would be scandalous.
Shannon Scott (19:15.47)
anniversary. Okay, so that means you got married in 99 like we did. Yes. Yes. Wow. May 14. Yeah. Which is so funny because you telling your story. I'm like, Yep, that's how I grew up. I was a voice major in college. Like we got I was young. Now Jeff is 10 years older than me. But I was I was young as well. So that's so awesome. What was Matt your first boyfriend?
Lauren Chandler (19:20.861)
Yes! What's your anniversary? What's the date? May 14th. Happy
Lauren Chandler (19:36.583)
Yeah. Okay, yeah.
Lauren Chandler (19:42.707)
I didn't realize that. I had a few boyfriends before him, but nothing very serious. had a couple and one of them my parents prayed away, which was so good. Yeah, I had a couple of those. I mean, I just know my parents were praying like, get that boy out of here. And he did. So yeah, I felt, yeah, I didn't make any major
Shannon Scott (19:47.906)
Yeah. Right.
Shannon Scott (19:53.214)
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm. I had one or two.
Shannon Scott (20:02.882)
Yes. Yeah.
Lauren Chandler (20:11.017)
There was no serious relationship before Matt. Matt was my most serious relationship. which I'm kind of like, I love it. And our oldest daughter, same thing for her. Like her only serious relationship is now her husband and Reid's and kind of, he's really only had one, he's had like another girlfriend, but one that's last a little bit longer. And I'm
Did we start a trend? We didn't mean to start that. know, we're kind of like, and I really, our son's girlfriend just is sweet, but I'm also kind of like, I mean, you don't have to do what we did. You can, can, you know, slow it down anyway, but yeah. No, you don't. But yeah, I do have a seventh son -in -law, which is awesome. And he is wonderful and
Shannon Scott (20:40.142)
Yeah.
Shannon Scott (20:52.492)
Yeah, yeah, you don't have to get married super young. But you do have a son -in -law now.
Lauren Chandler (21:05.407)
We love Adam and he's such a blessing. He treats Audrey so well. And so we love Adam and what's real sweet is he and my dad, they like have a relationship. They text all the time and I just think that's so neat. So yes, I have a son -in -law. Yeah, it's so great. Three kiddos, Audrey Reed and Nora. So Audrey's 21, just got married in November. Reid's 18, just graduated.
Shannon Scott (21:22.284)
Yeah, what a great legacy. And you've got three kiddos. So you've got Audrey Reed.
Nora.
Lauren Chandler (21:35.487)
and heading off to just actually a local junior college to do this program where he'll learn to work on Toyota and Lexus vehicles. He's very, loves the hands -on kind of stuff. And so we're excited for him. And then Nora, she's gonna be a sophomore in high school. And so she's made a big change from her little Christian school to now our local
public high school, which is great. Like a lot of our friends, kids go there and so, and the football games are real fun. You get to do mums and you know in Texas, mums are like a whole thing. I
Shannon Scott (22:05.772)
Yeah, that is a big change.
Shannon Scott (22:19.562)
A whole thing. I mean, you are Friday night lights like that is your life. Yeah.
Lauren Chandler (22:22.303)
We are Friday Night Lights. This is our life. So I'm not sure if I love how big the mums have gotten, but I do think mums are fun. yeah. So yeah, I ended up, we got married, I was 19. And then we ended up moving to the Dallas area. Then Matt interviewed to become the pastor of Highland Village First Baptist Church. He was 28. I was 22.
and eight months pregnant with our firstborn. And so we moved to the area and I actually loved it because before he had been an itinerant minister. So I graduated college a little bit early because you know, I'm going to get it done. High achiever, know, wait, summa cum laude. But I was, I got a B in a class in, I forgot what year it was. It was probably my first and only B.
Shannon Scott (23:04.82)
Mm -hmm. Yeah, high achiever.
Lauren Chandler (23:20.701)
And I was so mad because I felt like it was a professor who would not tell me what they wanted. I'm like, you tell me what you want and I can do it. And I'd take a test to kind of feel out what he wanted and I'd get not a great grade. So then I'm like, OK, no problem. Adjust. I adjusted and it was different the next time. was like, I'd done the first time, was like, just be consistent, dude. Anyway, that's just I'm over it, though. I'm over
Shannon Scott (23:39.756)
do the opposite.
Shannon Scott (23:50.028)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. It's just a little bruise.
Lauren Chandler (23:50.379)
can you tell? Just a little, just a little. So, yeah, so I was a pastor's wife and a new mama all at once, basically. had a little bit, didn't realize what it was after Audrey was born, her birthday's in early February, but it had probably some baby blues, some postpartum depression. remember
Shannon Scott (24:02.573)
Mmm.
Lauren Chandler (24:16.831)
It'd be like four o 'clock in the afternoon and I felt like life will never be the same. Like I just felt like the whole world closing in on me. it was kind of before you really did anything about it and didn't, no one talked about it. I was like, you know, help me. I thought something was wrong with me. But thankfully came out of that. But still, I mean, the 20,
Shannon Scott (24:31.564)
Yeah, people weren't talking about it.
Lauren Chandler (24:46.879)
at that, turned 23 not long after she was born, still real young and inexperienced and still wrapped up a lot in a performance and perfectionistic and people pleasing sort of way of life. And then you throw in being a pastor's wife. Right, right.
Shannon Scott (24:55.534)
Totally.
