“Gimme Some Sugar” – Linda Kozar’s charming, Scriptural Devotional (review, plus giveaway!)

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I have the perfect Mother’s Day gift for you to give someone you love! The BlogAbout Blogger Network provided a copy of Linda Kozar’s wonderful Gimme Some Sugar: 90 Devotions to Sweeten Your Day in a Godly Way. What a joy. It is so worth the read! Keep reading for more on the book plus your chance to win.

About Gimme Some Sugar

Gimme Some Sugar is subtitled, “90 Devotions to Sweeten Your Day in a Godly Way.” That describes this sweet book perfectly! It’s a soft little faux-leather bound book that measures 5.5″ x 7.5,” which is perfect to comfortably hold in your hand. The cover, pages, and sewn-in bookmark ribbon are all varying shades of aqua and pale blue. (This makes the pages very easy on the eyes.) The 90 devotions start with a funny saying or meaningful quote on the left side. Then, on the right, the devotional reading begins with a Bible verse, which is then built upon by Linda’s words. The content is very life-centered; meaning that we’ll recognize ourselves or our circumstances in the author’s descriptions. Scriptural wisdom is woven into this, along with a good dose of humor, flavored with the author’s charming Southern voice. (In the best sense.)

Here are some words from the publisher that I think round out an excellent description of Gimme Some Sugar:

“As we wake to face our struggles of the day, there are two things to help us get through them: hope and humor. Good things from God’s Word can calm your soul and fill you with hope…Gimme Some Sugar offers sensible inspiration that will elevate your day, and encourage you to set your heart and mind on God’s Word while having fun along the way.

Gimme Some Sugar shows ways to add the sweetness of God’s Word to our lives, to think on the good things of God, and to fortify us to deal with our struggles. 

When we set aside time to get before God in prayer, scripture, and meditation, we are refreshed, recharged, and ready to overcome fear or anxiety with the promised goodness of our faith. Linda shares, “My unknown future is in the hands of the all-knowing God.””

My thoughts

Do you know any women who are godly, and full of wisdom to share when you need a little…plus a way to tuck in a little laugh that you weren’t expecting? I don’t know author Linda Kozar personally. But I am certain that she is this sort of person. In fact, as I was reading, I felt so comfortable and cozy. (Even when I was being exhorted!)

And yet even as Linda seems so fun as she writes, she imparts serious pearls of wisdom that are rooted in and drawn out from the Bible. I experienced all these; corrected, humbled, encouraged, blessed, reminded, taught, learning–even as I laughed. Often! And so many parts of a woman’s life are addressed. There are devotions about being pure and beautiful of speech. About old friends. About God speaking; Pilate’s wife; Lady Bird Johnson and flowers; revival; introversion; memories. And that’s just a few of the 90 devotional readings in this precious book.

Although I don’t think that Linda Kozar describes herself as a counselor, I definitely felt counseled with some of her words, which spoke to difficult situations of my own life that I’ve prayed and mulled over without conclusion. Yet suddenly, in Gimme Some Sugar, there were some defining words for me! So totally some answers to prayer that I wasn’t expecting.

Oh, how I loved this book, my friends. It blessed me. Encouraged me. Offered me wisdom and understanding. Reminded me of God’s pure and enormous love for me. And, it made me laugh. (I gotta say, any devotional book that includes quotes from Foghorn Leghorn, Calvin and Hobbes, and Hudson Taylor is a book I must have!) But truly, when I finished it, I felt loved. And seen. And like the woman I want to be, in my best moments.

This is a book that would be a lovely gift for any of your friends–your mom–your spouse–or even for yourself. (I totally recommend that!) It’s wonderful!

Some of my favorite quotes

I have many favorite quotes from this book that I’d love to share with you! Here are just a few:

• “Spending time with God in prayer, immersing yourself in his Word, and waiting on God until he answers is the way to spiritual perception. Discernment is seeing things with God’s eyes. Our own eyes deceive us. We look at the outer, superficial appearance, but God looks straight to the heart.” (Day 77)
• “At a time yet to come, trumpets will announce that God is about to do something big. While believers disagree on the timing, the rapture of the saints will occur with a shout, the voice of an archangel, and the sound of a trumpet (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). We will meet him in the air, and later return with Jesus Christ to the earth in triumph (Revelation 19:14) over all the works of the enemy.” (Day 40)
• “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). Make a habit of reading your Bible every day…Read your Bible and feed your hungry spirit as well as your body.” (Day 34)
• “God kept his promise to David that he would establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:12-13). The little king, hidden at first in a closet full of spare items, was the last soul spared of the house of David. When your situation seems hopeless, trust in God instead of your circumstance. Be confident that God always keeps his promises.” (Day 20)

Where you can purchase Gimme Some Sugar

Gimme Some Sugar is available at many booksellers. I’ve included book links for a couple of them below.

Amazon

Christianbook

Now, enter to win your own copy!

You can enter to win your own copy of Gimme Some Sugar! To enter the giveaway, click on the link below that says, “Enter here!” That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form where you’ll be able to enter to win in a variety of ways. US entrants only; must be 18 or older to win. Giveaway closes on May 15, 2024, and one entrant will be selected to win. Best wishes!

Enter here!

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions shared here are my own.

“Unsung Hero” is the perfect film to celebrate Mum! See it today in theaters & keep reading for my review and a GA! (ends 5/3/24)

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As a fan of for KING + COUNTRY, I was thrilled to have the chance to see the band’s new film about their family and their odyssey from Australia to Tennessee…really, their family’s story of loss and failure that didn’t end their faith–or God’s plan for them. Today, I get to tell you about this film, plus offer you a giveaway to enter. AND! Since “Unsung Hero” opens in theaters today, I’m going to include some links that you can use to purchase tickets to see this wonderful film in your own area!

About “Unsung Hero”

From the producers:

“When David Smallbone’s successful music company collapses, he moves his family from Australia to the United States in search of a brighter future. With nothing more than their six children, their suitcases, and their love of music, David (for KING + COUNTRY’s Joel Smallbone) and his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) set out to rebuild their lives from the ground up. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum’s
faith stands against all odds; and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs.”

