She Who Dwells: Overcoming Fear and Finding Peace ~ a book review

Psalm 91:1-2

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.

Reading through this calming thought is where we begin She Who Dwells: Overcoming Fear and Finding Peace by Jessica Landmon. Ms. Landmon begins She Who Dwells with a short introduction and then straight into Psalm 91. And we spend the rest of the book in Psalm 91. Because it is peace. Because it is hope. Because it is instruction. Because it is what we need.

Ms. Landmon has a sense of hope in her writing that is not found very often. It is because she has struggled with fear and finding peace in her life. She shares openly about that and we are taken along with her study of Psalm 91 – She dwells, she rests, she trusts, she is safe, she is shielded, she is fearless, she watches from afar, she declares, she is surrounded, she loves me, she has learned the secret.

The opening lines draw you in and you have to continue on, finding hope and peace while letting go of fear and what if.

She Who Dwells is a woman who is steadfastly sure of God’s undeniable love, unfailing promises, and divine plans for her life. There is no place for doubt or fear as she is cohabitating with the Lord Most High. The enemy knocks at her door, trying to entice her to fear and worry, but she doesn’t answer. She has another appointment and has no time for unexpected drop-in guests. (p 13)

I do not consider myself one who holds onto fear or who sees it around every corner. I don’t feel like I struggle with peace. Yet, I found so much that I could relate to in this study of Psalm 91. I found myself wrapping up with this passage and her writings about it and considering all Ms. Landmon had written. It helps me see other’s struggles and it helps remind me how to approach my own.

While the official summary of the books says that it includes learning practical techniques in how to get into the presence of God (and it does), this is not what I would consider a self-help book. It is Bible study. A deep dive in Psalm 91 and all the promises God has for us. A look at how God will always keep us close when we desire to know more about Him.

I would suggest approaching this study as a look at a passage of scripture that teaches us about the nature and being of God, about His heart, and about His promises. It shows us that when we trust in the true being of God, we are held tightly and nothing of the world can get us. That is not a promise of physical safety and mental or emotional stability. It is the promise that God is great than all else and we see that come through beautifully strong and resounding in She Who Dwells.

This could easily be a group study but it is also perfectly suited to a personal study. There are questions to help you dig deeper into each verse of Psalm 91, found at the end of each chapter. If you are one who writes in the study book, there is space just for that. I do feel that there is a bit of a miss with what she teaches of how salvation becomes ours. That is easy to move past if you already are a student of the scripture and know that salvation comes not from a prayer but from belief in Christ and baptism for the remission of sins, as Christ taught and as his apostles taught.

There is so much good in this book. I am glad I had the opportunity to review it. I was sent a copy of the book so that I could write this review. All opinions are my own.

BOOK DETAILS

Pub Date: April 16, 2024
Genre: Christian
Publisher: Women Get Real Ministries
Page Count: 164
Format: Paperback, Hardcover, Ebook
ISBN: Paperback, 979-8-9901750-0-6; Hardcover, 979-8-9901750-1-3; Ebook, 979-89901750-2-0 
Price: Paperback, $14.99; Hardcover, $21.99; Ebook, $7.99

ABOUT THE BOOK

CAN I REALLY LIVE A LIFE OF PEACE RATHER THAN ONE CONSUMED BY FEAR?

Fear and anxiety are issues that women continually struggle with. This is not God’s intention for His daughters. He wants them to be set free from the lies of the enemy so that they can become all they are destined to be. She Who Dwells is a verse-by-verse study of Psalm 91, digging deep into the promises of God. This book will equip women to live lives of faith and trust in their Creator.

This 11-chapter book is designed for group or personal study and is appropriate for women of all ages. Women will:

• Learn practical techniques in how to get into the presence of God
• Discover what dwelling with their Heavenly Father actually looks like
• Understand how to trust the Lord at His Word
• Dive deeper into a study of the character, nature, and the very heart of our loving Creator

Instead of being consumed by the “what-ifs” of this world, a woman will learn to dwell in the arms of her Heavenly Father when the storms of life come rolling in.

Thank you for reading.
Blessings,
Lori, At Home.

Encountering God Study Bible ~ a book review

Study Bibles have become something that is quite common. I got my first study Bible when I graduated high school and it was an uncommon item. Now, everywhere you turn there is a different style or purpose-driven study Bible.

Encountering God Study Bible is a NKJV text with study notes created by Henry Blackaby and sons. In the foreword, Henry Blackaby notes that “every major turning point in my life was predicated by an encounter with God through His Word.” This was the inspiration for this particular study Bible – to help others encounter God.

