In all aspects of life we see these abandoned buildings. Many homes present the spectacle of abandoned dreams of love. For a time, the beautiful vision shone and two hearts tried to make it come true but they gave their dream up in despair, either enduring in misery or going their own sad and separate ways. 

So life everywhere is full of beginnings, which are never carried on to completion.

"For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain!" Philippians 1:21

God will preserve me--as long as He has service for me to do. Beyond this, I have no great desire to live.

"I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far!" Philippians 1:23

~ Letters of John Newton 

As a backslidden atheist, I was fascinated by a recent interview with Lee Strobel (The Case for Christ) and world famous philosophical atheist-turned-creationist, Anthony Flew (to watch, see LeeStrobel.com).

Chelsea and the kids and I had been out to dinner. I returned home and was walking down the hall toward my bedroom, when I almost stepped in it. I looked further down the hall and saw another small pile of "don't step in that". How many more might there be? I found more on the kitchen stove.

I was walking quickly along a busy Indiana highway in the dark, trying to get back to my hotel (I was scheduled to speak at a church), when I noticed a lot of commotion coming from the parking lot. There was a pond surrounded by large rocks and about a dozen loud, foul mouthed teenagers.

Before Katrina, I was walking toward my lunch table in a New Orleans seafood restaurant. The ocean breeze was refreshing, the smell of good food was everywhere, and the sky was beautifully painted with colored clouds and light. But something else arrested my full attention and stopped me in my tracks.

I've always wanted a chicken. I love farm animals of all kinds, but there is something about those fuzzy little birds that I am particularly fond of. Luke, my four-year-old son, recently hatched some chicks in his pre-school classroom and I practically trampled some toddlers on my way to the brooder to see them.

As you may have heard, the newest of the Left Behind movies in now available; it's called Left Behind: World at War. Because of its very unique and successful release strategy in churches, I have been asked to be on CNN twice, Access Hollywood, VH1, the Today Show, and Good Morning America to talk about making the leap from Hollywood to "Christian" projects.

I was recently on an airplane sitting next to a lawyer who specialized in "toxic tort" cases. That means he sues large chemical corporations who've hurt everyday people by neglecting to take proper safety precautions, often winning settlements of millions of dollars for his clients.

I recently had a professional electrician do some wiring work on my house. I knew I wanted to witness to him so I planned my approach. It started with prayer. "Lord, please prepare this man's heart and help open my mouth boldly as I ought to." I said, "Good morning. How are you doing?"

As I was walking from my car to the front door of our ministry offices, I noticed a man in a black jacket riding a Moped through the adjacent alley with three dogs tagging along. He stopped in front of one of the office windows and peered inside. When he realized I was watching him, he said, "Excuse me. What kind of business is this?"

I have a friend named Joey who loves people, and therefore shares the gospel with them. He has a unique approach with strangers. He calls it "iPod evangelism." He walks up to people with his iPod in hand and asks them if they would like to do an audio interview for a new website.

My heart was beating a little faster and heavier than usual, as I drove into the cement parking structure of the Los Angeles Men's Central Jail--the largest jail in America. I met with the Chaplin who escorted me into the cement criminal holding tank, through security, past kidnappers, rapists and serial killers, and into his office. I felt that perhaps I had made a very big mistake.

I am writing this on the airplane flying home from Toronto, Canada after 3 weeks of filming this supernatural thriller movie. It was incredible.

Some people have asked me if I could be wrong about my convictions about God and the Bible. Fair question. While there are many detailed reasons why I believe Jesus is God and the Bible is His Word, here is one simple way to look at it.

I was recently at a large church outreach event, where the music was wonderful, the testimonies were powerful, and the harvest for salvation was ripe. As I listened to the invitation to come to Jesus, something didn't feel right. I had seen altar calls so many times, and heard the familiar words so frequently, a year ago I would have missed it.

Are you a child of God? Is God your Father? Are you sure? To be mistaken on this point, is to make the greatest blunder of your life. Has God been made to be your Father through the divine adoption? There is no other way.

For years, I have been witnessing on camera (for "The Way of the Master" television program) to hundreds on the streets, in malls, in shopping centers, on planes, and in taxis. I've preached to thousands in churches, universities, and outreaches, but I've never had the courage to find a "fishing hole" in my own neighborhood and go there on a regular basis.

Shortly after speaking with Ray at a Christian Worldview Weekend seminar in Washington D.C., a few friends and I stopped at a diner to grab something to eat. It was 11:30 p.m. We were tired and hungry. Our day was done. As we sat down, I noticed that my friend Larry was no longer with us.

This article is the final part of a three part series for Christians who want to know how to "make it" in Hollywood. The only way for a Christian to "make it" is to say with the Prodigal Son, "Father, make me your servant," or as Jesus said, "Not my will, but thy will be done."