AFA Staff
AFA Journal staff reviews movies, books and other resources
Photo, Steve Siler
December 2016 – Music for the Soul aids healing
Anyone who’s ever been wounded – cancer, grieving a loved one’s death, victimized by pornography, facing disabilities, challenges of aging, eating disorders, you name it – Music for the Soul, Healing for the Heart is for you.
Everyone has suffered, and most harbor secret pain in their hearts. In his new book, Steve Siler helps readers grasp the truth that God understands and cares.
A Dove Award winning songwriter, Siler founded Music for the Soul ministry in 2001, and for 15 years, his profound music CDs, DVDs, and other resources have offered music to encourage, strengthen, and aid healing in countless lives.
He is very transparent about his own life experiences, and he is extraordinarily insightful about how music can impact lives for good. This book is a manual for anyone who is suffering and a textbook for any pastor, counselor, or friend who ministers to those in crisis.
“[The] Psalms still move and motivate us today,” said Pat Boone, “as God hoped they would. And I add Steve Siler’s heartfelt songs to that list. I know God does, too.” Available at musicforthesoul.org and other booksellers.
Randall Murphree
Gracias
Buck Storm is a singer/songwriter/storyteller who will appeal to those who want to listen more critically to lyrics, content, depth, and meaning.
His Gracias album illustrates a great gift for telling stories in engaging lyrics. Songs are presented with uncomplicated arrangements and are generally acoustic guitar driven. His style reminds one of many of the great folk music writers and performers of the last half-century, including Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and John Prine.
Storm calls his genre loosely “Christian Americana,” which seems an accurate description. He often evokes scenes from rural America, and Christian faith in the foundation of many of his songs.
Storm’s Breath of God II project with Randy Stonehill is a bit more pop influenced and probably has more appeal to a wider audience. As for superb storytelling, AFA Journal reviewed The Miracle Man, Storm’s first novel, in September. Learn more, listen, and purchase at buckstorm.com.
Rusty Benson
The Tamer of Wild Hearts
Author Mike Burczynski cleverly combines the sport of falconry with solid biblical truths in The Tamer of Wild Hearts. The author holds a Master Class Falconry permit, which he has used to train hawks. Thus he has plenty of insight to help readers understand how God “trains up” His own children.
A Scripture passage comes at the beginning of each chapter, followed by information about hawks or the disciplined sport of falconry. In the chapter, he weaves the strands together, using the training of a falcon to illustrate the biblical principle. He ends each chapter with a prayer.
The book will encourage and challenge any serious Christian, and it will add to one’s understanding of what it means to be trained in “the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Enticing chapter titles include “The peril of prosperity,” “Old birds and late starts,” and “Waiting on the Lord.” Available at afastore.net or 877-927-4917.
Bert Harper, AFA director of marriage and family ministries
When Calls the Heart – two new movies
The romance and drama continue in season three of When Calls the Heart from author Janette Oke. In the third movie, Heart of a Hero, both love and danger are present as Pastor Frank’s criminal past brings the Garrison Gang to Hope Valley and complicates his relationship with Abigail. Jack remains tried and true as constable while pursuing Elizabeth, who feels threatened by a pretty nurse who comes to town. As with other episodes, Heart of a Hero contains flirting, kissing, complicated romances, and some violence.
The fourth movie, Forever in My Heart, contains the same as well as several weak theological references. Jack attempts to reconcile a young couple, and Elizabeth seeks to advance her writing and her students. Cody’s sister Becky returns, and they finally become Abigail’s family but only for a short time before their wealthy aunt arrives to take them with her.
Both movies are available on DVD.
Rebecca Davis
Saffire
In 1909, America is committed to building the Panama Canal. President Theodore Roosevelt has hired James Holt, a former member of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, to investigate acts of sabotage and missing money. Holt’s intent is to simply attend a meeting at the canal site, take the money promised, and return to his young daughter and his beloved Dakota ranch that is facing foreclosure.
