Going Further

How many of us limit ourselves? How many of us say we can only do “this much”? How many of us put our capabilities in a box?

It’s an interesting process getting to know ourselves. We learn our strengths, our weaknesses, and we often find a content place to rest with how we’re wired up. Many of us set up our lives for comfort; setting a limit on what’s possible for us to experience in life. We look at the deep end and think, “Oh no, don’t need to swim that far. I’m good right here” But what if you’re not? Or more so, what if there’s more?

I’ve found on my faith journey with God that as I choose to move into each new season of life with Him, He always seems to call me to a deeper place of faith I didn’t think was possible before. This can be financially, personally, relationally, etc. There have been many points where I’ve looked at my strengths and weaknesses and thought, “I’m good with this” and disregarded that I could be capable of more.

Truth is, as human beings, we are limited. We can’t be great at everything. We have to embrace our unique nature and identities. But if we are really wanting to live a life of purpose, we have to be willing to remove the box of limitation we put on ourselves. We have to realize that God wants way more for us than we could ever imagine. This actually allows us to become more of who we actually are and see the glory of God through it all.

Complacency can be a dangerous thing. It can make us believe we’re just being grateful when we’re really just afraid of stepping outside of our comfort zone. We weren’t created so brilliantly and uniquely just to live complacent lives. We’re called to be grateful for who we are and what we have and to realize that God wants to continually give us more so that we can be lights in this world.

There are core things about my identity that won’t change, and I love that because that is who I really am. I also see how God has lead me to discover and do things I never thought I was capable of, but now know that they’re a part of who I really am. I want to continually go to new deeper places; I don’t want a box over my life.

You are capable of so much more than you could ever imagine. There are things hidden inside of you so wonderful, so brilliant, that God wants to bring out and show the world. Take the plunge, go further into the deep end and discover who you really are.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

Why I Love Black and White Movies

I’m embarrassed to say, but last night was the first time I ever watched the Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck classic, “Roman Holiday”. Needless to say, I loved the film and it’s easily one I could watch many times more.

But today’s blog post isn’t a review of this film. It’s from a thought I had while watching this film last night.

Fun fact: while this film was made when technicolor was widely used, due to budget constraints and not wanting the sights of the city of Rome to overpower the movie’s two stars, Roman Holiday was shot in black and white. So ironically, while this decision was seemed to be made from limitations, it led to something wonderful: the film itself feels so magical.

What could have so easily been captured in color is instead black and white, and instead of getting distracted by singular pieces of real-world locations or backdrops, everything sits together in one singular frame, perfectly painted together. This is what allows you to fall in love with these characters and this beautiful city.

“Hey Matt, you said this wasn’t going to be a review of Roman Holiday. What gives!?”

I know, I know. Don’t worry, I just needed to set the stage a bit. The point is, in a world of color, why make any movies in black and white? Black and white was a necessity of celluloid in the past, and we’ve long discovered color, which is how we actually see the world, so why would we watch something that has a lack of it? That seems to be a common question and train of thought. I think for many, they view anything black and white as a sign of something old and boring. Some even refuse to watch anything that is filmed in black and white.

Hear me out, I love color. I love color in films and photography and such. I love shooting and editing in color. As time has gone on though, I’ve slowly begun to discover the timeless quality of black and white. I’ve discovered its world free of the distractions of color and full of its vast contrast in lighting and texture; a place where the focus is completely on feel and story. Now let me be clear, just because a film is in black and white doesn’t mean it’s good. There are bad movies across the whole history of film, but when a film is wonderfully made and is captured in black and white, just as I was reminded of with Roman Holiday, there is a magic captured that I don’t quite find anywhere else.

I don’t know how to fully put it into terms, but I guess the magic I’m referring to is that of something like a dream, and maybe that’s what I love about it. Black and white, as texture and format in storytelling, is the most dreamlike you can achieve. It becomes a romanticized feeling of dreaming through images and stories, transporting you to another world that makes you feel as though the magic of the movies has never left.

“So what’s the point of all this?” you might ask. I guess, in a world where color has been the standard for so long, and black and white is still viewed as an archaic form of film, I’d ask that you’d reconsider this position. If you haven’t already, find a film that is shot in black and white and allow its dreamlike magic to enrapture you. See how it puts the full emphasis on feel and story, and you just might find that you actually love it.

Maybe, we don’t have to view black and white as an outdated form for movies. Maybe we can see it for what I believe it actually is: one of many paintbrushes for which we can STILL use to tell a story. And maybe, just maybe, we’d see more stories today told on its canvas.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

You Are Worthy

As I sit here today. wondering about what you write, it’s become very apparent to me that this week’s post shouldn’t be about me.

It’s about you.

“What about me?'“ you may ask. Well, that’s a good question. The answer to that seems to be this:

You are worthy.

In many ways, it seems almost everyone in life struggles at one point or another with feeling worthy; worthy of the good things in life. Some of you reading this today may be struggling with this. You may feel as though, for whatever reason it may be, you’re not worthy of good things in life. That you’re not worthy of love. That you’re not worthy of respect. That you’re not worthy of feeling fulfilled in your life. That you’re not worthy of true joy.

You feel this, thinking that these kinds of thoughts come from a grounded place of reality; viewing it as though it’s okay to not feel worthy, even though it ultimately makes you feel so low. These thoughts don’t come from a humble place. They come from the hurt places inside of us. The places that even go back to the early parts of our lives. It makes you believe it’s more realistic to feel unworthy than it is to expect the good things out of life.

These thoughts are lies. No matter the realities of hurt they were born out of, we’re not meant to operate under those thought patterns. You are worthy. You are worthy of love and joy. You are worthy of being celebrated and accepted. You are beautifully made with a story that is uniquely yours. There are so many wonderful things about you; too many to count. The world needs what you hold. There is love out there, waiting for you. You deserve to be loved, just the way you are.

So if you’re reading this today, struggling with unworthiness, hopefully, at the very least, this could serve as a spark to the truth that you are wonderful and are worthy of all the beauty of life. Don’t let those lies consume you’re thinking. Replace them with better thoughts; thoughts that speak to your brilliance.

When we beat ourselves up, we just put ourselves in a box. It’s time to get out of the box.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

The Magic of Movies

I love movies. I’ve told various stories on this page about this very love, and it’s transformational moments for me in my life thus far.

How can you not love everything within the frame?