Shannon Scott (25:03.16)
Mm
Shannon Scott (25:08.238)
Yes, I was going to say, and then you did the cherry on top of that. I remember holding, I remember holding our first born and you're right. Nobody talked about baby blues or postpartum. it was even worse for me with Jack, our middle than with Maggie, but I remember sitting with Maggie. She's perfect. I mean, she was almost 10 pounds. So like not frail, like Michelin baby.
Lauren Chandler (25:20.809)
No.
Lauren Chandler (25:33.353)
Substantial, yes. Ugh. Yes. Yes.
Shannon Scott (25:34.722)
sleeping, eating, like, you know, she was she needed to be fed. So and I'm holding her. She's asleep. Like everything is perfect. The dog is laying there. He's asleep. And I am sobbing. And Jeff's just kind of looking at me like wide eyed and pale, like what is happening to my wife? And I literally said through tears, nothing's wrong. And I'm so sad and
Lauren Chandler (25:48.775)
yeah.
What do I do?
Yeah.
Lauren Chandler (26:01.17)
Yes!
Shannon Scott (26:02.026)
So I'm grateful now that it is a normalized conversation that really is very difficult for new moms. But then you were like, you know what we should do? We should pastor a church.
Lauren Chandler (26:06.387)
Yeah. Yeah.
Lauren Chandler (26:15.785)
Why not? Why not? Why not? I'm curious because, you know, Audrey was born in February and so it was real, probably just the darkest time of the year, I feel like. But then with Reed, I didn't get, it was like early November. And I think because there was Thanksgiving and Christmas, there were things to look forward to, so I didn't feel it as much. And then with Nora, she was born at the beginning of summer. And so I think even just going outside,
Shannon Scott (26:26.104)
Mm
Shannon Scott (26:34.732)
Yeah. Yep.
Shannon Scott (26:41.986)
Yeah.
That's a really good point because my son was born at the end of January, which puts it in that darkness spot of the year. Yeah, there's no more college football. There's no baseball. Like there's nothing happening in the world.
Lauren Chandler (26:46.217)
Yeah. Yes.
It's a tough time. Yes. Yeah, it's so sad. There's nothing except now you get to celebrate their birthday. That is the good thing that I like about Audrey's birthday being in early February is like, there's something fun to celebrate. yeah. Yeah. So became a pastor's wife. And like I said, it just was a new area that I needed to nail. I needed to have it together, you know? Yeah.
Shannon Scott (27:01.739)
Right, totally.
Shannon Scott (27:08.204)
Yes.
Shannon Scott (27:17.684)
Mm -hmm. Yeah. Well, and probably nobody said, here's what that looks like. And so you're literally just shooting in the dark and looking around for examples and living up to a standard that you have set.
Lauren Chandler (27:23.311)
Right. Yes. Yes.
Lauren Chandler (27:32.017)
Right, yeah, no one set for me, honestly, even, even,
Lauren Chandler (27:39.039)
Sorry, I got distracted. You might have to edit this out because our neighbor kid just walked up to, I'm like, what is he doing? Okay, sorry. Do you like that? Okay, great. No, this is real.
Shannon Scott (27:41.08)
Yeah, love it. No. I think that I actually love that moment. I'm not going to edit it out unless you want me to because I had to reach over and grab my phone and text my husband and say, come get the dog. He is snoring.
Lauren Chandler (28:00.211)
Well good thing I didn't even hear your dog snore.
Shannon Scott (28:02.274)
Yeah, so Jeff has been off camera with treats and doing like a whole show to try and get Nash to come to him.
Lauren Chandler (28:08.287)
I like, come over here. Okay, good. I'm like, okay, what is our neighbor doing? Okay, good. We will not. And that's what's funny is like, I love authenticity. Like I love, it's so funny. I connect more with undone -ness than I do with everything, you know, tied up in a bow. But to me, was like everybody seemed to have it together, but I did not. I did not have it together.
Shannon Scott (28:12.716)
Yeah, we will not be high achievers on this podcast. We will leave it in. We will leave it in, in the name of Jesus.
Shannon Scott (28:26.124)
Yes, yes. Yeah.
Shannon Scott (28:33.868)
Mm -hmm. Right.
Lauren Chandler (28:37.799)
So, and that's what I was going to say, was like Matt, he never put that on me. He always was like, hey, you don't have to do anything that you don't feel the Lord calling you to do. So you don't have to run our children's program. You don't have to lead worship unless you want to lead worship, which I did. That was where I wanted to serve. He was kind of like, hey, you you love our kids, take care of them. And then any other thing that you want to do.
just feel the freedom and don't feel the pressure. And that's even how the people of our church have always been. I've never felt this pressure of, I wish Lauren would this or that. Any pressure I've felt was pressure I put on myself. And so after Reid was born, so Christy's definitely like a part of my story and a part of kind of a turning point in my life where
there was just some breakthrough that I needed. I needed to get to. And that came, I met her, I can't remember, I was pregnant with, I just realized I was pregnant with Audrey, like on this trip. And I think she was pregnant with Ellie. And then I met Kristin her sister -in at the same time. Anyway, and then we reconnected after the girls were born.
Shannon Scott (30:00.258)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (30:07.759)
And she became like my real life friend and not just the imaginary friend that I had in my head. Cause I was like, yeah, Christy Nockels and I are going to be friends. And isn't that funny? And Neagan tells the same story. But she had invited me to sing on that little EP she did called A Few Days in February. And
Shannon Scott (30:13.154)
Yes, totally.
Same, exact same. Yeah. Yes.
Shannon Scott (30:31.17)
Yes, you sang and you sang my favorite song.
