Selling God

Have you ever felt the deep longing to fill the void of something you can't quite explain? Have you ever felt a pain so deep, that would have done anything to take it away? Have you ever looked in the mirror and were scared of what you saw and wondered how you or anyone could ever truly love you if they truly knew who you were? 

If not, congratulations, awesome, now is your cue to move on to the next post...

But if in some way these questions articulate a place you have been before; that means you are not alone. But more importantly In fact, it most likely means you are human. 

But here's another question, have you ever been promised that to live a happy, fulfilling, comfortable life all you have to do is believe in God? And the is the answer to all your confusion, pain and discomfort is accepting him? Then upon following the numbered instructions of "accepting God" (like a business deal) the confusion, pain, and discomfort persisted? Me too...

So what now?

Like the adage goes "There's a God shaped hold in all our hearts" and the things we have done to fill that hole, has left a wasteland of broken people... So what do we do? We keep on looking. And some of us actually find God- but so often even when we do, we find that all along we were really more interested with trying to fill the "God shaped hole" with stuff we want, that wasn't all that "God-ish". We find all of the sudden that this God that fits in our hearts, actually doesn't especially care that we get what we want, but rather cares that we get Him; what we need.

We like God and all, but we maybe thought that when He said he would "fill the void in our heart" it would be with funner stuff, that would make life easy... This is the point, where many of us look straight into the face of our creator and say "Thanks, but no thanks." and go on living our life as if He wasn't the answer, and all of these things we would rather have will do the trick.

It's a scary feeling coming to the realization that nothing in this world will give us what we thought we wanted... Not even God. 

We like the idea of God but have found God isn't all that marketable and doesn't come with the "swag" we thought he would... SO, we (I) begin to sell God... Sell to ourselves and others. We sell God, like the rest of the world sells drugs, sex, money. Promising (convincing) ourselves and others, that God will make us "all better", take away all our pain, and make us happy...

But those who have followed Jesus can tell you, this is simply not true. Though its a PR nightmare, the answer to your problems (Jesus/God) is not going, to make you happy, take away all the "hard" stuff, or give you everything you think you want... Instead He is going to give you Himself. 

While this is a hard pill to swallow for some, the reality we come to when we let go of our expectations- is that when we enter in a relationship with our very creator, we actually get more than all of our "wants" could ever begin to conjure up.

We begin to realize that...

When we wanted to have our pain taken away... God gives us the strength to walk through it.

When we wanted a whole new story... God give us the chance to redeem the one we're in.

When we wanted to have our scares disappear... God gives us the chance to turn them into something beautiful.

Jesus, didn't come and live a comfortable life, pain, discomfort, and worry free, he lived a life of hurt, and pain, struggle and ultimately sacrifice. Jesus didn't model for us an easy life, but a beautiful one.

Beautiful is always harder, but always better.

Jesus, does not simply numb, or take our pain away, like that of any drug can promise... But instead Jesus walks with us through our pain and turns it into something beautiful. He takes broken, hurt, discombobulated us and turns us into something beautiful.

-Nathan

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7 Simple Ways To Live A Healthy Life And Still Be Happy (Yes You Can Have Both)

If you are anything at all like me, you have big dreams and huge visions of an amazing life; little of which includes counting the hours until your next low calorie meal of dried Kale, just so you can reach some number on a scale that a random website said you should be at.

Since I believe in God...

I believe our creator is an amazing artist, who created food to be a wonderful, life-giving experience, meant to be savored and filling!

AND I believe he created human bodies to be beautiful, healthy, balanced, able to help us experience pleasure as we interact with the world God has crafted while carrying our the work we were made to do.

The unfortunate part, is we live in a fallen world, where we have disease, sickness, addiction and an array of other human shortcomings that seem to make the above two statements mutually exclusive. 

It is easy to sometimes feel like to be healthy, we must be miserable; eating things that just aren’t fun, and spending hours in a cold, damp place (the gym) surrounded by silent sweaty people and the sounds of clanking metal as we grow more and more self conscious, to gain a body the magazines say we need.

