It seems that few things escape my attention these days, for better or for worse.

Being that I derive the bulk of my work through online sources, I’m logged onto my computer more than I care to admit.  This allows me to surf the ‘net in between my projects, visiting certain news sites and other carefully chosen web pages to keep pace with what is happening in the world.

Certainly, I don’t find everything of value online, missing the occasional edifying story and learning
about it much later from other sources. A recent example of that was the release of the movie “Fireproof” a truly wonderful Christ-centered story directed by the brothers who produced “Facing the Giants” in 2006. Providence interceded to make sure that I not only learned about the movie, but that my wife and I would see it in the theater together this week.

I’ll explain how God got us to the theater later, after I share with you my review of the movie.

Never Leave Your Partner Behind

Did you know that the flame of marriage can just as easily flicker as it can burn brightly? Likely, if you’ve been married for some time, you understand how marriages have their ups and downs, going through tough times as well as sailing smoothly on placid seas with a gentle wind at the back.

Fireproof addresses those marriages where love has grown cold, the place where couples are taking each other for granted and have forgotten their first love. From the movie’s beginning, we learn that Caleb and Catherine are living in a strained relationship, seven years of a tough marriage that is about to reach the breaking point. Caleb, who is the Captain of the local fire department, lives by the motto — Never leave your partner behind — when coaching his underlings. Unfortunately, he long ago left his wife behind and his marriage is going up in flames.

The Plot

Without revealing too much about the story line, I can tell you that Caleb and Catherine reached a crisis point where she filed for divorce, shortly after he was introduced to a book, The Love Dare, which encouraged him to take a forty day journey to win back the heart of his wife. During the midst of that journey, Caleb surrendered his life to Jesus Christ, but the trials only worsened. Caleb was tested beyond what he could have imagined, finding himself questioning his own motives and wondering if he truly loved Catherine.

Aside from the plot, I was very impressed by the quality of the production. Kirk Cameron, who played Caleb, was the one notable “Hollywood” actor in the film, a devoted Christian who in younger years was in “Full House” and, later, played in three of the “Left Behind” movies. The remaining actors and actresses were mostly local folks, including congregants from Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, the church where brothers and co-producers Alex and Stephen Kendrick serve as associate pastors.

The acting was of a very good quality and the story line was real, not stilted. I remarked to several people after seeing the film that I was glad that it was much more realistic than some of the Billy Graham movies I had seen years ago. In those pictures, the story line wasn’t always very strong with the usual “you need Jesus” theme overtly emphasized. True, we do need Jesus, but lives are not always outwardly changed immediately. We still go through time times, sometimes even more so after we accept the Lord.

Final Showing This Weekend?

Fireproof has had a successful run since being released on September 26th, grossing more than $31 million to date. This is extremely good especially considering that the budget for the film was just $500,000. Facing the Giants was also low budget fare — costing just $100,000 to produce. But, that movie returned 100-fold with receipts topping ten million dollars when all was said and done.

Christians from all backgrounds have been embracing Fireproof, but if you still want to see it on the big screen, then this weekend may be the last one for many movie houses. With new blockbuster hits being released, the squeeze is on and Fireproof may soon be squeezed out. Thankfully, the DVD version should come out in late January just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Simply Providential

So, how did God get my attention about Fireproof? Well, he used someone other than my wife to encourage us to see the movie. Last week, when I was enroute to California on a business trip, one of the last people to board the plane was a man who chose to sit in my row. I was occupying the aisle seat while the other two seats were empty. He took the window position and we had an empty seat between us for our four hour journey westward.

Well, I soon learned that he was a Christian and I affirmed my faith in Jesus with Him. We talked about a number of different matters before he showed me his copy of The Love Dare and explained how the book was related to the movie, Fireproof. Needless to say, when we departed in Phoenix to change planes to our final destinations I knew that Freddie was a new friend who also brought with him an important message from God: see the movie!

The Love Dare

When I mentioned how God had arranged that Freddie and I sat together, and our related conversations, my wife’s face brightened. I agreed that we should see the movie and we did so while our children were in school this past Tuesday. Hey, I may be a cheap date but it was the best opportunity for us to see the movie (matinee, no babysitter fee) and I am glad that we did.

Later, after the movie was over, my wife (Ruthie) and I departed as she went to pick up our children at school while I went to the local Christian bookstore in search of a special gift. I purchased two copies of The Love Dare and I picked up the companion marriage kit with CD which we’ll view at some point together. We’ve already started reading our respective copies of the book, starting what will hopefully be a life changing journey together.

I’m thrilled to know that Fireproof and The Love Dare have impacted the lives of so many people over the last few months and I encourage all married couples to take the time to view the movie, even to do the The Love Dare. Even if your spouse isn’t willing to read the book (or see the movie) go ahead take the dare yourself. Sometimes the heart that needs to be changed the most is our own, but only if you are bold enough to dare yourself to that first.

How about you? Have you seen Fireproof yet? Have you read The Love Dare? If so, please share your thoughts by adding your comment. I would love to get as much feedback as possible.

1863 was a very trying year in our nation’s history. Engulfed in a brutal civil war, the worst battle — Gettysburg — was fought that July, leaving thousands dead on both sides and tens of thousands of soldiers wounded. It was a fractured land, a divided nation, led by Abraham Lincoln who before the war began may not have been a Christian.

Raised in a profoundly poor environment, Abe lost his mother when he was nine and, by the time he was assassinated in 1865, two of his four children had preceded him in death. Those experiences, combined with a war that seemed to be destroying the young nation, most likely brought the president to the point of recognizing the need for divine guidance personally and as a nation.

Following the end of the Battle of Gettysburg, President Lincoln proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving and later that year proclaimed another day of thanks which is now celebrated annually the fourth Thursday in November. Along with that proclamation, Lincoln made the following address, widely known as Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation:

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth

President Lincoln did not start off his proclamation by focusing on the problems of the day, instead he gave thanks to God for what the country had — the proper order of prayer.

As a nation, we have so much to be thankful for. Sure, there are problems, but when was there ever a time in our history when troubles did not exist? Let us always remember to give thanks to God for what we do have regardless of the circumstances, asking him to guide our nation and to allow us to live peacefully among men so that we, too, may one day see the Lord (paraphrased from Hebrews 12:14).