‘IT’S IMPOSSIBLE—UNTIL IT’S NOT’

SOUNDTRACK FOR HOPE—This week, we welcome back singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer, who we’ve featured many times in our online magazine over the years. She is debuting her first full-scale album of the Trump era—singing about the many ways we find hope in troubled times. Often working with her collaborator Parker Palmer, Carrie crisscrosses our nation and brings thoughtful spiritual encouragement to audiences everywhere she goes.

We’ve got samples of her new lyrics, plus links to her touring schedule and to ways you can order her new album—a terrific soundtrack for hope in your household and your community. Please, read this week’s cover story and share it with friends!

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‘GREAT BOOKS ARE GREAT COMMUNITIES’

LIVING IN THE WORLD WE HOPE TO SEE—The best books are invitations to jump into communities we’re eager to explore. In this week’s Front Edge Publishing column, Editor David Crumm writes about how this idea lies at the core of successful publishing, today. In this column, you’ll learn about the colorful worlds opening up in recent best sellers—and you’ll learn how one author, Victor Begg, is meeting this challenge every day.

THE DREAM OF KASHMIR—In fact, this week, Victor has written a hauntingly beautiful salute to the beauty of Kashmir, which has been in global news headlines recently for a new and dangerous conflict between India and Pakistan. What we’re forgetting, Victor writes, is that there’s an international treasure behind this conflict.

And Speaking of Communities

MAYAN HEALING RITUAL—Another author who has carried our “community” invitation with him around the world is Rodney Curtis, who is best known for books such as Spiritual Wanderer and A Cute Leukemia. A professional photographer and writer, Curtis takes us this week into the realm of a traditional Mayan healing ritual.

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HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS

SPRINGS ETERNAL:‘Play Ball!’

THURSDAY, MARCH 28, this year is Major League Baseball’s Opening Day and, for the second straight year, all 30 teams will play that day. Contributing Columnist Martin Davis brings us a spiritual love letter to the game, this week. Among other reasons to read his columns? We’ve dug up some terrific photos to illustrate Martin’s column. You’re going to want to share this on social media!

AND BACK TO RODNEY CURTIS—Want to read more on the spiritual wonderment of baseball? Check out Rodney Curtis’s novel Hope’s Diamond.

LENT

LENT FROM EAST TO WEST—Western Christians—the majority of Christians in the U.S.—began with Ash Wednesday on March 6. Holidays columnist Stephanie Fenton takes a look at  the popularity of Lent in 2019. AND—Stephanie’s column also has a recommendation of our popular book for the season, Our Lent: Things We Carry. THEN—Eastern Christians—perhaps better known as the “Orthodox”—begin their Fast of Great Lent with Clean Monday on March 11.

Want to see all the upcoming Holidays & Festivals? Visit www.InterfaithHolidays.com

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Resources to Inspire Inclusion

6 BOOKS THAT CAN HELP—News headlines are describing the challenge faced by millions of Christian families, who are discussing the religious inclusion—or exclusion—of LGBTQ family, friends and neighbors. We can help! Since our founding in 2007, ReadTheSpirit.com magazine and Front Edge Publishing have pledged to celebrate diversity, to encourage inclusion—and to publish the rich and inspiring stories of many minorities. That includes religious minorities, cultural minorities, racial minorities and gender minorities. At this historic moment, our Editor David Crumm speaks to us directly in a special video message that describes our six books that can help. Please, watch this video and share it across social media.

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Faith & Film

ED McNULTY, for decades, has published reviews, magazine articles and books exploring connections between faith and film. Most of his work is freely published. Ed supports his work by selling the Visual Parables Journal, a monthly magazine packed with discussion guides to films. This resource is used coast-to-coast by individuals who love the movies and by educators, clergy and small-group leaders.

Among Ed’s free reviews and columns are:

• THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND—If you’ve got access to Netflix, then you can watch this terrific film today. Ed gives it 5 out of 5 stars and urges us not to miss it.
• HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD—Writer-director Dean DeBlois continues his masterly transference to the screen of author Cressida Cowell’s wonderful universe of Vikings and fire-breathing dragons in this, the last of DreamWorks Animation’s trilogy.
• FIVE FEET APART—Ed gives this romantic drama—involving the challenges of cystic fibrosis—4 stars.
• CAPERNAUM—Ed gives 4.5 stars to this Lebanese drama that has received high praise from film festivals, including Cannes. It’s a deeply challenging look at the plight of children, in this case in the slums of Beirut, who fall through all safety nets and wind up struggling for survival.
• GLASS—Ed reviews the third part of M. Night Shyamalan’s trilogy—and suggests viewers take time to see the first two parts so they can understand this one. (3.5 out of 5 stars)
• ISN’T IT ROMANTIC? Todd Strauss-Schulson’s new feature is an enjoyable satire of the romantic comedy genre. (4 stars)
• FREE SOLO—Directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi take us inside the world of climbing in their Oscar-nominated film. (4 out of 5 stars) (NOTE—Check your TV listings. This film debuts on the National Geographic Channel on Sunday March 3.)
• IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK—Ed gives this movie 5 stars and writes, “Based on James Baldwin’s acclaimed 1974 novel of the same name, Barry Jenkins’ film is a paean to love set in a society permeated by ugly prejudice and injustice.”

 

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