This summer our family drove over 7,000 miles for vacation. We were able to drive home to Oregon and spend July with our parents, siblings and friends. We relaxed and had a perfect NW summer enjoying the mountains, flowing rivers and ocean beaches. As we began the trek back to Louisiana we were very expectant for breakthrough for our movie, Perfect Swing. Our first stop was in Redding, CA at Bethel. This is where our journey began. This is where our dream was resurrected. We were expectant for God to do something new, to finish the work he began two years ago this same month. We were encouraged by the believers there and continued south. We enjoyed our last day by the pool at my younger brother's home with his family near Pasadena, CA. Then we arose at 4 AM and headed east for two days across the desert. Several times I saw the warning sign, "Road May Flood". It was summer and dry and didn't worry me, but it did describe the expectancy I was feeling for my motion picture company, Highwater Entertainment. The flood I am expecting is a new encounter with God. A lyric from Bethel's, Spirit Move, says, "Let your power rush in like a flood." That's what it's going to take to impact an audience with our film, power. Not my power. I literally have no way to finish this film. I am no big shot producer. I am completely dependent on God to finish this work. We have been obedient to write the screenplay, complete the business plan, and build the team. He has provided for us by bringing me other production work, giving us our golf course location and speak to perfect strangers to provide a beautifully furnished home for us as we wait. Wait for what? Power.
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” - Luke 24:49
Just like the yellow warning sign says, it may or may not flood down the road ahead. But when the rain season is upon us we will be ready and I see the clouds billowing up into the heavens ahead and I can hear the thunder roll in downtown Shreveport as I write. Expect with us.
On May 31, 2015 we moved out of our house in Lacey, WA. This is a reflection of the last 12 months away from home. When I wrote Perfect Swing in 2012 I had no idea the cost of resurrecting a dream to direct feature films with Jesus. While pursuing this dream it has costs us everything, but our family. Our house, my videography equipment, our car, all our money and most of our possessions. When we hit the road May 31st we had two moving trucks, one for donations and the other for a small storage facility in Sherwood, OR.
Only what fit in our Tahoe came with us when we decided to fully embrace the adventure of independent feature filmmaking with Jesus.
We were traveling light and here's some highlights of our year...
In-N-Out in Redding, CA to visit friends...
Bethel Church, Redding, CA
Disneyland with family
Grand Canyon - Leilani
Grandma and Grandpa Bunfill in Mt Sterling, IL
Our first new home of our own since our move in Winona Lake, IN right on the canal for the next 6 weeks. - June 2015
Working on the movie New Life - Nouvelle Vie as a family!
Here's the Behind the Scenes I created! Coming to theaters October 2016!
Time to hit the trail again! Heading south to Texas!
Stopping to see more family including Grandma Jump along the way.
Last stop in Shreveport, LA before Texas to visit the Erickson cousins...or is it? - August 2015
We were invited to scout our first golf course in Shreveport, LA for Perfect Swing and God told us to look no further. "We have arrived!" - Favor - Handed the keys to this golf course to make our movie. - August 2015
Finally made it to Dallas, TX to work on another production as the Animatic Editor for Hillary's America
The girls enjoyed the Dallas Zoo while I worked at the production office. During this production our financing for Perfect Swing got delayed. "God where do you want us to live now? Dallas, Shreveport or back home in Oregon?" - October 2015
Within 24 hrs of that prayer, perfect strangers, and now dear friends, heard from the Lord and told us Jesus wanted us to live here until our movie was complete. The Erickson family helped us move in after living with them for 7 weeks! Downtown Shreveport - Beautiful, Furnished, Rent Free! - October 2015
This is the storefront "Thrive" right next to our new home!
Thanksgiving with the Bunfill family!
Christmas Eve with cousins.
April's folks celebrated Christmas with us!
My parents brought in the New Year!
Mardi Gras Parade right outside our front door!
Spring at the Asian Gardens across the street. During this time I am editing 14 television episodes for The National Bible Bee Game Show.
Celebrating Easter with new friends in our home.
Playing the land as a family that God promised to us to make Perfect Swing!
Updating the screenplay, playing and praying over our golf course and letting God do the rest. - May 2016
We have decided to commit another year in Shreveport! We are hitting the road for summer vacation at the end of June, getting refueled and refreshed back home in Oregon and we are praying and expecting financial breakthrough for Perfect Swing on the way back to Shreveport in August. Will pre-production begin when we return? Stay tuned! God's got this!