Lauren Chandler (30:34.333)
that song so much. It's so I can't either. I can't either. I know I've asked Christy I was like, do you have any more copies of that? Because I can't. My dad, I think he might have a copy of it, which might he's my biggest fan and and my mom too. But he's like really into music. So it's so fun that I remember, you
Shannon Scott (30:35.374)
And I can't find it. So if you have it, I need
Shannon Scott (30:50.466)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (30:58.567)
singing with her. mean, if there was anything, if there is any voice that I wanted to sound like, it was Christy's voice. was like, just copy paste. That'd be wonderful. But it really kept me from finding my own voice. And I remember when I got the EP back and listened to it, I hated my part. I was like, I sound terrible. What is wrong with me?
Shannon Scott (31:03.554)
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (31:22.975)
Are people lying to me when they say they like me when I sing? You know, I just it was like I something's wrong and Yeah Really, okay
Shannon Scott (31:32.61)
have to just, I have to just interject. It's so funny because I did not know this part of the story. so that EP ended up being coming out around the time that we had a thing with passion called the thirsty conference. And so it was in Atlanta. And so that EP was on sale and, and our Christy handed it to me and I was so excited about it. And this, the duet that you guys sing called Holy over me.
Lauren Chandler (31:49.629)
Yes!
Shannon Scott (32:03.706)
It was my anthem and I was, and your voice, your vocals specifically are stunning on it. So I just want to say what an absolute dirty rotten trick of the enemy to take that that was so profound for me where I was in my life because the line
Lauren Chandler (32:07.034)
Lauren Chandler (32:13.749)
thank you, Shannon
Shannon Scott (32:33.13)
you guys sing on that song that I needed was your love does not depend on what I do. Your love is freedom and it pleases you. And I needed that as a young mom who's just trying to be perfect and then I'm in ministry and my husband's in ministry and we're going to lead worship we're going to be perfect and you were singing freedom over me and at the same time you're hearing it back and thinking this is terrible and it's just it's such
Lauren Chandler (32:39.377)
Yes,
Lauren Chandler (32:43.667)
Mmm.
Lauren Chandler (32:48.147)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (32:59.433)
Yeah. Yes.
Shannon Scott (33:02.21)
deceit of the enemy. And so the very thing that he comes after us about is probably the thing that is helping someone else, which is why he comes after it. So just know that I'm literally on a quest to find the song. So if your dad has it, we're going to need to get it.
Lauren Chandler (33:03.795)
It is.
Lauren Chandler (33:10.887)
Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you. I had no idea.
We've got to find it. Yes. I'm going to ask him if he has it. And you know, it's so interesting that line. I could sing it, but I couldn't sing it from my heart, you know? And maybe that's what I, one, I do think it was a design of the enemy to discourage and destroy. But also what if what I was hearing was the discord between my heart and my voice, you know?
Shannon Scott (33:30.701)
Mm
Lauren Chandler (33:45.747)
But it was that listening back to that track and being like, why am I struggling with this when everyone around me, it's kind of like the person that has body dysmorphia that looks in the mirror and just does not see in what they actually look like. And our church had just started Celebrate Recovery. I was in a Bible study with some other moms.
And this one woman who's still in my life, I still love her, you know, just a little bit further down the road than us, who just took us under her wing. And we go through, we did Beth Moore Bible studies, we did different Bible studies, but it eventually became like what I would call, what Kurt Thompson calls confessional communities. Like that's what it was. Where really we just come and we just share what's going on. And we would just...
kind of bear witness to what's going on and pray for one another and point each other to truth, but just kind of like live the gospel towards each other. so it was a, believing God was the study and Beth is, she's preaching about the Israelites being in the middle of the dry Jordan River and the Lord instructing them to
get the stone and move into the promised land. And she's like, I feel like this is a word for someone I'm watching, you know, just watching it on video. And she was like, some of y 'all just need to like move on, just move on, whatever. You take that stone and you need to move on. And I mean, my heart just was like beating in my chest. was like, like threw my chest and I was like, I know that's what I need. like whatever this is.
I'm struggling with, just, I want to move forward. I feel like I've just been stuck so much in this headspace. I want to move on. And the woman that was leading the gathering, she prayed over me and prayed about like just this root of something to be pulled out fully. And so I was just like, Lord, yes, like whatever it is. And I felt like the Lord was going to give me some kind of stone or Ebenezer.
Lauren Chandler (36:07.783)
later that week to kind of symbolize some kind of moving on for me. And later that week, Matt had been pushing Celebrate Recovery at the church, like, we're doing this. It's a new ministry. Everybody, everyone's welcome. And so we went to the, it was a Thursday night gathering and the man that was preaching the message, he talked about this man being like the Lord.
who has this field that he wants to cultivate, but there are all these weeds in it. And so, you know, the man that owns the field starts mowing over it while the weeds pop up. And so basically this idea of getting the weeds out from the root. Yes. And I was like, you gotta start crying. And I'm like, gosh, you know why our neighbor was here? Because our dogs are out. Nora, go get our dogs.
Shannon Scott (36:51.384)
by the root yeah.
Lauren Chandler (37:04.903)
Our neighbor has our dogs right there. This is real life guys. Real life. Will you go get them? Yes, our neighbor, he's right there. Okay. I'm glad I'm sitting at this window so I could see. Anyway, okay. It was providential. Dogs, man. Love them. Man's best friend, but also a little of annoying.
Shannon Scott (37:08.462)
I love everything about this right now. The dogs are taking over the podcast.
Shannon Scott (37:21.27)
Yeah, that was providential.
