Last night I had the opportunity to go to a advanced showing of The Glory of Christmas at the Crystal Cathedral.

If you have never been to see the Glory of Christmas I would love to encourage you to make it a holiday tradition - especially if you live in Southern California. For the last three years I’ve had the blessing of seeing this extremely professional and beautiful show and every year I come away with something different.
This year I was extremely moved by the final scenes where they depict everyone worshipping Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

The live animals and costumes are also a lovely draw to the show. The baby sheep, majestic horses and motley camels are a draw for people of all ages. However, the message that this One solitary life and how He changed the world is the message that comes through loud and clear. Because Jesus is the glory of Christmas.

For more information or to purchase tickets for this show, please visit The Glory of Christmas.

Recently I had the opportunity to have a conversation with Kathi Macias - Author - Speaker - and Ghostwriter. We discussed some of her writing experiences and some of the challenges today’s Christian writers experience in getting published in the Christian market.

We also discussed how Kathi feels about being a ghostwriter, as well as what it was like to write the books for some well known authors like Josh McDowell and Jack Hayford.

Kathi has written 16 books, and currently has a few that are still looking for a publisher. One such book we discussed involves the topic of AIDS and homosexuality.

Listen to our Exclusive interview with Kathi Macias now!

Visit Kathi’s website to learn more about her books and to book her for a speaking engagement.

Walk the Line: A Redemptive Love Story
by Stacy L. Harp, President - Mind & Media

Last night I saw an advanced screening of a great new movie to be released tomorrow, November 18, 2005 in theaters nationwide. The film - Walk the Line a 20th Century Fox production, rated PG-13 for some language, thematic material, depiction of drug dependency was outstanding.

As someone who didn’t know anything about Johnny Cash, except that at one time he sang country music, I wasn’t sure what expect. Upon entering the theater I was surrounded by hundreds of country music fans of all ages and the excitement in the theater was infectious.

Then the lights were dimmed and I was instantly brought to the opening scene where we see a table saw and a man, Cash, putting his thumb on the blade, while someone is calling to him to come and sing to the prisoners waiting.

The story then tells itself through a series of vingettes beginning before Johnny Cash was discovered. Johnny Cash was played by Joaquin Phoenix who delivered a convincing portrayal of the “Man in Black”. Phoenix depicted Cash’s struggle with addiction convincingly and draws the audience into his pain. Pain from his childhood and losing his brother whom his father considered to be the good son, pain from paternal rejection and pain from his failing marriage.

However, the real draw of the movie for me was the character of June Carter played byReese Witherspoon who deserves to win an Oscar for her performance. Witherspoon was outstanding and her acting was not only convincing, but moved me to tears as she reminds Cash that God has given him a second chance near the end of the film.

Walk the Line is really a movie about redemption, and not just redemption from drug abuse or family problems, but redemption that goes to the soul of every man. The story that God loves everyone and God can use anyone for His purposes.

Walk the Line is also about an enduring love between two souls who understood that despite their moral failures - divorce, drug abuse, immoral sex, bad language - that in the end, when all is said and done, that love and friendship with one another and God is the key to life.

Filled with great music and many comedic scenes led by Witherspoon, Walk the Line is definitely a movie for the whole family. And you don’t have to be a fan of Johnny Cash to enjoy the film, I wasn’t, but this movie turned me into a fan. I can’t wait to get my first CD of his music, and I will definitely buy this movie when it is released on DVD to the public.

Mr. Dan Lacey extraordinaire has created yet another awesome cartoon. Read Faithmouse if you don’t already because you will be blessed…and if there is any publisher out there who is interested in publishing the man’s cartoons please contact me and we’ll talk.

Last night my husband and I attended an advanced screening of Walk the Line and it was a great movie that I think everyone will love. My husband, who is a film music composer, gives us his exclusive review of the movie, and mine will appear miraculously later today.

Walk the Line – A Musical Review
by Randall K. Harp
Published on 16 Nov 2005 at 23:48.

No, I’m not announcing a Johnny Cash Broadway musical. However, having just returned from an advance showing of Walk the Line (starring Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter), I’m offering this short review of the musical score. Being a biography of legendary recording artist Johnny Cash, I expected mostly Cash’s music and very little score. Although it was just as I expected in that respect, I was still favorably impressed with the score, composed by music producer and recording artist T-Bone Burnett.

While I doubt that people will be lining up to purchase the score that so moved them during the film, I will tip my hat to Mr. Burnett who had the challenge of providing music in a supporting role in the big, fat shadow of Cash’s songs. With a blend of acoustic and electric guitars, and occasional piano, Burnett provides a score that feels at home with the Cash genre, without sounding like just “more of the same” of the hit songs that surround it.

With most films that I see, there is a defining moment for the score, where it really bonds with the film in effective teamwork. In my opinion, that moment in Walk the Line is a turning point in the story taking place at the Old Hickory Lake home of Cash in Hendersonville, TN. The point in the story serves as a bridge between a “before” and “after” Johnny Cash, and the score supports that role well.

At 136 minutes, Walk the Line is slightly longer than the average movie fare, but an enjoyable film for the eyes, the heart, and the ears. Even if you’re not a Cash aficionado, I think that you’ll enjoy the show.