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For years singer and author Rebecca St. James has passionately delivered her True Love Waits message about abstinence and purity. Now she is extending that message with a burden for the unborn via her latest movie, Sarah’s Choice. In her first leading role, St. James portrays Sarah Collins, a rising single professional who has to make a life-altering decision when she gets pregnant. Sarah struggles with her new reality and also faces her doubts and frustrations with God.

St. James says God had already given her a pro-life passion before she was even offered this role. Sensing that the Lord was calling her to get more involved with films about faith and family, St. James moved to California a year ago. Through a couple of friends, she got involved with several crisis pregnancy events and recognized an incredible need for movies that support life.

At a fundraiser banquet, she met one of the girls who is carrying her baby to term because of the support of the crisis pregnancy center. Moved by the young woman’s story, St. James sensed that God would give her a song with the pro-life message. A couple months later, the singer was asked to audition for Sarah’s Choice. When she later received word that she had gotten the part as Sarah, St. James says a song came to her in only about half an hour.

“I’m blown away at how God did that,” St. James says. “He lit up my heart, literally impassioned my heart for this [pro-life] message way before I knew anything about the movie.”

Through her research for her role in the film, St. James says she noticed that most young, unwed mothers-to-be live with “a tremendous amount of fear, a tremendous amount of pain and pressure.” St. James says she drew from her own experiences with these emotions in her life to bring her character to life onscreen.

“It’s interesting when you’re going into the role of another person and you study up their exact circumstance, you can bring yourself and your own legitimate emotions to the table,” she says. “I loved the challenge of it.”

Another equally important theme throughout Sarah’s Choice is God’s forgiveness and redemption for those who have had an abortion. St. James says it was crucial for this message to be portrayed. “Obviously everyone wants a redemptive story, but the truth is that 43 percent of childbearing-age women today have abortions; it’s much higher than what most people think,” she says. “People need to know that there is forgiveness and grace and that all of us have made different forms of mistakes and need a lot of grace of God.”

St. James says God has ignited her heart with the pro-life message. “I have two friends who have had abortions but have told me their stories with tears. It’s impacted my life on a personal level. I want to be a part of helping other women from going through that. I want to be used by God to help point people to His forgiveness and hope as well, because we all need that.”

She encourages the Christian community to support faith and family films. “We need more films like Fireproof and Facing the Giants and films like Sarah’s Choice. We want to see this genre move up to more of the standard of The Passion of the Christ, but it’s going to take the Christian community really going out and supporting films like this so the budgets can be stronger and stronger. So I would really encourage families to get behind films like this that have a lot of heart and soul and a good message, and hopefully we’ll see more of them.”

If you want more information about how you can help the unborn, contact Care Net at care-net.org. Sarah’s Choice will be available on DVD on Nov. 17. Bonus features include trailers, commentary and more. Click here to purchase this film.

Hebrews 10:18-39 Recently I heard a message titled “What to do when you are going through hell. “The answer given in the message was this: “When you are going through hell, keep moving.”

Over and over again in the Bible we see the exhortation to press forward, keep pressing toward the goal and the high calling of God. This is the season of the summer Olympics, and as I watch the athletes, it is evident they enter every event with a certain goal. The goal is to win the gold. These athletes work tirelessly for years to prepare themselves for even one Olympic event. They, however, never work alone in their training. They always have a trainer, and sometimes they have more than one trainer to exhort them to keep pressing for the goal of a gold medal. In this reading in Hebrews we hear this exhortation: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (v. 23). The gold medal in God’s eyes is for us to love as He loves and do the same works He did.

As you read through Hebrews this month, underline or circle every time you see the phrase “Let us.” Holding fast to the faith is impossible if we are trying to hold on to our faith without the help of others. This is why the next verse exhorts, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching” (v. 24).