But then on the other hand, it’s not hard to find your self in a place where you take the enjoy life and food and drink mantra, only to find yourself in a constant place of guilt, and if not guilt simply unhealthy habits, that have very real consequences for your health and safety.

So what are we to do? 

Wait for Heaven until we can down as many bags of chips we want- and still have the perfect bod? 

Or is there a way to start moving towards the life of health that honors the creators creation- WHILE still praising God by partaking in the wondrous culinary artistry he has put upon this earth?

A lot of people know me either as the actor, or writer or hollywood guy. But what some of you may not know is that I am also an avid health food junkie and a certified-nutritionist! When I first began my journey into studying nutrition and health I began to see some easy and amazing ways to stay healthy while still loving life! Here are my top 7!

1. Water, Water, Water... This is probably the most important and simply just easiest way to stay and get healthy, in fact if you just stopped reading the rest of this post and changed nothing, but started drinking the recommended amount of water a day you would already start seeing amazing health results -cleansing, weight loss, appetite control, increased energy, and a plethora of more benefits- I know soda is good, but hey... Drink water, just do it!
2. Give Up Soda... I know, I know it’s good! But research has shown that people can weigh 10 pounds less, by changing nothing else and simply giving up soft drinks. And besides you never know what you might be missing! There are some amazing drinks (not even green ones) that are good and will make you feel awesome; like TEA- hot or iced!
3. Go Whole Wheat... If you are anything like me, when someone suggests to give up bread, (or carbs all together) it’s all you can do to not throw their kale shake in their and their ridiculous opinions face. I can’t live without my sandwiches, but making a simple change at the grocery store to 100% whole wheat bread can change you entire body. Where white bread will turn straight to fat, slowing you down... The wheat and bran of whole wheat grains will naturally cleanse your body.
4. Move! Just get up. If you are not a gym person, you don’t need to make your self one, just get up and do something, your body was made to move and dance and walk! Even just 15 min a day can drastically improve your health!
5. Go Natural... I know you’ve heard it before... But you have to, your body is MADE to eat and enjoy foods of all kinds and flavors, NOT chemicals and weird gooey lab stuff. SO just by making a choice to eat mostly “Natural” food, you will see a HUGE change in how you feel and your body will better be able to help you be your best self by working well!
6. Eat More Veggies & Fruits... We all know this already, but think of it this way, I am giving you license to eat more! You can eat as many greens and fruits as you want! BUT no cheating and frying, pouring ranch all over them. I promise after just a little while of putting some of natures veggie and fruit delights into your diet, you will start to CRAVE them!
7. Power UP! So I have always dreamed of being a superhero, so when I heard there was a list of something called the “Superfood's” I was all about them. Some of my favorites are Avocados, blueberries, mushrooms, kale, knew, Adding a few of these into your everyday, will supercharge your body and help it work the way God designed it to, not to mention will give you super strength and the ability to fly ;)

So there you have it! 7 simple ways to health that won’t make you hate life.

Try these every day and overtime I promise they will help you become the best you can be!

You Long For Another World Whether You Know It Or Not

In the wake of the tragic events of a fellow actor and beloved artist (in what appears to be) taking his own life, at the behest of a lethal addiction- I watch the reaction of the world around me; I read in the status's of peers, expressing sadness and remorse for the loss of such a bright life. But in doing so, I also see something else- Many of those commenting on the tragic events seem to think the reason for this loss of life was because of the individuals fame, career and a life of being known by many and the pressures that came with that. At first glance, I mentally okay the logic and scroll on, but then I feel a catch in my mind.

It suddenly occurs to me... How many overdoses are there every year we will never hear about because the individuals involved are not famous, well known, or in blockbuster movies- But each having just as much or more "pressure" in there family, personal, or professional life as any celebrity we know?

After coming upon this realization, I am forced to maybe think that maybe the tragic events of us humans losing the fight to addictions, or even taking our own lives; fall upon something so much more serious than a job description.

