Where Do I Turn?

I have been hearing way too many stories over the last few weeks about death, illness through cancer and fear in what to do when life throws friends and family curves that just seem unfair. I must confess that when trials and taking blind leaps of faith come, I wonder why and how this can be. Haven’t I done enough or been good enough? I don’t do everything that is in the Bible, so does that mean my faith has to be tested often? I seem to find a stopping point by listening to either God or others. You might say “I don’t care what others think or what God thinks if I have to go through cancer. How can God be about love or forgiveness and this happens?” When you get a cancer diagnosis, it might be the 30th thing that has gone bad for you over many months in your life. Why does God love me if He wants me to go through bad things?

I know that I said that I was going to start posting reviews for books starting last Friday but I felt that I need to post this first because I came across 2 scripture passages that I think will help any of you who are dealing with death, illness, or trials. God does love you and me according to these passages. They are 1 John 2:12 -14 and Matthew 6:25-34. I don’t really know if this blog will help me and you to fully heal because things in life are hard to figure out. However, I do know that when I have difficulties in life I try to always turn to God and try to figure out life through His eyes and what His words for me to read and say.

In closing, I am not trying to convince you of anything but am just offering information and hope you will at least look at it with an open mind and heart. I have never been afraid of turning to God. Where do I turn for God? My heart turns to Him in prayers. After that, it is his word. I hope that you give it a try and see if things for you or your friends start turning around. If you want to know how to pray, I suggest looking at Matthew 6: 9-13.

Be blessed!

Brad

Being Alive

So I have been away awhile from this blog thing. I don't know if you care that I have been away or even if I am alive to continue writing here. But I must say that I have been very reflective in the last few weeks since about April. I have questioned myself whether if I am going the right way in my life. If yes, what do I need to do to feel more energetic and alive with my time, feelings and my writing? So a question was posed to me and I decided to answer it.

"If you really want to be an author, what are you not doing to show them you are alive?" Another question I thought after that was the following. What if I never become a published book author if self-publishing is a bad idea and professional editing is expensive and I want to be a known writer?

Then last month I was listening to people who were trying to do what I want to do for a career and got a few ideas on doing something challenging and fun and feel like I am alive and being productive in this arena called writing.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to start posting book reviews for you to read and decide if you would like to read those books. I will still do movie reviews, if you know independent directors or producers of Christian and Indy Family movies and want a review of their film projects, for your entertainment as well. I hope that you will find in the future that my blog is a place that you want to drop by on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. If you do I thank you now for giving me some of your time for reading my words. Thank you also for praying for me if you do. Let me know what you think of my blogs.

Finally, I will blog about various topics if you would like for me too that has a Biblical prospective that I have learned. Drop me an email at music2movies@yahoo.com for movie reviews, book reviews and topic requests for this blog. Guess that is it for now.... I will have my first book review up this week so be looking.

Be blessed!

Brad

The Way Home Movie Review

On Tuesday evening of this week, I went to a movie premiere at the Fox Theater. Being at this historic place and seeing a movie where “Gone With the Wind” also premiered almost 70 years ago, I must say “The Way Home” could be a historic event on the big screen at the Fox as well.

“The Way Home” is a true story of a family in Carroll County, Georgia. It deals with a missing two year old boy, Joe, and the Simpkins family’s crisis in hopes of finding him alive. In a very moving and excellent written story, it shows how one community rallies around a family to help them search for their little boy.

Dean Cain (Lois and Clark fame) playing Randy Simpkins, Lori Beth Edgeman (Army Wives fame) playing his wife Christal, and Sonny Shroyer (Enos of The Dukes of Hazzard fame) lead an excellent cast of actors portraying the events in “The Way Home.” This story shows that with God all things are possible and with hope, prayers can be answered.

If you want to see a movie that is the best touching and life altering story of the year then THIS IS IT. It will be coming to a theater near you soon. For more information and a trailer about the movie check out www.thewayhome-movie.com . I promise you that you do not want to miss this in the theaters. After you see it, you probably will want to buy a DVD copy later to watch over and over. I know I will because Christian and family movies filled with lessons and hope are what I want to see more of in the theaters and buy in the stores. Who knows, this movie might be as historic as “Gone With the Wind” is some day? Do you know your way home?

Be blessed!

Brad

Who Needs God?

Is this an important question for each one of us? Who needs God? I am not going to have a debate on if God exists because that is not the point to this blog. I say that he does and it is important to have God on your side. You might say that no one gives anything to you and selfish actions are the only way to make it in this world.

