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Inspired by the Epistle of James, Lilley said the book\u2019s purpose is to \u201cwake up and activate people\u2019s faith.\u201d She leaned on a central biblical injunction, quoting James to emphasize the relationship between belief and deeds: \u201cFaith without works is dead.\u201d The book, she said, grew from a conviction that genuine encounters with God produce outward expressions of love. \u201cIf you really encounter God who describes himself as love, he is true love,\u201d Lilley said. \u201cLoving other people is a natural byproduct.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lilley, who estimates she has appeared in more than 60 films including a string of popular Hallmark films, wrote \u201cWake Up Your Faith\u201d after multiple invitations to do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was asked to write it. It was not on my radar. And I said no several times,\u201d she recounted. Eventually she sought divine guidance on the message she should deliver. \u201cI really asked the Lord, like, what do you want to say to people?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The result aims to spiritually \u201crise up the dead bones\u201d evoked in Ezekiel, equipping believers to be a \u201chealthy, radiant\u201d church, Lilley said. \u201cThis book is to really almost spiritually rise up the dead bones that are alluded to in Ezekiel, you know, put on flesh like get you equipped and and prepare the Bride of Christ,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Lilley\u2019s career in faith-based and romantic films has given her a platform to reach audiences during emotionally fraught seasons. Her holiday work, she said, has offered comfort to viewers coping with loss and loneliness. \u201c<\/p>\n
I cannot tell you how many times at different events, a fan has come up to me and said, \u2018your Christmas movie was the only 90 minutes I didn\u2019t cry the whole season,\u2019 \u201d Lilley said. \u201cFor me that means, honestly, more than an Academy Award.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her latest release, \u201cA ChrisMystery,\u201d diverges from traditional holiday fare. Lilley plays a cynical sheriff in a family-friendly indie that revolves around stolen Christmas decorations. She described the film as unconventional: \u201cThere\u2019s not a lot of fanfare, there\u2019s not a lot of hot chocolate, there\u2019s not a lot of Christmas decor at all.\u201d Calling it a movie \u201cfor people who hate Christmas movies,\u201d Lilley likened its tone to an offbeat mashup: \u201cIf the Grinch, Napoleon Dynamite and the cleanest parts of a soap opera had a baby, it would be A Chris Mystery.\u201d<\/p>\n
The film is available across digital platforms, Lilley said, including Fandango, Apple and Amazon Prime, after an initial indie release. The eclectic approach is typical of her willingness to embrace diverse projects. \u201cSo much of my life is like that. People say, \u2018How did you do that?\u2019 Well, it\u2019s just an open door, and I said yes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Beyond holiday rom-coms, Lilley is also part of \u201cJIMMY!,\u201d a forthcoming biographical film about Jimmy Stewart. She plays Gloria Stewart, the actor\u2019s wife, in a movie that explores Stewart\u2019s career and wartime service. Lilley said the project, now in post-production, will premiere Nov. 6, 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cFaith was huge for him, and so I\u2019m just excited for audiences to see it,\u201d she said, noting the film\u2019s potential to inspire unity and patriotism.<\/p>\n
Lilley also co-hosts a podcast with CBN\u2019s Billy Hallowell that explores supernatural phenomena through a biblical lens. She explained how the show grew from conversations about miracles and the unseen. \u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to tackle the subject of the supernatural, miracles that are still happening today,\u201d she said. Lilley stresses a scriptural framework for topics often treated sensationally in popular culture.<\/p>\n
\u201cGhosts are demons. They are actually not ghosts,\u201d she said, referencing the Bible\u2019s portrayal of occult deceptions and insisting that many supernatural claims ought to be evaluated carefully.<\/p>\n
With her book, films and podcast, she said her aim is simple: to help people experience a tangible, sustaining encounter with God.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople just need to know that God wants to encounter them so much more than we want to encounter him,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n