On Saturday I played a solo round on our location for Perfect Swing in Shreveport, LA. I played and prayed on the land that Jesus gave us. Before we arrived in August, God told the manager we were coming and opened up the doors before us. When our financing was delayed Jesus gave us a fully furnished home less then 10 minutes from the course. I have been working on other projects as a video editor to provide for my family as we wait for production to begin. Our family became members of the local church we have been attending as well as joining the country club. My girls are learning to play golf. I take them to the driving range 3 times a week to hit a bucket of balls. My wife and I are playing golf for the first time as a couple. As we possess this land, our inheritance, we feel the spiritual attack increase; discouragement, doubt, feelings of being insignificant, feelings of being a fool while we wait for the funds to be released. I continue to do the work set before me to provide for my family, play the course in faith to prepare me as a director, teach my children, love my wife, meet with young men to encourage them and let wiser men speak into my life. We are trying to partner with a prophetic word spoken to me during church from the stage in February, "The season of delay is over and stability beyond what you can imagine is coming from the Lord, continue to worship Him." This week I've experienced more delay in my video editing work, hence the time to blog and reflect today. Will you declare with us this season of delay over?! The stability of joyful expectation to rule in our home. Let all the resources we need to make this movie be attracted to us. The enemy knows we are here to destroy the works of the devil and lift up Jesus and reveal the truths of who Father God really is. The enemy may now know our intentions but how much more do I need to be reminded that my God is with me fighting for me, preparing the way. This is what I am learning and is also the main theme of Perfect Swing.
Deuteronomy 20The Message (MSG)
20 1-4 When you go to war against your enemy and see horses and chariots and soldiers far outnumbering you, do not recoil in fear of them; God, your God, who brought you up out of Egypt is with you. When the battle is about to begin, let the priest come forward and speak to the troops. He’ll say, “Attention, Israel. In a few minutes you’re going to do battle with your enemies. Don’t waver in resolve. Don’t fear. Don’t hesitate. Don’t panic. God, your God, is right there with you, fighting with you against your enemies, fighting to win.”
Production work has slowed this month. I am not making any money. Fortunately we did pretty well this summer. I have been working with actors and another screenplay writer on our script. I love collaboration and can see how God is already attracting amazing people to this project to make it even greater than I can imagine. I am trying not to put a timeline on production. We thought we would be shooting in the spring at this time last year. I wrestle with the thought, "Is there something more I need to do to receive breakthrough?" Do I not have because, I don't ask? Or ask with wrong intentions? Is there something new I need to learn? Do I need to read another book on launching a business, writing a screenplay, managing my time? Maybe there is another sermon I need to hear or a seminar I need to attend. I hunger for wisdom and I know I don't know it all. I am always looking for ways to grow but is what I don't know hindering this particular breakthrough? It took me "Writing" Perfect Swing, "Forming" the LLC with my partners, "Going" to a business conference to connect with our investor, "Moving" from our home, and "Working" on other movie productions this summer, to get to where I am today. Now that we have arrived in our filming location for Perfect Swing, Shreveport, LA, is there something more I need to do?
Remember how God told the golf manager the day before we met that our movie was going to be filmed here. And the Lord used an amazing family we just met to provide a home for us. So maybe since the Lord has told us to "Be Still" this month, perhaps that's exactly what he wants us to do.
When the Israelites left Egypt and Pharos' army pursued, Moses said:
"The Lord will fight for you, and you will not need to lift a finger!" Exodus 14:14 (TLB)
With a pillar of fire and a strong wind to split the sea the Lord did it all! We have great memories living in Olympia, WA for 12 years. We made some lifelong friends and our children lacked nothing. But we were mostly broke and in debt the whole time. It was our Egypt/Wilderness experience. But praise the Lord we are on the move on our conquest exploring new land! The Lord is fighting for us and honoring us as his son and daughters. I am learning how to "Be Still" in this new season by being thankful for all that I have and all that Jesus has already done. How can I honor my family and friends this Christmas season? How can I just be still and enjoy the presence of my children and my lovely wife. Perhaps I need to finish this year and receive my breakthrough for Perfect Swing by not even lifting a finger...