Ok, so I don’t need God. What do I need to be happy? What do I do to be free of guilt? How can I make sense of living? I don’t know the answers to these questions and neither can you if God doesn’t exist. The Holy Bible is just a book if God is imagination. Science can have no foundations for real basis theory because we don’t know what various molecules and atoms were when this planet was made. There was not a written language many experts agree. The information presented was written down thousands of years later. Now if God is not real, then I need nothing to be happy, safe or smart. This sounds stupid you may say. Then God must exist. We need to be happy. We need to be safe and guilt free. We need answers to life. God exists and He listens to our prayers and they are answered daily. Miracles exist because of God. Inspiration happens because of God. This all leads me to 2 questions that need answers.

Why do we want to upset God and expect love, forgiveness and answers? What will it take for leaders, politicians, executives, pastors, and us to wake up or shut up for Him to give the answers to all eternal peace? If we had hope of eternal peace then it would not matter how far taxes are increased or how people must act to be perfect in this world. Yes I said it…. We have to be perfect in this world or we are failures. Why else do we work so hard and keep trying to be better to gain nothing? We do not truly gain things in this life because when we die all of this stuff is gone and just junk for others to sell at yard sales. Who needs God? I do. You do. Terrorists do. Prisoners do. Pastors do. Scientists do. Come on and join me in the Wide Awake group or Wake Up group and find peace, love, joy, and a safety net from God. Be blessed!

Brad

Without Faith then What

Every time that I seem to take two steps forward, why does it seem that I really take them backwards? I have heard two statements over and over in my life. If at first you don’t succeed then try and try again. The other is unless you are humble in all your prayers then the Lord will not hear you. I want to devote this blog to these two statements.

1. If at first you don’t succeed then try and try again. I must tell you that I am really tired of this statement and do not think there are ANY positives that come from it. So why do we use such a lame comment to people that we like, love or work with? I think it is used to make ourselves numb to all disappointments, pain and trials in the day to day activities. How do we prevent these things that make us want to crawl in our holes? I don’t know or I would not be making the same mistakes. I have been trying to make my mark so to speak for most of my life. I have felt a burden for a number of years and like an outcast at other times. It’s like being on the outside looking in and just can’t get anywhere. I believe you can keep trying until Jesus comes but if there is no positive change or success in your life then the statement is just a statement and not a fact or fiction. I also believe, to use this statement, we give a whole lot away to just to either be heard or have a real and truthful attempt at what we are supposed to do. I can try different approaches by going through a window, front door or even the back door but I have to give something away to do that. I believe we all give away Faith. Faith is given because that is what we want from other people to us. When we have great problems with their giving which are failures or whether being taken advantage of, it does leave you empty. I can say for me that you are definitely right most of the time. How do I find hope or faith in my trials and attempts? I find that hope in God. God is always listening to me and teaching me even when I act like a fool.

2. Unless you are humble in all your prayers then the Lord will not hear you. I realize some of you might read this and think this is a judgment statement. The similar statement is biblically founded in Micah 6:8. For those of you that think God always hears me or that God knows my heart and my intent, be careful in what you believe. While God does listen, He might give you exactly what you ask as a punishment. How do I know this?

I have asked God in the past for things so that I could understand better the situations that I and others face on a daily basis. It taught me more than I ever wanted to learn or experience in my life. I have learned that poor are poor for a reason, rich are rich for a reason, and why people have gifts that I don’t have or abilities not at a professional level. These are in God’s plans and teachings. It might be to teach a person, group, nation or the whole world. I suggest you read the Holy Bible. There are examples after examples that have a lesson for the various types I just stated.

Ok, you probably are wondering why I decided to use this second statement for this blog. It is another example I know that deals with faith and not in a literal sense. If you are humble in your prayers and in all your ways acknowledge Him, the Lord will place His faith in you. How can this be? When Adam and Eve were created thousands of years ago, God placed all His faith and love in them. Then He sent Jesus His son and placed all His faith in him. Today, God created us and placed all his faith in us. What does he expect from us? I believe it is to love one another, be humble, and forgive always. This is all very hard for me to do all the time. I will do my best because I have placed my faith in Him and all I desire is His 100% love and support just as he desires mine. Be blessed!

Brad

Knowing

I watched a movie this past weekend called “Knowing”. Before I went to see this movie I saw the commercials and the descriptions about it. It deals with a boy and his father finding a piece of paper with numbers all over the page. It is a code when deciphered unlocks past major events that happened all around the world and even a couple not known yet. I was not expecting a Da Vinci Code movie or Biblical film but I had hopes that some religious stuff would be in it since it deals with everybody and not just a select group or groups. When I left the movie, I was very disappointed in the outcome. I left knowing that still nothing good comes from Hollywood when it is about hopes, dreams and future events for all to see.

Why would “Knowing” be more than just entertainment? It would be good entertainment if the script had a completion and didn’t run out of steam. This movie had good action in it and was a little scary but the ending was disappointing. It ran around hoping that the last clue answered all the codes on the paper.

