Virtuous

When a young woman, Simone Burner (singer/songwriter, Brandy Allison) is accused of murdering the woman who assaulted her, she seeks out the help of attorney Jack Evans (Erik Estrada) to prove her innocence. A ruthless and corrupt prosecutor engages her in a trial that brings the past she has longed to escape to the forefront of her defense. Virtuous will inspire and ignite you to live the principles of Proverbs 31------faith, integrity, wisdom, and honor. (back cover)




There are some strong female roles in this film who represent women who have gone through various forms of neglect or abuse who each come to terms with their past and overcome it as they realize their value as daughters of the King. From Si (Brandy Allison)who has left behind a life of abandonment and drugs, an ambitious news reporter (Vanessa Ore) who has left her faith behind as she seeks to advance her career, A cop (Angelita Nelson) bitter over her husband's betrayal, a soldier (Jenni Ivers) who is captured and tortured by the Taliban, a single mom (Melissa Barron), and a retiring judge (Bonnie Johnson) who is emotionally abused by her husband. Each of the women have storylines that intertwine, but it takes a while before the stories come together enough for the pieces to fall into place. I enjoyed the second half of the movie more than I did the first.

^{To be honest, the first 5 minutes were not good at all and I am certain that had an impact on my attitude as I watched the film. Then with all of the loose threads of stories that had not yet come together, I had problems staying focused on the action. I commend Director of Photography, James Burgess, on the look of the film, but some of the dialogue and acting was cringe-worthy. I wasn't crazy about musical choices (and a good soundtrack can make or break a film for me) and some of the scenes just didn't quite make sense to me. I was even able to (reluctantly, LOL!) overlook that one of the more obnoxious characters was a staunch fan of my beloved University of Alabama. I don't want to say there were not good moments, because there were several, especially in the second half of the movie that did really touch me. But I would have missed them had I not been reviewing the film since the weak beginning would normally have me turning it off. So, it has some good points that are worth waiting for, but is more of a "preaching to the choir" type movie. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but only still it is a mediocre film.}

The film, directed by Bill Rahn, is slightly over 2 hours and is probably not suitable for anyone under 13. Other cast members include Erin Bethea, Ben Davies, and Jessica Lynch. For more information, go to www.virtuousfilm.com.


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the DVD courtesy of EDIFY MEDIA Inc. as part of the series promotion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC 16 CFR, Part 255 'Guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. I was not asked to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Raising A Princess by John Croyle

Raising a Princess: Eight Essential Virtues To Teach Your Daughter by John Croyle

So many little girls dream of being a princess, but former Alabama defensive back, John Croyle, has further defined exactly what qualities it takes to raise your little girl to be more than just a fairy tale princess, but to truly be a princess---a daughter of the King. Croyle, founder of the Big Oak Boys Ranch in Southside, AL, and Big Oak Girls Ranch in Springville, Alabama, uses the example found in Proverbs 31 to raise girls to become strong, courageous, compassionate young women.

Croyle, through the acronym P.R.I.N.C.E.S.S, says there are 8 virtues to remember and practice for raising your daughter.

Praiseworthiness – A princess understands she is worthy of praise simply because she is made in the image of God.

Righteousness – She lives according to God’s normal, not the world’s normal.

Initiative – A princess makes good things happen.

Nurture – God built into girls and women an instinct for nurture that boys and men simply don’t have in the same way.

Character – A girl of character knows what her deepest desires are and chooses accordingly.

Empowerment – Your princess needs to understand life isn’t just something that happens to her. She has the power to choose.

Servant-Heartedness – A princess finds purpose not in being served, but serving others.

Stability – As stability is provided for daughters, they will grow into the kind of people who help create stability for others.

Although the book is written primarily toward men, the book absolutely can be used by women, too. The importance is in raising your daughter to be the confident, compassionate person she is cable of becoming. Croyle and his wife, Tee, are the parents of a daughter and a son, but also have 40 years experience in helping to raise abused and neglected children and repair the damage done to them by others, usually their parents.

Each child who moves to one of the ranches is told 4 things during their initial meeting with "Mr. John":
1. I love you.
2. I’ll never lie to you. 
3. I’ll stick with you until you’re grown. 
4. There are boundaries; don’t cross them.

Building the trust of a child is just the initial step  From there, he and the house parents make the above principles a part of teaching a girl that she is of value to herself, to others, and to God. This book was filled with wisdom that a parent can use to instill confidence and build trust with their child. You won't raise a perfect child---no one can make that promise---but I have heard numerous success stories of children that had gone through unimaginable lives and these practical and godly principles made the difference. You will want to go through this one with a highlighter! It was all good, but several things just made me stop and want to soak in the words I had read. This is the perfect gift for anyone who will have a part in raising a little girl. 

100% OF PROCEEDS GO TO SUPPORT BIG OAK RANCH!!

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Shelton Interactive. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

PS: I have never read this book, The Two-Minute Drill to Manhood: A Proven Game Plan for Raising Sons, but several years ago I heard John preach on the topic before it became the book. Using the acronym M.A.N.H.O.O.D., I have never forgotten his words:
M - MASTER
A - ASK AND LISTEN
N - NEVER COMPROMISE
H - HANDLE YOUR BUSINESS
O - ONE PURPOSE
O - ONE BODY
D - DON'T EVER, EVER, EVER GIVE UP

If you are raising a son, get this book too!!

John Croyle was an All-American defensive end at the University of Alabama during a renowned title run under Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Croyle declined a career in the National Football League and instead went on to found and develop the Big Oak Ranch for Boys. Over the next few decades they worked to start the Girls’ Ranch as well as the Westbrook Christian School. He and his wife, Tee, together have raised hundreds of young men and women, including their daughter and Big Oak child care director, Reagan Croyle Phillips, as well as their son and former NFL Quarterback, Brodie Croyle. For more information, please visit www.bigoak.org.

12 Steps To Becoming A More Organized Woman

12 Steps To Becoming A More Organized Woman: Practical Tips For Managing Your Home AND Your Family is a revised and edited version of an earlier book written by Lane P. Jordan. Following the outline of Proverbs 31, Lane Jordan provides women of all ages with hundreds of time-saving tips and biblical advice on how to organize, manage, and balance their life and family roles.
• Includes practical hints on household and family management, plus tips on reaching out to the needy in the church and community, and developing a rich spiritual life.
• Discussion questions follow each chapter for group or individual use.
• An excellent resource for a Bible study or small group. 

My Review: I confess that I am more of a "Wannabe" than I am a truly organized person, so I was excited to be offered a chance to review this book. Am I reformed? No. But, I did find lots of useful, practical tips to help me become better organized. Divided into 12 easy to manage chapters, each provides several ideas to help you get more in balance and to eliminate being overwhelmed by it all. This is not a book that you just read and immediately make all the right changes; I see it more as a reference book I can use to help me implement the changes I want to make. I did not become unorganized in a few days, so I don't expect immediate results.

This is also a very good book to read as a small group or book club. At the end of each chapter there is a Scripture verse that is encouraging, questions that you can ask yourself---but would be terrific as a discussion with others, and it ends with Personal Application. Some of the suggestions are things I already do (or...have "planned" on doing), but I did find several ideas that I want to make part of my routine. More than just a quick-fix, this book can help you make a practical lifestyle change to become a much more organized woman.

Lane Powell Jordan, Author, National Speaker, Bible teacher, Recording Artist and Professional Life Coach, was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. One of seven children, she enjoyed gymnastics, cheerleading, scouting and piano. She is the former associate producer for Charles Stanley’s In Touch program.

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This book was made available to me by CWA Review Crew in exchange for an honest opinion.