Thank You Project - Story of Kellie Haddock's Attempt to Give Thanks

This is a powerful short film and testimony about how gratitude can bring out the best of people. Kellie Haddock reflects back on the joys and tragedies of her life and decides to do the one thing that is within her means. She gave thanks.



One of the most touching moments is when a woman helper shared that she had never been thanked before. It tells us that giving thanks is not simply something that needs to be done, it must be done more often.

This posting from her says it all.

"There is so much heartache in our world right now; so much brokenness. Let us be people of love who share love everywhere we go. #loveneverfails #weartruth This bracelet and other styles available here http://kellies-music-store.myshopify.com/"

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BookPastor >> "75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know" (Terry Glaspey)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on Dec 7th, 2015.

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TITLE: 75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know: The Fascinating Stories behind Great Works of Art, Literature, Music, and Film
AUTHOR: Terry Glaspey
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015, (368 pages).

A masterpiece is a great artistic achievements created by ordinary people. Like how Rembrandt's Prodigal Son painting enveloped the depths of Henri Nouwen, the author has experienced deep fascination with not just art but music, literature, stained glass, paintings, film, and many creative works like woodcut, symphony, building architecture, poems, even children's stories. The author is a writer who enjoys the beauty of God's creation and the handiworks throughout history. Beginning with his visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, he describes how he was captivated by the classic and modern masterpieces. Curious about the origins and how the work was made, he becomes very impressed with the stories behind the paintings. The more things he finds, the more fascinated he becomes. In wanting to share his experience, he goes through his library of resources and experiences to inspire more people to appreciate the masterpieces. Several factors are used to decide on which masterpiece to use.  First, it has to be "universally esteemed" by both Christians and non-Christians. Second, they had to stand up well through time, that people will keep coming back as new things can always be learned from them. Third, they are timeless and can speak to people regardless of cultural background and national boundaries. Like trailers to entice people to watch movies, Glaspey starts with the paintings in the Roman catacombs, how Christian art had to go underground during the Roman persecution. He shows us how the Gregorian chant first begun and why it has enchanted the imaginations of many. The Chartres Cathedral is chosen as one with many beautiful stained windows each telling a story in themselves. He calls it a "visual book." Dante's Divine Comedy is a spiritual autobiography. Although not much is known about Andrei Rublev, who created the famous Holy Trinity icon, Glaspey is able to describe the significance of icons and the history of the controversies over their use. Michelangelo's The Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel shows the famous artist more as a sculptor rather than a painter. The three central pieces of work all reflect Michelangelo's commitment to faith. Several hymns are also selected in this volume. Martin Luther's A Mighty Fortress is Our God proves to be Luther's strength as he prepares for a tense debate at the Diet of Worms in 1521. John Newton's Amazing Grace and Isaac Watts' When I Survey the Wondrous Cross are also mentioned. The great novels include Alexandr Solzhenitsyn's Cancer Ward and Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Transcend the Documentary

There has been a long standing connection between faith and running. Believers are exhorted in Hebrews 12:1 to "run with perseverance the race set before us." The Apostle Paul also uses the image of running and racing when he wrote to the Corinthian Church:

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." (1 Corinthians 9:24)

Writing to Timothy, Paul proclaims boldly in 2 Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

In an upcoming documentary feature film called "tRANscend," producer Michael Del Monte probes into the connection between running and faith. Interviewing famous runners, authors like Philip Yancey, theologians, coaches, and other professionals, the film highlights that underlying the power and perseverance of every marathon runner is an undying faith. It is the faith that propels the running, and watching this documentary will show us that running the race is not simply a biblical metaphor for Christians, it is a principle for life.

Watch the trailers here and here. You can preorder the film here.

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Trailer #1

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Trailer #2

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Upcoming Movie: "Heaven is For Real"

Here is an early publicity of the upcoming movie, "Heaven is For Real." Based on the book of the same name, it is a dramatization of the story of Colton Burpo, who had an experience of heaven while being momentarily in and out of this world. Without revealing too many details, here is some currently available information on the official website. Resource link here.

