The NIV Adventure Bible

The NIV Adventure Bible is the #1 best selling Bible for kids. This Bible has reached over 10,000,000 families so far! I know our church kids love the occasional full color pages listing important Scriptures and the colorful “Life in Bible Times” features that show what life was like back when the things in the Bible were happening.

The Bible Guide

In addition to the Bible we now have the NIV Adventure Bible Guide. The Guide is the perfect companion to the Bible.  It gives kids the key details of every book of the Bible at their fingertips. With kid-friendly overviews of Genesis through Revelation and full-color infographics, maps, and images, children will strengthen their faith and gain a deeper understanding of the most important story ever told.

 This immersive reference guide gives clear, crisp insights into the Bible book by book, including:

• key details and events that are clearly laid out, in words kids can easily understand
• colorful infographics that include historical information, significant events and details, and important biblical characters
• callouts with fun facts and key takeaways
• maps that help readers understand where each part of the Bible occurred
• images of artifacts and important places that help bring the Bible to life

I brought both the Bible and the Guide to my class of 3rd- 5th grade girls at church on Wednesday night. They all want their own copy of the guide! They said reading the guide helped them understand more of what was happening in their Bible reading. These girls read the entire New Testament over the 3 years they are in my class and they said they would understand more of what they were reading if they had this Guide. I’m going to see what I can do to make that happen.

You can get a copy of the NIV Adventure Bible Guide here. The Guide and the Bible would make a wonderful Easter gift for the child or grandchild in your life.

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I just watched the documentary “Americans with No Address”. This is not my first knowledge or activity with the homeless. My former church had a wonderful outreach to the homeless community including a weekly worship service and hot meal, a food pantry, and assistance to reach other necessary services available in our area. At my current church we serve underserved families in our community some are homeless, others are on the verge of homelessness, we meet as many needs as we can.

About Americans with No Address

First let me start off by saying thanks to Robert Craig Films for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

The Americans With No Address team is on a mission to raise awareness and offer solutions to homelessness in America. Through a comprehensive five-production approach, including the documentary “Americans With No Address” and the feature film “No Address,” which will be coming to theaters nationwide on February 28th, they aim to break the cycle of homelessness. These two films are part of a broader effort to build empathy and compassion for those experiencing homelessness. In addition to these powerful films, they have the novelization of the award-winning screenplay, a soundtrack, and an interactive study guide that guides people who want to be part of the solution in their own community.

The Documentary came about first to ensure the accuracy of the “No Address” feature film; our production team toured the country for several weeks, visiting and filming interviews in 20 major cities across 18 states facing various rates of homelessness and interviewed over 175 people. Those interviews inspired the documentary “Americans With No Address,” which captures the essence of what is causing the homeless crisis and portrays what solutions have been implemented and proven to show positive changes.

“Americans With No Address” information sheet.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts on Americans With No Address

“Americans With No Address” is eye-opening and the statistics they shared are mind-boggling. I couldn’t take notes fast enough to catch the statistics. Here is one that stood out, “This year 1/3 of Americans will have a friend or family member experience homelessness.” If that stat doesn’t make you catch your breath, I don’t know what would.

Three-fourths of America’s homeless deal with mental health issues. If they didn’t have them before they ended up on the streets, they developed them because they were there-anxiety, PTSD etc. Add to that large amount the fact that more than 75% are addicted to drugs, alcohol or both makes this problem not just a financial one but a healthcare one as well.

According to the documentary, the most successful transition programs in the country deal with the whole person physical, mental, and spiritual. These programs meet physical needs for shelter, food, and clothing while also supplying mental and physical healthcare and addiction treatment while also caring for the spiritual needs of community, purpose, and Salvation. These holistic programs meet people where they are and help them become who God created them to be. These are not government funded because the government won’t fund spiritual training.

The government’s method of dealing with homelessness is called Housing First. It’s goal is to get people off the street and into apartments, motels etc but it doesn’t include any treatment, training, or accountability so there is little to no healing and restoration for these people.

What Can We Do?