Shannon Scott (37:29.614)
You also, -huh. I get phone calls when I am out of town from our neighbor that our dog has gotten out and has come in her back door, Lauren, opened her back door and came in. So Crystal, if you're listening, I'm telling the world that Loretta comes to visit you.
Lauren Chandler (37:37.115)
Yes! Yes!
Lauren Chandler (37:45.903)
Crystal Loretta. my gosh. I love that name. celebrate recovery. Yeah. Pull up the roots. And I mean, my, I'm just like, it is resonating so deeply with me and you know, Matt and I are sitting on the front row and at the end of, of their time, they offer a surrender chip. Like if this is your first time's little poker chip.
Shannon Scott (37:53.458)
So pulling it out by the roots, yes.
Lauren Chandler (38:12.265)
This is your first time at Celebrate Recovery and the Lord just revealed an area of your life that you want to surrender to Him. You know, come up and receive a chip and then they have like a woman stands up to receive the women and gives them a hug, a man, he's up there for the men.
Shannon Scott (38:26.646)
Now, we're y 'all just attending as we are the pastor and pastor's wife and we're blessing this new ministry that's launching, okay? yeah.
Lauren Chandler (38:29.235)
We are just... Yes.
Yes, yes, like we're like, hey, we're here. And I, but I remember telling Matt, I want to go. I just felt like there's something for me at this, at this meeting. I want to go. And so, yeah, we're sitting in the front row and the surrender trips offered. And I just sit there because I'm like battling, like I am the pastor's wife. What are people going to think? I mean, that people pleasing, just perfectionism, all that. What are, what are people going to think?
And then they move on to like the one month kind of, it could be like sobriety, but it's also just kind of any kind of freedom that you've experienced or just a moment of surrender. if it's been a month, three months, six months, nine months a year, I can't remember the intervals. And they go through all of them and I'm just sitting there sinking deeper and deeper. Like I missed it. Like, why didn't I just get up? Like it's just, why didn't I just get up and take that
will they come back around one more time and offer the surrender chip? And I mean, nothing could keep me in my seat. I went up there and I grabbed that chip and was just crying, hugged that lady, got back in my seat. And I felt like the weight of the world just fell off my shoulders. I felt the lightest I'd ever felt. And I think it was just the humility to say, God, I
do this. I've tried to do it and in the past I've been able to do it. I've been able to get by and the Lord was like, yeah, it's not going to be enough. It's not going be enough. You've got to just surrender completely to me. All the perfectionism and people pleasing and performance, it's not going to be enough. And I could not have made it knowing, you know, that was probably
Lauren Chandler (40:29.727)
Gosh, 17, 18 years ago and knowing what would happen the next 17, 18 years. It's like, no, I wouldn't have made it. I wouldn't have made
Shannon Scott (40:38.122)
No, you could not have been a consummate people pleaser and faithfully steward what you guys have been called to. No. And I think there's something, you know, this kind of reminds me of when we do like child or baby dedications at church and that sort of thing. And anytime I led those, I would always say, now, just to be clear, this is not a salvation experience. Like this, this is a symbol of committing your children to the Lord
Lauren Chandler (40:42.078)
No.
Lauren Chandler (40:45.597)
Right.
Lauren Chandler (41:03.028)
Yes.
That's right.
Shannon Scott (41:06.136)
but there's something profound about the visible public expression of that, same with baptism. And so, you it wasn't you weren't surrendered if you didn't stand up and go take that chip, but there's something about the visible representation of it that kind of broke that last piece off. And I have felt the same way of like, I have to go first in
Lauren Chandler (41:18.227)
Right.
Lauren Chandler (41:24.083)
Yes. Yeah. Absolutely.
Shannon Scott (41:35.5)
visibly. That's the hang up with me and the Lord. It's like, no, no, Lord, you and I will talk about that later in the prayer closet. And it's like, no, I need you to go first. And so for me, it usually shows up in like, if I'm teaching on something, I actually have to go first in saying how I've failed in it before I can come around to the redemption side of it. But I just want to say
Lauren Chandler (41:36.563)
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (41:52.916)
yeah. yeah.
Shannon Scott (42:00.78)
That was probably the beginning of some profound leadership steps for you visibly. So thank you for sharing that. I know that Celebrate Recovery specifically and all the different iterations and programs that exist now that are like it have been the key transformative piece for people finding freedom. It's interesting that you brought up Christy because obviously,
Lauren Chandler (42:05.385)
Mm -hmm.
Definitely. Yeah.
Shannon Scott (42:29.686)
I kind of had an intersection, so I'd heard all about her friend Lauren from her. But from my dad, who's now with Jesus, he had said to me, Shannon, you got to hear this kid. That's what he called Matt. You got to hear this kid. He's a preacher. And I don't remember if he was at a conference and heard Matt. I can't recall or if it was like a cassette or just what he'd heard him on.
Lauren Chandler (42:56.571)
Yes, yeah, there are
Shannon Scott (42:59.234)
But he's like, you gotta hear this kid, Matt Chandler. And then I think Matt came to Passion when I was on staff at Passion and spoke at Passion. And that was when kind of everything clicked for me. But when I realized that you guys were together, I started following a blog that you were writing. And shortly thereafter was when Matt was diagnosed with brain cancer.
Lauren Chandler (43:01.107)
Hmm... Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (43:05.939)
Yeah.
Lauren Chandler (43:22.078)
Yes, yes.
