Between Heaven and Hollywood Read online

  Hollywood is the place of dreams—people dream of being famous stars, writers, and directors. One in a million actually breaks through in the industry and makes it. David A.R. White is one in a million. But because he’s done it without abandoning his Christian faith, which is part of his life since his Kansas childhood, he’s one in 10 million! His remarkable story of dreams coming true without surrender to the secular is now captured in his fascinating book, Between Heaven & Hollywood. Funny, earthy, and real—it’s as good as his movies!

  GOVERNOR MIKE HUCKABEE, FORMER GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS, NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

  As a child I could daydream with great ease, and so many of the things I dreamed were realized with equal ease. But then as a child my trust in God also came so easily . . . then, I had a childlike faith. As time went on, as it undoubtedly will . . . the challenges of life . . . the many stumbling blocks and heartbreaks called into question that faith, demanding all the while that I deepen my relationship with God and strengthen my dependence on Him, if once again, the dreams He placed in my heart were ever again to become a reality.

  I only wish I had this “gem of a book” to encourage me along my journey and make the path a bit more clear, as I surrendered the dreams in my heart to His purpose for my life. But I have it now. This book not only reawakens our ability to dream, it can reintroduce us to the greatest relationship of our lives. Dreams are but a vision of His Plan for Our Lives.

  ACTRESS AND AUTHOR ROBIN GIVENS

  Reading David’s story, I felt at times I was reading about myself because our stories are similar in many ways. Citizens of Heaven, working in Hollywood. As he points out so eloquently, each of us is a deliberate creation of God, with a God-breathed dream inside us. And each unique, with a wonderful future—if we let Him lead us. I wish every young dreamer would read David’s story; it’s entertaining, sometimes funny, often inspirational, and eventually thrilling. And it’s chock full of God’s Word and will for all of us, but employed in individual and surprising ways. You’ve done big things, David—but this book may well be your best production.

  PAT BOONE, ENTERTAINER

  I met David when we worked together on the set of the Pure Flix film Redeemed. This book and how David lives his life are an inspiration to me and many others who feel called to work in the entertainment industry.

  MEGAN ALEXANDER, NATIONAL TV REPORTER; AUTHOR OF FAITH IN THE SPOTLIGHT

  David’s story will inspire you to honor God by pursuing the dreams He places in your heart. Between Heaven & Hollywood gives you a roadmap of how to overcome the challenges you will face if you seek to be a witness for Christ in the public arena.

  DR. RICE BROOCKS, AUTHOR OF THE BOOK GOD’S NOT DEAD

  David A.R. White, in his book Between Heaven & Hollywood, has touched the human heart as he strikes a familiar chord with all people who desire to see their dreams fulfilled in their lifetime. In his popular movies God’s Not Dead and God’s Not Dead 2, we see him stand firm and fearless in his faith; being bold in his presentation of God’s infinite character to a world who blatantly denies His existence. As with his work on screen, this book will enthrall the reader to aspire to the heights he has reached. He is a man who has defied the odds and demonstrated his persistence in pursing his dreams according to God’s divine purpose.

  RAUL RIES, PASTOR OF CALVARY CHAPEL, GOLDEN SPRINGS IN DIAMOND BAR, CALIFORNIA

  David A.R. White is a preacher’s kid from a small town next to nowhere, with God-given dreams that pushed him naively and courageously into the Hollywood abyss. I trust and I have enjoyed working for and with David and was surprised because I thought I knew much of his successful journey into “The Business.” I was pleasantly surprised to read of his trials and tribulations as he has proven to be a significant Hollywood player while armed with his faith and trust in God.

  Between Heaven & Hollywood is filled with inspiration from a man who grew up on a wheat farm in Kansas without a single connection in Hollywood . . . except perhaps his connection to God. After reading this book I’m reminded of how deep his faith is, and why he was making Christian movies long before it was considered “good business.” He has accomplished a small miracle: honoring the Lord while making successful profitable films of faith in Hollywood. This book is an inspirational guide to following your God-given dreams and reminds us that it’s our unexceptional ordinariness that make us so uniquely extraordinary. Take a chance and read this book . . . it could change the way you see yourself, your faith, and how you go about pursuing your life and dreams.

  TED MCGINLEY, ACTOR AND STAR OF DO YOU BELIEVE?

  Between Heaven & Hollywood elucidates the hidden tension within each one of us between the ache to pursue a dream and fear that we will fail. David A.R. White courageously challenges us to dream bigger and trust God more boldly. White masterfully draws us into his very personal struggle of dreaming big, relying on God more severely, and wrestling with fear of failure. Between Heaven & Hollywood inspires us to leave trepidation in the dust and hand our biggest passions to God.

