Review: "Little Women" (2018)

Little Women has long been one of my favorite stories. I don't think I've ever actually read the whole book, but I've loved several movie adaptations. When I heard about this new modern adaptation, I was intrigued but nervous ... after all, the dreadful The March Sisters at Christmas was a modernization, and after I saw it, I called it "the worst movie I've seen this [Christmas] season."

I needn't have worried—this is how you adapt a classic for a modern audience!

"Champion" Movie Review

I recently had the opportunity to preview Champion, which arrives in theaters this weekend. It's definitely worth watching!

"To Joey, With Love" Movie Review + Giveaway

Just over a year ago, I somehow found Rory Feek's blog, This Life I Live. As someone who knows virtually nothing about country music (unless the artist is named Keith, Carrie, or Reba), I had no idea that Rory was part of the country duo Joey+Rory. But his storytelling grabbed me, and I began following his posts—which, at the time, largely centered on his wife Joey's battle with cancer. Joey passed away earlier this year, and To Joey, With Love tells the story of the last two years of her life.

"voiceless" movie review

When I was in junior high, our youth leaders took us to picket an abortion clinic. I've always had mixed feelings about that—as a non-confrontational person, I was very uncomfortable. Yet I also then believed (and still do) that every baby should have the chance to live. I just felt that surely there had to be a better way to stand up for life.

When I was invited to screen Voiceless, I felt some of that same conflict of emotions. What exactly would Voiceless be advocating? But I was curious enough to accept the invitation.

---

Battling his own inner-demons, Jesse (Rusty Joiner: Last Ounce Of Courage, Dodgeball, “Days of Our Lives”) encounters a young, pregnant teen overcome with grief that, after an impulsive abortion, has her family blaming Jesse for more than just her final decision. Jesse’s wife Julia (Jocelyn Cruz: Strike One, This Is Our Time) must come to terms with her own choices and decide if she can support her husband as opposition mounts against him. Comedian Paul Rodriguez also stars as Virgil with James Russo as Pastor Gil.

---

Voiceless really impressed me. First of all, the acting and production values are very good—something that doesn't always happen in faith-based films. Second, Voiceless isn't about picketing or radical activism (though there are demonstrations from those on both sides). It's about supporting and protecting life. It's about having the courage to stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves. And it's about the church doing more than just agreeing that abortion is wrong.

While I didn't understand everything that happened—like why Jesse was arrested after being threatened by a man who had a gun—Voiceless definitely left me with things to ponder. It's a thought-provoking movie that I believe will make a positive impact on those who watch it. 4 stars.

Voiceless releases in theaters October 7.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided with a free screener of this film through Icon Media Group. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.

"wildflower" dvd review + giveaway

I used to regularly watch suspense films, but it seems that anymore Hollywood's version of suspense is always coupled with excess violence, gore, and/or sexual situations. "Christian" suspense isn't much better—it's certainly cleaner, but it isn't very suspenseful, and it's usually predictable.

Fortunately, Wildflower doesn't suffer from either of those problems.

---

Creatively gifted, college student Chloe Moray (portrayed by Nathalia Ramos, known for BRATZ, Arrested Development, House of Anubis) finds solace from a difficult childhood in her extraordinary art. But when an alarming dream begins to recur nightly, Chloe starts to believe that it might be a suppressed memory and that she may have witnessed a terrible crime as a little girl. Her search for peace takes her on a journey that forces Chloe to confront her past traumas and leads her to cross paths with Josh (Cody Longo, known for NOT TODAY, Hollywood Heights, Nashville), a young man dealing with his own painful loss. Together they find in each other someone they can trust as they seek to unlock a cold-case mystery from years before. But with the authorities blocking the way, Chloe's new-found hope is challenged in this powerful story of faith, triumph and healing.

---

Wildflower is a fast-paced film that centers around Chloe and the terrifying nightmares/visions she begins having, which she believes may be linked to an old missing persons case. While many people—including the authorities—write her off as being delusional, her new friend Josh decides to help her uncover the truth. As the two get closer to discovering the trigger of Chloe's visions, they also get closer and closer to danger.

