return to the hiding place: a *movie* review . . .

You may not know this about me . . . but I adore movies, I truly do.  In fact, I've got quite a collection--a lot of children's (read: Disney) and older movies. The trick these days is finding movies that are good stories, with solid plots, decent acting, and without the language, sex and violence that is so prevalent these days.

That's why when FishFlix contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in receiving a DVD in exchange for an honest review, I immediately said, YES! Especially since the movie they wanted to send was Return to the Hiding Place. Having read (and watched) The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom and being very familiar with her amazing (true) story, I was quite interested in watching this film and had no idea what to expect.

Just hearing the movie title, Return to the Hiding Place, led me to believe it was a followup to Ten Boom's story, but in actuality, the "untold true story" runs parallel to The Hiding Place and intertwines Ten Boom's story with that of the secret (college) student army that worked fearlessly and tirelessly under Ten Boom's supervision (and roof) to advance the cause against the Nazis.

Watching the movie I was pleased to see that there were some familiar faces, most notably John Rhys-Davies (Lord of the Rings), David Thomas Jenkins, and Slate Holmgren. I actually had to the pause the movie midway through and pick it up later, and was on pins and needles wondering what was going to happen next!  I was drawn into the plot and surprised at the twists and turns.  This was well written (Bart Gavigan and  screenplay by Peter C. Spencer), well acted, and well directed (Peter C. Spencer and Josiah Spencer). Faith-based movies haven't always measured up, but I see a trend that they're getting better and better, and this one definitely *does* measure up.  It's a keeper and a movie I'll not only re-watch, but I'll share with friends/family!

Thank you to FishFlix for allowing me the opportunity to watch and review Return to the Hiding Place.  FishFlix is a great source for Christian movies for the whole family to enjoy!

:)

happy birthday . . .

. . . to Eleanor Pearl!

I can hardly believe that Ellie's one . . . where did the year go?

We're celebrating her birthday with a special tea party on Saturday -- I can't wait!  Jocelyn had seen a pattern for a baby doll ... she wanted to make Ellie's first baby doll ... so she bought the pattern and the materials and on Monday she set about making Ellie her dear little dolly . . . 

Isn't she darling?  I helped stitch the face -- we chose a variegated blue/green/brown for the eyes, because Ellie's eye color changes with the hour.  My recent redwork lesson on satin stitches was a great asset -- the eyes and the nose were both stitched that way!  It's a really cute pattern -- I see more of these in our family's future!

This morning I'll be joining with the choir at Flint River Baptist Church to sing tribute to Brother Carl Tate -- he was one of the most wonderful Christian men I've ever met.  He passed away on Monday -- he was ninety-four.

He was a visitor to the camp on multiple occasions (and is pictured here singing at the pavilion for our Jamboree in 2011) - in fact, his wife, Evelyn, was the clerk for the Madison Baptist Association and was commissioned at the camp.  It will be an honor to sing for him -- especially this song -- his song -- I Sing Because.   While he will truly be missed here on earth, I know his voice is a joyful addition to the heavenly choruses!

Speaking of choruses of Hallelujah, Monday night brought lots of happy shouts of joy from this household . . .

Roll Tide!!  It wasn't nearly the game I'd expected it to be, but I can't say I'm disappointed!  

And finally -- please do come back tomorrow ... it'll be my day for the In Your Words hop -- and I'm totally loving my project!!

:)

a review: fearless daughters of the bible . . .

What first caught my eye about the book Fearless Daughters of the Bible:  What You Can Learn from 22 Women Who Challenged Tradition, Fought Injustice and Dared to Lead, by J. Lee Grady, while I was perusing the available titles?  How about this description from the back of the book:

Christian women are often led to believe they were created inferior to men, destined to play a secondary role.  Proverbs 31 gets morphed into a judgment, the standard against which many feel like frauds or failures.  But the Bible has much more to say about women!

Well yes, I did find that extremely intriguing! I was really excited to get the book and check out the table of contents ... fifteen chapters and some really big names.  Sarah, Miriam, Ruth, Hannah, Esther . . . lots of big names ... and some names I wasn't quite familiar with.  Interesting.

