This month has been a huge month for our ministry. Thank you for being in our team and providing insights, wisdom and counsel to everything we are doing by using the visual language to help others. From the time we began as a non-profit we knew destiny would surround our mission. We especially recognize pastor John Dickey and his church in Stillwater for sending us into the film community to use our art to move mountains.
CALEB'S HOPE We began shooting the film CALEB'S HOPE. Overall, we have begun the journey with nine donors. When you give, this is a wonderful way to express your commitment to not only participate with your finances, but with your prayers and support to projects. Since our inception, we have not solicited except to help others in the visual language mission we are called to carry out. However, in these last days, CALEB'S HOPE has inspired us to change this position for one purpose, our heart is to take the monies you share with VERITAS MISSION FILMS and bring about this amazing film. Stories like this seventeen year can truly change the world. Caleb needs your prayers every single day. He is walking, but it is still very shaky. He is talking, but it is still not as clear as he dreams. He wants to run and we must pray because he will run. Finding his center of balance is so very difficult but he believes God allowed this to happen for a purpose. He told us, "I would not change or go back to the way I was before because now the Lord has given a platform where I can share Jesus". We want to thank the ten people who have sacrificed by giving. It is because of your faithfulness, movies are made that matter. Yes, we need a lot more than ten, but we know God's timing is perfect. BEATRICE WILLIAMSON PROJECT Many of you know how Africa changed our lives when we began working overseas in 2014. Even to this year we saw Randy Hartley and Darla, his wife working with William Mwizerwa to share their story with the world in a feature film. Now, we have a second story that is powerful and we engaged with Beatrice Williamson a couple months ago to begin the journey of sharing her story with the world. We are honored to come alongside her in this mission to the nation of Kenya. I especially want to thank Richard Hogue and Larry Jones for their counsel in helping us impact others, feed children in villages not only in Africa but around the world and provide creative ideas for sustainability. PRAYER AND SUPPORT We cannot move forward without prayer and support. Thank you again for being a part of who we are and for being such a faithful team to support us with your loyalty. How are you doing and how are you following God today? Did you know we remember you in prayer each week and we gather to pray for you, for your family, for your health and more. If we can intercede for you, plese let us know and we are happy to do so. Serving God Together, Dr. Kevin McAee
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This has been a month of miracles. Allow us to share from our non-profit ministry the blessings of having a sending church who believes in miracles, the blessing of a community who prays for them and how one life can change the lives of so many. There is only one thing to say, but God.
Pastor John Dickey of Hillcrest Baptist Church, is from our sending church in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He contacted us to discuss a story he has been praying about since December 19, 2017 after a tragic accident where a car and eighteen wheeler collided in Norman. John's daughter, Morgan became close friends with a young man her age named Caleb Freeman at Super Summer, which is a church camp held annually in Oklahoma. However, Morgan's dear friend was in a terrible traffic accident that December night and the event changed the trajectory of his life and his entire family. In fact, after the accident, they gave Caleb less than a 5% chance to live that fateful evening. He had suffered a brain stem injury and needed a series of healing miracles, multiple surgeries and more. The best news in the middle of this tragedy is simply put; the Freeman family believed in miracles. They began a movement called #butGod and asked people to for their son in a Pray4Caleb movement and the family launched a concert of prayer globally. People from everywhere came out of the woodwork and began praying for a miracle for Caleb and the prayers continued. A few months ago, we were called by John Dickey and his family to pray. They were at rehab in Nebraska with Caleb Freeman and his parents. They had all together and watched the film Larry Jones had encouraged us to share of the miracle in my life after my stroke that inspired their entire family. What an honor to pray for people who need a miracle, so we did. At the end of the prayer, I simply shared that in the next 100 days the Lord was going to begin doing a miracle through Caleb's life. What is even more miraculous, was when John called us to ask if we would pray again two weeks ago. He shared the Lord had put it on his heart about making a movie about the story of the Freeman family. Without Jeremy and Emily involved, we did not feel right moving forward. However, we began to pray. We were honored to pray about this monumental miracle story, but never dreamed we would be making a film about them. Never has VMFA been involved in the "life" of a young man like Caleb Freeman. Then, after speaking to Jeremy and John over the phone, it was obvious the Lord was in this move and #butGod and VMFA were joining forces. As a ministry who has been here since 2014 we believe our sending church at Hillcrest Baptist Church has been preparing for this movement since they commissioned us to use the visual language of film. Now, we have a new BUT GOD DONATION opportunity on our VMFA page where you can be involved directly in the life of helping us tell the story of the Freeman Family in making Pray4Caleb a miracle story reality. This is truly the impossible dream, but all things are possible with Christ, and we believe this is the next step in moving forward. Please pray about being a part of supporting this film. Every penny you donate will go toward the production of the movie and we believe will honor the Lord. Thank you for your prayer support and now for supporting Caleb in this amazing journey. May God bless you, Dr. Kevin McAfee #butGod PS Be watching for a new website coming your way soon! This past month was amazing because the people we met had stories of lives which transformed us. A woman who had grown up in Kisumu, Africa had nothing. She was living in an apartment in the nineties for seven dollars a month and was paying too much. Her childhood had been filled with difficult times and the people in her village had experienced great hardship.
