Hi guys! Lots of exciting things going on around here. I’ll try to be sparing with the exclamation points. But first of all, check out our new video!!!!!! 🙂 This is our way of sharing our vision for the project and how we plan to use the film in ministry. DeVon Franklin was kind enough to make an appearance. This video is (finally) public so you’re welcome to post and share.
Also, I’d like to officially welcome Claudia Wells to the cast of YLIS! Claudia is best known for her role as Jennifer Parker in Back to the Future. She’ll be lending us her talents in the role of Santana, an eccentric homeless woman who inadvertently has a lot of wisdom to share with the other characters. Claudia is a dear friend from church and has an absolute heart of gold, and we’re beyond thrilled to have her on board!
I wish I had some way to share all the myriads of ways God has been working miracles for this project. It has been a HECK of a journey, taking terrifying leaps of faith and watching God show up and show out, time after time. A couple months ago I felt God put it on my heart to shoot the aforementioned video. I was praying for resources, and I felt God convict me to go ahead and get started and just trust that the funding would be there. I remember I was driving home and sort of mulling over how stressful this whole walk-by-faith thing can be… and God convicted me that he’s been faithful for the past 2 years, and it’s time to put away the anxiety and go to a deeper level of trust with him. Walking into the house I was praying, “Ok…… I’m not gonna worry about the money…. but this feels insane to me.” Checked my email, and had a completely unexpected $1000 donation that payed for the entire video.
The same thing happened again a couple weeks ago. It’s always been my goal to shoot a feature documentary that would accompany the movie, since a doc can capture the real-life stories of people grappling with these issues, and take a more didactic approach to sharing some of the principles of waiting, and how it can set you up for healthy relationships. God impressed me to go ahead and get started on this doc so we’d have all kinds of clips to share at the conference next year. The impression was so strong — but the task was so huge — that I took a whole morning just sort of mulling it over and praying about it, and asking God if he really wanted me to move forward. By 3pm I had another email with another substantial donation. Confirmation? I’m starting to write a proposal for the documentary.
These are just 2 stories but this type of thing is happening over and over, in big ways and small. This particular project has come with its own very unique set of challenges, but despite all the blood, sweat, and tears, right now I feel pretty lucky to get to witness God’s awesome faithfulness. A lot of times I wrestle with the feeling that I’m being presumptuous to move forward with such boldness. But I was recently reminded what God is concerned about finding in his people. Luke 18 says, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” It doesn’t say, “When he comes, will he find a lot of excessively presumptuous Christians?” ……Copy that. 😉
A lot of you have asked about the conference. We’re still laying the groundwork, but it’s looking to take place in LA in March. Stay tuned for more details.
We can’t get enough prayer…
Appreciate all your support so much.
Blessings,
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