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Courageous: A Film Review

Posted by Holly Massie on Monday, October 3rd, 2011 in Entertainment, Faith | Comments (0)

“Where are you, men of courage?” This is the line from the movie I’ve been thinking myself lately! Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably at least heard of Sherwood Baptist’s new production, Courageous. I had the privilege of watching it with my children this week and it is an inspiring film about fatherhood and what it means to be a man of integrity. Hopefully it will still be in theaters when my hubby gets home. I hope my review isn’t too vague, but I don’t want to give you any spoilers!

The story follows four policemen and their new friend Javier as they struggle with what it means to be a father in today’s society. Is it okay to just be “good enough,” provide a paycheck and not beat your wife and kids? What impact is fatherlessness, and even fathers at home who aren’t leading their homes, having on our society? The movie touches on these themes and what it means to honor your wife, your God and your fellow men through action, thought provoking scenes and dialogue. Each man is a slightly different kind of father: One has a baby out of wedlock and is ashamed, another is seeking to walk in integrity and in God’s plan but still wondering about his own father he never knew, one is what most would consider a “good” dad but who realizes his shortcomings and apathy through tragedy, another is a hardworking blue collar guy struggling to make ends meet and lead his family, and the last wants to do what is right but isn’t sure just where his moral compass lies.

Courageous doesn’t pull any punches right from the beginning. Plenty of police action, gang violence, and intense scenes make this a great guy movie, but not necessarily the best for the “whole” family – leave little ones at home until you’ve seen it at least once and then make the decision what age is best for your family; there’s a reason for the PG-13 rating(no bad language, alcohol, sex and drug use are mentioned but only to discuss the ramifications). This film is a warning shot across the bow for men, so to speak. Be sure to take tissues though as it’s definitely a tearjerker! One secular site I read calls the film “emotionally manipulative”— but let’s face it, what movie isn’t?! The difference is this movie is up front, while many secular movies are more covert about it. You will cry, laugh hysterically (careful not to snort soda out your nose!) and be challenged in your integrity and faith.

The acting isn’t necessarily the greatest, we’re not talking Oscars here and there aren’t any big name actors this go round, but Sherwood has definitely come a long way from Flywheel and in my book the message outweighs the method. If you’ve seen other Sherwood films you will recognize several actors, and I would say look for the nods to their previous films (i.e. many of the vehicles have plates from Jay Austin Motors of Flywheel, there’s a reference to Fireproof, etc.). Several secular sites say the film is heavy handed and didactic but I did not feel that so much as that it is obviously directed to men of faith, although there is much here for men who are non-believers (including a strong salvation message).

Take your older boys and husbands– or send them on a guy’s night out and be ready to discuss things! Young ladies can be encouraged by one father’s protection of his daughter. Both my eldest son and my daughter’s steady beau were deeply impacted and felt it to be a life changing movie and their new favorite! Men will be challenged to rethink their fathering, how they were fathered and where they want to go, to seek out what DOES the Bible say about fatherhood? How should men in the Church be caring for the “fatherless”? Women can come away with some of the same challenges related to mothering as well as how best to encourage the men in our lives to be those men who stand up for what is right no matter what. There are also follow up books called The Resolution (similar to the Love Dare idea from Fireproof) for both men and women. Already in my Amazon cart! J

This film is definitely one we will be purchasing and discussing again, and it’s worth seeing even if it’s not a favorite if only to springboard discussion on what it means to be a real man for your family and your church. I am praying that it will have a profound impact on our family and that men in the church would indeed rise up in our day and age to be men of God. What will your legacy be?

(You can check out http://www.pluggedinonline.com for a complete review)

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An Inspiring Extreme Home Makeover

Posted by Pattie on Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 in Entertainment, Faith, Resources | Comments (2)

I recently had the opportunity to preview the season premiere of ABC’s award-winning hit series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, premiering this Sunday night, September 25 (check your local listings for time).

For those who might not be familiar with this show: Each week Ty Pennington and his team of highly trained and compassionate professionals help make a family’s dream come true. They remodel, they revamp, and sometimes they rebuild from scratch, a home or a space in a home for a family in need. (And it never fails to make me cry!)

For this season’s premiere episode, the EMHE team joins forces with First Lady Michelle Obama and the Joining Forces initiative she shares with Dr. Jill Biden to encourage Americans to give back to military families. First Lady Michelle Obama makes a special appearance on this show, and she and the show are highlighting a former Navy Chaplain, Barbara Marshall, who is fighting to end homelessness among her fellow female veterans. As she says, her goal is “to help women veterans get back in the game of life.” She’s an amazing woman with a hands-on ministry to women veterans who find themselves in need.

From the beginning of the show to the end, the immense support for this project begins with the show’s design team, and expands to include veterans, active duty military personnel and their families, community support–and yes, our First Lady as well.

But wait…there’s more! One segment of the show is hosted by Sears, as a part of their Heroes at Home program, and they held a job expo to help female veterans hone their resumes and identify how their military skills and training would work in the civilian workforce. I sure hope this type of thing will continue nationwide. Now that I am teaching adults, many of whom are either retired or near the end of their military careers, I can see how valuable this assistance truly is.

One overarching theme of this episode was stated by Mrs. Obama herself: service doesn’t end with a tour of duty; it continues on for a lifetime. Barbara Marshall is one of many who saw a need that she could meet, and she met it right where she lived. You, as Wives of Faith, do the same thing every day: in your homes, in your installations and spouse support groups, in your churches and chapels, in your communities. And yes, even online here at Wives of Faith, we support you and encourage you–and even connect you where you live, so you can support each other. That’s what the body of Christ is all about.

