Review: Route 60 - The Biblical Highway #Route60MIN

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I had the privilege of seeing the advance release of this fascinating documentary and want to encourage you to see it in theaters if you can. It will be in theaters September 18th and 19th only, so grab your tickets today! If you're interested in Biblical or ancient history, I think you'll really enjoy it. It would be a great addition to history, geography, world religions, or Bible studies for homeschooling families; and for anyone looking for background to understanding the geography where the Bible stories took place and the foundations of the nation of Israel, and how it's all intertwined.

Route 60 is a documentary about Israel's famous highway, one that passes through sites of great historical significance, places where the patriarchs, kings and prophets, disciples, and Jesus himself walked.

Synopsis: 

Carving through the heart of the Promised Land is the biblical spine of Israel, sometimes referred to as the Path of the Patriarchs and officially designated as Route 60. A highway of deep historical significance while often the scene of unrest and violence, this 146-mile road of asphalt and concrete begins in Nazareth, Israel's largest Arab city, and ends in Beersheba, one of Israel's high-tech centers. Running north to south, Route 60 connects ancient Israel with modern Israel, Jews and Christians with Muslims, and Israelis with Palestinians.

This trek is far more than a two-lane highway; it is a historic, sacred link to the roots of Judaism and Christianity and the stories of the Old and New Testaments. Follow world-changing diplomats David Friedman and Mike Pompeo as they venture down this sacred road, treading the very ground Abraham, Jacob, King David, and Jesus once walked. Discover the history, witness the healing, and realize the hope along Route 60, the Biblical Highway.

What others are saying:

"Visually stunning and compelling storytelling." ~Mike Huckabee

"ROUTE 60 combines the truth of the Bible with undeniable archaeological proof, and like our tour guides, Pompeo and Friedman, that's a powerful combination!" ~Erick Stakelbeck

My thoughts: The scenery and the views of historical sites was enough to draw me immediately, and the added graphics to help visualize the passages of Scripture referenced and the historical Biblical events were so appealing as well. But what I most enjoyed was the simple but compelling way Friedman and Pompeo related how the sites they visited were significant throughout the story of the Bible. Some of these sites, like Shechem and Bethel, are places where more than one greatly important event took place. I've watched many documentaries and video studies of sites in the Holy Land, yet some of the sites in ROUTE 60 were new to me, or I learned new context and significance to these places. Friedman is an Orthodox Jew and Pompeo is a Christian, and both have long and significant experience as American diplomats, so it was also fascinating to hear them talk about more recent history involving the nation of Israel such as the Abraham Accords and the relocation of the American Embassy to Jerusalem in light of Biblical history. Both men also told stories of the impact the truth of the Bible has had on how they view the world and the roles they've played, and about their personal faith as well.

Visit the movie's website Route 60 Movie to find out more.

Buy tickets at: Route 60 Movie

Hashtags: #Route60MIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Disclosure: Many thanks to TBN for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

 ©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Route 60 - The Biblical Highway #Route60MIN

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

I'm always interested in movies and documentaries like this! Seeing the real sites where historical events took place, and where historical figures walked is fascinating to me. Even more so when it's Biblical history! I recently got the news about this movie and have been asked to pass along the news, and since I really want to see it, I'm happy to share it here too.

Route 60 is a documentary about Israel's famous highway, one that passes through sites of great historical significance, places where the patriarchs, kings and prophets, disciples, and Jesus himself walked.

Synopsis: 

Carving through the heart of the Promised Land is the biblical spine of Israel, sometimes referred to as the Path of the Patriarchs and officially designated as Route 60. A highway of deep historical significance while often the scene of unrest and violence, this 146-mile road of asphalt and concrete begins in Nazareth, Israel's largest Arab city, and ends in Beersheba, one of Israel's high-tech centers. Running north to south, Route 60 connects ancient Israel with modern Israel, Jews and Christians with Muslims, and Israelis with Palestinians.

This trek is far more than a two-lane highway; it is a historic, sacred link to the roots of Judaism and Christianity and the stories of the Old and New Testaments. Follow world-changing diplomats David Friedman and Mike Pompeo as they venture down this sacred road, treading the very ground Abraham, Jacob, King David, and Jesus once walked. Discover the history, witness the healing, and realize the hope along Route 60, the Biblical Highway.

