Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of you who have sent Nathan and me a note about how much you have been blessed by the book Different. He and I have been so encouraged and inspired by your letters and stories. I know that since so many of you have read his story, you will be excited to hear of some great news about him.
Something we have always believed in our family is that good stories are important. And no one took this to heart more than my superman, hero, "Different" boy, Nathan.
A little while ago I wrote a book with my hero boy Nathan. We told our story, honest, real, and authentic. It was called Different.
He wanted to because he believed stories are powerful and he wanted to let his be used by God to encourage the hearts of any who needed hope. Since we have told our story we have received countless letters from people around the world who connected with mine and Nathan's story and were given hope see God work in their own lives.
As his mom I could see from a young age that Nathan always wanted to be a hero-- he was the boy who would make swords our of sticks and adventure through the backyard conquering imaginary foes. Nathan was the boy who would gather all the kids in the neighborhood to play pretend inviting all of them to be apart of the story in Nathan's head. Nathan was the three year old little boy who insisted on being David in our family play of David and Goliath, because David was the hero. Nathan was my out-of-the-box, "different", boy who truly had the heart of a hero.
Nathan has always wanted to be someone that told a great story with his life. So it was only natural that when he finished high school, he decided he wanted to act and make movies. Nathan, (much to my surprise and trepidation), moved to New York and then LA following the call he felt God had placed on his heart to be a part of and to tell hopeful, redemptive stories.
After living in La for a couple of years Nathan grew to have such a heart for the lost people he encountered daily, he wrote his first script about the Prodigal Son in hopes it would reach his generation with God's love. So after a lot of hard work and prayer, with a few friends cooperating, they turned Nathan's script into a movie called Confessions of a Prodigal Son. It starred Kevin Sorbo, and is now on Netflix reminding all who watch it the redemptive story of the Prodigal Son and reminding us of the miracles God is willing to do with a different boy who had dreams of filming stories and seeing it come to reality..
Now Nathan is ready to tell a new story. He has embarked on a new journey with a new film called The Not so Good Samaritan. It is a modern retelling of the Good Samaritan story, a story Nathan keeps telling me is such a "relevant story for our world today" and one that can "offer God's hope to a world in need".
But to make this we need your help. Nathan needs to pay for actors, cameras, lights, transportation, food, housing, and everything else that goes into making a worthwhile film. And to do this Nathan has set up a really neat Kickstarter to get people who catch this vision involved. Each donation comes with a particular reward that makes you a unique part of the creation of the film.
If you decide to partner with Nathan in this, there are some fun and thoughtful gifts that he has prepared for those who support the movie.
As a mama, I will be helping and supporting my sweet children's projects to the moon as they dream to bring God's kingdom messages to reality. If God puts it on your heart to be a part, we will all rejoice!
Some of the rewards are:
-A personal mentoring session or acting lesson for your "different" child with Nathan
-A role for the young actor in your life (with lines and a character name) in the film
-OR (for any of you moms looking for a break) A one night stay for two in a bed and breakfast here in Colorado Springs and a tea time at my house with me.
But all of these are just creative ways to thank you for getting involved in helping my wonderful Nathan, storyteller, this young creative man with a passion for helping people through redemptive stories, make his vision into a reality. But for it to happen we really do need your help. Even the smallest amount helps.
If we had...
100 people give $10 and
just 200 people give $25
Or just 100 give give $50
This film could become a reality... But any involvement at all helps. And in a time when good stories are so needed I hope you will help us create this vision.
If you were encouraged by our story in Different, it would be so meaningful if you consider being a part of telling another redemptive story that can touch lives with God's love and help bring to life this film?
Check out more about the film and rewards here:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1408969248/the-not-so-good-samaritan
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Thanks for taking the time to read this. And if you leave a comment and share this post, you can be entered into a drawing for a giveaway for 5 sets of Different that my publisher is offering to give away to you. A copy of Different and A Different Kind of Hero for 5 winners.
Please leave a comment about how you have enjoyed Different or let us know that you have shared this post and you will be entered to win.
Thanks from the bottom of my mama heart for all of your encouragement you have given to us both!
P.S. Contact Nathan with any questions through his website at :http://nathanclarkson.squarespace.com/
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What is a Kickstarter?
Kickstarter is the world's largest funding platform for creative projects. A home for film, music, art, theater, games, comics, design, photography, and more. Kickstarter has funded musical albums, special Bible editions, children's books, movies and much more. It is a way that people can find out about and be a part of seeing real valuable creative projects come to life.
Many people cannot ever hope to fund a worthwhile creative projects unless people invest to help make these projects into a reality. It was through a kickstarter and many of you generous friends that Nathan was able to make his movie, Confessions of a Prodigal Son.