I Still Believe Movie Review

Recently, my family had the privilege to preview the movie I Still Believe from the comfort of our home.   The theatrical release is coming soon as it will be in theaters in Canada on March 13, 2020.

What is the movie all about?

From the creators of I Can Only Imagine comes an inspiring love story for the ages.   It is the true life story of Christian music mega star Jeremy Camp.  Jeremy's remarkable journey of love and loss proves there is always hope in the midst of tragedy and that faith tested is the only faith worth sharing.

I Still Believe stars K.J. Apa, Britt Robertson, Melissa Roxburgh, Shania Twain, Gary Sinise, and Nathan Parsons.

Our Thoughts 

When we saw this movie, it was during a week-end.  We usually do a family movie time during the week-ends.   Unfortunately, my oldest son was working that day and he was not able to see it with us.  Sometimes, it is not always possible to have the whole family together when an opportunity like this comes.

I have read the memoir of Jeremy Camp a while back so I knew a bit of the story behind I Still Believe.  I knew of the love story and the diagnostic, the struggles and the grief, the hope and the faith.   I won't go too much into details because it would ruin the movie for you.   But seeing it with my eyes and witnessing the story through the movie was simply touching and my emotions were stirred.

I think the love story in this movie is simply beautiful and awe inspiring for young people. It showed commitment and faith throughout the story.   It is the kind of movie that you would want to watch again.

In conclusion, I seriously think that I Still Believe is a movie that is worth watching.   It is clean, inspiring and thought provoking in many ways.   Faith is prominent in it and it can show people that even hard things happens in life, you can still believe in God.

The movie open in theaters on March 13, 2020.  It will be playing in Ottawa at both Landmark Cinemas - Kanata and Orleans.  To discover more places where the movie will be shown in Canada please visit https://www.istillbelievefilm.ca/.

Oh!  And do not forget some tissues because if you are like me you will need them.

GIVEAWAY!!!!

I have one pass (2 tickets) to go see the movie for someone to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Thanks to Faithfilms.ca and Graf-Martin for allowing me to preview the movie for review purposes.  I was not monetarily compensated for this review.  Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way.  All opinion expressed here are only my own.

Awesome Minds series

Awesome Minds – The Inventors of Lego Toys

Everyone has played with LEGO® toys, but not many people know who is behind this awesome invention. This fun and engaging book tells the story of how a Danish carpenter and his family turned a desperate situation into the most popular toy in history. With full-color illustrations and lively text, and chock-full of interesting facts, Awesome Minds: The Inventors of LEGO® Toys is the perfect read for those with creative spirits and curious minds.

This book is an independently authored and published biography of the family that created the LEGO® construction toy and is not sponsored or endorsed by or affiliated in any way with the LEGO Group of companies, owner of the LEGO® trademarks.

Awesome Minds – The Creators of the iPhone 

The iPod, iPhone, and iPad changed the way we communicate, play, learn, and work. This wouldn't have been possible without the amazing minds of Steve Jobs and his inventive team. With full-color illustrations and lively text, and chock-full of interesting facts, Awesome Minds: The Creators of the iPhone® tells the true story of these life-changing devices. It is the perfect read for those with creative spirits and curious minds.
Lexile Level 850L

This book is an independently authored and published biography of the inventors of the iPhone® mobile device and is not sponsored or endorsed by or affiliated in any way with these individuals, their families, and/or Apple Inc.

My Thoughts on the books

These two books did not take long to be read by my kids – with two subjects that interests them it was easy to make them read these books.   The books introduce the children of the history on how Lego and iPhone came to be and how the creators invented a toy and a device that is beloved by millions of people through the years.

Let’s face it – Lego blocks and iPhone are part of the lives of many people on this planet.   Lego allows kids everywhere to develop their creativity in many ways.  My own kids make small movies using their Lego and enjoy creating new things with them.  As for iPhones well…..  is there anything else to say about them?   Without them we would not be as connected with work and loved ones, we would be bored while waiting at the doctor’s office and so on….. Yes some would say that life would be more entertaining and less individualized if iPhones were not existing but for the matter of this review, let’s not point out the negative of iPhones.  I appreciate having mine for emergencies.   And self-control is something to work on every single day of the year. 