We are nearing the finish line of the event of our life. Jesus is coming soon, so more than ever we need the help of our brothers and sisters in Christ and the training of the Holy Spirit to get us in shape for the finish line of our lives. Jesus said, “When I come again, will I find faith on the earth?” Jesus will find faith on the earth if we hold fast to our faith by holding fast to one another in faith in these End Times.

Lord, help me to take every opportunity to fellowship with fellow believers. I need their help and the help of Your Holy Spirit to hold fast as the days draw near to Your Second Coming.

READ: Ezekiel 23:1-49; Hebrews 10:18-39; Psalm 109:1-31; Proverbs 27:13

Here are quick and cheap ways to help transform someone else’s life.

• Buy a pair a shoes for a friend or family member from Tom’s Shoes. With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.
• Help build a house with Habitat for Humanity for a person in need. Join in the fight against poverty housing and homelessness around the world!
• Volunteer at your local homeless shelter. Homeless shelters welcome volunteers and have a variety of programs through which you can get involved.
• Make a double batch of cookies the next time you bake and share with a friend or neighbor to brighten their day.
• Help others learn to read by volunteering as a tutor to help illiterate children and adults with Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. Help transform someone’s life today by teaching this important and necessary skill.
• Offer to babysit, sometimes parents need a break. If a friend or other loved one in your life doesn’t get that chance very often, call them and offer to babysit sometime. It can make a big difference.
• Save a life by giving blood. The American Red Cross estimates that “every two seconds someone in America needs blood” and over 4 million Americans donate to the cause. To learn more about donating blood visit your local American Red Cross.
• Clean out the garage. No doubt you’ve got a garage or basement full of stuff you’ve been meaning to get rid of. Consider having a garage sale and donating the proceeds to a local charity, food pantry or ministry.
• For those who like to knit and crochet: Knit for Kids has a program to supply sweaters for children of poverty all over the world.
• Many senior citizen centers offer volunteer programs to provide friendship and community activities to senior citizens. Call your local senior citizen center and volunteer your time.

In his first book Shaken Not Shattered, author Matthew Hagee challenges readers to “make a decision, and go for it!” in life. But for some Christians, that’s easier said than done. Are you afraid to make choices that require you to abandon your comfort zone for the unknown? Though you are passionate about God and want to advance His kingdom, your decisions will determine your destiny, not chance. To discover why faith not fear must govern the choices we make, listen to podcast below.

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Matthew Hagee is the executive pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. He lives in San Antonio with his wife, Kendal, and three children. To purchase Shaken Not Shattered, click here.

For years singer and author Rebecca St. James has passionately delivered her True Love Waits message about abstinence and purity. Now she is extending that message with a burden for the unborn via her latest movie, Sarah’s Choice. In her first leading role, St. James portrays Sarah Collins, a rising single professional who has to make a life-altering decision when she gets pregnant. Sarah struggles with her new reality and also faces her doubts and frustrations with God.

St. James says God had already given her a pro-life passion before she was even offered this role. Sensing that the Lord was calling her to get more involved with films about faith and family, St. James moved to California a year ago. Through a couple of friends, she got involved with several crisis pregnancy events and recognized an incredible need for movies that support life.

At a fundraiser banquet, she met one of the girls who is carrying her baby to term because of the support of the crisis pregnancy center. Moved by the young woman’s story, St. James sensed that God would give her a song with the pro-life message. A couple months later, the singer was asked to audition for Sarah’s Choice. When she later received word that she had gotten the part as Sarah, St. James says a song came to her in only about half an hour.

“I’m blown away at how God did that,” St. James says. “He lit up my heart, literally impassioned my heart for this [pro-life] message way before I knew anything about the movie.”

Through her research for her role in the film, St. James says she noticed that most young, unwed mothers-to-be live with “a tremendous amount of fear, a tremendous amount of pain and pressure.” St. James says she drew from her own experiences with these emotions in her life to bring her character to life onscreen.

“It’s interesting when you’re going into the role of another person and you study up their exact circumstance, you can bring yourself and your own legitimate emotions to the table,” she says. “I loved the challenge of it.”

