September | 2015 | NovelSisters

Captive or War Room

by lydiamhill

Image Source: http://theyoungfolks.com/review/jons-movie-review-captive/64320
Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvBUfx9_kRoGexuOLr3iKtg

So my friend wanted to hang out with me one last time before I head to Mozambique and we decided to go see the new movie Captive.

Here’s a preview if your interested:

But recently I also went to the theaters to see War Room.

Here’s a preview if your interested:

So now that I’ve seen them both, I thought I’d compare the two.

While both of these movies are Christian based and have compelling stories, they are very different in how they communicate their message. On the one hand, War Room tells a fictional story of a marriage that is falling apart and how prayer is the real answer to the couple’s problems. And on the other hand we have Captive telling us the true story of Ashley Smith’s being held hostage and finding that her life and her captor’s life both have purpose.

Although both films have Christian elements, War Room has a clearer Christian message. Captive is more of a thriller movie with God having a purpose for your life woven into the story. It is also much darker than War Room due to its story involving drugs, murder, and violence. Though War Room also deals with hard issues such as divorce, unfaithfulness, and fraud, it has several comedic moments, especially with the character Clara making odd comments or observations. She has a way of making the audience laugh or smile.

So although both of these movies were well made, had good messages, and were enjoyable to watch, I think I enjoyed War Room a bit more. This is partly due to my enjoyment of comedies over dramas, but in any case I would highly recommend both of these movies. So if you’re looking for something to go see, check out War Room or Captive.

I will be offline till mid October because of the mission trip, so look for a new post around October 20th.

Christian Life Movies

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Why Go?

by lydiamhill

I felt like writing about this and giving my audience a heads up about my upcoming absence from blogging. In 12 days I will be heading off to Mozambique for a 2 week mission trip. This past week I was telling some friends about the trip and one asked me why I had decided to go. I gave her a short answer, but I thought it was a great question and deserved a more involved answer, so here it is.

Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mozambique_in_Africa_(-mini_map_-rivers).svg

Why I am Going to Mozambique.

First off, there are a lot of passages in the Bible where God tells us to go, and says He is sending us to proclaim His word, to share the gospel, and to make disciples. I think there’s something about “going” that is important. It may not always be thousands of miles away, it could just be next door, but God tells us so often to “go” that it must be important. So part of my saying yes to a short term mission trip is because I want to be saying yes to God’s command to go. Here are a few of my favorite verses about going:

“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Matthew 28:19

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.'” John 20:21

Secondly, I’ve gotten to experience several short term mission trips in the past and I don’t want to miss out. As I’ve grown up in my church I’ve gotten to be a part of 4 different mission trips. It’s been amazing to see God show up and do incredible things when you’re surrounded by people trying to serve God and listen for His calling and just stay focused on Him. From construction projects, to running some kind of kids club, or carrying rocks to sharing the gospel, mission trips have a large range of adventures. And I’ve found that even when we make plans for what we will do in a foreign country, the plans often get changed… multiple times. But it’s a joy to be a part of something lasting; something God is doing.

And one time when I was in college, I was invited to go on a short term mission trip over Spring Break and I thought I was too busy, so I said no. And afterward I regretted it. I heard some of the stories of what God did on the trip, but I wasn’t a part of it and it felt like I had missed out on something good. So now when there are opportunities for me to go, I don’t want to say no.

And lastly, I’m going because I’m available. Right now, I am single. No spouse, no kids, and my job is fairly flexible. I still have good insurance for another year and I’m in good health. I don’t know how long this will last. I may have to change jobs, or I may get married and have kids which brings many more responsibilities. But right now, I’m in a place where I can go. So why wait? At least that’s what it seemed like God was telling me.

And so I’m going because God commanded us to go, because I don’t want to miss out, and because I am ready and available. It’s such a blessing to be a part of God’s mission, whether here or in another country and I can’t wait to be able to share all that I learn and see on this blog when I get back.

Christian Life

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Famous in a Small Town

by lydiamhill

Like I promised, I wanted to write about my experience at the Giddings Word Wrangler Festival. It was my first time going and actually my first book fair too. It was quite the adventure and I thought I’d share some of the highlights from the trip.

On Thursday I headed out early to get to the Intermediate School with plenty of time to spare. I’ve had a few experiences with speaking to elementary age students, so I was excited to talk to the 4th and 5th graders about my book and the story of how I became an author. I had a slideshow all set up and a few little giveaways for the kids. Several ladies helped me with setting up the powerpoint and getting the preordered books all ready for pick up. We even got to put gold stickers on the front covers that said signed by the author. Then the first group of kids filed in, and the excited chatter began. One kid asked if I was going to show them How to Train Your Dragon, since I had the music playing. I said no, but it made me smile and I did tell him it was one of my favorite movies.

