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In Zach Nielson’s front yard, there are upwards of 100,000 lights colorfully glowing the happiness of Christmas. “More than most people have,” 17-year-old Zach smiles.&nbsp;The incredible display outside the family home in Nicholasville, Kentucky, goes by the name <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wildlightsky/">Wild Lights</a>. It’s a computer synchronized music-light show that dazzles. Cars line up around the corner to take it in, that’s thousands of people during weeks the mega display is active.Zach has a fascination for Christmas illumination. “I’ve always loved the glow, and going around looking at Christmas lights with my family.” He explains there are 4 holiday light shows in nearby Lexington, “And I always loved just sitting there and watching them.” Sometimes Zach would study carefully taking in multiple shows. “And I was like, ‘I wonder if I could do that eventually?’”In our <a href="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/71850.mp3">complete podcast interview</a>, Zach explains the first cool technology that caught his eye, and how he launched his own first trial Christmas show.<blockquote>But, for Zach, this is about much more than mesmerizing lights. “I’ve always believed that Jesus died for our sins, and he came to the world as a baby. And that was one thing that I wanted to really broadcast throughout our show. The first thing we ever did with our light show was put in a manger scene,” which has been improved over the years. “It sparks a conversation about what I believe and why I believe it, and why I believe that Jesus is the reason for the season.” &nbsp;</blockquote><figure class="image text-center"><img src="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/71851.jpg" alt="&quot;The first thing we ever did with our light show was put in a manger scene” "><figcaption>[Photo Credit: Wild Lights Ky/Zach Nielson] "The first thing we ever did with our light show was put in a manger scene”</figcaption></figure>In addition to the free pure fun of watching, people driving by can donate to the non-profit Zach chooses each year. This season it’s <a href="https://www.charitywater.org/wildlights">charity: water</a>, which helps provide safe clean drinking water for underdeveloped communities in many parts of the world.&nbsp;<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VoT_SEua3U"></oembed></figure>Food trucks? Yes. Rotating trucks on different nights offering hibachi, Mexican, and bar-b-q, with a portion of sales going to charity: water.As for the monthly electric bill? “Since we use LED, it’s not as bad as incandescent.”&nbsp;This is Zach’s final year in high school, and he’s considering plans for his future. One interest is “church production.” And he’s already hands-on. The church he attends encourages him on ways to create professional lighting, audio, and video presentations for church events. A nice match for his definite and growing skills.&nbsp;<h3>In our complete interview podcast just below, meet Zach Nielson, a young man who is already making a difference in the lives of others.</h3><figure class="media"><oembed url="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/71850.mp3"></oembed></figure>&nbsp;Below: The master control computer grid for the complex Wild Lights show:<figure class="image text-center"><img src="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/71852.jpg" alt="Complex computer set up for Wild Lights"><figcaption>[Photo Credit: Zach Nielson] Complex computer set up for Wild Lights</figcaption></figure>

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Thousands of carloads of folks drive by to see the synchronized music-light show. They've even got food trucks!

Zach Nielson Has A Big Heart for Christmas – And The Real Meaning: Jesus (+ podcast)