The text is a standard New King James Version. The added parts are created by the Blackaby men. These include

• notes and references for the NKJV text
• Book Introductions
• Explanatory Notes
• Encounter Notes
• Historical Encounters
• Character Studies
• Word Studies
• Encountering a Creative God
• Explaining The Faith
• How to Study the Bible
• In-text Bible Maps Plus Full-Color Maps in the Back
• Timeline
• Harmony of the Gospels
• Read Through the Bible in a Year Plan
• Prophecies of the Messiah Fulfilled
• Index to Special Features
• Concordance

Now, I have not heard of the Blackaby family prior to opening this Bible. Maybe others have. Based on the notes, they are quite knowledgeable and some of the additions are quite interesting and helpful. There were, in my opinion, too many notes. It broke the text up so much that it became difficult to read the Word of God in a cohesive manner. Every single chapter of the Bible has at least one note placed in the middle of the text, interrupting the flow of the read. Some chapters have five or six, back to back. While these notes can be helpful, it felt disruptive to how God speaks through His Word.

I did not see any specific theological problems with the notes. Do remember that these are man’s words in the notes, not the Word of God, so read them with that thought in mind.

As you utilize the notes in the Encountering God Study Bible, the hope of the Blackabys is that you will encounter God, that you will have an open heart, and that you will be changed through that encounter. That is truly the purpose of opening God’s Word at any time and hopefully these added thoughts will give you further insight and understanding of the great and mighty God.

I received a Black Leathersoft cover and was impressed with the cover. It has a nice feel and classic look to it. The simple tree motif on the front is nice. The pages are quite thin, but we found out that they are also quite study, as none of them tore when it went through a tornado, sitting at the kitchen table where the majority of the damage occurred. A number pages were bent or folded and we took some glass out, and the cardboard protective cover that was by it was ruined by the glass and rain, but the Bible itself is completely fine. A true testament to the quality of craftsmanship.

You can purchase this study Bible in multiple colors, cover styles, and other options. You can purchase from the website or from Amazon. (Neither of these are an affiliate link for me.) This can make a nice gift for Mom or Grandma with Mother’s Day just around the corner. The graduate you know could enjoy a new study Bible. Father’s Day is coming soon also so keep this Bible in mind for Dad or Grandpa. You might also enjoy having one for yourself. Order a copy today.

GIVEAWAY:
1 Encountering God Study Bible
(Note: This is limited to US winners only.)
Enter by commenting on this post with who you would give this Bible to if you are chosen as the winner. One winner will be randomly selected on the morning of 5/8, so enter by the end of day 5/7/2024. You will be emailed if you are chosen and you must reply within 24 hours with your complete name and mailing address.

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

Blessings,
Lori, At Home.

Praying With Jesus ~ a book review

Looking to grow your spiritual understanding of prayer and strengthen your personal prayer life? Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer by Adriel Sanchez has tools to help.

Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer by Adriel Sanchez takes a look at one of the most commonly known prayers from the Bible. The Lord’s Prayer, as it is often called, is found in Matthew 6:9-13. It is also found in Luke 11:1-4, though with some variation. Matthew 6 is where the heart of this book by Sanchez is focused.

Sanchez writes 10 chapters focusing in on various parts and purposes of prayer. Part one includes chapters 1-3. These look at general teachings on prayer, including the heart, the postures (physical positions), and times of praying. Part two includes the remainder of the chapters 6-10 and breaks the Lord’s Prayer down into bite-sized pieces to examine.

Digging in deep with the Lord’s Prayer can be good. As Sanchez writes in chapter 1 (I’m reading on a Kindle so no page numbers are included), “Prayer is the song of your heart to God. Sometimes it’s an explosion of praise, and other times it’s a trickling lamentation. In either case, the source of true prayer is the heart.” As he takes the reader through each of the chapters in the book, the heart is the focus of his thoughts.

The guiding source in Praying With Jesus is the Bible and I am so thankful for that. The Bible should be our guidebook for everything in life and so by keeping that at the center of this book, Sanchez has honored God while helping his reader find more purpose in prayer.

I found that I enjoyed most the opening three chapters on prayer in general. There was much touched on here that gave me pause to think and consider. I highlighted a number of areas to go back to and read more on, to dig deeper into the Bible’s teaching in that area. One of these was early on and addressed “heart disease in prayer.” This was meant to direct our thought to what our heart is doing in prayer. Are we praying as hypocrites or with superstition? There are Bible verses included to make this idea clear and help the reader discern his own heart. Actionable change may be needed and these verses can guide that change.

