Finding Noah - Movie Review

For over 2,000 years, man has been searching for the final resting place of Noah's Ark.  Though there have been many attempts, few have been able to fully explore the one place specifically noted in the Bible: Mount Ararat.  Located in Eastern Turkey, Agri Dagh or "The Painful Mountain" is the tallest mountain in the region and lies in the very center of a centuries old, geo-politically unstable hot spot.  With constant threats of deadly rock slides, hidden crevasses, and glacial ice falls, the Kurdish Rebel held mountain poses great risk to any explorer, let alone those performing a thorough scientific investigation.  

Join director/producer Brent Baum and the FINDING NOAH film crew as they follow an expedition of intrepid explorers on a perilous trek up to Mt. Ararat's desolate summit.  There, using state of the art technology and real-time satellite imagery, this team of archeologists, scientists and professional mountaineers will begin a grid work of exploration unlike any before, hoping to finally resolve the age-old question:  did Noah and his Ark actually exist?  

Shot in never-before filmed locations in the harshest of conditions, this unprecedented feature-length documentary shows just how far men are willing to go to discover the truth.  Narrated by Academy Award nominee Gary Sinise, FINDING NOAH is more than a quest for answers, it is a testament of the human spirit, where belief and the need for exploration transcend risk and limitation.  

My Review: 

I am a firm believer of the Bible and in the Book of Genesis, it states that the ark rested on the top of Mount Ararat when the waters began to recede after the flood. The one thing that no one can argue is that in virtually every religion and in every culture, there is a story of a great flood or deluge that covered the earth. It is also why I believe that fossils of species are found on virtually every continent despite that the environments may not have been suitable for that species. It is the only plausible answer that fits and once science will one day come to accept. In this documentary, I am in awe of the spirits of the men from various backgrounds and skills sets that have banded together using information that has been acquired for more than a hundred years in an attempt to locate any sign of Noah's ark.

I won't tell you the outcome because that would ruin it for everyone, but sometimes its the persistence and desire to locate what has been kept secret locked beneath 30 some meters of ice and glaciers in a region where the territory and rights of those that control it, have been ever changing for centuries. Now under control of the Turkish government and even then against two opposing sides, the team must gain permission to begin the climb otherwise they are fair game to those who continue to fight in that region. It is unbelievable what it takes to begin this journey and will be a huge favorite for those that love a challenge or are hard core climbers.

I received the opportunity to preview Finding Noah before it hits theaters on October 8th for one night only, compliments of Propeller LLC and 17K ASL for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from my opportunity to preview it and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. I love the background history into the cultural aspects behind trying to find the ark and what it would mean if they could find it. It goes beyond simply proving it exists, and now just need to find out precisely where it is buried. I hadn't realized that many other documentaries that have claimed they have found the ark were fakes in order to make money on their movie. For me this one rated a 4 out of 5 stars and is Dove Approved for ages 12 and up.

For more information about Finding Noah, obtaining tickets to see it on October 8 or learning more about the team that made the journey, please click on the links below:

Finding Noah by 17K ASL
 
You can find Finding Noah on Facebook to stay up to date on all the latest news about the ark.
  
To purchase tickets for this one day event to see Finding Noah on October 8th, please click here.

When Calls the Heart: Heart and Home - DVD Review

Those of us that adore Hallmark Channel's series, When Calls the Heart, are referred to as "Hearties" and now with the introduction of Heart and Home, the latest DVD from the series has now caused a bit of a stirring up among our favorite characters.

Just when we believe things are settled, there comes a bit of chaos to the mix. Charles is still there as Elizabeth Thatcher's (Erin Krakow) childhood friend that seems to be encouraged by those in Elizabeth's family, all but her sister Julie, that Charles would make a more suitable match than Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing). As they both arrive back to Hamilton with news that Julie and Jack's brother, Tom have been involved in a car accident, the car belonging to Elizabeth's dad. He is all set to prosecute to the full extent of the law and have Tom tossed in jail. He knows that Julie has been a bit headstrong in her opinion that she and Tom are in love and had hoped to get married. But there is one thing Mr. Thatcher wants to control is who his daughters marry and he isn't too thrilled to have either of the Thornton men with interests in his daughters.

As Jack and Elizabeth arrive, the tables get turned a bit for viewers. Jack spends time visiting with his brother Tom in the hospital and manages to convince Elizabeth's father to drop the charges against his brother especially when evidence Jack uncovers tells a much different story about who was really driving the car that day. However he does find a friend in Tom's nurse Faith as the two discover they have quite a bit in common. As a way of thanking her for all her help, Jack meet Faith over dinner and is discovered by Elizabeth's sister and her husband.

