The popular Hollywood actress, known for her roles in the family romantic comedies “Hallmark'' and “The Great American Family,'' says her Christian faith is the foundation of her life. Jen Lilly has appeared in about 18 Christmas movies, including two new ones this year. little women's christmas (November 23) and on Hulu. Operation Mistletoe, Currently streaming. She also leads a new innovative crowdfunding company. raise the reeloffers fans the chance to become extras in a new romantic movie. holiday heartswill be filmed next year.
“I could talk about Jesus all day long,” Lily told Crosswalk Headlines.
Lily was raised in the Catholic church, but from an early age she doubted God and did not know what she believed about faith. Her spiritual journey changed when she was nine years old when her parents left the Catholic church and moved to the modern Protestant church.
“They clap their hands and raise their hands in prayer, which for a Catholic girl, [I was thinking,] 'what happened? 'So it was really lively and fun. ”
In Sunday school at her new church, she said she learned about the Old Testament story of Elijah and was surprised to learn that Elijah received the Holy Spirit.
“I remember being so in awe that Elijah in the Old Testament had the Holy Spirit in him,” she said. “Because when I was young, I had no idea that people in the Old Testament had the Holy Spirit indwelling them, other than Moses, Jesus, and the 12 disciples, and I had no idea how much the Holy Spirit could indwell people in the New Testament. Because I didn't know about the will?
“When I was 9 years old, I came home really excited and thought, 'What's in this book?'” she said of the Bible.
She marked the entire Bible with yellow marker and read first about Elijah and then about Elisha.
“And I thought, 'What else is in this book?' So I spent the entire summer between the ages of 9 and 10 reading the Bible from cover to cover. .”
Her friend came to her house and asked her for a bike ride.
“And I was like, 'No way. I'm in Leviticus and I'll never get out of it,'” she told Crosswalk Headlines with a laugh.
“I read the entire Bible when I was young and I’ve been hooked ever since,” she said. “And I really love Jesus. I love the Holy Spirit. I know Jesus is still active. You know, I've seen God heal. I've seen miracles. I've seen people get out of wheelchairs.”
Lily's new company, raise the reelis a new fundraising model for movies that gives fans the opportunity to visit sets and become extras. The company's first movie, holiday heart, Filming is scheduled to begin next year. According to her, the main roles involve famous talents.
Crowdfunding is necessary because the current model of film production is broken, she said.
“It gives people the opportunity to not only help fund a film, but actually be a part of the filmmaking process,” she said. “People can star in a Christmas movie with me.”
Photo courtesy: ©Facebook/jen lily
michael faust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His articles have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star, and Knoxville News Sentinel.
