When I set out to write Finding Love in Big Sky, I knew there was a potential movie producer who might be interested, so I made it as Hallmark-ish as I could. There was ice skating, a cowboy ball, and the holidays. I never, in a million years, would have guessed they’d film the movie but take out Christmas. I mean, they added Christmas to Denise Hunter’s Goodbye Bride.
The screenplay writer told me that rewriting my story to take out the holidays got a little tricky. For example, when Josh gives Paisley a Christmas gift, it just becomes a random gift.
(He gives her this necklace with the logo of her ranch on it. I’m hoping this is what my hubby is getting me for Christmas too.)
But the part that I’m saddest about them taking out is the symbolism of the Christmas star. I felt like the star tied it all together. Paisley lives on Bright Star Ranch. It’s the scripture about how God calls all the stars by name that helps her realize how much He treasures her. And the church service she goes to is about how the wise men knew to follow the star. I found that study on the Christmas star fascinating, so since it’s not in my movie, I’ll include it here for you.
Excerpt from Finding Love in Big Sky:
“We know the magi had come from the east. And we know that the magi were recognized for science and insight, which was often mistaken for magic in those times. This puts them in the same area and the same group that Daniel would have been in when Israel was captured by Babylon as well as the same area and group as Balaam—the guy who’d once been hired to curse Israel, but he couldn’t do it and ended up blessing Israel instead.”
Oh . . . Paisleys lips parted in awe as she connected the dots. Balaam spoke the truth about the Jews to another nation, and then Daniel taught what it meant. The idea made sense.
“I want to look at three passages that could have given the magi the knowledge they needed to seek out Jesus and then what that means for us. First, how did the magi even know about a star? When was a star mentioned in the Bible?”
Paisley knew there were prophecies, but she’d never really studied them. She let people like Pastor Taylor do that.
“Balaam prophesied, ‘A Star shall come out of Jacob.”
Wow. That was to the point.
“Second, is time frame. Had generations of magi been watching the sky for a star? Or had they known exactly when to look for it?”
Paisley sat up straighter. If the magi had known when to look for a star, how had the Jewish people missed it?
Pastor Taylor read from Daniel 9. It didn’t reference the kind of calendar she was used to, but it definitely set the time frame for “the Anointed One.”
“This link with Daniel and Balaam is as apparent in what the magi knew as with what they didn’t know. They had to go to Herod to find out what Micah prophesied later on.” Pastor Taylor paused to make sure everyone was listening. “He’d said the Ruler of Israel would come out of Bethlehem.”
Paisley knew about Bethlehem thousands of years after the birth, but the Israelites had known about it before. Which made it even more amazing to think the Israelites had missed his birth. Strangers from a distant land presented to them what had been right in front of them the whole time.
Pastor Taylor closed his Bible. “It’s a beautiful story, isn’t it? But what can we learn from it?”
Paisley tilted her head in thought. This wasn’t the usual Christmas sermon about God’s love and giving gifts. It wasn’t simply a history lesson, either.
Pastor Taylor leaned over his pulpit. “We can learn God has a plan to restore your life. He knows the how, the when, and the where, exactly like he knew about Jesus’s birth. And he wants to reveal it to you. But if you don’t seek God’s direction, you could easily miss it.”
Paisley shifted uncomfortably. What would it look like to have her life restored? Maybe it was inheriting the ranch. Maybe it was creating a family through the people whose lives her ranch would touch. Because that was the only way she’d ever have more family. God wasn’t going to bring Grandpa or Mom back from the dead. He wasn’t going to heal her diabetes. Yeah, it had to be her ranch. Her Bright Star.
“When you find God’s direction, it doesn’t only bless you. It blesses others, as well.” Pastor Taylor motioned for the worship team to take the stage again. “The magi did find Jesus. They brought Him gifts that we will talk about more next week. Today I want to end with one of my favorite Christmas verses about how the gifts of the magi touched Jesus’s mother. In Luke 2:19, it says, ‘Mary treasured up all these things in her heart.’”
Christmas wasn’t about gifts. It was about treasure. Paisley smiled at the memory of Grandpa Johan calling her min skatt—my treasure in Norwegian. He’d always made her feel precious. He’d be proud of what she was doing with the ranch.
The screenplay did leave in “min skatt.” At different points during filming, each of the actors asked me about the meaning of min skatt and where I’d gotten it. So though my sermon isn’t in the movie, it kept the message of being treasured. This message meant so much to one friend of mine that she actually tattooed it on her arm.
Whether I’m writing a Christmas story or not, my books are always about finding love. And I hope they will help readers realize how much God treasures you.
In what ways is God showing you how much you’re loved this holiday season? Share on social media with the hashtag #FindingLove, and I’ll pick one winner to send a necklace in my annual birthday giveaway December 20th.