Not one to keep secrets she is quick to let Elizabeth know that she saw Jack having dinner with another room, which once again throws a monkey wrench into our favorite couple. Julie and Tom decide not to let their families tell them what to do and make plans to elope. Rosemary is head over heels with the excitement that she has managed to convince Lee Colter to build her a theater. Of course what man wouldn't for a woman he loves. But he still has issues with Mr. Gowen who has vowed to put an end to the impending railroad contract that would promise to be quite the thing the town needs to bring more industry to the town of Hope Valley and make Lee a very wealthy man. But with Elizabeth now heading back to Hamilton to deal with the issues with her family, she leaves the school to a back up teacher who has a less than pleasing disposition with her students and Rosemarie offers to lend a hand of course.

I received When Calls the Heart: Heart and Home from Word Films and Edify Media Group for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside from a free copy of the DVD for review, the opinions contained here are strictly my own personal ones. I have loved this series from it's inception and from Janette Oke's novel which inspired the show. It is one of the true shows that is still family appropriate for all ages much like Little House on The Prairie did for my childhood. Michael Landon Jr is the executive producer and truly the show gets better with each new episode. Much of what I love about this series, it's the fashions and the simplicity of life in Hope Valley compared to that of Hamilton. For me, another 5 out of 5 stars and I can't wait for more. This DVD runs approximately 84 minutes and includes some exclusive behind the scenes interview.

For more information about When Calls the Heart: Heart and Home, Word Films or where you can pick up a copy of this DVD today, please click on the links below:

When Calls the Heart: Heart and Home

You can find When Calls the Heart on Facebook to stay up to date on all their latest episodes.

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

To order a copy of When Calls the Heart: Heart and Home from Amazon please click here. 

The Apologetics Study Bible for Students

The Christian walk of faith is certainly one of that requires a lot of faith, but also a trust in a God that we, as a generation has never seen. The world for most students who are attending public school and colleges are those in whose faith will be put to the ultimate test, to stand for the truth in an ever changing world that is growing more hostile to the Christian faith. Will our generation of children be able to stand strong in the coming storm? Will they have all the answers they need to defend what they believe? Is there a tool that can help them with the challenging questions that will be asked of them? I believe there is!

Sean McDowell is the general editor for the Apologetics Study Bible for student, a tool I believe will be useful for answering those difficult and heartfelt challenges about their faith and the life that they have chosen. It is designed to help students be equipping them with the truths of Scripture that enables them to articulate their faith. A better way to think of it, is Christian apologetics 101, which isn't about apologizing for their faith, but helping them understand how to defend it in today's growing and changing world.

The HCSB or Holman Christian Study Bible edition offers them introductions into each of the sixty six books of the Bible along with some amazing study notes to provide evidence of the reliability and truthfulness of Scripture. There are also 120 articles scattered throughout written by today's leading Christian thinkers like Sean McDowell, Bayard Taylor, Daryl Rodriguez, Alison Thomas, Frank Turek, Steve Russo, Ryan Sharp, and many, many more that deal with such topics like "Why Are Some Christian's Hypocrites, How Can I Be Sure I am Saved, If God Made Everything, Why Shouldn't I Smoke Pot, Why Would A Good God Send People to Hell and so many others that deal with the kinds of questions being asked by people today that our children and teens deal with. What better way to answer them than with the right tools and scriptures to reference!

There are also those Scriptures that other religions and people try to twist to make us question our own understanding of the Bible, along with 50 Bone and Dirt features that highlight important archaeological discoveries with an apologetics value with quotes from influential people throughout history. There is also 25 tactics to equip students to withstand opposition to Christianity by outlining tactics and strategies for handling frequently heard anti-Christian arguments. Finally there are also 20 personal stories that will help encourage and strengthen readers in their faith by describing how God has worked dramatically in other people's lives and 20 Fast Facts that compare such differences as the Bible versus the Koran, Atheism, America's Christian Heritage, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Darwin's Evolution Theory as well.

This is the perfect gift for your middle school student and up because it is more than the Bible it is a tool that will enable them to stand up for what they believe in and know right where to go for the answers. A wonderful graduation gift for any student of the Christian Faith and one that I highly recommend. It comes with indented tabs to enable quick reference into the Bible, and my favorite is how it is written to appeal to students in each section such as "What is going on here?" helps them to understand why a particular book of the Bible was written and what had been happening in the land as it was addressed! My 16-year-old daughter LOVES having this Bible to use in her youth group and loves the videos that you have access to by picking up a copy of this Bible as well. They have encouraged her in ways reading articles would never reach her for defending her faith! I would rate this one a 5 out of 5 perfected stars and think every student should own one! I received The Apologetics Study Bible for Students compliments of B and H Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review aside from a free copy of the Bible. The opinions contained here are my own. I think our generation of teens deserves the gift of a Confident Faith and this is just the right resource for them to find it! Now for the best part.