Angel Studios, the studio and distributor behind the global blockbuster SOUND OF FREEDOM, is announcing the current theatrical release of its first Angel Original film, THE SHIFT.&nbsp; The sci-fi thriller stars Neal McDonough (MINORITY REPORT, Yellowstone), Sean Astin (Stranger Things, THE LORD OF THE RINGS), Kristoffer Polaha (WONDER WOMAN 1984, Mad Men), Liz Tabish (The Chosen), Paras Patel (The Chosen), and Rose Reid (FINDING YOU, SURPRISED BY OXFORD), and was written and directed by Brock Heasley for producer Ken Carpenter’s Nook Lane Entertainment.<blockquote>THE SHIFT is the story of Kevin Garner (Polaha) who encounters a mysterious adversary known as The Benefactor (McDonough). When Kevin refuses The Benefactor’s enticing offer of wealth and power, he is shifted into an alternate totalitarian regime where he encounters infinite worlds and impossible choices as he attempts to return to the woman he loves (Tabish).&nbsp;&nbsp;</blockquote>“THE SHIFT is a bold project that defies labels and is unlike anything in the market,” said Jeffrey Harmon, Chief Content Officer of Angel Studios. “Director Brock Heasley’s dedication, tenacity, and vision reminds me of our history at Angel. Eight years ago, he came up with a concept and made a short film for $500. Then, Brock joined up with our team, an incredible cast, and the Angel Guild to crowdfund and produce a one of a kind project. The origin story of funding and producing The Shift is as unique and compelling as the plot of the film itself. I believe many up and coming filmmakers will model their own careers after what Brock Heasley has accomplished with Angel Studios.”&nbsp;“The creative ethos at Angel fostered the opportunity to shape this unique blend of sci-fi, romance, and allegory,” said Ken Carpenter, Producer of THE SHIFT. “They gave us the runway to make a film that charts new territory.”The cast also includes John Billingsley (Star Trek: Enterprise, EMILY THE CRIMINAL), Jason Marsden (Boy Meets World), Nolan North (UNCHARTED), and Emily Rose (HAVEN), and Jordan Walker Ross from the Angel Original series The Chosen.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaSyBhA_MPg"></oembed></figure><figure class="image text-center"><img src="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/71863.jpg" alt="THE SHIFT is the story of Kevin Garner (Polaha) who encounters a mysterious adversary known as The Benefactor (McDonough) - Satan"><figcaption>[Photo Credit: The Shift/Angel Studios] THE SHIFT is the story of Kevin Garner (Polaha) who encounters a mysterious adversary known as The Benefactor (McDonough) - Satan</figcaption></figure><figure class="image image-style-align-left"><img src="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/71862.jpg" alt="n The Shift, a dystopian drama and sci-fi thriller, one man is faced with infinite worlds and impossible choices. When Kevin Garner meets a nefarious adversary known as The Benefactor and refuses his offer of wealth and power, he must escape an alternate totalitarian reality. With survival on the line, Kevin fights to make it back to the world he knows and the woman he loves."><figcaption>[Photo Credit: The Shift/Angel Studios] n The Shift, a dystopian drama and sci-fi thriller, one man is faced with infinite worlds and impossible choices. When Kevin Garner meets a nefarious adversary known as The Benefactor and refuses his offer of wealth and power, he must escape an alternate totalitarian reality. With survival on the line, Kevin fights to make it back to the world he knows and the woman he loves.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;

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“THE SHIFT is a bold project that defies labels and is unlike anything in the market”

It's a faith-based sci-fi that shows the power of God in any circumstance or location - and the consistent tricks of 'the enemy'

New Movie 'The Shift' Features Modern Day 'Job' Standing Up To Satan In The Multiverse