Cast members include:

• Daisy Betts as Helen Smallbone
• Joel Smallbone as David Smallbone
• Kirrilee Berger as Rebecca Smallbone
• Jonathan Jackson as Eddie DeGarmo
• Lucas Black as Jed Albright
• Candace Cameron Bure as Kay Albright
• Also including Kevin Downes, Terry O’Quinn, Rebecca St. James (not playing herself!), and a marvelous cast of kid actors as the Smallbone kids

My thoughts about “Unsung Hero”

As someone who followed contemporary Christian music from my college years on, I was more than familiar with Christian recording artist Rebecca St. James (especially her “Worship God” album). Little did I know, until recently, that she was part of the family that the for KING + COUNTRY brothers Joel and Luke belong to; the Smallbones. Nor did I know that their family’s story is a miracle in itself! The beautiful film, “Unsung Hero,” is an anthem of hope and encouragement, as well as the Smallbone kids’ love song to their mom. Or, as they would say, as Aussies, their “Mum.”

Family’s not in the way. They are the way.”

Grandpa James in “Unsung Hero”

The Smallbones’ family journey is a rough one. Failure. Bankruptcy. Poverty. Loss. Moving to a different culture (even though Americans and Aussies speak basically the same language.). And having to build a new life. All while Mum is pregnant with the 7th of the Smallbone children. How will they buy food? How will they educate their children? How can they provide financially for their family?

What a remarkable story of faith and perseverance “Unsung Hero” is. It’s a reminder that God has a calling–and a journey–for each one of us. And oh, goodness. What an example Helen Smallbones (Mum) is. She prays. She holds her family together. She loves her husband and her children. And she takes risks to keep them together–and to inspire them to follow the call God has placed on their lives.

While the film is definitely inspirational and a reminder that our families are worth fighting for (even as it delights fans of Rebecca St. James, Christian recording artists of the 1990s and on, and of course of for KING + COUNTRY), it also packs a nice dollop of humor here and there. (Keep an eye out for Lucas Black’s first appearance and line!)

Waiting in the wings and stuck with you. Story of my life.”

Joel Smallbone to his brother Luke, “Unsung Hero”

Purchase tix for “Unsung Hero” here

Just click on this link to purchase your own tickets to see this film in theaters in your area!

Purchase link for theater tix for “Unsung Hero”

And, enter to win an Amazon GC in celebration of “Unsung Hero” here!

You can enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card celebrating the release in theaters of “Unsung Hero” too! To enter, just click on the link below that says, “Enter here!” That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form, where you’ll be able to enter to win in a variety of ways. US entrants only; must be 18 and older to win. Giveaway closes on 5/3/24. Best wishes!

Enter here!

Here’s another goodie for you–from “Unsung Hero” and YouVersion

Here’s a link to a free 5-day Bible reading plan about family, faith, and community from “Unsung Hero” and Kingdom Story Company. Just click on the link below to go to the YouVersion page that’s hosting this free goodie, and check out more from the Bible, clips from “Unsung Hero,” and a video from for KING + COUNTRY.

YouVersion & “Unsung Hero” free Bible reading plan

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure:

Many thanks to Kingdom Faith Marketing Services, LLC for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Cindy Brinker Simmons’ beautiful book on God, life, and overcoming suffering: “Restored” (review & GA, ends 5/18/24)

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I have a lovely book that I want to recommend to you. It’s called Restored: Reconnecting Life’s Broken Pieces. Written by Cindy Brinker Simmons, it features a striking image on its cover of a kintsugi bowl. What an arresting reflection of the brokenness we can experience via suffering…and what the potential can be if we can draw near to God and His Word as we seek to heal, and even to suffer; and to know Him and His joy. Let me tell you more about the remarkable book; and be sure to enter the giveaway to win your own copy below!

About Restored

Here’s a bit from the publishers:

“From a young age to adulthood, author Cindy Brinker Simmons has experienced unexpected loss and grief. She has remained faith-filled through it, sharing, “I have profound and heartfelt gratitude toward God who rescued me. He picked up all the broken pieces and restored me to a place of great peace, purpose, and joy. My heart carries the agonizing ache for those who still reside in painful, lonely, and despairing places.”

Cindy lost her 34-year-old mother, the late great tennis champion Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly Brinker, to cancer when Cindy was twelve. Her mother was ranked number one in the world in 1952-54. Then 36 years later, Cindy lost her husband Bob to a rare cancer diagnosis.

In Restored: Reconnecting Life’s Broken Pieces(Redemption Press, March 2024), Cindyauthentically and wittingly wrestles with the reality of when your world has been rocked and provides readers fresh hope to move forward in victory. Says Cindy, “Even in life’s tough and messy journeys, Restored points to God’s purpose and plan uniquely created for each person that is meant to be shared with a watching world.”

She believes that no one is immune from the painful bumps and bruises of daily living. She explains, “Sometimes it is really hard to take the first step when life weighs too much. Restored will reinvigorate the spirit of those who need to be refreshed and strengthened.  It will motivate those who need life breathed back into them.  Every life has a plan and a purpose. My hope is that through Restored, readers will make an important discovery: God is always present.”

Cindy shares that:   

• God’s consistent love and goodness can always be trusted.
• Trials can be treasures in disguise and can radically change lives. 
• Life is relational and being in a healthy, trusted, and supportive community ushers in hope, encouragement, and a sense of belonging.
• The power of forgiveness reconciles relationships.
• Serving and comforting others is an act of worship to God, modeling His lavish love, mercy, and kindness for humanity.”

My thoughts about Restored

Dictionary.com defines the word kintsugi as, “a traditional Japanese pottery repair technique in which lacquer mixed with precious metals, especially gold, is used to fill cracks and replace missing pieces.” The beautiful cracked bowl on this book’s cover suggests that our broken places can be restored and made beautiful. Can we really believe that, though? Are we able, despite the famous verses in James 1:2-5, to consider our trials and suffering to be pure joy? (For myself? I’d say sometimes. But many times not.)

I can tell you, however, that reading author Cindy Brinker Simmons’ Restored is absolutely a joy. Though she has experienced some losses that are immense and terrible, she has been able to first, come to know Jesus, and second, to embrace God in all His goodness and truth, and His Word as the informer and definer of what her suffering has meant. In Restored, she not only shares her own story, but processes, ideas, and applications on how we can embrace God during our own trials. And readers are encouraged, repeatedly, to embrace God and know that all He says in His word is true.

