Beautiful "Bella", A Movie Review

Before I even begin this movie review, let me encourage you to go see "Bella" at your first opportunity.... no, let me take that back. Let me encourage you to go out and BUY this wonderful little independent movie. Yes, it's THAT good.

There's not a whole lot I can tell you about this movie without spoiling it for you, but let me just say it revolves around the lives of two main characters - Jose, who is a chef at a restaurant in NY (and who has a 'secret past'), and Nina, who is a waitress at the same restaurant. The plot of the movie takes place over the course of one day in the lives of these two, and is about how their lives become inextricably woven together.

And, it's about the power of redemptive love.

It's a beautiful movie. And it will stay with you.

Cleaning Out Spiritual Cobwebs

Tonight we had what we call "The Well" at my church. It's our once-a-quarter, Friday night service. We call it "The Well" because we go especially deep on these nights.... the service usually lasts two hours (sometimes even longer) and it's marked by lots of singing (our band totally rocks), lots of very deep prayer, communion, baptism, and very intimate spiritual time with the Father.

Fellow believers "get it" when I tell them about it, but whenever I explain to a non-believer that I'll be spending 2, possibly 3 hours in church on a Friday night (and I'm excited about it), they look at me as though I've lost my mind. That's OK though.

Anyway, tonight we focused in on Colossians 3:3, which says: "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God". Very powerful verse. We also had several new believers (since Easter) who were ready to be baptized, and we talked about the symbolism of baptism.... symbolic of Christ's burial and resurrection.

And, the most beautiful part of all (at least to me), when God looks at each one of us, as a believer, he sees not the individual, but he sees his perfect, sinless son Jesus. And we become joint heirs with Jesus in God's eyes. (Romans 8:16) What an incredible gift.

Once again, my 'spiritual amnesia' was swept out along with the cobwebs in my soul, and I felt tears of thankfulness and joy roll down my cheeks.

I don't think we humans can ever fully comprehend how much God loves us, but I'm glad we get to grasp at least a glimpse of it.

92 Year Old Woman vs. Armed Thief

Chris Turnbow's Christmas Miracle

Below is a beautiful story about the the power of love, and the power of family. The story itself is amazing, but the audio clip is definitely worth a listen. (It even made me cry.... and I almost never cry.....) What a wonderful Christmas blessing for this family. Enjoy, and count your blessings.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17518270&ft=1&f=1021