Stefanie Butler
Absolutely stoked to welcome our brilliantly creative friend, Stefanie Butler to this week’s Dreamos Round Table. Stefanie’s a storyteller in every sense of the word. She’s a film and television actor, a stage actor, a director, and is a proud member of SAG|AFTRA. She’s also a screenwriter, a children’s book author, and blogger.
Through her blog, “Courage, Braveheart”, Stefanie shares her personal journey of faith and encourages others to step into their own story of bravery. Her passion for others to experience deep healing & complete restoration is woven into the fabric of all she does.
Stefanie’s heart for people and gift of storytelling has empowered the work she does to not only capture her audience, but meet them where they’re at, and reach them at every level. We know you’ll be encouraged and inspired as you hear more from her heart, story, and pursuit.
What dream are you currently turning into reality?
Being a full fledged writer/director who occasionally pops in here and there as an actor. I have been a professional actor since 2006, and I love every single moment that I get to be on stage or on a film set, but I have recently found myself transitioning more into being a writer and director. My writing takes on many different forms - I write short films, narrative features, television pilots, stage plays, children’s books, poetry, and I recently started a blog.
Because I’m a filmmaker, my goal isn’t just to write and release these stories to someone else, but to direct and produce them for audiences to enjoy and connect with. Any day I get to create feels like I’m working to my fullest capacity doing what the Lord has created me to do.
When did you first realize you discovered your dream?
I've been a lover of stories for as long as I can remember. As a child, I was an avid reader, and my mom would have to take books away from me so I would go outside and play. I remember how she’d catch me reading late into the night, under my blankets, long after I was supposed to be asleep.
As time went on, I became more and more fascinated with the people and characters in the books. I realized then, I didn't want to just keep reading about those people, I wanted to embody them. That desire eventually led me into the world of theater and acting.
Over the past few years, something began to stir in me. I found I not only wanted to embody and understand these characters, but I wanted to use my imagination to create them. I wanted to tell stories that helped others feel seen, heard, and to not feel so alone.
It’s interesting how our God dreams evolve if we let them - If we don’t hold onto them too tightly or make them too precious. It’s been neat to see how the Lord has been transitioning my own ideas of what it means to be a storyteller, and I’m excited to see how that continues to evolve throughout the rest of my life and career.
How does your faith go hand in hand with pursuing your dream?
I’m of the notion that God is the original Storyteller. He has told the greatest, most redemptive story of all time, and His Word is chock-full of story after story. I truly believe that in pursuing my dream, it would be utterly pointless without the Lord. If I tried to do it on my own, I couldn’t. It would fail, or everything would end up being so self-focused, that the purpose behind it would never measure up to be worth it in the end.
My reliance on the Lord’s direction, His promptings, and His calling on my life, is what pushes me forward in the pursuit of my dream. I know that as long as I stay in tune with Him, I will succeed.
What encouragement would you give someone who’s going after their dream?
When God has placed something on your heart, what I like to call a Dream Calling or a God Calling, you should run at it with all your might. If He has told you what it is, and you are obedient to that calling, you will find yourself working in alignment with your gifting.
It is our job to be obedient, and it is His job to be effective. You can take the pressure off of yourself to have to make something significant with the work you do. Instead of worrying about being significant or creating something significant, turn your attention to being obedient.
I would ask you this question: If money, time, space, and limitations weren’t a concern..and you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you do? If your answer is in alignment with the God Calling placed in your heart, then run at it with full force! God will not call you to something and leave you stranded to figure it out on your own. If He is calling you to it, He will equip you for it.