What has been most meaningful to me is the way Cindy created a pathway that we can, ourselves, take during trial. (You can see the proof on this book’s pages, how much I found that could help me, by my numerous highlighted sentences!) Suffering impacts so much in our lives; and so, this book talks about the restoration we can embrace (and that God offers) in these areas: momentum, perseverance, joy, community, relationships, compassion, and purpose. How incredibly helpful! During my own deepest moments of pain and suffering, I stumbled at knowing *how* exactly I should walk through them, and how I could apply the Scripture that I thought I knew so well to my daily struggles. Not only my relationships suffered, but my own momentum and perseverance. And yet! There IS a way that I can walk instead–where I am holding God and knowing that He is holding me. This book’s beautiful chapters, in a calm and comforting way, offer the truths of the Bible and encourage readers to embrace not only the Scriptures, but the God of the Bible Himself, who’s offering Himself as Savior, Companion, and Guide.

We all know that life is hard, and that in this beautiful yet fallen world, trials will come. And yet. And yet, we have a God whose desire is to love us, strengthen us, and walk us through trials; never alone, with the joy that He promises with His own being. Once again, He’s the God who has made the way for us; who then takes us by the hand to walk it out. He is good. And He is true.

Some of my favorite quotes from Restored

There’s so much good and precious cargo packed into Restored. Here are just a few of the quotes that meant the most to me:

• “Spending too much time living in the past is also wasting the precious hours of today.” (p. 49)
• “God’s plan is to mend the broken. He will redeem a corrupt and dark world. He will repair relationships and restore peace. This process requires that He reconstruct hearts, attitudes, and beliefs. That can be painful, hard, and fatiguing, but that is the price of restoration. You must keep moving with the expectation that God will create beauty out of the ugly mess you might find yourself in right now. It is not too late.” (p. 51)
• “Don’t forget to remember how God’s pruning blesses you for your own good. As the Master Gardener, He snips, trims, and clips areas of your life that are destructive, harmful, and unpleasant to you and to others. After all God knows everything about you.” (p.76)
• “Grief needs a time of quiet recovery. A time to breathe and regather what has been lost. To mend the frayed emotions and to rest the weary soul. Hardships can wreck your mind, body, and soul, so this healing time needs to be properly applied.” (p. 93)
• “God knows the state of your heart will govern everything about your life. He also knows that joy is not predicated on our circumstances but on a relationship with Him.” (p. 88)
• “God can use your story even if it is flawed, messy or blemished. It is never too late to be used by God.” (p. 182)

Enter to win a copy of Restored by Cindy Brinker Simmons

You can enter to win a copy of Restored: Reconnecting Life’s Broken Pieces from the FINCHNWREN blog, The BlogAbout Blogger Network, and Cindy Brinker Simmons! To enter, just click on the highlighted link below that says, “Enter here!” That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form, where you’ll be able to enter to win this book in a variety of ways. Giveaway closes on May 18, 2024. US entrants only. Must be 18 and older to win. Best wishes!

Enter here!

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the BlogAbout Blogger Network. All opinions shared here are my own.

J.S. Park’s remarkable book on grieving: “As Long As You Need”

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Here is just the book you might need…that you don’t want to need. Because grief is not only hard to experience; it’s hard to read about. Or talk about. As you see, I called J.S. Park’s As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve “remarkable” in my blog post title. It’s honest, heartbreaking, vulnerable, truthful, breathtakingly painful but offering grace–the very qualities that make it remarkable and quite unusual. Let me share more with you about this book, and my experiences with it.

From the publisher about As Long As You Need

“Veteran hospital chaplain to the sick, dying, and bereaved, J.S. Park offers you both the permission and the process for how to grieve and heal at your own pace.

In As Long As You Need, J.S. Park offers an honest and unrushed engagement with grief, decoding four types of grieving–spiritual, mental, physical, and relational–and offering compassionate self-care and soul-care along the way.

If you are struggling to process loss, pain, or grief from the last few years or the last few minutes, J.S. is an experienced and deeply empathetic listener and grief catcher who has held the pain and questions of thousands of patients. While social and cultural narratives about grief are dominated by “letting go, moving on, or turning the page” in his nearly decade of service as a chaplain at a major hospital with a designated level one trauma center J.S. understands firsthand how rushing or suppressing grief only adds a suffocating layer of pain on top of the original wound.

From his unique window into the stories of the ill, injured, dying, and their families, J.S. offers you:

• Permission to dismantle all too common myths about grief and replace them with a guilt-free and unrushed approach to navigating your losses.
• Encouragement for how entering grief, rather than avoiding it, leads to a hard but meaningful holding of your loss.
• Empathy and hope if you are struggling with a crisis of faith in the midst of grief.
• Recognition that grief spans a wide narrative of loss: loss of future, faith, mental health, worth, autonomy, connection, and loved ones.
• Affirmation that your grief is your own. While the DNA of grief might be universal to the human condition, how you experience and process grief is unique to you.

From the ER to deliveries to deathbeds across every sort of illness and injury imaginable, J.S. Park has provided meaningful counseling for people from all walks of life and death. Now, through his book, he wants to assure you that, while everybody else might rush past your pain, grief is the voice that says, take as long as you need.”

My impressions and experiences with As Long As You Need

Here is something that I didn’t know I’d need to learn how to do in my life: grieve. Something else that I didn’t know is that I’d have numerous occasions to practice this process. And unfortunately, what happened over time is that I must have unknowingly decided that the best way to get through grief was to package it up and tuck it away. (Here is where a Narrator could say, “It was NOT the best way.”) Why did I choose this way through grief? I suspect the answers include my own brokenness, busyness, family roles, and my own American culture, among others. After all, we’re a “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps!” nation! Unlike the Bible heroes and heroines I admire, who poured out their grief audibly or tore their garments, in public and in private. Or wrote heavy-duty psalms and songs about grief and pain. Even Jesus wept. But what does that look like for me, as a 21st century Western woman?

