Agenda: Grinding America Down Interview and Giveaway Winner

Wemmick Girl’s Notes: Before we read this intriguing interview that Bambi had with Lauren Bowers, I want to announce the winner of a FREE copy of the award winning documentary, Agenda: Grinding America Down

marilyn.jc****@

Next month’s Resource Giveaway includes two CD teachings:

Simple, Separate, Deliberate

…and Discovering Life Purpose: Achieving Your True Potential as a Man or Woman of God

If you are not already subscribed to get the Visionary Womanhood posts delivered in their entirety to your e-mail box, you can do so on the side bar of this blog and be automatically entered to win our monthly resource giveaway!

We have two new contributors to the Visionary Womanhood blog this month!  I’m so excited to introduce:

Carmon Friedrich, mother of 10 and grandma to 2, longtime blogger at Buried Treasure, and editor of Passionate Housewives Desperate for God and So Much More.

Terry Covey, mother of 10 and grandma to 4, and blogger over at A Mom’s Many Lessons.

And finally, our April theme is POLITICS!  It’s an election year, so I thought it would be interesting and informative to include some posts about American history, female heroines, our roles and responsibilities as citizens of this great country, etc.  Politics can be a touchy subject, but I don’t want to run away from it in fear.  Our all-wise Creator addresses government, law, leadership, and citizen responsibilities over and over in the Bible.  We want to take a month to look at some of these things.

To kick off this exciting month, enjoy Bambi’s interview with Lauren!  It is part of her “She Looks Well” series. Read the intro here!

By Contributing Writer, Bambi Moore

We first met the Bowers Family at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival last year. This beautiful family was seated right in front of ours, and we immediately fell in love with them. We have been so blessed by their friendship and encouragement this past year!

If you aren’t familiar with Agenda: Grinding America Down, a documentary film that received the Jubilee Award Best of Festival at the 2010 SAICFF, you can view Curtis’ acceptance speech here.

His sweet wife Lauren has graciously answered some questions for me regarding the making of Agenda, their family, and most of all, her role as helper to her visionary husband.

What was your first reaction to your husband’s idea to make a documentary? Was it sudden or rather an idea that evolved over time?

Curtis has always done different things, but following his term in the Legislature, we were very sure it was time for a “real job”. He sent out resumes to the logical places, but the Lord clearly closed every door and the idea for this film kept coming to mind. When he first brought it up I thought,”This too shall pass. Hopefully.” But his projects always end up being our family obsession, and now I’m so thankful God gave us this opportunity.

Did you ever have fear that this was the wrong thing to do?

Definitely. During the 2 years of production, we often looked back to the ways God provided interviews, provided the finances, and worked out impossible details when we could not fathom how we had gotten into such a massive, never ending project. Curtis filmed 55 hours of interviews but had never narrated or edited anything before! We often said, “Do you think God would have handed us all these really great puzzle pieces for nothing?” We asked Him continually to show us if He wanted us doing something else, but He incredibly and faithfully supplied what we needed at just the right time. What a glorious day it was when Curtis walked in and said, “Today’s the last day I can mail it to make the deadline for the Film Festival. I guess it must be done.”

If you did have fear, how/when did God remove it and are there any scriptures or circumstances that He used to encourage you?

God has always been so faithful to meet our needs, and usually in ways we would not have imagined. We love talking together as a family about all the times God has “swooped in at the last minute” just to provide for us. It reminds us that He’s in total charge! I love 1 Samuel 12:24:” Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.”

Did the film making produce any special marital challenges?

I wish I could say I was always calm and full of grace towards my husband, but at least once a week….. I’d leave the office utterly overwhelmed by his footage, books, and transcripts everywhere and do what real live wives sometimes must do: Eat chocolate.

Are you a naturally submissive wife? Is i t easy for you to follow your husband?

No, I’m naturally Scottish and stubborn! But I have learned to trust Curtis and his discernment and wisdom. He is a wonderful listener; very relaxed and proceeds after tons of thought and prayer, which is so reassuring. He is easy for me to follow because I know his heart: everything is based on what would please the Lord and be wise for our family.

What are some practical ways you helped in the film making and was the whole family able to get involved?

We just “fill in the blanks”:) The girls and I still research copyright laws, set up interviews, hunt down his lost keys , make endless gallons of iced tea, and clean out his car/office/suitcase. We all learned about editing and the extremely long process of rendering. The kids did alot of the lighting and camerawork; they took turns traveling with Curtis to film the interviews. They also really, truly believed God would allow us to win the Festival, which was such a blessing and encouragement. They continue to operate all facets of AGENDA shipping.

At the SAIFF you were within weeks of giving birth to your 9th child. Did that weekend provide any special physical challenges for you? If so, in what ways did the Lord provide the grace for that weekend?

When we got to Texas I was having a lot of contractions, probably from walking miles through airports all day. God was so good to let me see the lights and helicopter landing pad of a great big hospital just a few roof tops away outside my hotel window! I figured if all else failed I could pack up and head on over there. But we got to enjoy three more nice, long weeks of pregnancy after all:)

 

Curtis, Lauren and some of their children speaking at a Washington Homeschool Conference following Lauren’s ninth birth.
In what ways has God kept you focused on home and family discipleship since the making of Agenda?

We do all the AGENDA shipping, packing and processing, and running a home-based business like this is an opportunity we prayed for, for a long time. I am so thankful God has allowed the kids to work alongside Curtis everyday. He is fantastic at teaching them practical and spiritual things wherever he is and whatever he’s doing. We try to be really faithful about Bible hour as a family every morning. Since we seem to have a lot of crazy school days mixed with packing boxes, it’s a blessing to know the most important things get covered first.

We’ve also had the privilege of meeting and getting to know some wonderful, like minded families around the country because of the film. They have truly encouraged and inspired us to really enjoy learning right along with our children and to make homeschooling a lifestyle (not just something we do at the kitchen table out of obligation for a few hours every day!)

In his acceptance speech Curtis honored you by saying, “Only with a good woman by his side could a man reach his full potential.” What do you believe is the best way that a woman can help her husband reach his potential?

One of the best ways is to find out what he really wants to do with the talents God has given him (but for whatever reason hasn’t pursued) and then figure out ways the family can help make that dream, business, or project a reality. It’s amazing how much influence we Moms have by just being enthusiastic about a crazy sounding idea! Interestingly, his projects usually become our favorite thing once we all jump on the bandwagon to help get from point A to point B. Sometimes he also just needs behind the scenes help…like organizing the garage or his office. But the next time he hatches something wild, like restoring an old school bus, guess what? He knows he can do it because everybody will help him. We also need to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY constantly that God will guide and direct our husbands everyday.

Is there another film in the works? When can we expect to see that?

We hope to begin filming the sequel to AGENDA in August, Lord willing. We would like to have this complete by next June. We had to learn so much last time that we anticipate shorter production time this round, but once again….. it will be “God who gives the increase”. AGENDA was certainly His project every step of the way.

Thank you so much Lauren

This film is a must-see for every American. (Watch the trailer here!)