When she shared her story, I called Larry Jones formerly from FEED THE CHILDREN as the past founder to truly understand the pain of what she had endured in Africa. It was important for me to understand the culture of her tribe and to see deeper into the social and economic problems facing this part of the world. The more I learned from this great leader about Africa, the more I began to realize how blessed we are to live in America. A few years ago, I had the great honor to volunteer my time for a film project through VERITAS MISSION FILM ASSOCIATION. This doesn't happen very often, but I was being paid do a large film and met a man whose life had been changed by Africa, Randy Hartley. He was a financial advisor and carried so many amazing stories about his beautiful daughter Andrea. Randy told me the story of how his family had adopted Umahosa in Rwanda when she was young and this beautiful girl had a father in prison due to the genocide between the Tutsi and Hutu tribe there. Together, we went to Africa to help tell the story and we made a movie entitled, THROUGH THE VALLEY about the entire story. The Lord blessed this effort and for the first time, I saw Africa and it changed me. There was a time in my life when I was younger, I would grow up in prejudice because making fun of people and comedy was a way I could mask not dealing with problems. However, this change in my life came face to face when I saw first hand, the graves of tens of thousands in Rwanda. 800,000 people will be killed in 100 days. Can you imagine? It's impossible to describe to you how I feel about this continent, the beautiful people there and my heart toward this nation right now. After coaching 22 years with Bob Hoffman from the Mercer Bears, I have been in many huddles where the eyes and ears of many races have looked deep into my face and listened carefully. Now I ask myself, was I listening to them? Did I take time to learn their stories, to understand their past, present and future pain? May I challenge you to do something different in your life? This Sunday, invite a family of another race to your home for lunch or dinner. Find an Asian, Chinese, Vietnamese, African, Sudanese, Norwegian, Scottish, Native American, Hispanic or any other race other than yours to come have a meal with your family? Martin Luther King said the most racist day of the week is on Sunday, during church. We must stop this kind of backward thinking. Let us change the way we do everything and bring Christmas, our holidays and our family gatherings into the "family of man" get togethers. Don't think the same way about people, but truly embrace the family of man as God always intended. Get your hands dirty and get involved with missions and don't look back on helping others. Give everything you have to bring the good news of the Gospel to those in need. This will make you uncomfotable and you will not feel "normal", but make this your new norm and stop the prejudice today. We were so blessed to attend a worship service led by Michael W. Smith and CeCe Winans at the Bridgestone Arena this week in our home town of Nashville, Tennesssee. Prayers from the Hispanic Culture, the Chinese Culture, the Native American Culture and African Culture resounded with those who were present from every tribe and we learned to love God and worship TOGETHER. Please we need more events like this. Africa thank you for changing me, my life and everything I believe in about you. Forgive me for not doing more and keep bringing stories we can help tell for non profits, for profits, for individuals and for every tribe so that the whole world will know the truth. The family of man has a story to tell and I sure hope we can tell as many stories as possible for many years to come. God bless you, Dr. Kevin McAfee ADVOCATE - FAMILY OF MAN Recently I heard my Creative Worship Pastor Drew Powell from Cross Point share a message of how we interact when we go through pain. This is perhaps one of the most sensitive kinds of communication. None of us want to talk about or even address a past pain or tear. This came across my heart like an ointment, touching my very soul.