Visit the movie's website Route 60 Movie to find out more.

Hashtags: #Route60MIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Women Talking

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Women Talking by Miriam Toews - The character August Epp is the narrator of this unique story. He is one of the few men at home in an isolated Mennonite colony at the time, as the others have all gone into town to post bail for the group of eight men that have been accused of raping and molesting women and girls in the colony. August has returned to the colony recently, and is the schoolteacher. The other men treat him with disdain, but he is recruited by one of the women, Ona, to keep minutes of the women's meetings, as none of the women can read or write. August keeps meticulous notes about what the women discuss and do during these meetings, and adds his own interpretations and thoughts from time to time.

Eight women from two of the families have decided to hold meetings while the men are out of town to decide what they will do. They have all been violated repeatedly, but only recently has it been acknowledged in any way that it was men from their own colony that had abused them in this way. The women know that they will be expected to say they forgive the men when they return from the city, and if they do not, they forfeit their place in heaven. This does not sit well with the women, who understand that it's more than likely they will be abused again without recourse, and that their children will be victims as well. So over the course of two days, they meet in a hayloft, with August writing notes, to discuss what options they have and the pros and cons of each.

Should the women stay and fight? Or should they leave the colony? Both options are full of uncertainty and danger. They know nothing of the world outside their little community, and they cannot read or write. They cannot even speak the language of the country.

As the discussions continue, the women comfort and confront each other by turns, and their personalities both clash and harmonize. They decide on what is most important to them - they want their children to be safe; they want to be steadfast in their faith; and they want to think. How will they do this? 

August's pensive and gentle document outlining the discussions and some details of what happens in between meeting times is sympathetic. The story winds up being as much about August's journey as the women's journey towards self-determination. 

It was surprising to find the story was tempered with gentle humor and lightheartedness, and that it never seemed out of place with the darkness of the reason the women are meeting. To be sure, there are a few places that are harder to read because of the horrible indignities the women and girls have suffered, and the knowledge that this novel is based in part on a real and very similar situation is sobering indeed. But as much as I felt angry and indignant that women should be treated so horribly, overall I felt more admiration for the courage and strength of the women to face such an uncertain future with resolve and unity and purpose. 

The basis of the Oscar-winning film from writer/director Sarah Polley, starring Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, with Ben Whishaw and Frances McDormand.

One evening, eight Mennonite women climb into a hay loft to conduct a secret meeting. For the past two years, each of these women, and more than a hundred other girls in their colony, has been repeatedly violated in the night by demons coming to punish them for their sins. Now that the women have learned they were in fact drugged and attacked by a group of men from their own community, they are determined to protect themselves and their daughters from future harm.

While the men of the colony are off in the city, attempting to raise enough money to bail out the rapists and bring them home, these women―all illiterate, without any knowledge of the world outside their community and unable even to speak the language of the country they live in―have very little time to make a choice: Should they stay in the only world they've ever known or should they dare to escape?

Based on real events and told through the "minutes" of the women's all-female symposium, Toews's masterful novel uses wry, politically engaged humor to relate this tale of women claiming their own power to decide.

This is a survival story (#14) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2023

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The Journey: A Music Special From Andrea Bocelli (Review and Giveaway) #TheJourneyTBNMIN

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The Journey: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli - Coming to theaters April 2-9, 2023 (Dates extended!)

See THE JOURNEY in theaters starting April 2nd! Buy tickets at: TheJourney.movie

"We journeyed by horse for over 300 kilometers along a path that was not always easy to travel, but absolutely beautiful, made of meadows and forests; sacred places filled with lasting testimonies of faith, full of art of incredible beauty, and views in front of which one can't but ponder about creation and the miraculous work of our Heavenly Father." ~Andrea Bocelli, talking about his movie, THE JOURNEY, in theaters beginning Palm Sunday, April 2.

What is Andrea Bocelli's hope for you when you see THE JOURNEY? "My wish is that the movie can offer an invitation to fully live and recognize our daily miracles."

Synopsis: Combining world-class musical performances with intimate conversations across the awe-inspiring Italian countryside, THE JOURNEY: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli is an exploration of moments that define us, songs that inspire us, and relationships that connect us to what matters most in life.

