Journal
California is known for earthquakes, and I have experienced some big ones over the years of living in Hollywood. Working in the media and entertainment industries, I have also experienced lots of earth-shattering moments, both good and bad, having worked in an ever-unstable industry. Strikes, AI, finance issues, and the many moral and cultural challenges of working in the industry as a Christian are prominent issues taking a toll on artists and creatives today. And it’s not only in Hollywood. Other media and entertainment hubs like Atlanta and NYC are also feeling the strain. Artists and creators are standing on shaky ground on multiple levels and just trying to keep their balance as the industry continues to make seismic changes.
At a recent Influence Women Hollywood Professional gathering, I spoke on why community and standing on the Word of God has never been more critical today.
John, a disciple of Christ and personal witness to His teaching and miracles, encouraged the first-century Church as they felt challenged with the issues of living out their faith in a hedonistic Roman culture. He writes in John 1:5-6, “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.”
The word “message” in Greek also means “promise” and is only used two times in the New Testament. It is also related to the word “preach.” John reminds listeners that we are called to preach the promise or evangelize the “good news” and not let our challenges consume us. We are to conduits of His “Light” and bring the “Light” of who Jesus is to others. With our eyes and ears mesmerized by our screens today, we are often influenced by the dark side of life. Wars, famine, shutdowns, climatic and devastating events full of death and destruction weigh on our lives.
John reminds us to walk in the Light of God.
Darkness today impacts our personal lives, too. Disruptions and uncertainties in our daily lives and careers lives toss us around with constant seismic shocks. Yet, in God, there is no darkness—no uncertainties or disruptions—only Light, hope and God’s promise to be there with us. And it can be an opportunity to share the “Light” of God to others. If we’re engaged fully in Him, it means choosing to live an active and vibrant relationship through the turmoil, walking with confident boldness moment by moment. In Him, there is no fear and “no darkness at all.” God will direct our “coming and goings” (Psalm 121:8). (more…)
Inner Views
BIO
Nina May is the Founder and Chairman of the nonprofit production and training program, Renaissance Women Foundation. Her latest film project, “Jesus Freaks,” is based on the true story during the Jesus Revolution era in the 1970s. She wrote and produced “First Lady,” created the TV series “Daily Bread,” wrote, produced, and directed the award-winning dramedy, “Life Fine Tuned”, and was the associate producer of “Beyond the Mask” and wrote 5 short films for the 168 Film Festival, receiving several nominations and wins. She has also written and edited the award-winning documentary, “Emancipation Revelation Revolution,” and the sequel, “Reparation: Who Should Pay?” Nina holds a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo and, in her spare time, is a general contractor and has testified before the United Nations General Assembly and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, making her a true Renaissance Woman!
INNER VIEW
Kathleen Cooke: You are a Renaissance Woman, but I know that even though you’re an accomplished woman, God continues to teach you new things. What has God been teaching you recently and growing you in?
Nina May: Making a movie is like painting three-dimensionally. Movie production is problem-solving while juggling chainsaws. It is easy to stress over the smallest details of pulling a movie together, because that’s what it is … one small detail after another, like bricks in a wall. If you miss any, the wall will collapse. The most important lesson I have been learning during the production of “Jesus Freaks” is to be anxious for nothing. I always say that God sees around corners, and if Christ was slain since before the foundation of the earth, God knows how this movie is going to turn out, what the distribution model will be, if the actors are on their marks delivering flawless performances, etc. God wants to be involved in the sausage-making with us. He gets joy in our reliance on Him and calls us to be co-creators with Him. I always make Him my Executive Producer. I could not do this without relying on Him 100% of the time… being anxious for nothing.
Kathleen: Many in the media, entertainment, music, and arts industries are being challenged on many levels today due to work slowdowns and the intrusion of AI into creative areas. How do you stay inspired when challenged?
Nina: My problem with inspiration is that I can’t turn the spigot off. Everything inspires me to see possibilities and sparks my creative desire to produce, interpret, expose, and celebrate.
I have collected hundreds of movie ideas over the years and have turned many into books, but most sit on a shelf… waiting to be discovered. There is a term I have heard my whole life that I do not relate to at all: “writer’s block.” For years I had a one-minute commentary on radio and would write them all for the week, then go in and record five at a time. It was amazing how my timing was spot on… 58 seconds each. It became a kind of measuring stick for me, and the minute I start typing… the words and ideas just flow. I give God the glory, though, because I pray before writing for wisdom, discernment, and the right words to touch hearts. So, I guess the bottom line is, God inspires me through His creation and His desire to create with us.
Kathleen: The culture today is about being different, unique. We all want to set ourselves apart from the masses, but often to do that, we can be perceived as strange and weird – especially as Christians who make choices often different from the mainstream. Why is different OK?
Nina: I am fascinated by the idea of being unique and understanding what sets us apart, with our own gifts and talents. (more…)
Inner Views
What does it really mean to have “influence”? Read this week’s INNER VIEW as Flo Oramasionwu unpacks both the privilege and responsibility of having influence, and how she lives as an “encourager” of others everywhere she goes.