What pain has taken place in your life, that you have never wanted to address? How have you worked through the darkest moments of your life and what are you proactively doing to illuminate the caverns in your soul? Isn't it always easier to simply not think about your past problems. Remember in the Lion King, the joke about "It's all in your past after he was struck in the head". We laugh, but underneath smiles there can be so many challenge areas of your life and like a physical wound, they need healing too. My children are having trouble bearing children and the while there is an outward sign of acceptance, the feelings of hurt, depression and even resentment can easily overtake them. We, like many other have been praying for them to conceive a child, but nothing has happened so far. A pain is building. I am so very proud of my son who is written about this openly accepting whatever the future is and learning to be thankful. However, like all pains whether small, big or even buried, they can surface at the worst times. In God's word when Job had difficulties, the Lord stepped out of the whirlwind and simply made a powerful group of statements and asked, "I have some questions for you to answer." There are times in our lives when God himself places us in the middle of a storm and He does this to allow us to see life through another lens. "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth and called the morning into existence?" Drew pointed out that God said, "Brace yourself like a man" to Job. Even God knews there are storms when you will have to brace yourself for huge conflicts. J. Franklin recently talked about how God has placed all the disciples in the boat knowing full well the storm was coming. He knew they needed to see life from the unsafe waters, not from the safe shores. Did you really understand what this means, is my question to all of us... Whatever your pain, God sees you. He knows the pain you have endured in your life and understands more than you know or realize. His Son went through amazing pain, for us. He knew you before, during and what you will do in the future and His plan is from a different perspective. I recently bought a red shirt that said Perspective on the front but it was graphically communicated backwards, so it only reads proper when looking in a mirror. There have been many times in my life where the pain became so unbearable, I didn't know if I would live. In my childhood, I experienced some horrible crimes against me. Only a handfull of people know because it is painful to openly discuss and I don't want to hurt anyone. Things upon which I have never shared publicly but I know might wound some people are better left secret, Through a great deal of counseling I learned that God was with me, even when I became a victim in the worst storm a child might ever have to endure. Later in life, the residual issues of insecurity which were torments to my heart continued and manifested themselves. Like a domino, my fears which were buried began to resurface and after an unexpected flashback, I realized why I had issues all of my life in an area. Through failure in a marriage because of built up fear, anger and resentment, I lost who I was and why I was born. There were many reasons I had been placed in the storms and they were to make me more like God. It has even made me mad at God for allowing things to happen to me personally. What if I just chose to blame God the rest of my life? Some people do this to others even now. Even when people didn't understand or they wrongfully judge, we know this is not right. Feelings are still present during pain and we must be able to see through a different lens, a God lens. Through pain, I was able to have more compassion. When my own children felt I was abandoning them, the trials were only beginning. Then, when I felt my own children were abandoning me, it was the natural discourse created by the enemy. Neither was true, because we can never abandon our children if we love them. As an older man, I have come to know that God loves me just as if I were a newborn child. He will keep putting me through storms, because He wants me to be more like Him and I am still under construction. Through spiritual counseling, I have become more endeared to wise counsel, more desirous to know God's word and more real about others and their pain too. The pain I have had in my past I am still dealing with, but I approach the solutions differently. This does not mean I am cured, but still "in process". Learning to have grace, to be filled with compassion, to surrender my heart over to His love on a daily basis causes me to love Jesus more. Sometimes it is really hard tho. This helps me love others who are not like me and to reduce any judgement on anyone as I don't know the pain they have gone through, or what they are facing now. I do know they need love and prayer. Don't worry about how others feel or what they think of you. If you have a pain, then find someone who will sit down and talk with you about it this, as a friend, a comrade and will not be filled with judgement. Professional counselors who have an understanding of the Lord are rare, so scrutinize. We support HIS TRUTH TRANSFORMS because we know their heart. Confess those things in your heart where trials or temptations have conquered your spirit for a time. No problem is too big or too great for God. Pray more and remember when you do, you are not just speaking words to the air, but instead you are communicating with the creator of the universe. Keep believing, even when others decide for one reason or another, they don't believe in you anymore. I am thankful for a pastor