The next section focused on the petitions of the Lord’s prayer, relying on the teaching of Jesus and God’s word. Jesus used these words when his disciples asked him to teach them to pray. This is an excellent guide for us today. Sanchez broke it down into 7 sections. These included some look at the original language and additional verses to emphasize the purpose of each phrase. It was a deep dive into the purpose and language of how Jesus teaches us to pray.

Every chapter in the book concluded with a prayer from the past, suggested prayer practices to work on in order to strengthen personal prayer life, questions for discussion if you are studying with a group, and endnotes. As with all study books, read with discernment, paying attention to teachings to ensure they align with God’s word. There are a couple of passages that I am studying more in depth because they did not align with how I understand God’s word.

Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer by Adriel Sanchez is a good study on prayer, especially with the focus on Jesus’ own teachings.

About The Book:

Praying with Jesus: Getting to the Heart of the Lord’s Prayer
by Adriel Sanchez
April 8, 2024
ISBN: 978-1-64507-339-0
Retail Price: $16.99
Religion / Christian Living / Prayer

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

Blessings,
At Home, Lori

The Action Bible: Faith in Action Edition ~ review

God’s Word is necessary for life, faith, and understanding. The Action Bible: Faith in Action Edition is designed to appeal to a younger audience with its graphic style and short story format.

Some of the highlights of The Action Bible: Faith in Action Edition include:

• The Action Bible has helped millions of kids engage in God’s Word throughout the
  world.
• The Faith in Action Edition is an enhanced version of the bestselling Expanded
  Edition.
• Vivid illustrations and short impactful stories help connect Gen Zs and Gen Alphas to God’s Word.
• Stories are in chronological order to better help kids understand God’s redemptive
  story.
• The Faith in Action Edition is about helping kids Engage in God’s Word, Grow in
  God’s Word, and Live God’s Word.
• Spiritual Growth Resources include over 200 devotionals, prayers, character stories,
  teaching videos, timelines, maps, and Bible facts.
• Kids and parents can access digital resources by scanning QR codes throughout the
  Bible.
• Major themes of the Bible are highlighted throughout with icons that help kids personalize their faith and live God’s Word. Themes of the Bible are based on David C Cook’s tested Bible study curriculum for kids and include: Courage, Faith, Hope,
  Love, Service, Trust, and Wisdom.
• The Faith In Action Edition is the most complete interactive Bible for kids and teens.

If this looks like something your student would enjoy, order your copy of the The Action Bible: Faith in Action Edition today! You can order from their website or from Amazon.

My Thoughts:

This storybook Bible summarizes various accounts from God’s word and illustrates them comic book style. It is an engaging style and will be something that grabs the attention of young people. There are QR codes for most stories that take the reader to a devotional related to that particular event. There are maps included in some stories and on the website (https://www.theactionbible.com/) you can sign up with an email address to receive printable activities to go along with the various themes and stories. There are seven major themes: Courage, Faith, Hope, Love, Service, Trust, and Wisdom. You can follow the storybook Bible as written (roughly chronological) or you can use the index to read the stories as presented or you can read through by theme, each of which is listed at the beginning of the book.

It attempts to go through the Bible accounts in chronological order, with the intent of highlighting the redemption God has for His people. Each account included is told almost as a novel with the addition of conversations that are not included in the Bible. They are shortened to fit onto just a few pages each and leave out large, important parts. An example of this is Jacob introducing his family – he only introduces Rachel and Joseph, leaving out Benjamin, the other 10 sons, and Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah.

Each account is told in a graphic design style, meaning that it is easy to read the parts of the story out of order. For example the first page should be read top to the bottom, with some zigzagging to get the order of statements correct. This is the easy to share example but it gets more complicated with some of the other accounts that include a lot of other people and more statements along with the details of the backgrounds.

I was hopeful about this storybook Bible. I can see how it will grab the attention of many young people who struggle with being interested in God’s word. I did not care for it, however. I found it to minimize the information that God wants us to know. I found that the summarization of the various stories created gaps in understanding, leaving out important pieces of the account and leading to incorrect assumptions. The pictures are somewhat dark and disturbing, clearly portraying sinful behaviors that young children do not need specified, rather than adding to the information that is being given. It feels as though this minimizes God’s instructions to us about how to live and honor Him. Overall, if you view this as a storybook rather than God’s Word, it can be useful.

