"From Now On"

It is no secret that I absolutely love this movie. 

If you haven't seen "The Greatest Showman" stop right this very second and go watch it--if you don't like it--well, I'm not sure we can be friends anymore ;) 

The whole message of inclusion and bringing together people who were considered outcasts from society and making a safe place for them, a family for them, a place that highlights their strengths--it made me cry while simultaneously plastering a huge smile across my face.

For as many times as I've watched the movie, I've listened to the album double that many times. The music is just SO GOOD and it's so moving. I mean, read the lyrics to "A Million Dreams", "Come Alive", "This Is Me", and "From Now On"--those are some powerful songs. Then, if you really want your mind blown, actually watch the scenes where those songs are performed and I'll come over so I can pick your jaw up off the floor for you (I'm crazy obsessed, I know)--those lyrics with the dancing, the bright colors, the people, it's just magical. 

Yesterday, I was taking a walk and listening to this album and per usual, this song is just...everything and it hit me--something about this song makes me think about little splashes of Heaven, here on earth. 

Hear me out. 

If you haven't seen the movie, you've got to watch this scene before you move forward:

(sorry, literally the only version with the movie clip I could find had those subtitles on it)

Here we have these...oddities, as they are called in the movie...they've been shunned by society most all of their lives and since ole P.T. walked into their lives, they began building friendships, family, a common thread between them all that tied them together and made them stronger. 

P.T. has put them on the back burner, their livelihood has just been taken from them by fire and quite honestly, they have every right to be mad and I think that's exactly why I love this song so much.  I love how they take him back after he left them, chasing after “truer, bigger, and better” things. 

But, above all else, I love the spiritual parallel of coming back home, to our true home, the place we were made to be. On this side of Heaven, we have bright lights, big ideas and many worldly "attractions" that take us away and make us lose focus and we forget that we can always come back home. We are marching towards THE home that we were made for.

That's what this song makes me think about. 

So I'll leave you with just a few words from the song:

Cause from the rubble

What remains

Can only be what's true

If all was lost

There's more I gained

Cause it led me back

To you

From now on

These eyes will not be blinded by the lights

From now on

What's waited till tomorrow starts tonight

Tonight

Let this promise in me start

Like an anthem in my heart

From now on

From now on

And we will come back home

And we will come back home

Home, again!

...

"It's Not About Deserve"

Have you seen Wonder Woman yet?
If you haven't stop reading right now and RUN to your nearest theater and see this movie--not just because I'm about to share some spoilers but, because it is THAT GOOD!

Okay, on to why I love this movie so much.

For the obvious reasons such as the cool graphics, Gal Gadot is absolutely stunning, Chris Pine is nice to look at, the movie is so well done. But even more...
Would you believe me if I said that Wonder Woman carries some pretty strong spiritual elements throughout the story line? Because it does. Jason first pointed it out to me when we went and saw it (the first time) and then I couldn't stop thinking about it so we went and saw it again and I was in tears most of the movie because he was right! So much better when you see the theme throughout!

"I used to want to save the world, this beautiful place. But the closer you get, the more you see the great darkness within. I learned this the hard way, a long, long time ago."

The movie begins with Diana as a young child training to be the warrior princess of the Amazons.  An American pilot Steve Trevor, unexpectedly crashes off their island.  After being rescued by the now-adult Diana, he tells her about the war to end all wars currently taking place around the world.  Diana is compelled to leave home and kill Ares, the god of war, who she feels is behind the conflict. Diana was taught that her sacred duty is to defend the world and those who do not deserve the wrong doings that are upon them. As she grows and these beliefs become more embedded into her life and really become the essence of who she is and we hear Diana say more than once, "I will fight for those who cannot fight for themselves."

She is passionate, she is driven and she's pretty kick ass.

With many laughs & funny dialogue, Diana and Steve get to know one another and Diana insists that Steve take her to the war to defeat Ares whom she believes, once he's defeated that all war will stop.
(Wouldn't that be nice?)

Without going too much into the middle of the movie, we see their relationship grow and we see the extreme brokenness and utter depravity the war has casts on the people--all while seeing just how passionate and...awesome Diana is.

This scene, where "the guys" see Diana in action for the first time, crossing "No Man's Land" gives me chills and brings me to tears. It's just, utterly amazing.

Trevor said, “We have a mission! We can’t save everyone in this war! It’s not what we are here to do!”  Diana replied, “You’re right.  But it’s what I am here to do!”
--cue her theme song and this amazing scene--

There comes a point where Diana defeats who she thinks is Ares and yet, she still sees the war and sees men preparing to commit evil deeds and it breaks her. And it's in this dialogue that we see the meat of the message:

Diana Prince: [in tears] My mother was right about the world, they said they didn't deserve me...
Steve Trevor: Maybe it's not what you deserve, but what you believe. I believe that this war should end. If you believe the same, then help me stop it! Help me, please!

So when Diana finally figures out who Ares truly is and he is making himself known to her he says the following to her:

Sir Patrick/Ares: You were right; they don’t deserve our help. They only deserve destruction. 