Thank you, Wives of Faith, for all you do.

I highly recommend watching this inspiring episode, because I am only giving you a small glimpse into the whole experience. Get ready to laugh at the show’s trademark humor, but be sure to have your tissues handy as well!

To learn more about Barbara Marshall’s ministry at Jubilee House, you can visit their website.

And here’s a preview of the show:

Other links:
DOD news article about Barbara
DOD article about the project
WOF staffer Jessica’s review on her blog
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Special thanks to Different Drummer Productions for the opportunity for a “sneak peek” of one of the most positive shows on television today. God bless you!

Popularity: 6% [?]

We Remember

Posted by Pattie on Sunday, September 11th, 2011 in Daily Encouragements, Faith | Comments (0)

Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old. ~Psalm 25:6~

We remember September 11, 2001.

Some of us were military wives.

Some of us weren’t. Read More→

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The Supply Officer

Posted by Bettina Dowell on Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 in Faith | Comments (2)

“He that appoints what the voyage shall be will victual the ship accordingly.”

Matthew Henry

With a freshly minted MBA in hand, it was a logical choice for my husband to become a supply officer when he entered the Navy. After six months in Supply Corps School, we packed up for Jacksonville, Florida for our first sea duty. Rob became the assistant supply officer on a fast frigate. Even thought the eighties were a time of relative world peace, the ship still deployed extensively.

When it was time for a Mediterranean cruise, the supply officers and their department were responsible for lying in food, weapons, ship’s store items, cash and other necessities for extended time at sea. Not knowing exactly what their time before a port call might be, they had to assure the ship was prepared for a long journey. In addition, it was their job to “expect the unexpected,” not knowing what the needs of other departments might become once underway. So, we come to Matthew Henry’s quote about God victualling (to lie in food supplies) our ships.

I would like to think that I have planned well for my future journeys. However, the obvious truth is that I cannot, with any degree of accuracy, predict what will happen in the next five minutes – much less five days, weeks, months or years. Though my fortune telling skills are conspicuously absent, there is a God who knows and sees my voyage.

God is sovereignly aware of every circumstance I will encounter, every need I will have and every stormy or calm sea that lies ahead. He has also made sure, as my supply officer, that I will have everything I need for the journey.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by

Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (KJV)

So how about you today? Where in your life are you struggling over the days that lie ahead? Trust can begin in a place where we acknowledge that God is sovereign. Know today that you have a supply officer who has seen the journey you must make and equipped you well for it.

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Seeking Understanding

Posted by Kim on Tuesday, August 9th, 2011 in Faith | Comments (2)

Recently there’s been some chatting in the military spouse community online about the idea that those outside the military don’t understand or appreciate the sacrifices that military families make on a day to day basis.

We in the military community aren’t the only ones who feel this. People struggling with infertility can feel as though those with children don’t understand their hurts and those who are struggling in grief can become isolated in fear that no one knows their pain. There are many communities online that reach out to groups like these to help people connect with others and know they are not alone in their experiences. They offer support, encouragement and a place to ‘belong’ for those who feel that no one ‘gets i.t’ Like Wives of Faith, they offer a healthy environment of people who share a common bond and who can pray and be there for each other.

But we have to be careful to avoid the risk of allowing our small communities to let anger take over and bond instead over a dislike for those on the outside. Then that happy and productive group changes from being supportive of one another to lashing out at ways we perceive others don’t understand us. Anger feeds on anger and bonds become over mutual hate instead of a mutual hurt.

Once that feeling starts, we can move even further down, when we start unnecessary comparisons of our experiences and begin to ‘one up’ each other. When fighting starts over each person’s individual experience and whether it was worse than the other, no one feels supported and everyone feels alone.

The truth is, no one can relate to exactly what someone else is going through. Here on earth, there is no one who understands another’s pain completely.

But the Bible tells us that Jesus does.

Hebrews 4:14-16 in the Message says “Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.”

We can learn from and support each other. That’s the reason Wives of Faith exists.

The Bible encourages us to lean on each other, to support and love those around us. Galatians 6:3 tells us to carry each other’s burdens, and 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says we are to encourage each other and build each other up.

There is incredible blessing to be found in sharing experiences and using our hardships to reach out to others going through similar struggles. But we take the role of Jesus and place it on others if we expect them to understand us completely. We can make our groups as big or as small as we like, but even if I joined a group called “Canadian Wives of x-type of Servicemen who have experienced x number of tours and have x number of children” I am not going to meet someone who knows what it’s been like to be me. Contrary to the saying, no one can walk a mile in another person’s shoes. (And no one would want to walk in my size 5 stilettos anyway).

We have a God who not only came to earth as a human to suffer and die for us (as if that wasn’t enough). We have a God who came to experience our pain, our hurt, our suffering first hand. There is nothing we can deal with that he has not felt.

Once we are willing to accept that He is the only one who is able to truly feel it all, I believe we will be more able to drop the anger, hurt and one-upmanship that we feel when we compare our experiences with others and instead allow ourselves to be a support and encouragement to those around us.

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Kim is a child of God who believes in Grace and is grateful that His mercies are new every morning. I am a 30 year old wife of a soldier in the Canadian Army. We’ve been married 10 years and have 3 amazing kids. We have survived 3 deployments to Afghanistan as well as numerous other training and domestic operations. While I went to school to be a Social Worker, right now attempting to mother my children is my full time job. www.kimberleymills.blogspot.com

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