A Minister Making Sense of Her Modeling Career

The other week I had an audition at Universal Studios. I was the mother of a beautiful little girl.  They asked us to act as if we were in the theme park very excited about the fireworks, roller coasters, etc.  We spoke about the rollers coasters with excitement, actually jumped up and down, and pointed towards the imaginary theme park.  It was fun! 

After the audition I looked at the little girl and smiled.  “You did a great job! Hi five!”  She smiled at me.  After that I started to process the audition. “I didn’t know the name of any of the roller coasters! But, we did our best and we did well.”  The beautiful little girl looked at me with anxious eyes. As we walked alongside her biological mother the baby girl looked at her and asked, “Mama, will we not get the part since we didn’t know the name of the roller coasters?”  I could tell her heart had speed up. Her mother looked at her and said, “Sweetheart, we do this for fun. Just have fun! This is all for fun!”  The beautiful girl looked at her mother with an anxious smile. My heart tensed up as I looked at the baby girl with concern.  I could totally relate.

In order to survive in the entertainment industry, regardless of how old a person is, you have to have some thick skin.  I entered this business and submitted my pictures to agencies because I wanted to try it out.  I wanted to have fun taking pictures and share with others through smiling!  But, I quickly realized that modeling, commercial acting, film acting, commercial print modeling and working with agencies and client’s is a business. Either they like you or they don’t.  Either they like your look or they don’t.  Either your pictures are good enough or they are not.  In order to take this business seriously you have to get training, superb photos, and find your market. Out of the 6 agencies I have signed with, once I submitted my pictures to them they called or emailed me back within 30 minutes of my submission. The other’s never responded.  This is a yes or no business. 

When working with agencies if you are valuable to them, they invest in you. If you are not, your call will not be answered and your email will not be responded to.  Intense hugh?  I guess as I write this, I am working to make sense of it myself.  Working as a model gives me the flexibility to be able to help fund ministry initiatives, such as Testimonies of Hope: The Intercultural Christian Devotional Website at testimoniesofhope.org.  I am grateful for the opportunity to move forward in the entertainment business, however, I have to get thicker skin!

I continuosly have to remind myself that God thinks we are so special he knows every hair on our heads. "But even the hairs of your head are all counted. Do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows (Luke 12: 7)." We are fearfully and wonderfully made. "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14)." We are valuable, loved, gifted, rare jewels.

Regardless of the career we are in we often have to prove ourselves, to show our worth to a client/employer who then confirms and affirms our value.  This is the reality of the world.  However, as children of God we must remember that ultimately our value comes from God who loves us unconditionally. This agape love gives us value regardless of if someone says yes or no to us.  Regardless of if someone says we are pretty or not.  Regardless of if someone says we are smart enough or not.  Because of God’s unconditional love towards us we can stand and be confident in our God given gifts and talents. We can let our light shine. "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven (Matthew 5: 16)." That is what life is ultimately about.

So when I go for my next audition. Or get my next “first” in commercial print modeling and commercial acting I will walk in without anxiety, but the confidence that comes from knowing that our Heavenly Father has our back and that he will always see us as rubies, gems who he loves and values unconditionally. 

If I ever see the beautiful baby girl auditioning again I will tell her that regardless of what the world says, “You are God’s ruby, you are priceless, gifted, talented, smart, and loved.” 

Peace Ya'll,

Argrow "Kit" Evans