Here is a little rundown of what I told them to start:
- I told them about the origins of Breakwater, and how we wanted to team up with our different abilities to start this media production company with a Christian focus, but how I've been wrestling with our purpose...as in, for me, I don't want to make a living off of giving people who are already Christians a cooler way to experience church. While I don't know alot about what all this means, I know two things: 1) that God has given me a passion for film, and 2) that as a Christian the only purpose I have is to spread the gospel. So naturally I want to combine those to realize the goals and dreams God has given to me in the last few months.
- I told them about the combination of things that has led me to this point: going to Africa, reading C.S. Lewis, going to church here, the Leadership Summit that was at Bradfordville, and our own idea for our company. And then I mentioned the idea I've been working through that has evolved out of that, for the organization that would do documentaries about international situations and campaign here to go back and help them start their own remedial organization to begin solving some preventable problems. But also, I know how hard that would be, and how much I would need to learn.
- However, I also talked about how I feel that God has put this on my heart, a concern for the people overseas that we don't have to think about. But also, he's put on my heart a concern for the inner city African-American community in the states, as well as, for some reason, a concern for celebrities. It would be cool to take a celebrity on a trip with us, to have an effect on them while also helping people, because they have so much influence.
- Although it would be so much, and all of it would be difficult, I feel like God has called me to pursue them, and not to limit myself. And I feel like it makes sense that way: having so many obstacles in our way shouldn't prevent us from moving forward; that should motivate us to move forward. Because then, we will have no choice but to trust in God's provision and not in ourselves, like we would in a "comfortable" setting. And I know that's something I have got to work on, putting my trust in God. (I think all three of us do). But I want to find a balance between trusting in God and being smart about it, you know, doing my part.
- So from there, I asked for advice on how to access resources, since I'm willing to do that, and in essence, how to approach this from the beginning. Because I am (and really, we are) at a place where there isn't much tying me (us) down, relative to say, someone in their 40s with a wife and three kids, saving up for their college funds and for IRAs. While I want to have a wife and kids, and I want my kids to be educated, I think that God will provide what we need in His timing, if we leap out in faith. We need to stop behaving as if there is nothing after life on earth. So I dont' want to waste the time of my life where I can most easily resist the temptation to "be realistic."
So, to summarize, here was their response to me:
- Platt said, "First of all, 'YES' to everything. Definitely yes." And he encouraged us to think without limits. Which was encouraging. He was excited to hear that I've been wrestling with these things, and wanted me to really feel affirmed in what God has put on my heart. So hopefully I can do the same for you guys...definitely know that if God has called us to something, and I believe that something to be much greater than we are imagining, then we have to be faithful, whatever that means. Only then will we truly trust in Him, and only then will we really get to be a part of what He's doing. Sounds better than 9 to 5 in a cubicle, even if it's making $200,000 a year.
- Then he encouraged me to keep talking with people, to call up or email people who are doing what I want to do, or who share the same passions that we have, and find a way to learn from them. He said that's how he got to where he is now, because God showed him a person to learn from when he was getting into seminary, and that relationship is the reason why he's where he is.
- Jim Foxworthy ("Fox") is a really intelligent guy, who knows a lot about business and global ministry, and he mentioned a few organizations to talk with and try to network with and learn from, even piggyback off of if we have to, as an extension: obviously, the International Mission Board, then Samaritan's Purse, Compassion International, and others. Also, in terms of funding, there are a lot of foundations out there we might want to try to search for, like the Eli Lilly Foundation, who give away money every year for humanitarian projects. Also federal grants would be a good road to go down (also mentioned in a previous post). Fox and Platt were saying that there is a lot of money that goes untapped every year, so we need to do a lot of research on that (by "we," right now, I mean "I" so take a deep breath).
- But the thing I needed to hear the most, I feel, is that at each stage, we need to focus on what we can do at that point. Right now, I need to research because that's something I can do right now. And through doing what we know we can do at that point, we will be staying active, while also God will be opening up opportunities and ideas that we hadn't seen coming at all, through the people we meet and the conversations we have. So like I told both of you guys before, please be talking with people, even if it's just your friends, about what we want to do. And even if we just start with a website that has 10 videos for sale on it, we can have that going on while we continue building and growing and learning, until God shows us the next door. But the hard thing is keeping the same passion and excitement we have now for 10 or 20 years. So they challenged me to guard that passion, and to guard my heart. So, just pretend you were in there with me. Stay strong with that passion that we have. Don't get too distracted, and I'll try to do the same.
Again, they both sounded really excited about this, and they want me to keep them updated on what and how we're doing. Man, it was a jumpstart for me. I needed it big time, because I've been really discouraged about my job situation here, and not knowing how I'm going to be able to accomplish any of this. But I know what I can do now, and I am going to do it. Be thinking about what you can do now, and then, just do it. I'll challenge all of us. Taylor, if it's just creating a basic logo, then let's get it done. Luke, if it's just a matter of accepting that it's time to get uncomfortable, haha OK that's what needs to happen. Let's all give God more credit than we have before. I think that He has been behind this thing from the beginning...no, I know He has. So He's going to do some awesome stuff. But let's keep the ball rolling, and keep each other updated.
Let me know what you're thinking, dudes. It's gonna be good.
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