Paul had achieved his dream of becoming a successful artist. But after a year and a half of feeling depressed and empty, he began a life reset that forced him to come face to face with life’s biggest questions.
Paul Giret’s Journey
The camera was always in Paul Giret’s hands. From the moment his parents bought their first handy cam, he knew—this was his way to see the world, to capture its beauty, its chaos, its raw truth. Growing up in a world that encouraged artistic exploration, he dove headfirst into the underground art scene. Skating through the streets with a lens in hand, filming hip-hop shows, and soaking in the gritty, unfiltered culture of the 80s and 90s, Paul was drawn to the stories that pulsed beneath the surface.
By his twenties, he had a mission. His camera was more than a tool—it was a weapon for change. He threw himself into the social justice movement, documenting causes he believed in, thinking he could reshape the world one frame at a time. The war in Iraq, marijuana legalization, the fight against oppression—his work gave voice to those unheard.
He pushed himself harder, refusing to be just another filmmaker. Film school sharpened his craft, and soon, his name was being called at awards ceremonies. Recognition flooded in. The underground kid with a camera had made it.
And yet, something gnawed at him.
He should have been on top of the world. Instead, he was sinking.
The Illusion of Fulfillment
A mansion. A Lexus. A life without responsibility. Art was his only job, and money wasn’t an issue. The world should have felt limitless. But instead of fulfillment, Paul was drowning in something he couldn’t name. Days blurred into weeks spent in bed, the weight of an invisible force pressing down on him. Drugs helped mask it, but only for a moment. The high wore off, and the emptiness crept back in.
Was this it? Was this all there was?
The relationship he thought would anchor him fell apart when he chose change, and she didn’t. Alone and shattered, he packed up his life and moved back in with his parents at 33. The mansion and the luxury faded behind him, replaced with an urgent need to rebuild.
A Relentless Search for Truth
Paul had always been a seeker. He tore through books, debated relentlessly, and questioned everything. But the answers he found often led him to places he didn’t want to go—particularly to Jesus. Every time, he pushed back.
Not that. Anything but that.
But the truth has a way of waiting. Patiently, persistently, it sat across from him, nudging the Bible toward him again and again. And then, in a conversation with a friend, something shifted. Instead of resisting, he listened. He picked up the book he had avoided for so long and read—really read. Page by page, the words unraveled his resistance. It wasn’t manipulation. It wasn’t control. It was life. Breath. A love letter from a God who had never left his side.
The Transformation
The emptiness? It had an answer.
Paul let go of everything that had chained him. His art wasn’t just about visuals anymore—it was about purpose. He saw his talent for what it was: a gift, something meant to be used for more than just personal ambition. His faith reignited his passion, but it didn’t immediately lead back to filmmaking the way he had once known it. Instead, he entered a season of waiting.
For years, he didn’t make feature films or shorts. The Lord called him to step away from that world, and he obeyed, unsure if he would ever return to it. "God told me to put it down," Paul recalls. And so he did. He focused on other aspects of life, waiting, trusting that if filmmaking was meant to return, God would bring it back in His time.
And then came Sarah.
She saw the fire in him and pointed it toward faith-based filmmaking. Until then, he hadn’t considered it, but when he did, everything made sense. This was the missing piece. This was the work that he had been designed for.
God’s Perfect Timing
Then came the moment that proved God had been orchestrating it all along.
Years earlier, Paul had spoken on a panel at Comic-Con, a moment that had marked the peak of his old life. He never expected to return. But now, walking into a new panel as a man transformed, he locked eyes with a familiar face. The same woman who had booked him a decade earlier had also found Christ. And now, she was inviting him back—full circle, but different. This time, Paul wasn’t just a filmmaker. He was a messenger.
"God put me right back where I left off," Paul says. "It was like He was saying, 'Now you’re ready.' I had to surrender everything first. And the moment I did, He gave it back—this time, with purpose."
Opportunities poured in. Feature films, directing, editing—his career exploded in ways he had never been able to force into existence before. Where doors had once slammed shut, they now swung wide open. He had spent two decades fighting to be seen, but only when he surrendered did God elevate him higher than he had ever imagined.
Paul's Final Conclusions
If Paul could tell you one thing, it’s this: The talent you have isn’t just yours. It was given to you for a reason, and true inspiration comes from God. Success isn’t measured in paychecks or prestige—it’s in impact, in using your gifts the way God intended.
For years, he had searched for fulfillment in the world, and the world had failed him. But the moment he turned to Jesus, everything changed.
And if you’re searching? That answer is waiting for you too.