How Do We Love Our Divided States of America?

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How Do We Love Our Divided States of America?
Naima Lett, Hollywood Christian BLOG

nation_divided
© NaimaLett.com/blog

How do we love our Divided States of America?

That’s the question I’ve been asking for several weeks as we’ve approached this Love National week of #LoveActs in our Love Revolution.

Two years ago, in anticipation of the case going to the Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage, I wrote the blog, “A Nation Divided: Gay Marriage.” But we can pick any number of issues – presidential election, gun rights, abortion, healthcare, immigration, foreign policy, police brutality – and we are a nation who does not agree.

I said in the previous blog that agreement is not a prerequisite for relationship. Agreement is not a prerequisite for love. We the people, We God’s people, are called to love our neighbors, even if we don’t agree with them. But HOW DO WE DO THAT?

I believe the answer is living out the Love Chapter we’ve been studying through our daily devotions on Bible.com / Bible App (hopeinthehills). If we apply I Corinthians 13 and approach each person, even in our disagreements, with patience, kindness, contentment, humility, honor, selflessness, gentleness and forgiveness, would love not make a huge difference?

Love Makes A Difference

Kevin and I have been married for 14 years and we do not agree on a whole slew of things, but we choose to love each other. In dealing with recent police brutality, what if we choose to love on cops in our precinct? I’m not oversimplifying and ignoring the huge underlying issues, but we’re trying to find a place to start. This week, one of our #LoveActs is to “Buy a Cop Coffee” day where we’ll get coffee gift cards and show appreciation to officers that we encounter. Can’t this make an impact towards creating a different narrative in the minds of officers who aren’t able to see all people as human? I’m praying God’s love begins to break down barriers.

On Thursday, our Hope in the Hills family is expressing love by volunteering at Covenant House California in Hollywood. We’re helping with set up, serving and break down for their annual summer BBQ helping at-risk homeless youth living on the streets. Homelessness is a big issue in Los Angeles and every major city in America. Some cities have given their homeless one-way bus tickets to other cities. Our states do not agree on how to fix the problem. But we’re going to show love to those who are living it out. If you’re in the LaLa, join us. If you’re around the globe, pray for us, and find ways to reach out in your community.

Let’s stop just arguing with folks and start finding win-win solutions that help the ones who need it the most. You can still get in on the #LoveActs for this month. The entire list is here: Love Acts in the LaLa & Beyond. If you’ve been tracking with us, let us know how it’s going. And if you have more ideas on how to love our divided states of America, holler at your girl!

Lots of love from the LaLa,
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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How Do You Know You’re Loved?

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How Do You Know You’re Loved?
Naima Lett, Hollywood Christian BLOG

loveacts
© NaimaLett.com/blog

How do you know you’re loved, Fam?

Have you thought about that? There are different kinds of love for sure: romantic love, brotherly love, Godly love. But inherently, we all know whether or not we feel loved.

Dr. Gary Chapman, author of the New York Times bestseller, The 5 Love Languages, which has sold over 10 million copies, says that most of us know that we’re loved through 5 languages: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and physical touch.

Do you know your language?
DISCOVER YOUR LOVE LANGUAGE (Free Profile)

We’re in the middle of our Love Revolution and 30 Days of expressing LOVE ACTS locally, nationally and globally. We are tangibly and practically pouring out love to others with no fear of our own love tanks being empty because God has been filling us up to overflowing.

This past Sunday at Hope in the Hills in Beverly Hills, while we sang in worship, the sweet presence of the Lord was so near that many of us wound up on our knees or prostrate or weeping. I felt waves and waves of God’s love in the depths of my soul as I was reminded of how much He loves us and gave His Son for us. God is love, and He’s the One Who invited us to love like He loves. As He leads, we follow.

My prayer for you this week, this month, is that you too, being rooted and grounded in love, will know how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and that you too will be filled to overflowing, according to Ephesians 3:14-21, so that you too are motivated to love others in the same manner.

If you want to get involved and demonstrate love in your area, check out LOVE ACTS IN THE LALA & BEYOND.

Lots of love from the LaLa,
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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Love Acts in the LaLa and Beyond

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Love Acts in the LaLa and Beyond
Naima Lett, Hollywood Christian BLOG

LOVEACTS
PHOTO: Our 1st four #LoveActs, © NaimaLett.com/blog

QUESTION, FAM:

When you think of the LaLa, do you think of LOVE? When you think of your home city, our nation, our world, does LOVE come to mind? Not really, right?! With all the bad news we hear each day locally, nationally and globally, LOVE lags behind on our top-of-mind list. Yet, LOVE is one of our most basic and important needs. We all need to love and be loved to live fully.