And the first question that got answered was actually the first one I had, when I realized the author was a man . . . why should I read a book for women written by a man?  Yup, page eleven ... the first page of the introduction.  Grady says, "You may wonder why a guy is writing a book for women."  Why yes, yes I did.  "I am asked that question often since I speak at women's events all over the world.  I respond by telling people that I have been drowning in a sea of estrogen for more than two decades.  God put me in a house full of women to show me how much He loves His daughters."  I went on to read that he has four daughters.  And I am the oldest of four daughters.  Okay, here's me moving forward.

Then things got a little dicey for me.  While I can certainly appreciate some of the insight shared, some of what's written sounded a bit far-fetched to me.  In other words, it didn't line up with Scripture as I understood it.  This is a tough call. There are some great words of wisdom, but there's also some questionable materials, too.  I don't believe I'd purchase it, but there are chapters I've enjoyed.  I'd give the book a 2.5 star rating.

I'm more than willing to give you a chance to form your own opinion.  While this was not my cup of tea, I've read several reviewers who raved over it.  If you're interested, leave me a comment saying so and I'll randomly select a winner on Tuesday.

:)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from River North Fiction by Moody

Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program.  I was not required to write a positive review. 

The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal

Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and

 Testimonials in Advertising.

book review - the power of knowing God . . .

Kay Arthur and Precept Ministries International have done it again with The Power of Knowing God, a 6-week, no-homework Bible study.  Long have I been a fan of Kay Arthur and her inductive method of studying the Word and this new study works hand-in-hand with inductive study and group discussion.

What I liked best about the study was that it fit a broad range of students -- both new and mature believers will be able to sit together and discuss scripture as they're directed to mark particular references and discuss the meanings.  The leader is provided with questions and insights to help facilitate and guide group discussion.  The format is terrific, and the fact that there's no weekly homework makes it particularly appealing in this day and age of over-commitment.

I also liked that the Scriptures referenced were included in the text and that the New American Standard Bible (NASB) translation was used.

Not only is the format wonderful, but the content is top-notch, too.  Do you really know God?  That's the question posed on the back cover. Starting in Genesis and then working through Scriptures in both the old and new testaments, participants are challenged to look at God's Word through fresh eyes and dig into passages with the intent to truly understand not just why it was written, but why it was written the way it was.

Whether on your own or in a group, I highly recommend this study as a means to enriching your own personal relationship with God.  For more information click HERE -- to read Chapter 1, click HERE.

I received a copy of this book from WaterBook Press in exchange for my own, 

honest review of the publication.  I was not compensated.  

book review - rules of engagement

The next book that I chose to read and review was Rules of Engagement:  Preparing for Your Role in the Spiritual Battle, by Derek Prince.  As the title might indicate, this is definitely not a fictional work!

Derek Prince was a contemporary and acquaintance of C. S. Lewis.  He was a noted teacher, preacher, scholar and philosopher, among other things.  His love of Jesus and the Scriptures was unabashed, and he spent his life encouraging God's people to grow in the Word.

Rules of Engagement is a culmination of teaching letters that he wrote over the course of ten years.   The book is broken into four major sections ... Building a Soldier's Character, Holy Spirit Training, Battle in the Heavenlies, and Enduring to the End.  Each section has six to nine chapters, which read along the lines of a daily study and finish with a life application, a memory verse, and a faith response.  There are a total of thirty chapters, so ideally, a month of study.

Prince's love for the Lord and his passion for sharing the truths of Scripture are evident in the pages of Rules of Engagement.  His instructions and encouragements are soundly based on Scripture and are clear and concise.  He walks the reader from submission to "finishing the course" without ever sounding condescending or holier-than-thou.  

I thoroughly enjoyed my read/study through this book.  It's a tremendous resource and asset; a definite plus to any believer's collection!

I received a copy of this book from Chosen Books (a division of Baker Publishing Group)

in exchange for my own, honest review of the publication.  I was not compensated.