By Denae Jones
You may remember him as Mike Seaver from the very popular sitcom “Growing Pains”. Yes, I’m talking about Kirk Cameron. He was the star of the show, and near the last season, he started to ask the writers to edit his scenes that seemed too adult or inappropriate. Why? His priorities changed. He said he was sitting in his sports car on the side of the road and realized that he was 17 years old, had fame, academy awards, and making $50,000 a week. Yet, something was missing.
He said he went to church with a friend, and the preacher was talking about a Creator, and suddenly the atheistic points of view that his science teachers had ingrained in him didn’t seem to hold water anymore. He started asking his own questions and seeking answers through the Bible. He became an Evangelical Christian. In 1992, Growing Pains stopped airing and Kirk all but disappeared for a while, but it wasn’t because Hollywood kicked him out. He just made the decision that he wasn’t going to lower his standards for Hollywood. Since then, he has used his background in the industry to make television shows and movies that are more in line with his morals and values, such as the Left Behind series and Fireproof.
I’m sure taking the moral high ground caused him to get passed over on movie offers that would have landed him big roles and bigger bucks, but Kirk put his focus on God and family first. And these days, you can add his love for our country to that mix.
Just like a new president has a 100-day plan on how to partner with other politicos to run our country, Kirk decided to make his own 100-day plan. He throws on his “What’s Your Plan?” hoodie, goes into his (modest) backyard, lights a campfire in a ring he bought from the man down the road, and uses the book The American Covenant and the Bible to remind us how our forefathers partnered with God to lead our country to be the greatest nation on earth. He does a live video every evening from his fireside, and thousands join him. People from all over the country are inviting others to watch with them around their own campfires. Can’t watch live? That’s okay. All of the 15 minute videos are on his social media pages and you can watch them anytime you want. (Just look up Kirk Cameron on Facebook.)
Let me tell you what it’s not. It’s not a cry to join forces against the government and meet up to hate them together. He’s not about that.
It’s simply for people who love liberty and feel it slipping out of their hands. It’s a reminder of what, and WHO, this nation was founded on. It’s encouraging families to make God, family, and country their priorities. It’s showing how far our country, as a whole, has journeyed away from those things in the name of political correctness. It’s about prayer and worship, and how we can see our country flourish once again.
When it feels like our world is falling apart around us, these short clips have brought a lot of encouragement. He’s only on day 25 as I write this, so you have plenty of time to join with thousands of your fellow countrymen and experience the American Campfire Revival for yourselves.
You’re welcome.
Have a blessed week, friends!