Thanks to the generosity of B and H Publishers, they are offering giveaway copy of the Apologetic Study Bible for Student to one lucky follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. Here are your guidelines to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog, Reviews From The Heart. 

2. Be a resident of the US or Canada. Please No P.O. Boxes.

3. Leave me a comment below telling me why you'd love to win a copy of the Apologetics Study Bible for Students and how you plan on using it. Don't forget to include your email address so I can make sure if you are the lucky winner, I have a way to reach you. You can even use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols.

I will notify the winner of this giveaway on October 12th, so make sure you include your email address with your comments below to be eligible to win.

For more information about The Apologetics Study Bible for Students HCSB, Sean McDowell or where you can pick up a copy of this amazing Bible today, please click on the links below:

The Apologetics Study Bible for Students

To access the Study Videos, simply click here and begin your own journey into Apologetics!

To purchase a copy of the Apologetics Study Bible for Students, please click here.

For more reviews on The Apologetics Study Bible for Students, please visit B and H Publisher's website. 

The Babylon Code

"There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact. ~ Sherlock Holmes, The Bascombe Mystery.

You just don't know how very true the statement is. When you look at the sorry state our world seems to falling into rapidly, you begin to wonder if there isn't a reason why all of this is happening. Are we headed rapidly towards a convergence of some kind? I believe we are and so do most people who are surveyed in the world. However the outcomes are too very different ones. Some believe we are heading towards the culmination of a one world government while the others believe we are simply living in the final days of Bible prophecy. Which everyone one you believe, it is apparent something is happening and it doesn't look like it's going to get any better.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the United Nations General Assembly that 'biblical prophecies are being realized. Franklin Graham says the world is in the 'last hours' before Christ return and Pope Francis believes mankind is in the beginning stages of a piecemeal, "Third World War." All of these remarks are coming on the heels at a time of plummeting morality, spiritual apathy, exploding national debts, severe economic turmoil, political uncertainty, a spate of historic natural disasters, worsening worldwide drought, record-breaking extreme weather, the growing risk of a nuclear conflagration and other daunting challenges. Have the biblical end-times finally arrived?

We have had the September11th, terrorists attacks, Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 financial meltdown, the Fukushima nuclear disaster and the increasingly unstable situation in the Middle East with the rise of ISIS and Iran's suspected development of nuclear weapons. There appears to be no end to the bad news. We have the killings of Christians by Muslims from Indonesia to Bangladesh to Pakistan, China tearing down church buildings. Christians tortured, beheaded, and crucified in Iraq, with villages burned and churches destroyed, and much the same in Syria. You can't help but wonder if we are in the last hours before Jesus returns.

Many intuitively sense that the world has entered one of the most dangerous times in all of human history. Society is caught in a maelstrom of converging forces - the growing threat of thermonuclear war, worsening drought and famine and intensifying calls for a new internal order and global authority to address the mounting array of international crises. Experts are alarmed by the continued spread of weapons of mass destruction and threats by Iran, North Korea and ISIS to bring about "Armageddon" in the West. Meanwhile, fears of a economic collapse are growing as nations continue to amass unprecedented levels of debt.

But are all these things merely coincidences or is there something larger at work. Some believe that God has removed His hand of protection and America is being to reap what it has sown by such things as legal abortions, the redefinition of traditional marriage to include same sex couples and now the persecution of Christians within our own bodies if any stand on religious freedoms. Others believe that we are all merely pawns being used by those in the Illuminati, the Freemasons, or the Rothschilds or other secret organizations that have been planning for such a time as this where a one world government, one world economy and a one world religion can be culminated like never before. Is now that time? Are these organizations really at work playing people like master puppeteers? A closer look and an indepth research is required.