Watch the documentary, it is streaming on Prime. It provides solution-based suggestions, and I
highly suggest everyone visit www.AmericansWithNoAddress.com. Please connect with one of the homeless organizations in your community to share your time as a volunteer or make a financial donation.

Most importantly, people experiencing homelessness often feel invisible—even just one interaction, like saying hello, can change someone’s trajectory of life; please begin to see the human side of homelessness.

The Giveaway

Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card. US entries only. Winner will be chosen and submitted to the sponsor who will email the winner their prize. The giveaway ends at 12:00am on 1/30/25.

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Usually my husband watches all the movies I review with me. I value his input and perspective. Unfortunately, he was not at home the night I had to watch the movie so I was watching solo. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this movie but it sounded interesting so I was excited to watch it. I was intrigued by the true story being portrayed through the movie.

The real life events that THE FIRING SQUAD is based on took place in 2015, not even 10 years ago, but I hadn’t heard about it and you probably haven’t either. The bulk of the movie takes place in a prison camp in Indonesia. The warden of the camp, played by Tupua Ainu’u, is a man full of hate and torment-which he takes out daily as he abuses his inmates physically and verbally. The main character, played by James Barrington, is an inmate who suffers a lot of the abuse. During a stint in solitary confinement he has a lifechanging encounter with God. I don’t want to give away to much of the story because you need to go see it. The film’s tagline says all you need to know, “They faced death. And chose life.”

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

THE FIRING SQUAD is an intense, intriguing, powerful movie. The fact that it is based on a true story makes it even more powerful. As an American, it’s difficult to believe how different the justice system is in other parts of the world. I was gripped by the story and the filmmaking from the beginning. I was drawn in by the acting and by seeing a world I know nothing about. By the end of the movie I was in tears, it touched my heart deeply.

My husband came home about 2/3 of the way through the movie. He walked in and I rudely said, “Shhh” as soon as he walked in. I was so engrossed I didn’t want to pause and get him up to speed or hear about the event he was at, all of that could wait til I saw how the movie ended.

This movie is PG-13 but because of the heavy themes, I don’t know if I would have let my sons see it at that age. Parents, you know your kids best, use your judgement. There is no on camera blood or gore. There is talk about drugs as well as verbal and physical abuse. There are lots of guns as well.

The real theme of this movie is the redemptive power of a relationship with Jesus Christ. God is no respecter of persons, anyone can repent, believe, and live for the great Hope of eternity in heaven.

About THE FIRING SQUAD

The movie opens in theaters August 2, 2024. There are many pre-screenings going on now across the country to help get the word out. You can find out about them here. The movie’s website is full of information, including how you can invest in the film. The makers of the movie have set a goal of reaching 1 Million souls for Jesus through this film. Please share this post with your friends. Make plans to see the movie with the unsaved. God is moving and using this movie to touch hearts of stone, do your part and share it!

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Recently, we were invited to attend the event live in Tampa! We are so excited!! I will be sharing some moments live on my Twitter and Instagram so make sure you are following those accounts now so you don’t miss out.

What is LIFE SURGE?

LIFE SURGE is the only Christian touring event in history that is geared to the marketplace and is filling up venues across the country. It is part Christian worship concert, part Christian conference, part business and motivational seminar and part entrepreneurial and investor education.

Its mission is to inspire, transform and equip people to SURGE their lives God’s way! The day focuses on 4 W’s:

• Worship-The Heart of God- John 4:23 “True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”
• Wisdom-The Mind of God-Proverbs 4:7 “Wisdom is the principal thing. In all your getting, get understanding.”
• Work-The Actions of God-Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
• Wealth-The Resources of God-Isaiah 48:17 “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go.”

From LIFE SURGE Founder-Joe Johnson PhD

“We want to lead a global movement of people surging their lives God’s way, by inspiring, transforming and equipping believers to do all that God has called them to do. Years ago, Billy Graham Jr. said, “I believe one of the next great moves of God is going to be through the believers in the workplace.”

