Door To Freedom

"A great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me." 1 Corinthians 16:9.

This quote sums up the entire theme behind Jana Kelley's latest novel Door to Freedom, her sequel to Side by Side in which the Weston's,  a missionary family working for the Keller Hope Foundation in Sudan. For Michael and Mia along with their three children, they truly believe it is God's calling on their life to spend their next two years working for the foundation and offering hope to the Muslim community who wants to know more about Jesus, whom they refer to as Isa. It's not as simple as simply accepting Christ.

For a Muslim to deny their faith often means death, especially when that faith leads them to Jesus. For one family it meant the beating of their oldest daughter Halimah who fled from her family and has no contact with them any longer. They don't even recognize her as being their daughter and any word of her whereabouts would most certainly lead to her death. Now her sister Rania has faced growing up without her sister and now struggles with the Muslim customs of an arranged marriage with any man her father chooses. She finds hope in the New Testament that Halimah left her and told her that this book contained all the answers she would ever need in her life. Could it be so simple that one book held all the answers to whatever she faced in life? If that is the case, then why would so many people be opposed to reading it?

Michael and Mia face their own opposition at work where they can be investigated by the local authorities for even speaking about their Christian faith. It is a death sentence for anyone to attend to convert a Muslim to Christianity. During the Bible Study through Acts, they both believe that whatever the opposition in the community or at work is worth the price to tell others about Jesus, even if it would cost them their very lives.

I received Door To Freedom by Jana Kelley compliments of Litfuse Publicity and New Hope Publishers. This is a remarkable story based on true events that shows readers that the life of a missionary isn't as always as easy as we might think it is. It is dangerous and often times results in the deaths of those simply trying to share the message of hope to those lost in Islam and all the restrictions that family members, especially women face. The best part is the message of hope and salvation that comes to those who find the true light and truth in Jesus Christ. I easily give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Door To Freedom, Jana Kelley or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Door to Freedom by Jana Kelley

You can find Jana Kelley on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Door To Freedom, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour page. 

Living Hope - DVD Review

Ever considered being a missionary or head out on a missions trip to South Africa? You might want to check out Living Hope, a documentary on the lives of three missionaries who each have found hope in the darkness of despair in the DVD release from Word Films.

Living Hope is the story of three extraordinary individuals who have devoted their lives to serving the poor in South Africa. It is a feature length documentary of about 90 minutes created by the filmmakers behind Journey to Everest, Apostles of Comedy and Honoring a Father's Dream: Sons of Lwala.

We see the stories of John Thomas, a pastor who is leading his church to serve the sick, hungry and dying in the communities that surround them. Journey beside John through the neighborhoods where they work, meet the people their ministry has impacted, and hear from his heart why they chose to make a stand for the poor.

Joey Lankford, a businessman and father of four who moved his young family from the United States to Cape Town. Journey beside Joey as he equips men and women with job skills and leads them out of the bondage of poverty.

Finally, Leonie Rustin, a single mom and nursing assistant, who turned from a life of crippling drug addiction to follow Christ. Journey beside Leonie, as she attempts to help others in her community to unshackle the chains of addiction and prostitution.

I received Living Hope by Word Films compliments of Word Films and Edify Media Inc for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this DVD in exchange for my personal and honest evaluation. This documentary is perfect for any one considering entering into becoming a missionary or considering taking part in a missions trip to South Africa. Narrated by Joel Smallbone of For King and Country, this is such an impactful moving film that shows Christians taking on the task of helping the poor, destitute and the needy as Jesus commanded. When others question the motives of Christians, they need not look far to see how people are helping around the globe and these are just three of the remarkable people who gave up their own lives to help others find purpose in theirs. This is Dove family approved and winner of 5 doves from the Dove Foundation as well as the winner of the Great Commission Award from the Attic Film Festival in 2014 as well as the Official Selection in the UK Christian Film Festival in 2015. For me this one resounds with a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Living Hope, Word Films, or where you can pick up a copy of this DVD today, please click on the links below:

Living Hope by Word Films

You can find Word Films on Facebook to stay up to date on all their films and projects.