who will speak truth like Drew did this past Sunday. I am also thankful to Craig Groeschel for asking us to pray for his daughter Mandy because of her pain. Honesty means, "Accurately reporting the facts to those you love, even when it hurts", and we must all be respectful of each other. It takes bravery to overcome every pain and situtuation we are facing. It's not easy to ask for prayer, but sometimes pain leads us to this. This morning I am praying for you. For every person who reads this, just know you were prayed for this morning because I love you. I believe you carry within you the pearls of the universe. These jewels were placed around your neck because you have suffered and the BIble says, "There is a crown of righteousness waiting for you" because of your faithfulness. If you have messed up, you have made mistakes, you have done things you are ashamed, we serve a God of second chance and He has a new doorway for you. Don't allow stinking thinking to destroy you when you think of yourself and allow it to crush your spiirt. Unfortunately, we have a young friend addicted to heroine and she has to face some serious choices soon. These will be of life and death and her pain right now is very great, So, we join together as a community and pray for her, because we believe healing can take place, through every pain. Yes, even the impossible and supernatural can turn the chartered boat of your life into a new nautical direction filled with hope. The Hoskins family believed strongly the importance in sharing the BOOK OF HOPE to people around the world. They sacrificed and gave everything to make this mission possible. Decades later, there are nations who have been given a book of hope, because of their belief in providing hope through every pain. We celebrate this ministry in helping people overcome. Sometimes, you will have to play through the pain and in this, we are remembering you, even today. Always, Dr. Kevin McAfee This week I received a phone call from our church sending pastor in Stillwater John Dickey, the senior pastor of Hillcrest Baptist Church. He and his family had traveled to be with Caleb Freeman and his family in Omaha where a dear friend of their family has been undergoing treatment for an accident that took place in Norman this past December. Caleb was almost killed and suffered major brain injuries and his brother lived through the crash. In fact, they both miraculously survived, but were changed forever.
Caleb has been praying about an ability to walk unassisted because of what happened to his body in the crash. The young 17 year old from Newcastle, Oklahoma was a runner, so you can imagine how difficult it is to rehab through a massive neurological injury like this. Speech, motor skills and walking were all compromised. John called me on Friday night and had placed me on speaker phone with those gathered. In the room was Caleb, his family and the Dickey family as Caleb and John's daughter have been long time friends. John said, "Kevin the Freeman family has just watched your miracle healing video and we all talked about how good it would be to just call and ask if you would say a prayer for Caleb and his healing". Humbled at the request, the only thing I could truly even think about praying was was just how amazing God had been in my life when he healed me miraculously from the brain injury in my life. I had suffered a massive stroke and the splash of microfarctions in my brain in January 2015. If it were not for Larry Jones from Feed the Children and pastor Dickey asking for a video of my testimony, there would never have been anything created. However, this same video was shown over the Easter holiday in pastor Dickey's own church and when I shared at Village Baptist Church that same year. Our families just gathered around the phone and we began to thank the Lord for the blessings and for all He had done to take care of us during times of trials, of difficulties and hardships. Tears could not stop our hearts as we simply just petitioned God for His healing on Caleb's life and return the skills which had been temporarily lost. Those were very precious moments hearing from Caleb and talking to him about his love for God. He ended up ministering to us far more than we could have ever shared with him, but one thing for sure. God is a God of miracles and I believe with all my heart Caleb is going to be healed. In the next 100 days we are praying for a host of miracles in Caleb's life and would very much appreciate your prayers for him at this time. Would you please join us in this PRAYING FOR CALEB vigil? One of the greatest blessings in Veritas Mission Films is the opportunity to pray for those who have gone through and are going through difficult times. So many times, it would be easy to "give up" or throw in the towel when the mountains are so high, but the Bible says, "With God, all things are possible". Do you believe this, or is it just a statement we have heard before? Miracles really do happen and I am convinced faith is not some religious habit, but something so much more. Caleb believes this and he would be ministering to you right now, for even reading this blog today. I saw on FB he has walked over 700 steps in the last couple days and he is rising above all the nay sayers and going beyond what the doctors believed possible. Now, to me, this sounds very familiar and makes me very happy. A dear friend of ours, Dr. Mark Hartman who is now in Houston, Texas prayed for my father when they said he would not live one more day. My father lived and Mark's belief in his healing changed the way I saw healing for the first time. If you or a family member is going