Literally, as each second passes by, frames play out before your eyes, every single one filled with an entire world inside of it. Directors, actors, production designers, writers, etc. all come together and create something that never existed before. Of course, there are other visual art forms full of so much beauty, each with its own merits, but none can do what cinema does. Cinema is its own being: photographic, a realized written text full of drama and humanity, nurtured through performances, bombastically elevated through an orchestral wave of sound to deliver a vision, unlike anything we’ve seen before.

This is why when movies are at their best, not only am I transported into the frame, but all those senses of mine are taken over and spoken to. These stories and experiences can speak to all the corners of my humanity, whether through laughter, sadness, fear, or hope. Cinema is not limited in its power of what it can convey to the world.

Truly, the magic of movies is that ultimately, it is the place where every element of our dreams can be realized in a world that did not exist before. All these sparse parts somehow come together into the frame and magically come alive. It is more than just an experience or something nice to look at; it’s a glimpse into the eternal nature of creation.

This was the magic and wonder that captured me as a young kid. I knew I wanted nothing more than to be a part of this magic that only existed within the frame. It’s what keeps me going and keeps me falling in love over and over again with movies. It only deepens as time goes on.

So whether you’re a movie fanatic or a casual viewer, take a moment today to think about what movies you love and why. Think about the very nature of what draws you to them. There’s a profound nature and magic to the art form itself and it’s something that we’re all drawn to.

For me, all I know is that I will continue to tell stories in the frame, in hopes of showing the world that film itself, is only at the beginning of what is possible.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

Why I Continue To Write

This is a subject I’ve discussed before, but find myself compelled today to dive deeper into it. So, what’s on my mind?

I find it so striking and funny that I now live a life where I continue to write more and more.

Really, I do. I know I’ve been writing here on my blog more regularly, and even writing on some other projects and scripts, but I still find it so strange. Back in all my days of school, I was never a star student. In fact, I wasn’t a big fan of school. So especially when it came to any kind of writing, whether creative or informative essays, my work was never anything special in the eyes of academia. I never even viewed it as anything special. I was just trying to get my homework done.

In fact, I was never even a huge reader. Most of my free time was spent in movies and TV and video games, not on the page. This would change a bit in high school and more so afterward, but even as I discovered my love of reading, I still wouldn’t consider myself a huge reader. I actually am a slow reader, having to take my time, soaking the words in, visualizing everything in my head. So it’s not even as though I can read through a large number of books.

I guess what this all points to is that I never looked like the candidate for becoming a writer, at least, not from my viewpoint. But God has a funny way like that. As we each move forward in our journey, He begins to reveal things about ourselves that we never even realized were there. What’s funny is that during all those years of never being a great writer or reading a lot of books, what was I doing? Well, I was pretty imaginative. I spend much of my time getting lost in my mind, vividly imagining all kinds of stories and scenarios (which very much speaks to the filmmaker/storyteller in me). I was also deeply thoughtful, contemplating every detail and circumstance in life. I would pick everything apart, chewing on each detail and trying to look for meaning in everything.

So while I didn’t look like a writer from the world’s viewpoint, God was actually forming the tools necessary through the way I imagined and processed the world. Eventually, He would prompt me to start this blog and slowly begin working on writing screenplays and jotting thoughts down in journals. Now I’ve come to a place where I find myself writing more than I ever have. I’ve discovered my love for writing films and even books. I would never have guessed this is how the path would unfold, but I am so grateful.

Really, I continue to write because I can’t help but share my stories and thoughts for any and all to read. I write because I feel as though God has given me a lot to say and want to encourage all those who read this that there are so many wonderful things ahead for you in life. We often don’t feel qualified to do many things. We view ourselves as “not good enough” and veer away from certain endeavors. In many cases, there are things that aren’t great fits for us and it’s better to not dive in. Although, in those other cases, there are things that we are actually capable of that we never thought was possible.

So as I continue down this path of writing, I hope that you can find your surprising path; that thing you never realized you were capable of. As you find it and allow yourself to entertain the idea of actually doing it, I hope it will make you realize that you have so much more to offer the world than you could ever have dreamed of.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

Sweet Air Of Tomorrow

As I sit down to write this week’s post, I can’t help but think of the great Fleetwood Mac song, “Don’t Stop”. As the chorus goes:

“Don't stop thinking about tomorrow
Don't stop, it'll soon be here
It'll be, better than before
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone”

Every time I hear these words, I can’t help but think about the idea of hope and what tomorrow will bring. Whether our days are good or bad, the hope of tomorrow is vital to the journey we each walk. Recently, I was in my car, driving to go pick up dinner and I was having a bit of a hard time. My mind was getting filled with worry and discouragement, both about present circumstances and how everything was going to work out. As this worry was beginning to hit a fever pitch, I stopped and prayed, asking God to help turn my mind around. A few minutes later, as I was scrolling through radio stations, this song came on right at the start of the chorus. As I let those words wash over me, it hit:

I felt the sweet air of tomorrow…

That’s what it felt like, and I think that’s what it feels like for many of us on our difficult days. Bouts of worry and fear begin to fill our mind with lies and it begins to turn the air around us cold with despair. It begins to blind us from hope. But then, as soon as hope for the future enters, it’s like a warm air that breaks the cold and brings us relief.

Many talk about how foolish it is to let our minds live in the future, as it’s just silly daydreaming that distracts and never fully manifests. Of course, we have to live in the present, fully engaged in each day. But hope of the future is not silly daydreaming, it’s speaking into existence the desires of our hearts for the days to come. It can show us the beautiful things ahead on the road that keep us going on the hard days. It reminds us of what we’re moving towards.

So to those of you reading this who are having a tough day, or maybe you’re in a tough season, and you’ve begun to lose hope, just as Fleetwood Mac says, don’t stop thinking about tomorrow cause it’ll soon be here. You have amazing things ahead for you in life, both way ahead in the future and in the immediate. Allow the sweet air of tomorrow to enter your day and reinvigorate your sense of hope.

Hope of tomorrow brings the reason for our persistence today.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

Your Voice Matters

We live in such an amazing time with how technology’s evolved in the past 20 years. I can still remember a time BEFORE the internet, or even at least the beauty of DIAL UP. I also remember a time before cell phones and smart phones and social media, but here we are now in a completely new age.

This all comes to mind for me today, as I reflect on the simple fact that I am able to do what I’m doing now: write out my words in a blog post on my own website to share on my social media pages, allowing anyone worldwide to read my thoughts. I know, it’s so simple because we’re so used to it, but to take a step back and think about this reality knowing the world before this virtual accessibility is utterly astounding.

