By Jonathan Decker (Clinical Director, LMFT) Tuacahn Ampitheatre, also known as Southern Utah's “Broadway in the Desert,” has a stunning lineup of plays for your family this season. But what to choose and how to spend your dollars? I saw them all, so let me help! THE PRINCE OF EGYPT Every single one of my friends who've seen this musical and posted on social media about it have adored ...[Read More]
TUACAHN 2018: Family Reviews of PRINCE OF EGYPT, CINDERELLA, MATILDA, and MILLION-DOLLAR QUARTET
PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST Family Movie Review
By Trina Boice Grade: B In a Nutshell: Just in time for the Easter season, this Christian movie brings Paul and Luke, both faithful followers of Jesus Christ, to the big screen with their unique friendship and affirming messages. (Pre-order it here) This PG-13 film is VERY heavy, dark, gory, and even depressing. In that regard, it's very realistic. The film states at the end that is has been “ded ...[Read More]
How a Catholic, a Protestant, and a Latter-day Saint Shared Easter in Peace
By Jonathan Decker (Clinical director, LMFT) Catholics, Evangelicals, and Latter-day Saints. Three divergent branches of Christianity whose doctrinal differences have led to everything from declaring each other un-Christian to literal warfare. There have been harsh judgments, persecutions, retaliations, and all sorts of behavior that Jesus would certainly weep over. Yet one beautiful weekend I dis ...[Read More]
Are You Handling Rejection Like Christ Did?
“The Mockery of Christ” by Carl Bloch By Jonathan Decker “He is despised and rejected of men. A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. And we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not.” – Isaiah 53:3. All of us face rejection. Perhaps we don’t get the job we interviewed for. Maybe a love interest breaks our heart. It could be that a parent only acce ...[Read More]
“All Hands on Deck” – How Christ Rescues Us From Despair
Jonathan's note: Although I am a man of faith, I have the utmost respect for those who do not share my beliefs. I share this deeply personal poem, which I wrote years ago in a time of turmoil, in the hope that it will bring spiritual relief to those looking for such. “All Hands on Deck” By Jonathan Decker The world's a storming, tumultuous sea With multitudes drowning, struggling, los ...[Read More]
THE YOUNG MESSIAH Family Movie Review
By Jonathan Decker (Family therapist, film critic) WHAT'S THE YOUNG MESSIAH ABOUT? Based on the Anne Rice novel Christ Our Lord: Out of Egypt, this film explores the fictionalized, non-Biblical events of Jesus Christ's seventh year. (Buy or rent it here). IS IT ANY GOOD? (GRADE: B) Beautifully-shot and featuring a moving musical score by John Debney (The Passion of the Christ), your appreciation f ...[Read More]
RISEN Family Movie Review
By Jonathan Decker (Family therapist, film critic) WHAT’S RISEN ABOUT? A Roman military tribune is tasked with finding the body of Jesus Christ in order to squash rumors of the Resurrection. IS IT ANY GOOD? (GRADE: A) After the dual disappointments of Noah and Exodus: Gods and Kings, this film is a refreshing reminder of how good biblical movies can be when they’re done right. A near-perfect marri ...[Read More]
How God’s Love Can Help You to Love Yourself
By Jonathan Decker, Clinical Director, LMFT Billions of people worldwide believe in God in some form or another. One of the most universal doctrines is that God loves everyone. Sometimes people settle into the idea that “God loves everyone simply because He's God.” To me, this is a lazy, impractical theology. If God just arbitrarily loves everyone, vaguely and collectively, then there' ...[Read More]
Jesus Asked for Help, So Why Don’t We?
By Jonathan Decker, Clinical Director, LMFT Believers and nonbelievers tend to agree that the story of Jesus Christ inspires people to lighten the burdens of others. One of his most influential teachings is that the “greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11). Practicing what he preached, Jesus reached out to the poor, the needy, and the sick. With tenderness and compassion he perfo ...[Read More]
How Jesus Keeps Showing Up in Your Movies
By Jonathan Decker (Clinical Director, LMFT) The life of Jesus Christ has inspired, directly and indirectly, many of your Hollywood favorites. Don't believe me? Check out these examples of cinematic heroes as “types of Christ.” WHAT IS A “TYPE OF CHRIST?” When we speak of “types of Christ,” we're usually referring to prophets and others who, according to Bruce R ...[Read More]