Famed Christian artist Lauren Daigle visited a prison to share her incredible talent with the inmates there. But she wasn’t expecting the powerful impact the visit would have on her own heart.
The award-winning singer is at the height of her career. She was just a presenter at the 2018 American Music Awards, winning the title Favorite Artist — Contemporary Inspirational. Yet, the singer decided to take time out of her busy schedule and visit the Statesville Correctional Prison in Crest Hill, Illinois.
So excited to be heading out to LA for the American Music Awards! I’ll be presenting in the main show. #FIRSTTIME Super excited!! Tune in 8pm / 7pm central! ????
Posted by Lauren Daigle on Monday, October 8, 2018
Stateville Correctional Center is a maximum-security state prison in Illinois for men and currently houses 3,500 inmates. Lauren was there to share her incredible talent with the prisoners. But to her surprise, Lauren unexpectedly found the experience to be a profound blessing to her.
The acclaimed recording artist took to Facebook afterward to share her experience. Describing it as something beyond what she could articulate to her fans.
Lauren wrote,
“Yesterday was one so unexpected. It was a day that was more than I can articulate. It was a day my eyes had never seen and will never be able to unsee.
We sang songs with inmates whose voices carried deeper into our hearts than the echo of a microphone will ever release. I saw hope in the face of the hopeless, joy in the wake of sorrow, wealth in the gap of depravity, and life in the midst of death.”
“These people have stories, and they also have souls. I watched heaven befriend those who are often forgotten.”
The prison visit gave the singer a new lease on the gift of freedom that so many of us take for granted.
“With each day that passes, may I never take for granted what it is to walk around as a free man. I held a bottle of cold coffee upon pulling out of Statesville Correctional Prison. My hand had never remembered that bottle being so cold,” the singer wrote in her Facebook post.
Lauren had the opportunity to minister and worship with inmates at the prison. She shared highlights from the experience in a moving video which was also posted to her social media.
Facebook user, Lori Lillard Runions replied to Daigle’s post writing, “I am blessed to be a part of a jail ministry. Too often we are judgmental of those incarcerated. Jesus died for them as much as he died for me. Thank you for being such an encouragement in your words, your songs, your actions. God has blessed you tremendously and is working through you.”
Nydia Pena commented on the post saying, “Wow, the presence of the Holy Spirit can be felt through the screen! Lauren, you are amazing! May God continue to use you.”
You can see Lauren’s visit to the prison in the video below:
a day more than I can articulate
Yesterday was one so unexpected. It was a day that was more than I can articulate. It was a day my eyes had never seen and will never be able to unsee. We sang songs with inmates whose voices carried deeper in to our hearts than the echo of a microphone will ever release. I saw hope in the face of the hopeless, joy in the wake of sorrow, wealth in the gap of depravity, and life in the midst of death. These people have stories, and they also have souls. I watched heaven befriend those who are often forgotten. With each day that passes, may I never take for granted what it is to walk around as a free man. I held a bottle of cold coffee upon pulling out of Statesville Correctional Prison. My hand had never remembered that bottle being so cold…
Posted by Lauren Daigle on Saturday, October 6, 2018
Well done, Lauren! What a beautiful way to share God’s love for us all.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” Matthew 25:45
If you were inspired by Lauren Daigle’s experience, So Share This!
H/T: GodUpdates