The rest of the talk was a blur, with kids making comments, answering my questions, and asking their own questions. The funniest question I got was “What would you do if you saw a bug?” I said “I’d probably just leave it alone.” But the whole experience made me feel like a famous person. All these kids wanted to shake my hand, give me a hug or ask me a question. Luckily my mom was there keeping track of all the books and cash for me. Every once in awhile she’d hand me another book and tell me the name I was signing it to. Then it was back to more questions.

I remember this one girl who didn’t get a prize asked to see the extra giant pen I had with me. I let her hold it and told her it was broken. She asked to keep it anyway and I decided, why not, it’s broken. So she rushed back to class all excited. Then a couple minutes later she came back with the most distraught look on her face and said sadly, “I fixed the pen.” I assumed her teacher told her to return it. So I smiled and said, “You fixed it, you keep it.” And she left happy once more.

The couple hours at the school concluded and I packed up and eventually made it my next book fair destination: The Public Library. We had a Gala scheduled for Thursday evening, so I got there a bit early and began setting up my table, with a nice cover, some business cards, a few books, and the painting I had made for the cover art. It wasn’t the most extravagant book table but it was something. Then I joined all the other authors and sponsors of the book fair for a delicious dinner. I even got a little gift bag with all kinds of goodies! It was great to be treated so well.

The next morning, the real Book Fair began, I barely had time to look around at the other tables before it was time to start. But I managed to pick out a few books I wanted to buy. The whole morning was taken up with busload after busload of students pulling up and hurrying through the library. Most of them had a sheet of paper to try to get autographs on. It felt like I was a celebrity the way these kids scrambled for autographs. I tried to make them a bit special by writing “Happy Reading,” before signing my name. But unfortunately my brain autocorrected to “Happy Birthday” a few times. A few kids got confused and asked why, but one little boy said, “How did you know it was my birthday?” So I guess it wasn’t a bad thing.

Several of the kids, whose school I had visited the day before told me they had started reading the book. One girl said she was on chapter 8 already, which was very surprising. And I also had some kids who hadn’t gotten their book, come over and buy one. It was a wonderful experience and I’d love to be able to do it again.

And lastly, the Book Fair gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of other local Texas Authors. In fact I shared a table with one close to my age. Jamie S. Foley has already published 2 books, the first of which I’m reading now. And we got to give each other so much encouragement and tips from our own experiences. It was priceless! Plus I have a new friend now.

And before I finish, I wanted to make sure that if anyone is reading this post, who picked up my business card and was hoping to read some of my book for free, you know how to do it. Just search in the categories for “sneak peek” and you’ll find all the sections I’ve posted form my two books. Happy Reading!

Books Finding Home Life Stories Writing

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My First Book Festival!

by lydiamhill

This week I am heading out to Giddings, TX for my first ever book festival! I’m so excited to be speaking at their Intermediate School and then joining in the festivities at the Public Library. Although I have spoken at a few schools in the past about being an author and my published novel Finding Home: The Orphan’s Journey, I’ve never been to a book fair before. It’s exciting and a bit nerve wracking to try to remember all the things I want to bring with me… books, business cards, receipt slips, tablecloth, decorations, and more.

But in honor of this new step as an Author, I thought it was high time that my blog got a few updates. So last night my brother, who is great with website design, helped me clean up my page. If you’ve been following me for long, you might have noticed that the set up is a bit different and several of the unnecessary tabs are now gone. I’ve also added a link to my book on the side of my page, so all you need to do is press the picture of the book, and it’ll take you straight to Amazon to purchase it. I had toyed with the idea of changing the theme of my blog as well, but I just love this blue background so much. I can’t change it, at least not yet.

I’m not sure how everything will come together at the book fair, but I’m hoping to have a lot of fun, meet other authors from Texas, and maybe come home with a few new books of my own to read.

I’ll try to write a post about how the book fair goes next week.

Books Finding Home Life Writing

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Music’s Effect

by lydiamhill

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Have you ever noticed how much music affects you? Whether it’s during a movie or at a church worship service, music has a way of stimulating our emotions. It’s a powerful thing, and may effect more than we’d like to admit. Music can set the mood; at a party you want upbeat music but while you’re studying sometimes relaxing is the way to go. I’ve even noticed that depending on what music I’m listening to in the car, I drive differently. So what kind of music do you let affect you? Is it uplifting? Is it exciting? Is it just fun or repetitive?

I’ve found all kinds of music that I enjoy, but one of my favorite memories is going to a little church in Limbe, Haiti and joining in their worship music with fellow believers. I didn’t know the language, there were very simple amps and microphones, and no instrument besides the drum. But it was truly inspiring. I filmed a few clips on my little camera and made a video. If you feel like watching, go ahead.

I know music can be an expression of the soul, and not everyone likes the same kind of music. But if you feel the urge to listen to some of my favorite songs, I’ll post them here. I hope they lift you up today and maybe encourage you to worship God. By the way these are in no particular order since my favorite song changes with my mood or on how recently I’ve heard it.

“Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” one of my favorite hymns. The video has an interesting retelling of the man who wrote the hymn.