through affliction, sickness or wanting to give up, please communicate with us and let us pray on your behalf. It's ok if you are tired of praying, allow us to intercede for you and we believe God will do great and mighty things in your life, if you will believe with us. I have a close friend named James who has cancer. Would you pray for me this summer in the month of July that God would do a miracle in his life? He is supposed to have surgery on July 19 so this is the day we need many praying. Please ask the Lord to heal his body and let's believe together he will not have to do chemo or radiation treatment. This is a cancer of the kidney and I know God is going to deliver him from this and believe this will all my heart. Denise is a long time supporter of the V300 from Michigan and she is having enormous back issues and is fearful for what is going to take place in her own health. Her husband is having difficulties in his health crisis and their family needs a touch of God's healing power, so pray for Denise ok? She is an amazing blessing to this ministry and to our entire V Staff. Jordan is in rehab from drug addiction and he needs your prayers too. Since having a hernia surgery, he got stuck on pain meds as a young man and has been going through enormous pain. His family would really appreciate your prayers and I believe this is the only way he will completely heal. New stories and screenplays are continue to pour into our film company and so your prayers are working. We praise the Lord for the opportunity to serve all authors and screenwriters like we are today. May the Lord continue to bless the authors who are continuing to create and desure to use the visual language of film to impact culture. Pray for the NRB, the CBA, the GMA and all the organizations who are continuing to make a difference in the kingdom of God. Please remember to pray for the faith based films which impact all of us and ask the Lord's protection and provision over these wonderful opportunities. Thank you V300 for praying. We are remembering to pray for you every month. We ask the Lord to station angels all around you and your family. Your prayers are making the difference in our lives and we are so thankful for you. In fact, you are often more of a family than you realize. Without your consistent prayers we would not be where we are today. All of our love is being sent your way, Dr. Kevin McAfee JIM GROMER many years ago while I served as the CEO of Every Tribe Entertainment, from the Hobby Lobby corporation was looking to meet and talk. He had pursued me because of a desire to use his film talents from the ABC and Starz Network in a much higher position, but time was not on our side.
Then, we were honored to meet in 2012 when he had been putting a screenplay together where he had spent decade of writing into the film, JESUS THE LAST SUPPER. Over 114 screenplays were submitted to us and of all of them written by wonderful writers and even WGA members. The sensitivity of Jim's writings touched my heart and while they were not perfect, it was the spirit behind the concepts which said, "Jim has a unique gift". Over the last few years, we have had the honor to get to know each other in a myriad of ways on the professional side of filmmaking. First, he invited me to come to Colorado and help him with his film. Then, I hired him to come to Oklahoma and work on the film set for SECRET KNOTS. We have been prayer supporters and financial supporters of Jim and Rachel during their ministry with Youth For Christ YFC and we have seen how God has done great things in many ways. Jim's wife Rachel and their oldest daughter and three boys live in the Denver area and they are the newest members of our GRP Film Team. Last month, Jim's company Cross Training Productions invited VMFA to the Big Island of Hawaii to create an exercise film series entitled, MY WHEREVER WORKOUT. This was especially designed for a number of people who are limited in range of motion, movement and have physical barriers. The workout video series is designed for you to work out by standing up, sitting in a chair or even laying down. Even senior adults can participate in this exciting workout series and the locations you will be exercising with our talent are Hawaiian amazing. Special thanks to those who worked countless hours, long nights and filled our calendars up from the time we hit the ground until the morning we left, shooting anywhere and everywhere on the island. Our team's made lava boat trips, accredited trips to the highly dangerous lava flow areas in Pahoa where over one hundred homes have been destroyed. Ministering to people whose lives were hurt the most, we began to pray about how we could help. Jim and Rachel asked us to find a way we could "contribute" tents, igloo water coolers and a television set from our film shoot. Working directly with the Big Island Hawaiian police department we were excited at their enthusiasm for helping the people whose lives have been devastated by the volcanoes. Upon being in Hawaii, we felt the sulphur in the air and yes, it was toxic at times to breathe through the VOG. I am so thankful for the brave civil servants who are tirelessly working in the Civil Defense to protect the community of this amazing paradise. Please remember Jim and I as we begin to work on screenplay development for our Co-Executive Producers and authors. Remember, if you have an interest in working with us, being a part of funding "history" in the making and taking a stand for family, faith and freedom, VMFA is thrilled to be in this active ministry promoting values. May the Lord bless us as we continue to impact the physical, emotional and spiritual sides of the family of man. Jim and Rachel, welcome aboard and let's continue to allow Him to open every door as we seek His miracle touch on everything we do. Thank you V300 Film Partners for being the prayer army you have become. Three of the motion pictures we have been working directly with have all created PRAYER PARTNERS for their movies! We believe this is a necessity in moving forward and want to encourage every ministry partner to ensure you have a "prayer covering" for every film project you work to achieve. Remember, we are praying for you!!! I love you, Kevin May 5, 2018