Shannon Scott (43:23.018)
And so that was really when I was all in. So I already had the holy over me moment. And then my dad saying, you got to hear this kid who's preaching the gospel and then realizing you guys went together. So, you know, the name of this podcast is everything made beautiful. And when I was praying about guests, your name came to mind for a host of reasons, but really remembering
Lauren Chandler (43:26.195)
Hmm. Mm -hmm. Hmm.
Lauren Chandler (43:34.246)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (43:37.729)
man. Yeah.
Lauren Chandler (43:48.735)
Mm -hmm.
Shannon Scott (43:51.052)
the day in and day out of that journey with Matt. Would you mind just sharing a little bit of that? Gosh, it feels like a hundred years ago and yesterday. But for people that don't know about that journey, I'd just love for you to share how you saw God make everything beautiful.
Lauren Chandler (43:54.188)
Lauren Chandler (43:58.789)
Yeah, it does.
Mm -hmm. Yeah. Yeah, I know because in the midst of it, well, I mean, I think it goes back to even having gone through Celebrate Recovery and going, did the steps and the Lord was just, you just never know what He's preparing you for. And so it's always best to yield to whatever He's leading you in. And so I think if I hadn't wrestled through some of that, ended up actually also
Shannon Scott (44:26.561)
That's so
Lauren Chandler (44:33.055)
experienced a couple of miscarriages. And I think that was also kind of preparing the soil of my heart for what was coming. So Thanksgiving Day 2009, my kids were, Nora, our youngest, was six months old. Reid was four and Audrey was six. And I was getting stuff ready to take over to my mom's house for Thanksgiving dinner and heard a commotion.
in the living room and come to find out Matt was having a grand mal seizure. He had just put Nora in her little Johnny jump up, praise the Lord. And the other two kids were just sitting in there watching like the TV and ended up a scan revealed that he had a tumor in his brain. We ended up going to a neurosurgeon.
And he was like, Hey, this does not look good. And it was in his right frontal lobe. And he was like, I've made space in my schedule to get it out, like at the end of this week. So he was like, he thought, I mean, we need to get this out now. And that was, that was tough because I felt really, Matt kind of jokes. It was like, well, yeah, it wasn't your brain, but I felt really convicted that this is what we need to do. Like you've got to get this thing
Like it needs to be out of your head. It does not belong. And so we found out on a Tuesday, Friday was the surgery. And, you know, there was like, couldn't, we didn't know, would he come back like himself? Would he be able to speak? Would he be able to reason? Like, would he be just a shadow of the man he was? Like, what would be preserved? Would his personality change? We just didn't.
No. But we did have a piece that the surgery needed to happen. And so we had an eight hour craniotomy and they were able to get everything, I mean, it's crazy. Everything, all these margins. And what was cool is the surgeon was a strong believer. We still keep in contact with him.
Lauren Chandler (46:55.369)
He doesn't do brain surgery anymore. He's focusing more on like, guess, neck and back stuff, but I don't blame him because man, it's hard to have these patients and work on them and not everybody turns out like Matt, you know? And so I remember seeing him in the recovery room in the neuro ICU and wondering like, what's he gonna be like? And he was there, like he was cracking jokes.
And it was so, there have been different moments in my life, not very many, where I've felt two things at the same time that seem opposed to each other. One, there was no place I'd rather be than sitting right beside him with his head all wrapped up with gauze and he's weak. But also at the same time, like kind of wanting to just run away and just bawl my eyes out, you know, and just not want
deal with this, you know? But of course I stayed and I wanted to stay. wanted to be there with him. And in fact, there were times, you know, it's, I would say the fog of war where I was like, man, I wish I'd spent more time with the kids during that time. Cause I know that was some instability for them, but I just knew there was nowhere else I wanted to be than with Matt. So I spent a lot of time. I stayed there at night. They had
a hotel in the hospital, stayed there. My friend that led the Bible study, she came one night and they had like two twin beds in there and she would just pray me to sleep every night. And so, you know, each day he got a little better. But I mean, there were times where like, how is he going to be? Is he going to be able to, like he had a lot of weakness and there's a real funny story.
He also, think part of it was the drugs. He just, you know, wasn't thinking clearly, but he, was when, remember when you could tweet by texting Twitter on your phone? Do you remember that? Okay. So he got his phone, which he was not supposed to have. He was not supposed to have his phone. And he tweeted, this is what he was going to tweet. He was going to tweet, it's a lot harder to pee in a cup than you think it is.
Shannon Scott (48:53.228)
You
Shannon Scott (49:06.548)
Lauren Chandler (49:19.625)
He was going to tweet that. So problem number one. Problem number two is that because his left, I think his left side was kind of, was weak because of all the surgery of where the location of the tumor was, it would like, his hand would kind of lay on things and he didn't know it was laying on there. He just didn't have as much awareness. And so it was just like nonsense. Like the tweet he sent was nonsense.
Shannon Scott (49:42.849)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (49:48.381)
And we had some friends that they were like, they saw it on Twitter and they were like, my gosh, he's gone. Like the fact that he looked at his phone and was like, yeah, that's what I want to put and sent it. They're like, he's gone. And they just were weeping together. It'll never be the same. But he ended up like just gaining strength and he did inpatient rehab and, you know, it was a long recovery.
Shannon Scott (50:01.816)
He'll never be the same.
Lauren Chandler (50:18.469)
He did chemo. It ended up being malignant. So it was a grade three oligodendroglioma. I remember when the doctor, so he only, the doctor just wanted to tell me and then the man that was a chairman of the elders at the village, just so he could know kind of what plan to make. Cause Matt was the lead, one of the lead pastors of the church, the main teaching pastor.