While I don't pretend to know all the factors that played a part in these tragic events that happened over this past weekend. What I can speak to are the relationships around me and the tragedies I have witnessed first hand in lives of those whom I love and loved. I think it so often comes down to simply this. We live in a broken world, and no matter what this world tries to promise us this world does not fill the void we forever long for. No matter the amount of money, fame, respect (all the things we think would satisfy us) we were made for something else, that until we realize, we cannot find peace.

Someone once said

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

Another wise person noted "There is a God shaped hole in all our hearts." The poor and the rich... The famous and the unknown.

We will never know what we were created for until we know who we were created by. We can never fill the void we feel in the depths of our souls until we invite the one who created them, in.

Created You Were

Remember today that you were designed- Intentionally and beautifully.

You were not carelessly just thrown here, you are not the result of a random molecular happening, or a thoughtless mass of cells.

Instead realize this

You were made, designed and created with passion and love, you were given a purpose and will, your life has meaning, and you have the ability to live fully the story you were MADE to tell.

Let this effect you today, let this inspire you to know your creator more and find the purpose encoded on your heart.

I Believe in Life

I believe in life.

I believe in tasting good food, hearing beautiful sounds of music and watching inspiring movies. I believe in feeling the first snow of winter on your arms and watching the first bloom of spring with your eyes. I believe in exploring this vast and wonderful world, climbing mountains and splashing in the ocean. I believe in laughing until you cry when a joke is told and crying until you laugh when someone you love is holding you. I believe in chasing dreams, meeting a beautiful girl, and I believe in falling in love.

Weather you are made up of a few cells or a trillion, I believe that life is a precious gift that that has been given to ALL of us, no matter how small or large. It is a gift to be lived, and loved to the fullest - And that every day we must protect and value EVERYONE's right to experience this beautiful thing we call life.

I believe in life.

What do you believe in?

My interview with MasterWorks Website - About life, dreams and prodigal me

Claire: What's going on in your life this year? (Family, work/career, etc.)

Nathan: Hmm, well, a lot actually! I just got back from speaking at two of my family's conferences, showing a promotional trailer, raising funds, and getting the word out about a new film that I wrote! It was a lot of fun and is really encouraging to get positive feedback. And as always, it was so nice to still be involved with my family as they continue to use their lives in ministering to other people!

Claire: When and how did you get interested in acting?

Nathan: To be honest I feel like I have always been acting, whether it was as a boy pretending to be Superman or dressing up as one of my favorite historical figures, I have always loved falling into characters and telling stories. Hearing/reading/watching stories was what lit my heart on fire since I was young, so it was only natural that I would grow up and search for ways to tell stories with my life. Somewhere in the middle of high school, I realized that I also loved people, and I saw what an impact the movies and stories had on all of us—shaping our decisions and feelings by inspiring, connecting, sympathizing, and moving us. So, I decided I wanted to be a part of the movement that was telling the stories that connected with my generation. In high school I attended MasterWorks, where I began to realize I could use my passion and natural gifts for God’s purposes. A little after high school I attended an acting/music commutation called AMTC (Actor Models Talent for Christ) where I was invited to attend The New York Film Academy. And the rest, I guess, is history!

Claire: What about your experience at MasterWorks most influenced you?

Nathan: I think the thing that so inspired and influenced me about MasterWorks was seeing and getting to take part in this amazing community of people who had realized they had been given amazing gifts and had decided they were going to use them for a bigger purpose than simply acclaim, fame, money or recognition. They had decided to use their God-given gifts to praise our Creator and bring people closer to Him. I think it is so rare for people to see their gifts and talents as something given by God and for God. Being at MasterWorks set the foundation for how I could use my God-given gifts.

Claire: You wear many different hats: writer, actor, film producer/director, musician, son of two popular speakers/writers… As a result, have you found it difficult for you to determine who you are as a person? Who or what defines you? Describe that journey of finding your identity.