The book in the inventors of Lego will present the whole history behind the famous bricks – including the humble starts of wooden toys.  Through the reading of this book, you will also learn fun facts as well.  For example, did you know that the word Lego in Latin means “I build” or “I assemble”?     Apparently the inventor did not know that when he came up with the name.   Pretty cool eh?  Today you will find Lego in many households, watch Lego movies as well as visit Legoland!  

The book about the creators of the iPhone is a bit different as it will allows the kids to read about the history and evolution of the iPhone.  Yes you will have a few pages on Steve Jobs and how is started the company but the goal of this book is to show how the simple idea of a portable phone was developed to become the most used portable phone throughout the world.

Both books are packed with interesting information and colorful illustrations.   Both books are considered juvenile non-fiction and geared for ages 7-10 years old.  Still I find that some information is interesting even as an adult.

Both books are available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned book for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Fighter

Fighter – Five Keys to Conquering Fear and Reaching Your Dreams
Written by Manafest

About the book

"It's too late it's my fate I can't turn around, there's no fear in the mirror to hold me down"

Musician Chris “Manafest” Greenwood lost his father to suicide at the age of five, and found himself with nothing to cling to but a single mom and his childhood dream of moving to California to become a professional skateboarder. But God had different plans; by the age of 18 Chris fell in love with hip-hop music and quit his corporate job to join the ranks of Toronto’s competitive underground hip hop scene, choosing the name Manafest as a reflection of his goal to manifest his dreams. After years of fighting for success in one of the toughest industries in the world, he found himself living in his dream— a 3-time JUNO award nominee, Top 10 Billboard charted rock artist, living in southern California, selling hundreds of thousands of records worldwide.

Named after his highest charted song, Fighter, this book is the story of how Chris conquered his fears and found success in five stages, which he calls the anatomy of a fighter—courage, perseverance, mindset, discipline, and willpower—the five resources we can all draw on in order to reach our dreams, no matter what they are. The message is simple; we have to replace fear with faith. If God can do something great with a skate punk from Pickering Ontario, imagine what he can do with your life!  

My Thoughts

I was curious when I signed up for this review.  One, the author was a popular Christian musician from Ontario, Canada.  Second, I love reading biographies.  And I was not disappointed.  This young man is being totally honest and transparent with his story.  The goal of this book is to encourage the reader who feels like the dreams are gone, he/she doesn’t know where to start, has regrets, and needs inspiration from someone who went through it as well.   You will discover how Manafest had struggles, battled adversity, let God into his heart, and conquered his fears.

Reading his testimony was uplifting in some ways because I was able to somewhat connect with him on some levels.   I also experienced God’s life changing ways in my own life and I find it inspiring to read about other people who went through though times and were able to raise above it all to pursue their dreams.  

Manafest will show you how you can also conquer your own fears and find success with five stages – the anatomy of a fighter: Courage, Perseverance, Mindset, Discipline, and Willpower.    These five resources will allow you to rise above the circumstances in your life and reach out for your own personal dreams, no matter what they are.   Life is a journey.  It’s not always easy and you will have some blocks on the road at times.  But with God on your side, you can be certain that the Spirit will provide all the things you need to be able to realize your dreams.

Whether you are a youth wondering what to do in life or someone who need to rise above whatever is happening to you, this book will give you’re a great testimony from someone who pursued what he wanted to be in life with the help of God.

Fighter is available for purchase at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com

Disclaimer: Thanks to Chris Greenwood, Manafest Productions Inc. and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. for sending me the above mentioned book for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Joni & Ken

Joni & Ken
Written by Ken & Joni Eareckson Tada with Larry Libby
Published at Zondervan

About the book

Joni and Ken is the true love story of one of the most adored and respected couples on the planet---Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada---who, through depression, pain, and cancer, faced the kind of testing and trials few could even conceive. But a couple who have clearly displayed the love of Jesus in their relationship … for almost thirty years. Includes an eight-page photo section.