Dear Veritas 300, There are many media opportunities circling the media ministry at this time and this is happening because of the faithfulness of your prayers. We wanted to send a comprehensive list of prayer requests in our monthly update for May 2018. We have some exciting praise reports we want to share. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE Wow, what can we say about Kevin Downes and Cindy Bond's amazing film, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE. A special congrats to Bart Millard, the amazing band of Mercy Me, Jeff Mosely, Dennis Quaid and the wonderful cast behind this faith based successful movie. By setting another standard for BIOPIC music movies, we are so appreciative of all those churches who supported this movie. A sister "media missionary partner" in CITY ON A HILL and a special congrats to Marc Harper and our friends at LIONSGATE for making this Spring amazing with a faith based project with true impact. We are so thankful for this group of excellent filmmakers. SCREENPLAYS IN DEVELOPMENT - BY GRP FILMS There are many motion pictures in development currently focusing on new screenplays. Please be praying for these films and the opportunity to use the visual language of film to impact culture. Every movie deserves a well written screenplay, seed capital financing and venture funding for the films. Your prayers are making a difference and we want to share more about our FEATURE FILMS on the horizon. MORE THAN CHAMPIONS morethanchampions.net Jag Gholson, Sam Oni, Dr. Miller Bargeron, Scott Buzzell, Lynn McAfee and a group of filmmakers came together two years ago for the purpose of capturing this new feature film. A screenplay is being developed for this exciting film franchise that is focusing on SPORTS, FAITH and FREEDOM. Please begin to add MORE THAN CHAMPIONS to your prayer list as we begin to create a full length screenplay. Your prayers truly matter. JP KNIGHTS jpknightsthemovie.com Beth and Gary Lambert have joined our film team to create a teen supernatural thriller from her wonderful book, THE HARVESTER CHRONICLES. Set in Pennsylvania, the film team of GRP FILMS has been working with the city fathers, business leaders and community just two hours from Pittsburgh. The filmmakers are meeting with screen-writers and leaders with Forrest Fordham, the local assistant district attorney of Johnstown, PA. Keep watching for further updates in this exciting project. We welcome the thirty plus "prayer warriors" to our V300 team as we rally around prayer to connect in this exciting film project. Please pray for this film project. SAND IN TUSCANY Loretta Segars has written an amazing historical fiction set in WWII based on a love story juxtaposed inside the military theater of Italy. The GRP Film team met in Huntsville with the Segars family members to learn more about this story, based on Loretta's mother who was from Italy and her father who was stationed during Patton's amazing journey into this part of the world. Mussolini and the horrific ally regime woven in Hitler's nest were wreaking havoc in this part of the world, when this couple would dream of a life together. Please remember this family in your prayers. DOCUMENTARY FUNDING We have several ministries who are prayerfully seeking funding for feature documentaries. Ministries are often born from these amazing "true stories" and our team believes documentaries are often a perfect place to share stories of truth. ELLEN'S LIGHT, MORE THAN CHAMPIONS, SECRET KNOTS all have powerful stories to tell so please continue to remember these important projects in your prayer intercessions for funding. HEALTH PRAYER REQUESTS We have serious health issues of individuals we are asking for our entire V300 to remember in your intercessory petitions. First, Lynn, Connie, Tom, Rachel, Susie, Pam all have health issues and we would appreciate your prayers. Also, there are so many people we have lost in recent days. Don Nori Senior was an amazing man of God and we will miss him and his powerful words of faith. JIM GROMER PRAYER REQUEST Jim is a faithful GRP family member now and please remember his team as they travel to Kona this month in a new fitness based media program he is beginning. Jim is from ABC and the STARZ Network and has recently become one of the film team members for the DENVER BRONCHOS. Jim and Kevin have been working closely together and he is a valuable member of our VMFA team too. Thank you V300 for your prayers. Please pray for all the future teams gathering for TRUMPOCAPALYPSE, THE HILL THE MOVIE, the OMG leadership team in Colorado, CITY ON A HILL and so many groups who are trying to make a difference using the VISUAL LANGUAGE OF FILM and more. Love you all, Kevin It is always the greatest opportunity to share updates from VERITAS MISSION FILM ASSOCIATION when it comes to new projects. Many of you for a long time have been praying about our team, the people God has been bringing around us and there is one individual who has really been interceding on behalf of a large project, Jim Gromer.
