This Note Card features the image displayed at the "Transforming the Heart" workshop's Encounter with Art. It comes with a matching envelope.

The Story Behind Praying Hands

"Praying Hands" was originally a sculpture, created many years ago by artist Mark DeRaud. One night during a personal crisis, he was mad at God and took the sculpture down and dumped it in the trash. After a few minutes, he repented for what he had done and ran down to retrieve it, but it was gone.

Years later, Mark created an oil painting of Jesus holding a man in agony, with Jesus' praying hands covering over the man's praying hands. While the painting was waiting to be framed at a local frame shop, a person who entered the shop and saw the painting and began to weep, not knowing why they were so touched. This painting was sold to a doctor who had it hanging in his office in New York City. He used it for a cover design for his book on healing.

A few years after that, the latest and final image was painted in mixed media on paper. The face of Jesus was only suggested, but His nail-scarred hands are holding the praying hands of a saint in turmoil. When this painting was first shown at a Catholic bookstore, someone told Mark that he had painted an iconic image used in the church by Catholic mystics depicting the love of God with Jesus holding someone from behind.

In 1999, Mark and his wife Wendy, shipped The Praying Hands and other paintings up to Seattle for his first seminar on art and spirituality at the Seattle Vineyard, and an art show at the Mountain Vineyard. Their bank account was depleted, they were trusting God for their provision, and living by faith as an artist. Mark encouraged Christian artists in their creativity, speaking at both the seminar as well as at the church. At the end of their trip, Mark had sold 5 paintings, including the original Praying Hands, sold to a voice recognition technologist from Microsoft who has two of Mark's paintings in his home.

Since then, many have bought prints of The Praying Hands, including Beni Johnson, who hung a small print in the prayer house at Bethel Church. Many people have been touched by the power of the Holy Spirit working through Mark's inspired image.