My Thoughts

I was highly interested when this book was available on the bloggers program and requested it.  But back in May, the book never arrived.   I wasn’t penalized for this but when I emailed again last week to see if there can be any chances of receiving a copy to review, I got it within a couple of days.   Actually, it arrived on a Friday and by the Sunday afternoon I had finished my reading even with the tremendous work we had over the week-end making and canning salsa.  

I couldn’t stop reading it… always wanting to discover more about this couple.   I have seen the movie Joni where you discover how she became paraplegic.  I sometimes read her thoughts from her blog and had prayed during her cancer treatments.   But who was Ken?   Apart from being her husband I didn’t know much about him.   Not only I discover more who the man in the couple is, but I have read one of the most beautiful love stories out there.   And reading this book, made me think of another couple I know that live something similar to them. 

Through the pages of this book, you will discover how they fell in love and the ups and downs they have experienced since being together.   Marvelous photos can be viewed as well.   The story goes back and forth through the years bringing new light on certain part of their lives together.   I was moved, touched, and cried a bit when reading it.    This love story is an inspiration for me in many ways.  It reminded me that being married is not only for the good times but also the harder ones.  I pray that I will have the same kind of support that Ken has for Joni if my husband is in need.  I hope that I will have the patience, the courage and the faith of Joni if I ever go through some health issues in my life.   Both of them are precious to the Lord and have a great story to tell to everyone!

I seriously think that this book should be read by every married couples to give them a perspective to what really means to care for a love one when he/she goes through difficult health issues.   The book has encouraged me to persevere and stick close to my man whether we go through good times or hard ones.   

Joni & Ken is available for purchased at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

 

The book is also available for the Kindle and Kindle app.

  

Disclaimer: Thanks to Zondervan for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

The Brontë Sisters

The Brontë Sisters – The Brief Lives of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne
Written by Catherine Reef
Published at Clarion Books

About the book

The Brontë sisters are among the most beloved writers of all time, best known for their classic nineteenth-century novels Jane Eyre (Charlotte), Wuthering Heights (Emily), and Agnes Grey (Anne). In this sometimes heartbreaking young adult biography, Catherine Reef explores the turbulent lives of these literary siblings and the oppressive times in which they lived. Brontë fans will also revel in the insights into their favorite novels, the plethora of poetry, and the outstanding collection of more than sixty black-and-white archival images. A powerful testimony to the life of the mind. (Endnotes, bibliography, index.)

My Thoughts

One of the books I have read numerous times since my teenage years is Jane Eyre.   Somehow this book has grasped me to the point I needed to re-read it through the years.   I must admit that I never read anything else from the Brontë Sisters – yes I now hear the gasps of some of my readers as I wrote this…  But I promise that this will change in 2013.

Though I have read only one book from the sisters I have learned that their stories are fabulous and when I saw that this book was available for review I requested it.   I am not disappointed whatsoever as I enjoy reading biographies.  I am learning quite a bit abou the lives of the sisters and how they became authors.  The book contains ten chapters dedicated to their life, notes from the author as well as a list of the works from the sisters.   The book also contains pictures of where they lived, drawings made by their brother, and photos. 

While reading this biography on the Brontë Sisters, you have the feeling of being transported to their home and lives.    Reading more about them is encouraging me to explore other writings from their hands.   I am thinking that Wuthering Heights would be a great book to read in the early part of the 2013 year.  The Brontë Sisters would make a great Christmas gift for the fan of their writing as it will let her read their biography and learn more about their lives.

The Brontë Sisters is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

     

The book is also available on Kindle.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Allen for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Rudy

Rudy – My Story
Written by Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger
Published at Thomas Nelson

About the book

The inspirational real-life story of the man behind the beloved movie Rudy, his continued determination to make his dreams come true, and how you can dream big too.

How does a lower middle class kid, who suffered through school with undiagnosed dyslexia, get into Notre Dame and become the inspiration for millions in a Hollywood film that has become one of the most inspiring sport movies ever made? He never gave up.

For the first time, read Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger's real life story and learn the behind-the-scenes details of the ten years it took to make the movie and how that tossed him into a new career of public speaking that continues on stages today alongside world-class leaders and speakers.