LOVE REVOLUTION

Part of our vision at Hope in the Hills in Beverly Hills is to “love like God loves” so we’ve looked forward all year to inviting you to join us in living out a Love Revolution in your own communities all over the world. We believe that LOVE is the secret weapon that changes our world. LOVE is what led Emanuel AME in Charleston to forgive the 21-year old who shot their pastor and members during a bible study in order to start a race war. LOVE is what will topple this #100Days100Nights gang war in South Los Angeles that has released terror and fear upon the community. God is LOVE and God’s perfect LOVE casts out fear. Love wins.

LOVE ACTS

As God’s kids, we are known by our love. Love is active. LOVE ACTS! Therefore, we’re expressing love through tangible acts all throughout the month of August. Please join in wherever you are. Just jump in! Above is a photo of our 1st four love acts. You can find the entire original list that we created here OR at the end of BLOG:
LOVE ACTS 2015: THE LIST

#LoveActs

Also, each day, you can see the daily actions posted throughout social media. Some of you are connected through my pages at:
Facebook | Twitter

Others are connected through HOPE’s pages:
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Enjoy! Share! Re-post! Please use #LoveActs

Each morning by 5 AM PT, I still write a Daily Devotion in the Bible App. If you’re connected to HopeintheHills through a Bible.com account, you’ll receive an email each day.

Throughout the month, we’re also highlighting friends and ministries who are showing love in amazing ways. And if you’re in the LaLa, mark your calendar for THURS, 8/20 evening. We will serve and volunteer as a group at the Covenant House, “a non-profit agency whose mission is to reach at-risk homeless youth living on the streets and offer them hope and opportunities to turn their lives around.”

PLEASE LET US KNOW

And please let us know what #LoveActs you decide to do in your homes, jobs, cities, and nations. Post your photos and messages. We look forward to hearing what GOOD NEWS comes from our steps of faith, showing love and shining light in our world.

Lots of love from the LaLa (literally!),
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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LIST:
LoveActs_2015

Our Spring Wedding | Beating the Odds

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OUR SPRING WEDDING | BEATING THE ODDS
NAIMA LETT – BLOG | HOLLYWOOD CHRISTIAN

w3ddings

I Love Weddings, Fam!

I love weddings! I loved our spring wedding: roses, choreo-dramas, our family chartering a bus from the South to the North to celebrate with us. I loved getting married. I loved the proposal. I loved the engagement. I love Kevin more now than I did almost 14 years ago when we married, and I didn’t think that was possible because I was knocked-out-giddied-up-head-over-hills in love with him at that time. Still, our love has deepened with each mountain and valley, with each rainbow and waterfall.

10 Weddings in a Year | Beating the Odds

In the year that we married, the year our skyline changed because the Twin Towers came tumbling down, Kevin and I attended or participated in 10 weddings. YES! 10! From Disney World to Detroit, from the Garden State to the Lone Star State! We loved it! Every one of those weddings was different and precious and full of hope. And be encouraged, Fam! We’re beating the odds, Fam! Of those 10 weddings, 8 are still going strong. So much for those 50% statistics! We’re not saying it’s easy. Marriage isn’t easy. But each day, we’re walking with the Lord and making a decision to love one another and work things out and forgive, etc. It can be done! One of these days, maybe I can try to arrange a collage of our BIG 8 like the one above of my friends and Hope Fam. :=)

So Excited

I still get excited when I see the beautiful bride in all of her glory and see her groom gaze upon her coming down the aisle. So imagine how thrilled I was when the Lord begin to minister to us about His excitement when He sees His Bride, the church, in all our glory. As our Bridegroom, Jesus loves His Bride, whom He gave His life for. And just before the new heaven and new earth are revealed for all time, Revelation 19:9 says “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” I look forward to the greatest wedding heaven and earth has ever seen.