Angela Ruth Strong survived breast cancer, works as a flight attendant, and uses her own crazy life experiences as inspiration for the stories she writes. Her books have earned TOP PICK in Romantic Times, been nominated for a Christy, won the Cascade Award, and become Amazon bestsellers. She and her husband also got to play extras when her novel Finding Love in Big Sky was adapted for film. To help aspiring authors, Angela started IDAhope Writers where she lives in Idaho.
Inspiring. Thanks for giving us this
Christmas and even Thanksgiving and Easter all come together since it’s about Jesus Christ. I too love hallmark channel.I enjoy their Christmas movies every year.
Sooo good!! Too bad they took it out of the movie.
I watched Finding Love in Big Sky just last night! Did they ever tell you WHY they removed Christmas while filming it in “snow season” anyway? Although I did notice in the outdoor birthday party scene most of the kids weren’t wearing jackets. ;)
It was so fun to watch (having previously read the novel) and to catch a few glimpses of you. Nice flourish as you signed the silent auction entry! The whole movie was sweet.
Sounds like a good book I can’t enter the giveaway cause I don’t have social media
Amen!
My hope is that people who like the movie will find the book and read about God’s love.
Oh, this is so fun! I think Hallmark’s Christmas movie slots had already been filled for the year, but I could be wrong.
You can go ahead and answer here, and I’ll enter you. <3
So glad you’re inspired!
I’d 100 times rather read a book than watch a movie, to be honest. I don’t even have the Hallmark channel. I’m sure some of the ones watching will decide to read the book.
Never saw the movieWas it on hallmark channel?
I agree
It’s not out in the US yet. Val was only able to see it because it’s aired in Canada already. I’ll make sure to keep you all posted!
You women are very wise.
Thanks
That’s a lovely excerpt, thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing. So interesting. Merry Christmas 🎄🎁
You’re welcome! Thank you for stopping by.
You’re welcome. Merry Christmas!
Thank you merry christmas
I will have to check if I can watch this movie on Amazon Prime in Australia. I like to watch movies from Christian books. I know they often take some of the Christian elements out but they still keep some of the essence of the book.
Sadly, Angela, Hallmark is not the movie people they use to be. They cut the Christmas songs in their movies that have about Jesus in them, they have story lines that are not God ordained and they have gone woke. It’s sad they destroyed your story and that is what they did. What a shame for a missed opportunity to share Jesus to those watching who may be seeking Him and wanting to know more about Him. Perhaps a Christian movie company will consider taking your story to the highest level. May God bless you and guide you to continue writing stories of Faith.
Today it is a miracle that any secular movie producer or secular publisher publishes something that talks about Jesus or God. It is already miraculous that Christians are portrayed as people who are not evil or intolerant.
Not to mention Netflix I would not dare to expect anything good from an adaptation of a Christian book of that service so committed to non-Christian ideals. Hallmark would say that it is in the territory of wanting to keep its stories “clean” nothing more.
They changed your story so much. That’s sad.
He is always in my heart.
Can’t wait to read it!
Thank you so much for sharing this with me. God bless you. Merry Christmas.
Just this week I watched two Hallmark Christmas movies made from books written by Robin Jones Gunn but was sadly disappointed that they took out the spiritual theme in it. Because the books you can definitely call Christian fiction! Finding Father Christmas, Engaging Father Christmas were the titles to both books & movies.
I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas already! I’ve been reminded anew the reason for the season and how much God loved us to send His son so that I can spend eternity with Him :-) The sermons being preached from the pulpit by our pastor has also helped remind me of God’s love.
Can’t Wait to read this Thank you for sharing and Merry Christmas!
I feel so blessed tonight! I have been going through acute kidney failure and severe edema lately, and my lab results were better today. This evening someone from church brought us supper, and then we were very surprised when 6 carolers from church showed up to sing for us and give us a bag of candy.
#FindingLove
I love Hallmark channel. Some of their Christmas movies are very good. Some of the scenes are crazy, but good. I never saw the movies you mentioned but hear those titles.
Yeah Christmas is a week away. Jesus Christ is the best gift in the world. What more do we want?
It might not be out there yet. I didn’t realize it would release in Canada before the United States. This is all new to me. But if you find it, please let me know!!!
God is Good All of the Time! I loved your post Have a great week . I will be praying that you receive the necklace you want.
Thank you. It’s actually not a Hallmark movie. I’m still waiting to find out what station it will air on. But I know what you’re saying about Hallmark. I do appreciate my producer, and my hope is that airing on a secular station will help me reach more hearts with my writing. May the movie draw them to the book and to God’s love. God never wastes a thing.
I don’t blame them. They know their market. My hope is that having a secular movie will help me reach more hearts with my Christian novel. <3
Would be nice if hallmark channel would put God in movies the movies are good and wholesome.
Hallmark movies and mysteries I don,t bother watching although I love some of the Xmas movies on there as well.
I will its not here yet but will keep an eye out Oh I think its going to be on Disney which I don’t have.
Can’t wait to see the movie! In Danish it is ‘Min Skat” (My maternal grandma is 100% Danish)