For some you may be thinking what the heck is Scrivener, better yet what is NanoWrimo. As a writer they are indispensable ways to write your first novel or even fiftieth. Let me start by saying I am tired, worn out and whooped from competing in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)  a writing competition the entire month of November. I had to rely on some incredible bloggers to guest blog for me over the month as I wrote my first novel. OK well sort of novel, I wrote 50,350 words in a month and compiled it into a story. Is it finished? Not really, it is 50k more words written of my first novel than I would have had if I did not participate.  I struggled through fear, extreme mood swings, emotional turmoil and sheer exhaustion yet I kept writing. I wrote in the morning, lunchtime and night, words consumed me for days on end. I had been told for years that I needed to tell my story, I cannot claim the words I wrote to be my story per se, yet they are fiction inspired and based on truth like many books would be better to claim to be. Whether the work actually will make it to print remains to be seen, at least for public consumption. However without Scrivener it is quite likely is simply would be a bunch of words making little real sense. I purchased a license to Scrivener and even became an affiliate as I felt the software was made […]

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Sometimes the most intimate of venues carry the most impact and heart.

Last night I had the honor to attend a Music for Missions event supporting theVine.co. Being a supporter of theVine.co for a while now (written about them a couple of times now) I know the heart of its founders Rick and Samantha.

The mission of the Vine.co is to help Mission Teams raise money for Mission Trips to help spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and minister to those in need all around the world.

Music for Missions is one vessel that Rick and Samantha use to be able to fund the mission they have started in Canaan, Haiti. Rick spends hours and hours late at night scouring the internet for artist that have a similar heart for Christ and his people.

On this night we had the opportunity to spend an evening with a few dozen guests listening to the music and testimony of Chris August. I personally have been a fan of Chris’ for many many years. Chris is one of those artists that is not afraid to admit his flaws and uses his own mistakes and acceptance of God’s grace as his testimony.

Local artist Keira Mackenzie from FaithbridgeChurch in Jacksonville opened up the evening with her fresh raw talent. If you have a chance to hear her sing she has quite a future ahead or her.

Then there was a group that came all the way from Ireland based in Nashville, called We Are Messengers, in which the lead singer Darren Mulligan did an acoustic set. I cannot wait for their album to drop in November and see them out on the WinterJam tour this year.

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From acclaimed director Antoine Fuqua (TRAINING DAY) comes the underdog movie of the year SouthPaw.

A champion boxer (Jake Gyllenhaal) Billy Hope loses everything after his life tragically unravels and falls apart. The once great champ is humbled as he tumbles from the pinnacle of his career into obscurity. Billy must fight back in order to save not only his career but his family.
As Billy loses everything he discovers, like many do who his real friends are. His manager (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson) and friends leave him behind as soon as he has nothing to offer. Billy finally hits rock bottom when he loses his house, cars and everything in it including his daughter.

Seeking redemption he seeks out the trainer of the only fighter that had ever beat him. He finds Tick Willis (Forest Whitaker) is a rundown gym teaching inner city youth how to box.

From the orphanage in hell’s kitchen to a professional career fighting in Madison Square Garden is a distance of only a few blocks.

With Tick in Billy’s corner he begins the biggest fight of his career. He fights his own demons and past as he begins the journey back to redemption. Tick becomes Billy’s mentor and trainer, exposing his greatest weakness, his temper, and instructs him how to fight with his brain, rather than his usual method of “stopping punches with your face.”
The scenes in the movie are perfectly sculptured by Fugua as the grit and drama is felt with every punch. It has been awhile that a movie has the whole audience ducking and jiving as the fights proceed.

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