Nathan: Being in LA, each day I see a city looking for identity: everyone scrambling, chasing, and doing almost anything thinkable to find themselves, to discover purpose, and to create their identity. And because of that, everyday I see people wrapping up their entire identity in such temporal and fading things, whether it's their talent, their ‘art,’ their sexuality, or even their popularity and money. I see people building their foundations of identity on things that will surely disappoint or disappear eventually. I have even found myself falling into the trap of finding my identity in things of this world, like my acting, music, writing, and even my family! But somewhere along the way, after I had been brought to my knees by the humbling process of failed acting jobs, losing friends, and a career with nothing to show, God found me and has been leading me down a path of finding my worth and identity in Him. This is the most life-changing, freeing experience I could ever feel, because He is the one thing that will NEVER fail. Even if everything else does, I know my worth is found in Him!

Claire: You recently wrote a modern-retelling of the Prodigal Son, and now you are in the process of raising funds to make this into movie. What inspired this, and what is the message that you want to portray through this project?

Nathan: Awhile back when I was going through one of my hardest times, I randomly found myself reading the story of the Prodigal Son, and little did I know what a powerful, recurring tale it would be in my life. In the months to come, I found myself trying to follow God but often getting lost in my own desires and foolish decisions, wondering what I was supposed to do. BUT, every time I found my head in my hands as a result of my decisions, I felt God’s loving arms holding me and His voice calling me back to the man I was made to be—just like the Prodigal. So, as I began to look, I realized I lived in a city and really, a world of prodigals, not bad or evil people—just people looking for meaning, purpose and love. Often, letting the deep desire we all have for those things led them into places, situations, and answers that too often turn out to be false, temporary, or even destructive.

I decided I wanted to be more intentional about what kinds of projects I would be in, which led me to look for projects that intended to bring light to a dark world! But unfortunately, I found out quickly that projects with the messages I desired to tell, messages I had been brought up to tell, were few and far between. So, one morning, I woke up and felt a gentle stirring in my heart to write a screenplay (something I had never done) with the messages I truly believe the world needs to hear. Long story short, a month later I had a script that had been written as a modern retelling of the prodigal son entitled Confessions of a Prodigal Son. Shortly after, some amazing people and I shot a trailer (in one day) for raising funds... and here I am!

Claire: You have a desire to use film and acting to influence the world for Christ. What needs do you see in the Hollywood scene, and what would you say are effective ways to accomplish this goal?

Nathan: I would love to see more people truly realizing the knowledge that God has created us individually with love and care to use our gifts to praise Him, and in doing so, bringing other people closer to Him as well. Hollywood needs people with a vision bigger than themselves, but one of eternity with a passion to create quality reflections of God’s amazing love through whatever medium possible.

Claire: What challenges have you faced as an actor in the professional world? How has your faith influenced how you live?

Nathan:

1. This might sound cliche, but I still deal with the pain of rejection and feeling not good enough, but that’s where finding my identity in God helps.
2. The feeling of loneliness, when you decide to follow your dreams. Oftentimes the way you can get the most discouraged is by feeling like you are always doing things on your own—every trial, every doubt—but that is why I made a choice a while ago to get involved in an amazing church, and that really helps me navigate this crazy thing called life.
3. Having to say "no" when "yes" would be so much easier. It is such an amazing feeling to find who you are and who you are called to be. But, with that comes who you are NOT called to be, and sometimes you have offers or situations come up, where, with just a little bit of compromise you can make money, get seen, or just feel important. This often makes saying "no" extremely hard, even if it’s clear I should. However, every time I have made the hard decisions to turn down roles/jobs/places I know aren’t a part of who I have been called to be, I see God lead me down His path into things 100 times better that what I could have imagined. It’s not always in my timing or the way I thought I wanted it, but it’s always amazing and better than what I could have done myself.

Claire: What are your long-term goals/dreams (acting or otherwise)?

Nathan: To be honest, I would just love living a life that brings light to a dark world and shows God’s amazing love for me and everyone with whatever I am doing! Though, making and acting in films that do that would be super awesome!

Claire: How can we be praying for you?

Nathan: I would love prayer for wisdom in every situation I come across as well as the continued ability to use my passions and gifts to connect with people!

Claire: What is your favorite movie, style of music, food, and place to travel?

