Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview

Monthly Archives: July 2023


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My Review of The Miracle Club Movie

The Miracle Club, rated PG-13
**

The Miracle Club is the story of three women that share an unhappy past, with secrets and regrets that go back forty years. The acting performances are strong, but overall, the film is heavy with sadness.
The film is directed by Emmy nominee Thaddeus O’Sullivan (Into the Storm, Shetland, Vera), and written by three-time Emmy nominee Joshua Maurer (Georgia O’Keeffe, And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge), Timothy Prager, and Jimmy Smallhorne.
The film is set in Dublin, Ireland in 1967. Two-time Oscar winner Maggie Smith (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, California Suite) portrays Lily. She still mourns the death of her nineteen-year-old son Declan, who drowned in the sea forty years ago. Lily and Eileen, played by Oscar winner Kathy Bates (Misery), are lifelong friends. They live in a close-knit neighborhood with their husbands. Continue reading →


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My Review of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, rated PG-13
****

In the seventh, and latest installment of the Mission Impossible film series, based on the popular television series that originally aired from 1966 – 1973, Ethan Hunt, played by four-time Oscar nominee Tom Cruise (Top Gun: Maverick, Magnolia, Jerry McGuire, Born on the Fourth of July), and his team have the mission of saving the world from an artificial superintelligence known as The Entity. This action thriller, though a little long at two hours and forty-three minutes, was nonetheless exciting from beginning to end. It’s my favorite film of 2023 thus far. However, we won’t know just how everything ends until Part 2 arrives in theaters June 28, 2024.
The film is directed by Oscar winner Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, Top Gun: Maverick) and written by McQuarrie and Emmy winner Erik Jendresen (Band of Brothers). The film’s release was delayed multiple times, ballooning the cost of the film to an estimated $290 million.
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My Review of the Movie ~ Sound of Freedom

Sound of Freedom, rated PG-13
***

Sound of Freedom is based on a true story, and helps to grow awareness about the reality of the global sex trafficking industry. The film was directed by Alejandro Monteverde and written by Monteverde and Rod Barr.
The film is based on the true story of a Homeland Security agent Tim Ballard, played by Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ), and Founder and CEO of Operation Underground Railroad. Ballard, a father and husband, leaves his job at Homeland Security just ten months before earning a pension. Instead of catching pedophiles, as he has done 288 times before, he pursues a little brother Miquel, played by Lucás Ávila, and his sister Rocio, played by Cristal Aparicio, who have been trafficked, traveling to Mexico and Colombia.
Ballard is helped by Vampiro, a former cartel leader, played by Emmy nominee Bill Camp (The Night Of). Mira Sorvino plays Ballard’s wife Catherine.
Themes in the film include sacrifice, sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and hope.
Content concerns include a small amount of adult language, violence, and sexual situations (though nothing blatant is shown). Continue reading →


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My Summer Reading Plans

Summer is a wonderful time for reading, whether it is on the backyard patio, a family vacation, or listening to an audiobook while walking or running. This summer, I plan to read in a variety of genres (biography, leadership, theology, Christian living, etc.).

Bible Reading. My wife Tammy and I are reading through the Bible, a chapter at a time. As of this writing, we are in 2 Chronicles, using the Reformation Study Bible (English Standard Version).

Devotional Reading. This year, I am using three resources for my daily devotional reading:

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My 2023 Mid-Year Favorites

As I have done for several years now, I am going share my favorites in a variety of categories for 2022. All items listed were released or took place in 2022, except for books, which reflect books that I read in 2022, regardless of publication date. I hope you enjoy this list!

Movies

Top Pick: Air (read my review here).

Other movies I enjoyed, in order, were:

  • Jesus Revolution
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Books

Top Pick: Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Collin Hansen
(read my review here).

 Other books I enjoyed, in order, were:

  • Providence – John Piper
  • Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? by Tim Keller
  • Worthy: Living in Light of the Gospel – Sinclair Ferguson
  • Galatians: An Expositional Commentary – R.C. Sproul
  • The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication: Apply Them and Make the Most          of Your Message by John Maxwell
  • The Sacred Meaning of Everyday Work by Robert Tribken

MUSIC:

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My Review of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, rated PG-13
** ½

The fifth and final film in the Indiana Jones series, the first in fifteen years, and the first not directed by Steven Spielberg, features the soon to be 81-year-old Oscar nominee Harrison Ford (Witness), reprising his iconic role. The film was enjoyable, but lacked the spark to be more than just “OK”. The film was overly long at two hours and thirty-four minutes, and featured too many chase scenes that frankly began to get boring.
The film was directed by two-time Oscar nominee James Mangold (Ford v. Ferrari, Logan), and written by Jez Butterworth (Ford v. Ferrari, Spectre), John-Henry Butterworth (Ford v. Ferrari), David Koepp (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) and Mangold (Logan, Walk the Line). The movie looked great, and cost approximately $295 million to make. Continue reading →


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Anniversary Celebration: The Kindle Edition of My Book is on Sale for $.99

To celebrate three years of publication, the Kindle version of my book Called to Lead: Living and Leading for Jesus in the Workplace, will be on sale for just $.99, beginning at 6:00 am on Thursday, July 6 until midnight Thursday, July 13 CST.

In this book, I bring my unique perspective of having been a leader for nearly 38 years at a Fortune 50 organization, a seminary graduate and a leader in my church for more than 25 years, to the growing faith and work conversation. I make the case from the scriptures and many books that I’ve read, that God values our work and callings, as long as we are doing work that is pleasing to Him. I also hope to help you to determine your callings.

The book was written for those who want to know that God values what they do in their work and callings, as they do it to serve and glorify Him. The book is also written for those in the “pews” who struggle to see the connection between what they hear from the pulpit in Sunday morning worship with the rest of the week. The book can be read individually, or in a group setting as “Questions for Reflection and Discussion” are included at the end of each chapter. Continue reading →


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How God Providentially Worked in My Career


I was recently reflecting on how my career path could have been so much different than it was. For some reason, I never developed good study habits. Looking back, I don’t even recall doing much homework in high school. Sadly, my grades reflected just that. As I recall, I barely got into college. These days, I would have probably started my college career at the community college just a few minutes from our home, rather than going to the local university that I did.
My lack of good study habits hurt me at the university. Although I worked hard, I achieved just barely average grades. And then when I met Tammy, who would become my wife, well, let’s just say my grade point average just went lower and lower. Continue reading →