Sam Ainslie: When the Final Word Isn’t Final

Written By Paul McDonald

A New Series: Stories Behind Wild at Heart: The Series

 Every man carries wounds—some buried deep, some tearing through the surface, some leaving them questioning everything. Wild at Heart: The Series is an invitation to step into the stories of men who have faced their deepest wounds—and found that God was there all along.

Over the next few episodes, we will have conversations with the men who were a part of this project. We started with Daniel to explore his calling as a filmmaker and how he holds up a mirror to help men see their stories the way God does. Next we sit down with each man featured in the series—Mark, Pablo, Leo, and Sam—real men who have faced crisis, trauma, and failure, and who have found healing, redemption, and restoration.

If you haven't watched the series yet, check it out on the Wild at Heart YouTube channel. Watch the trailer or dive straight into the prologue. Then join us here as we unpack the stories that didn't make the final cut—and the films that reveal the transformation and hope that mark these men's lives.

Sam’s story can be found here.

Download your study guide here.

Field of Dreams isn't a baseball movie. It's about a man pursued by a loving Father, haunted by his past, and invited into restoration he didn't think was possible. Wild at Heart board member Sam Ainslie joins Men at the Movies to explore fathers, peace, and what it means when God won't stop coming after his sons.

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The Quotes

  • God uses this message to mold me and pursue me

  • Our story is one of a relentless pursuit of a loving Father

  • One man’s work is every man’s work.

  • We are built to come through because our Father loves to come through.

 Themes

  • Relentless Pursuit: God does not stop coming after His sons

  • Success Without Peace: What are you chasing that still leaves you restless?

  • Yield to the Mythic: Your life is part of a larger story God is writing

  • Restoration: What was once good can be good again

Resources

  • Wild at Heart YouTube Channel

  • Wild at Heart: The Series trailer

  • Wild at Heart: The Series prologue

  • Wild at Heart: The Series Ch 001 - Mark Evans

  • Wild at Heart: The Series Ch 002 - Pablo Ceron

  • Wild at Heart: The Series Ch 003 - Leo Clark

  • Wild at Heart: The Series Ch 004 - Sam Ainslie

Questions

  • Roy said, “I never forgave my father for getting old.” What is the version of that sentence that you have been carrying? Have you ever said it out loud?

  • What have you been chasing that you hoped would bring peace? Has it delivered?

  • Is there an invitation in your life right now that you have been ignoring because it doesn’t fully make sense?

  • If restoration is possible, if things that were once good can be good again, what is the first thing that comes to mind? What is stopping you from believing restoration is possible?

More info

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Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston

Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).

Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock.

Links:

Paul McDonald
Next

Leo Clark: The Battle Is Bigger Than You