I’ve been so moved by J.S. Park’s book. It’s both memoir and guidebook; using his own life and the lives (and deaths) of the patients and families he served as a hospital chaplain, Park shares:

• Why the Western model of grief doesn’t serve us
• How our faith in God can be shaken by loss and grief
• How trauma, in its many forms, devastates the spirit and the soul
• Why the “easy answers” of why loss happens won’t ever be enough
• And SO much more

What *do* we need when we grieve? Everyone needs something different. And everyone needs varying amounts of time. What I’ve taken from this book that has been most meaningful to me are these truths: when abuse happens to us, it isn’t okay. That there isn’t a timetable for my grief, but processing it is vital. That trauma does get passed on–but it doesn’t have to be. That God CARES about my grief and suffering. That we humans are worth more than we can do or produce.

That’s just a little of the great value that Park shares in As Long As You Need. So much of this value is communicated by human stories, too. And content warnings at the beginnings of each chapter let the reader know that the stories aren’t for the timid or faint of heart. They include accounts of overdoses, of officer-involved shootings, of violence; of the loss of preterm babies, of grandparents, of people of color, of various genders, of suicide; of depression and racism. And this isn’t even a complete list (and sheds light on why Park’s own story includes the pain he experienced in caring for his patients).

But you know what that list is? It is about real humans and their real lives. And Park’s retelling of those lives, and deaths, can help us to learn that grief doesn’t have to be a “one-and-done” or denied and hidden away, but experienced, expressed, spoken. It doesn’t have to look a certain way.

This is a book that has the potential to change you. To help you grieve, and to know that you are loved. It really does tell the story of grief in a way I’ve never experienced. Perhaps this is a book that you need for yourself. Keep reading for J.S. Park’s book trailer, and for info on where you can get a copy. I’m also including some of my favorite quotes below.

Words from this book that I needed to read

I feel that God brought some important words from As Long As You Need to my attention. Some of them are piercing and painful. Yet I’ll be thinking on them; and I’ll remember. I hope I will use them to pray.

• “For a moment, I look behind me. It’s not lost on me that he’s in the corner and I am with him. I am in his corner.“ (p. 91, emphasis mine)
• “I had learned in chaplaincy about trauma. It was defined as the imprint left by a harmful event that outweighs our resources to cope with it. It’s been said that epigenetic trauma gets passed on to our children, either by blood or by bedtime stories…We are all given the chance to change this, to pass on something else. In this remains a choice we never should have to make: How will I suture this wound, that I would not pass on such pain, but something better instead?” (p. 85)
• “I saw in my patient Kendie what I have seen in many victims of abuse. More than just the burial of her worth under bruises, she had also been persuaded her loss wasn’t real. She never had a chance to grieve the person she was before the violence entered and stole her.” (p. 81)
• “But this grief ignored will only further harm. I consider Maya Angelou’s words, both comfort and admonition, and she was right: “If I cry, whether you want to admit it or not, you understand that. And if I mourn, you understand. If you are yearning for something, I see that. The truth is we know each other and we tell ourselves we don’t.“” (p. 143)

Watch the book trailer here

Purchase As Long As You Need here

You can purchase As Long As You Need at numerous booksellers. Click on the link below to go to the publisher’s link, which will give you further links to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook, and others.

Purchase As Long As You Need here

Thanks, friends. And bless you. –Wren

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from FrontGate Media. All opinions shared within this post are my own honest ones.

Get tix now to see Karen Kingsbury’s “Someone Like You” in theaters! (plus giveaway, ends 4/12/24)

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Karen Kingsbury has a unique ability to create characters that seem so real; who experience love, trials, tragedies, and redemption over the courses of the books they live in. I’ve had the most wonderful experience, of seeing the very first film from Karen Kingsbury Productions, IN my local THEATER: “Someone Like You,” based on Karen’s own book of the same name. Let me tell you more about this film and let you know where you can purchase tickets to see it in your own area. You’ll also be able to enter to win a copy of the book, “Someone Like You,” signed by Karen Kingsbury!

About “Someone Like You”

From the producers:

“Based on the popular novel by #1 NY Times Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, “Someone Like You” is an achingly beautiful redemptive love story. Shocking news hits after young architect Dawson Gage loses his best friend, London Quinn. Now in his heartbreak, Dawson is compelled to launch an impossible search for London’s secret twin sister, twins separated as embryos. But along the way, Dawson never planned to fall in love.”

My thoughts about “Someone Like You”

As I mentioned, I had the lovely opportunity to see “Someone Like You” in our local theater, with my husband. (We even were able to get our favorite seats.) I cannot recommend seeing it on the big screen highly enough! Filmed in Tennessee and Alabama, during a gorgeous fall season when the leaves are turning, the cinematography is breathtaking; especially the scenes on the lake, in the glass house (really!), and in what I think is downtown Franklin. The camera takes all of these in so beautifully.

But it’s not just the scenery that’s so lovely. The cinematographer’s eye captures so much more: the love between family members; the care of parents for their children; the fellowship between coworkers and friends. Especially two friends; Dawson and London. They’re best friends. He’s a bit solemn; an architect who lives much inside his own head. London is sparkling, effervescent, and full of life. It’s apparent that he longs fore, though he respects London’s boundaries. Could it be possible that their friendship could become more? Perhaps.

But then. Tragedy. And anyone who’s read a Karen Kingsbury book knows how she captures you with her characters, and makes you fall in love with them. Then, when tragedy occurs, you suffer along with them, yourself.

Karen’s stories never leave readers (or viewers) with tragedy as the ending. Instead, she weaves faith, love, and redemption together to show that we are never alone in suffering. That there is a God who cares for us so deeply, and that He is at work. However, as a master writer Kingsbury handles these themes deftly, with a light hand. In “Someone Like You,” we see a beautiful romance. But we also see families who’ve walked through organ donation and IVF. Through loss and unexpected provision.

I came to the theater (oh, and by the way, the soundtrack is perfectly paired to the movie, and is just gorgeous!) knowing, generally, what I might expect from a film made from a Karen Kingsbury book. I expected captivating characters, love, suffering, and redemption. I *did* get these. But I got so much more. Karen Kingsbury Productions’ first film is remarkably made, filmed, and offered to its audience with so much grace and love, alongside its beauty. Don’t miss it! (And watch the trailer below for hints of what you’ll see in theaters!)