Not only do we believe that – we want to be a part of seeing that reality in our lifetime! From live events to digital media and ongoing education and training, we want to impact every sphere of our society with the Power of God and the life-altering truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

LIFE SURGE is passionate about bringing our events to our attendees, LIVE AND IN-PERSON! We believe in the power of a local community that fellowships together, worships together, and encourages each other exactly where they are. By bringing together some of the top Christian speakers, business minds, entrepreneurs, and worship teams, our hope is to create an atmosphere of transformation.

Our mandate is to provide an opportunity for each attendee and believer to experience increase in their personal lives, careers, businesses, wealth, and legacy for the generations to follow. Because of John 10:10, we believe that there are always opportunities to live a better life, and that can happen suddenly and powerfully.”

Why Are We Going?

My husband and I are both Christian small business owners. He owns his own musical instrument and sound system repair business-Schultz Services. I run this blog, teach private music lessons, and I am a Scentsy Consultant at The Scentsible Home. We are always looking at ways to honor God and our community with the gifts and talents He gave us. We are sure we will be inspired, encouraged, and challenged at LIFE SURGE and I think you will be too.

Upcoming LIFE SURGE Events

• Raleigh, NC Friday, June 7 9:00-5:30pm or Saturday, June 8 9:00-5:30pm
• Boston, MA Saturday, June 22 9:00-5:30pm
• Tampa, FL Saturday, June 29 8:00-4:30pm
• Reading, PA Saturday, July 13 9:00-5:30pm
• Cincinnati, OH Saturday, August 3 9:00-5:30pm
• Chicago, IL Saturday, August 10 9:00-5:30pm
• Boise, ID Saturday, August 24 9:00-5:30pm

Tickets for all these events are still available on the LIFE SURGE website. Get them before they sell out!

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Since we have been longtime fans, we were familiar with the big picture of the Smallbone’s story. In UNSUNG HERO, we learned a lot more about the struggles this family faced, why they left Australia, how hard life in America was when they arrived in Nashville, and how they persevered and clung to God through it all.

About UNSUNG HERO

When David Smallbone’s successful music company collapses, he moves his family from Australia to the United States in search of a brighter future. With nothing more than their six children, their 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. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum’s faith stands against all odds; and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

We both enjoyed the movie very much. It feels honest. You get invested in the well-developed characters. The story of a tightknit family going through hard times yet staying together while relying on God and the church community that surrounds them is an important message in this day of disposable marriages.

I have seen every movie that Joel Smallbone has been in and this is his best acting ever. It’s got to be hard to play your own father. When you take on a character, you learn things about that person, real or fictional. As an actor it can be very difficult to play some you know so well because you might learn things about them you later wished you’d never known.

This movie is not about For King + Country the band, it is the story of the Smallbone family and the beginnings of their sister, Rebecca St James’ award-winning music career.

The movie is rated PG and I don’t think kids under the age of 12 would be very interested but you mom and dad should get your tickets now! The movie hits theaters April 26!!!

The Giveaway

Enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card, US residents only. This giveaway closes at 12:00am on 5-3-24. The winner will be chosen and verified and their information will be sent to the sponsor for fulfillment.

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About County Rescue

County Rescue is a new family friendly, light drama centered around a group of EMTs. We all know that being an EMT is a tough job that requires courage, focus, intellect, compassion, strength, the ability to remain calm under pressure, and much more. EMTs often see people at their worst and have to be able to care for others sometimes in very difficult situations.

In County Rescue season one, we follow probationary EMTs who are all vying for one open spot on the squad. As they put their training to the test in the field, they grow and change as both EMTs and people. Young people stepping into a demanding job learn a lot about themselves as they learn to step up and really be responsible not only for themselves but for their co-workers, patients, and the community they serve.

This show is not a medical drama. Very little time is spent on the medical aspect of their jobs. This is a human drama that includes friendships, rivalries, romance, family expectations, and, of course, faith.

Where to Watch

County Rescue come to Great American Pure Flix streaming platform on February 23rd. You can get a free 7 day trial here. I’m also giving away a 3 month membership down below. On February 26th you can watch it on Great American Family channel. Here is the channel locator.

