I can tell you it has everything to do with the vision the Lord has given to me for Ebenezer Productions. While I have not been talking as much about it, I have been praying daily and talking to the Lord about it.
As many of you know, last fall our church began a study that was based on the book, The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson (who also, by the way, wrote In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day). What many might not remember is that before studying The Circle Maker, our class studied Ray Vander Laan's series, That the World May Know.
As each class concluded, Ray Vaner Laan would tell his class that we need Christians in every area of our culture to bring to the world the love of Jesus. Almost every concluding class time made mention of the entertainment industry.
And each time I heard it I felt the Lord calling me to trust him and be a contributor to the entertainment industry.
And each time I said, "But Lord what can I do?"
Think for a moment: Here's little me telling Almighty God, "I can't."
I don't know about you, but it sounds a little ludicrous to me.
Then we started studying Circle Maker, and the Lord opened my eyes to a vision I know is from him called Ebenezer Productions.
I didn't know what Ebenezer Productions would look like, except that I know it has to do with telling people, in story form, about the Love of Jesus. Over the course of my believing God for this vision, I have wondered if it would be a movie producing company, a publishing company, a school that would teach others to produce movies, a distribution company and many other thoughts. I knew God knows but in my humanity I have wondered many times what it looks like.
So now we come to the last few weeks.
Since John is my husband and best friend, his inclusion in this vision is implied, but now the Lord has expanded my vision to include Charyl Armstrong, and her husband Dennis. Without going into details, I am so thankful for these two and for the great plans the Lord has for us.
But in case you think my faith is always strong, I must tell you that within these last few weeks I've been going through some major struggles with feeling overwhelmed. What he has in mind for us is huge and I am right to feel overwhelmed, because without him I cannot hope to see this vision come to life.
These feelings of being overwhelmed happen when I forget who is really in charge.
I thank the Lord for his goodness, mercy and patience.
The other day I was almost beside myself with feeling overwhelmed. Suddenly a song, "Now We Are Free" came on Pandora.
After reading the translation, which you will find on this link, I realized the Lord was telling me that he will make sure I understand which direction he wants us to go. He was telling me that because I love him and seek to grow closer to him, I recognized this piece of music was in praise to him, even though I did not understand the words. It goes back to the promise he made to us through Isaiah, "Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, 'This is the way you should go,' whether to the right or to the left." Isaiah 30:21
What a great promise.
A little later, I heard the voice of the Lord remind me of the story of Moses and the Burning Bush calling. I realized that I was saying the same things Moses said, "I can't" and "Call someone else."
And then another beautiful thing happened.
May It Be came on Pandora. And the last lines jumped out and gave me strength, "The promise lives within you now."
God in his love for us is here for us. He loves us. When we seek him in all we do and completely lay ourselves at his feet, he does great and mighty things for us to glorify his name. This vision I have is a vision to help the world today see that Jesus' sacrifice is just as relevant for us as it was when the disciples realized their Savior was alive. Ebenezer Productions is a vision "that the world may know" God loves every human being and has provided a way through Jesus to walk with him right now.