You may be familiar with Chris Pratt. He is a Hollywood actor who most recently starred in Jurassic World. Released in June 2015, Jurassic World is a blockbuster setting a global record of US$511.9 million in ticket sales on its opening weekend. In the movie, Chris plays Owen Grady — a Velociraptor (a mid-sized raptor) trainer and expert.

According to Variety magazine, Pratt earned $1.2 billion in 2014 making him the highest paid actor that year. He earned his big payday starring in Guardians of the Galaxy and The Lego Movie.

But Pratt is also a Christian and his faith comes out in an interview with QPolitical where Pratt shares his struggles with the premature birth of his son, Jack, born in August 2012.  Pratt said that he and his wife Anna Ferris prayed for weeks for their son born nine weeks premature and weighing only 3 pounds.

Pratt said:

“We were scared for a long time. We prayed a lot. It restored my faith in God, not that it needed to be restored, but it really redefined it.”

Jack survived and thought the doctors predicted he would suffer disabilities, now two Jack is attending preschool and only needs glasses. Chris believes God healed their son in the hospital incubation chamber.

But how he became a Christian is also intriguing. In an interview with Esquire Magazine, Chris who comes from a Lutheran background said he became a Christian at age 19 outside a Hawaii liquor store. He was too young to buy alcohol and was waiting while his friends went in to make a purchase.

While standing outside, a man approached Chris and asked if he was planning to do some partying that night — drinking, drugs and girls. Laughing, Chris said he was hoping for at least two out of three.

The man said:

“I stopped because Jesus told me to stop and talk to you. He said to tell you you’re destined for great things.”

When his friends came out, Pratt told them he wouldn’t be joining them.

Chris told Esquire:

“My friends came out, and I was like, ‘Hey, I’m gonna go with this guy.’ I gave my soul to Jesus within, like, two days. I was stuffing envelopes for his organization, Jews for Jesus. I’m not even sure, at that age—I was nineteen years old—I knew what Jewish was.”

A few days after accepting Christ, Chris ran into a pastor’s daughter on the beach who was into drugs and “whoring around.” Chris told her what happened to him. She asked Chris to help get her to church and today the girl is working with Youth for a Mission.

“I feel a little bit like my entire purpose was to get her,” Chris said.

Four weeks later, while waiting tables at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co in Maui, Pratt was discovered by a movie director and was on his way to California for his first movie.

Pratt is not shy about his faith. On his Facebook page, he often quotes Bible verses.

In February, he wrote:

Calling all heroes! My young friend and the inspiration for the ‪#‎FearIsntReal‬ campaign Joe Hensen is ill and his sickness has taken a turn for the worst. I’m just asking that you keep him and his family in your prayers today. At your tables, in church and at your bedsides mention Joe. Ask that God put his loving hands on Joe’s family that has been through so much.  -Psalm 34:18 #FearIsntReal

Psalm 34:18 reads:

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit. (NASV)

Read more:

• What Chris Pratt said about his faith will change your mind about Hollywood: Crosswalk.com
• They told Chris Pratt “keep Jesus off the set” his response left me cheering: Qpolitical
• Even Hollywood’s cool kids are praising Christianity now: New York Post
• “That would be good for the story, wouldn’t it? If an alligator bit my hand?“: Esquire