We were lucky to catch up with Lauren Duplissey recently and have shared our conversation below.
Lauren, appreciate you joining us today. One deeply underappreciated facet of entrepreneurship is the kind of crazy stuff we have to deal with as business owners. Sometimes it’s crazy positive sometimes it’s crazy negative, but crazy experiences unite entrepreneurs regardless of industry. Can you share a crazy story with our readers?
A couple years ago, I was commissioned by my client, Nylah, to paint her father, Edward. She planned to surprise her father with a painting with something special and personal from God. She decided I could be the one to paint her father in this way, since all of my paintings have been about my personal spiritual experiences. I had many ideas for her painting, many of which I truly thought were from God. But upon bringing them to Nylah, she felt that they were not the image that God wanted for her father. She insisted on waiting and felt sure that the right one would come.
After consistently praying and receiving nothing, I was discouraged. But then, God told me, “Stop asking for a vision, pray instead for her father.” So I did and I began to see him through new eyes. Initially, he felt intimidating, but as I prayed God connected my heart to his and I began to see him through God’s eyes. I was amazed how God was changing my heart toward Edward, but disappointed that still no vision came.
One day, seemingly out of nowhere, I received a vision of a man looking down, his face hidden. I followed his gaze, and saw him holding a heart covered in cracked stone. As I looked on in wonder, small saplings pushed out of the bright, fleshy heart, creating more cracks. They grew up toward his face and began to bloom. And from the bloom came fruit. I looked up at his face which was awestruck with joy.
As I came out of the vision, I had doubts. A heart, flowers, fruit? On the wall of a CEO’s office? It felt off and I did not want to be seen as someone incapable of hearing from God. I didn’t want to be wrong again. So I justified my fear by telling God I would show discernment and seek confirmation from him before bringing this vision to Nylah. However, God saw through my lies and addressed my true intentions. “If you are worried about your own self image, then I cannot paint through you.” My heart jumped at the seriousness of God’s statement. I knew this was not just about painting. God reassured me, “tell her what I’ve shown you.” And so I did and she revealed the vision was a direct answer to this mystery idea she had in mind.
Relieved but still battling uncertainty as to whether Edward would like it, I painted the vision God had shown me.
On the day of delivery, many of my fears and doubts resurfaced as I packed the painting but they dissipated as I felt the Lord smiling down on me, as if he was celebrating, and desired me to join Him. I smiled as joy bubbled up in me and as I joined God’s heart, I became overwhelmingly inspired to write Galatians 5:22-23 on the back of the painting. As I wrote out the verse the Love God felt for Edward began to overwhelm my spirit and I began to write a note from the heart to God, though I honestly don’t remember what He wrote through me. I believe the message is for Edward alone.
After the message was complete, I wrapped up the painting and set off to His office. As I unwrapped the painting before him. I handed it over, backwards, so he could read the message first. As he read, his face was full of emotion. As he played eyes on the painting, he seemed to be completely shocked and was silent for a minute or two. I was overcome with some excitement and a lot of anxiety, since I had no idea what he was thinking, and this kind of silence was not the reaction I was expecting.
“When I was first saved around 30 years ago, I had a dream. In the dream, I saw myself holding my heart in my hands. It was gray and lifeless. But suddenly, the gray began to melt off and underneath, a vibrant red, fleshy heart showed.” God had provided a miracle, and I felt as if He was there, in that room, with us.
Without lifting his eyes from the painting, he said in awe, “I’ve seen this before”. Tears filled his eyes as he repeated it. He seemed to be in some kind of shock and my flesh wanted to ask a million questions, but the Holy Spirit began to fill the room and I began to have a knowing that the Lord was pouring His love out into Edward. I cannot explain the mixed emotional expression shown on his face in any other way but the feeling of being deeply seen by God.
Edward continued, “When I was first saved around 30 years ago, I had a dream. In the dream, I saw myself holding my heart in my hands. I was gray and lifeless. But suddenly, the gray began to melt off and underneath, a vibrant red, fleshy heart showed.”