And so we were the only two that the doctor told when he got the results that it was grade three and it was malignant. And they didn't want us to share it with Matt yet because he needed to focus on recovery. They just didn't want him to have to think about that. And so he that was probably the hardest moment of that entire time was
I had to make the decision, do I keep this with me or do I tell his parents and my parents? And I really had this strong conviction that I did. I wanted him to know before everybody else. one, I felt like that was a dignifying to him too. I didn't want everybody to have to carry that weight with
And so what was hard was that's a decision I would have come to Matt. Like, what do you think? Is this the right decision? Do you think I'm making the right choice here? And I couldn't. And so it was one of the first times that, you know, him being older than me, him being a little bit further in his walk with the Lord, even though I'd been a Christian longer, he just gained a lot more traction than I had. And I respected him.
Shannon Scott (51:51.327)
yeah.
Lauren Chandler (52:13.755)
It was one of the first times I had to just kind of stand on my own. And it was really good. It was really good for me because as much as it's good to depend on our husbands like that and to lean on them, like that's, I think that's a good thing. Ultimately, I have to lean on the Lord. And so that was a really tough week, but I made it through.
And I'm grateful for kind of that mini trial, mini crucible that the Lord put me in because I think I needed a little push. think I can, even though I do like to be a high achiever, I do like to perform, I'm also a little lazy and I'm like, hey, if someone else can lead this thing, I'm good to just sit in the background, you know, as long as they lead well in the way that I want them to lead.
Shannon Scott (53:10.516)
Right exactly.
Lauren Chandler (53:11.359)
And so sometimes I can sit back and I felt like this just kind of pushed me out a little bit out of my comfort zone. Yeah. And so he went through chemo radiation for 18 months of chemo, six weeks of radiation. And he would get scans every other month and then every six months and each scan probably for the first two years is always
holding our breath, or not really holding our breath, pleading with the Lord, we know you're good no matter what, but please give us a clean scan. And yeah, and then he has been cancer -free ever since, and we will be 15 years from that Thanksgiving day this Thanksgiving.
Shannon Scott (54:01.62)
Wow. Well, first of all, we're so thankful. But I do want to say that watching you walk that out, our kids are the same ages, like, you know, three kids, we're about the same age and just watching you walk that road of suffering and doing it with God's sovereignty in view. And then how you've both spoken about it since. It's like you said, God's good.
Lauren Chandler (54:06.418)
Yes.
Lauren Chandler (54:12.308)
Mm -hmm.
Shannon Scott (54:31.342)
full stop, but also if we could have a clean scan, you know, so thank you for sharing that. I hope it will be encouraging to people who are currently in that season, either of cancer or some other illness and something that feels so uncertain that God is good, full stop. But he's also healer and he's in control and he's working and moving even when it's so scary. So thank you for sharing that.
Lauren Chandler (54:31.453)
Yeah, yeah, that's right.
Lauren Chandler (54:43.101)
Yes. Yes. Yeah. That's right.
Lauren Chandler (54:57.637)
Mm -hmm. Yeah.
Shannon Scott (55:00.46)
We talked a little bit about we were gonna say something I don't want to cut you
Lauren Chandler (55:03.547)
I was just going to say, he wants to hear it, knows what you want, but anyone listening right now, just don't be ashamed to ask. It's not a lack of faith for you. I think there are certain faith traditions that we can ascribe to that are like, well, whatever his will is, be okay with it. It's kind of like, well, I think we can ask and I think we can call God on his promises.
Shannon Scott (55:13.016)
Yeah, that's good.
Shannon Scott (55:31.0)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (55:31.345)
remind him of his character because he knows it and it's good for us to be reminded of his character and that he wants to, he's not like us as parents where we're so tired when our kids, you know, ask us the same thing over and over and we're like, are you kidding me? You know, he's like, no, okay, yeah, ask me again, ask me, annoy me, I can't be annoyed, you know? And so I would want to just say, hey, it doesn't make you less of a Christian or less of
Shannon Scott (55:48.161)
Yeah.
Shannon Scott (55:52.194)
Yeah, yeah, that's good.
Lauren Chandler (55:59.495)
a faithful Christian to ask for the healing, to ask for what you want in that in particular.
Shannon Scott (56:09.878)
Yeah, so good. Yes, I second that. Ask, ask out loud, claim promises. That's what they're there for. I do want to tell everybody Lauren is such a phenomenal worship leader, vocalist, singer, and she has music. She and Christy led worship together at If Gathering this year, and I got to be there, and it was
Lauren Chandler (56:15.379)
Yes.
Lauren Chandler (56:26.547)
Hmm.
Shannon Scott (56:35.68)
It was such a sweet experience. So I'll link all of her stuff in the show notes, but don't sleep on Lauren's music when we start talking about her books because her music is transcendent and you need it. But I do want to talk about your books because you have written two children's books and I have, I have been
Lauren Chandler (56:43.827)
No.
Lauren Chandler (56:49.161)
Thanks, Shannon. Yeah. Yes.
Shannon Scott (56:57.262)
playing with that idea in my head. So I would just love to know what made you go, I want to write children's books. And then we'll talk about your books for adults after that. But tell us about the two kids books.
