Shivangi Sinha
Lifetime’s ‘Finding Faith’ is an inspiring drama directed by LazRael Lison. The film centers on Faith Mitchell, a woman who seemingly has it all with her loving husband, Jaylen Mitchell, and three beautiful children. However, their perfect life begins to unravel when Jaylen loses his job and the family faces mounting struggles. As daily pressures grow, Faith begins to lose her connection with God. Tragedy strikes when the family is involved in a devastating car accident and her husband passes away. In her most vulnerable moment, she encounters Pastor Louis Wesley, whose guidance helps her navigate through her trials. With time, she rediscovers her spirituality and strength and gradually starts overcoming the obstacles that once threatened to consume her life.
Finding Faith Tells a Tale Which Many Others Have Experienced in Real Life
‘Finding Faith’ resonates with audiences because it tells the story of an ordinary family going through the everyday ups and downs of life. Just when it feels like all is lost, the film reaffirms the belief that there is still more to come and that life has much more to offer. Paula Patton, who stars in the film, shared in an interview that she felt the project was “heaven-sent” and arrived at the perfect time in her life. She spoke openly about her own struggles with anxiety and fear, and how the role connected with her on a deeply personal level. While LazRael Lison, who also wrote the film, did not base the story on any single real-life event, it is filled with universal themes, making it a story where everyone can see pieces of themselves reflected.
The idea of people discovering inner strength and purpose through a connection with God is deeply powerful and not at all unheard of. One real-life example is that of Immaculée Ilibagiza, a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. During the massacre, she spent about 91 days hiding in a tiny bathroom with seven other women, silently praying and struggling with the unimaginable loss of most of her family. In the midst of despair, it was her faith in God that gave her strength and ultimately led her toward forgiveness and healing. Immaculée later wrote a book titled ‘Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust,’ which details her experiences and the spiritual transformation that took place during that time. Today, she is an international speaker and advocate for faith, forgiveness, and peace.
The Film Draws From True Stories of Faithful Endurance
Another powerful example is that of Ashley Smith, the Atlanta woman who was held hostage in 2005 by Brian Nichols after he escaped from the Fulton County Courthouse, where he had killed four people. Nichols forced his way into Smith’s apartment and held her at gunpoint for several hours. During this terrifying ordeal, Ashley relied on her Christian faith to stay calm and connect with her captor. She read aloud from ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren, and to her surprise, Nichols began to listen. She later said that her faith helped her see him as a broken person in need of redemption. Her words and presence ultimately influenced Nichols to surrender peacefully. She later recounted the experience in her memoir, ‘Unlikely Angel,’ sharing how faith carried her through and how she was grateful for it.
‘Finding Faith’ stands out not just for the drama but for how convincingly it mirrors moments of lived reality. Though fictional, it brims with the truth that faith often appears in the aftermath of wreckage. The characters are not saints or preachers, but ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances, and it is in their quiet resolve that the story finds its power. The film doesn’t hand out easy answers; instead, it captures the process of rediscovering trust, both in God and in oneself. So, the film may not be based on one true story, but it echoes thousands.
Read More: Is Lifetime’s Sins of the Father Based on a True Story?
