This is an interesting painting for me because it came about so differently than my usual process. I was scheduled to paint at a conference and usually, when I am painting live, the Lord will show me what to paint prior to the event, at the very least, I have a small idea. Yet, this time, He had said nothing. Then on the morning that I was to fly out, I woke up to a vision of this train coming straight at me. I asked the Lord what He was saying and He said nothing. I assumed He would show me what He wanted to say in His time and I went on with my day. Later when I got on the airplane, I felt the Lord strongly and suddenly I could see this train in my head. I heard the Lord say “All Aboard!” but no one was coming. Suddenly I saw myself standing on the top of the train and now I was the one calling out “All Aboard”. Yet, no one was coming and the Lord asked me “what should you say now?” I started to say “I declare that you have eyes to see and ears to hear this invitation” and still, nothing. Then the Lord said, this is not something that can happen from the outside in, this is from the inside out. So He said to speak to the incorruptible seed that He has placed in every heart, and to declare that the seed break open and receive, so I began to declare as I was told. I heard the song “people get ready, there's a train a’comin’.” Suddenly the vision ended. I began to write everything in my journal.
Then the Lord started to show me the train again. I saw fire on the train and He said that I needed to look up how a steam train operates. I heard the song “I set fire to rain, I heard it scream your name..” Then the vision ended. I wrote it all down. I googled “steam trains” and I saw that it is moved forward and powered from the steam, created by fire and water.
Hours later when I finally arrived in Moravian Falls and went early to the conference room to set up my easel. As I walked in, the worship team was practicing a song, Fire and Rain! Incredible! Then the Lord said “you are painting the train”.
In the first session, I started to paint and the Lord said to paint the Moravian Falls behind the train. As I painted, people came up saying that this is Bob Jones Glory Train. I wasn't familiar with that reference and was told to look on YouTube for Bob Jones prophecy., which I did later that night. It was certainly what God was saying, It is time for the Glory Train. The next day I also discovered that Bob Jones is buried not far behind the falls!
One other part of this painting that is significant is the number “317” that the Lord impressed upon me to add to the center. He did explain what that meant. I asked the couple who had purchased the original. I told them I was adding “317” and asked if that held any significance for them and they said no. Soon after the Lord gave me the scripture John 3:17 “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (NLT) The week before I mailed it to them, this precious couple had received a prophetic word regarding John 3:17 and then I knew for sure this was God speaking and confirming, All Aboard! Everyone is Welcome!