Watch the trailer here

Purchase tix here for “Someone Like You”

Make plans to see “Someone Like You” in theaters now, beginning on April 2, 2024. It is SO worth seeing on the big screen! Just click on the link below to find out where it’s playing near you and buy tickets online. If you like clean romance, redemptive passages, and compelling stories with sympathetic characters, you will love “Someone Like You.” Click on the purchase link below and get tickets today!

Purchase tickets here for “Someone Like You”

“Someone Like You” website

“Someone Like You” on Instagram

Enter to win a signed book copy of “Someone Like You”

You can enter to win a signed copy of the book, “Someone Like You,” from Karen Kingsbury! To enter, simply click on the link below that says, “Enter here!” That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form, where you’ll be able to enter to win in a variety of ways. US entrants only. Giveaway closes on 4/12/24. Best wishes!

Enter here!

Be blessed! And don’t miss this film!

–Wren

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

Encouraging & inspiring: “Raising Kids to Follow Christ” (review and giveaway)

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Lee Ann Mancini’s marvelous Raising Kids to Follow Christ is a book that I wish I’d had in hand years ago. Thanks to Lee Ann and The BlogAbout Blogger Network, I finally do have it–and I also have a copy to give away to one reader! Keep reading for more about this encouraging and equipping book, and what you’ll find in it.

About Raising Kids to Follow Christ

From the publisher:

“Do you want your child to love God for a lifetime? Children have open hearts and minds and are craving a connection to God. It’s up to us to show them how to be a follower of Christ.

The beauty of raising our kids to have a relationship with God is that we can be a light in the darkness we all face and show them how to be a light of who Jesus is in their lives. Even if faith is something new for your family, you aren’t too late to start building a strong faith foundation.

No matter where we are as Christians, it’s always encouraging to have someone who is further ahead in the parenting journey offer what’s worked for them, what hasn’t, and point us to what God says about how to parent our children. This is what Lee Ann does in her new book.

Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God  (Whitaker House, February 20, 2024) by Lee Ann Mancini offers parents resources they need to nurture children in faith. This parenting resource offers:

• Developmental apologetics for children to adults
• Parenting strategies and techniques from God’s word
• How to model Biblical truth with your children
• Upgrading your parenting style from discipline to discipleship
• Fun ways to connect your child’s heart to Christ”

My own thoughts and experiences about this book

I’ve read many books about parenting. Yet I found that Lee Ann Mancini’s beautiful Raising Kids to Follow Christ really stands out in its gentleness, wisdom, and desire to help parents share a life of faith with their children. She shares both foundational principles for those who’d like to bring their children up carefully and lovingly via God’s Word; but also, gives specific tips, ideas, and Scriptures for how one can do so.

What are the key ideas or goals that you think are important in raising children and living in a family? I found that my own goals dovetailed with those that Lee Ann presents in her book, where she shares the “whys” of parenting with an eye to faith. But she does a remarkable job of taking the reader from having that overall “big” vision, into considering goals which will define parenting practices, to daily ideas which can help parents share Jesus with their little ones (or even their not-so-little ones!).

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children…when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-7, The Holy Bible, New International Version

I love that the ideas and viewpoints that Lee Ann shares in Raising Kids to Follow Christ are practical and based on the loving God that we meet in Scripture; the triune God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. It shares, as from a wise mentor, parenting practices which will not only reveal Jesus in and for our families, but also the reasons why these will do so.

And as Lee Ann mentions early in her book,

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

Matthew 7:24-25, The Holy Bible, New International Version

Do you have a wise and loving mentor, who can help and guide you when challenges in parenting arise? Some of us do, and others do not. But regardless of which you are, Lee Ann Mancini and Raising Kids to Follow Christ will come alongside you to show you the whys, whats, and hows of teaching our little ones in the faith. I recommend this book with 5 stars. There’s so much in it for parents in every season of life!

About the author

Helping parents build a strong foundation of Christ in their children is Lee Ann Mancini’s life mission. She is an award-winning author and executive producer of the Sea Kids series available on Answers.tv, Pure Flix, Prime Video, YouTube, Right Now Media, and SeaKidsTV.

The Raising Christian Kids Podcast is an online avenue for parents to get up-to-date resources to live out with their children. Lee Ann and her guests talk about everything from helping your children become better listeners and healthier eaters to dealing with stress and anxiety, understanding grief and loss, methods of discipline, understanding various portions of Scripture, and much more.

Some of my favorite passages

This book is chock-full of meaningful, impactful words for us as parents (or even grandparents). Here are some that touched me deeply!

• “You Are Their First Teacher. Whether homeschooling or not, parents are their children’s most impactful teachers, and our goal as Christians is to influence our children to have a lifelong love for the Lord and serve others.” (p. 90)
• “The Psalms tell us the importance of our little ones: Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” (Psalm 8:2)…The authors of Children Matter state, “We might think of a child’s belief and love for Jesus as the embryo of faith, a most crucial reality, a beginning but real relationship with God.”” (pp. 93-94)
• “We know some days don’t go as planned. There are moments of anger, sadness, and stress when faced with an illness, death, insufficient money, or any negative life issue. Our children are watching closely to see how we act and react.” (p. 95)
• “What outcomes do we want in our lifetime–both for us and for our children? Good results rarely just happen. We need preparation and resources to help us make wise decisions…most importantly, how to raise our children.” (p. 96)
• “I thank God that He can restore whatever has been lost, as it’s never too late to start transforming their hearts and minds. I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm–my great army that I sent among you” (Joel 2:25; p. 19)
• “We have been given great gifts–our children, created in the image of God. It is our responsibility to train them well, to the best of our God-given abilities and talents, day by day and moment by moment, based upon the Word of God.” (p. 169)

Do get a copy of Raising Kids to Follow Christ. In it, you’ll find wise words, Scriptures you can take for yourself, encouraging ideas, and verses you’ll want to pray. It’s a handbook, a guidebook, a devotional for parents (in some ways), and most of all, a reminder of our sacred calling as parents, and the precious gift of our children.

Enter to win your own copy of Raising Kids to Follow Christ

You can enter to win a softcover copy of Lee Ann Mancini’s Raising Kids to Follow Christ! Just click on the highlighted link below that says, “Enter here!” That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form, where you’ll be able to enter to win in a variety of ways. US entries only; must be 18 and older to win. Giveaway closes on 4/20/24. One entrant will be selected to win. Best wishes!

