GROW

 

GROW Synopsis: In the Pumpkin Capital of the World, stoic farmer Dinah Little (Golda Rosheuvel) begrudgingly takes in her spirited niece, Charlie (Priya-Rose Brookwell). But Charlie isn’t an ordinary child—she has a special knack for connecting with plants that quietly reflects her own longing to feel just as seen and loved. As the town prepares for the annual pumpkin-growing contest, Charlie sets her sights on winning.

With the help of quirky Arlo (Nick Frost), plot and pumpkins thicken as rival growers pull every trick in the book. Will Charlie and Dinah’s unlikely entry stand tall against the fiercest competition the town has ever seen? As her pumpkin grows, so does her bond with Dinah, and together they learn the real prize is joy, laughter, and family.

Pumpkin spice in film form, GROW is perfectly timed for fall and Halloween season: cozy, funny, and a safe, whimsical alternative to scary movies. Yet, at the heart of GROW is the touching bond between a prickly aunt and her spirited niece. Their journey shows that sometimes the family we need grows where we least expect it.

BUY YOUR TICKETS: FathomEntertainment.com/Grow

MY REVIEW: If you love Autumn, pumpkins, fairs, and quirky characters, GROW is meant for you! From curmudgeonly farmers to over-the-top rivals, every character feels like they’ve stepped out of a cozy, autumnal fairy tale. Charlie’s pumpkin “Peter” isn’t the only thing full of personality—the whole town bursts with quirky charm. Charlie is new, having recently and reluctantly been placed with her Aunt Dinah, and is unsure how to fit in. Things change when Charlie's special gift for communicating with plants, plus the prize money, leads to her interest in the annual pumpkin-growing contest held in the village. The competition is fierce and the contestants will stop at nothing to win.

There are a lot of laughs, and older kids will appreciate much of the humor (GROW is rated PG for a couple of suggestive comments and thematic elements). There were a couple of slightly cringey moments for me, but I did enjoy the movie and laughed a lot. For me, even more than the enormous pumpkin, was the small spark of love between Charlie and Aunt Dinah that continued to GROW as they realized they needed one another and wanted to be together. 

I mostly review faith-based films, and this is not one. However, GROW absolutely contains values of family, friendships, and fun. For the Fall enthusiast who can’t get enough of pumpkin season... 🍂🎃 you will want to enjoy this family movie. #GrowTheFilm. Get your tickets now!

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Giveaway: $10 Amazon gift card!
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Disclosure: Many thanks to US Pumpkin Distribution, LLC for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

Unsung Hero

 

UNSUNG HERO opens in theaters on April 26th! When David Smallbone's successful music company collapses, his family emigrates from Australia to the United States. With only their 6 children, 16 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.

Daisy Betts as Helen Smallbone

Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands firm; and inspires her husband and children to turn adversity into adventure while bonding into a close-knit group who prioritize God and family. Buy tickets today to see Unsung Hero in theaters starting April 26th!

MY REVIEW: This is an excellent movie that is so much more than a biopic about the Smallbone family. Many people know Rebecca St. James and the for King and Country brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone for their music. I was aware they had emigrated from Australia to Tennessee, but I knew few details other than they were a large family.

UNSUNG HERO is the story of why they left Australia and the struggles of their early years in America. When the expected job David was depending on to restart his career as a Christian music promoter fell through, his wife provided the firm conviction that their faith in God would hold them together and that He would provide their needs and she remained confident that her husband would become successful. Helen Smallbone became the "backbone" as she taught her young children to rely on God and each other in a joint effort to hold her family together. Her ability to provide faith-building ideas, along with gifting her children with a sense of adventure during the hardships is a source of inspiration to all mothers who know the struggle of holding everything together...even if you feel like falling apart sometime.

Lucas Black

Each actor involved was wonderful in his or her role. I especially loved Terry O'Quinn as David's dad, Candace Cameron Bure as the pastor's wife was a lot of fun to watch, and my fellow Alabamian Lucas Black is always a special treat in any role. Older viewers also need to watch for former HAPPY DAYS actor Donny Most (Ralph Malph) in a brief role.

I thoroughly loved the movie...I watched it 3 times! It is inspirational without being sappy and a strong testament to the power of faith and the blessings and strength that come with hard work, a vow to support one another, finding joy in the little things, never giving up, and always remembering God is with you at all times.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE HERE!

Giveaway: $10 Amazon gift card!
(Note: This is limited to US winners only.) Please submit your full
name and email address by 5/2.2024.

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

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Jean Thomason Interviews Luke Smallbone
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Rebecca St. James
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YouVersion Bible Study

God. Family. Football.

God. Family. Football. follows ex-football player and high school football coach Denny Duron as he returns to once again coach the Louisiana-based team that he once led. Duron has been retired for 30 years, but decides to return to Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport, LA, after the one-time high school football powerhouse fell on rough times.

Once home to 14 state championships in the last 20 years, the team is now coming off its worst season in school history. The series focuses on the 2022 high school football season as Evangel Christian Academy which has sent more football players to the NFL and NCAA Division 1 college football programs than any other high school in the state — looks to rebuild.

Football season is here and you will love watching this series! Stream the new series God.Family.Football. for free on Amazon Freevee starting September 1st! Denver Broncos Quarterback Russell Wilson is the executive producer of the series. #GodFamilyFootballFV #GodFamilyFootballMIN #FreeveePartner

Amazon Freevee is a premium free streaming service! Watch 1000s of movies, shows, Freevee Originals, and 24/7 entertainment, all free, when you download the Amazon Freevee app and watch on your favorite device. It is supported by ads so you can watch free.