Our Spring Wedding

So, we’re having another Spring Wedding! This time, we’re celebrating the ultimate Bridegroom and His Love for His Bride on Easter. Hope in the Hills is throwing a Feast of Love: A Special Easter Celebration & Reception. We’ve got worship, the arts, the Word, great food and fellowship. We currently gather at the Belle Chapel of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, 300 North Clark Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. If you’re in the LaLa, we’d love for you to come celebrate with us. Please RSVP so we prepare enough food. If you’re not in the LaLa, please send your prayers and praises our way. We’re going to rock the Hills come Sunday! Love, love, love is in the air! Here’s the invite:

Easter2015HOPE

Mad Thanks

Mad appreciation to my friends and all of our HOPE fam who gave me permission to share your wedding photos above: Bobby & Teka, Rasheed & Sasha, Jim & Yetunde, Jonathan & Sharifa, Brian & Malika, Jarrett & Andrea, Sa’heed & Alexandria, Charles & Diane. You are all quite special to us. Looking good, family!

Happy Resurrection Sunday to all of our extended family across the globe! Celebrate this weekend. Celebrate how much you are loved by the One Who gave His life for you, conquered death, and arose again that we have life in Him. You are loved with an everlasting love!

Lots of love from the LaLa,
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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How Do We “Make It” in Hollywood?

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Speaking in Hollywood | Back @CBS Studios
NAIMA LETT – BLOG | HOLLYWOOD CHRISTIAN

NL3TT1

How Do We “Make It” in Hollywood?

That’s the question in my keynote address at CBS Studio Center on THURS, MARCH 5th for the Hollywood Media Dinner sponsored by Christian Women in Media. This time, I get to share exciting insight gathered on Hollywood in my doctoral work. It’s an encouraging Word, Fam!

THURS. MARCH 5th | 6:30 PM
(Networking starts @ 6PM)
HOLLYWOOD MEDIA DINNER
CBS Studio Center -Carla’s Cafe
4024 Radford Ave. Studio City, CA
REGISTER

So thrilled to be invited back to speak again and also asked to lead a local network in Beverly Hills kicking off in the next month. And so proud of many of our HOPE IN THE HILLS fam who have gifted tickets to their friends to come Thursday. How awesome! If you’re in the LaLa, come on out. If you’re abroad, consider sponsoring someone here. It’s only $25. And consider going to a CWIMA event in your area.

Lots of love from the LaLa,
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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Great Expectations | Lent 2015

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Great Expectations | LENT 2015
NAIMA LETT – BLOG | HOLLYWOOD CHRISTIAN

Lent 2015
© NaimaLett.com/blog

Hi Fam,

Expectations are tricky. Great expectations, even trickier. What do I mean?
If expectations are too great and not fulfilled OR they’re not great enough and nothing happens, we’re left disappointed either way. Yet, for this year’s Lent, I challenge you to stretch out on faith with Great Expectation.

My God Wasn’t Big Enough

I recently had a wonderful opportunity to be invited as 1 of 16 Los Angeles pastors into an inaugural leadership program, and one of our guest speakers told the story of talking with a non-Christian friend in his sunset years.

“Do you have any regrets?” he asks his elderly friend
“I don’t live in regrets,” Friend responds. “But when I look back, I don’t think my god was big enough. I wish I had believed he was bigger.”

God Is Great

Well, our God, YAHWEH, Heavenly Father of us and our Lord Jesus, Our God is Great! He’s huge. He is big enough, and we can have great expectations in Him. He promises to draw near to us when we draw near to Him and He’s a Promise Keeper.

I’d rather have great expectation and risk disappointment if He tells me “Not yet!” or “Not yours!” than to keep things safe and not step out in faith at all, afraid to be disappointed. I’m stepping out the boat, Fam. I’ve been invited to walk on water, and I’m going for it. Won’t you join me?!

Lent 2015

For the next 40 days, (46 days minus Sundays, as traditional LENT calendars exclude the 6 Sundays leading up to Easter as mini-resurrection celebrations), we’re observing Lent.

Why?

LENT is traditionally a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal in preparation for Easter in which we choose to give up something in favor of gaining something else. So, we each work out our own fasting and prayer between us and God, choosing to sacrifice whatever is important to remind us to pray. Collectively though, we’re in this together globally through daily devotions on Bible.com and locally through weekly worship service at Hope in the Hills. Wow! Has God been meeting us in worship at HOPE! Come on time, Fam! He’s with us.

Daily Devotion

Many are already connected with us on the Bible APP and you receive my 5-minute, original Daily Devotion link from Bible.com via email each morning by 5 AM PT that says NEW NOTE. If you don’t get it, you can sign into Bible.com and find my username “hopeinthehills” and connect. Others find it on social media on Facebook and Twitter, though signing up in the Bible App is the best. Some days, I don’t get to social media. I’m trying to graduate May 22, Fam! Pray for your girl.

