'Seek and Find' to encourage others and provide hope

SWAN VALLEY – "Loss changes everything. Your way of life, your hopes, your dreams, your normal and your faith," wrote musician, teacher and video producer Katie Wright of the Swan Valley. Wright has transformed her love of music and God into a tangible connection that she hopes offers blessing and hope to others. After producing her initial film "The Gift" in 2017 she has expanded, creating four more productions each with their own motivation and purpose. Her most recent film, "Seek and Find" was meant to encourage others.

"Seeking for answers, seeking God's presence, His purpose for me, His promises and truth...little did I know two years later I would be making a film to share God's truth, and the hope He gives, to those who love Him and seek Him," wrote Wright in an email.

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Wright and her sisters Megan and Lindsay had a bluegrass band called "The Wright Sisters" during the 2000s. The started the band after Wright had only taken private music lessons for one year.

Their father Dave started a home recording studio for the band. Wright learned from her father and recorded her sisters while he was at work. She also designed their website and CD jacket cover.

"It was all self-taught and guided through my dad, who is a computer programmer and carpenter," wrote Wright. "Dad always instilled in us girls, 'If you want something...make it yourself or do it yourself.'"

Wright shared the story of her desire for a mandolin. Instead of purchasing one, she and her father built one.

"My motto now is, 'If you want to learn anything bad enough, you will,' wrote Wright. "Ya gotta have a 'git-er-done-er' spirit."

The Wright Sisters performed professionally for six years throughout the country and produced two CDs.

As Wright and her sisters took different life paths, the band ended and it left a void for Wright. After moving to the Swan Valley in 2008, Wright offered music lessons.

"I love to teach," said Wright. "I love to see people who want to learn and be able to help them."

In addition to private lessons, Wright started making videos.

"Videography was just another step in learning through trial and error, and again, the huge desire to do it," wrote Wright.

Since she did not have a camera, Wright asked her fiddle student and neighbor Abigail Morgan to help her capture the vision for an original piano piece. With the support of her husband Rodger, she and Morgan met daily to film and edit.

"I fell in love with the process," wrote Wright. "We had so much fun, but more importantly, looking back, we formed a special friendship! I will forever appreciate her help in fulfilling my dreams."

Wright's first video entitled "The Gift" was released Dec. 22, 2017 on YouTube channel Treasured Heart Productions, just in time for Christmas.

"This video was put together in hopes that it would bring a smile to your heart and be reminded of God's Gift to us," Wright wrote in the video's description.

It wasn't until the summer of 2018 that Wright was inspired again. After her best friend and one true love Rodger Thompson passed away suddenly April 18, 2018 she released "Rodger's Flag." It was a tribute to her husband, a Marine staff sergeant, the Mission Valley Honor Guard and the Marines from Spokane, Wash. who participated in Thompson's Celebration of Life. The video captured a memorial hike with Thompson's flag Aug. 6, 2018 to the top of Old Holland Lookout, a 13-mile round trip hike she and Rodger had planned to take that summer.

"Film is an art of its own. Combining visual and sound helps tell a story. It's like making the story come to life!" wrote Wright. "The music to my videos is mostly homemade and written/recorded just for the video because it allows me the freedom to create the feeling I want to portray in the message."

Through her journey of grief, Wright knew Jesus was with her, even though she felt completely alone. God started showing her signs of His love and nearness. Although she did not notice at first, her mother Heidi pointed things out that Wright now sees as special blessings.

In the mornings of early October 2019, Wright sat in her loft looking out her window at the Swan Range.

"I was in awe of this specific sun ray that would shine down so pretty in the pasture. It went right through the pasture gate and it made me think of the narrow gate to the kingdom of heaven," wrote Wright.

She had been praying the Lord would give her a mission to fulfill – an opportunity to share the hope and comfort she felt. "How neat would it be to use this sun ray that displayed his glory for his glory," wrote Wright.

Another special blessing was frequent visits from a pileated woodpecker.

"It became a fun blessing to me and my family," wrote Wright. "We knew it had to mean something more."

One night Wright couldn't sleep thinking about how her father said woodpeckers knock. She opened her Bible to find the verse about Jesus knocking. When she couldn't find it she drifted to sleep.

She jolted awake thinking "No, don't give up!" She prayed she would find it and randomly started reading in Revelation, chapter 3, versus 20, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him..."

"There it was!! I was so happy and filled with tears of joy. I knew my prayer was answered! The next morning the vision hit me... the knock...on the door! Jesus is knocking on our hearts' door!"

Wright's mission was loud and clear, "Tell them I'm at the door. Tell them I'm knocking. Tell them I love them. Tell them I'm coming VERY SOON."

Even though she didn't have the whole story she launched into the project, trusting God to provide the storyline and details like He had in the past.

"This took so much patience because I just wanted to get filming!" wrote Wright. "My mom helped me with every decision along the way and together we prayed through every uphill climb."

Wright found an antique door, a glass rose to represent God's love and a set of old keys. She purchased a pink dress with jewels not yet knowing what actress would wear it. Rays of sunshine and woodpeckers were the signs she continued to see encouraging her to continue moving forward. Past violin student Korinne Treser came to mind as the main actress. She had a sister Clara that fit the second part of the story and father James to play Jesus.

When the Treser family was asked they were eager to help.

"It was an opportunity of a lifetime," wrote mother and wife Greta Treser. "Because of the purpose of the video it made it all that more amazing."

Wright started filming in mid-November. Her only camera was a drone, adding the additional challenge of weather.

"Coordinating schedules with good Montana weather days seemed nearly impossible and at times I didn't think it was going to work and wanted to give up," wrote Wright.

The first film day finally fell into place. As the first rays of sunshine started to hit the door Wright had placed in her pasture, they started filming Korinne walking up to the door.

The second film session turned dreary and Korinne suggested they film the graveyard scene. They drove to a cemetery in Creston and the dreary skies were perfect for the scene.

"This is how the remainder of filming was... unpredictable at EVERY angle!" wrote Wright whose faith and trust was continually tested. "Looking back I see all the challenges and setbacks as a picture of daily life. Each day is unpredictable and not guaranteed...and am reminded how if we pray to God for help and direction, we need to trust him with what comes of our situations, no matter what the answer may be...He will work all things out for our good."

Wright finished filming the last week of December. Wright spent hours and hours of editing reaching out to her father for technical support and parents for prayer. After 10 days of creating an original soundtrack with Morgan, Wright added the lyrics that came straight from her heart.

"Are you hurting? Are you lost? You will find what you seek at the cross. In the darkness, in the pain, He is with you, He lights the way. Hallelujah...!" wrote Wright. "It finally felt like this was the story God had put on my heart."

Wright's family gathered to pray on Skype while she uploaded the film March 12.

"We prayed for everyone that would see this film and prayed that everyone God wanted to see it WOULD see it!" wrote Wright. "Little did we know that the world would soon be under siege from a deadly pandemic and people would need this message of hope more than ever! Just another confirmation of God's perfect timing."

While Wright is not currently working on another film, she will leave the door open for God to lead.

Wright wrote, "When I look back at how the videos started and then what they actually turned into, my faith is strengthened by seeing how God was there the whole time, how He made it what He wanted, and how He answered my prayers and the prayers of my family. Faith is believing without seeing. When you "see" where faith took you, you believe more."

Treasured Heart Productions can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBYcEh2NklvWWhra06Zap0w