Praise: Lisa Chan’s True Beauty Devotional Film “Be Still”

There is part of me that doesn’t even know where to start this post. I know I am supposed to be the “professional” writer and all, but the only thing I can truly wrap my head around is “wow.” Just wow! 

Let me tell you, this review is one that I am doing at the last possible minute. I have been putting it off. One thing or another has pushed itself into my path, interrupting my plans to watch the video. Even tonight, as I sat down, I started off trying convince myself that I could do it tomorrow. That I had to check Facebook and email before watching. Now that I am done, all I can say is, “get behind me Satan.” For I know, that the enemy did NOT want me to watch this film. I feel like I just had my eyes opened for the first time, in a long time.

Lisa Chan (the wife of Frances Chan, a phenomenal contemporary Christian writer) has created a series of devotional films entitled True Beauty. These films are intended as a way to help women put aside the pressures of the world and just focus on building their authentic relationship with Jesus.

For this review, I was given the opportunity to watch the first film, Be Still, in it’s entirety. My heart was captured from the moment Lisa began to speak. Ladies, this is not your typical “bible study” experience. As a matter of fact, I am truly at a loss for words to describe it. From about 4 minutes into the film, I could literally feel God’s spirit on me. Her words were mesmerizing. It was as if she was speaking directly at my heart and my heart was coming alive to her message. 

At one point in the film she says…

If I asked a woman, Have you been still lately? Really still? Hushed, subdued, soft, free from disturbance.

I felt immediately convicted. I am not still. Hardly ever. Much less hushed or subdued. No one that has ever met me would call me soft but the one that stole my breath was the last one, free from disturbance.

My heart, mind and soul are rarely free from disturbance. I am poor at taking time with the Lord. Really and truly kneeling a the foot of Jesus and soaking in his presence. I allow myself to believe that praying in the car or on a run counts as 1:1 time with the Lord, when inevitably, I am left feeling empty and unsatisfied. This film really points out the ways that God wants us to grow close to him. Not only in service or study (although important), but through our time at his feet. Being truly and completely still.

Lisa combines verses, stories and teachings in a new and refreshing way. It was as if I had popped into her kitchen and she was simply talking to me. Almost like she knew my secrets (or all women’s secrets) and she was literally zoning right in on them. There was one verse that stood out in an almost surreal way. Even though I have heard this verse a thousand times, I have never really heard this part:

Remain in me, and I will remain in you (John 15:4)

Remain in me. Remain in me. So, often I forget that I have to remain in Jesus to be renewed daily. To have the strength and consideration to do that the things that pleases him. Just like Lisa talks about in the film, I make the wrong choices and then say, I didn’t have the time. Truthfully, that is a ploy of the enemy. We need to remain in Jesus to bear the fruit of his works in us.

I wrote this line at the beginning of my post but just couldn’t figure out where to put it. However, it completely sums up my over all feelings that I wanted you to have it. So as awkward as it seems, this is how I would sum up my review of True Beauty – Be Still:

After watching Be Still, I felt a bit as if this film was a glass of fresh, clean, cold water and I was severely parched after a long run. At first I drank it in in one large gulp but then I had to go back a for a refill.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of the full film in exchange for this post. Regardless, I only post my honest opinions. This blog is in no way affiliated with Twitter, Facebook or any other social network.