Some warnings: Moses uses the word “idiots.” The Grim Reaper is portrayed as the spirit of the Lord during the plague of the first born. Some of the images are quite grotesque and detailed (example – boils during the plagues, Nabal dying, expressions on faces with surprise or wide eyes, Job, sinful behaviors such as murder). The images of Jesus after the whipping and on the cross are not horrific but they do include enough detail to be of concern for sensitive children.

Now the question: Do I recommend this? For most students, no. I would not purchase or gift this storybook. Get them a complete Bible and read it with them. Can I see it being useful and helpful, even engaging for some students? Yes. Use your best judgement.

Giveaway: 1 copy of The Action Bible: Faith in Action Edition
(Note: This is limited to US winners only.) Winner will be chosen randomly from comments on this post. Entries close 2/17/24 at 11:00 PM, CST. Winner will be emailed and must respond to email with complete name and mailing address within 24 hours.

At Home,
Lori

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

The Chosen Season 4 trailer is here

The Chosen is ready for season 4 and the new trailer is here. Releasing to theaters this spring, the story of Jesus and his followers continues.

Synopsis:
Clashing kingdoms. Rival rulers. The enemies of Jesus close in while His followers struggle to keep up, leaving him to carry the burden alone.

Threatened by the reality of Jesus’ growing influence, religious leaders do the unthinkable—ally with their Roman oppressors. As the seeds of betrayal are planted and opposition to Jesus’ message turns violent, he’s left with no alternative but demand his followers RISE UP.

Season 4 Theatrical Release Dates:
Episodes 1-3: 2/1
Episodes 4-5: 2/15
Episodes 6-7: 2/29

Plan to see The Chosen in theaters as the story continues.

With the story continuing, I guess I need to get busy and catch up with all the production so far. I have heard so many good things about The Chosen – from the story telling and adaptation of the Bible to the screen to the literary liberties well taken to develop the character of people for the Bible that we don’t know much about. If you are like me, it is time to catch up so we can see season 4 of The Chosen in theaters beginning Feb 1.

Blessings,
Lori, At Home.

Old Testament Handbook ~ a review

Bible history has always held a unique interest for me. When I look at this history and background of the Bible, it brings questions for me to investigate. That investigation always leads me back to evidence of God’s faithfulness. So, when I find high quality study helps, I want to look into them deeply. Take a look at this beautiful resource and then visit the website to order your copy.

The Old Testament Handbook

• The Old Testament Handbook features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible. The CSB captures the Bible’s original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture’s life-transforming message and to share it with others.
• It features a high-quality, foil-stamped cloth cover materials and Smyth-sewn binding meant to last a lifetime.
• Elegant full-color interior design, including maps, charts, illustrations, and other visual helps for every book of the Old Testament make it visually beautiful and intriguing.
• More than 75 in-depth word studies of key words found in each Old Testament book brings more understanding to the written word of God.
• Two ribbon markers for easy referencing between pages during study, teaching, or sharing.

The Old Testament Handbook has had me reading a lot lately. I have found the book summaries interesting with it including sections on author, background, message and purpose, summary, and structure. Each book includes this introduction. Each book also includes an outline and multiple other pages. Some of these are timelines; some pictorial representations of something (such as Nebuchadnezzar’s dream). Lists galore are found for things such as the Ten Commandments (see picture above) or God in the Psalms (completing the sentence God is our…). There are several pages that link the Old Testament to the New Testament, including such as Seeing Jesus in the Exile and Return (see picture above) or Seeing Jesus in the Divided Kingdom. These compare/contrast charts are interesting and bring about deeper study and consideration.

As I have been reading through The Old Testament Handbook, I keep my Bible at the ready, often with both books open side by side. I remind myself that this is man’s work in organizing and trying to create order of God’s work, the Bible. There is some interpretation included in these charts, graphs, and timelines. There is a sway to trying to put an understandable framework onto the Bible and, as with much ancient time, that requires some guesswork. Keeping this in mind helps me keep God at the center of my study.

I have found much of the information organized here to be helpful and interesting. I am happy to have the beautiful book on my study shelf alongside other Bible study companions.

Purchase your copy of The Old Testament Handbook today!

Giveaway: The publisher is giving away a $10 Amazon giftcard. This is open to US only. I will need your full name and email address. To enter, comment on this post about what looks most interesting to you about The Old Testament Handbook or who in your life would really enjoy having this as a study aid. I will choose a winner after 12/3 and email on 12/4. Winner must respond to the email within 24 hours.