From TBN comes THE JOURNEY, a sacred pilgrimage of hope, beauty, and song featuring Andrea Bocelli and other great artists. In addition to Bocelli, THE JOURNEY features Michael W. Smith, Tori Kelly, Tauren Wells, TAYA, and many others in amazing musical performances across majestic locations. You'll be swept away by the beauty of THE JOURNEY. Experience the awe of the music, the Italian landscape, meaningful conversations, and the reality of hope, faith, and love. Get your tickets at TheJourney.movie.  

This special theatrical event opens on Palm Sunday and continues through Holy Week: April 2nd through April 9th.

My thoughts:  I love Andrea Bocelli's voice and couldn't pass up the opportunity to hear him along with other wonderful musicians like Tori Kelly and Michael W. Smith. To also get a glimpse of some of the beautiful buildings and landscapes along Italy's Via Francigena and be introduced to musical artists I wasn't familiar with made it even more special. 

Andrea and his wife Veronica begin their journey along this ancient road of pilgrimage in Rome, and as they travel, they talk with each other and with some of the guest artists about their own personal journeys of faith. Childhood memories and experiences that shaped them, and how God worked to give them hope and purpose, and what they want to share with the world through their music. Bocelli's children, Matteo and Virginia, make appearances as well, and both of those segments are very moving. Bocelli singing his own "Ave Maria" while joined by his daughter is breathtaking.

There are mini-concerts throughout the movie's journey, with Tori Kelly, Tauren Wells, TAYA, Michael W. Smith, and Clara Barbier Serrano performing on their own and with Bocelli. Two instrumental groups that I hadn't heard before joined in as accompanists and performers. 2CELLOS is a Croatian cello duo, and 40 Fingers is an Italian guitar quartet. It was intriguing to see a young lady conducting the orchestra. Her name is Beatrice Venezi, and she is one of the few female conductors on the international stage. British soloist Katherine Jenkins joined Bocelli at the end of the journey performing a couple of beautiful songs. 

The music ranges from Schubert's "Ave Maria" to a version of Bernstein's "Hallelujah", and each artist brings their own style and composition to share as well. I especially loved the set with Katherine Jenkins near the end, and the very moving closing song that featured all of the artists singing "Amazing Grace".

See The Journey in theaters April 2nd through April 9th!

Purchase tickets at: TheJourney.movie

As part of this promotion, Momentum is generously allowing me to host this giveaway of a $10 Amazon gift card. Please note: This giveaway is open to US only, opens on April 2nd and closes on April 9th. The same giveaway form appears here and on A Fresh Cup of Coffee and Homeschool Coffee Break.

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Hashtags: #TheJourneyTBNMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Disclosure: Many thanks to TBN for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

His Only Son - Movie Review and Giveaway #HisOnlySonMIN

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His Only Son, a new movie from  Angel Studios (makers of The Chosen) is coming to theaters starting March 31, 2023. This powerful movie explores the Biblical story of Abraham and his son Isaac. The story in Genesis tells about God speaking to Abraham and promising to make him the father of nations and bless him, and after many years of waiting, Abraham and his wife Sarah finally have a son of their own. But God then calls on Abraham to sacrifice this promised and beloved son. 

Make plans today to see HIS ONLY SON in theaters March 31st! Buy tickets at: HisOnlySonMovie.com.

"After being called on by the Lord, Abraham's faith is tested on his three day journey to sacrifice his son."

Synopsis:  His Only Son recounts one of the most controversial moments in the Old Testament―when Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac on the mountain of Moriah. While traveling to the place of the sacrifice, alongside Isaac and two servants, Abraham is flooded with vivid memories from the years he and Sarah spent longing for the son they were promised―the son he must now lay upon the altar.

My thoughts:  Although the movie essentially begins at the point where God calls Abraham and tells him to give Isaac as a sacrifice, it also lays all the background in a series of memories and flashbacks, so viewers are introduced to Abraham and Sarah in their younger years when God first spoke to Abraham about moving to a new land that God would show him. More memories add to the story of their years of longing for a child and Sarah wondering how God would keep his promises to her husband when she still couldn't get pregnant. Sarah's struggle to understand Abraham's faith in a God that she didn't know and her growing bitterness when she is well past her childbearing years and the promised child still hasn't come is portrayed poignantly.

