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Lifetime’s new Christmas movie, Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch, is based on more than just a jingle (bell).
The film, starring Arielle Kebbel and Tyler Hilton, is inspired by Kane Brown and his wife Katelyn’s hit 2022 song, “Thank God.” And the track plays throughout PEOPLE’s exclusive trailer above as well.
The movie follows struggling single mom and equine therapist Maggie Keller (Kebbel), who faces a challenging new client, injured hockey player Wes Campbell (Hilton), just a few weeks before Christmas.
“I took the year off to take care of my dying husband,” Maggie explains in the clip after hearing she’s behind on her mortgage. “I need this Christmas to be special.”
Courtesy of Lifetime
“This is the place that’s supposed to fix me, huh?” Wes says with snark as he arrives at the ranch.
Maggie is amused. “Oh, he’s a skeptic,” she whispers loudly to a horse. “This should be fun.”
Soon enough, the two are connecting and laughing together as they groom one of the horses. Maggie confides in her friend that she’s confused about her feelings. “He is my client — this makes no sense,” to which her pal responds. “Love never does.”
Courtesy of Lifetime
By the end of the clip, Wes and Maggie are dancing, and Maggie admits, “It’s really a miracle.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in miracles,” Wes says, and Maggie responds. “Maybe I’m starting to.”
“We’re so excited about the upcoming release of the Thank God movie,” the Browns told PEOPLE via email. “The holidays are such a special time for us, and sharing this project during a season centered around love and family makes it even more meaningful.”
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Kebbel herself is passionate about horses and “the human-horse-heart connection.” “It is undeniable,” she said in October at Wyo Film Festival.
The official synopsis for the film reads: “After pro-hockey player Wes Campbell (Hilton), suffers an injury during a high-profile game just three weeks before Christmas, he is referred to Keller Ranch in Nashville to recover. There, he meets no-nonsense rancher Maggie Keller (Kebbel), a single mom to son Dawson (Eshan Lyall) and an equestrian-assisted therapist. Despite his initial skepticism, Wes is desperate to return to the ice and decides to give equine therapy a shot. As Maggie manages to break down Wes’ walls, he also helps her heal from the grief of her husband’s death. But as an unexpected romance blossoms between the two, will it go the distance or is it just a holiday fling?”
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Thank God: Christmas at Keller Ranch is part of Lifetime’s “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” programming and premieres on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
