The Path Through the Garden

In Acts chapter 22, we find the apostle Paul telling the amazing story of his conversion experience, when he encountered the living Christ. We find these words in that chapter:
6 Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.
7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'
8 So I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'
9 And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.
10 So I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.'

Paul was sharing the story of what God had done in his life - in the midst of oppression and threats against his life. He gave testimony to the life change that God can bring about in the life of the person who believes on Jesus.  If we have accepted Jesus and been born again, we also have a life story.  The old has become new, and we have been ushered into eternal and abundant life - and we are His witnesses; we can be bold to share what God has done in our lives. 

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Peter was intent on sharing what they had seen and heard as they walked with Jesus, and in 2nd Peter 1, he captured part of his experience, writing:
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts...

The name Butch Hartman may not be at the top of your mind, but he was the creator of what has been Nickolodeon's "most successful animated children’s series," according to The Christian Post.  Hartman has now shifted his attention to an animated series that presents Biblical truth, called, The Garden. In an interview with The Christian Post, he shared about some elements of his faith journey, saying:

I became a Christian in the year 2000, and I had already been in the Hollywood industry for about nine years at that point. When I met Jesus Christ, my whole heart changed, and I wanted to start making things for Him. I [had] just sold "The Fairly OddParents." It wasn't a Christian show, obviously; I couldn't make it a Christian show [on Nickelodeon], but I could inject maybe some Christian values into it — love and family and things like that. But all through the years, I really wanted to make something for the Christian audience. But I didn't really know how.

In 2005, I had this idea for a show and didn't really know what to do with it. Fast forward to 2015 and the Lord really impressed upon us to make this show. We made seven episodes of "The Garden"... and then we sat on them for a while and didn't do anything with them. I left Nickelodeon in 2018. And then, in 2021, we had the opportunity to pitch "The Garden" to a group of highly motivated investor people, and they really loved it and we ended up being able to get some support to make 40 episodes.

Six episodes have been released so far on several platforms.  The article described the premise of the show:

“The Garden” centers around the characters Lenny the lion and Lucy the lamb. Together they live in a garden where everything that's beautiful grows and they get to talk to God daily. God, whom they refer to as "the boss," comes down as a rainbow, talks to them and gives them an assignment or task, which they usually do not do well until they reflect on Scripture which teaches them how to best accomplish their goal. Bible verses are shared through song, which helps children memorize the verses.

Julieann Hartman, according to the article, likened the inclusion of music to the old series, "Schoolhouse Rock!" She notes, "kids are learning how to go to God and to talk to God themselves." She says, "...if we've got songs and dialogue that children are listening to, that can keep their mind stayed on Him, whether keeping a little song in their head during the horrible times that we are going through on a daily basis. That is something that will carry them through and will sustain them."

Butch relates:

There's a very intense marketing campaign that the enemy has put in place that tries to make God look bad every single day. But it's up to you, as a parent and as a grandparent, to teach your children that God has not left. It's the narrow path. The Bible says that there's the broad way that leads to destruction. And that's the path everybody goes down — that's the path to destruction. But it's the narrow way that will lead you to salvation. It's hard to find and it's a difficult path. You can find it if you look for it, even though the world tries to cover it up.

He says, "'The Garden' is a way to look for that narrow path."

That's an interesting phrase, because God made that path known to Adam and Eve in a particular Garden; unfortunately, they chose the broad road and sinned against God.  But, the good news is that Jesus has opened up a path to redemption, to salvation, by giving His life to us.  There is a way to eternal life through Jesus - who said He is the way, the truth, and the life. 

Butch Hartman has discovered that path - a way to abundant life, to a right relationship with God, and he has used skills and talent that God has given to Him to tell life-giving stories through animation. If we have believed in Christ, we can discover ways that we can use what He has entrusted to us for His glory.  We are called to tell His story - the story of what Jesus has done in redeeming fallen humanity and...the story of what He has done in our lives, our testimony.