  MEG MEEKER, MD, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF STRONG FATHERS, STRONG DAUGHTERS

  ZONDERVAN

  Between Heaven and Hollywood

  Copyright © 2016 by David A.R. White

  Requests for information should be addressed to:

  Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

  ISBN 978-0-310-34980-8 (audio)

  ePub Edition © October 2016: ISBN 978-0-310-34595-4

  Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®

  Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

  David A.R. White is represented by The Litton Group, a brand management and content strategy agency in Brentwood, Tennessee. Learn more at www.TheLittonGroup.com.

  Cover design: James W. Hall IV

  Cover photos: Westend61 / GettyImages / © oneinpunch / iStock® / Cultura RM / Alamy Stock Photo

  Author cover photo: Cathryn Farnsworth Photography

  Interior design: Denise Froehlich

  First printing August 2016

  To my parents,

  Gene and Marcy White—

  You taught me at an early age to love the Lord and keep him first and foremost in all my endeavors.

  For that, I am truly grateful. I love you, Mom and Dad, and I can’t wait to see you again in heaven.

  Contents

  Introduction: Save Your Receipt

  1. A Dream Is Born

  2. Turn Right at Second Thoughts and Go Straight to the Other Side of Fear

  3. I Have a Feeling We’re Not in Kansas Anymore

  4. God Wants You to Succeed—Sometimes

  5. The Hard Part

  6. Time to Stop Talking and Start Listening

  7. When Plan “A” Doesn’t Work, Remember God Has Twenty-Five More Letters

  8. Don’t Hate the Wait

  9. If It Means Something to You, Give It Away

&nb
sp; 10. Now Get to Work

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  INTRODUCTION

  Save Your Receipt

  There’s a time for daring and there’s a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for.

  Dead Poets Society

  If you’re reading these words, then you’re probably standing in a bookstore with my book in your hands, trying to decide if this is the one for you or if you should perhaps get the one written by the guy with bigger hair. Or maybe you’re browsing Amazon and taking advantage of the “Look Inside” feature before you decide whether you want to buy this book.

  Good for you. I think we all would be better served if we gave a little more thought to our decisions before we invested our money, our time, our effort, or our love.

  If, however, you have already purchased my book because of its catchy title or my award-winning smile or because you like my movies, then I want you to know how much I deeply appreciate your support and confidence in me.

  Having said that, I hope you saved your receipt.

  I have a nagging feeling some readers might not know what to make of my book. I fear some will be suspicious of it, not so much because of its outrageous claims and grandiose promises, but rather because of the lack of them.

  You are probably accustomed to seeing titles that guarantee fantastic overnight results with little effort, such as Lose Weight While Overeating, Seven Steps to an Absolutely Perfect Life (Six, If Seven Is Too Many), How to Get Rich Before You Even Finish Reading This Book, or Learn Patience Instantly.

  If you have ever purchased these types of books, then I bet you wished you had saved your receipt. The truth is, many self-help books don’t work. If you own more than one, there’s your proof.

  Listen, I make movies in Hollywood. I live in a city and work in an industry that specializes in hype, fantasy, and reality distortion. I know how to take a little bit of nothing and turn it into a whole lot of something. I could have done that here, in my first book. I could have exaggerated the claims. I could have made outrageous promises about how good this book would make you feel and how it would revolutionize your life so that you would consider yourself a fool not to buy it. I could have. But then after reading it you might have felt cheated or misled, and your dissatisfaction would pretty much guarantee there would not be a second book.

  This book is about the realization of God-given dreams. It’s about changing something intangible and ethereal into something tangible and concrete. It’s about how you take what God has written on your heart and turn it into the writing on the wall. It’s about living out a passion in the actual, day-to-day world.

  In the upcoming pages I will demonstrate the principles of dream realization by highlighting instances from my personal and professional life. As such, much of this book is autobiographical in nature, but it’s not an autobiography in the truest sense. Each chapter opens with a story from my life, not to take a trip down memory lane, but primarily to illustrate and support the concepts and lessons I’ve learned along the way and intend to share with you. It’s my hope that you will learn from both my victories and defeats and see real-world, practical applications of the ideas discussed.

  I am not going to lie, mislead you, or sugarcoat the difficulty of this journey. Likewise, I will not misrepresent the biblical ideals I have included in these pages because:

  They’re not paying me enough and they never will.

  I don’t want to jeopardize my relationship with the Lord because (see 1).

  I don’t have to lie because the truth is greater and more satisfying than anything I could make up.

  This book will not help you to lose weight, but it might encourage you to lose the fear and doubts that weigh you down. This book will not make you rich, but rather convince you to live richly. I cannot guarantee you a perfect life, but I can show you how to perfect the life you live.