JIM GROMER - FILMMAKER & CO-LABORER I have shared about Jim in the past, but I want to bring his name up before you all again because of his vast insights and talents. Jim began with the Stars Network and worked with ABC producing and creating many programs, spots, commercials and film production projects. He has always had a 'calling' on his life to do something very special. What is amazing about his story is our connection. From 2000 to 2006 I had the honor to be CEO of a company started by the Green family from Hobby Lobby. While there and producing films Jim attempted to reach out to me about a screenplay idea he had birthed. This screenplay concept began as an animation project with his in laws and he truly felt this was special, to tell the story of Jesus Christ. TELLING THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD Jim was unable to reach me until after LAST OUNCE OF COURAGE. In the meantime, he felt called to attend seminary and focus on Biblical accuracy. This was perhaps a challenging time for the patriot who served in Desert Storm and now was focusing on the Bible. Our ministry of the V300 began praying about this amazing man and his wife Rachel for their talents to be used by the Lord. We met last year to begin thinking about a way to bring the story to life. At the end of 2017 we gave the entire project to the Lord and said, "Not my will, but thy will be done". Through a series of intercessory prayer times, building a wonderful project relationship with the ministry of SECRET KNOTS he and I began seeing how the Lord could use new doors and re-open a project both held closely in our hearts. JESUS THE LAST SUPPER JESUS THE LAST SUPPER is now on the drawing board again and is a major focus in the narrative feature film side of what we are doing. The exciting film begins in a storm and transitions to the last meal Jesus had with his disciples and the unique relationships Jesus had with each one. Movies are all about relationships and this film promises to be Biblically accurate, but one of the most heartfelt stories where you hear the words of Jesus spoken, a lot! Jim is working with me on several projects, SECRET KNOTS, THE HARVESTER CHRONICLES and now a film we believe will be very exciting for the future. PRAYER REQUESTS We need your prayers. For anyone to put together a film about the story of Jesus, we were looking for what made this story the most unique and different. Through years of hard working by Jim and prayerful consideration by his wife Rachel and at the very sacrifice of their children, he is entrusting our team, our prayer warriors and our calling to the highest levels. Please pray for Jim and I as we work together, serving Christ in all we do. I am forever thankful for each one of you who have been praying for us. Please consider renewing your hearts toward prayer as we move forward in following His will for our lives. Jim lives in Denver, Colorado and is a brother in this journey of cinema with VMFA. I am asking you pray for the financial provision to make a film one of the most BIblically accurate, creative and awesome stories ever told to life. FACEBOOK PRAYER REQUESTS Your prayers matter. May God richly bless you and remember, on FACEBOOK we have a page dedicated to prayer requests. When Pam Campbell was diagnosed we came back on social media and have been praying and interceding more than ever. Please share with us on FB your prayer requests and allow us to pray for you and intercede for you! The greatest honor we have is to bring intercession to the forefront from amazing prayer warriors around the world all rallying around TRUTH! May the Lord bless you all, Kevin It was our greatest honor to direct and produce the movie THROUGH THE VALLEY. This was the powerful story of Randy Hartley and William Mwizerwa whose lives changed mine on so many levels with their family's story of tragedy and triumph. In 2014 when we had the joy to make this film, we never dreamed it would be award winning on so many levels. God used these families in my personal life to open the door to Africa.