My Review: High School football is ranked right up with college or pro football in many communities and you will see that camaraderie and sense of family when you watch this docu-series about Evangel Christian Academy on Amazon Freevee. After having the worst season in their history, the return of legendary Coach/Pastor Denny Duran brings a new hope to the boys as he molds them into outstanding young men... and football players. His motto of, "God first, family second, and football third" is a winning strategy makes an impact that influences the players, and will make a difference in their lives.

The background stories and honesty as the viewer gets to know the boys draws you in to the series, and some football action added leads to an interesting series the whole family can enjoy.

Giveaway: Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card!
(Note: This is limited to US winners only.) Use #GodFamilyFootball to enter. DEADLINE is 9/5/23 and you must respond (via message) with your full
name and email address within 24 hours.

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

LINKS:
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The Journey

THE JOURNEY: A Music Special from Andrea Bocelli is an exploration of moments that define us, songs that inspire us, and relationships that connect us to what matters most in life.
Bocelli’s hope is that the movie "offers an invitation to fully live and recognize our daily miracles."

"THE JOURNEY" combines world-class musical performances with intimate conversations across the awe-inspiring Italian country-side. In addition to Andrea Bocelli, "THE JOURNEY" features Michael W. Smith, Tori Kelly, Tauren Wells, TAYA, 2CELLOS (Luka Šulić and Stjepan Hauser) and many others in amazing musical performances across majestic locations.

Brought to you by TBN, "The Journey" is in select theaters April 2nd - 9th. BUY TICKETS HERE.

My Review: My one word review is, "Magnificent!" The music, the musicians, and the gorgeous view are each fabulous on their own, but the combination is an event you don't want to miss. I was already a fan of many of the musicians listed so I expected to LIKE "The Journey" but it exceeded my expectations. The conversations with both family and friends along the way added to intimacy yet invited the viewer to be a part. This is a perfect worship experience to add to your Holy Week activities.

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Giveaway: $10 Amazon gift card!
Rules: Submit your FULL NAME and email address by EOD on April 9, 2023.This is limited to US winners only.

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

"We journeyed by horse for over 300 km. along a path that was not always easy to travel, but absolutely beautiful, made of meadows and forests; sacred places filled with lasting testimonies of faith, full of art of incredible beauty, and views in front of which one can’t but ponder about creation and the miraculous work of our Heavenly Father.” ~ Andrea Bocelli
 

Memorial Day

 [️MEMORIAL DAY] In honor & memory of those who gave their lives during military service to our country. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

[FIRE UP THE GRILL!] Planning a barbecue for this Memorial Day? Go with the basics of hamburgers and hot dogs or search for the latest cookout-friendly recipes for grilled starters, patriotic drinks and desserts to kick off the unofficial start of Summer! 🌞

 

Memorial Day can be a dichotomy. A day of mourning and remembrance of those who lost their lives in the service of our country is starkly different from a 3-day weekend filled with fun, parties, pools, shopping, and the frivolous. that brings on the unofficial start to Summer. Mourning vs Merriment.

To me, though, it's not difficult to combine all that make this holiday special. We should always give honor those who gave their lives to protect and defend our freedom and rights. In the past, many families spent Memorial Day bringing flowers and cleaning the graves of loved ones. It took several hours of work and quite often meant sharing a meal while there. The sense of community with family and friends paying respect to the dead, sharing memories and meals was also a means of support in grief.

Each Memorial Day be sure to remember those who sacrificed their lives, but including a picnic with family and friends to celebrate life and freedom is not meant to dishonor the memory and sacrifice of those men and women. We Americans live in the land of the free because of the brave who sacrificed their own lives. Take time to remember those who died and celebrate the gift they offered their fellow citizens with family, friends, neighbors. Their lives made a tremendous impact. #MemorialDay

Jesus Followers: Real-Life Lessons for Igniting Faith in the Next Generation

 

Jesus Followers: Real-Life Lessons for Igniting Faith in the Next Generation by Anne Graham Lotz and Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright is about building a family legacy of authentic faith!

The daughter and the granddaughter of evangelist Billy Graham share stories of how the baton of belief has been passed down from previous generations and how they continue to pass it to the next generations. They also explore characters and stories of biblical characters found in Genesis 5. Not only do we see how faith was passed down to others in Biblical history, but we have actual stories from the lives of a family known worldwide for sharing their faith, but this time within a more intimate setting of their home life.

 

Basically, the book tells stories of how members of the Graham family,
including spouse's families, learned how to trust and follow Jesus demonstrate the importance of remembering that loved ones are watching and listening. Some of the moments shared revealed how childhood memories make a greater impact than realized at the time.

Divided into 4 parts: Our Witness, Our Worship, Our Walk, and Our Work... An introduction shares about passing the Baton of Truth. A question is often included at the end of each chapter with Scripture and a Be a Jesus Follower statement. The book isn't exactly what I expected, but in many ways, it was what I need. My cousins and I treasure memories of our grandparents and parents, but don't pass enough of those memories down. Most of all, though, I need to focus on the legacy I am leaving my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. A legacy of faith is vital.

Thank you to Net Galley and Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers for providing a copy of this book in advance to read. I was not required to give a positive review, but asked for an honest one. All thoughts and opinions are my own.