Sound familiar? Sound kinda like what Satan does to us--how he uses our wants and desires, things that should be good but we are broken and live in a broken world.
And all the while Diana is putting the pieces together and Ares is trying to trick her, he is trying to lure her in and make her see the humanity, the world, as he does

Sir Patrick/Ares: I am not your enemy, Diana. I am the only one who truly knows you and who truly knows them as you now do.

As Ares continues to reveal more to Diana, things are beginning to look dark and bleak for her. She is fighting her heart out and his power is just overcoming her, no matter what she throws back at him.
Then, there's this moment, where Diana is stuck in this heavy rubble that's wrapped around her, Steve is flying the plane full of poison off into the sky and Diana realizes what Steve has said to her and what he meant when telling her goodbye. That he was sacrificing himself for her and her life-long mission. And in that moment, her power comes to fullness and they share the following dialogue:

Sir Patrick/Ares: Look at this world. Man kind did this, not me. They are ugly, filled with hatred, weak, just like your Captain Trevor.
Sir Patrick/Ares: They do not deserve your protection.

Diana: It’s not about what you deserve, it’s about what you believe, and I believe in love.

And that's all it takes for her to get what she needs to defeat Ares. The realization that it's not about what these people in the war deserve that it's about what she believes and she believes in goodness, in protection, and in love.

Ah, I just get chills thinking about that last scene.
I will leave you with the last lines of the movie and URGE you to go and see it as soon as you can, if you haven't already.

Diana: "I used to want to save the world. To end war and bring peace to mankind. But then, I glimpsed the darkness that lives within their light. I learned that inside every one of them, there will always be both. The choice each must make for themselves - something no hero will ever defeat. And now I know... that only love can truly save the world. So I stay. I fight, and I give... for the world I know can be. This is my mission now. Forever."

"Have Courage & Be Kind"

I know this is silly, but I can't stop thinking about this movie.
If you haven't been to see the new Cinderella yet, stop now and GO!

It is  phenomenal. 

Almost all little girls (teen girls, young adults, women, moms) love fairy tales. I was and still am no exception. I've seen them all & I've even dressed like them all. There's something so captivating about these stories.

Cinderella was one of my favorites. I've seen the original, I've seen Ever After (Drew Barrymore version) and now I've seen the new one. This new one really struck a chord with me & I think I've figured out why.

I would say their are spoilers ahead but...I feel like we all know the story...but still, it's spoiler(ish)!

I love so many things about this movie--so we will just start from the beginning and work our way through. Right before her mother died, she told young Ella to always "have courage & be kind". We quickly see her grow up and radiate that kindness to all she meets. As the story goes, Cinderella also loses her father and comes under the care of her "wicked stepmother" and two step sisters. She becomes a "servant girl" to them. Yet, as you'll see throughout the movie, she treats them with kindness and respect nonetheless.

I love when she first meets the Prince. She won't tell him exactly who she is & he doesn't reveal to her that he is the Prince. The moment he meets her, he's instantly taken with her. Her gentleness, sincerity, and kindness captivate him. From that moment on, she's all he can think about--to the point of asking his father to throw a ball for the whole kingdom--just so he can see her again.

We all know what happens next--"Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo"--We have ourselves a fairy godmother, a magical pumpkin carriage, mice that turn to horses, lizard footmen, a goose for a coachman, a beautiful gown, and glass slippers to top it all off. Purely magical (and also a really fun scene!) The ball is awesome and the Prince can do nothing but give his full attention to Cinderella and it's just great, so Disney.

The end is where it comes full circle and where I figured out why I love this movie so much.
The Prince goes to drastic measures to find this one, "commoner" that's captivated his heart. In the movie he literally goes to every. single. house in his kingdom. Then he finds her, locked in an attic, in filthy clothes, as a servant girl...definitely not the royalty everyone thought he deserved.
The dialogue here just had my heart racing. Sweet Cinderella tells him that she's no princess but that she will love him and hopes that he accepts her as she is--and HE DOES. I get chills thinking about it now. He says to her that he hopes she will accept him the way he is, humbling himself to this girl. They save one another in some sense--he saves her from her home and she saves him from marrying for duty rather than love.  As Ella walks out the door, she turns to this woman who has done nothing but belittle and use her, and says, "I forgive you" & that's it. What power in those three words. I know I would have more so wanted to gloat, brag, laugh in her face (just to name a few) before I would want to forgive her.

We have the perfect ending with this royal,  beautiful & joyous wedding..."and they lived happily ever after".

THAT is why I love this movie. This is another picture of the gospel.
There really is a Prince who loves us freely, for exactly who we are.
He invites us all, he wants us, he finds us, he forgive us, a bride & bridegroom.
Kindness. Courage. Love. Forgiveness. Grace. Rescue. Celebration. Joy.

It's why we love this story. It's something that we long for in the deepest parts of us & Praise Jesus, we have this in Him.