If I was a greeting card, I’d be one of those illustrated story cards, the ones with the little built-in music tracks. I honestly can’t remember a time I wasn’t captivated by words, pictures and music. Or by wanting to create them for others. (You may have noticed how full of pictures, and sometimes even music, my blog posts are.)
As early as age 2 (I’m told), I started telling stories: Reenacting scenes from favorite movies and TV shows on the sidewalk outside, and vocally recreating the music. One lady—I’ll call her Mrs. Crank—actually alerted the police. Twice. I also told stories by drawing pictures from favorite books on that same neighborhood sidewalk. Which resulted in Mrs. Crank permanently banishing me from “her sidewalk.”
After reviewing my SAT scores, my high school career counselor said, “You should go into the arts.” “Which one?” I asked (I’d just come from a play rehearsal en route to my private writing time, after which I was off to band rehearsal). “All of them,” she said. “I simply can’t imagine you doing anything else.”
I eventually realized all my artiness had a connective tissue: storytelling. Even my songs and poetry told stories. But a while later I hit a crisis. I was tired of telling stories. “So what?” I thought. “What does it matter? They’re just stories.”
Then I met the ultimate Storyteller, the One who told, and is still telling, our universe into being, and I finally began to understand what my storytelling was for. It was to reenact my Creator’s stories. And you know what? I never get tired of telling those stories, or doubt their value. Ever.
One such story is my feature film Healing River, which premiered on Amazon Prime last weekend. If you haven’t seen it yet, may I suggest you give it a look? Healing River, winner of over 20 film festival awards, nominations and selections, is now drawing wonderful, heartfelt responses from “the neighbors” online (and so far no Mrs. Crank in sight). See? Here I am on the sidewalk again…
Telling stories
To watch Healing River now (or save it for later), click here!
Nice
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Stories are very important to us because we can’t see or sometimes can’t understand our own lives.. We need stories to relate to.. So your story telling is priceless!
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So true, Piyush.
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Well said!
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Excellent work Mitch. Can’t wait to check it out. May the Lord bless it, use it powerfully in people’s lives, and grow you tremendously in his likeness.
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Thank you, Hannah–I couldn’t ask for more than that! And you too, I pray.
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Thank you. I need that. I’m in the final stages of publishing a book and relishing all the prayer I can get. Such an invigorating process! He’s so good to allow us to partner with him in the creative process.
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This has inspired me Sire.
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Thank you, Salem. Go and create!
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You certainly seem to be living out the blueprint God has for your life. My wife and I loved the movie (saw it Saturday night) and were amazed to see that you not only wrote it and directed it, but also wrote all of the SONGS in it! And if I’m not mistaken, played the guitar on a couple! Clearly the Creator created you for creating.
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So glad you two enjoyed the movie, Russ. And for you ongoing support! If you haven’t already, please consider writing a brief review at Amazon (our distributor says it makes a big difference on how much promotion and visibility it gets there).
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Totally cool! I am so excited to watch this! Need a free review? 😉
Oh, by the way, I think making movies should have been my thing. I love making videos and am always wishing my wife would let me buy more gadgets to make them better. But what’s been really fun is that I have to pre-record our Sunday morning services. THAT is like all the permission I need to get creative.
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That’s right, it’s “Sunday Morning Movie Time with Pastor Anthony” nowadays, isn’t it? ;>) And, yes, I’d be delighted with a “free review.”
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I think word-creative people were born with silver pens in their mouth. (Typewriters wouldn’t fit.)
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;>)
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A great story Mitch, lots of talent gathered there…I will give it a review as well. I can’t begin to imagine the amount of work you put into it. Thanks
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And a lot of other people too. Thanks, Gary!
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Nice
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Dear Mitch Teemley, I watched the trailer of your film ‘Healing River’ through the link you mentioned. It is beautiful. I searched this in Prime of Amazon.in (India), but could not find it. I hope it will come to Indian Prime too soon. May God bless you always and help you to inspire people through your works 🙂
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Thank you, Krishna. Healing River will probably come to Amazon India sometime this summer.
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All great artists are storytellers at heart; all great artworks have a story in their soul.
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https://thinkertinkerdotblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/somewhere-on-an-island/
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Trying to start with my first short story, hopefully i can write nice few words like you…
https://thinkertinkerdotblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/somewhere-on-an-island/
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Great! Enjoy the journey, TT, and it is a journey.
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Stories…their the life of me
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