Along with this accessibility, of course, is also the reality that there is a HUGE WAVE of voices out there. Anyone with a phone or computer can share their thoughts, flooding the internet and various platforms with an overwhelming amount of content. This can cause some discouragement and doubt, feeling that the “market” is oversaturated with too many voices and it can hold us back from sharing our own.

Yes, there are more than enough voices speaking online, but none of them are yours.

For myself, in these past 8 years, it’s been a personal and online journey of finding my own voice. A process of finding my voice in the written word, in photography and in filmmaking. It hasn’t always been easy and there are certainly past choices and works that did not turn out the way I had hoped, but it all has led me to this point I’m at now. While I am still figuring this process out, I am now in a place where I feel that I can actually share my true voice to you all, even as it grows and expands.

I share all this in hopes that to you out there reading this, your voice matters. You were created with a purpose and a piece of the puzzle to share with the world in whatever way that looks like, whether it’s blog posts like this, pictures on Instagram, YouTube videos , a combination of any of those or even something completely different! We live in a time where any of us now have the ability to share our voice with the world, and don’t let any oversaturation convince you any different, cause we need it! We need your voice!

So whether you already have your forms and platforms you create and share on, or if you have yet to start one, I hope you can find what best suits you and begin to share your voice with the world. Not only will it bring you joy and freedom in your own life, but even more beautifully, it will bring joy and freedom to the lives of all those who hear it.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

What I've Learned Out Here In California

In this month of September, I am soon approaching having spent three years of my life living in California.

Needless to say, there have been many things I’ve learned living life here…

There’s so much to say, and so much I wish I could share right now, but that time will come. For now, I ponder and share the biggest lesson I’ve learned: your path may not look like everyone else’s, and you cannot allow the pressure of others to dictate who you’re supposed to be.

When I first moved out to California, my life looked completely different, and in truth, I was a completely different person in many ways than I am now. Within the first year of living here, the path I thought I was staying on changed, and needless to say, it certainly looked odd from the outside looking in. It’s almost as if, my first year of living here was about seeing what it felt like going down the path other people expected me to.

While this was an exciting season and I hold no regrets, I burned out at the end of that year. That path, as I came to realize, was not the path I could stay on because it wasn’t my own path. In making the changes in my life that I did, it appeared foolish to some. It was me choosing to go off the map and go into the wilderness. This is a terrifying prospect in many ways, as it is full of so much unknown and there’s no real roadmap as to how to navigate it. But I knew it’s where God wanted to take me.

So over these past couple of years, really diving into the unknown route, something amazing happened:

I actually started to heal and get to the core of who God actually made me to be.

You see, when we’re living our lives in a manner to try and fit in, it’s easy to distract ourselves with the noise. But when we step away from that place, it forces us to face ourselves, which isn’t always fun. It can force us to look at a lot of hurt, a lot of pain and disappointment, but it is ultimately where we can choose to heal and choose to actually see ourselves.

I am in no way perfect. There are so many things I have yet to figure out and I am still growing and healing, but if there’s one major thing this California adventure has given me, it’s been the gift of finding my own path so that I can be fully alive, no matter what anyone else thinks.

So to you reading this, what I am describing here is not limited to California, or even a geographical location. What I’m describing here is a spiritual, personal season that can be found anywhere, but it is up to you to seek it out. If you feel stuck, hurt, discouraged, know this: life doesn’t have to stay that way for you. There’s a life ahead for you full of hope, joy and love. It’s easy for others to just tell you how they think your life should look, but what they think pales in comparison to what you know is true for you in your heart.

There’s a quote I love from Saint Irenaeus that goes, "The glory of God is man fully alive." I believe this applies to every single person on this planet, and I hope for you in your own life and path, that you can find your way of being fully alive.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

The Death of The Video Store

I bought a t-shirt somewhat recently. A t-shirt that plays straight to nostalgia, specifically the nostalgia of the video store. The shirt, you ask, is just a blue t-shirt with a Blockbuster store in front of a sunset with text that reads “Make It A BLOCKBUSTER Night”. So yes, I bought it out of nostalgia and love for this era.

It is incredibly strange to me that we are already at a point where video rental stores like Blockbuster are considered nostalgia now; a breed of film consumption that is now almost completely extinct. Yes, I think there’s technically one or two Blockbuster stores still out there, and depending where you live, there is Family Video, and in some places, there’s some little mom-and-pop video stores. But needless to say, the era of the video rental store has passed.

For most of my life, this was not the case. I grew up going to Blockbuster and Hollywood Video. I grew up renting movies and games weekly. It was just a part of life. As I told in a previous post before, I thought “going to see a movie” meant we were gonna sit in chairs and watch a movie at Blockbuster, until I was introduced to my first movie theater. Going to the video rental store was so embedded in who I am and how I consumed so many films growing up.

Now let me make clear: I am not someone who is anti-technology and thinks streaming is some sort of technological evil. I relish the convenience and choice that various streaming services offer. In many ways, it allows us to see more from the comfort of our own homes. It is an innovation that I enjoy and am grateful for. At the same time though, it can’t replace my trips and experiences at places like Blockbuster.

Upon reflection, it’s also important to make sure we’re not looking at the era of video rental stores through rose colored glasses. Of course, places like Blockbuster weren’t always these heavenly experiences. You actually had to get in your car and travel there, and depending on the distance, it wasn’t always convenient. Searching through all the choices in the store, you were of course, limited to the selection they had in-store AND if they had any copies of the film you wanted in stock. You also had to deal with actual people and employees, which depending, could be a challenge of its own. And of course, compared to playing a flat monthly rate for streaming, you had to pay fees and daily rates for each movie you rented. So depending on how much you rented, you’d be spending a pretty good amount of money.

But all of those realities aside, I still love and miss the video store. I miss being able to go to a physical place and walk up and down physical aisles as I browsed physical choices as to what physical films I wanted to bring home. And while there are many options with streaming, they don’t have everything. I can’t count the number of times I’ve searched for a film on multiple platforms and couldn’t find it, but known that if I was at a Blockbuster, I could find it. I also will take the consistency and quality of physical media over streaming compression any day.

I guess if I boil it all down, what I truly miss is the experience. In this time of convenient home technology, the one thing it can’t provide us with is the experience of actually going and walking in a place to find what we’re looking for. This part of me may be old fashioned, but I want to be able to walk around and look and hold and decide what I want, as opposed to just endlessly scrolling through with a remote or controller. I want to see walls of films to choose from and talk about movies with other human beings in person. I want a building devoted to the housing of movies for any and everyone to come and enjoy.

