Cranking The Engine

Cristóbal Krusen is the founder and president of Messenger Films. He has written and directed for both feature films and television around the world for thirty-five years.

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Morning light. American Bible Society. Coffee. Those are the three cranks of the engine that get me started each day. A fourth would be a little bit of singing, perhaps. "Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn" (Psalm 57:8). Whether I'm in Minnesota or Jamaica (the two places I live), my preferred place to start the day is in my bedroom facing East. In Minnesota, the window is usually cracked slightly open. In Jamaica, there's no glass in the window—just an ornate grill with enough space between the bars to catch the view of the mountains and big enough for the occasional hummingbird to fly through and say hello.

In either place, my wife, Cheryl, joins me in our daily Bible reading (provided by the American Bible Society), and we pray together. I drink my strong Blue Mountain coffee and become giddy, spiritual, and somewhat entertaining all at once. The day is off to a good start and only gets better if I can manage to run into someone to whom I can show love and kindness, pet someone's dog while out for a walk, or spend time with my grandchildren and listen to what's on their hearts and minds. I try to embrace the simple things of life, live in the moment as well as enjoy the moment, and pray without ceasing. As to this last point (praying without ceasing), I might call this being plugged in 24/7 to God. It's constant but unobtrusive, like an ocean current.

At night, I will sometimes walk through the downstairs of my house, praying aloud and, more often than not, singing. I find that singing songs and hymns and spiritual songs sets my heart free and takes my worries away (Ephesians 5:19). I have a guitar I play as well. I used to play it for my children when they were little. Now that my children are gone, I play it still, singing some of the same songs from years gone by.

—Cristobal Krusen, Founder & President of Messenger Films, as told to Rapt Interviews

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