In the book, The Babylon Code from Paul McGuire and Troy Anderson, they take a look back into both situations to see how close any of these theories are to becoming a reality. While I can appreciate their interpretations of the Bible from the use of Daniel, Ezekiel, Revelation and more, I see that most of this book is redundant. In fact, I believe you could scale this down to half of what is included and still gain the point behind that they intended. I lost count how many times, the reiterated the story of Nimrod and it's correlation to both the Bible and the world views. I felt like I read a book that had been written in various stages or chapters and then assembled together. I was sincerely hoping for so much more than what this book promises and for me, comes a bit short on delivering what I believe the reader is hoping to gain from reading it. It needs someone to read through it and reorganize the information in a more concise manner to make this what I believe the authors were hoping for. I received The Babylon Code by Paul McGuire and Troy Anderson compliments of Faith Words for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation aside from a free copy of this book to review for my honest opinion. For me this one had promise but failed to deliver in the way I believe they intended and thus the reason for my 3.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Babylon Code, Paul McGuire, Troy Anderson or where you can preorder a copy of this book today which is due out in October of 2015, please click on the links below:

The Babylon Code by Paul McGuire and Troy Anderson

You can also find The Babylon Code on Facebook to get more information about the details discussed in this book.

For more reviews on The Babylon Code, please visit Faith Words website. 

Angel of Wrath

When you want a great suspense thriller that couple a bit of the spiritual warfare, you would immediately think of Frank Peretti, but now there are quite a few authors that have picked up the proverbial baton as it were on the Christian side of things and run with it. Bill Myers is one such incredibly talented author who picks up with the sequel of The Voice with Angel of Wrath. It delivers just what is promises and you don't have to read The Voice to gain an appreciation for this one.

The trio that we met in the first novel, Special Ops Agent Charlie Madison, Lisa Harmon, an ex FBI agent and Jazmin, his thirteen-year-old niece find themselves dragged into an unexplained series of murders involving the pastor of the local church and Lisa's brother, Thomas and his family. As each member of the body of the church family winds up dead with no witnesses other than a cryptic calling card outlining their religious crimes from adulterer, gossip, murderers and more. The body count is adding up faster than the local police can attempt to find clues. The only ties seem to be with an ex military agent known only as Kristof, who has garnered the worship of the high school teens to take part in a Satanic worship to call forth an enemy from the spiritual realm that will do their bidding.

Believing they are ushering in the end time events culminating with the unholy alliance of Jesus Christ and Satan, they have begun their own brand of religious cleansing of the church who has forgotten their first love and instead it about its own glory in building the world's largest megachurch. No longer preaching the gospel message as it might offend newcomers and the younger generation, these members of the church have found that sin is quite profitable until the light is shined upon it, including its own head the church Lisa's brother. They have little time to locate the killer and try to find a way to send back the demon summoned from hell before more wind up dead. It will take a battle of their backgrounds but mostly faith to fight those that want them all dead.

Angel of Wrath is the sequel to The Voice from Bill Myers and I absolutely love how this one played out throughout the book. You weren't sure if it was all demonically driven or if there was another player working in the background and it seems as if it may not be over. This novel is not overly religious, but it does bring faith into the picture against the demons they have summoned to do their bidding and at some point transports some of our characters into the very pit of what could be called hell as we meet with legion. What I love about this novel is that it showcases the danger of dealing with the occult and while we might believe we have power over evil, it is all a facade and what is often summoned is more than what people might believe. It simply opens a doorway into the spiritual realm that allows evil an opportunity to gain a foothold. But the power of good and faith is used to show just how powerful knowing Jesus can be when the battle goes beyond what they thought. Forgiveness, redemption and love are the key themes to this novel. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions presented here are strictly my own honest ones. I would give this novel a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Angel of Wrath, Bill Myers or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Angel of Wrath by Bill Myers 

You can find Bill Myers on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Angel of Wrath, please visit Faith Words's website.  

Sky Blue

To say I really like Travis Thrasher's novels would be a serious understatement, and I truly believe that somewhere if it is at all possible, we are definitely on the same wave length when it comes to writing. The exception is, he has had his books published, while mine remain shared between close family members and friends, much like Donald's, a character in his novel, Sky Blue, meaning for now, those great novels are simply in my head. If you have honestly never picked up a novel by Travis Thrasher, I would seriously encourage you to do so, especially if you are at all like me and hate books where you can figure things out before the end. Most novels have that uncanny ability to do just that, introduce a set of characters, develop a plot line and then slowly lead you down the path to where you imagine it all might just end up. Not with Travis's novels.

Sky Blue was something I didn't quite expect and since I've been filling the gaping holes in my Thrasher library with his older novels, I was extremely interested in reading this one since the note he included in the book was "one of my favorite novels." I mean how could you not resist wanting to read a novel that is one of the authors favorites. Once again, I was floored by the last handful of pages, because despite where I though this one was going, once again, he pulled the proverbial rug out from beneath my feet and left me flat on the floor looking at the sky. How did I miss that? I mean it's like the movie Signs by M. Night Shyamalan or The Sixth Sense with Bruce Willis. It's exactly like when you get to the end of the story expecting one thing then it takes you some place different, a place you didn't even see coming. You have to almost go back and reread it to figure out where did the unexpected turn come from that you simply missed perhaps because the story was so good, you simply missed that exit while you were driving along.