Another equally important theme throughout Sarah’s Choice is God’s forgiveness and redemption for those who have had an abortion. St. James says it was crucial for this message to be portrayed. “Obviously everyone wants a redemptive story, but the truth is that 43 percent of childbearing-age women today have abortions; it’s much higher than what most people think,” she says. “People need to know that there is forgiveness and grace and that all of us have made different forms of mistakes and need a lot of grace of God.”

St. James says God has ignited her heart with the pro-life message. “I have two friends who have had abortions but have told me their stories with tears. It’s impacted my life on a personal level. I want to be a part of helping other women from going through that. I want to be used by God to help point people to His forgiveness and hope as well, because we all need that.”

She encourages the Christian community to support faith and family films. “We need more films like Fireproof and Facing the Giants and films like Sarah’s Choice. We want to see this genre move up to more of the standard of The Passion of the Christ, but it’s going to take the Christian community really going out and supporting films like this so the budgets can be stronger and stronger. So I would really encourage families to get behind films like this that have a lot of heart and soul and a good message, and hopefully we’ll see more of them.”

If you want more information about how you can help the unborn, contact Care Net at care-net.org. 

Sarah’s Choice will be available on DVD on Nov. 17. Bonus features include trailers, commentary and more. Click here to purchase this film.

By Switchfoot | Sparrow

Hello Hurricane is Switchfoot’s seventh full-length studio album, which lead singer Jon Foreman calls a “new beginning.” The band combed through 80 songs before selecting the very best for this album.

First single “Mess of Me” is a hard-rock confessional that we are our own worst enemies. The piano-led ballad “Always” cries out: “Hallelujah! / I’m caving in / Hallelujah! / I’m in love again / Hallelujah! / I’m a wretched man / Hallelujah! / Every breath is a second chance / And it is always yours / And I am always yours.” The beautiful melody and moving lyrics are sure to make this an album standout.

“Hello Hurricane acknowledges the storms that tear through our lives,” Foreman states. “This album is an attempt to respond to those storms with an element of hope, trying to understand what it means to be hopeful in a world that keeps on spinning.”

Click here to purchase this CD.

By Ayiesha Woods | Gotee Records

The Grammy-nominated Ayiesha Woods offers a sassy, energetic holiday album with Christmas Like This. This nine-track CD features such classics as “Walking in a Winter Wonderland,” “Jingle Bells,” “Joy to the World” and “O Holy Night.”

“You have to watch it when recording a Christmas project because you always run the risk that it could be borderline cheesy,” Woods says. “We were very cognizant of that. When we said we were going to do a Christmas record, we were going to make sure that we’d make it timeless and that people would enjoy it 50 years from now.”

Woods certainly accomplished this goal, and although the songs have a retro feel, they are all still modern, fresh and fun. The artist shares more about her Christmas album and this festive season.

What’s your favorite song on Christmas Like This and why?

Ayiesha Woods: Most of the songs! Oh my word … you don’t understand. I’m excited about this entire project. But if I have to have a favorite—and it’s not because of the context or the premise, but because of how it came out sonically—it would be “Rudolph.” I just love it-it’s just funk. It feels so good. It’s Christmas party all the way.

What’s your favorite carol on the album?

Woods: “O Come All Ye Faithful.” In a traditional sense, those songs were written at a time when writers wrote with depth and the lyrics were just beautiful and amazing. The reason “O Come” is one of my favorites is because, even though it’s a carol, it’s a worship song. It’s a song that celebrates not only the birth of Christ, but it also celebrates His death and His resurrection and the life to come in Christ Jesus. It’s straight worship—it could be sung all year round.

Why did you decide to do a new rendition of the R&B classic “Merry Christmas, Baby”?