But with any time and era, things come and go. Technology moves forward and society adapts. Who knows, much like vinyl records became outdated by newer media for a long time and now has made a huge comeback, maybe the same could happen for video rental stores? I have no idea and it’s completely dependent on what society longs for as film consumption moves into the future. Maybe the video store will stay a “retro” way people used to find movies to watch.

To all those reading this post, I guess this serves more as a reflection of an era that informed so much of my life and love and education in film. And while I’m grateful for what we have now, a part of my heart still longs for the wonderful things the video store gave me.

So, I will wear this nostalgic t-shirt, not sorrowfully, but gratefully, as a reminder of a place that brought me so much joy in my filmic life. And maybe, just maybe, if enough of us hold on to that joy, maybe the video store won’t have to always stay dead.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way

The story I’m going to tell here just happened last night. So let’s just say it’s oven fresh. hold for laughter

Anyways, this story is a small and simple one, but to me it speaks deeper about the unexpected power of kindness.

So, last night, my brother and I had just finished up at a church event and decided to drive through Taco Bell before hitting the road home. We pull up to the drive thru window, browsing the menu and deciding what we wanted, and soon enough we were greeted by a very friendly voice over the speaker box. As this friendly voice took and repeated back our order, I was struck by how happy and kind he sounded(especially considering we were in a drive thru late at night). So as my brother and I pull away from the speaker box and head to the window, I turn to my brother and tell him how struck I was by the employees kind attitude.

We pull up to the window. We wait a moment. Soon enough, the kind employee that spoke to us over the speaker box opens the window and begins to tell us our totals. Then suddenly, he stops himself as he recognizes us and goes, “Oh, hey, you guys were really friendly. So, I’m gonna hook you both up tonight”. He then proceeded to give us each a discount off our totals. Seriously!? When does this happen!? Especially at a Taco Bell late at night!?

But alas, it did. Needless to say, my brother and I were so shocked and grateful. We immediately thanked him and waited delightfully for our food. Get this: after a couple of minutes, he opens the window back up and says, “Hey, I noticed you both didn’t order drinks. So I have a proposition for you. If you take this survey and give me a shout out, you guys will get some free drinks. Sound good?”. My brother and I agreed immediately. He then proceeds to give us the receipt for the survey, trusting we’ll do it later, and he starts taking our drink order and gives them to us for free. Again, really? Yes, really. My brother and I were amazed. And once we were given our food, we threw all the compliments we could at the employee and drove away happily.

If you’re wondering, I did take the survey and gave the guy a glowing review.

So, I know that this is a small story. I also know it’s nothing groundbreaking, as it was just getting some discounted food at Taco Bell. But at the same time, it was such a pleasant surprise from God. And what it showed is that we each were so taken back by one another’s kindness that we each went out of the way to do something unexpectedly kind for one another. I don’t know how that guy’s night was going before we got there. Maybe he was dealing with a lot of difficult people? And when we were ordering, I wasn’t even thinking about being kind, I was just focused on how kind he was. But that’s it. Often times when we go out of the way to be kind to someone, it can often be met with opposition or apathy. While our kindness shouldn’t be dependent on what we get in return, it can be hurtful and discouraging when those negative reactions happen. But sometimes, unexpectedly, even in a fast food drive thru, you never know the effect your kindness could have.

Sometimes, it result in some free food. But more importantly, it could turn someone’s day around and remind them of their value and joy in the world.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres



Writing Without The Box

An important theme to my art and website is the idea that there is no box. What I mean by that in this context is that when it comes to creating, we don’t have to hold ourselves to all the rules and limitations other people around us say to.

Take, for example, this blog. When I began writing on here long ago, I never really wrote in this manner before. I didn’t have years of special training or schooling(besides normal classes you take through high school). But I was never especially astute as a writer. And yet, the day came when God compelled me to start this blog years ago. You could say I went into it blindly, with complete disregard to many rules and formulas and it’s one of the best decisions I ever made(it’s also been my approach to screenwriting).

Now don’t get me wrong. I don’t claim to be the best writer in the world and there is still so much for me to learn. But I think it’s silly to view those things as disqualifiers to creating. The road to mastery requires you to always hold on to the student’s mindset and not be overcome with pride. So knowing that, why not start creating now? Why not write that first book now? That first film? Whatever that first project is?

What I’ve learned the most down this road is how to really approach creating as childlike as possible, which is to approach things as fearlessly and openly as possible. It means forgoing the checklist of rules and going into uncharted territory; being willing to go in each day not knowing exactly what you’re doing. I know this sounds contrary to many schools of thought out there. It may even sound foolish. But in my experience, I’ve found that it means you’re letting God in the room each time and taking the steering wheel.

I honestly don’t know if this is going anywhere ahaha, but it’s what’s on my heart and mind today, and has been for quite some time. Maybe it’s just more to do with how I’m wired up, wanting to be hands on and learn things for myself instead of just reading an instruction manual. It may mean that I’ll make some mistakes, but God’s grace is big enough for that. But it also means that I get to write and create with my own voice, not the voice the world is trying to give to me.

God never runs out of new, brilliant ideas. I’ve learned it’s best to listen and tap into that. Seek out wisdom and what makes great art but don’t become a slave to rules and how things are “supposed to be”. Those things may be safe, but they’ll ultimately hold you back from your own voice and actually going to new places. The old way has worked, but that’s exactly it: the “old way”. Discover a new way. Figure out your destination and throw away the map. You may not always know where you’re going, but I know that when you finally get there, you’ll have taken a path that no one knew about before.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

Why I Love Fred Rogers

Like many other people in this world, I grew up with watching Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. From an early age, I was exposed to the joy and tenderness he shared with us through television; a world of openness and understanding, a place where conflicts were faced with love and patience. I think for many, this helped set a precedent early in life as to how we ought to be ourselves and care for those around us; to help us not be afraid of our feelings, but to know their importance and our say over them.

So, I grew up, like everyone else, knowing Fred Rogers as the nice man on TV who made a show for kids. But as the years went on, and I began to learn more about him through articles and interviews, I started to understand who he was and what he was doing on a deeper level. My connection and adoration for who he was grew. Then last year, the documentary, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” came out, and my life was never the same after that first viewing. Or all the subsequent viewings after that. It became not only my favorite film that year, but one of my absolute favorites of all-time.