To sum up Sky Blue without giving away the true diamond is simply about the life of Colin Scott, a literary agent who is simply burned out (think Jerry Maguire), and is struggle to find his way out of the same old boring routine and from over paid, demanding, egotistical authors who believe that they are the next J.K. Rowling in the mix. Couple that with his marriage to Jen that is on the rocks while they are trying unsuccessfully to have a baby. With careers that keep them apart more than together, they try for one final vacation to put their marriage back together before it's too late. Then tragedy strikes and the life Colin had hoped would be their future is now lost at sea and he is among the debris. Think you know where this one will end up. Yeah I don't think so. Trust me you will want to savor this one to the end, don't rush it trying to figure it out. Enjoy the journey!

Now if you ask me, I'm going to have a hard time, trying to pick one of my favorite novels from Travis Thrasher simply because they are all that great but in vastly different ways. One thing he has taught me as a potential future author is that it's okay to take people where they least expect to go. If you sell them on the story they will go with you all the way to the end and it will be that greatness you had dreamed it would be. Well one thing I can say about this novel Mr. Thrasher is to pen a quote from Sky Blue where you borrowed a quote from Stephen King, " writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, or making friends. In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who will read our work, and enriching your own life, as well." You have done that and more thanks to taking your talent and enriching the lives of those that read your novels. Greatness awaits as you put more of your incredible stories between the pages of another brilliant novel. I am a forever fan!

I received Sky Blue  by Travis Thrasher as a self purchase and did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. The opinions contained in this review are strictly my own personal honest ones. Hands down I would be extremely hard pressed NOT to give this one 5 out of 5 stars but if you read it, I'm sure you are likely to agree with me.

For more information about Sky Blue, Travis Thrasher or where you can pick up a copy of this novel, please click on the links below:

Sky Blue by Travis Thrasher

You can find Travis Thrasher on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn

I was so excited to get this book that I immediately sat down and began reading it. Pinecraft, Florida is definitely on my Bucket List, because each time I read one of Shelley Shepard Gray's novels using that as a setting, it makes me not only want to visit, but possibly live there. The characters she has breathed life into makes you want to see for yourself how hospitable, warm and loving this community of Amish truly is. While the place is real, we know that the characters are just the ones we have fallen in love with from the moment we began our journey in the Amish Brides of Pinecraft Series. A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn is the third book in this series. Welcome back my dearest friends!

Beverly Overholt, part owner now of the Orange Blossom Inn finds that her niece Tricia who has made Pinecraft her home for now, has begun a friendship with Ben Hilty, the oldest son of the Hilty family who was staying at the Inn, until the farm they purchased was ready for them to begin moving into. Now it seems she is hoping that Tricia doesn't fall to hard too soon for Ben as she is still dealing with her past that caused her to wind up with Beverly to begin with. Meanwhile Beverly is trying to sort of her own feelings with the new owner of the Inn, Eric Wagler, an English man who is attempting to sell his home so he can manage the Inn on a more permanent basis. For now, Beverly is in charge of manning it full time. How can she possibly have feelings for her new boss?

Emma Keim, a widow with three young girls is about to run into God's true destiny for her life, when a wayward beagle named Frankie, with an appetite for all kinds of food, but especially pizza, lands himself in a backyard pizza feast of the Hilty family. Her she meets Jay Hilty and his three boys who is also a widower and she finds that making a friend might not be such a bad thing after all. However when circumstances keep bringing the two families together, both of them feel a pull towards more than friendship as time wears on, especially since they witness the growing affections between Ben and Tricia. Is love once again in the air at the Orange Blossom Inn?

I received A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn by Shelley Shepard Gray compliments of Avon Inspire Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review, aside for a free copy of this novel, and the opinions expressed here are my personal honest ones. It will be hard to watch this series end because I feel like I have gotten to know each of these residents in a personal way through the sharing of their story in Pinecraft and their place in the community. Here is to hoping that not only Beverly and Eric fall in love as those daily phone calls seem to hint at, but also the love growing between Emma and Jay. Just like an Amish Brady Bunch as Shelley like's to refer to them as. For me, this is like a true homecoming each time I open these novels and thus the reason for my 5 out of 5 rating. I love savoring each story and this one was exceptional!

For more information about A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn, Shelley Shepard Gray or where you can pick up a copy of this one today, please click on the links below:

A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn by Shelley Shepard Gray

You can find Shelley Shepard Gray on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Wedding at the Orange Blossom Inn, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour page.