Isaac's birth to a couple so old brings new life to Sarah and Abraham, and Sarah finds great joy in her son. So how do you think she reacted when Abraham insisted that Isaac was to go along on this journey through the wilderness to sacrifice to God? Don't you think she'd be worried about her elderly husband on this trip as well? What did the servants who accompanied Abraham and Isaac think about the whole situation? What about Isaac himself? I thought the movie did an excellent job of portraying some of the likely actions and reactions, and invited viewers along on the emotional journey as well.

I loved how Isaac's personality was shown, as a kind and generous young man, willing to go out of his way to rescue lost sheep and ready to give up his freedom to save a captive. But what would he do when told that he was to be the sacrifice?

The imagery and language also drew all the appropriate parallels between Abraham's call to give up his only son, and God's plan to sacrifice his only son two thousand years later. The connection to the death and resurrection of Jesus is clear and compelling, so it's just perfect that this movie will be in theaters just before the Easter season. 

After my husband and I watched the movie, he remarked that he had expected it to be an Easter movie, a movie about Jesus Christ dying in our place. And in a sense, it is. It points the way to Jesus the Messiah, to his death and resurrection, and helps us understand the greatness of that sacrifice and that gift to us. I hope you'll go see the movie, and I pray you'll be blessed by it.

Find out more at the previously livestreamed announcement video on YouTube.

Follow His Only Son on Instagram and on Facebook.

See His Only Son in theaters starting March 31st!

Purchase tickets at: HisOnlySonMovie.com.  

As part of this promotion, Momentum is generously allowing me to host this giveaway of a $10 Amazon gift card. Please note: This giveaway is open to US only, opens on March 24th and closes on March 31st. The same giveaway form appears here and on A Fresh Cup of Coffee.

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Hashtags: #HisOnlySonMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Disclosure: Many thanks to Angel Studios for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Coming Soon - His Only Son #HisOnlySonMIN

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

Have you been following the series The Chosen? I haven't seen all of it, but I've so enjoyed the episodes I have seen. It's done so well, and is so thought provoking! Well, the same studio that brought us The Chosen will soon have a new movie about a Bible character in theaters. The newest from Angel Studios, His Only Son, is coming to theaters starting March 31, 2023.

"After being called on by the Lord, Abraham's faith is tested on his three day journey to sacrifice his son."

Synopsis:  His Only Son recounts one of the most controversial moments in the Old Testament―when Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac on the mountain of Moriah. While traveling to the place of the sacrifice, alongside Isaac and two servants, Abraham is flooded with vivid memories from the years he and Sarah spent longing for the son they were promised―the son he must now lay upon the altar. Get your tickets at HisOnlySonMovie.com.  

Purchase tickets at: HisOnlySonMovie.com.  

Hashtags: #HisOnlySonMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Coming Soon - The Journey: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli #TheJourneyTBNMIN

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

The Journey: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli - Coming to theaters April 2-6, 2023

It's been awhile since I saw a movie in the theater, but here's one that I am really hoping to see! The music and scenery and the promise of interesting conversations is capturing my attention already. I love Andrea Bocelli's voice, and with artists like Tori Kelly, Michael W. Smith, and Tauren Wells among the musical guests that I'm already familiar with, I'm expecting a variety of styles. Other guests include instrumental groups 2CELLOS and 40 Fingers. And I'm especially interested to see Beatrice Venezi after seeing that she is one of the few women to conduct orchestras of international standing. 

"Bocelli and his wife Veronica travel on horseback along Italy's Via Francigena, an ancient road traveled by pilgrims for centuries . . . joined by friends Michael W. Smith, Tori Kelly, Tauren Wells, and TAYA for world-class musical performances in some of Italy's most magnificent venues and majestic locations."

Synopsis: Combining world-class musical performances with intimate conversations across the awe-inspiring Italian countryside, THE JOURNEY: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli is an exploration of moments that define us, songs that inspire us, and relationships that connect us to what matters most in life.

Join in a sacred pilgrimage of hope, beauty, and song with this special theatrical event opening on Palm Sunday and continuing through Holy Week: April 2, 3, 4 & 6. In addition to Bocelli, you'll hear Michael W. Smith, Tori Kelly, Tauren Wells, TAYA, and many others in amazing musical performances across majestic locations. Get your tickets at TheJourney.movie.  