I love many movies that are not for everyone. I believe wholeheartedly that this documentary is for EVERYONE to see.

What I realized through watching this documentary was just how incredibly deep and human Fred Rogers was and how truly radical his life and his art was for the world. He was truly one of a kind and someone who carried a fire and purity that is difficult to find in most places. But the beauty of it is that he still called each of us to carry that mantle, no matter what. He was someone who lived out exactly who God made him to be and it is such a beautiful thing to watch.

Reflecting on all of this and the many reasons he’s a hero of mine, I’ve asked myself, “what’s the biggest connection of mine that has caused him and his legacy to resonate with me so deeply?”. Well, I recently had moved a few months ago. As my family and I were arranging storage bins in our new garage, there was a clear plastic bin full of stuff from my time in school as a kid, and there was one particular piece of paper showing on the front. This piece of paper appeared to be something I had written when I was really young(somewhere between Kindergarten and 2nd Grade). The paper in questions reads this:

“My dream is that people treat each other nice.”

I was shocked. Before I even knew what I wanted to do in life, according to my very young self, that was my dream. Understandably, that dream could sound very naive and unrealistic to the world and how life appears to most of us. But what was written there was pure and honest.

What I’ve realized is that, in a way, this is still my heart and ultimate dream. It’s easy to mistake these words as meaning that we just need to ignore all problems we face or just put on a mask of “niceness” for other people to keep things pleasant. Both of those are false to what is meant here. Ultimately, my dream here is what Fred Rogers was all about: a world where no matter the problems we face or the differences we may hold, that we are able to recognize the God given humanity and identity in our neighbors around us and love them so that each of us can be the best person that we each were uniquely created to be.

This is something that is WAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY easier said than done, and is constantly at odds with the broken world we live in, and it seems at times that things grow more and more tense and frightening. But, I know for myself, I didn’t choose this dream, it chose me. God put it there. While I have my unique interests and qualities and know that not everyone will love what I do or even everything about me, my deepest hope for all that I do and create is that it would help bring the world together, not apart. Like Fred, I genuinely think that no matter who you are, that we all deserve a chance to be who we were created to be and that we can live in a world where we treat each other with the love and kindness endowed to each and every one of us. That as the kid in me dreamed, that people would treat each other nice.

As Fred Rogers once said, “You don’t have to do anything sensational for people to love you.” I believe that is true, and I hope each and every one of you can receive that love in your life.

By the way, here’s that piece of paper I found in our storage, as proof haha.

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

Photo Cred: Matthew Freres

Watch What You Love

Critics, tastemakers, rating systems and other similar things have been around for a long time. But it seems as though the idea of scores and ratings are even more prevalent in our culture today more than ever. This brings to mind, for me, how many of us look to these ratings and reviews to guide us as to what movies we should watch. While this can be a valuable tool, is there a certain point where we put too much faith in these things?

DISCLAIMER BEFORE WE MOVE ON: Film critique is an invaluable part of the film world and public rating systems are one of the great tools in allowing everyone to make their voice heard. These things should not be taken for granted or shied away from.

Now that that’s out of the way, the idea I want to bring up today isn’t about the merit of those things, but about who we can allow those things to dictate what we watch even against our own best interest. Take going to the movies, for example. I get it that for many, when they go see a movie, they want to make sure it’s going to be a good one. For many, you may not get out to the movies that often, so if you’re picking one to go see, you look at ratings and reviews to help confirm your choice.

But what about those times you were really excited to watch something? And maybe the reviews or opinions around you told you that the film you’re excited about isn’t worth your time?

Sure, those voices and opinions are entitled to what they say, and maybe you’ll even agree with them when you watch that film. But what if you watch that movie and actually find that you still love it? In fact, you find those opinions to be wrong, from your perspective. And what if this film becomes your new all-time favorite movie? The point is, if you allow those reviews to keep you from seeing that next new favorite movie, would you regret it?

What this comes down to is that no matter what others may say or think, you should watch what you love, no matter what. If there’s something you want to see and the reviews are pretty negative, but you really wanted to see it, still go see it! Form your own view and opinion on the film! There’s many films I love that other people can’t stand and vice versa, but what I’ve learned is that the most important thing is that I watch what I love, no matter what anyone else thinks.

When it comes to reviews and ratings, I think it’s healthier to view those things as the art of people stating their case rather than the voices that dictate what you like. Your voice and opinion matters. What you love shouldn’t be dictated by anyone else but who God made you to be.

Watch what you love. You’ll find treasure others may not see.

Photo Credit: Matthew Freres

Why I Love Making Movies

It’s certainly been an interesting theme lately, focusing on my path in life to film. For myself, it’s been really refreshing and inspiring to revisit these moments in my life. Seeing as how my past few posts have been about the moments in my life that lead me to want to become a filmmaker, it seems to beg the question:

“So, why do you actually like making movies?”

In many ways, this is a bit of a loaded question, as the answers to this can go in so many directions. So I guess I’ll just answer this with one focus in mind: What does it actually feel like when I’m making them?

To start, what I’ve come to realize is that truthfully, filmmaking never really stops for me. Yes, I’m not always physically on a set or writing or in an editing room, but what I’ve come to find true for myself is that I quite literally view everything through the lens of film. What I mean by this is that I constantly view the world through the lens of cinema and I’m constantly thinking in terms of scene and story. So when I’m looking at the world around me, whether ordinary or extraordinary, my eyes are always looking in terms of shots and perspective. And with every situation I’m in, I’m constantly thinking about it in terms of what kind of film it is and even reading the people around me in terms of character and motivation. As ridiculous as this may sound, it’s true. I can’t turn it off. There’s no way I could turn it off. It’s how I’ve functioned since childhood and it’s only deepened the more I’ve grown up.

So seeing as how the process never really ends for me, what’s it like when I’m actually making the dang thing!?

To make it very simple, when I am actually on set, creating, directing, that is when I am fully ALIVE. It is the one place where I lose all sense of time and space. I even lose some sense of appetite(not in a sick way, just in the way the distraction of food is far from my mind). Outside of my control, I enter a state where I am completely THERE. My focus fully becomes the set, the scene, the camera, the lights, the actors and worries and thoughts leave me. As I reflect on it now in writing this, I see how spiritual of a process that actually is. It’s God entering the room for me. And in this place, I become my complete self and just get lost in telling a story.