Enter here!

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions expressed here are my own honest ones.

Beautiful devotions in Sara Cormany’s “Even When” (a review)

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I could not be more grateful to have had the opportunity to read Sara Cormany’s exceptional and exquisite book of 40 devotions. Thanks to Sara and to The BlogAbout Blogger Network, I received a copy of this beautiful book. I’m thrilled to be able to share my impressions and reading experience with you.

About Even When:

“From award-winning author Sara Cormany, Even When is a raw and reflective devotional that ushers readers into God’s presence during difficult times and reminds us that even our hardest stories are written by the hand of a good God. 

In these uniquely challenging and unprecedented post-pandemic times, the notion that God’s goodness ensures an easy journey has been met by the unfaltering truth that life is hard. It’s not a question of if there will be trials, but when. Sara Cormany knows this reality all too well. However, through personal health complications and family tragedy, she has chosen to believe that Jesus is enough. 

Even When beautifully weaves together the inevitability of hard times with the unyielding heart of God’s goodness and inspires readers to experience His presence amid the storm in their lives. Each devotion begins with an “Even when…” statement, followed by a poignant personal story, a Bible verse, and a thought-provoking question that will encourage readers to embrace the truth that God is enough—even in our darkest moments. 

This powerful devotional helps readers to:

• Become more comfortable with the difficult truth that life not only can, but will be hard. 
• Reflect on where God has shown up in their own hardships.
• Experience God’s goodness while enduring life’s challenges.
• Explore what it looks like to “suffer well” and trust God as Jesus did on the Cross. 
• Love God and know God’s love in a fallen world. 

Vulnerable and authentic, Even When strikes a universal chord and points readers toward the heart of God’s goodness in even the most challenging of circumstances, knowing that even when life is hard, He is always good.”

How Even When impacted me

So. This book (you can even see this on the cover) is designed to be read over 40 days in devotional-sized portions. I, however, didn’t read it that way. Instead, I sat down and read…and read…and read. The entire book. In one chunk.

I’m usually good at following directions. But this time, I found an author (Sara) who spoke to my soul. And I couldn’t quit reading. Because as she spoke to my soul, she also spoke to my hurts and to my disappointments. (Have you ever seen a toddler cry, and it seems like tears are shooting out of the sides of their eyes? Yep. That happened to me as I was reading too. Although sometimes, the tears just oozed. And yes–I’m tearing up and crying again as I page through this book to consider what I want to share with you.)

Sara is a woman who has endured significant suffering. Serious suffering. And she asked herself, and God, questions. Would she still trust God—even if this (bad thing) happened? Or that (horrendous thing) happened? Was God still big enough to handle tragedies, disappointments, personal mistakes, or failings? Again and again, Sara came to her answer: “Yes.” And her answered “Yesses” (or “Yeses,” if you prefer; the Oxford Reference says both work) were not facile or surface. They came out of her deep conversations with God, or her serious perceptions of His word and His answers.

I found enormous application in this book, for my own life. To apply to my past hurts, or to my moments when I questioned God’s love for me; or to times I considered whether He was big enough to cover my own failings. Sometimes, in my past, I’ve just used my good friend “Denial” to not deal with these big questions. But guess what? Our God is big enough to deal with all of these; our questions, our hurts, our pains, our sins. He IS big enough–and He, Himself, is enough. Always.

Get yourself a copy of Even When. It will speak to you, come alongside you, comfort you, and bless you. I believe it’s a book God will use mightily in your heart and in your life. Sara Cormany, and her words, will make a difference and speak to your own hurt, pain, and faith–and you’ll be encouraged by this woman of faith.

Where you can purchase this lovely book

Here’s the Amazon link, where you can purchase Even When.

Even When Purchase Link

And to Sara Cormany, I just have to say, “Thank you!! And bless you!!”

Blessings to you! –Wren

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.

A most remarkable book: “Why Everything That Doesn’t Matter, Matters So Much” (a review)

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I’ve so enjoyed reading this book by husband-and-wife team Charlie Peacock (a musician) and Andi Ashworth (a writer), founders of the Art House. This book reminded me of rich and beautiful books by authors like C.S. Lewis, Edith Schaeffer, Tim Keller, Annie Dillard, and more; people who make you think of your faith and living it out in creative and wonderful ways. Keep reading for more about this beautiful book.

About this book

A hopeful and practical model for what it means to be a Christian and a culture-maker in a world of hurt and wondrous possibility, from multi–Grammy winner Charlie Peacock and his wife and author, Andi Ashworth.

Do you feel powerless and overwhelmed by the pain and suffering all around you? Have you ever asked, What can I do to mend the world, my family, or my own life? And if I could, why bother? Does my small part even matter? If so, here comes hope from two guides who are further down the road. Charlie and Andi have written a collection of letters to Christians and spiritual seekers who think deeply and care acutely about the state of the world and their spheres of influence.

In Why Everything That Doesn’t Matter, Matters So Much, beloved and trusted mentors, Charlie and Andi offer you:Thought-provoking explorations into the many facets of Christian culture care and making, from the kitchen to Carnegie Hall.Practical guidance for how to care for and improve the quality of human life, locally and globally, no matter your vocation.A theology of imagination and creativity that provides a framework for all of life. A model for expressing love in marriage, friendship, citizenship, and every kind of work—even amid cynicism, fear, exhaustion, and oppression.

It might be said of Christians that our lives are either moving in the direction of the redemption Jesus has on offer, or away from it. Each of these letters is a gentle nudge in the direction of God’s powerfully ordinary purpose for each of us, no matter what the future holds, to participate fully in the beautiful, redemptive work of Christ.

My thoughts and impressions

What does it look like to be a follower of Jesus, the Christ?

Maybe we don’t know exactly, when we begin to walk with Him. We read the Bible. We may attend church. We talk to Him (a.k.a. prayer). Do we have what some might say is a “big” calling, like going to seminary and becoming a pastor, or sharing the gospel in another country? Or maybe we start on a smaller scale by going to a Bible study or volunteering in a 501(c)3.