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

At Home,
Lori

Journey to Bethlehem ~ a movie review

Disclosure: Many thanks to AFFIRM Films, Inc. for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.
Disclaimer: I received a prescreen link from the producers to view this movie prior to its release in theaters. I watched the movie with my husband and two of my girls saw part of it. All opinions are my own. I am placing this up front because I have seen a number of reviews shared word for word that make it clear not all reviews come from someone who actually watched the movie.

Journey To Bethlehem is a wonderful, fun, joy-filled story that introduces the birth of Christ in big-production musical form. It was such fun to see and I definitely enjoyed it. Read on to find out more and to enter to win 2 tickets to see it.

About the movie:

Synopsis from the company: A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown. This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith, and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told—the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. A unique new entry into the collection of holiday classic movies, this epic Christmas musical is unlike any before it. See JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM in theaters beginning November 10.

Information:

Journey To Bethlehem releases to theaters November 10. Get your tickets now to be sure you can see this wonderful movie.

Whether you like musicals or not, you’ll love the brand new music
in this film, Journey to Bethlehem, starring Antonio Banderas,
Milo Manheim, and more! Christian music fans, this movie is for you! Watch Joel Smallbone (For King And Country), Lecrae, and Möriah.

Watch the trailer:

Official Website: https://www.journeytobethlehemmovie.com/

Ticket purchase link: https://tickets.journeytobethlehemmovie.com/

Listen to the soundtrack: https://journeytobethlehem.lnk.to/soundtrack

My Thoughts:
Oh, I enjoyed this. This is the story of Mary and Joseph and the responsibility they carried. It is the story of the burden of choice. It is the story of the greatest gift the world has ever been given – the birth of Christ. The basic information comes from the Bible. But, as anyone who has read the story in the beginning of Matthew and Luke, there are not a lot of details on the life of those affected by Mary’s pregnancy, the struggles that were gone through, the traditions that were thwarted in Mary and Joseph following God through this unusual circumstance, the families that were likely hurt, and so much more. These are things that are filled in, whether in your mind while reading the Bible or, in this case, by the writers, actors, and producers of Journey To Bethlehem.

One part big production musical, one part drama, one part humorous interludes. This movie keeps you involved, intrigued, and interested. There are certainly some suppositions going on and some liberties taken. They acknowledge that. This is the note at the end of the movie:

There is no thwarting of the facts from the Bible and the history given there. Mary is shown as a young girl who has her own dreams and ideas but must submit to her father. After asking him about the decision to betroth her to a man she doesn’t even know, she submits to her father and tradition. Joseph is a young man who is learning who he is but is still a happy-go-lucky soul. He shows off a bit in the marketplace (Some reviews have called this flirting but I do not see it as such and neither did my husband.) but he doesn’t do anything outrageous. He also submits to his father in the betrothal. Both Mary and Joseph desire other things but follow cultural tradition.

I really loved the way the movie shows Mary going to Joseph to tell him of the dream and the child to come. Joseph’s struggle with it is portrayed well, though if you have a young child, this sequence in the movie might be scary. It is intense and I imagine it does a great job of what Joseph would have been going through.

King Herod is portrayed as a very intense, very evil man who will do what is necessary to be certain he remains on his throne. This is true to history but it is embodied here. There are several moments that could cause fear for young children but I felt it was a very true imaging and portrayal of a king who will go to great lengths to keep his power.

The magi beginning their journey is actually how the movie starts and I really enjoyed this sequence in the movie. We do see a large influence of the Jewish traditions here, including the fact that there are three and they are named. That doesn’t make it bad; rather it gives a talking point for families. I found the humor infused with the magi refreshing and fun. (There seems to be a good influence from Monty Python here and it fits so well!) They way the magi come into the story often is enjoyable.

Influences are pretty clear but it makes it all the more fun. Finding where it feels like Fiddler on the Roof, Monty Python, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat were fun parts of the movie for us.

While this is not a movie I would use to teach the story of the birth of Christ, I can certain get behind using the movie to discuss the story of the birth of Christ. It would introduce it well to non-Christians but would be great to follow up with study of the scriptures. In fact, there are study guides to go along with the movie that I would suggest utilizing. Check out all of the guides – family, teen, child, and Advent – avaiable for no cost. There are printable posters and coloring sheets, as well.

Spanish-language showings and resources are also available. Check it out to find printable resources, the trailer, and theaters where you can see it in Spanish.

