BOOK REVIEW: God's Provision for Your Every Need by T.D. Jakes

 

For those of you who do not know this author, T.D. Jakes is an African-American preacher who is the founder of The Potter’s House, a non-denominational megachurch in Dallas, Texas. Born and raised in Charleston, West Virgina, he became a minister at the age of 25 and started a storefront church in 1982. After a few years and a continually growing congregation, he moved to Dallas, where he now resides and pastors an organization that boasts 30,000 members. His sermons are televised on such networks as Trinity Broadcasting Network and Black Entertainment Television as The Potter’s Touch. He also has a production company that publishes his many books and has produced several movies.

Though claiming to be non-denominational, his teachings are actively conservative, and he has been targeted by LBGTQ+ activists as being hostile to transgender rights. This book, however, does not reflect that attitude. It is a book heavy on symbolism, most of which anyone who is not versed in the Christian lexicon will have trouble understanding. Basically, it talks about God putting water (help and encouragement) into our deserts (problems and circumstances). Though the sheer volume of this symbology can get monotonous, this is a relatively short book and so readable in spite of the repetitiveness of its theme. One thing that I did appreciate is the way that Jakes writes. He does not use large multisyllable words or theological arguments to get his point across. He writes as if he were simply sitting in front of the reader attempting to explain something, though, as previously stated, heavy in Christian terminology. This is a good book for a Christian who is going through tough times and looking for something to tell them it will get better. For anyone else, it may be something of a confusing read.

MOVIE REVIEW: Risen

 

This movie should not be confused with one of the same title that was released in 2016, and was a Christian based film. This one is a pure sci-fi flick from 2021 starring Nicole Schalmo as an astrobiologist named Lauren Stone who has hit rock bottom emotionally and has lost her job and reputation as a result. When a meteor hits outside a small town, turning the air toxic and killing everyone there, Stone is called upon to solve the mystery behind the phenomenon. A problem that only gets stranger when some of the dead residents rise and begin living again.

This is actually the first film that Schalmo has been known for. She was both the star and the assistant producer, and, in spite of her relatively unknown status, this has received nine awards from various film festivals and independent critics from around the world. The cinematography is excellent as well as the acting, though the script is rather slow and confusing in spots, with a lot of technical jargon about quantum physics thrown in. However, the end is so completely unexpected and astounding that it makes this totally worth watching. There is no erotica, very little violence, and an equally small amount of strong language, so this would be suitable for older children, provided they have the intellect to understand it.