Purchase tickets at: TheJourney.movie

Hashtags: #TheJourneyTBNMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Redeeming Love - Movie Review

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

Redeeming Love: The Movie - One of the most moving novels I've ever read is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It is based on the story of the Old Testament prophet Hosea, but Rivers set her story during the Gold Rush. I remember wondering how the story of Hosea's unfaithful wife could possibly be told in any setting other than the paganism of the nations surrounding Israel in ancient times, but Redeeming Love did it so well that the story stayed with me for years.

Redeeming Love is a life-changing story of the power of unconditional love, the kind only God can inspire. The movie is coming to theaters January 21, 2022, and you will want to see it!

Synopsis: 

Based on the bestselling novel by Francine Rivers, REDEEMING LOVE is a powerful story of relentless love and perseverance as a young couple's relationship clashes with the harsh realities of the California Gold Rush of 1850.

Angel expects only pain from those around her. Sold into prostitution as a child, Angel survives with hatred towards herself and the men that use her. She meets Michael Hosea, a farmer who believes God wants Angel to be his wife. Dire circumstances force Angel to accept his proposal, but when Michael defies her bitter expectations, her wounded heart begins to mend.

As Angel encounters a love unlike anything she ever experienced, feelings of unworthiness and shame cause her to run from a life she doesn't think she deserves. As Michael sets out to find her, Angel discovers there is no brokenness that love can't heal.

My thoughts: Faithful to the story (as I expected, since author Francine Rivers collaborated on the screenplay), and with beautiful cinematography, the movie brought the characters and their struggles to life. Scenes of Angel's childhood and the suffering she endured that led to the brothel in Paradise are woven into the opening of the movie, and the portrayal of her broken and hardened character is heart-wrenching. Michael's goodness and perseverance in doing what he believes God has told him to is likewise endearing.

The shreds of humanity and goodness that are left in the evil of the world Angel lives in are few but sweet, and her situation seems hopeless. I loved the patience and gentleness of Michael's offers in contrast to the harsh greed and violence of Angel's masters and tormentors. 

One thing I was concerned about was how the brothel scenes and intimate scenes would be handled. After all, the novel could indicate what was happening without being graphic, but how would the movie version handle those scenes honestly but not gratuitously? I felt that it was done well, but with more realism than some viewers might expect from a "Christian film". Nudity is implied rather than shown, but the scenes of intimacy do not shy away from portraying the passion quite clearly. While in most love stories, I would consider these scenes gratuitous, I think that because of the way Angel has been used and exploited before meeting Michael, their interactions and the purity of his love for her are necessary to the story of her redemption. 

Although set during the Gold Rush, the plight of these fictional characters reminds us that sex trafficking still claims victims today. Redeeming Love: The Movie partners with Redeeming Love Sanctuary Foundation and Where Hope Lives, two organizations that work to support and help survivors and to stop sex trafficking. I'm glad that while this movie is heartwarming and truly entertaining, it also provides beautiful examples of faithful and sacrificial love and forgiveness, and draws attention to those who still need to be rescued and redeemed.

See Redeeming Love in theaters starting January 21st!

Purchase tickets at: RedeemingLoveMovie.com

Hashtags: #RedeemingLoveMovieMIN #RedeemingLoveMovie #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Disclosure: Many thanks to Universal for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Walking the Bible (DVD)

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Walking the Bible: A Journey By Land Through the Five Books of Moses (DVD) - A couple of months ago, I read a review of the book by the same name, and thought it sounded interesting. I was able to find the DVD through my library and decided to watch instead of read about the author's journey.

Bruce Feiler, a best-selling New York Times author, set out on a quest to see the places where the first five books of the Bible took place. The trip is both a journalistic search for information and insight, and a personal faith journey for him. The journey is in three episodes spanning many locations in the Middle East and Egypt, and includes interactions with the local people and with various experts.

He begins in Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilization, and traces the creation story, the early accounts of humans in Genesis including the flood of Noah's day, up to the time of Abraham. His guide takes him to Turkey to climb Mount Ararat, traditionally viewed as the site where the ark came to rest. The scenery is varied and breathtaking, whether desert, lakes, or mountains.

