The Grinch

You've more than likely seen the classic 1966 animated television special; How the Grinch Stole Christmas! at some point in your life. It's a timeless tale without question.

This year, Illumination (the creators of Despicable Me) have taken on the project of creating a new adaptation of the classic, simply titled; The Grinch.

I went to see this movie last night, and it was terrific! It was so good that I wanted to write a quick review with a couple of takeaways.

First off, the animation is terrific. Truly beautiful. I'd say it takes one's breath away. Very impressive.

I'm also a real fan of what they did with the Grinch's character. He has a personality, and I really felt a connection to his character.

I also really liked how the filmmakers tinkered with some elements of the original story. I'd call this film a "fresh take" on the Grinch. It doesn't have to replace the 1966 classic. You can be a fan of both. I know I am. But I'd also say that this is my new favorite Grinch film.

In summary; the animation is terrific, I like what they did with the Grinch's character, and it is filled with many laughs.  And I should mention that from a faith perspective, there is much truth exposited.

I'd love to here your thoughts on the Grinch. Do you plan to see this film this Christmas season? Do you like when a timeless tale is tinkered with? Which is you favorite Grinch film? And if you have watched this film, it'd be cool if we could have a discussion about some of the truths presented in it. I honestly saw quite a bit and look forward to seeing it again!

Thanks for reading! God bless you!

Terrific young adult fantasy novel

Fantasy might be my favorite genre of storytelling, but I must admit that I have watched  more fantasy films than I have read fantasy novels. But when I discovered that one of my favorite authors had written a young adult fantasy novel....I was pretty excited!

Quest for Celestia by Steven James is a fascinating and highly motivating book. The book is a re-imagining of The Pilgrims’ Progress by John Bunyan, and thus an allegory of the Christian life.

The story is a compelling one taking place in a unique setting with plenty of surprises along the way. It’s a journey filled with high stakes action, lighthearted humor, and all of the fantasy elements you could hope for! And then there is also the allegory to consider, which adds a whole different dimension to the book (especially for re-reading).

This is a book I will continue to read in the years to come. There's something special about storytelling in the fantasy setting that makes it even more enjoyable to read year after year. I've already read this book twice since I got it last summer and I would definitely recommend it to fans of young adult fiction, fantasy, and to Christians of any age.

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I'm yet to post a book review on Journey with Emmanuel, but a fantasy novel travel story seemed like a great one to share.

Have you ever read Quest for Celestia before? What's your favorite fantasy travel story? You can't go wrong with Narnia and Lord of the Rings!

God as an allegory?

For those of us that want to grow closer to God as we write, and for our readers to grow closer to Him as they read our writing; a certain question arises: how should we talk about Jesus in our books? If we mention Jesus; will it seem like we're preaching? If we don’t mention Him; are we selling out?

When I personally write a story set on earth without any fantasy or dystopian elements; I enjoy including God on my pages. I never mean to preach, but I honestly enjoy integrating my faith into my writing.

But in fantasy or any alternative reality; I have been uptight about including God by name. I fear that I’m misrepresenting Him in my characterization or I feel that I’m selling out if I  don't include Him by name. There is no doubt that I have been inspired and helped by movies and stories that don't include God by name. Lord of the Rings and Star Wars come to mind, and even the book of Esther. And Narnia and Quest for Celestia are 2 examples of stories I've enjoyed that include God as a character.

What’s your take on this? Do you enjoy having God as a character on your pages? Or do you prefer to have Him interwoven through the story in a more subtle way? I feel like everyone is different on this one, and that’s great. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below. 

Thanks for reading. God bless you!

Extra reading:

This is the best article I’ve found addressing this question.

Lessons from fantasy storytelling

This post was a blast to write. Thank you to Tracey Dyck from Adventure Awaits for tagging me for this post. And a thank you to Jenelle Schmidt as well, as both of the tags originated on her blog.