Current Posts:
2/18 – OUR HEART’S POSTURE (LENT)
2/17 – LIFE CHANGE, WORLD CHANGE IN 40 DAYS
2/16 – LET’S DO LENT

Lots of love from the LaLa,
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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Why Hollywood Christian?

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Why Hollywood Christian®
NAIMA LETT – BLOG – HOLLYWOOD CHRISTIAN
© NaimaLett.com/blog, all rights reserved

hollywood_christian_naima_lett

Why Hollywood Christian®?

I get this question all the time. Many of you have wondered, out loud, for many years, why in the world I would purposely write a book and name it Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®, write a blog for years and call it Hollywood Christian®, start a ministry called Hollywood Christian®, wear the nickname “The Hollywood Christian®”, use Facebook/HollywoodChristian, and spend hard-earned resources on logos, trademarks, websites, etc.

The Answer
It came from you (and God, of course :=). That’s right! Remember those surveys back in 2005, 2006, 2007? We prayed and spent a considerable amount of time and resources trying to figure out what to call our space on this side of heaven. Then, we surveyed and asked you repeatedly what and how you thought of me, how you describe me to others, what words pop up when you think of me, and those words came up again and again.

Go With the Flow
The branding expert we hired explained that when choosing a brand, especially long term, it’s best to go with the flow, go with how folks already identify you. I’ve been actively working in the entertainment industry and vocational ministry since 1997, so many of you naturally called me both Hollywood and Christian. So, we put the words together, and the rest is history.

What’s Coming?!

confessions_comingsoon

Thanks a million for continually asking about the book. It’s a’coming! I had to press pause over the last year to focus on finishing my doctoral dissertation so I can graduate May 22nd. That’s also why I tapered back writing the daily Hollywood Christian® blogs over the last year. But rest assured, after graduation, once again, it’s on!

CONFESSIONS OF A HOLLYWOOD CHRISTIAN

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I love your questions and dialogue.
Keep ’em coming!
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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2015 Vision, GodWill Do It

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2015 Vision: God Will Do It
Happy-New-Year2015
© NAIMA LETT | BLOG


Happy New Year, Fam!

Yesterday, I sent our New Year’s message, Happy New Year! It is Finished! including 2014’s highlights & photos.

Today, I simply want to share God’s word of encouragement for 2015:

2015 VISION: GOD WILL DO IT (EXCERPT)
GodWillDoIt

You can find the rest of this short message, including the verses from Isaiah 66, online as part of the public daily devotions I started writing on Bible.com during our BIBLE IN A YEAR series. Many of us are already connected in the Bible APP and you receive the daily devotion link by email each morning around 5 AM PT. If you don’t get it, you can sign into Bible.com and find my username “hopeinthehills” and connect. Others find it on our social media. I’ll continue writing these brief 5-10 minute devotions, at least on weekdays, as long as it meets needs and you’re reading and interacting.

Bottom Line

Bottom line: Having seen a vision 3 years ago of a church that “looks like heaven, sounds like heaven, loves like God loves and lives like Christ lives”, let me tell you, I am BEYOND excited about what God will do this year to bring His vision to pass. Kevin and I will continue to do our part as gardeners cultivating the land, planting seeds, watering, tending, and rejoicing when we see fruit. But we are confident in this alone: God causes the fruit to grow (I COR 3:6-9).

Whether you decide to connect with these 5-10 minute devotions or choose to read or listen to the Bible 15 minutes daily using the Chronological Reading Plan on Bible.com, or choose some other method, please decide to spend time with God daily this year, not just talking, but also
listening. He’s got a lot to say these days. This is going to be an extraordinary year. Let’s keep each other in the loop, okay?!

Here we go, Fam!
Lots of love from the La La,
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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Happy New Year! It is Finished!

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new year
© NAIMA LETT | BLOG | HOLLYWOOD CHRISTIAN

IT IS FINISHED, Fam!

“100% COMPLETE!” read my APP this morning.

