Movie Review: Paul Apostle of Christ

I knew going into this movie that I had to be in the right mind set for this one.  It's a drama, but one that came highly recommended by my pastor, who is also my bible study leader. 

Dramatic movies can be hard to watch sometimes. This particular movie has come through my house a couple of times and I've passed on watching it, until now. I put it back on my dvd queue and it sat in my house for weeks before I was ready to watch it.  And, I am very glad I did.

If you have a chance to watch it, make sure to watch the behind the scenes stuff, the creators of the movie explain how they filled in much of the information in the film.  Here is one part of that.

I had to keep telling myself that Jim Caviezel was playing Luke through the whole movie, because I always see him as playing Jesus in The Passion of the Christ.

The actor that portrayed Paul, James Faulkner, is an amazing actor.  He has been in a lot of period pieces.  He's your classic English Shakespearean actor.

Unlike a lot of Christian based movies the acting was fantastic in this one.  There were a lot of known actors who used their craft to show this story in a beautiful way.  I laughed a little and cried a little.  I empathized with the characters as well.  As with all movies I watch I wanted to come away with something from it that I hadn't thought or learned before and also be in an emotional state that felt like I didn't waste the last couple of hours of my time.  This one rang true on all accounts for me.

I highly recommend watching it, but be in the right state of mind first.  Sometimes movies like these don't hit you the way they should if you heart and mind aren't open.

Until next time....
1 Corinthians 1:18 
Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Lent 2019 #40acts 10-18

Yup, I'm still behind in my blogging again.  I've managed to keep up with the acts themselves, reading them at least.  I've had some family medical/sickness stuff come up on top of my normal schedule and I feel sometimes it's the evil one's way of pushing me down when I am trying to push outward.

God is great all the time, all the time God is great.



Act 10: Drop Everything   This one was about giving things away. We have a couple of bags of stuff that we give away every couple of weeks.  It seems we are constantly cleaning out and getting rid of stuff. 

Act 11: Hidden Heroes    I often think of the trash collectors or facilities management people who clean the bathrooms. I'm glad we have them, can you imagine the world without people who clean up after you?  As a stay at home mom and wife I know what it feels like sometimes to not be appreciated in this aspect.

Act 12: Prayer Circle   Praying for your neighbors can be difficult when you don't really know them.  This is an act I didn't do but plan on trying to do weekly.  It's a realization that even if you don't know someone you can pray for them.

Act 13: Needs Must   Taking care of a chore that isn't yours.  Hmmm.  This one is a tough one for me since it's my daily job to take care of the house.  So for me this is one that is a one off for me.  I try to put my kids clothes away from time to time after I do the laundry, or I gather the trash, which is typically my son's chore.

Act 14: The Green One   We try to recycle when we can, in all honesty it's more to save money than to save the earth.  I know how bag plastic is for the world but I also know how much easier it is with it.  So, I have been trying to go without the added plastic bags from the store as much as usual.  We also tend to use them a few times a week for various things and they get destroyed after that second use.

Act 15: Leg Up    I don't really have a teaching skill.  I think lately the only thing I can share is how to make food.  I've been doing this with my oldest niece in an effort to help integrate her with a healthier lifestyle.  Eating healthy isn't always easy and it takes a lot of preparation.

Act 16:  Dirty Hands  Again, being a stay at home mom means constantly cleaning. So, with this act in mind I just kept things in sight when I went out.  If there was trash lying around I picked it up and threw it away.  If there was something out of place, I put it back.

Act 17: Mission Accomplished  We support several missionary people financially. This year when there came an opportunity for special prayer for one of them I jumped at it.  Normally I wouldn't do this because it takes commitment, which is something that is difficult for me with my schedule and temperament.  I've been finding that it's a way for me to connect more with them, even though I'm not talking or emailing, I am engaged with them spiritually and I find that refreshing.

Act 18: Brothers and Sisters    This Act is all about praying and caring for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ.  The ministry that our family supports is Voice of the Martyrs.  I wrote about them here a couple of years ago.  This type of thing is something I share with my kids all the time.  When they complain about going to church or something like that I share stories with them of persecuted Christians in the world today.  It's a humbling thought for all of us.


I'm still managing to follow along with each day's act.  I like that they engage me in a way I wouldn't normally see the world and cause action when I can.  I gotta tell you though, I was super irritated yesterday when I went to several stores and I couldn't seem to go out of my way to engage like I usually do.  There were shopping carts in various places and instead of taking care of them like I have been I just left them there.  I think it agitated me more to do that.  I got a good night sleep last night and I am looking forward to a reset today.  Sometimes we have to give ourselves grace and forgiveness before we do so for others.  Thank God that He is gracious.