Sometimes when parents receive a diagnosis that their unborn child will suffer from a disability, they might believe the quality of that child’s life will be so negative or troubled that it would be in his or her best interest not to be born at all. Yet, there are plenty of examples that prove the opposite is true. For instance, take Richie Parker. Richie rides a bike, drives a car and engineers chassis and body components for NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports,... Read more
The Sons of Santa. That’s the name 16-year-old Ben Walther and his friends chose for their cover band when they were in high school. In retrospect, the now-successful singer-songwriter and music minister admits, “We were awful, but we thought we were rock stars.” Regardless, God used their talents to draw them closer to Him. During an interview on “Christopher Closeup,” Ben recalled that he and other members of the band were feeling called by Christ to embrace their faith more... Read more
In mid-June, I posted an interview with “Tell My Sons” author, Lt. Col. Mark Weber, about his battle with terminal cancer. Forty years old with a wife and three sons, he passed away the day before my article went live, which was also a few days before Father’s Day. Mark had set up a Facebook page called Operation True Grit, so people could follow his joys and struggles. The other day, his wife Kristin linked to a CaringBridge entry about... Read more
If you were 14-years-old, how would you feel if the person who’s supposed to be the male role model in your life told you that on a scale of one to 10, you were a three? That’s the situation facing the painfully shy Duncan (Liam James) in the new comedy/drama “The Way Way Back,” written and directed by Academy Award winners Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. Duncan’s mother Pam (Toni Collette) forces him to spend the summer at her new... Read more
Julie and Rusty Bulloch’s ranch in Lakeland, Florida, sits upon acres of dirt and grass. But in the spiritual sense, their family home is built on the rock that Jesus talked about, the type that couldn’t be knocked down by rain, winds and floods because it was built on a solid foundation. Now, America will be introduced to that foundation as well because Julie, Rusty and their unique, extended family are sharing their lives on the new reality TV series... Read more
In the days of TV antiheroes like Tony Soprano and Don Draper, Sheriff Walt Longmire serves as a throwback to old-fashioned heroes like Marshall Matt Dillon of “Gunsmoke.” In fact, the series “Longmire” reminds me of that classic TV western in a couple of ways. “Longmire” – which premiered on A&E in June 2012, and is based on Craig Johnson’s book series – introduced viewers to Walt Longmire, sheriff of Absaroka County, a fictional community in Wyoming. Though he’s the... Read more
The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “The Key to Self-Worth.” See the end of the post for ways to request a pdf or paper copy: “You are precious in My eyes and honored, and I love you.” — Isaiah 43:4 Life is messy. A lot of us spend our time trying to control it. To minimize the bad. To maximize the good. To be perfect. To be happy. We all want to be happy. In fact,... Read more
The three Cleveland women – Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus & Michelle Knight – who were held captive, raped and violently abused for years by Ariel Castro have largely stayed out of the public eye since they escaped their situation with the help of neighbors and police. But yesterday they released a video expressing their gratitude to supporters who have donated money and shown them love so they could work on re-establishing their lives. Considering all they’ve been through, they seem... Read more
Christian singer-songwriters extraordinaire Matt Maher and Audrey Assad posted an acoustic duet of Maher’s song “Lord, I Need You” from his “All the People Said Amen” album on Youtube the other day. Their sublime harmonies combined with meaningful lyrics should resonate with anyone feeling a little overwhelmed by the burdens of life. “Lord, I Need You” lyrics Lord, I come, I confess Bowing here I find my rest Without You I fall apart You’re the One that guides my heart... Read more
Most Hallmark Channel movies attempt to convey a sense of uplift, poignancy or inspiration strictly through the story and characters. “Banner 4th of July,” premiering Saturday June 29 at 9pmET/PT, gets an extra boost in that respect from the power of American Idol alum Brooke White’s original music and distinct vocals, which beautifully convey either the melancholy or joy a particular song calls for. White plays Desiree Banner, a successful recording artist who was once a member of The Banner... Read more
Christopher Closeup
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