A Summer of Outreach, Video Projects, and Making New Connections

Thank you all for your prayers this summer!

I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to several amazing places and I’d love to share what I learned!

First, a couple project updates:

Beyond the Wall

I finished the first edit on my short pro-life docudrama Beyond the Wall, and in the month of September I’ll be doing a couple of final shoots and then getting it ready for the release. This has been a super exciting project to work on and huge opportunity for growth. I’ve had to learn a lot about the producing side of filmmaking as I’ve coordinated actors, shooting days, costumes, equipment, locations, and scenes. Thankfully I had the help of my friend Caiti who helped me as a production assistant, my family, and a bunch of amazing volunteers in the cast. It’s given me the chance to encounter and learn how to adapt to challenges I’ve never faced before, like 15 hr shooting days, lost footage, intense and complicated planning, difficulties with actors, and directing a lot of people on set. It can get stressful at times, but I’ve been leaning on the Lord to get me through and enjoying the excitement of everything!

It’s been eye-opening to work with Camille at True Choice Clinics and see the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light clash over the problem of abortion in the lives of real people. I would love continued prayers that the project is able to impact people’s faith and that we’re able to give it the best quality that we can!

The Decisions Project

Secondly, the Decisions project is still in the works! My goal is to interview mature Christians to hear their thoughts on how to make good life decisions that are pleasing to God. I was able to interview some more people, and I’m planning on releasing some of those interviews on my website soon. It is sooo exciting to hear each person’s perspective as I interview them.

So far, I’m learning that making godly decisions means developing a Christlike perspective and outlook on life through spending time with God and getting to know his heart. It is cool to see that thread run through every interview. I’m also studying the Bible passages that have something to say about decision making, and I’m going to post some of my research on my website soon. Please pray that God would give me wisdom for the overall structure of the documentary and how I should present it. This is turning into a larger project and so I don’t have a solid idea when it will be finished yet.

Operation Impact

In June I road tripped to Oklahoma to go to a program that trains young adults to hold outreach events for kids. For three weeks we were taught how to share the gospel with kids in interesting and attention-grabbing ways and then we went out to local areas and held Bible clubs. It felt super refreshing to be around passionate believers with a heart for ministry, and I was super blessed to reunite with some old friends and make some new ones!

In addition to participating in the program, I also helped with the videography and got to work with my friend Bethany and teach her more about camera work. Around this time God showed me a few areas of my life I needed to work on, one of which was just spending time with Him. When we don’t do that, it’s so easy to get more worldly or to lose the desire to help others.  Since I’ve been back, I’ve been a lot more focused on my relationship with Jesus and trying to bring together my community in California to build each other up!

Camp Julian Oaks

After returning from Oklahoma, I volunteered as a camp counselor at a small camp in Southern California that works with foster kids. The love of Jesus is tangible in the air there, and camp is such a unique and fun way to minister to the kids. I was grateful to renew some of my old connections with former campers and staff, and God answered my prayer to be able to share the complete gospel with one of my campers! 

Christian Worldview Film Festival

At the beginning of August I flew to Georgia to attend a Christian film festival and guild that brings in filmmakers from all over! It was held at the Kendrick brother’s church, and they also spoke in the sessions. The environment there is so amazing because it is very clearly focused on Christ. Most of the main sessions are geared toward ministering to the heart of the filmmakers and empowering them to grow through humility, a dependence on God, and a kind attitude towards their crew and cast. I met some pretty cool people, including a couple that does missionary films, which I am interested in as well. I also reunited with some old friends. All in all, it was a very uplifting experience and I’m looking forward to going next year!

Coming up…

Currently, I’m focusing on finishing Beyond the Wall and tying up some loose ends with other work, and I’m trying to decide what the next steps are for me for the rest of this year. I have the option of seeking more business from ministries and Christian organizations like I have been doing, taking on some more commercial work to supplement it, or going full time into missionary video work, where I would be supported by partners rather than receiving payment from the organizations themselves. I would especially love to get involved in some overseas work soon. I’d appreciate prayer for making that decision, that God would bring me the work He wants me to do, and for the energy and enthusiasm to seek it out!

If you want more life updates and project updates, be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram where I post more regularly than these emails. @witnessstudios @brennenfaelin