Even with the creative challenges that can arise on a set, it just becomes creative problem-solving for me. Something in me begins to rise to the challenge and it becomes like a really fun puzzle. I’m not even a math or puzzle person! But here, I can actually enjoy finding the answer. I’ve certainly had some experiences where problems were thrown at me, and I caved into them, but those were the moments where I learned the importance of sticking to my guns and not letting other people dictate what God and I were creating.

So my answer here is not a very technical one, but it is very honestly what filmmaking is for me. I also fall into these flows when I’m writing and editing as well. But creating on set is truly the most exciting for me. It’s quite literally watching the magic come to life, partaking in creation with God.

Hopefully this gives you a better glimpse into how I operate, but more importantly, I hope that this brings you great encouragement. Truth is, everything I described with how I feel making movies, we all have that. We’ve all been given something in life that we love and allows us to be fully alive and present. To those of you who know what that is, chase it. Chase it with all you have. And to those of you who don’t know what that thing is, it’s never too late. God’s always ready to reveal it to you and help you go after it.

Do what you love. Life’s too short for the world to not see how brilliant you are.

Below is a photo of me on set :)

Photo Credit: Florent Cornillac

Photo Edit: Matthew Freres

When I Knew

From a very early age, Star Wars meant THE WORLD to me. Truthfully, that’s never really changed.

Sometime when I was around 7 years old, I was at home with my mom watching Star Wars for the umpteenth time on VHS. It was “The Empire Strikes Back”, to be specific. At this point in my very young life, I had already experienced my first adventure to the movies and the revelation in reading class that I had the right to create stories. So these things were moving about in my DNA, but there was one piece still missing: What am I going to do with all this?

Well that evening, as I was watching Star Wars, it really began to hit me how much I loved these films and how amazed I was with what I was seeing onscreen: the worlds, the characters, the effects, the music, the story and emotion, it was all becoming clearer and so overwhelming to me. What was really occurring was a transition; a transition from just purely loving cinema to an overwhelming desire to be “a part” of whatever was inside of that frame. God knew exactly what He was stirring up that evening.

I didn’t have any kind of context for filmmaking. Sure, I played with my toys and action figures in a manner where I was creating scenes and story arcs and repeating them until I got it just right, even placing my eye in different spots around the toys to see where it looked the coolest, but that was all subconscious. I had no idea what filmmaking was and I didn’t grow up in a family that was a part of that industry at all. So any notion of doing something creative like that was pretty foreign to me.

But this night was different. The pieces and moments that came before of giving me a pure love for cinema and storytelling were all colliding on this repeated Star Wars viewing. By the end of the film, I couldn’t take it anymore, so I called to my mom in the next room and asked her the big question:

“Hey mom, who made this?”

After a moment, she replied, “A guy named George Lucas”. BAM! I sat and soaked in what she just said, and I thought and said to myself, “That’s what I want to do. I wanna be like George Lucas and make that”. It was done. From that moment on, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I wanted to be a filmmaker. I had no idea how that even worked or how it was even done, but it didn’t matter to me. We’d figure that out along the way. All I knew was that I loved it deeply and I would spend the rest of my life pursuing that dream, no matter what.

And to this day, I’m really just still that kid, having just watched Star Wars, wanting nothing else but to be like George Lucas and make movies.

Photo Credit: Matthew Freres

Making It Up As I Go

I can’t recall the age exactly, whether it was kindergarten or 1st grade, but it had been the period in school where we began to learn how to read.

Here’s the thing: I was an energized, curious kid. Especially at school, if I wasn’t interested in the subject being taught, then you did not have my attention AT ALL. This didn’t come out of a devious nature. I was just only interested in the things that “I” was interested in.

Needless to say, this created some difficulty for my teachers when I was younger. So around that time in school when we had to learn to read, I had a hard time learning. It wasn’t dyslexia, but not being able to sit down and concentrate the way the school wanted me to. So, since my parents didn’t want me falling behind in reading for school, they signed me up for a summer reading course.

A summer reading course? Every kid’s dream, right? Well, this one turned out to be a bit different.

You see, it turned out that this summer course came highly recommended. Why, you ask? Well as it turns out, the teacher of this course had a very creative approach in her teaching. From the bits I can remember, she was all about thinking outside the box in helping us learn to read.

And there was one assignment in particular that would impact me the most.

At some point in the course, possibly early on, she gave us kids and parents an assignment for home. You see, in the 90’s, whenever a big movie would come out, as long as it wasn’t rated R, there would often times be a kids storybook version of the movie to come out during it’s release as well. It essentially was the whole movie summed up in a small amount of pages, with photo’s from the movie and a little text on each page describing that point in the film. So, our teacher wanted us kids to read these books to our parents. But instead of reading the text on each page, she wanted us to make up the story ourselves using the pictures throughout.

Now in my young mind, this was an oddity. Sure, I loved movies and playing with toys and all of that, but the idea that I could make up my own stories never crossed my mind. I never even thought that was possible or that I even had the authority to create stories. But, we went home that night and I had to do this assignment. My book of choice was the storybook for one of the Joel Schumacher’s Batman films(HIGH QUALITY CINEMA). So that night, I sat down with my Dad and I opened up the book. What happened in those next minutes was MAGICAL. To my surprise, I was doing it! Page by page, I would look at each photo, thinking back to what I had built up before, and crafted whatever part of the story came to mind. I was making myself laugh, think and most importantly create.

When my Dad and I got to the end of the book, I immediately told him to go get Mom because I wanted to go again and make up a new story! It was exhilarating. What happened that night was life changing. Just like my first trip to the movie theater made me fall in love with cinema, this night made me realize that God had given me the ability and right to create and tell my own stories. I was literally making up a story, purely based off images on the page(motion pictures). I was also making it up as I went, having no idea what would come next, which would also lead to my love of improv. And of course, this would all lead to my love of writing.

Needless to say, by the end of that summer reading course, I had actually began to learn how to read and I’d stay on pace with the other kids in school. More importantly, God had used this class and that night to unlock the storyteller in me. I know had the knowledge and freedom to create and tell stories of my own and it was absolutely liberating. When I look at all the ways I’ve grown and evolved and changed in my artistry, what’s funny is that my approach to writing and storytelling hasn’t really changed.

I’m still just that kid, sitting with the storybook, making it up as I go, delighting myself and hoping to delight others.

Photo by: Matthew Freres

The First Time I Fell In Love

Yes, that’s right. This blog post is about the first time I fell in love. You may be wondering:

“What juicy story do you have for us!?”

