The Saturday Six

One.

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This bridal party story = adorable. You must look at the photos. {And MJ - thanks for sharing this one on Facebook so I could read it!! Credit goes to you!!!}

Two.

Even if you're not a professional photographer, if you like taking pictures, there's always room to grow. This article, though aimed at professionals, has great ideas at the end for photo projects. I've read bloggers who do a photo a day or Project 365, but I think there are some creative other ideas in here too! If you're in a picture taking slump, this might help you!!

Three.

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I haven't done this challenge before, and I'm not sure yet if I will do it {at least publicly} this year just because I already have a set pattern for the old blogaroonie, but I do love reading some of the series for 31 days of blogging in October. If you're interested in DOING it, it's never too early to start thinking of a topic! Here's the info...about the series and the new host this year!

Four.

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The first year of our marriage, we were CRAZY busy. Too, too busy. And one of the goals we made at our first anniversary was to begin protecting our time a bit more. To carve out days and times for rest. We've held to it well, in my opinion, and this article by The Nester is a great reminder of why we need rest and how to do it - because some people truly do not know HOW to rest! We all need it. God taught us that in the lineup of creation! If you've struggled with rest, don't miss this read.

Five.

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Ryan's cousin posted this link on Facebook this week, and I thought it was well-written, vulnerable, and filled with good reminders. If you have a dream in your heart that God seems to be saying NO to...that can be all kinds of hard. I appreciated this reminder that He knows the dreams...He's the Giver of dreams, and He has tenderness toward us. 

Six.

I had a little first in the reading world this week: I read my first movie novelization. {If you're not familiar...it just means that normally people write books and then if they make it to the big screen, it's because others adapt the books to make them work as movies. In this case, the movie was made first, and an author adapted it into novel form.} The book is The War Room, and Chris Fabry wrote the novelization from Alex and Stephen Kendrick's film.


The War Room {the movie} hits theaters August 28th, and if you go here, you can enter your zip code to see if it's coming to any in your area. This movie is a faith-based film, created by the same folks who did Courageous, Fireproof and Facing the Giants. If you enjoyed any of those, chances are good you'll like this one as well, because it holds similar strong convictions and tackles real life family and faith issues.

You'll meet Tony Jordan, a pharmaceuticals salesman climbing the corporate ladder, and determined to reach the top, no matter the cost. His wife, Elizabeth is a real estate agent who seems to become more and more of a "married single mom" to their ten-year-old daughter, Danielle. Their marriage is unraveling, not because of any one big offense, but because years of tiny compromises and poor decisions have added up and begun to take a toll.

As Tony finds himself lured further into the world and farther from his home, Elizabeth finds herself in a Divine appointment when she's hired to sell Miss Clara's house. Miss Clara has spent most of her life a widow, mourning her war veteran husband who died so very young. But Miss Clara has a war room of her own - a prayer closet where she does battle every day for those around her. She might be aging, but when she gets on her knees, she's strong and full of a blend of sass and saint. God pairs up Elizabeth with Miss Clara...and the two women battle together on their knees for those they love.

The story itself is characteristic of the previous movies listed above, and there is a measure of predictability and almost too-good-to-be-true timing {it is, after all, a movie}, but I will say that the MESSAGE of this book and movie is so needed at this time. Scripture is clear that we are fighting battles against a spiritual realm, and way too many of us are untrained and under-equipped to get out there and truly fight a battle on our knees through the sweat and the tears. If you're accustomed to just praying some nice, fluffy, well-crafted prayers here and there, you're not going to war. And this world needs warriors.

I think I loved the message even more than the story itself; I'm convicted to not just pray, but to pray for those around me. To do battle on their behalf. To do battle on my OWN behalf. And for that reason, if you can possibly read the book or catch the movie, I think it would be time very well spent. And if you are the kind of person who learns well from the example of a story, rather than reading books of application, then this story will teach you well.

* Thanks to Tyndale for sending a copy of The War Room my way to read and review. *