BIO
If you were searching for a soulful pop singer with a huge, heart-stopping voice, the Canadian Prairies is likely not the first place you’d start looking. But that’s exactly where Flo got her start. Flo is a multiple award-winning soul/pop artist who captivates with undeniable stage presence in every type of venue from intimate clubs to arenas. She represents encouragement, personal strength, passion, and positivity. Her enduring message of faith and self-empowerment reflects her resolve: to overcome all obstacles and continue to live out her dreams, “I believe this dream is bigger than I am.” Luckily her voice is bigger than her dreams. She is passion in living form and travels into realms of soul that some artists never tap into, and this is only the beginning.
“And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” – Marianne Williamson
INNER VIEW
Kathleen Cooke: As an award-winning musical artist in Hollywood, what lessons has God recently taught you about who He is?
Flo Oramasionwu: God has taught me that He is personal, present, and REAL! Not just a distant God that our parents, grandparents, and friends teach us about. Not a fictional or past character that was just active in the historical Old/New Testament times. JEHOVAH JIREH has come through for me in so many miraculous ways throughout my journey in LA that my mind is blown! He is not only faithful, but He is also so loving. He does miraculous things through people (even absolute strangers) and circumstances.
He moves and creates the resources to bless, encourage, and keep you going on your journey to ensure that you are on the right path. He’s got your back. He KNOWS you so well. He not only supplies your needs but also provides for your desires and the things that sometimes you think are unnecessary or may feel frivolous. He wants to give you the things that make your heart jump and smile. He truly is our provider. And, when God does it, He does it in beautiful ways.
Kathleen: The music industry is a constant struggle to create more music and get yourself seen. It takes enormous grit and endless determination. What have you learned about setting aside your ambitions and choosing God’s perfect plan for your life and work?
Flo: God has patiently taught me the importance of surrender and not to obsessively strive so much that there’s no room left for Him to drive. In other words, He’s been showing me the beauty of letting Him take hold of the “steering wheel” while I rest in Him and enjoy the beautiful view from the passenger seat.
Ambitious striving to accomplish specific dreams and goals can turn into an idol. It requires trust and faith to let go and leave it in God’s hands. He not only knows best, but His way is so much better than what we could ever try to do on our own. He is so much more efficient than our timing and far more effective than our efforts could ever be.
I personally don’t believe there is anything wrong with aiming for excellence (Daniel and Joseph were men of excellence), or having a vision (David had a vision for building God’s temple and left the blueprints to execute them with his son Solomon) and working towards it. But I do think God wants to eliminate the fear of needing to do everything on our own or else it won’t be completed or get done well. God knows and places the desires we have in our hearts for a reason and a purpose. He created us with gifts and abilities “for such a time as this” (as Mordecai told Esther) in history. He will fulfill the things He has planned for us. There is no need to spin our wheels and strive. God’s got this, and He’s got us!
Kathleen: It takes great faith to set aside yourself and your way for God’s way and choose to trust Him. You make yourself vulnerable and exposed in a world that thrives on self-assurance. What has God taught you about choosing Godly choices? (more…)
News
We’re growing! Influence Lab Women is expanding into the hub of film and television production in Atlanta. “Hollywood and New York are no longer the only epicenters of media production,” shares Kathleen Cooke. “Influence Lab Women is thrilled to introduce you to the new Atlanta Influence Lab coordinator, Anna Oakley.”
The kick-off of the Atlanta group will be an in-person watch party of the Influence Lab Women’s online event featuring guest Cindy Bond, producer of “Redeeming Love” and the box-office hit, “I Can Only Imagine.” If you live in the Atlanta area, sign up here to join us for this event. (Not in Atlanta? Sign up here for the free webinar.)
And now, meet Anna Oakley…
Hi! My name is Anna Elizabeth Oakley, and I’m an actor, puppeteer, and children’s coach living in what has come to be known as the “Hollywood of the South” – Atlanta, Georgia. In December 2021, I journeyed to LA to hear actress and producer Jessica Oyelowo speak at The Influence Lab Women’s Christmas Gathering. I didn’t know anything about The Influence Lab and little did I know what God truly had in store for me that night. After a long desert season of almost two years due to the pandemic, the gathering blew me away and filled my soul. It was not only an evening filled with new connections, friendships, and empowering prayer but of being strengthened and mentored in faith and career excellence. I was inspired to press on and into what and where God had purposed for my life.
My immediate question when I met Kathleen was, have you thought of bringing this to Atlanta?
It turns out she had! The Influence Lab team had been praying about expanding into Atlanta. They, too, knew that Atlanta had grown into a strong industry community and had become a major hub for TV and film production. The Influence Lab had felt an urgency to expand, encourage and empower professionals there. But how? It was a matter of God’s timing. That night I felt God tapping me on the shoulder and calling me into action. (more…)