What is Knowing all about in our day to day lives? The word knowledge means the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association. (Merriam-Webster) http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knowledge

I believe knowledge is gained through factual education whether from schooling, church, reading, or life experience. Driving home after the movie, I started to think about what is important in knowing anything in life. I also further thought about why it is important to know the facts of the Bible, God and Jesus being my personal Lord and Savior. I realized two things. I think knowing anything in life is what keeps us alive and gives us a purpose. I also remember a statement that a friend of mine wrote me in a message the other day. “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others. For beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” I feel that while I was disappointed in the movie “Knowing,” I am glad that I saw it for one reason. It caused me to reflect and know that God has life all mapped out for us if we will listen. Knowing this is all the “Knowing” that I will ever need. Be blessed!

Brad

Where is God?

Have you been watching the news the last few weeks and heard about the attacks on Religion? I was watching Glenn Beck on Fox News last week and he tried to have many different beliefs to address the problems he felt was really starting to get crazy and out of control. There is a law that has been passed in Connecticut that is starting to censor people’s speech when it is dealing with God. There are college students in California not allowed to pray and express their beliefs even if they are just praying for a professor’s illness.

What is going on people? Have we really stopped giving a crap about this world, culture, financial systems and so much more? It really seems to be that way everywhere I look and listen. So how dare we as mortals blame God for our problems and concerns? How dare we even have the right to ask for God to forgive us? But somehow out of my level of competence, God does give mercy to people like Barney Frank, Bernie Madoff, the Pope, and even murderers and rapists of all types.

The type of murderers and rapists are the serial ones and governments who don’t allow people to choose for themselves. Our U.S. government forces us to accept what happens from Bailouts to law changes to whatever they want to do. Does it matter how you vote every 2 and 4 years in politics? I used to believe so but now all the politicians act a like. When does God start doing things to make things better?

God makes this better when we do what he asks. This does not mean that it all comes out of the Bible either. For all of you anti-Christian types, God does talk to you every day even when you do or don’t want Him to. Where is God?

God is everywhere. Omnipresent and omniscient…. This means all knowing, all seeing and always present everywhere in the universe. How do I know this?

People get direct answering like when I need wind right now and it does at that moment. My example here would be at the end of the movie "Tommy Boy" with Chris Farley asking for the wind. The word of God as well describes Him and what he does in both Old and New Testaments in many places. He even took the form of Jesus for a time. I say all of this to say…. People, please talk with God. This means everyone including politicians, news media, murderers and rapists. God wants to hear you and talk with you. If you need an interpreter, then contact a religious person or psychologist that is educated in distinguishing the differences in everyday life and God's voice. Also what is God and what is just scientific stuff. People we really need God whether you want to accept it or not. Be real with him and he will be real to you. Be blessed!

Brad

Tough Enough?

Recently, I have been reading a lot of information that several editors, agents, and publishing liaisons have recommended that I read. It has been blogs, books, e-books, and magazine articles about the craft of writing and the ways to get around the pitfalls of the publishing world. I find most of these people funny in their approach. What they all pretty much say is the same thing in slightly different ways with a different cover / presentation. I will say that I appreciate the information especially from one literary agent and one publisher that has been on both sides of the picture as a writer and editor for a publisher. I also appreciated the knowledge given by all the others willing to share and play in the sand of writing so I can better determine what the future pursuits are going to look like and save my headaches and sleepless nights.

Then I read this one blog by one literary agent and it got me really thinking. She talked about how everyone who wants to be a writer needs to adhere to the most important rule of the writing process. This rule is having a “Thick Skin.” She admitted that she is not thick skinned and neither were all but one man who commented on her blog. A ton of brick seemed to hit me at that moment with one question flashing in my brain. Why do people love to lie to themselves and others that they have it all together and really do not?

Jesus told his followers in the Scriptures of how they can know what a shepherd should look like and sound like in John 10: 1-6 and then proclaiming that he was the Good Shepherd from verses 7 to 21. Jesus proved what a thick skinned individual looks and sounds like by his actions. So why are we trying to be thick skinned and be another Jesus? Why do we need arrogant people to show they are really weak and are indeed thin skinned? The geniuses of this world have their weaknesses. The people who have had a hard time in life already know they are thin skinned so why point it out and not be positive. Being positive is not that hard. It just takes a moment in time to do it. It will make you feel better and them as well. If you don’t try being positive, then what was Jesus’ death for? Are you tough enough to be a one man show? Are you tough enough to figure out all your problems without God? Why try to do it and then realize that we are all thin skinned. Be kind one to another look at the good it does. Be blessed this week!

Brad

P.S. If you would like to read that awesome blog by that agent go here : http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2009/03/are-you-thick-skinned.html

Also for all the people that wrote helpful books to make it easier, Thanks! Go read Acts 4:32 – 37 and remember what it says because I think it describes those people who wrote those book and might just show you a glimpse of you.