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\u201cI went home to California, I went to bed that night, woke up at two o\u2019clock in the morning and just boom, knew what the movie should be about,\u201d Gifford recalled.<\/p>\n
The movie, filmed on location in Scotland, centers on Annabelle, a widow exploring her husband\u2019s ancestry, and Howard, the owner of the inn she rents. At first, the two opposing forces spar, but slowly begin to warm to each other, somewhat reminiscent of Gifford and Ferguson\u2019s real-life friendship.<\/p>\n
Gifford, an outspoken believer, calls Ferguson her \u201cfavorite agnostic\u201d along with Ricky Gervais, who she says is her \u201cfavorite atheist.\u201d These designations confused Ferguson, who questioned her on why she loved the two so much.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said, \u2018We don\u2019t believe that we believe at all. We don\u2019t believe anything that you believe. Why do you love us? I said, \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t I love you? You\u2019re darling. You\u2019re fun. You\u2019re sweet to me. You\u2019re hysterically funny. You make me laugh. God loves you. And I love who God loves. Why wouldn\u2019t I love you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ferguson replied with what Gifford calls a \u201cheartbreaking\u201d revelation.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said, \u2018We\u2019ve never had a person of faith ever tell us that they love us\u2019,\u201d Gifford explained. \u201cAnd I said, \u2018Then I don\u2019t think you\u2019ve met one yet\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The film is not faith-based, and Gifford hopes Christian viewers will not be offended by her \u201crealistic\u201d portrayal of how people without a personal faith make decisions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope they\u2019ll open up their hearts to say, \u2018Wait a minute, where they were the Annabelle\u2019s, and the Howard\u2019s in my life that I can be a witness to, that I can express the love of God to, that I can shine a light on the truth of Scripture?\u201d she said. \u201cNot preaching at them but loving them into the kingdom. That\u2019s what I\u2019m hoping my Christian friends will come away with.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of the pair of ordinary people, she also slyly promised, \u201cIt\u2019s not over yet\u201d and revealed that \u201cThen Came You\u201d is the first of a planned series of films through locations such as Nantucket, Rome, Casablanca, and Kenya.<\/p>\n
Since leaving her post as The TODAY Show last year, Gifford has dived headfirst into a variety of projects, including the musical oratorio \u201cThe God Who Sees\u201d with Nicole C. Mullen, The \u201cGodwink\u201d series of movies, and books, such as a new children\u2019s book \u201cHello Little Dreamer.\u201d She also relocated to Nashville, which has kept her creative juices flowing. She is also planning a new slate of oratorios featuring artists such as BeBe Winans, CeCe Winans, and Larry Gatlin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m loving this season of my life,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd what I\u2019m reminded of, every single day of my life is God\u2019s faithfulness. I learned on my own life since I was 12 years old, coming to know the Lord. And honestly, it\u2019s not about my faithfulness to Him. It\u2019s all about His faithfulness to me all about God\u2019s faithfulness. And he will continue to be that to me because He never changes like shifting shadows.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen Came You,\u201d distributed by Vertical Entertainment and directed by\u00a0Adriana Trigiani, is available now on digital, on-demand, and DVD.<\/p>\n
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