Lauren Chandler (57:06.173)
Yeah, yeah, no, you're good. Okay, so it's not as, you know, wonderful. It's like, I don't have this, like the Lord put this on my heart. It was more of, I'd written a trade book for adults and then I'd written a Bible study from that trade book. And I knew it was time to to birth something else, but I didn't know what it was exactly.
and this publisher had reached out. I was at a conference and they were like, can we get together? And I just remember thinking the only thing that could tempt me is a children's book. That's the only thing. Like that's the only thing I can wrap my mind around. And when we got together, the one thing they wanted me to do was write a children's book. And I was like, okay, Lord, loud and clear, got it.
Shannon Scott (57:44.418)
Mm -hmm.
Shannon Scott (57:55.904)
So good.
Lauren Chandler (57:58.543)
And so it was for the Good Book Company and they had a series already and they wanted to, they kind of asked me, what were, were there some things that you helped your kids walk through when Matt had cancer? And honestly, it wasn't so overt. You know, it was more just like leaning into the grace of God, one foot forward, trying to make it as normal as possible for my kids to remind them that God's good to continue to go to church, show
you know, disciple them. But there was one story that ministered to me personally that came to mind and that was the story of Jesus with Mary and Martha when Lazarus has died. I don't think I'd ever, you know, when your world's turned upside down, I think I thought, you know,
Well, I'll just, my faith will be strong enough that God's good that I'll just kind of suffer through it. And almost emotionless. And there was something, and just like the Lord's up there saying, hey, I gotcha, don't worry. There's no reason to cry. You know, I got this. But instead, in John 11, when
Shannon Scott (59:17.304)
you
Lauren Chandler (59:23.869)
Jesus has met with Mary and Martha who've just lost their brother and Jesus wasn't there for four days. He wasn't there. Instead of giving them a lecture. I mean, he did, he did remind them of I'm the resurrection in the life, but then he also wept with them. And there was something about that. Just seeing Jesus, the human,
God, Jesus being fully God, fully human, just Jesus in his humanity, being overwhelmed with grief or anger. I don't know all the emotions that he felt in that moment, but I can imagine them and that he humbled himself to just weep with Mary and Martha. I just loved that. so wrote a book about it, wrote a book called Goodbye to Goodbyes.
about Jesus and Lazarus and Mary and Martha and that one day we will say goodbye to goodbyes forever. For those who are friends of Jesus, we will say goodbye to goodbyes forever. And I had no idea when I was writing it that I was writing kind of a grief book for kids. And it's been really neat to hear all kinds of stories of parents reading this book to their kids weeping as they're reading it.
Shannon Scott (01:00:45.548)
Yeah.
Lauren Chandler (01:00:47.243)
because they end up being ministered to in that. that's one of my, I'm so grateful that I got to write that book and that they asked me. And then the second one came out a couple years ago. It's called Praise Him. I had written actually a song. And when I wrote the song, I had my kids in mind of what's a song that I just want them to remember? And just this idea
praising God kind of every part of our day, which could also be laid on every season of our life. So the beginning of our day when everything's like hopeful and you just, you know, the world is your oyster to the middle of the day when you're like, things are just kind of ho hum and I'm kind of tired and everything didn't turn out the way that I thought it would. And then, you know, the idea of just the
the nighttime when things are uncertain and scary. so anyway, wrote this song and then I was approached by another publisher. Like we want you to write a children's a children's book and threw out some ideas. And then one of, one of the people said, what about this song praise him? Do you think, you know, I think it can make a good children's book. You know, if we tweak some of the language and I was like, yes, I could totally get behind that. And
did praise, wrote praise him, just basically took the song and adjusted it, made it more for like three to five year olds. I got to pick the illustrator and I loved what she did. And what was neat is she wove elements that were special to me that she didn't even know were special. Like this little cardinal female and male that are through the whole book and cardinals are real.
like dear to me. just, I love they're one of my favorite birds. And so, yeah, that's how praise him came to be. And that's another book that I'm really grateful that I got to put out there into the world.
Shannon Scott (01:02:57.229)
Yeah, they're so sweet. you know, as parents, I think we're always looking for good content for our kids. Not just video content, but written content. So thank you for putting those in the world. I read your book, Steadfast Love, that was so good. I'm gonna link that. Talk to us though, before we wrap up, you wrote a Bible study.
Lauren Chandler (01:03:09.353)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (01:03:15.556)
yay. Thanks, Shannon.
Lauren Chandler (01:03:22.729)
Mmm.
Shannon Scott (01:03:25.528)
called With Us in the Wilderness, which is so good. But it is on the book of Numbers. And when I think about Bible studies that women want to write, I've literally never had anyone say, I cannot wait to write on Numbers. So tell us a little bit about With Us in the Wilderness because it's really so good. And I wanna encourage women to get this Bible study because it's talking about something so important, but there's just not a lot.
Lauren Chandler (01:03:25.577)
Yep. Yes. Thank you.
Lauren Chandler (01:03:40.723)
I know, I know. Yeah. thanks. Yeah.
Lauren Chandler (01:03:53.979)
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm. No. Mm -hmm. Yeah, I was doing a Bible reading plan and what got to numbers and normally it's kind of like that's where I like I kind of lose interest. It's like one of those major speed bumps in your Bible reading plan. But this time I was reading it, I was like, there's some really interesting narratives in this in this book and
Shannon Scott (01:03:55.847)
There's not a lot of content out there specifically on numbers that isn't a commentary, so tell us about
Shannon Scott (01:04:13.805)
Yeah.
