Hi friends,
January has flown by and we wanted to put out a quick update on what has been going on with Deidox Films. It would be easy to start this update by proclaiming all the exciting things about our film projects, but honestly it feels better to first talk about the very real faith steps we are taking.
Several months ago I was praying that God would guide our steps and outcomes like He did with Paul in Acts 16:6-10:
Notice how Paul was kept from some places and instead prompted by the Holy Spirit to go somewhere different. He instead was led somewhere the Lord knew would be more beautiful for His plan. How does this apply to us in the modern world? Well, I asked that question too… So 6 months ago I prayed for God to lead and let us experience this on our journey. What happened? Well, God seems to have answered that prayer as it feels that’s the type of thing we’re experiencing. Pretty cool of God. I hope that someday soon I can share the details with you. But you’ll get a general sense from the updates below…
JANUARY UPDATE
Our ministry’s work in January can be summarized with three words:
- Prepare – We feel great anticipation for what is to come, but right now feel it is the time to prepare. There are several very significant projects that are in the works, but the road requires God to make the way. So, we are doing our best to take the next faithful faithful steps in preparation for these very large visions. Most days we feel on the very edge of our faith, in a good way.
- Partners – We have been taking many meetings with potential partners. We don’t want to do the upcoming work in a silo, we want to do it with the partners the Lord is also working through. You can pray for this as we are trying to discern who are the right partners so that when the time is right we can start sprinting in parallel, together. This month has been full of several very cool meetings where you can tell the Lord is doing something you’re just not exactly sure what it is yet.
- Patience – Finally, we are in a time of continued patience. There’s so much we would like to try to make happen if we could just make it happen, but we know that’s not the way God is leading. It feels that God is doing much outside of us – which is appropriate because that’s always been our mission to show what HE is doing. His stories, His glory. So, after preparing, and looking for partners, partnering, we are trusting that He is working in what we see and what we don’t see.
What’s interesting is that from our discussions with other ministries it would seem the above three are currently a very common thread amongst many streams in the Body of Christ. Many are feeling called to prepare, take the next simple steps, and wait for the Lord to move.
I would not be surprised if many of you reading this can also feel the anticipation in your own life.
PROJECT UPDATES
With all the above in mind, here are some quick updates on current main projects:
- Francis Chan Documentary – We are very busy these days working on our feature documentary with Francis Chan. The big thing happening is that next week we are sitting down with him for several days to do a “hero interview” for the film. It’s a multi-day process which has a significance for a documentary that can’t be overstated. For the interview next week we will be using the nicest camera I’ve ever filmed with and the nicest lens I’ve ever filmed with – a similar setup to what any major Hollywood movie uses – which is rather exciting.
There are still details that are being worked out, however. Our film is still operating on a shoestring. Without a big budget there’s a lot of heart and ministry benefit, and it also means we’re not yet sure about certain things like where we are filming or staying… but daily more the details seem to be working out and next week is when we have the multi-day window with Francis. We trust that the interview will work out if it’s supposed to work out!
- The Miraculous – Over the last month we actively started developing a project we are calling The Miraculous. It’s a series of short documentaries that we pray will help us all raise our expectations of who the Lord is and what is possible in the Lord.
We will share more details about this over the coming months. For now, here’s another passage from Paul has convicted us lately which relates to heart of this project:
“And when I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come as someone superior in speaking ability or wisdom, as I proclaimed to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I also was with you in weakness and fear, and in great trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in Demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on The Power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (Emphasis all mine)
- Unity Project update – Our documentary series on “unity” in the Church has been the project that has had the most stops and shifts. It has not been easy to find the right person to film the pilot with, but we trust in the end will be for the best.
This week we may have finally landed on the right people and place to film the pilot. I pray that if it is not of the Lord then He will shut it down, quick. But *if it is* of the Lord, may it continue forward and be blessed in the process and the outcome!
WRAPUP
And that folks is our January update. The “Hollywood” thing would have been to tell you only the great and try to emphasize momentum. But I feel the real story is more interesting. There is much to be excited about, many steps of faith being taken, and plenty of tangible work to do right in front of us.
If you feel led to support the work further, pray about it first! If God leads you to pray or connect us to a potential partners we’d love to hear it. If God leads you to financially support the work you can do that here. We can definitely use it. And, if He tells you not to do anything then that’s ok too. What comes next we give to God. Thank you for your partnership!
His stories, His glory!
Brent Gudgel
Founder, Deidox Films