I have no hesitations recommending this movie. Yes, there are some instances that are very imaginative and are not strictly in the scriptures. That doesn’t mean they are wrong. An example is the appearance of Herod’s son at the birth of Jesus. He has the choice to kill the baby then and there or to let them go. He lets them go, showing a heart that can see the power of Christ. No, this is not in the Bible but it is an imagined change of heart showing the power of Christ on hardened hearts.

My daughters caught only the last 30 minutes or so of this movie that is about an hour and a half. They really enjoyed it. Miss E is working to get a group of college students from church to go with her this weekend when it hits the local theaters. She was disappointed that our link closed so quickly and she couldn’t view it. (We were expecting a week to watch it so we could sit down as a family but ended up with only about 4 days, most of which we were super busy.)

Please consider seeing this fun and joyful telling of the story of the birth of Christ. It is full of joy and hope and life. Not to mention the music. The videography was gorgeous and brought the story to life. I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed this. We are hoping it will come to DVD so we can purchase one and have it for future viewings. Defnitely a joy-filled, hope-filled story.

Giveaway:
2 tickets to see Journey To Bethlehem in theaters. Limited to US winners only. One winner will be selected on November 11. This will be a short turnaround for the winners. I will email the winner on November 12 and will need a quick response so we can get your ticket link to you to see the movie. Enter by commenting on this post.

At Home,
Lori

Journey to Bethlehem – preview

#JourneyToBethlehemMIN

It is quite exciting to see the number of faith-based films being released. Journey To Bethlehem is releasing for the holiday season this year and that’s a great time to see this musical. It comes to theaters beginning November 10.

Synopsis:
A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown. This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told, the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus. A unique new entry into the collection of holiday classic movies, this epic Christmas musical is unlike any before it.

Trailer:

The trailer makes me think of another story from the Bible told in musical form: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Our family has enjoyed that story and the format, though we understand that some liberties are taken when putting God’s story to music. Journey to Bethlehem looks like it will be just as enjoyable. I cannot wait to see it and hope I am able to.

Make plans now to see this story. It is coming to theaters beginning November 10.

At Home,
Lori

Route 60: The Biblical Highway ~ a video review

#Route60MIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

Route 60: The Biblical Highway – in theaters September 18 & 19 ONLY.

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.

Watch the trailer:

My thoughts: The history of the Bible lands is fascinating. Since I cannot travel there anytime soon, I find great pleasure in viewing factual videos that help me see what it looks like and to learn more about its history. The highway that bisects the Biblical lands has an important place that is found in many of the major events we read about in the Bible. David Friedman and Mike Pomeo walk, and drive, Route 60 from north to south, stopping along the way at important sites and cities. The archaeology of the areas and the history of the Bible are brought together with informative commentary. It is a fascinating and interesting look at what we read about in the Bible, both Old Testament and New Testament. This very informative trip through Bible lands will really bring perspective and interest to the events of the Bible, helping us understand them more in depth.

If you have not had the opportunity to visit the lands where our Jewish and Christian forefathers walked, you will learn a lot. If you have visited, or if you have watched other videos of the lands, you will still learn a lot. Friedman and Pomeo have unique connections to the lands and cities, as they both have religious backgrounds that relate to this as well as political backgrounds that have given them many reasons to spend a lot of time there. With the political insight they give, much of the importance of the sites is explained in today’s context and set against the importance of the sites histories. It is quite interesting and gives understanding.

Act now to purchase your tickets to see Route 60: The Biblical Highway, only in theaters September 18 and 19, 2023. Visit the Route 60 site to find a theater local to you and purchase your tickets to take your family.

Endorsements:

• “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

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

GIVEAWAY: One reader will win a $10 Amazon giftcard, chosen at random. To enter, leave a comment on this post stating what looks interesting about Route 60: The Biblical Highway. It is open only to US residents. Closes on September 20. Winner will be emailed and must confirm full name and address within 24 hours.

At Home,
Lori

Route 60: The Biblical Highway ~ a preview

#Route60MIN

I have found that someof my favorite movies are those that look at the history, tradition, and geography of the Holy Land. Route 60: The Biblical Highway is just one of those movies. It looks to be one that is fascinating as it to connects that historical significance the events and places of the Bible. I am looking forward to seeing this movie and following along as the hosts trace the highway from Nazareth to Beersheba.

Trailer: LINK

Website: LINK

Hosts: David Friedman and Mike Pompeo

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 website to purchase your tickets to see this movie, in theaters September 15 & 16.

At Home,
Lori