This article was originally published in the spring 2023 issue of The Vincentian, the quarterly newsletter of the Congregation of the Mission Western Province. It is the second part of a three-part story on the popular online prayer platform The God Minute.
When Fr. Ron Hoye, C.M., determined he needed a social media coordinator for The God Minute, Lauren Palm was wholly unaware that the online prayer platform and its popular app even existed.
In the summer of 2020, Lauren, who lives in Dayton, OH, had left her prior job in business development and account management for an insurance company to be a stay-at-home mom.
“My former boss was a listener to The God Minute, and when Fr. Ron posted the job, she said she thought of me immediately and shared it with me,” Lauren said. “The timing was uncanny—the Holy Spirit at work. I sent in my resume, interviewed, and got the job.”
Initially, she coordinated The God Minute’s presence on a variety of social media platforms, creating content, posting, and interacting with users on the website. It has since grown into planning and direction for the podcast, including management of the Marian Saturdays feature, which is based on Marian-specific prayer. Over time, the role for Lauren has brought additional unexpected blessings.
“The biggest has been the community of prayer I get to experience on social media,” she said. “They are so engaged with each other, and it’s great to see people lift each other up. When I share something, it always catches me off guard, the ways it comes back to me. There are a couple of them that I would consider good friends. It is a beautiful aspect of the community that Fr. Ron has built.”