The story of His Heart, the movie.
When my good friend Jen Katzfey, who works in the film industry, approached me with the idea of co-writing a screenplay, I rattled off a laundry list of excuses. My plate was already overflowing. Teaching American Sign Language at a private Christian high school in May—the chaos of award ceremonies, Senior Breakfast, and Finals—left no room for extra projects. Add hosting my middle daughter’s graduation party for over a hundred guests and planning an international family vacation departing in a month, and I was ready to bolt for the hills.
“I can’t,” I told Jen flatly.
Her response?
“I’ve been praying about it, and I’m pretty sure God is leading me to you for this project. We need it done in about a week. Here’s the story…”
Before I could protest further, she launched into the pitch. A down-on-her-luck reporter, juggling a faltering career and a crumbling marriage, is sent begrudgingly to Argentina to investigate a miracle she dismisses outright. I was intrigued. Then Jen revealed the twist: it was based on a true Eucharistic miracle from 1996 in Buenos Aires—one I’d never heard of. I’d spent years in the Catholic Church but now attend a non-denominational one, and this Catholic-specific miracle made me doubt I was the right fit to write the screenplay. As I mulled it over and prayed about it, I felt more and more intrigued by the story and even more importantly, I got the sense that God was leading me to start writing- giving me scenes, dialogue and a story arc. I reluctantly agreed to give it a shot.
As I dove into research, the story gripped me. The miracle—a consecrated host transforming into human flesh and blood—defied explanation. World-renowned scientists, tasked with analyzing it, found evidence that only deepened its mystery: the tissue was from a living heart, stressed as if beaten. I pictured the awe rippling through that Buenos Aires parish, the skeptics wrestling with undeniable proof. And I imagined our protagonist—a woman hardened by life, her faith shattered young—confronting this enigma. Would God’s love pierce her defenses through this inexplicable event?
Scenes unspooled in my mind. My fingers flew across the keyboard, and within a week, Jen and I had a rough script—sloppily formatted, but brimming with heart. We shared it with a few trusted readers, who were visibly moved. Word spread. Before we knew it, a well-known actor signed on to play our lead, drawn by a connection she felt to the script.
Looking back, I marvel at how a project I resisted became a testament to stepping out in faith. What started as Jen’s nudge—a nudge from above—blossomed into something bigger than us. His Heart isn’t just a story; it’s a mirror of our own transformation, proof that God can work miracles during the most unexpected times and through the most reluctant hands. Proof that He is for all of us, regardless of our differences, including our different denominations. He’s much more interested in relationship than religion, and He’s filled with infinite wisdom that allows Him to meet each of us right where we are at just the right time. His time.
I’m so grateful that I said yes to this project and grateful to be on this journey. But I am most grateful at how God shows up, in both sweet whispers and breathtaking miracles, to show us just how much He loves us, with all of His heart.
