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Lucas Black

In the height of His Hollywood Career, Lucas Black gave it all up for God

Actor Lucas Black on the TV series

NCIS: New Orleans

was having plenty of success when God called and asked him to leave Hollywood behind. Lucas starred in quite a few movies, including the popular "Fast And The Furious." The Holy Spirit had convicted Lucas and the Christian celebrity made the decision to put God first.

Lucas had spent most of his life acting. He had starred opposite Billy Bob Thornton at the young age of 14 in the 1996 Oscar winning movie, "Sling Blade." When Lucas had joined

NCIS: New Orleans,

he was one of the show's main characters, Special Agent Christopher LaSalle; he had a very successful career at that point.

Not long after becoming successful, Lucas discovered something even better than fame and being a successful actor on a successful TV show; he found Jesus Christ.

Although Lucas grew up in a Christian home, he attended church

every Sunday, but after time Lucas drifted from his faith when he grew older. Lucas then fell in love and he started a family. He started looking at the role of faith in his life.

Although he started appearing in more movies and on TV and was providing a good life at that point for himself, his wife and his children, there are a lot of things money cannot buy. After Lucas became a father, the actor started looking for something a whole lot deeper than all the worldly success he had acquired.

When Lucas and his wife had their third

child in 2015, he started to read the Bible again; that is when he felt God telling him to go in a totally different direction. Lucas said, "That 2015 was when the Holy Spirit convicted me. And really, my faith and my relationship with the Lord became a lot closer. That was when I was stepping into the fatherhood role. So I really wanted to point my kids in the right direction."

That is when Lucas went deeper in his relationship with Jesus. His time on NCIS: New Orleans started to become more of a burden than a blessing. Lucas said, "I knew I was going to have to stand firm and stand strong in my beliefs if I was going to survive, and really keep my family held together.

That was really when, you know, some people would say I rededicated my life to the Lord in 2015, seeking

Him and becoming serious about my relationship with Him."

Lucas knew God was calling him to change his life. That would mean some tough choices were coming and the would wouldn't understand.

Not only was his crazy work schedule taking him away from his time with God, but also taking time from his wife and children. Although many would sacrifice their time away from their family for a big pay, Lucas couldn't

Lucas Black

ignore the convictions any longer from his Heavenly Father.

Then at the height of his acting career, Lucas decided to step away from Hollywood and step out in faith!

In 2019, Lucas starred on NCIS: New Orleans for the last time. He had decided to take break from acting and left Hollywood. Lucas said, "The show has been good to me over the years exceeding my expectations and goals. But this job isn't easy for me, there are a lot of priorities in my life that get sacrificed for me to be here but it's time for me to focus on those priorities in my life."

Lucas then realized it was about time to prioritize his time with his family, as well as more time with his Heavenly Father.

While he was leaving NCIS, both Lucas and his wife Maggie were praying about what they would do next.

Lucas said, "We were praying what the next step was going to be. We saw a huge culture shift here in America and for a long time, movies coming out of Hollywood and in entertainment underminded the fatherhood role."

God was faithful in answering Lucas' prayer. While he was at a homeschooling convention, Lucas met Pastor Eric Ludy, and he told Lucas about an upcoming script for a faith based movie called Legacy Peak.

The movie Legacy Peak is a Pure Flix original movie. It is about a man named Jason who is dating a woman who has two children. Jason is hoping that he will win over the hearts of the children, which belongs to the one he is planning to marry. Jason takes the children on a trip that he has planned, but it goes all wrong and sets them on an unexpected

adventure as they struggle to survive in the wilderness.

After Lucas had read the movie script, both Lucas and his wife Maggie knew that this was God's answer to all their prayers.

Lucas said, "I read it, my wife read it, and she comes to me with tears in her eyes and says, 'I don't know why you wouldn't be a part of this project.' It's one that really sheds a good light on fathers. It shows how we can find our fulfillment and love from our Heavenly Father, and it really is one that's going to empower the nuclear family, and especially fathers out there."

Both the script and the role of Jason really spoke to

Lucas' heart and his passion for being a better father. Lucas said, "One aspect of this story that has changed my perspective is as a father, you want to be flexible with your kids. It doesn't have to be a certain way.

For me personally

I know I'm not in control, God's in control. I've got to trust Him that my kids, no matter how much I love them and teach them and discipline them, they're going to mess up. But I ultimately have to trust my Heavenly Father that they're in His hands."

Lucas does deserve acolytes for his great work in Hollywood for his movies and for

NCIS: New Orleans,

but now he is using his gifts to honor and glorify God and he is following God's will for him and his family; this is a blessing that will inspire many.