Divided into four parts, each include details of the failures and hard lessons he's learned along the way and how hitting the reset button was often the best thing that ever happened to him:

• Growing up one of 14 kids in Joliet, a brief stint in the Navy opens a new world of opportunity and dreams
• Rudy finds a side door into Notre Dame where in a legendary moment he becomes one of only a few players in school history to be carried off the field
• The struggle to find a career after college leads him to his new impossible dream, to get a movie made about his life story
• Launched into a new world, Rudy finds his true calling as an inspirational speaker and reveals how losing site of his own dreams nearly derails him, but how once again, in learning another of life's most important lessons, he finds a reason to hope again—through the eyes of the next generation of Rudys

Rudy doesn't represent some far-fetched Hollywood fantasy that most people can never attain—the power of his story comes from the fact that at heart he's just an “Average Joe.” The moral is that anyone with a dream can make that dream a reality—as long as they’re willing to put in the hard work, and heart, it takes to get there.

My Thoughts

I have seen the movie.  Actually, we own it and honestly I can’t wait to get my kids see it.   It is a very inspirational movie and I highly recommend it to anyone.   So when I had the opportunity to review the book, I couldn’t resist because I enjoyed the movie and also because I love auto-biographies.    I was also curious about it because my husband knows that he has dyslexia and we have one son who seems to be struggling with it.   Reading about the hardships and how Rudy was able to advance in life with his “disability”  is inspiring and thought provoking.

I want my son to be able to do what he wants to do.   I am very thankful for the opportunity of homeschooling him.   I have a sense that he has advanced more at home than he would have had at school.   At least here, he can advance at his own pace, revise when needed, have private lessons if needed.   He can fluently read in his Bible or a comic book.  Sometimes he will be interested in other type of literature like anything that is Star Wars or Lego.   My husband is in awe because he himself graduated without being able to read as good as our son is right now.     He sees the difference of homeschooling is making in his life.   Our son is passionate about drawing.   Just today we went to the library and he took out two books about learning how to draw.   I wouldn’t be surprised whatsoever if his future employment require drawing.

But let’s get back to the book.  Like mentioned above, the book is an autobiography of Rudy which is the inspiration behind the movie.    In this book, you will learn how Rudy grew up, how he struggled in school, how he became an icon at Notre Dame, and how he became an inspirational speaker in the end.   Whether for a parent trying to figure out how to deal with a child with dyslexia or something dealing with it, Rudy is a wonderful book to read. 

If you have someone in your life who love to read autobiographies, why not getting Rudy this year as a Christmas gift? 

Rudy is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

     

Also available on Kindle

Also available as audiobook

       

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for sending me the above mentioned product in the e-pub edition for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien
By Alexandra Wallner
Published at Holiday House

About the book

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien’s novels were strongly influenced by his childhood both in South Africa, where lions prowled and wild beasts roamed, and in the lush English countryside, where he imagined that elves and gnomes dwelled.

J. R. R. Tolkien wrote many stories, studied languages—even inventing one of his own—and fought bravely in World War I. He wrote The Hobbit, a children’s book about a courageous creature with pointed ears and furry feet, which was an instant success. His next book, The Lord of the Rings, made Tolkien, an ordinary man with an extraordinary imagination, one of the world’s most beloved authors. Includes a time line and bibliography.M

My Thoughts

Though this book is geared for children of ages 6 to 10, I find it was a pretty interesting read if you don’t know anything about J.R.R. Tolkien.    I recall reading the French version of the Hobbit when I was in high school but I never read the other books he wrote.   However, when the movies of the trilogy of the ring came out, I had the plan to read the books as well because I know that as fun as Hollywood can make a good movie out of a book there is always more details in the book version of the story.    I haven’t started them yet but I am in the midst of reading The Hobbit in English though and I can’t hardly wait to see the movie when it comes out.

This book debuts with the childhood of J.R.R. Tolkien and finishes with how the ring trilogy got written.    Through the pages of this book, the child (or the parent) will discover the life of J.R.R. Tolkien and the events that marked it.   At the end of the book, you can also observe the timeline of the life of J.R.R. Tolkien.

It was interesting to learn about the creation of languages as well as the long process it took to write the books that are now so popular.    I am planning to introduce the kids to The Hobbit this summer and hope that they will appreciate the story as much as I do.

