Love Is: A Yearlong Experiment of Living Out 1 Corinthians 13 Love
By Kim Sorrelle
Reviewed by Ann Byle
Kim Sorrelle thought it would be fairly easy to live out the “love is” descriptions in 1 Corinthians 13 over the course of a year. She knew all about what is often called the “love chapter.” She knew a lot about love herself, having seen it in action in her marriage, with her children, and through her work with an international nonprofit.
Sorrelle takes readers on a journey through 1 Corinthians 13 as she takes us to Haiti, a place she loves and has visited and worked in many times. Readers will come away challenged, amused, and delighted at Sorrelle’s journey and her unique voice as she digs deep into 1 Corinthians 13. (Kregel)
Hawkeye
Reviewed by Darrell L. Delaney
Hawkeye, a streaming series from Disney+, is another spin-off of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. There are many themes in the show that caught my attention, but the most interesting aspect of Hawkeye is how Clint Barton has to face his dark past once again. Unlike Hawkeye, we have a God to whom we can take our embarrassing or shameful secrets as well as the pain, anger, and possible despair that lies underneath the poor choices we have made. Barton carries his guilt around with him, but we have someone who has redeemed us and to whom we can turn for comfort, friendship, and strength. (Disney +)
Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma
By Joanna Ho, illustrated by Teresa Martinez
Reviewed by Sonya VanderVeen Feddema
In this lovely tribute to the world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, author Joanna Ho celebrates the man who was a child prodigy who memorized Bach’s Cello Suites when he was 4 years old.
Lyrical and celebratory, this children’s picture book narrates a well-known event in which Ma played his cello for crowds on both sides of the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Illustrator Teresa Martinez’s energetic, affecting artwork and Joanna Ho’s sparse, inspiring text capture the passion and power of music to open hearts and unite people across human-made divisions.
Sharing this book with young children will allow Christian parents and caregivers an opportunity to rejoice in all God’s children, no matter their ethnic backgrounds or where they now live. (HarperCollins)
Indigenous People and Jesus: Making the Bible Come Alive
By Parry Stelter
Reviewed by Agnes Mastin
Christian Reformed pastor and author Parry Stelter speaks to the tension between Indigenous people who find comfort in cultural traditions, those who have abandoned those traditions, and those who look to redeem their culture for the glory of God. He encourages those who are working to redeem their culture to consult Scripture, pray for guidance, and seek godly counsel.
The author further weaves a metaphor for the cross out of the Indigenous dream catcher that filters the good from the bad and ultimately finds its meaning in Jesus.
I recommend this book for those who are struggling to find where their identity in Jesus and Indigenous culture can meet, as well as for those who intend to be allies to Indigenous Christians across Turtle Island. (Tallpine Press)
The Lowdown
My Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Written by Amy Kenny, a Christian who is disabled, this book shows that the church is missing out on the prophetic witness and blessing of disability. (Brazos Press)
Dropping on Earth Day: The documentary film Polar Bear tells the story of a new mother whose memories of her own youth prepare her to navigate motherhood in the increasingly challenging world that polar bears face today. (April 22, Disney+)
Based on the book by Min Jin Lee: Pachinko, a limited series, encompasses the hopes and dreams of four generations of a Korean immigrant family. (March 25, Apple TV+)
WW2 Fiction: In The School for German Brides, by Aimie K. Runyan, a young woman who is sent to a horrific “bride school” to be molded into the perfect Nazi wife finds her life forever intertwined with a young Jewish woman about to give birth. (William Morrow)
