"Roadmap Genesis" Movie Review and Giveaway

Okay, so maybe this is cheating but, I'm going to start by giving you the official description of this film because, to be honest, it wasn't what I was expecting. And it wasn't what I was expecting solely because I didn't thoroughly read the description.

Roadmap Genesis is a film documentary that makes the case that the Book of Genesis is a roadmap containing guideposts on how to live a productive, fruitful, and fulfilling life that will help our society lift itself out of its current decline and return it to prosperity, promise, and accomplishment.
When Filmmaker Nolan Leibovitz found himself at a crossroads in his life, he knew he had to choose between continuing to make the Hollywood suspense thrillers that were his livelihood and trying to make the world a better place for his new young family. After much struggle, he found his answer in the Book of Genesis.
He decided to combine his love of the Book of Genesis with his passion for filmmaking and set out to travel the United States, interviewing clergy and public figures in order to build an undeniable argument about the continued importance of the Book of Genesis as guiding force in our Judeo-Christian country.

Roadmap Genesis invites Americans of all faiths to engage in a dialogue about the relevance of the Bible in the modern age. Through interviews ranging from Gov. Mike Huckabee of Fox News Channel to Rabbi David Wolpe, from Alan Dershowitz to the Archbishop of Chicago Cardinal Francis George, from Erick Stakelbeck of the Christian Broadcasting Network to Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis and the Creation Museum, and many, many more, Nolan explores the rules that God has set forth to help us maintain a successful and working society.

See, when I read the title "Roadmap Genesis", what my brain read was "Roadmap TO Genesis" so I was expecting a historical documentary about artifacts or something. Yay me.

There was definitely a let's-make-the-world-a-better-place feel to this film. Which is needed. If everyone would help just one person, everyone would be helped right. It was nice that all the people who were featured agreed that Genesis pointed to major themes of humanity like:

-You matter because you were created

-The inability to communicate with others is a huge issue

-Family is of great importance

-We need to take care of our 'Garden'

-Yes, we ARE our brother's keeper

While I agreed with the themes of film, I didn't agree with everything that was said. For example, one man said that he figures Sodom and Gomorrah weren't destroyed because of the sins of the wicked but because the righteous in the city didn't stand up against it. Umm, chapter and verse please. The Bible is quite clear as to why they were destroyed.

Ezekiel 16:49-50
Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.

I find it frustrating to listen to people who are making correct points using incorrect arguments. Therefore, I was frustrated a few times in this film.

However, near the end, there was a piece on a group of people who serve the poor in the San Francisco area which moved me to tears. I watched "Roadmap Genesis" with my father and mother and after it was over, my mother suddenly said, "I know what I need to do. I KNOW God wants me to get some blankets and food together and go hand them out."

Now you must understand something; my mother is afraid to speak to anyone new - especially strangers living on the streets! I'm once again in awe at God's transforming power! I love that God used this movie to move her to action.

Would you like to see "Roadmap Genesis"? Leave a comment and have your name entered for a chance to win a free copy. Good luck.






Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

"Race for Freedom"

I thought this time I'd choose a juvenile fiction to review so that my children could enjoy it too once I was done. "Race for Freedom" by Loise Walfrid Johnson is a story about a young girl who wants to help with the Underground Railroad, a young boy who does help with it, and a young black boy who is fleeing from his captor. The main character, the young girl, is the daughter of a steamboat captain which is why most of the story takes place on a steamboat.

"Race for Freedom" is book two in the series and, unfortunately, I didn't realize that when I ordered this book. While I managed to piece together what was going on in the storyline, it quickly became obvious that I wasn't part and partial to the entire plot. Therefore, if you're going to read this book, be sure to read number one in the "Freedom Series" first. It's titled "Escape into the Night". The other thing to keep in mind is that there are 6 books in the series. On the final page of "Race for Freedom", I actually felt like there was a mistake because it felt very unfinished. I found myself thinking, "What? That's it?" But I suppose that's to make you want to buy the next book.

But are you going to want to buy it? I enjoyed that virtues like honor and standing up for what's right no matter the cost where praised. This is sorely lacking in a lot of juvenile fiction. I also liked the side story about the immigrant family on board the boat. What I didn't care for were the descriptions of where on the steamboat the kids were. I couldn't picture it in my head.

One thing I didn't expect was that out of 249 pages, 40 are not part of the story at all. Instead they include a study guide, and chapter 1 of the next book. If you homeschool, this could definitely be easily used as part of your Language Arts curriculum - especially if you like to combine Lang. Arts with History.

I got a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. If you want to get a copy, you can go to http://mpnewsroom.com/books/race-freedom.

Authority in Prayer

If there is one area in my life that needs improving, it's prayer. I'm very intrigued by people who can stay focused and connected with God for hours on end. This is why I was pleased to review "Authority in Prayer" by Dutch Sheets. (Yes, that's the author's name)I'm not sure what I thought this book would be or how it would catapult me into a prayer warrior mindset but I was open to whatever the Lord wanted me to see.

I certainly didn't read this book in an afternoon. It was at times humorous, at other times plodding. Occasionally I had to stop and look something up in my Bible and other times had to mark my Bible because I learned something profound. Mr. Sheets did a good job of clarifying the roles of power and authority as laid out in Scripture as well as what prevents us from having powerful prayers. (I won't go into it now - you can read the book)

One yellow flag, not a red flag - just yellow, that I have with this book stems from the portions of the book that deal with prayers of declaration. If the Holy Spirit is leading you to declare - awesome! But I have seen this abused. We do not order God!!! It is blasphemy and must never be done. So it isn't the book that I find fault with but rather people's tendencies to go to far; to make gods out of themselves.

No doubt, if I read this book again in a year, I'd get a lot out of it all over again. At times I knew I wasn't grasping what was being said but on a whole I feel blessed for having read it.

BTW, I got a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest opinion.