I should clarify: My first love was not someone. It was cinema.

You see, I was 4 years old. By this point in my life, I loved watching movies and shows on TV. Even before I could speak, I would point at the TV, moaning, trying to tell my Mom to keep the TV going. Anyways, back to 4 years old - One day, my Dad decided to take my older brother and I to the movies. Here’s the thing: I had never been to the movies before. My only knowledge of going somewhere for a movie was going to Blockbuster to rent one. Ahhh, the days of Blockbuster and the video rental store…

So, my Dad, brother and I pack in the car. As we’re driving, my young mind starts to wonder: Where are we going? What’s “the movies?”. All my mind could comprehend was that at Blockbuster, they had those big tube TV’s hanging off those arms from the corners of the ceiling where they’d play ads and clips from the movies in-store. So I thought, “AHA! I got it! We must be going to Blockbuster! And maybe they’re gonna set up some foldable chairs in front of one of those TV’s and we’ll watch a new movie that way!”. THIS IS COMPLETELY TRUE. I 100% THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS WHAT GOING TO THE MOVIES WAS.

Albeit, it was an odd sight to imagine, in some crude way, it’s not completely inaccurate from what going to the movies is actually like. With this now in my mind, my Dad proceeded to drive straight past our local Blockbuster. I immediately asked him why he didn’t stop there for the movie. He laughed and proceeded to tell me that we weren’t going to Blockbuster, but that we were going to a movie theater. A movie theater? What on earth is that? Needless to say, I was confused for the rest of the car ride there.

As we arrived to our local movie theater, my confusion was about to be decimated. We were now walking up to a quintessentially 90’s era theater: bright neon lighting, big glass windows in the front, and as I found inside, a giant space full of posters, marquees, concessions(CANDY!) and absolutely everything devoted to movies. I had never seen a place like this before. I’m not being sacrilegious, but it truly felt like I was stepping into a church: the Church of Cinema. As this is all soaking in for me, we go to get some concessions(You’re telling this 4 year old we can get candy and popcorn and soda to watch something!? Mindblowing).

With our snacks and drinks in hand, we proceed into: THE THEATER. If the building itself was like the Church, this part was like entering into the Inner Temple. I looked at the room in amazement. There was this large amount of stadium seating all facing a giant blank screen. Little did I know that my life was about to change. You’re probably wondering by this point, “What movie did you see that day!?”. Well, my Dad got us tickets to see the 1995 friendly ghost classic, “Casper”, starring Christina Ricci and Bill Pullman. For those of you who aren’t familiar, I can’t claim it is the greatest film of all time. But for this 4 year old, it was about to put me through all my paces.

Suddenly, all of the lights in our theater dim, turning off completely, and the screen immediately floods with image and sound. The trailers roll and I’m beginning to sit in amazement, in this large theater full of myself, family and strangers. This wasn’t like at home, watching something on a small screen while life is still happening all around you. Here, in this place, what you’re seeing is literally larger and louder than life, and you and this group of strangers sit together, in the dark, with only one focus: CINEMA. By this point I was already hooked…and then the movie started…

…This movie, especially for a 4 year old, had everything for me. It made me laugh, cry, tense up, get scared, get excited, empathize, sit in wonder of the 90’s CGI, and by the end of it, feel a deep joy and tenderness in my heart. What happened to me during this film was not simply watch a movie, but have my first truly religious experience, which made me do something new: Fall in love. Sitting in that theater and watching that movie, I had fallen completely head over heels for cinema; for film and the spectacle that was the theater experience. I had never experienced anything like this before in my life. It was so pure. And at this point, there was no career ambition, nothing I figured I could get out of it, but I simply, wonderfully, fell for cinema, purely for what it was. Nothing more. Nothing less.

What really happened to me on this day was God. This was the day He orchestrated for me to stumble into my life’s greatest passion. And while it would come, He didn’t want that day to be about knowing what my life career was going to be, at least not consciously. He just wanted me to fall in love first. He wanted me to love cinema purely for what it is and not just what it could do for me. Needless to say, from this day on, it started a journey of discovery and pursuit of becoming a filmmaker.

I’m so grateful my Dad took me that day and it has never left me. Honestly, my happy place is at the movies. Whether with people or even by myself, that is the place I feel the happiest and best understood. It’s where life makes sense for me. It is the greatest gift from God. So no matter where my journey will take me, hoping I can share my films with all of the world, one thing will remain true the rest of my life: Cinema was my first love, and I will keep going to the theater to keep that love alive.

SIDE NOTE: Fred Rogers is one of my heroes and someone who I take great inspiration to live my life from. Crazily enough, there’s a clip straight from his show in the movie, “Casper”! How crazy that the first movie I saw in a theater had Mr. Rogers in it, and his calling would change my life!? Enjoy the clip below!

Photo by: Matthew Freres

The Scenic Route

I’ve had a couple things happen to me recently…

First, I had to take a longer drive one day for work. As I was mapping out what route to take, I had two choices: the more “normal” route that ran through freeways with more pit stops and traffic, OR, a route that went straight through the mountains on a single road that went for at least 30-40 minutes straight without all the pit stops and traffic. Being used to taking routes like the first one, I was hesitant to drive straight through the mountains for an extended period of time, but alas, God ended up having me take that second route. And you know what, it was so scenic and beautiful and peaceful and free of the normal traffic I had been used to. It was just so simple. I found myself enjoying what was around me instead of just staring at endless concrete and cars. And much to my surprise, the time flew by, and it was actually faster than that first route. When I had to head back home, I couldn’t help but get excited about going back through the mountains.

Second, I just recently watched the 1947 film, “The Bishop’s Wife”, for the first time. It’s a classic film starring Cary Grant, in which he plays an Angel that visits a bishop who’s having trouble with a cathedral and his marriage. Cary Grant, as the Angel, spends the film tending to the Bishop, helping him to rebuild his family and life. There’s one scene in particular where the Angel and the Bishop’s Wife are out for a day of fun and have been riding around in a taxi cab with the same driver. As they get back in the cab, the Wife asks the Driver if he’d drive them through the park, and while the Driver points out that it’s out of the way for them, they still insist on going and begin talking about how much fun they’ve been having. Then the Driver asks the two of them if they know what’s wrong with the country, referring to the U.S.. The Angel and Wife respond, asking the Driver what he thinks. The Driver then says:

“Well, I think I do. The main trouble is there are too many people who don’t know where they’re going, and they want to get there too fast. Now, take you two. I’d call you unusual…..First place, you know your destination, but you’re in no hurry to get there. You want to enjoy some scenery en route.”