Nathan:

• Movie: There are so many! But apart from all my favorite trilogies, I would have to say The Truman Show...Sooo amazing.
• Style of music: I love EVERY style of music (I know, SO cliche). Lately, I have been coming to an appreciation for pop music. I think that when it is done the right way, it has the ability to connect with someone and leave a message that will continue to play in their mind while using minimal time and potentially sharing deep personal messages in a non time-consuming format. And when you think about that, it’s kind of a beautiful idea!
• Food: Oh my, I am kind of a foodie. My classic is either a Caesar salad or a good grilled chickensandwich.
• Place to travel: Oh—I love all of Europe. My parents were missionaries there when they were young, so they have taken me back across the amazing countries! I am almost fully English and would someday love to go and explore England and maybe even find some of my history!

Hands On My Life

We can talk all day about the existence of God, or the proof of a creator. That is a conversation I would love to have with you!

But everyday I see his hands so clearly leading and taking care of me that I can't do anything BUT believe in a loving, active God.

If I could I would do anything so you could experience the joy and freedom that our creator has made available to any who answer his gentle call.

-Nathan

Not Enough To Hate

If you turn on a TV, or check one of your three aps delivering you the most up to date news and events from around the world on a minutely basis, you will suddenly be surrounded with information of all the things in the world that are going wrong.

 Flip over to your favorite entertainment channel and or talk-show and you will begin to hear the second part to “bad things happening”-you will hear in unison the reaction to these terrible things, reaction of sadness, disapproval, blame and anger.

 As the light from our TV screen daily lights our eyes, and the sound bites inform us of the terrible and saddening things happening, we feel something rise in each of us.

We feel a voice, a cry for justice and change... 

We find ourselves entering in the discussion, trying to find solutions and make the changes necessary to make this world a better place.

We talk about banning the things we don’t like and and taking a stand against the people who have the wrong ideas, we speak-out with emboldened voices against those who represent what we appall, and we learn to hate what we know is wrong. 

 But, is that enough? Is that enough change the world?

 No......

 I believe with all my heart it is not.

 We as people have learned what we should hate, detest, and stand up against. 

And maybe, just maybe, that is half of it, maybe that is a the place we begin. 

But it must not be where we stop.

 Have we forgotten the other half of the story? 

Have we forgotten the only reason why we even take stands? 

Have we become so entangled with our own rage for what is dark, that we have forgotten to love the light?

 God tells us.

 “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”

 It would seem we have the “Hate what is evil” down. 

But we just might have forgotten about the ‘sincere love’ and ‘clinging to what is good’.

We have become a people who love nothing, but have learned to get angry at all the right things.

But is this really the way to change?

God says

 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

 It seems that anger is something God has called us to use VERY sparingly. But if that’s the case.

Are we to simply lay back and allow immorality, injustice and perversion? NEVER!          We must stand up against it.

 BUT, we must stand up against it, with the only thing that has or ever will change the world.

 Love... 

• It is now no longer enough to HATE violence, we must now LOVE peace and pursue it while turning the other cheek.

• It is no longer enough to HATE unborn children being killed because of bad situations, we must now show our LOVE for life and the very real possibility of redemption even in the midst of catastrophe.

• It is no longer enough HATE the idea of people starving or living in poverty, we must now LOVE giving what we have to anyone who needs it.

• It is no longer enough to hate the devastating messages sexuality our culture portrays, we must now LOVE purity and show what a beautiful thing it truly is.

• It is not enough to HATE the destruction of marriage, we must now LOVE the beauty of what that union was made to be. And fight for our OWN!

• It is not enough to HATE the idea of so many becoming prodigals and wandering lost through this world, we must now LOVE redemption and celebrate anyone who hears and responds to the call of home.

 It is no longer enough to hate and be angry about the things we disagree with, we must now face them with the all encompassing, all powerful, unrelenting force that is the Love of God.

Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, but LOVE covers all offenses.

1 John 4:7  Beloved, let us LOVE one another, for LOVE is from God, and whoever LOVES has been born of God and knows God.

Romans 5:8 but God shows his LOVE for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

John 3:16  “For God so LOVED the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not LOVE in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Ephesians 4:2-3 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in LOVE, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.