What will now commence is the completion of the two fantasy themed tags I was tagged to complete. The first will be on lessons from fantasy, and the second is a “What if” scenario.

Let the fun begin!

Life Lessons Learned from Fantasy

6 lessons- You’ll see me refer to Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, and Narnia A LOT!

1. We all have a part to play

We each matter and we each are gifted in a way indispensable to the success and well-being of others. There is a role He has gifted each of us for that only we can do. Some fantasy examples coming to mind would be Luke Skywalker being the only one that could save his father. Taking the ring was Frodo’s task. But the lesson applies to each of us no matter our role. You matter!   (1 Corinthians 12:12-27)

2. Sacrifice and love

Love and sacrifice come across in the fantasy I most enjoy. It is not for selfish gain that Frodo journeys to Mordor to destroy the ring. The heroes in Star Wars don’t risk their lives out of selfishness. Peace, justice, freedom, love, etc. are the motive. (John 15:13 "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." NLT)

3. We need each other

The fact Gimli declared that the fellowship failed might seem to contradict us needing each other, but it doesn’t. Frodo’s friends’ actions were imperative in allowing him to destroy the ring. Han and Leia got the shields down to let Lando destroy the death star in episode 6. We all intrinsically know that we need each other. It’s not weak to admit that.

4. Deception sucks. Know truth

There are tragic moments in cinema that stand out to me. Some of the most tragic scenes take place, are in Revenge of the Sith. Anakin is deceived. Anakin believes a lie and acts in unspeakable ways. Had he believed and followed the truth; he never would have done what he did. Obi-Wan said; “He was deceived by a lie. We all were.” (John 17:17: "Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth.")

      

5. Evil doesn't stand a chance

Evil never wins in the fantasy I enjoy. There might be tough times, but there’s always a happy ending. The empire is destroyed and Vader is redeemed as Anakin Skywalker. Aslan resurrects and the White Witch is destroyed. Sauron is destroyed and Aragon becomes king. God is on my side and I need not fear. 

6. Awestruck of my Creator

It's true that not every fantasy film or novel delves into allegory, but one can still see the love of God and His majesty shining through. In every epic fantasy I watch; I think of the wonders of God. As you look at the mountains at the beginning of "The Two Towers"; doesn't that inspire you somehow? As I see the vastness of the Star Wars galaxy; I think about how there really are billions of galaxies that God has created. That's cool. And to think that the God that created the galaxies created me and you and that He came to die for me and for you...that's just amazing!          

                     

The What If . . . ? Fantasy Tag 

1. Your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. The cast of the most recent fantasy book you've read comes to your assistance . . . Who are they? Will they be helpful?

I get Kadin and Leira from “Quest for Celestia”. They sure would be helpful! Once they know you're a fellow vagabond, they will do everything they can to help you. Seeing some of the impossible situations they battle through in the book; fixing a car would be a piece of cake.

2. You go to bed one evening and wake up in the lair of the villain of the last fairytale you read. Where are you and how do you plan to get out?

The last fairy tale I watched was Shrek 4. So that puts me in a tough spot; chained in Rumpelstiltskin’s dungeon and destined to die when the sun rises or by being eaten by a dragon! Whichever comes first. Ultimately I'm reliant upon my friends to save me. I'd try my best to pick the lock of my chains, disguise myself as a guard, and then sneak out of the castle to get to my friends.

3. You are transported into a fantasy realm and given a mythical creature as a companion and best friend . . . Which mythical creature do you get?

A talking lion or tiger would be real cool!

4. In a strange series of coincidences, you end up needing to take the place of your favorite fantasy hero or heroine. Who are you?

I really like Obi-Wan Kenobi. His role is quite a daunting one.

5. To go along with question #4, now that you are that character, is there anything you would do differently than that character, now that you are running the show?

I would take Anakin with me to fight General Griveous. And I'd try to be less snarky with him when he was a young padawan.

6. If you were yourself in a fantasy novel, what role do you think you would play in the story?

I'd be proud to be the trusty and stable sidekick that has a couple of one liners to help the hero or heroine on their journey.

