My Reaction to Fireproof the Movie

Wow! I watched Fireproof the Movie for the very first time last night. People have been telling me to watch it for some time and for some reason I put it off until last night. I can't tell you how moved I was by the content of the movie. I'm going to break down what I viewed to be the major topics then I'm going to discuss the movie and give my reaction.

Movie Plot: A typical American family gets married and as the years have gone by the marriage has nearly ended in divorce. The husband and wife both feel justified in their reasons for wanting to leave the marriage. The husband receives a "Love Dare Journal" from his father in a desperate attempt to save his marriage. The husband takes on the 40 Day Love challenge at first motivated by his respect for his father. Later the husband continues the love challenge because the husband has fallen in Love with God. The love he has for God is so deep that he learns how to love his wife in a totally new way. The way God intended which is to love unconditionally!

My Reaction: I watched this movie not knowing what the main premise of the movie was. I watched it just because different ones kept telling me I should watch it. The funny thing is I saw parts of myself in both characters in the movie. I could relate with both the husband and the wife. Let me explain. The wife was a career woman who found it her responsibility to do all of the house chores because he husband for seven long years had taken the stance that all the house work belonged to the wife. Both the husband and the wife had demanding careers. The wife a Hospital Public Relations Official and the husband a Chief Firefighter. I found that both of them felt they were each under appreciated. Neither of them knew or took the time to try to understand the needs of one another. I was shocked to see how bad things had gotten without there being a huge major issue like finances or infidelity. The ONLY issue I saw was that instead of a marriage of partnership their marriage had become one of responsibility.

Major Topics Addressed:

1) Is it good enough to be a good person minus a relationship with God?

*This was a shocking concept to see played out on the movie screen because often times Hollywood creates movies where there are "good characters". But there is no mention of God being the motivational force behind the acts of love or kindness demonstrated through the lives of the characters. This point made me take a look at myself and face the concept that me just trying to get by as a borderline good person is NOT good in the eyes of God!

2) What motivates your love for others in your relationship with others be it a romantic one or a non-romantic relationship?

*This movie brought out that TRUE LOVE begins with a foundations of Love that can ONLY come from God! This is a mind blowing concept. Its simple enough to grasp but its one of those concepts like "faith" or "salvation" its easy to get the mental understanding but a daily challenge to incorporate those intangible beliefs into our daily lifestyle. The movie went so far as to say that unless you open your heart to accept God's love and salvation then there is NO WAY you will ever be able to LOVE anyone be it a partner or a friend! The movie said that God has to show me His love and once that happens my motivation and love for others will begin to flow freely without hesitation.

3) When is enough...really enough in marriage?

*The movie said that there should NEVER be a point of NO return in a marriage. This is because the marriage vows are sacred. The vows show a covenant between the man and woman and God. The marriage simply isn't a contract on paper but it is a covenant that God takes very seriously! The movie illustrates that since God NEVER stops loving us that we should NEVER stop loving or fighting for the love of our marriage.

4) Where does God fit into the practical application of building a relationship with God as the true foundation and center of a relationship?

*The movie shows that God NEVER EVER gives up on us. That even when we turn our backs on God He is still there to help and love us past all of our pain. The movie shows that no one not even our earthly parents can love us as deeply as Jesus. The movie challenges each one to make God the head of their lives through daily devotion and reflection on God's word and love for us.

5) How do I practically show my love for God in my relationships?

*The movie demonstrated that if we are motivated by God's love then we won't look for our acts of love to be rewarded. Daily rewards or words of thanks are NOT the motivating factors in a relationship where God is the true center. The movie goes on to emphasize that the way we love others shows how much we love God! Wow what a concept! Basically it takes the whole bible text "Love your brother as you love yourself to another level". It challenges us not to look for appreciation from those in our lives but that we should get fulfillment from God which WILL ACTIVATE our LOVE for those in our lives.

Conclusion:
I was really touched by this movie and I'm thinking about taking the 40 Day Love Dare Challenge. The cool thing is you can take the challenge as an individual or as a couple! So either way you can either deepen your relationship with God and improve how you demonstrate God's love in your various relationships. Or you can take the challenge as a couple and together choose to deepen your relationship with God and each other. The interesting thing is your relationship doesn't have to be in shambles for you to take the challenge. All you need is a willing heart so that you can begin to see just how DEEP God's love is for us all! I hope this movie review was more than just a movie review! I hope God was able to touch your heart and mind in some small way through this article! Thanks for reading!

For more information on the 40 Day Love Challenge visit: http://www.fireproofmymarriage.com

Sermon Title: Faith a Different Point of View

Sabbath Sermon Notes

Speaker: Elder Juanita Stephenson

Sermon Title: Faith a Different Point of View

Main Text: 2 Kings 6:8-17

Scripture Reading: Psalm 27:1-6

Prayer Time Text: *Gen. 19: 12-22: Story about Lot looking for those who were still following God. Angles dragged Lots family out the city. We are only in Church because He is faithful. We like Lot feel that we are attached to things of this world...Always Looking back! God wants us not to linger in Sin but to follow Him in Faith!

Challenge of the Week: "Pray for the strength to follow God this week by not lingering in the Sin of this world".

Sermon Highlights and Main Points:
*It takes Different Point of View to trust something that you can't see.

*It takes a Different Point of View to trust when there is No Evidence that God is working on our behalf.