While the first event gave me the experience described, the words of the second event hit me like a ton of bricks. Even being a film from 1947, I believe those words still ring true for us today.

There’s a lot that can be unpacked here, but the main focus I’ve pulled from this is how much we try and rush through our lives. I can think of times in my life where I didn’t know what my destination was, even recently, and it caused me to just want to get somewhere and get there FAST. That ultimately comes from the unhappiness of missing true purpose. It can be easy to let this mindset stay around, and it can cause us to simply live in a “destination” mindset, unhappy with our lives today and wanting to get somewhere else as fast as we can. The lie that this mindset makes us believe is that once we arrive at the destination, no matter what the destination really is, we’ll finally be happy.

I got some tough news for you there as someone who’s believed that: It won’t. At least, not permanently.

That path is full of fleeting gratification that will never be satisfied. So then, you may be asking, what does the scenic route look like? And that involves a destination too, doesn’t it? Yes, it does involve a destination, but the difference being that this destination comes from a place of true purpose for our lives, something that comes from God, not our broken confusion of unhappiness. And with this, not only do we know that the destination is, but we hold confidence that it is truly the place to go. So just like my experience with the drive, knowing my destination, I had two choices as to what route to take:

The path that just gets me there, or, the path that allows me to actually enjoy the journey .

The scenic route does not always seem to be the most appealing at first. It can appear very much stranger than the quick path and often appear to take longer than the quick path. It can also appear as though it isn’t even helping us get to where we know we’re supposed to go. To that I can say, “yeah, those concerns are valid”. This is the place that I’m in right now; taking the scenic route with God. Truth is, it’s scary at first because it forces you to lay down all your previous expectations as to how your journey was supposed to go. It makes you let go of just trying to get anywhere “fast”. It also makes you put the trust of having your dreams fulfilled in His hands.

But as soon as you take the step of faith to go on this path, what He begins to show you is that your dreams are actually the destination. And while this scenic path is not the one you would have predicted or expected, not only will it allow you to actually get to the destination of your dreams, it will actually allow you to enjoy the drive; enjoy all the views and sights it has to offer. Essentially, it will allow you to actually enjoy living life.

And who knows, maybe as you take your time and just enjoy the scenic route with Him, maybe you’ll actually stumble into some of your dreams along the way.

Photo by: Matthew Freres

Endless Wander

Have you ever felt like you’ve been trying to constantly figure out so many things in your life at once that you form a headache and can’t even handle the decision of what to eat for dinner?

Maybe this is a feeling that isn’t foreign to most of us. At least, I hope it isn’t just me.

Clearly, we spend the entirety of our lives constantly growing and changing and figuring things out. It seems to be a rarity, to me, that we ever spend long stretches of life where nothing’s to be discovered. Stability is something that we need and seek as humans, but unexpected variables always seem to find a way into our lives.

What I’m trying to get at though, is the feeling of particular moments in our lives. “Compressed Seasons”, if you will, where your focus is not just on one thing, but on everything. It feels like you’re in an endless wander, trying to figure out the purpose of every area of your life, whether it be a relationship, a job, a passion, or even a meal.

I’ve certainly been in places where everything in your life changes, even geographically, and you’re put in a season where you have to find all these new things. You have to wander around for new jobs, new relationships, etc., until you find your place for that season. When you finally do find your place, it’s an incredible feeling that allows you to take off and focus fully on just living it out. But it’s in that place before, the place of…

…endless wander…

…when you can become overwhelmed by all of the unknown. To that, I say, I hear ya. I’ve been there. I am there. And it’s not always easy. Some days are scary. Some are frustrating. Some are hopeful. In all of it though, God wants to show who He really is to you, whether it be your provider, comforter, even friend. He wants you to realize that you’re not alone in this place.

And He wants you to realize something else too: The wandering isn’t actually endless. It just feels that way until you bump into something brilliant.

So to all those who feel like they’re in that endless wandering place, myself included, don’t give up. Don’t give into fear and despair. Realize that you’re not alone in it and that the wandering will come to an end, and it will be so because you’ll have finally found your purpose for a new season of life.

And it will be endlessly brilliant and perfect.

Photo Credit: Matthew Freres

It's Easier to Rest When It's Cloudy

“It’s easier to rest when it’s cloudy…”

Has anyone else had this thought? I recently did and it solidified something I’ve felt for a long time.

You see, it was one of those days where they sky kept fluctuating between being completely cloudy in one moment and completely sunny in the next. I was still figuring out what to do with my afternoon, whether to be really productive or just sit around in my sweatpants and t-shirt. As I sat at my desk, observing the weather from my windows, I started to enter a state of rest and calm as the clouds took over. Then as soon as the sun came out, my attitude changed and I immediately felt like I had to get up and do something. This change occured so naturally and quickly, and that’s when the thought popped into my head: It’s easier to rest when it’s cloudy.

Why is that?

This idea especially sticks out more living here in Southern California, where the sun beats out the clouds most of the year, so when a cloudy day does roll around, it’s a bit more of a rarity. While I’m sure there are plenty of explanations as to why this feeling occurs, both scientific and allegorical, the revelation I had about this is not necessarily scientific or allegorical, but more-so spiritual.

You see, when the clouds roll out and take over, it almost feels like God is laying a blanket over your day, like He’s saying, “I know you have things to do, but come and rest with Me”. There’s something profound to that. When the sun is out and shining, there’s a brightness and energy that calls us to get out there and seize the day. But sometimes, God wants to just get the blanket out and have us rest with Him instead. Whether the rest is physical or mental, it can cause us to contemplate and focus on various aspects of our life creatively, personally and spiritually. At least for me, this seems to be the case. I begin to feel a certain sense of security and calm that I don’t necessarily feel when it’s just bright and sunny.

Of course, our lives still carry on and are not just dictated by the weather. Just like what I said about living in Southern California, there’s places where it’s mostly sunny and other places where it’s mostly cloudy. All in all, I suppose this is a call from God for us to embrace each day and its unique nature with Him and to not always view it merely as an unaffecting bystander.

So the next time a cloudy day rolls around for you, instead of just ignoring it or allowing a feeling of gloom and boredom to rise up, try and look at it as God’s way of putting a blanket over your day and rest with Him, whatever that may look like.

When we say yes to rest, He refills our hearts.

Photo By: Matthew Freres