Woods: “Merry Christmas, Baby” is a song that—it’s not Christmas in our house unless you hear that song playing, the Otis Redding version. My dad turned us on to that song many, many years ago. I had to do that one just for him. And he loves it. We’ve swung it. It’s got my dad’s approval. He’s going to put down the Otis Redding version and start playing the Ayiesha Woods version.

Is there a big family tradition you continue to follow year after year?

Woods: There’s not one Christmas where I wake up and the house is not my family’s. After we eat on Christmas day, everyone ends up at my folks’ house. It’s usually 2 or 3 in the afternoon and everyone, including people from our church family, gets together, we exchange gifts and then just dance. It’s all about family, giving and celebrating Christ. I’ll just jump on the keyboard and maybe have a little worship.

Why is Christmas the most wonderful time of the year?

Woods: Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year because what we are celebrating is beautiful. Although it’s been commercialized in so many ways, Christmas is certainly something that’s universally acknowledged. I wouldn’t say accepted, but it’s certainly universally acknowledged. And for the fact that the world knows that it’s the day that we celebrate the Savior, it’s amazing. It’s an opportunity for us, as the Lord’s creatures, to spread the love of Christ and reach those who do not know the real meaning of Christmas.

Click here to purchase this CD.

By Darin Hufford | Windblown Media | softcover | 224 pages | $13.99

In The Misunderstood God: The Lies Religion Tells Us About God, the first nonfiction release from the publisher of The Shack, Darin Hufford confronts a skewed idea of the nature of Christ perpetuated by teachers, preachers and believers in general. The author addresses these misconceptions and then asks who would want to love a god who beats down a person, judges unmercifully, betrays or abandons if one wrong move is made.

Hufford, however, challenges readers to cast out the image they’ve been taught. He encourages them instead to open the Bible and read it anew to search out who Christ really is and to discover God’s genuine love for His people.

The Misunderstood God provides a refreshing and freeing perspective as to the true identity of Christ and the love He has for His people, as Hufford expounds on 1 Corinthians 13. This is a wonderful book for anyone who is ready to rediscover Christ.

Click here to purchase this book.

By Paul Meir and David L. Henderson | Thomas Nelson | hardcover | 304 pages | $22.99

Written to address the problem of suffering, Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain gives advice for facing pain directly. The authors, psychiatrists Paul Meir and David L. Henderson, classify types of suffering into seven categories—injustice, discipline, failure, death, rejection, loneliness and loss—and examine how each can bring their “gifts” into a person’s life.

Although the book’s optimistic premise—that there is great purpose in pain—may surprise some readers, the pair takes a gracious look at the trials of life and offers grounded, sensitive advice on overcoming them. Using Scripture, stories of human experience and the promise of heaven, the authors set out to take the reader from a tendency to blame God or drift into depression to accepting the challenges of the purification process of suffering.

Meir and Henderson’s care and research make the book an invaluable tool, not only for leaders and counselors ministering to those in pain, but also for laypersons. The book is also easily referenced for readers looking for a specific topic.

Click here to purchase this book.

Kelly’s Filmworks | Starring Christina Fougnie, Amy Hess, Tom Luce, Matt Wallace | $19.99

Maxine “Max” Westray is a selfish young girl who is focused only on her birthday, Dec. 25. She is highly perturbed that her celebration gets overlooked because everyone is focused on Christmas. Max’s single mom, Stacy, is overworked and trying to hold everything together, plus deal with her daughter’s attitude about school and her birthday. Meanwhile, Tony, who is both their neighbor and also an assistant minister for a local church, has his own problem: He knows what church should be like but works with a lead pastor who has his own ideas.

A friendly, mysterious drifter named Jess teaches Max, Stacy and Tony about true friendship and commitment. Max also comes to understand the true meaning of Christmas.

Although The Perfect Gift is somewhat predictable and the acting is stilted at times, families will appreciate the family-friendly presentation and the overall message. The DVD bonus features include behind-the-scenes footage and the music video of “Emmanuel (You Are With Me)” by Mark Smeby (who also appears in the film).

Click here to purchase this DVD.