My heart leaped and I started freaking out inside with excitement and awe. But then I began to think about the fruit I was painting growing out of his heart, “Did I get the vision wrong? Did I add my own addition to God’s idea for Edward?” As I was thinking, Edward continued, “But the fruits were not in my vision.” My heart dropped. But he continued, “Ever since God saved me, my favorite verse has always been Galatians 5:22-23. “The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” They are what I long to bear in my life and it is my goal to bear them. So even when I saw you wrote my favorite verse on the back of the canvas, I knew God had something for me in this painting. When I was first saved, my heart became alive but I had no fruit yet in my life. But now this is what my heart looks like before the Lord.”
Through my great abundance of doubt and fear, The Lord did something amazing through me for Edward, that I still don’t fully understand. Through all of my confusion, God led me perfectly. I think perhaps God did more for me through this painting than He even did for Edward. He could have told me His plan and He could have told me about Edward’s dream and his favorite verse to build my confidence in the process of this painting. But He chose not to. He was teaching me to trust Him, step by step, even when each step makes no sense to me.
I feel that God was using this commission to reveal that his gift to me is not a career, but a ministry.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Growing up, art was my outlet. Throughout my young life, that spark of passion became an unyielding pursuit. Now graduated from art school with a degree in drawing and painting, it has become my career and my life’s joy. Starting a relationship with Jesus during my college years threw me into what I believe is my calling in art, which is prophetic painting, portraying spiritual subjects. All of my paintings are born from my personal experiences with God, and the things he has shown me about himself. I feel called to illustrate the unseen realm because it fascinates me. I want to give a piece of these indescribable experiences with God to others, to relate with, ponder, yearn for and love.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
When I was 15 years old, as I first began to paint, I felt a pull toward someone I never knew– God. I heard a whisper as I painted, “let me paint with you.” But as my focus was far elsewhere, I rejected him. In art college, I heard the invitation again. My curiosity and awe rose above any negative dispositions I had for him, and I said, “okay.” Little did I know my life would be completely reset, and so my paintings. I understand the controversial nature of Jesus and so have felt it. I know I have a choice to paint things more neutral in subject, to sell better, and bring greater career and financial success. The more rejection I faced, the heavier my decision became. And I knew this was not just a business decision. I never expected this kind of life to be an either/or for me, but it was. And I knew it was a test. Will I seek the riches of life or the riches of the soul? As you can read, I have made my decision, and am willing to sacrifice any career, success, fame or money to do what I believe I was created to do. Now looking back, it should have been the easiest choice I’ve ever had to make, because of the unseen treasures I have gained. Though many have advised me the opposite, this kind of success is invisible to most, but so rich. I could not be happier on the portion I have chosen.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
I think you can guess by now that Jesus is my business coach. I would say, the verse that has been my company’s motto is this: “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.” I seek God, and his purposes, and he takes care of the rest. This isn’t to say I don’t work, because when I seek him, he makes it clear to me the time he’s set for me to work. So when I work, it’s out of love and obedience, instead of fear or obligation. I’ve seen this with my own eyes and experienced it time and time again: The times when I am wrapped up in God is when I work the best. I know he knows how to paint– very well, I might add. So when I’m in intimacy with him, I am much better at my craft. And this truth bleeds into every aspect. God’s mind is sharp, so when I am connected, I experience clarity and wisdom for my work. And so that goes for every good trait. When I take the eyes of my focus off of him, and into my job, or whatever it may be, I lose the one who knows how to do the job perfectly, since he even created the mind who created the job. I acknowledge this is a very strange business plan– don’t place your heart on your business, but elsewhere, and so your business will thrive. Yeah… Many say I have a *unique* philosophy. But in my experience, it’s certainly the wisest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.LaurenDuplissey.com
- Instagram: LaurenDuplisseyArt
- Facebook: Lauren Duplissey
- Youtube: LaurenDuplissey