7. One morning, as you are going about your daily business, you pick up an everyday item and a voice booms in your head with prophetic words about your future. What object is it, and what is the prophecy?

As I grab a bowl for my breakfast; I hear; "You have been chosen. Go the the outdoor hockey rink tomorrow at 2:17 for further instructions.” As you can see; I was not sure how to answer this one haha.

8. You are transported into a magical realm and turned into a mythical beast . . . What beast/fantasy creature do you want to be?

The Elves seem pretty cool in Lord of the Rings. 

9. If you could read your way into any fantasy realm, but the catch is you can never leave, would you? Which realm would you choose?

Narnia would be the place I'd choose without question. Star Wars and Middle-Earth both seem epic, but Narnia is still the better universe. There’s a sense of peace in Narnia that doesn’t exist in any of the other universes. And it’s because Aslan is there!

10. As you are going about your normal day, you discover that you have a magical power. What is it?

I'd love the ability to know the truth in each situation. That'd be real helpful. To be able to become invisible could be cool. Being able to fly would be kind of cool too.

Conclusion
Well that's the end of the post. Hope you enjoyed it. And to anybody reading this; I tag you to complete one or both of these fantasy tag exercises! Zero pressure, but they can be a lot of fun and a great time of reflection. Please let me know if you decided to take the challenge. I'd love to take a look at your post when it's up. 

Thanks for reading. God bless you.


Here are the links if you choose to accept the tag challenge:
Life lessons learned from fantasy
What if.......? fantasy tag

One more link:

Here's an article I wrote talking about how God can connect with you using story

Making a Mission Statement Using Your Favorite Stories

I was inspired to make a list of all of my favorite stories and intended to do just that. I had no idea what number that would take me to, but I ended up stopping at 23. (I explain why at the end of the post). As I looked over my favorite stories; I saw patterns in what I appreciated about the stories and ended up creating a bit of a mission statement. It was a blessing to me and I hope it is to you too.

Here's how I did it.
I made a top 23 list of my favorite movies, books, and music artists. Then what?

Well, after I made my list, I wrote down one line summarizing what I liked about each story.

Next, I scanned over my one line summaries and looked for patterns. When I was able to identify some; I made a list.

Now I had a list of patterns. Then I compiled that list into one paragraph. Thus creating my Mission Statement!

The mission statement doesn’t encompass all of my dreams in life, but it reflects the man I want to be no matter my circumstances.

It was my favorite part of the post, but I'm not going to share it here right now. You'll do just fine creating your own.

Here's the process once more: Select a number of stories or go until you've gotten all of your favorite ones, and write a one line observation for each story summarizing what you like about it. View your observations, and extract patterns from them. Turn those patterns into a single paragraph. (And if you wish to, feel free to add scriptures within that paragraph.)

And there you have it. A personal mission statement!

Conclusion: 

That brings us to the end of this post. I’d like to encourage you to do something similar to this.

When I was making this list, I had wanted to list all of my favorite stories, but while I was making the list…I realized that all of the stories I cut out beyond my top 23 seemed to share the values I already had in my top 23 stories. Which I found interesting.

Did this post help you? Do you feel energized and motivated at all? Are you going to make a list like this? Can you see patterns in your favorite stories as you think about them?

Thanks for reading. God bless you!

Story is our Native Language

I feel like story is our native tongue. We all have a story. We’re living our story everyday. We’re revealing our story in our conversations. And when we dream; we’re thinking of the story to be.

There’s some sort of connection that I feel when I’m engaged in a story. It makes me come alive.

Stories can be used by God to connect with us personally. Stories can be like parables from God straight to you.

The other day I was in need of being reminded about some important truths; and I felt led to watch Spider-Man 2. That movie connects with me in many ways and inspires me. I can honestly watch it and grow closer to God as I do. It feels like a parable He’s created for me to watch and be reminded of some of His truths.