Movie that is Moving, Inspiring,
and Down to Earth

Press Release
Based on the Globe and Mail and #1 New York Times bestselling book of the same name, Heaven is For Real brings to the screen the true story of a small-town father who must find the courage and conviction to share his son’s extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world.
The film stars Academy Award® nominee and Emmy® award winning actor Greg Kinnear as Todd Burpo and co-stars Kelly Reilly as Sonja Burpo, the real-life couple whose son Colton (newcomer Connor Corum) claims to have visited Heaven during a near death experience. Colton recounts the details of his amazing journey with childlike innocence and speaks matter-of-factly about things that happened before his birth... things he couldn't possibly know. Todd and his family are then challenged to examine the meaning from this remarkable event.
'Heaven Is For Real' will be released in select Cineplex theatres across Canada on Easter Weekend, beginning Wednesday, April 16, 2014.

There is also a series of sermon resources for the 4 weeks leading up to Easter here.

Trailer link here.




My review of the book is available here. My review of the film will be published on April 16th, 2014. Watch for it.

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Sharing Resources: Mission

This split screen short film captures two worlds and slowly meshes them into one. It is very well made and more importantly puts in a very important message about how those of us who live in the prosperous countries can play a part to bring some goodness and healing to the less privileged societies of the world.


With regards to missions, the key to revival and missions is to personally for the haves to experience what it means to live in the world of the have-nots.

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Touching Testimony on Christian Love

What is Christian hospitality? It is simply sharing the love of God with people who come among us. It is receiving them as a fellow brother or a sister who may be visiting. It is caring for a fellow human being, just like Jesus cares for strangers. This video begins with some shocking video footage of how some Muslims were taught to infiltrate and to overthrow the anti-Muslim regimes, especially the US. He was sent to the US to do "cultural Jihad" to try to change America from inside. Moving to the Bible Belt in the US, he considers himself the "sword of Islam" and to raise a group of cultural jihadists to change the US from the inside. Instead, God touches Kamal Saleem with an unexpected source: Christian love. He came to Christ.

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Touching Short Film: Giving Without Expecting Returns

Of late, the Thais have been doing incredible short commercials that touch the human heart. With a gripping story as a lead, the commercial usually teaches a message meaningful for life. In this commercial, we notice the power of giving lies not in protecting one's assets but in encouraging investments in others, especially young lives. For one never knows what will happen in the future. Best of all, giving without expecting anything in return is probably one of the best demonstrations of love in action. For Christians, we are not exactly giving without expecting anything in return. We have already received the abundant blessings and promises in Christ. When Christians give, we give in earnest hope that what we do will please God more.

Watch this commercial here or click below.



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Exciting Miniseries on THE BIBLE

There is a new 10-part miniseries that dramatize the entire Holy Bible from Genesis to Revelation that is coming soon. Starting March 3rd, 2013 on History Channel, each Sunday, the production by Mark Burnett (remember Survivor, Celebrity Apprentice, Shark Tank, and many other reality shows?) and Roma Downey goes on air for two hours, culminating with Revelation on Easter Sunday (March 31st, 2013). Snippets of the movie will make the Bible come alive dramatically. It should prove to be a great treat for those of us who have read through the entire Bible. Watch for this. Below is a trailer.




The episodes are scheduled as follow, with two episodes per week.

1. The Beginning – Noah, Abraham thru Jacob, Israel begins
2. The Exodus – Pharaoh, Moses, Red Sea and Ten Commandments
3. The Homeland – Joshua, Samson, Judges, David & Goliath
4. The Kingdom – David, Saul, Solomon
5. The Survival – Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel, Jews return to Jerusalem
6. The Revolution – Roman, birth of Christ, John the Baptist, Jesus and Peter
7. The Mission – Pharisees, Jesus, miracles, Disciples
8. The Betrayal – Last supper, Judas, Peter’s Denial
9. The Passion – Nicodemus, Caiaphas, Pilate, Crucifixion, Resurrection
10. The Courage – Jesus returns, Holy Spirit comes, Disciples die, John survives death, exiled to Patmos, Revelation 

For more information, click here, here, and here.


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