*It takes a Different Point of View to REST in God when all your life circumstances are telling you "Hey worry about your finances because your 24/7 worrying adds Money to your Bank account. For every minute you worry you get a one dollar. If this worry tactic isn't working for you, why Not try out your faith! You know that fruit of the Spirit you don't use much! Try FAITH. Try believing on God to do what only God can do...
*Fix your life
*Fix your situation
*Fix your relationship
*Fix your finances

*God always out does Himself

*Being a Christian today means we keep in a state that God is right. Trust in God Not in your Abilities!

*Train yourself to Trust God that when you face a trial know that if God brings you To it then God and Only God will bring you through it!

*Being a Christian automatically gives you a Responsibility to interceded on the behalf of others.

*Faith is the Evidence of things hoped for the Evidence of things unseen.

*If we don't believe then why Waste time Praying or Singing for God if at the End of the Day you still take your problems and worry about them as if to say, "God I see your Evidence,

*God will give you the Opportunity to choose to serve Him. But if you Honor Him in your life then God will honor you. God will Honor you in Public if you Honor Him in Private in your Prayer Life, your Daily Relationship with others and in God.

*True Faith Works only when Motivated with LOVE!

*If you've never Tasted God then HOW can you PROMOTE a Healer or Deliverer if you yourself are living a life of FALSE Advertising where you haven't been healed or delivered!

*Our Faith will Never Work if we don't USE it!

*Put our Needs before God confidently!

*Give God your highest dreams:
Start Praising in Advance! Expect God to come through for You.

*Start looking at God for who He is! God is All Powerful and He is Faithful!

*We are God's Portfolio or Proof to the Non-Christian World that God is Able!

Long or Short Hair Halle Which do you like?

Ok so I HAVE to talk about this LONG HAIR vs SHORT HAIR debate! I just have to get it OFF my CHEST! I can't tell you why it bothers me when I hear my friends TELL LIES about HOW LONG their HAIR WAS when they were a KID! I hate these stories because I know HAIR! I've been in the HAIR industry in one capacity or another seemingly since birth. I grew up with my Dad doing my hair. Yes I said it my Dad did my hair growing up NOT MY Mom. Anyways my Dad has a background of hair because his Dad my grandfather owned a thriving Barber shop during the time around Motown in Detroit, Michigan. Anyways I'm getting off track...I was sharing that story to show that HAIR knowledge is in my BLOOD. Anyways it bothers me when people say they had LONG hair because I can look at the texture of their hair and know right off that YES their hair may have been to their shoulder MAYBE but it was NOT DOWN THEIR BACKS! It just wasn't!
My hair was actually LONG and DOWN my BACK! Up until recently I had long hair REALLY I DID! So now back to Halle! I like her better with short hair because I think the short hair makes her stand out more than her long hair! I was just wondering what you think about this whole long hair short hair thing in relationship to women of color! I have no issue with weave. I think that if you buy it PLEASE style it correctly! I so HATE to see EVERY SINGLE Celebrity in WEAVE in MOVIES! It's frustrating to see one scene where they have short hair and then the next with long hair. I just think it's not realistic. That's why I like the new TV Series on BET called My Black is Beautiful! The focus of the show is eliminate the concept that we as women of color have to get relaxers or weaves in order to feel beautiful. The show talks about how we as women of color have been told for years that if you're light then you're right. Or if you have hazel eyes or straighter grade of hair that you have good hair. And honestly my HAIR was an ISSUE growing up. It's funny looking back on it now because those same people that wouldn't say hey to me talk to me now simply because I've had a reasonable measure of success in my Journalism Career. My entire life I wanted to fit in. I actually remember praying for "nappy" hair so I could have an afro for 70's Day back in middle and high school. But the hosts on the show try to empower us as women of color to love our uniqueness! So they said if I'm blessed with long hair then flaunt it if not and I have nappy hair then wear it in twist or dreads. Either way I need it get it through my head that "Hey MY BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL"! I was so inspired by this message that I felt I had to write something. Hair for us as women of color is always a touchy topic so I hope I didn't offend anyone by this article. If you're a nappy headed person then its ok! Be happy being nappy! If you are a light skinned sista who has long flowing hair and hazel or blue eyes then that's great! Either way God made all of us and we should all be happy and accept ourselves for the beautiful women we are! Please become a follower I'd love to read your comments on my articles! Thanks for reading! Love ya... Till next time!

My President is Black...The Obama's are Hott!!!




Just LOOK at them! They are so beautiful! Whenever I'm tempted to feel overwhelmed about life circumstances I smile to myself and think: "Life can't be that bad...MY PRESIDENT is BLACK"! You may be tempted to ask how this fact has the power to turn a sucky day into an Amazing day...Well I'll tell you! You see often times when people see others trying to be successful others down play them with negativity! But for me when I wake up and see hey President Obama is MY President I think to myself...Whatever challenge or hardship I am faced with I think if "HE CAN DO IT...SO CAN I"...in terms of being successful and doing and thinking things that are so far outside of the box that your friends just look at you with blank faces like...hmmm..oh boy...But what if by working hard and determination my dreams could come true! Well I choose to believe that I can DO anything...Literally ANYTHING I set my mind to! And having HOPE is something that my President and his wife do for me! They give me hope that I don't have to always be judged by my color I can be judged by the content of my character! Imagine that! I think NOW is the absolute BEST TIME in HISTORY to be BLACK in America! And it's because "My PRESIDENT IS BLACK"! YAY OBAMA!