Going from inspiration to application might be another post of itself, but don’t underestimate how God can connect with you in story.

Am I on my own on this one? Please talk to me those of you that love stories and are motivated by them.

I can truly say I love stories and am so motivated in watching, reading, and listening to them. Writing them too. But I also want to live my story. God has a story written for each of us. Let's walk with Him in it.

Please leave a comment below mentioning some of the stories that have really connected with you.

Thanks for reading. God bless you.

Starting an Online Ministry (Part 1)

I'll be honest that I don't have a big online presence. This is my first actual post on this blog. So what can I possibly tell you about building an online presence? 

That's a good question. And the truth is that I can't guarantee you that my advice will work. I guess I'll be my own litmus test on if there is anything to this advice. But these are some  of my conclusions on building an online presence.

Here's the first takeaway: you as the content creator have to create something that a consumer values. 

That may not seem real complicated, but that's the base of building up a following. There are so many people online looking for something. And there are a group of people that need you and will value what you are doing.

Target audiences

It doesn't matter what type of blog or online endeavor you are undertaking; there are people out there that will value what you do. These people are your target audience.

It's your job to provide them with consistent material that they find valuable. 

Examples

Here are 2 examples of people that have been a blessing to me online. I would be in their “target audience”.

Rocco Grimaldi is a professional hockey player for the San Antonio Rampage. When I first came across Rocco was at the 2011 NHL draft where he was outspoken about his faith in Jesus Christ. He was interviewed and asked about his faith, and his answer was such a blessing and encouragement to me. 

I was encouraged by Rocco. I appreciated what he said and wanted to learn more about him. He seemed like a guy I’d like to get to know more, and eventually I followed him on social media where he continues to be an encouragement and inspiration to me to this day.

Matt McCoy is a construction worker in the States. A few years ago, I was trying to learn the guitar and went on YouTube to find some videos that could help me. One of the videos I came across was Matt McCoy teaching how to use a capo on your guitar. I watched the video and it was extremely helpful. And it turned out he was a follower of Jesus. I’d been searching for a guitar teacher and found a good one, only then to realize I found a brother in Christ. It was a great encouragement to me, and I still follow him to this day. He has a video talking about starting an online ministry here.

Rocco and Matt are both relatable guys. They’re leaders. They’re genuine and hard working guys persevering in the faith. Following them is refreshing. They’re cool and energetic guys. They’re infectious with their excitement and positive vibe. They challenge and encourage those around them. It’s a breath of fresh air and quite inspiring seeing them live for Christ and using their gifts for Him. It motivates me in my walk with the Lord.

I can tell that’s what I’m looking for online.  I want to find people I can relate to that’re living for Jesus.   

Review

What I’ve tried to establish in this article is that if you want to create content that gets engagement, you need to create content that provides value for a target audience.

Rocco and Matt both connected with me. I’m an avid hockey fan, and so Rocco being a hockey player living for Jesus made me want to learn more about him. And wanting to learn the guitar and finding a good teacher in Matt only to find out he was a follower of Jesus; made we want to learn more about him and follow him.

Both guys objectively gave value to me. I enjoy hockey and I wanted to learn guitar. Rocco’s a great hockey player and Matt’s a great guitar teacher. They both do a great job in working in the thing I valued. They’re gifted in that skill and are followers of Jesus. And that’s what I’m looking for online; people I can relate to that’re living for Jesus. 

Conclusion

So one last time; to sum up what we talked about here; to get engagement online you need to provide value to a target audience.

I used some personal examples of what target audience I would fall under, and people that’ve been a blessing to me.

What type of online ministry are you interested in starting? I hope this article has been of help to you.

How do you know what content to create? How do you find your target audience? I hope to write more articles that delve into this.

Thanks for reading and please leave a comment below. God bless.

Here are some resources that have helped me with this article:
Randy Ingermanson on finding your target audience
Matt McCoy's YouTube channel and website
Rocco Grimaldi's Twitter and website