‘If you knew that by saying yes in your own life, another will see to it to say yes in theirs, would that one life be worth whatever your path asks of you?’ – Charlena Miller
My amazing mom created this short documentary in 9 weeks from start to finish, she had never held a film camera before in her life. We co-wrote the backstory here. What Jerry said at the end of this film pierced my heart. I was sitting across from him as he spoke while my mom filmed. He needed someone to look at while on camera so he wasn’t staring into empty space. I had met him maybe five minutes or more before the camera started to roll and as he spoke I sat there and took in every word he was saying as tears streamed down my face, ’cause I knew there was this thing I had to do…and I wasn’t doing it. Instead, I was living in fear. I believe there is this thing inside of all of us, this thing we are meant to do while we are here on earth that calls us forth and beckons us to go beyond what we imagined, it lives in our dreams and is embedded in our passions. I had a vision of what that was for me a year ago while living in Maui. It was around helping people eat better and feel better, and it was even this very site. I envisioned Freshly Grown in my head and how I wanted to make a difference and help folks get on a better path of health and healing, but I had so many other thoughts running alongside of me telling me to play small. ‘No one will read it,’ ‘You aren’t qualified,’ ‘People don’t want to change,’ ‘Who are you to try to make a difference?’ And on the story goes. This fear and shame and all of the other definitions that are the antithesis of faith longed to make their bed in my mind and heart. But, I had a divine encounter, an epiphany, to pursue this thing that called me forth and I held on even if by a microscopic thread.
As time wore on and we moved back to Oregon from Maui, our family went through many transitions. We moved three times before settling back into our house. My husband’s job became more intense and finances became a bit of a challenge. The running thoughts grew louder during this time, ‘Put your dreams aside, be practical.’ And I started to give in. Then this particular day came, the 28th of June, and I was sitting in front of Jerry and what he said in the last few lines of ‘Epiphany’s Call‘ shattered every single fear and insecurity I had in an instant. Faith won. It was as if the voice of God came down and struck my heart through Jerry’s words. And I knew that I knew I must do this no matter what, ’cause at the end of the day, it’s not solely about me.
‘What if I had not taken on the calling? What if I didn’t pursue what I had seen? And I think about all the dreams that are out there in people’s hearts, that you tuck away or you don’t pursue because you don’t have money, you don’t have the means. And it makes me wonder what problems are out there in the world that they’re solutions in someone’s heart. That, because they’re saying no…we’re waiting. How would this world look if more people said yes? -Jerry
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