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In the pages of the Bible, we find stories of reluctant servants - Moses comes to mind; when God called him, he made an excuse; said he could not speak well. In Jeremiah 1, we see the future prophet's resistance to God's call:
4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
6 Then said I: "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth."
7 But the Lord said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

God has given each of us raw material in order that we might bring praise to His name - but we have to recognize it and use it, activated by the power of the Holy Spirit.  It's part of our mission here on earth. But, as humans, we can find ways to resist - we may have problems coming to grips with the fact that, yes, God can use us. We may find that the enemy has stolen our motivation or confidence. But, God has given us the stuff so that He can bear fruit through us.  

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We can search our hearts and determine what we can offer to God for His glory - you were created to honor and reflect Him. 1st Peter 4 says:
10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We cannot deny the power of entertainment media to not only, well, entertain, but also to influence our thinking.  And, an article at The Christian Post about a Hollywood actor caught my attention recently. She has formed a company called, Threesixteen Productions. And, yes, that is a reference to the familiar Scripture verse, John 3:16.

The article says that Letitia Wright, who played the role of King T'Challa's tech-savvy sister in the film, Black Panther, told Porter magazine: “It was a name that was pressed on my heart. When I was in a dark place, God reached out to me and I kind of see my production company in that sense: there’s an issue and it needs a little bit of saving..." The article notes that the company's purpose, stated on its website, is to "produce 'meaningful content within the entertainment industry.'"

The Post notes that:

Wright has made it known in the mainstream media that it’s her faith in Jesus that keeps her focused.

"I'm centered in who I am and I'm really grateful. I'm not perfect," she stated. "Especially as a Christian, you're not perfect. But you're walking every day and trying to just stay connected and yeah it's helped me a lot so I'm really grateful."

The star previously opened up to The Hollywood Reporter and explained that a trip to a Bible study helped her out of the “very dark place,” which is why she is so solid in her Christianity today and chooses her roles through that lens.

The article relates that Wright is still grieving the death of Chadwick Boseman, who played the title role in Black Panther; it says:

After Boseman's death, she honored her costar with a moving spoken-word piece on Instagram where she revealed what God shared with her about the late actor.

"I'll never forget the day that I met you, before I got on the plane to L.A. for my first meeting with you, God told me that you were my brother and that I am to love you as such. And I always did, and I always will," Wright said of Boseman.

Now, I don't know how the establishment of this company translates into "meaningful" content, but it is refreshing to see someone who claims the name of Christ being outspoken about her faith.  

Her story is reminiscent of the desire of Birmingham's Jon and Andy Erwin to make a strong impact, working within the film industry, to tell stories that are consistent with a Christian worldview.  That has certainly been seen in their films, including Woodlawn, I Can Only Imagine, and this year's GMA Dove Award-winning film, I Still Believe.  A biopic called, Jesus Revolution, about the incredible life and faith story of Greg Laurie, is in the works, and The Oklahoman website has just announced a new project - about the new projected movie, The Unbreakable Boy, the article says:

According to the casting notice, "The Unbreakable Boy" centers on a teenager with autism who also has a rare brittle bone disease.

Described as "told in the charmingly unpredictable voice" of the teen, the film is billed as "a funny and inspiring true story of a young couple stumbling through parenthood, who find constant inspiration from the joy and optimism of their spectacularly unique son."

It goes on to say:

It will be based on the true story of Iowan Austin LeRette, whose father, Scott, candidly chronicled his son's life, struggles and faith in God in the book "The Unbreakable Boy," co-written with New York Times best-selling author Susy Flory.

The article also reports that the company will produce a biopic called, American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story, as well. 

Yesterday, I featured conversations with individuals who are using their God-given forms of artistic expression to glorify Him.  We can all examine our own gifts and talents and ask God to show us how we can use them for His glory.  The point isn't to make us famous, but to make Him famous. There may be an interest that we have, something that we like to do or were even born to do, that God has instilled within us so that we might bring honor to Him.  By His Spirit, He can use us for His purposes.

We also recognize that stories are all around us.  Stories with meaning.  Stories that illustrate truth.  We each have a story that God has worked through us, and by reflecting on it and telling it, we have the chance to make a bold statement for Christ. And, we can surround ourselves with inspiring stories that build us up - we certainly need the encouragement.