If you want your kids to learn more about this great writer, this book will give them a good introduction of the life of J.R.R. Tolkien.

J.R.R. Tolkien is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book for review purposes from Thomas Allen. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver
By John Perry
Published by Thomas Nelson

About the book

A generation of 20th-century Americans knew him as a gentle, stoop-shouldered old black man who loved plants and discovered more than a hundred uses for the humble peanut. George Washington Carver goes beyond the public image to chronicle the adventures of one of history's most inspiring and remarkable men.

George Washington Carver was born a slave. After his mother was kidnapped during the Civil War, his former owners raised him as their own child. He was the first black graduate of Iowa State, and turned down a salary from Thomas Edison higher than the U.S. President to stay at the struggling Tuskegee Institute, where he taught and encouraged poor black students for nearly half a century.

Carver was an award-winning painter and acclaimed botanist who saw God the Creator in all of nature. The more he learned about the world, the more convinced he was that everything in it was a gift from the Almighty, that all people were equal in His sight, and that the way to gain respect from his fellow man was not to demand it, but to earn it.

My thoughts

I was intrigued and very interested in learning more about George Washington Carver after I read and reviewed The Boy Who Changed the World and Butterfly Effect.    I came across the name a few time in the homeschool communities also.   So my curiosity was picked… to the point that I jumped on the e-pub version of the book when it was available through the blogger’s program at Thomas Nelson.

I love biographies and I am definitively not disappointed with this one.   Through adversity and though times, the one known as George Washington Carver stepped in faith and became a painter and botanist.   He was a devoted believer in God and saw Him all around creation.  I find it interesting that even though he was offered a better salary to dedicate himself in teaching and encouraging black students.    He knew the importance of an education and didn’t think twice about what his calling was.

George Washington Carver is also the one behind all the different  uses for the peanut and learning more about his life gave me another perspective on how former slaves were hardworking and dedicate in what they did.    Reading about this humble man is a delight for my eyes!   I strongly recommend this book to anybody who like biographies.

George Washington Carver is available at your favorite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for sending me the above mentioned product in the e-pub edition for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

DK Biography Laura Ingalls Wilder

DK Biography Laura Ingalls Wilder
Published at DK Canada

About the book

Filled with archival photographs and amazing fact boxes, this groundbreaking series introduces young readers to some of history’s most interesting and influential characters.
DK Biography: Laura Ingalls Wilder focuses on the author of the beloved Little House on the Prairie series, and the exciting pioneer childhood that was the inspiration for her books.

My Thoughts

The DK biography on Laura Ingalls Wilder will provide much historical information on a beloved writer that has touched and still touches many readers around the world.

I brought the book with me while camping the other week-end and I believed that I devoured it in a matters of two days.   I was completely immersed in the information that I was reading in it.    I knew that the books I had read while a little girl were fiction and that the television series that I enjoyed so much (and still enjoy since I purchase the wagon of DVDs) was not entirely based on reality.   Reading this book helped me to completely situate Laura in history.

I can’t even imagine how often they embarked on the wagon and travelled to find a new place to stay.    My husband himself moved quite often when he was younger.   I believe that his parents have moved about 40 to 50 times in their life (and they still do).    I’m more a settled kind of person.    This year marks the ninth year in our house.   Sometimes the desire of moving hit me – like when I want more space for my kids to run around.   But we haven’t make the move yet.  

Moving as often as the family of Laura must have been difficult.  In the book, you can sense that Laura’s mom was tired of this at some point.    Still they move quite often.   Once grown up, Laura and her husband will move a couple of times but finally will set their home at one place.   

I always thought that Laura Ingalls Wilder had a few kids.  No so.   They only had one girl who later in life encouraged her in her writings.    Thanks to Rose we have now wonderful books to read on the life of a pioneer family.

The book contains numerous pictures from the Ingalls, Wilders and the life as pioneers.    It is an eye opening book to realize and feel the hardship that these people went through as they move from one place to another.   

I also find that this book is a wonderful addition for a study on pioneer life and the Little House series of books.    Any child age 10 and up could easily read this book to learn more about a well-known author.

The DK Biography on Laura Ingalls Wilder is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: I received the product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.