We traveled to Rwanda to hear the real people telling the real story of their lives. This was such an amazing journey our lives woud never be the same. Much like the same spirit we had when creating the film BEYOND THE GATES OF SPLENDOR, we met the very woman who had William's family killed and watch William wash her feet with love. This kind of forgiveness goes beyond words. PUREFLIX has now turned our little film into a motion picture and it is entitled, BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN. I have not seen the picture but am writing this blog on March 1 in the morning before I travel to the National Religious Broadcasters to watch the movie at the one pm premiere today. Friends of ours this year have made many wonderful faith based pictures and this year at NRB they are featuring Cindy Bond's movie, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE and also Rich Peluso's film THE APOSTLE PAUL which are sure to be amazing and Mr. Gunn's new picture GOD'S NOT DEAD THREE. However, I want to encourage you to go watch the little movie BEAUTIFULLY BROKEN and see a story that is so powerful, your life will be changed too. Here is the bottom line. We all go through tragedy. We all can get hit with crisis when we least expect it and the worst often happens during these times. Therefore, it is how we handle these horrible situations, we must consider how God can help us through these times to move to the next level in our maturation. I am praying this little movie will reach a whole lot of people because the story is awesome. Mark McFerran, our dear friend who has left Lipscomb University is now working with PUREFLIX in the area of development and is working on funding for P&A for GODS NOT DEAD THREE. People are working behind the scenese like Mark to make these movies come alive. If you would like to invest, communicate with us and we can get you in touch with shis wonderful man. Bobby Downes told me the film is truly wonderful. He implored me to watch the movie and see how the entire film trilogy is going to be turned on it's head with this new picture. I believe faith based films are impacting the world for eternity in many respects. In 2002 when we released our film, BEYOND THE GATES OF SPLENDOR there was not another faith based film that year. Now, sixteen years later, a movement has taken place largely because of the success of Mel Gibson's THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. I am forever thankful to have been invited to be a part of this process with EVERY TRIBE ENTERTAINMENT. Yesterday I saw a dozen people who reminded me of our two films we made including END OF THE SPEAR and I just stopped to reflect on God's goodness. Tom Newman is now with TBN and so many great people worked with us to make this film amazing. Whenever you are used mightily by God, you always feel so very thankful for all the people behind the scenes who helped make films real. Even to be a part of a team is wonderful, but it is not about taking credit. I close with this story. Bobby Downes is the filmmaker who made LIKE DANDELION DUST a Karen Kingsbury film which I dearly loved. His brother Kevin Downed made WOODLAWN and is recently coming out with I CAN ONLY IMAGINE. Bobby shared with me about how he originally started with William Paul Young in THE SHACK as he was writing so much of what was happening, but Bobby never took any credit. People who do things and never take credit impress me. I am so very thankful for all these amazing people of God who are used mightily by God. May the Lord use our words and the meditations of our heart to create an impact for one reason, the cause of Jesus Christ. We give him ALL the glory so that through this, people will see His love and know His friendship will change their lives, forever. In Veritas, Coach KMAC It's important this morning for our world to stop and remember the Graham family in this historic departure of Dr. Billy Graham to heaven. However, there is something which requires our family personally to want to take a moment and write a personal thank you to his oldest daughter and send a letter of love to his oldest daughter, Gigi Graham.
There has not been a friend in my life who has stood beside my side and been closer to me through my trials. This morning, her father, Dr. Billy Graham went home to be with the Lord. Gigi, we love you and are praying for you, your family and those who are impacted from the loss of Daddy Bill. A nation and world is mourning as you are mourning as any child would be over the loss of their parent, but she is also understanding the celebration of her beloved mother with her father. Dr. Graham will be laid to rest in Charlotte and there are so many great moments we have shared in life. I could not be any more proud and excited for all that God did in Dr. Graham's life as every person of faith is. However, my heart goes out to Gigi right now. Thank you Gigi for sharing your father with the world, for sacrificing when he was gone so much and for being the kind of friend you have been to our family. You always allowed me "in" to your family and I am so very thankful for the beauty of an endeared friendship over so many. Do you know the honor you have been to include me in so many wonderful moments through out the years? The times we sat around the breakfast table at Piney Cove, or the joy we had with Ruth were all memories I will never forget and cherish forever. Thank you so much for the opportunity to have received the love you have shared with our family for as long as the decades we have been friend. I'm praying for you right now Gigi and I especially pray for your family during this time. You have been so very precious to us and I am so thankful for the calls, the meetings, the trips in the mountains and the joy we shared in this life and will in the future. I am praying for you today and am so remembering the grace we received when our mom went to heaven. Blessings and love. Kevin McAfee |
AuthorKevin McAfee is a filmmaker who writes for the purpose of inspiring others to make a difference in the world through faith in God and using the visual language of film. His blog shares the hopes of impacting culture, because his heart is in media missions and the church. Below Kevin is seen with Lynn McAfee and Corina Pataki. Below this is Christopher Atkins from BLUE LAGOON and Dr. McAfee. CategoriesZOOM SANTA |