What if walking with Jesus is much simpler than any of these…like when Mother Teresa said, “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”

One of the things I’ve loved so much about this book is that it offers a framework of looking at my entire life of faith. I didn’t go to seminary, and I am not a pastor or a CEO. In fact, I’m in a season of my life that still feels like it’s in transition from being a homeschool mom, as I was for many of my child’s growing-up years. But Why Everything That Doesn’t Matter, Matters So Much starts from the other side of the telescope, so to speak; it takes what this couple has learned over decades of following Jesus, and talking about it with those who are on any spot of that journey. And by sharing their own stories with readers in the form of letters–with both honesty and vulnerability–Ashworth and Peacock address what lives of faith can look like. Consider these chapter titles:

• Why Bother Learning to Cook: To Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Something More
• Why No Part Is Too Small To Matter: To Those Who Need Reminding of the Greatness of Small Things
• The Artist’s Role in the World: To the Artist and the Artful
• Talking About Jesus in the Public Square: To the Writer and Public Speaker of Any Kind
• Returning to a Writing Life: To Those Who Want to Find Time to Write
• The Cathedral of God’s Hands: To Parents and Children, Teachers and Students
• and more

Peacock and Ashworth are artists (one, a musician, and the other, a writer). And yet, in this book they talk about many other ways to walk out their faith than only via music or words. How can we walk with God and show love to others? We’ll have opportunities to practice these in opening our homes or sharing meals. By teaching and by learning. By caregiving (but also by taking intentional breaks when we’re caregiving). By thoughtfully sharing our words in the worlds of social media. By creating. By sharing the gifts we’ve been given.

In the end, this beautiful book is, to me, about having a perspective on life, on seasons, on our work or our play. How can we live with Jesus in all the parts of our lives, sharing His love with the humans around us? That’s not always easy. I would say, though, that it’s possible, through the love of God that dwells in us by faith in Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit. I personally so need this message. Because I fail, and I mess up, and I don’t share love as I wished I might. But still–God is with us; He loves me anyway; and He is there to help me express that love through gifts, by care, by all the little things I can do in a day.

Perhaps this book will encourage you too, as it has encouraged me.

Where to purchase Why Everything That Doesn’t Matter, Matters So Much

Why Everything That Doesn’t Matter, Matters So Much is available at numerous booksellers, both brick-and-mortar and online. Click on the purchase link below, to go to the book’s web page where you’ll be able to link to your favorite bookseller!

Purchase here

Where to find the authors online

Charlie Peacock:

• Charlie Peacock on Facebook
• Charlie Peacock on Instagram

Andi Ashworth:

• Andi Ashworth on Instagram

W Publishing:

• W Publishing on Facebook
• W Publishing on Instagram

Enjoy! –Wren

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from FrontGate Media. All opinions shared here are my own.

How to walk thru hardship with strength and grace: “Whatever Happens” (a review)

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I’ve been so thankful to have had the opportunity to read and review Robert J. Morgan’s newest book, Whatever Happens. Its subtitle tells us nearly everything we need to know about why we’d benefit from this book: “How to Stand Firm in Your Faith When the World is Falling Apart.” The author takes 31 chapters (making it perfect for a month’s devotional reading) and brings meaningful help from deeply examining the Bible book of Philippians–a book he has studied, taught, and preached on for 50 years. And in Whatever Happens, he brings so much to bless, encourage, and equip us for life as we read.

Sometimes I feel exhausted, lost, and chaotic too. Don’t you?”

Robert J. Morgan, Whatever Happens

About the book, from the publisher

Whatever Happens: How to Stand Firm in Your Faith When the World Is Falling Apart is a book by Robert J. Morgan. It is a deep dive into the book of Philippians, which the author describes as the Bible’s handbook for tackling each day with an undaunted attitude.

The book is composed of 31 short chapters that guide how to maintain faith in a world that seems to be spiraling downward. It teaches readers how to:

• Use prayer to energize their life
• Stay as cheerful as possible in all circumstances
• Let others lean on their strength
• Start everything with praise and end everything with prayer

The theme of the book can be summed up in these verses: “Whatever happens, conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then… I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you” (1:27–28).

The book is written from the perspective of the apostle Paul, who wrote his letter to the Philippians from a prison cell. Despite facing dire circumstances and an uncertain future, he was determined to stand firm in his faith and live a life worthy of the gospel. The book encourages readers to do the same, regardless of what they are going through.”

My thoughts about Whatever Happens

What a rich, meaningful book. Robert J. Morgan starts with Acts 16, then in the remaining 30 chapters, examines Philippians verse by verse. And what does he cover? Standing firm. Being content. Trusting God. Cultivating the mind of Christ. Being generous. Persevering. Being cheerful.

And that’s only the key ideas in 7 of the chapters!

Perhaps you, like me, have read the Bible book of Philippians. (Maybe even many times!) I’ve read it…but I haven’t inductively, or in a verse-by-verse manner. But reading Whatever Happens has caused me to realize, as never before, just how much is in this epistle that we desperately need for daily living. Morgan pulls advice for the faith life out of Philippians and frames it for the reader in fascinating chapters which include both excellent Bible teaching as well as memorable stories from Christians that will encourage and equip. Each of the chapter titles has an encouraging word that’s drawn from the verses covered in it. I wouldn’t be overstating it to call these “life-changing” instructions. Here are a few of them. Imagine the words, “Whatever Happens,” just before the bullet-pointed instructive phrases:

• Layer Your Life with Generosity
• Remember God is Still Working on You
• Replace Gloomy Thoughts with Glorious Ones
• Shine Like a Star in the Blackened Sky
• Stay as Cheerful as Possible
• Never Think of Quitting
• Trust God with Every Single Need
• Consider Yourself Worth Millions
• and more!

This precious book is just what I needed at this moment of my life. God is still reshaping me after some significant moments of suffering, over a decade ago, that negatively impacted my faith and trust. It’s true that God is still working on me (as Chapter 5 reminded me). I totally needed to hear that–as well as many of the other instructive chapter titles. I think that there are always times in our lives that we need to be reminded of the deep truths of God’s Word and of our relationship with Him. That He loves us. That He’ll never leave us. That He is trustworthy and faithful. That we can stand firm–and He’ll help us to do it.

I recommend this book with great joy for my readers. Whether you need a great shoring up of your faith, or you just want to be reminded of the truths of Scripture; if you’re a new believer or a seasoned one; if you’re young or old, this is a book I’m so happy to encourage you to get for yourself. You’ll come away from it encouraged and strengthened. It’s wonderful!