This year, daily Bible use and installs of the YouVersion Family of Apps, which includes Bible App, Bible App Lite, and Bible App for Kids, increased at higher rates than ever before. Throughout this record-breaking year, the verse that the global YouVersion Community engaged with most was:&nbsp;<blockquote>“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bible.com%2Fbible%2F111%2Fisa.41.10&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard%40klove.com%7Cbc1e4b32ab4b46cf56e908dbef407342%7C1e2152463fb64aeab4e0009f2a1de44e%7C0%7C0%7C638366832336571902%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C7000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=EQzyGzJJR76envBaAvvU8zQ2mzDWcwKUN8BgcnGkEUs%3D&amp;reserved=0">Isaiah 41:10</a></blockquote>This is the third year since 2020 that Isaiah 41:10 has earned the top spot of YouVersion’s Verse of the Year, which reflects the verse people highlighted, bookmarked, and shared the most. The verse also corresponds with the needs expressed in 2023’s top in-app searches as people around the world consistently turned to the Bible for answers about love, peace, hope, healing, and anxiety.“From a global perspective, we’ve all been through a lot in the last few years, so it’s no surprise that people continue to feel drawn to the hope and peace promised in Isaiah 41:10,” said Bobby Gruenewald, Founder and CEO of YouVersion. “Even though there’s a lot of fear and anxiety felt around the world, we believe faith is the answer, and it’s encouraging to see people continue to cling to God and His Word in their greatest moments of need.”Bible Engagement Acceleration&nbsp;Across its Family of Apps, YouVersion saw Bible engagement surge worldwide throughout 2023. Every month this year ranked among the all-time highest months in YouVersion’s 15-year history for both installs and daily use. Specifically, installs increased this year by more than 100 million devices while the previous record from 2020 was 76 million installs in one year. Also, compared to 2022, daily Bible use grew by 20% this year, representing about 12 million people engaging in the Bible each day.“Throughout this year, we’ve seen our global community engage with Scripture at impressively high rates,” said Gruenewald. “From what we’re seeing, this isn’t just a momentary surge but something that will last. We anticipate an even greater level of excitement around Bible engagement in the years to come.”When YouVersion launched in 2008, it began with Bible text available in English and Spanish, creating a community that was largely based in North America. Since then, it’s evolved into a global ministry that’s still experiencing significant growth in daily Bible use in North America while also reaching new people worldwide. In fact, more than 80% of YouVersion installs happened outside of the United States in 2023 with India, Africa, and Latin America standing out most.&nbsp;<figure class="image text-center"><img src="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/71553.jpg" alt="Verse of the Year en espanol"><figcaption>[Photo Credit: YouVersion] Verse of the Year en espanol</figcaption></figure>Fastest-Growing Regions&nbsp;In 2023, India was one of the fastest-growing regions for the YouVersion Family of Apps with a 53% increase in installs compared to last year. As people in India installed and used YouVersion apps this year, they represented a diverse group within the global YouVersion Community as they engaged with more than 700 versions of the Bible in more than 350 languages. Children in India also engaged with Scripture at higher rates this year. The Bible App for Kids, which is available in 69 languages like Hindi and Bengali, saw a 131% increase in daily use in India as children engaged with the Bible through interactive animations and fun activities.&nbsp;YouVersion also saw a boom in Bible engagement in Africa throughout 2023, especially in daily use. Across the continent, daily Bible use was up 98% compared to last year, and several countries saw triple-digit growth including Kenya (225%), Cameroon (229%), and Uganda (288%). This growth was partially due to the October 2022 launch of Bible App Lite, which was designed to help people access God’s Word in areas with device and data limitations. In a little more than a year, the lite app was installed 17.2 million times in Africa alone. In Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bible App Lite even hit the number one spot in the Google Play Store ahead of other popular apps like TikTok, Whats App, Facebook, and Instagram.&nbsp;In Latin America, YouVersion saw remarkable year-over-year growth with a 107% rise in installs across the region and exceptional increases in several countries, including Uruguay (129%), Argentina (156%), and Venezuela (396%). With a concentrated effort to expand Spanish content offerings, YouVersion worked with about 475 Spanish-speaking partners to launch nearly 1,000 new Spanish Bible Plans in 2023. These important partnerships also made it possible for Bible App Lite to launch in Latin America in early November 2023. The lite app, which is now available in 14 languages, has seen early success in Latin America with nearly half a million installs in the first month.<figure class="image text-center"><img src="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/71554.jpg" alt="YouVersion works alongside more than 4,660 partners globally to provide Bible text and quality biblical content to people in as many languages as possible. "><figcaption>[Photo Credit: YouVersion] YouVersion works alongside more than 4,660 partners globally to provide Bible text and quality biblical content to people in as many languages as possible.