  Lastly, I ask you to do two things that may seem contradictory during your pursuit of dream fulfillment. I ask that you have faith in God, but also that you exercise caution and good judgment during your journey. Trust in the Lord, but leave yourself an extra twenty minutes on the highway in case of periods of heavy congestion. Know that God will ease your burden, but only pack what you can carry yourself. Pray for God’s wisdom, but do your own research on a candidate before casting your vote. Fear not, for the Lord is always with you, but when it comes to important purchases, save your receipt. Matthew 10:16–17 tells us, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard. . . .” For while the Lord God will never disappoint, rush hour traffic, luggage handlers, politicians, and retailers just might.

  I’m done with the disclaimers. I hope I’ve clued you in to what this book is about and, just as importantly, what it is not. Are you still reading? Good. Then let’s get started.

  CHAPTER 1

  A Dream Is Born

  Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high. There’s a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.

  The Wizard of Oz

  I spent much of my growing-up years in Meade, Kansas, a small town just outside Dodge City. That being said, have you ever heard the expression “Get out of Dodge”? It means to leave a troublesome or perilous environment as quickly as possible, as in, “I had to get the heck out of Dodge.” The saying refers to Dodge City, Kansas, a bustling cattle town in the late nineteenth century popular for its corruption and the well-deserved title of “The Wickedest City in America.”

  Dodge City is the site of a famous series of gun battles called the Dodge City War and hosted such colorful characters as Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. Its checkered past made it a favorite setting for movie and television Westerns in the early to mid-twentieth century.

  By the time I got there, however, the cowboys, saloons, and gamblers had long since moved west, and Dodge City had become a sleepy, quiet little town much like others in western Kansas. The city traded in its brothels and bars for meatpacking plants and wheat and sorghum farming. I’m not sure what sorghum is, but I am familiar with wheat—more on that later.

  My years in Kansas were spent in a small Mennonite Brethren community. As I write this, I’m looking outside my window at the palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze of the Los Angeles landscape, and I am reminded there is a time difference between the West Coast and my quaint little Mennonite town in Kansas. For instance, right now in California it’s 12:55 p.m. and back there it’s 1956. And just so you know, I’m not necessarily convinced that is a bad thing. Mostly.

  Perhaps you aren’t quite sure what a Mennonite Brethren is. Mennonite Brethren are Christians; that is to say, they believe in the lordship and saving grace of Jesus Christ and in the triune God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Although they share ties to other types of Christianity, the Mennonite Brethren are neither Catholic nor Protestant and—most importantly—they are not Amish. Although the Mennonites and Amish originate from similar traditions begun in the sixteenth century, there are significant differences in how the two groups live out their Christian values. For instance, the Amish generally shun modern technology, refrain from political and secular involvements, and wear odd-looking hats.

  Mennonite Brethren, on the other hand, are permitted to use electricity, such as the type used to power electric razors, and therefore have no good reason to walk around with those goofy-looking beards. While the Mennonite Brethren are not nearly as hard core or conservative as the Amish, they do make the Mormons look like a pack of Hell’s Angels.

  I grew up a churchgoing kid. Then again, I didn’t have much of a choice because my father was a preacher in the Mennonite Brethren Church, and every Sunday he brought us to work with him.

  SON OF A PREACHER MAN

  As a preacher’s kid, I was aware of the spiritual realm much earlier than a lot of people. For instance, I accepted the Lord into my life at the ripe old age of four. Which is strange, when you consider no court of law
anywhere in the world would consider a contract signed by a four-year-old legally binding. By the time I realized what I had done and what I had pledged to forgo until my wedding day, it was too late.

  Much has been written about the lives of PKs, and I see no reason to add to or revisit any of it here. I’m sure you’ve already heard how our families typically have to move every four years or so to the next church and how we have to share our parents’ time and resources with an entire congregation. You’ve probably heard we’re held to a different standard in terms of our good behavior and spiritual maturity. In pop culture, PKs are categorized as either repressed, wound-tight Goody Two-shoes who end up in a bell tower with a high-powered rifle or we’re angry, heroin-addicted atheists who wear too much Goth-inspired mascara. I have never been either of those. I’m proud to have had parents who sacrificed and devoted all they were and all they had to the service of God. There are times, however, when that service can be overpowering for a child. While I learned at a young age that being part of a ministry family could occasionally be difficult, I never felt the need to wear mascara. Just saying.

  My parents instilled in me a strong work ethic from a very early age by assigning me chores, duties, and other responsibilities. I appreciate having that quality now, but at the time I lacked the foresight to understand the value of a hard day’s work. The whole ordeal was annoying because it got in the way of doing the things I enjoyed, like catching frogs or building tree houses.

  PICKING ROCKS

  I remember the first job I ever had, and looking back I can’t decide if my parents had my best interests in mind or simply didn’t like me very much. I was about nine years old and in the fourth grade when I was hired to pick rocks out of farm fields. I was a rock picker. Rock Picker is not a glamorous title nor is it a particularly exciting job, but there you have it. Unless you grew up on a farm, you might not understand the importance of rock picking. Allow me to explain.