As far as suspense films go, Wildflower is very good. The suspense builds throughout the movie, and Nathalia Ramos and Cody Longo are very believable in their roles as Chloe and Josh. Overall, the acting is good (though there are a few supporting actors who don't quite seem comfortable). The film is quite enjoyable to watch, and the ending isn't apparent from the beginning.

Without at all seeming preachy or didactic, Wildflower addresses the importance of finding Christian community, providing help for those who have gone through physical and/or mental trauma, and staying connected to your children. This is a film that is suitable for teens and older, and it would be perfect for a family or small group movie night. 4 stars.

Watch the trailer.

Visit the film's website.

Buy the film.

Icon Media Group was kind enough to give me a copy of Wildflower to give away to one of my readers! Enter below!

Giveaway rules: Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. Contest is open in the US only. Winner will be selected at random using Rafflecopter.com and will have 48 hours to respond to email notification, or another winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review through Icon Media Group. 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."

"dancing through life" by candace cameron bure

Growing up in the 90's, I, like many of my peers, absolutely loved Full House. Though I was closer in age to Stephanie, I identified with D.J., and I really admired her portrayer, Candace Cameron. After the show ended (which crushed me, by the way), Candace married and stepped out of the spotlight. I sort of loosely kept up with her throughout the years, and then she began appearing more regularly on Hallmark films (which I'm a sucker for!), so I started paying more attention to her and her faith. Then she signed onto Dancing with the Stars, and I faithfully watched. Dancing Through Life details her time on the show.

---

Candace Cameron Bure has grown up before our eyes, and we've watched as she's balanced life in Hollywood with her faith for many years. But that all reached new heights when she was given the opportunity to join the cast of Dancing With the Stars. Being on the show was one of her dreams come true; and with that dream came the opportunity to display her Christian faith in front of millions of people, through an intense season of stretching beyond her limits, and to run the race God gave her with joy and perseverance.

Join Candace as she reflects on the self-discovery that came through leaping out of her comfort zone. Go behind the scenes and experience the highs and lows, the roadblocks, and the personal victories. Hear straight from her heart on tough lessons learned about grace, rejection, perfectionism, disappointment, accountability, dealing with criticism, and more. Through God’s strength, and with the help of endless support from her family and friends, see how Candace stayed true to herself and publicly lived out her faith in Christ all the way to the finale.

How do you stand with conviction in your world? Where does your courage come from when faced with challenges? How do you live out your faith on a daily basis despite opposition? Your stage probably isn't in Hollywood and the challenges you are facing may not be on live television, but they are no less real. Come along with Candace as she shares how she found the courage to stand with conviction on one of the largest platforms of her life.

---

I really enjoyed Dancing through Life. While a portion of each chapter traces Candace's Dancing with the Stars journey, the rest of each chapter is dedicated to the lessons Candace learned each week, and she shows how those lessons applied to her own life and can apply to other Christians.

I thought Candace came across as very relatable. Yes, her life is far different from mine, but the way she opened up about her struggles made her feel like any other Christian woman who is trying to do the right thing. I also found myself challenged by her; if she can share her faith and stand by her convictions in Hollywood, surely I can do the same in small town Nebraska!

Of course, I very much enjoyed the behind the scenes look at Dancing with the Stars—I've been watching off and on since the first season, so it was fun to see some of the inner workings of the show. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read Dancing Through Life, and I highly recommend it, especially for Christian women who love Full House or DWTS! 4-1/2 stars.

Buy the book.

---

Candace Cameron Bure, actress, producer, New York Times’ bestselling author and inspirational speaker, is both outspoken and passionate about her family and faith. Known to millions worldwide from her role as “D.J. Tanner” on the iconic family sitcom “Full House,” Candace continues to flourish in the entertainment industry as role model to women of all ages. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and three children.

Follow Candace on her website and Twitter.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review through Icon Media Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."

"whispers of hope" by beth moore

About the book (from the back cover): Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing, but how in the world do we do that? In fact, how should we effectively pray to begin with?

Best-selling author Beth Moore addresses these practical and pervasive matters in Whispers of Hope by walking readers through an easy to remember and apply method of prayer, coupled with seventy daily devotionals and followed by prompts to put this prayer method into practice.