</figcaption></figure>Reaching Around the World&nbsp;As a free, donor-funded ministry, YouVersion works alongside more than 4,660 partners globally to provide Bible text and quality biblical content to people in as many languages as possible. With the generous help of Bible societies and publishers in countries around the world, YouVersion was able to add more than 200 versions of the Bible in 100 new languages this year. With these additions, the Bible App surpassed 3,000 Bible versions in 2,000 languages, which is an important milestone in helping more people access the Bible in their native tongue and engage with Scripture on a deeper level. Beyond Bible text, YouVersion also works with these global partners to offer devotional content through more than 30,000 Bible Plans in 84 languages.“Our vision is to bring God’s Word to everyone, everywhere, every day, and we know we can’t do it alone,” said Gruenewald. “More than ever before, we’re seeing the global Church unify around God’s Word, and it’s exciting to think about how many more people will grow closer to God because of the passion and commitment of our partners to work together.”For more information and visuals of the global YouVersion Community’s Bible engagement trends in 2023, visit <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youversion.com%2Fshare2023&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard%40klove.com%7Cbc1e4b32ab4b46cf56e908dbef407342%7C1e2152463fb64aeab4e0009f2a1de44e%7C0%7C0%7C638366832336571902%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C7000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Ju%2BuluoM0uTbX6i9b5gDioC8ASZUD1wO2DU4Zda4Pnw%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.youversion.com/share2023</a>.&nbsp;<figure class="image text-center"><img src="https://cdn.corpemf.com/news/71555.png" alt="The Bible App for Kids, which is available in 69 languages like Hindi and Bengali, saw a 131% increase in daily use in India "><figcaption>[Photo Credit: YouVersion Bible app for kids] The Bible App for Kids, which is available in 69 languages like Hindi and Bengali, saw a 131% increase in daily use in India</figcaption></figure>About YouVersionCreated by<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.life.church%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard%40klove.com%7Cbc1e4b32ab4b46cf56e908dbef407342%7C1e2152463fb64aeab4e0009f2a1de44e%7C0%7C0%7C638366832336571902%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C7000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Tt1pTe4bN6Xt2%2B3Hx0DpzqFdX5M%2BvIwHS%2BcSRXd9lYg%3D&amp;reserved=0">&nbsp;Life.Church</a>, YouVersion designs free, biblically centered experiences that encourage and challenge people to seek God throughout each day. The YouVersion Family of Apps—including the Bible App, Bible App Lite, and Bible App for Kids—has been installed on more than 725 million devices worldwide. The<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbible.com%2Fapp&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard%40klove.com%7Cbc1e4b32ab4b46cf56e908dbef407342%7C1e2152463fb64aeab4e0009f2a1de44e%7C0%7C0%7C638366832336571902%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C7000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Bx9rQ61m%2FQIlUQPOibHO5maW2dmKgVkrbqOyRGN6uDo%3D&amp;reserved=0">&nbsp;Bible App</a> offers a Bible experience in more than 2,000 languages and helps people deepen their relationship with God. <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youversion.com%2Fbible-app-lite%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard%40klove.com%7Cbc1e4b32ab4b46cf56e908dbef407342%7C1e2152463fb64aeab4e0009f2a1de44e%7C0%7C0%7C638366832336571902%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C7000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Vx8WcXiMs1Qx8aC9YaAoojb8gFa2bZzFWXRrWujUh7k%3D&amp;reserved=0">Bible App Lite</a> is optimized for offline use and helps people access God’s Word in markets with device and data limitations.<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bible.com%2Fkids&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard%40klove.com%7Cbc1e4b32ab4b46cf56e908dbef407342%7C1e2152463fb64aeab4e0009f2a1de44e%7C0%7C0%7C638366832336571902%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C7000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=jf%2BQnOiBnVYD%2BV7x831jb87FofbMSoZk6Bh1PDdmaQM%3D&amp;reserved=0">&nbsp;Bible App for Kids</a>, developed in partnership with OneHope, helps children engage with the Bible through interactive animations and fun activities. For more information about YouVersion, visit <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youversion.com%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Crichard%40klove.com%7Cbc1e4b32ab4b46cf56e908dbef407342%7C1e2152463fb64aeab4e0009f2a1de44e%7C0%7C0%7C638366832336571902%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C7000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=YM6T54rHGCDyHqPHSwZ7yGuXPOPUfe724E2%2F0SK9WmY%3D&amp;reserved=0">youversion.com</a>.&nbsp;

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Every month this year ranked among the all-time highest months in YouVersion’s 15-year history for both installs and daily use. 

“Even though there’s a lot of fear and anxiety felt around the world, we believe faith is the answer, and it’s encouraging to see people continue to cling to God and His Word in their greatest moments of need.” - Bobby Gruenewald, Founder, CEO, YouVersion

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