However, Holt meets Saffire, a young girl seeking help to find her missing mother. No one is interested in helping, but Holt’s love for his daughter of similar age, his compassion, and his honorable character draw him to Saffire’s plight. Intrigue, danger, and conspiracies surround his investigation.
Author Sigmund Brouwer’s Saffire is a novel that accurately portrays historical events. Though it is published by a Christian publisher, there is no gospel message, but there are no objectionable elements with language or sexual situations. However, one serious caution is a graphically described torture scene.
Available at bookstores and online.
Debbie Fischer
The Student Body
In 2010, in an effort to address what they believed to be an epidemic of obesity in children, Ohio lawmakers passed Ohio SB 210, mandating Body Mass Index (BMI) testing in all Ohio schools. (Many other states were doing the same.) In Ohio, letters were sent to parents, or included in report cards, reporting the BMI number to students and their parents. The intent was that students would, hopefully, see medical professionals and receive help with their weight issues.
However, the “fat letters” affected students in many negative ways and sometimes created greater problems with body image. Furthermore, there is debate on whether BMI numbers are even an accurate measure of one’s health condition.
Teenager Bailey Webber decided this would be a perfect summer project to work on with her filmmaker father, Michael Webber.
She heard the story of Maddie, who confronted her school board with the letter she received. It indicated she was at an unhealthy weight, even though Maddie was active in sports and had a medical condition that caused her weight to fluctuate. The letter threw her into depression because it implied she was “unacceptable” (a word used in the school’s letter).
Bailey’s summer project resulted in The Student Body, an award winning, feature length documentary that premiered in the Kennedy Caucus Room in Washington, DC, on September 29. Bailey’s film reveals her to have great insight, courage to confront authorities, an engaging sense or humor, and a heart for justice. Learn more at thestudentbodyfilm.com.
Debbie Fischer
How Loud Can A Dragonfly Roar?
In this delightful children’s book, the fictional Association of Insect Researchers (AIR) has convened their biannual meeting to determine new areas of focus. Dora, Lydia, and Mike (three adventuresome dragonflies) have been assigned the task of traveling to Africa to study the circumstances of lions. Are there too many? Are they in danger of extinction?
On their long journey, the dragonflies share many adventures. Author Tiffany Root does a great job humanizing the insects while, at the same time, including true facts about their habits and character. One endearing aspect of the story is how the characters display faith and dependence upon God through both prayer and conversation.
How Loud Can a Dragonfly Roar? is an excellent story for elementary age children to read by themselves or for parents to read aloud. It is imaginative, cleverly written, and fun. Available at bookstores and online.
Debbie Fischer
God Gave Us Thankful Hearts
In the newly released children’s book God Gave Us Thankful Hearts by Lisa Tawn Bergren, summer has changed to fall and Little Pup is sad. He knows his favorite animal friends will soon be hibernating, and life will be boring. Mamma decides to take Little Pup exploring so she can teach him a valuable lesson for life, “… giving thanks always for all things to God. …” (Ephesians 5:20)
While walking through the forest, Mamma helps him look for things he can be thankful for. By the end of the day, Little Pup begins to understand and falls asleep thanking God for His blessings.
God Gave Us Thankful Hearts is the sixth book in the award-winning God Gave Us series, and is filled with beautiful fall illustrations by award winning illustrator David Hohn. The series would be a wonderful addition to any child’s library and one that parents would enjoy reading aloud. Available at bookstores and online.
Debbie Fischer
Priceless: tough tale of trafficking (photo, two sisters and their rescuer)
Inspired by a true story, Priceless chronicles the life of angry and desperate James Stevens who tragically loses his wife before losing custody of his daughter. Unable to hold down a job and in need of money, Stevens agrees to drive a box truck cross-country for cash – no questions asked. But his life and purpose change forever when he discovers that he is transporting two young sisters into the hands of sex traffickers. He risks it all to save them and dozens of other women.
Priceless is rated PG-13 for mature thematic material involving human trafficking and some violence. Priceless is eye-opening and intense, and it contains implied sexual content that is handled very cautiously.
Rebecca Davis