Indeed, Whispers of Hope teaches the manifestation process of powerful Word-saturated prayer in response to a daily Bible reading. In turn, you will better understand how devotional reading and prayer are central to a stronger relationship with God.

My take: Whispers of Hope is a 10-week devotional that helps the reader to focus her prayers and encourages her to spend more time with God. The focus is on prayer, so each scripture reading and devotional is short, and it's followed by two pages to record prayers. Beth encourages the reader to follow the P.R.A.I.S.E. format—Praise, Repentance, Acknowledgement, Intercession, Supplication for Self, and Equipping. In the introduction, she explains what each of those categories means and why she chose them. There's also a section at the back for recording answered prayers. This is basically a prayer journal with focused teaching along the way.

I've only been doing this devotional for a short time, but I can already see its benefits. If you're looking for a deeper prayer life, then I highly recommend this book.

My rating: 5 stars

Buy the book.

About the author: Beth Moore is a writer and teacher of best-selling books and Bible studies whose public speaking engagements carry her all over the United States. A dedicated wife and mother of two adult daughters, Moore lives in Houston, Texas, where she is president and founder of Living Proof Ministries.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review through Icon Media Group.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."

"god is able" by priscilla shirer

About the book (from the publisher): Got an IMPOSSIBLE situation? The anxiety it brings can wake you in the middle of a needed night’s sleep and then stalk you in the middle of broad daylight. It can sneak up on you and cast a cloak of fear and concern over your shoulders that you can’t seem to shake no matter how hard you try. It can take you down. Squash all hope. Stop you in your tracks.

IMPOSSIBLE. IMPENETRABLE. UNCHANGEABLE. Maybe so . . . until God gets involved. No matter the details of your circumstance, His raw power potential and immeasurable ability refuse to cower in the face of any challenge. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing. Not even that thing. This is the uplifting, well-reasoned answer from New York Times best-selling author Priscilla Shirer—not a denial of life’s adversities and troubles, but a biblical reminder that God is always up to great things, even when His great things are greater then instant remedies and visible change. He is a God who cares . . . and a God who CAN. Believe it. Experience it. God Is Able.

My take: I don't often read non-fiction, and when I do, I want it to be something that will keep my attention and provide me with information that I can apply to my life. God Is Able is one such book. Focusing on Ephesians 3:20-21, author Priscilla Shirer takes apart the verses phrase by phrase to show the power of God to do anything.

As I started reading the book, I doubted how much I'd get out of it. After all, I have complete confidence in God's ability to do anything. What I tend to doubt is that He will choose to do what He what He is able to do—that He won't answer prayers in the way I want Him to. Just typing those words makes me feel horribly self-centered and arrogant—like I know better than God. But I'm being honest here ...

In the book, Shirer addresses my doubts head-on. Seriously, it was like she was in my head and knew exactly what I was thinking. On page 62, she says, "You believe in His ability—His power—yet you question His willingness." She goes on to explain what I know in my head but often don't realize in my heart: that I, in my self-centered bubble, have absolutely no idea the ways God has, is, and will continue to orchestrate circumstances in my life. And when He does not do something I long for Him to do, I should continue to trust Him and thank Him for what He will do. He is working everything together for good (Romans 8:28), whether or not I understand it on this side of Heaven.

And that's really just the tip of the iceberg. God Is Able is packed with biblical truth, and its written in such a way that you feel like you're right there with Shirer, having a discussion over a cup of coffee. This book reminded me of truth about God that I needed to hear right now ... and I suspect it's a message that you need to hear, too.

My rating: 5 stars

Buy the book.
Watch the book trailer.

About the author: Priscilla Shirer is a Bible teacher and conference speaker with a Master’s degree in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. Also a popular author, her books include the New York Times best seller The Resolution for Women, One in a Million, and Life Interrupted. Priscilla is married to Jerry with whom she founded Going Beyond Ministries. They have three sons and live in Dallas, Texas.

Learn more about Priscilla at her website.

About the giveaway: The publisher sent me an extra copy of God Is Able to give away to one of my readers. Enter through the Rafflecopter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review through Icon Media Group.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. 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."