You can purchase a copy of Living Hope on DVD on Amazon. 

Kisses From Katie

The average, eighteen-year old girl, when she graduates from high school begins to plan her future. When she has a wonderful boy she's in love with, graduated at the top of her class and her parents have told her she can attend any college she wishes, that is the perfect stepping off point towards her adult life.

Yet for Katie Davis, she leaves it all behind. ALL OF IT! Breaks up with her boyfriend, packs up enough personal belongings and leaves for Uganda, Africa. No college plans, no getting married, just leaves for a missionary life helping out in the orphanages in Uganda.

It started off as a year long project with promises to her family she would return and begin college, yet Katie could leave behind the new friends and children who truly needed her. Even though she was only one person, sometimes that's all it takes to get the process moving. To quote Katie in her own words:

"Sometimes working in a Third World country makes me feel like I am emptying the ocean with an eyedropper. And just when I have about a half a cup full of water, it rains: More orphaned children from the north migrate to where I live, more abandoned and dead babies are found, more people are infected with HIV. It is enough to discourage even the most enthusiastic and passionate person. And yet the discouragement lasts only a moment and God tells me to keep going. That He loves me. That He loves these people. That He will never leave or forsake any of us, not one. That my work is important to him. That love is the reason I just keep filling up my little eyedropper, keep filling it up and emptying my ocean one drop at a time. I'm not here to eliminate poverty, to eradicate disease, to put a stop to people abandoning babies. I'm just here to love. "



In the novel, Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis and Beth Clark, we see how one person is making a difference in the lives of children, one child at a time. This is the story of Katie Davis and how she is telling the story through this book of how God is changing lives through her hands and heart. She is showing people who can't communicate with her, the love of God and Jesus, and it shows in every single page. While at times she gets frustrated with efforts to not be able to help fast enough or big enough, Katie teaches us all through this book, we can all work towards helping to put an end to starving, orphaned children. God does provide enough, we simply have to ALL be willing to do our part to help.

I received this book compliments of Simon and Schuster for my honest review and was so deeply touched by Katie's story. How could you not? Katie's message is very clear. We may not all have a call of being a missionary on our lives, but we can all help. We can all begin today to make a difference in the lives of people all around us, we simply need to be willing. Once God finds a willing heart, watch out for the amazing things He will be able to do! I rate this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and if your interested in more about Katie Davis, the novel or where you can purchase this book, click on the links below:

Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis and Beth Clark

You can also follow Katie on her blog by clicking here.
If you want to help out to support the people in Uganda and Amazima Ministries, click here.

The Grandfathers - DVD Review

Nate Saint was famous for something most of us would not want to be remembered for. He was murdered by a tribe he was living with in the jungles of the Amazon in Ecuador. Not only was he murdered but four others he was traveling with, leaving his widow, Rachel behind in the tribe.

What happened after that fateful day would change the Amazon tribe forever in events that are told about in the DVD documentary, The Grandfathers.

We meet the Saint family as they uproot their lives and move to the jungles of the Amazon rainforest to meet the tribe of people living there, the Woadani's, that killed their grandfather but to see just how much their lives are forever changed. The saying "same hands, yet different hearts" is the theme throughout as we see just how different it is for both cultures to live within each others worlds and to see God's forgiveness played out in this beautiful film.

I received the DVD, The Grandfathers by EGM Films, compliments of B & B Media Group for my honest review. Both my 17 year old daughter and I watched it, often times in amazement, laughter and tears in the 54 minutes. It changed us both and made us realize how different things really are and yet there is wisdom from our grandparents that needs to be listened to and learned from. It makes us not only the people we are today, but able to learn from their ways and grow. I would easily rate this a 5 out of 5 stars for anyone looking to see what a Missionary life is like from a true perspective.

This is the third film in the series that chronicles the lives of the five missionary men who died from Mart Green and Jim Hanon, with End of The Spear and Beyond the Gates of Splendor being the first two. This film has received the Dove Foundation seal of approval. I can't wait to see the first two.

For more information about this DVD, watch a trailer, and where to purchase a copy, click on the link below:

The Grandfathers DVD by EMG Films