Lauren Chandler (01:04:23.665)
I'm seeing it just started. was my curiosity. I'm a very curious person. Google is my best friend because I'm like, I wonder and that can look it up. And then I'm just down the rabbit hole at that point. And so as I'm looking at numbers, there are just some really fascinating stories that were not easily, I was not easily able to interpret on the surface, you know,
Shannon Scott (01:04:33.932)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (01:04:51.599)
So I was just more curious and as I dug in I thought, man, there's some real good stuff in here that I think all the censuses and all the names and numbers, they are meaningful because they were real people. But also they can, it can trip you up and you can get, you know, lose the force for the trees. And so I wanted to write a study on it that made it accessible for women.
It could be accessible for men too, but you know, as a woman, I thought I was thinking of women as I wrote it. I just wanted to help them like, hey, you can, you can do this and I'm going to draw some parallels for you. but like this is worthy and doable work. And when I got to the end of it, when I read the rest of scripture, including if not, especially the new Testament, you see.
all these shadows from numbers, the, you know, the Exodus generation, Exodus and numbers. And it really brought a greater spectrum of color to the New Testament, like more texture, more colors. And so I love the Old Testament and I think a lot of it is narrative. Yes, there are some names and lots of numbers
don't necessarily mean a lot to us, but they do show us the character of God and they are a place that we can see ourselves in. And so I wanted women to be able to do that and to see the parts that we might miss in the New Testament because we're not familiar with the old.
Shannon Scott (01:06:43.97)
Yeah, that's so good. And if it's in there, it's on purpose and it's for us. And so I agree with you. think, you know, we get to start getting to Leviticus and numbers in our Bible reading plans and we're like, well, you know, it was fun while it lasted. Let's just go back to the thing where what day of the, you know, month is it? Proverbs. Yay. So thank you for that. I do want to encourage you guys. I have this study. It is a great study. Get it.
Lauren Chandler (01:06:47.593)
Yes, yeah.
Lauren Chandler (01:06:55.524)
Mm -hmm. It was a good try, yeah.
Lauren Chandler (01:07:03.346)
Yes.
Shannon Scott (01:07:13.408)
I will link it in the show notes. And I will link to all of Lauren's, her website, her books and Bible studies, her music. They are worth your time. And I will just, shouting out her husband, Matt Chandler, lead pastor of the Village Church, his messages. He preaches the gospel and does it in a way that's accessible and understandable and with passion, he preaches the gospel. So all of
Lauren Chandler (01:07:14.077)
Thank
Shannon Scott (01:07:42.464)
is worth your time. But before we go, I'm going to ask you the question that I ask all my guests. Okay. So if you could craft your perfect, beautiful day, what would it look like from start to finish? And the one caveat I give is if you have allergies or something that prevents you from like eating your favorite foods or whatever, that doesn't have to be part of your perfect day. can literally be perfect.
Lauren Chandler (01:07:58.035)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (01:08:07.903)
Right. Yes. Okay. I love that. Probably I would wake up at our river cabin. So we have this property out on the Brazos River. like if you've seen the show 1883, some of their, they filmed some of that out near us. And so it's rural. It's kind of like hill country, hilly. We've got a bluff across and I would wake
Shannon Scott (01:08:24.546)
Mm.
Lauren Chandler (01:08:35.219)
to the smell of coffee and bacon. And that would be like probably just my family there. And I would just slowly sip my coffee. I would see painted buntings. I would see the bald eagle that comes over. I would see deer and odd dad. I'd see all the wild animals coming out. And cardinals, God, can't forget the cardinals.
Shannon Scott (01:08:38.402)
Mm -hmm. Mm -hmm.
Shannon Scott (01:08:59.252)
And Cardinals.
Lauren Chandler (01:09:03.623)
Also like summer tannagers there, I saw blue indigo bunting the other day. Anyway, all the birds. And then I would probably just maybe go fishing, little bit of fly fishing on the river right there. Then I'd probably have just all my sweet friends come over for lunch. And I would have my friend Marty B who owns a restaurant in the area called Marty B's and they make a really good steak.
And he would, he'd make that steak and I'd probably have a baked potato and green beans and salad. I mean, that's, I love that. Probably some banana pudding for dessert. And then gosh, just spending time with them out at the river. And then just have that same thing for dinner. then stargaze, like the stars would just be perfect.
Shannon Scott (01:09:34.338)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (01:10:03.151)
and, and that would be, and the weather would be like in the six, like upper sixties. So I kind of need like a jacket, but still though the sun feels warm on me. And, we do like a little campfire, under the stars and I would like see some shooting stars, find all the constellations and, like just kind of go to sleep here and all the night sounds
Sound nothing like the city. So that would be my perfect day and that's actually pretty achievable. So I need to do this. I need to do this. Yeah, that's it.
Shannon Scott (01:10:33.538)
Mm -hmm.
Yeah, yeah, you should do it. Yeah, that's so good. Lauren, thank you for this today. I knew so much of that and was inspired again, just hearing you tell it. And I'm grateful for the way that you steward your story and your willingness to share it. And I know it has been an encouragement to a host of people today. So thank you for being willing to be on the podcast.
Lauren Chandler (01:10:45.032)
Mm -hmm.
Lauren Chandler (01:11:03.571)
Thanks for having me, Shannon. I loved hearing parts of your story that I haven't heard yet that it sounds like we have more to talk about.
Shannon Scott (01:11:10.518)
Yes, we'll go to the beach again and dish. That'll be fun. Well guys, thank you so much for joining us today. We are so grateful to be able to spend every Monday with you and I hope that you will look for all of the ways that God is right now currently making everything beautiful, including you. So we will see you next
Lauren Chandler (01:11:12.541)
Let's do it. I'm in.