We did it! Congratulations! CELEBRATE!!!! A year ago, many of you, locally here in the LaLa and globally through this blog, joined our journey through the entire BIBLE IN A YEAR, reading or listening 15 minutes daily using Bible.com’s Chronological Reading Plan. I’ve read through the Bible many times, but this year with you was truly special. THANK YOU for the privilege of walking with you, writing daily devotions and exploring overall themes on Sundays with our Hope in the Hills family. I will continue writing brief daily devotions in the New Year, available in Bible.com under “hopeinthehills”, Facebook, Twitter. God’s relentless love has been on full display from Genesis to Revelation, and reading the last chapters this morning remind us that the best ending is a new beginning.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

So, here’s to new beginnings in a brand new year! Happy New Year! 2015 promises to be a fantastic YEAR OF VISION coming to pass. We celebrate 2014 and how God continues to establish us in our Hollywood and global communities. If we had your mailing address, we sent you our YEAR-END newsletter in the mail with highlights and photos from 2014. If you’d like a copy, email your address. Brief highlights are below.

YEAR-END GIVING

If you’re still pondering where to invest your YEAR-END tax-deductible giving, Hope in the Hills is good ground. God is moving and shaking here, and Kevin and I are thrilled to be part of His work in Hollywood, our City of Angels, our nation and around the globe. Your giving supports this work and continues to make a lasting impact.

We pray that God’s vision in your life manifests in 2015, and that this year, you will grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (Eph 3:18). God’s love and presence are truly tangible right now in extravagant ways. Dive in, Fam. Then, pour out!

Lots of love from the La La,
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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— 2014’s YEAR-END NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTS —

news

We weren’t the only ones focused on the Bible this year. Our Hollywood fam jumped all over faith-friendly films like Exodus: Gods & Kings, Noah, Heaven is for Real, God’s Not Dead, and Son of God. The same producers of History Channel’s 2013 The Bible series are releasing AD: BEYOND THE BIBLE for Easter 2015 on NBC:

Personally, Kevin and I celebrated 13 years of marriage, 12 years cancer-free. Kevin was promoted and recognized nationally and locally with several awards. I’m working day and night on my doctoral dissertation on Hollywood and Faith to graduate as TALBOT/BIOLA’s first female with a DMIN in Preaching, May 2015. Pray for your girl. I’ve also been chosen as 1 of 15 select faith leaders in Los Angeles for the inaugural COMMUNITAS Pastoral Leadership Program at Pepperdine University Center for Faith & Learning and granted a $15,000 scholarship from the Lily Endowment Foundation. Praise God!

Thanks to all our HOPE fam for your stories and quotes for our YEAR-END news. Also, mad appreciation to Karen Covell and our wonderful friends at the Hollywood Prayer Network for inviting us to host 1 of 10 events during Los Angeles’ 10 Days of Prayer for our City of Angels, Hollywood and our Jewish family during the High Holy Days. For our Evening of Prayer and Praise, our diverse WE ARE THE WORLD group of friends, pastors, ministries, and families, including the West Los Angeles Children’s Choir, came together to celebrate, and the Lord met us in a special way. We were also thrilled to have our very first Children’s Dedication service this year. Good times!

Within the short period between August and October, I was honored to speak on 3 different Pastors Panels discussing Faith and Hollywood: Act One celebrating their 15th Anniversary of training Christians in the entertainment industry, 168 Film Festival of which I’ve had the privilege of serving as a juror for the past four years, and The Summons, a conference sponsored by the National Day of Prayer Task Force and the Hollywood Prayer Network. The Lord is moving in extraordinary ways to bridge our faith communities and Hollywood. I was also thrilled to be invited back for an incredible week of ministry in New York at Greater Allen Cathedral’s international worship conference where I had the joy of preaching, teaching and choreographing a piece for the teenagers to minister during street ministry in the park. What an awesome time!

Again, Happy New Year, Fam! This promises to be a great one! Lett’s go forth!

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

© 2014 All rights reserved

Merry Merry from the LaLa

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201412
© NAIMA LETT – BLOG | HOLLYWOOD CHRISTIAN

Merry Merry, Fam!

We love Drama! We love Christmas! But the two mixed together? Not so much. :=)

Kevin and I wish you the most relaxed, laid-back, drama-free, Californian Christmas ever!

We wish you great joy and peace, just as the angels announcing Jesus’ birth proclaimed for all people and the whole earth (Luke 2:9-14). That’s downright good news.

Have a wonderful holiday!
Lots of love from the La La,
Naima

Rev. Naima Lett, D.MIN, ABD
The Hollywood Christian®
Author of coming release Confessions of a Hollywood Christian®

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