In the second episode, Feiler focuses more on the Biblical accounts of Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph. He explores locations in Egypt and how the culture of ancient Egypt intersected with the stories of these Biblical patriarchs. And in the third episode, Feiler traces a route out of Egypt and to the land of Canaan, or present-day Israel. He speculates on the possible locations of the Red Sea crossing and the forty years of wilderness wanderings. The highlight in this episode, in my opinion, was his stay at Saint Catherine's Monastery at the traditional site of Mount Sinai. The beautiful monastery and church have been here for about seventeen centuries. 

Throughout the series, Feiler provides commentary of his own personal reflections and questions, and his emotional and faith connections to the places and experiences are significant and often thought-provoking. The insights of the local people he encounters are interesting as well, as they reveal the historical and cultural connections and traditions of these people to the land and to the stories of Abraham and Moses. 

Personally, I didn't care for Feiler's narration, finding his commentary repetitive and his voice rather uninteresting to listen to. The landmark places he visited - Mount Ararat and Mount Sinai - were the traditional sites, for which there is little evidence other than tradition, so if you're hoping for new archaeological discoveries or tangible evidence, you'll be disappointed. That isn't to say that visiting these locations isn't valuable or insightful, of course, but it's the context of seeing the land and the connections of the local people to the land and history that is striking. At least to me.

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Colors of Character - Documentary Movie

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Colors of Character - This recently released documentary movie, about artist Steve Skipper, is now available on DVD or On Demand, and let me tell you - it is good! It is the inspiring, true story of a prolific sports artist who spent his teen years in a violent gang before returning to the Lord and to his natural talent for art. He was able to walk away from crime and addiction, and use his talent to become a successful and respected artist, giving glory to God.

Synopsis: 

Steve Skipper is one of the most prolific artists in the realms of sports, civil-rights, equestrian, portraiture, and Christian artwork. Skipper has shattered barriers of race and education in the art world. His works are on permanent display in some of the most hallowed halls in America, including: the Pro Football Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, International Sports Halls of Fame, the Lyndon B Johnson Presidential Library and Museum, and has been honored with unveilings at Chelsea Piers in NYC, the MGM Grand and Monte Carlo in Las Vegas, and Millennium Gate Museum in Atlanta.

With no formal training, Skipper openly gives credit to Jesus Christ for his gifts and for every opportunity that he has been given. An ex-gang member and drug addict, Skipper was transformed into an internationally respected artist.

Reviewers say:

• "Colors of Character is a remarkable, quality documentary." - Dove.org review
• "Skipper's story is nothing short of extraordinary." - CCM Magazine review
• "Artist Steve Skipper defied all the odds in his life to grow up to create paintings that have broken barriers between whites and blacks in America." - Christian Post review
• Dove.org approved for ages 12 and up

My thoughts: This was such an interesting story to watch, much of it told and narrated by Skipper himself, but with plenty of commentary from others. The background of Skipper's childhood includes his early interest in drawing and how it was encouraged by a brave schoolteacher, but not seen as a possible career by his family. As a very young teen, Skipper was a member of the Crips, involved in violence, crime, and dealing and using drugs. In his later teens, thanks to the very bold witness of a schoolmate, Skipper attended a revival service and accepted Christ as his Saviour. He was able to leave behind his gang associations and overcome his addictions. Although he was offered a football scholarship, he turned it down because God prompted him to pursue art instead. He was unable to attend college to study art, but had the assurance that God had promised to teach him everything he needed to know, so that God would receive all the glory. His testimony is a powerful story of redemption!

Skipper found success in creating portraits and artwork for Crimson Tide football players, but not without facing opposition because of his lack of formal training and his skin color. And his successes continued in other areas of sports art as well, with many prestigious commissions. Later on he was inspired to create a series of artworks commemorating the historic Civil Rights movement in America, specifically the work of Dr Martin Luther King Jr and the events in Selma. 

How to watch: Rent of buy Colors of Character on DVD or On Demand wherever you watch movies to watch from the comfort of your own home. Go to: https://colorsofcharactermovie.com/ for more info.

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Disclosure: Many thanks to Collide Distribution for providing this product/product information for review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

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