Giveaway

One US winner will receive a 3-month subscription to Great American Pure Flix. Winner must reside in the US and have not won a 3-month subscription in the last 6 months. The winner will be verified and their name and email address will be sent to the sponsor for fulfillment.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I am a HUGE Christmas movie fan. There are always 10-15 of my favorites on my DVR year round. Since this year’s new Christmas movies started airing in October, I have fallen behind as usual and there are currently 24 brand new, not yet watched, Christmas movies on my DVR. One of the reasons this number is so large, other than my very busy October, is for the last 3 years, we have added the Christmas movies from Great American Family to our must-watch list.

If you haven’t watched Great American Family yet, why not? If you are looking for wholesome, God-honoring movies, Great American Family is the place to be. I know what Great American Family stands for and I don’t have to fear that they will sneak in relationships and concepts that we don’t allow in our home.

About A Christmas for the Ages

Prompted by their youngest granddaughter, four generations celebrate family and what Christmas was like in the 40s, 60s, 90s, and present day.

The movie stars Natasha Bure, Anna Ferguson, Kate Craven, and Cheryl Ladd.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

I already had this movie scheduled to record this Sunday night and even though we’ve seen it, I’m still going to record it so I can watch it again and again. A Christmas for the Ages isn’t your typical Christmas Rom-Com, it’s a movie about family, traditions, and love.

In all honesty, watching the opening scene I was nervous. The acting seemed stilted and the dialog seemed odd. Thankfully all that improved greatly as the movie went on. I really wish they had gone back and re-shot the opening scene because I feel some people might stop watching in the first few awkward minutes and miss a great story.

This movie centers around 4 generations of one family and how time changes who they are and what roles they play in the family. This is something we can all relate to, change is inevitable and we want to transition from one season to the next with grace, but that isn’t always easy.

If you love a heartfelt Christmas movie, watch A Christmas for the Ages on Great American Family.

The Giveaway

One US based winner will receive a 3 month subscription to Great American Flix. The winner cannot have won a Pure Flix subscription in the last 6 months. The giveaway ends at 12:00am ET on December 6, 2023. The winner will be verified and their email will be forwarded to the sponsor for fulfillment.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About Journey to Bethlehem

A young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility. A young man torn between love and honor. A jealous king who will stop at nothing to keep his crown.

This live-action Christmas musical adventure for the entire family weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith, and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told—the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus.

A unique new entry into the collection of holiday classic movies, this epic Christmas musical is unlike any before it. See JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM in theaters beginning November 10.

The Cast:

• Mary-Fiona Palomo
• Joseph-Milo Manheim
• Herod-Antonio Banderas
• Antipater-Joel Smallbone
• Gabriel-Lecrae
• Melchior-Omid Djalili
• Gaspar-Rizwan Manji
• Bathazar-Geno Sergers
• Deborah-Moriah
• Rebekah-Stephanie Gil

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

I want to start by telling you there is artistic license taken with this movie. The biggest being that, we all know the Wise Men didn’t arrive to see Jesus until He was about 2 years old. In this movie they follow the star to His birth. I’ll be honest, this bugged me. The other biggie was that Antipater (Herod’s son) came to see the baby, to arrest them but what he witnessed changed him. He told them to leave Bethlehem. Again, this is not at all what the Bible says happened.

There are comedic elements woven into this holy story. The wise men bring most of the comedy, which works pretty well. It seemed very odd for Gabriel to bring some comedy, that didn’t sit right with Ron at all.

The music in this film is amazing!! You can listen to it now on Spotify. I loved every second of music, the performances were wonderful! I can’t wait to watch it again so I can experience the music and dancing again.

The casting and acting were top notch. Fiona and Milo were wonderful as Mary and Joseph. The bond between Mary and her sisters was very authentic. The characters of Herod and Antipater had such an interesting relationship, it drew you in and made you feel for the position Antipater was in. The Wise Men were a hoot and added levity to a pretty serious story.

If you love musicals and Christmas, get your tickets now to see JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM in theaters beginning November 10th.

You can download coloring sheets, discussion guides, and more here.

The Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card. This giveaway is open to US based readers only. This giveaway ends at 12:00am ET on 11/14/23. The winner will be verified and submitted to the sponsor who will then be responsible for providing the prize to the winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About Miracle in East Texas

Inspired by one of the most improbable true stories ever, this is the entertaining tale of two aging con men at the dawn of the Great Depression and the biggest oil strike in the history of the world.

Irving Tanner, Jr. (Lou Gossett, Jr.) recounts the 1930 legend. Times are hard when the unluckiest wildcatter in the world, Dad Everett (John Ratzenberger), teams up with Doc Boyd (Kevin Sorbo), a charming snake oil salesman. Together they convince several new widows (Sam Sorbo, Paula Boudreau, and others) to invest in their worthless oil wells.

Then, the unthinkable happens! Now our two Casanovas faced with a challenge: declare another dry hole for a clean escape, or bring the well in like genuine oil men and likely spend the rest of their lives in jail?

Meanwhile, some of their investors are angry and fixing to do something about it. And one of them is truly a “mountain” of a man (Tyler Mane).

What happens next? Doc preaches, the Good Lord teaches, and a judge reaches a surprising conclusion. The mostly true story will make you laugh, shed a tear, and give you pride in the God-blessed American way.

Sorbo Studios

This movie is produced by Sorbo Studios. Miracle in East Texas is directed by Kevin Sorbo. It stars Kevin Sorbo, John Ratzenberger, Lou Gossett Jr., Tyler Mane, Sam Sorbo, and Braeden Sorbo.

Miracle in East Texas is only in theaters THIS WEEKEND October 29-30, 2023 so get your tickets NOW!

Who Should See Miracle in East Texas

If you are a US history buff, homeschool family studying American History, someone who enjoys uplifting entertainment or a lover of movies based on true stories, then this film is for you.

Homeschoolers, you can download free curricula for the movie here. There is also a discussion guide available here.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

You know I am always honest in my reviews…I dozed off several times during this movie. While the underlying message of redemption and God’s provision is there and the acting is good, the story is slow and very repetitive.

The first part of the movie is Dad and Doc pulling the same scam over and over again on different widows, it felt like seeing this twice would have gotten the point across without boring the viewer.

We enjoyed the ending and seeing how God showed up for His people, I’m all for a happy ending-even in an historical piece. It is an important story from American history that needs to be told, one I wasn’t aware of, as a homeschool mom who taught a lot of American history, I enjoyed learning something new!

Make plans to go see this movie this weekend. You will learn some American history and see a story about hope, redemption, forgiveness and God’s provision.

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Birthright Outlaw takes place in 1890 in the Arizona Territory. The story centers around Jeremiah (Lucas Black) and Martha Jacobs (Sarah Drew) and their teenage daughter, Hope (Olivia Sanabia). They live in Last Chance, Arizona where Jeremiah serves as the small town’s pastor. This tight-knit, respectable family face the unimaginable trial of their daughter being kidnapped.

After the kidnapping, Martha shares some secrets she has been keeping from her husband. These secrets point to the life she lived before she met and married Jeremiah. These revelations cause Jeremiah to question everything he ever believed about their relationship. Nevertheless, they must focus on their daughter. With little help from the local sheriff, Jeremiah and Martha set off to try to find and rescue Hope. As they trek through the desert, more of Martha’s story is revealed.

I will not reveal any spoilers of what happens but I will say that this movie is well written and very well acted. It focuses on themes of redemption, God’s unconditional love, leaving a legacy, and new beginnings. It is a faith filled western that makes you wonder what you would do if you were in Jeremiah’s shoes.

Watch Birthright Outlaw exclusively on Pure Flix starting October 13th!

It is a western so there is a large amount of shooting. People are shot, some die. It is all handled well and I feel this movie is acceptable for anyone over age 12 due to the violence.

Birthright Outlaw Great American Pure Flix Giveaway

I am giving away a 3 month trial streaming membership to Great American Pure Flix. This giveaway is open to US residents only who have not won a trial subscription in the last 6 months. The giveaway ends 12:00am 10-21-23. The winner will be notified by the giveaway sponsor.

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