Ever since Lin and I saw "The Way We Were" decades ago there have been some movies that I really connect with and help me think about my life and issues that are important. "The Way We Were" is a great and tragic love story. I left the theater feeling angry and upset while all around me folks were sad and weeping. I thought, "Why didn't they stay together?" "Why didn't they tough it out?" Lin and I have been through some tough times and I suspect that basic attitude to stay together and "tough it out" has helped us.

The other day Lin was in Warsaw babysitting our grandchildren and I watched "The Lost Battalion" a true story about an American combat battalion who pushed through the German lines and stood their ground in spite of terrible losses. Major Whittlesey acted with great courage and more important with great integrity. Sometimes when I feel frustrated with my situation and my leadership role I get this movie out and watch it again. I am inspired to keep trying to pastor a local congregation.

The great epic, "The Lord of the Rings" before it was so magnificently filmed captured my imagination. I, at one time, read all three volumes in a thirty day period. That was nearly thirty years ago and I still see scenes from the story in my mind. Needless to say, I loved the film version. It is the time bound struggle of good and evil. It is the reality that evil is not defeated by someone stepping in to save you while you sit around waiting to be rescued. Every character in the story has a role to play in overcoming evil; even the tree shepherds who took forever to make a decision and decided to do nothing were inspired by the courage to two small Hobbits. In the end, evil is defeated by the courage of faithful people standing their ground in the face of danger and the threat of death, standing for what is good and right and for the protection of others.

I think of how many geographic and societal areas of our nation we have totally surrendered to evil. The desperate suffering of people trapped in sin and sin-controlled culture. How will Christ-followers be judged if all we do is make ourselves comfortable while people suffer all around us? We need a revival of New Testament courage; the will to fight against evil, to challenge the very forces of evil with the humble love of Christ Jesus. Perhaps the Book of Acts would make a great movie?