Whatever happens, know this: Even when you’re perplexed, God is orchestrating your footsteps and your future.”

Robert J. Morgan, Whatever Happens

Some of my favorite moments from Whatever Happens

Are you ever discouraged because life seems to be confusing…or you don’t understand why things happen the way they have? You are not alone, and this book’s useful wisdom reminds us of that. Here are some of my favorite quotes from this meaningful book!

• “Gloomy thoughts come from the way we interpret the happenings of our lives. Paul knew that every single circumstance was under the providence, the sovereignty, and the control of Jesus Christ, who had turned an occupied tomb into an empty grace. Hew knew that everything worked together for the good of those who love God and are living according to His purposes. He could even see some of the benefits God was bringing about.” (p. 54)
• “The things that happen to us have a divine way of actually turning out for our good and for the furtherance of the gospel. In His own way and time, the Lord reverses adversity, overrides misfortune, and dismantles the devil’s schemes. He will do this for you. Whatever happens, you can trust Him.” (p. 55)
• “Make up your mind to rejoice based on the knowledge you find in God’s Word. Find someone who needs you to pray for them. Yield yourself to Christ and let Him fill you with His Spirit.” (p. 63)
• “Contentment is the quiet joy of knowing the eternal God is our refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms. We may not have everything we want or even need, but we have Him—and that gives us the inward, quiet joy that we call contentment.” (p. 202)

Where you can purchase Whatever Happens

Whatever Happens is available at numerous booksellers, both online and or in brick-and-mortar stores. Click on the buy link below, and you’ll be taken to a page that has links to many of them.

Buy Whatever Happens here

Do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you can become blameless and pure, a child of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation, where you shine like a star in the sky as you hold forth the Word of Life.”

Philippians 2:14-25

Bless you! –Wren

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions shared here are my own honest ones.

Buy tix today to see “Ordinary Angels” in theaters–starting today, Feb. 23! (plus giveaway)

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Y’all–I have the most wonderful and amazing film to tell you about today! Hilary Swank, Alan Ritchson, and a cast of incredible actors bring an extraordinary true story to life. “Ordinary Angels” is in theaters starting today. Let me tell you more about the film, plus a special organization which seeks to help families with medical debt. Keep reading to learn about “Ordinary Angels” and RIP Medical Debt!

About “Ordinary Angels” from the producers

“Based on a remarkable true story, ORDINARY ANGELS centers on Sharon (Hilary Swank), a fierce but struggling hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she meets Ed (Alan Ritchson), a widower working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters. With his youngest daughter waiting for a liver transplant, Sharon sets her mind to helping the family and will move mountains to do it. What unfolds is the inspiring tale of faith, everyday miracles, and ordinary angels.”

“Ordinary Angel” cast includes:

• Hilary Swank
• Alan Ritchson
• Nancy Travis
• Amy Acker
• Tamala Jones
• Drew Powell
• Emily Mitchell
• Skywalker Hughes
• and more

My thoughts about “Ordinary Angels”

I believe that “Ordinary Angels” is an incredible and unique film! I’ve been waiting for it to come out for months–every since I first saw its trailer in 2023. I love Hilary Swank’s work; Alan Ritchson is a new fave; and I will always check out any film company associated with “Jesus Revolution!” This film introduces viewers to real people with real challenges. (From a true story!) Hilary Swank’s Sharon is a recovering alcoholic who can’t quite call herself an alcoholic. Alan Ritchson (Ed) is a dad with two precious daughters whose wife has died…and now his younger daughter needs a new liver. Oh–and he doesn’t have health insurance.

“Find a reason to be here that’s bigger than you are.”

“Ordinary Angels”

Sharon (be sure to see a bit of Swank’s exceptional portrayal in the trailer below) has so many regrets. But when she hears the quote above, she’s inspired to do everything she can to help save Ed’s little girl. He’s not sure what to make of the force of nature that is Sharon. But she may have come into his family’s life at the perfect moment.

I think that you’ll discover that both this film and its cast are captivating. You’ll want to see this lovely film, appropriate for tweens and up (IMO). Keep watching through the credits to be inspired yourself (when you’ll get to meet some of the real people from this story!).

Watch the “Ordinary Angels” trailer here!

While I’d love to show you the entire film here, I only have this trailer to show you—but it’s going to capture your heart. Take a peek at it, then keep scrolling down to see where you can purchase tickets to see “Ordinary Angels” in your city.

And don’t forget to enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card, courtesy of this wonderful film!

Purchase tix at this link to see “Ordinary Angels” in theaters now!

“Ordinary Angels” theater tickets buy link

And, check out the “Ordinary Angels” website for more about the film and additional ticket purchase options.

Enter to win a $10 Amazon GC courtesy of this wonderful film!

You can enter to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card to celebrate the premiere of Lionsgate’s and Kingdom Story Company’s film, “Ordinary Angels!” To enter, just click on the highlighted link below that says, “Enter here!” That will take you to a Giveaway Tools entry form where you’ll be able to enter to win in a variety of ways. Giveaway closes on 3/1/24. US entrants only. Best wishes!

Enter here!

What is RIP Medical Debt?

Have you ever experienced a medical situation, where you or a loved one, required a surgical procedure, medication, or treatment that was absolutely necessary but left you with unbelievable medical bills to pay? (I certainly have!) RIP Medical Debt was created to help lower income families overcome medical debt. Here’s Alan Ritchson telling more about RIP Medical Debt and how people can give, making a difference for those who are in desperate need.

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A post shared by Kingdom Story Company (@kingdomstorycompany)

Click on RIP Medical Debt to learn about this 501(c)3 organization and their unique and life-changing mission. Here’s more about RIP Medical Debt from “Ordinary Angels” and its producers:

Help us make the impossible possible. Every $1 you donate eliminates $100 in medical debt. Together with RIP Medical Debt, we aim to erase $10,000,000 in medical debt relief. The gift of debt relief is life-changing–and every dollar makes a difference. #OrdinaryAngelsMovie #KingdomStoryCompany ordinaryangels/move/rip

See this beautiful movie. And check out RIP Medical Debt! –Wren

Disclosure: Many thanks to Kingdom Faith Marketing Services, LLC for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.