Ring the Bell---MUST see!

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I have absolutely enjoyed and been thrilled to review many products over the last year.  It truly has been a blessing to our family to receive faith and family friendly products that we may not have either been able to financially purchase at the time or were unaware of.  It has provided me some great opportunities and allowed me to "meet" some great people.  Very rarely have I not liked a product or not been able to give it a thumbs up.  

Today's review is one of those that I can't recommend enough.  It deserves MORE than two thumbs up. :)

Website:  http://ringthebellthemovie.com

Watch the Trailer: http://ringthebellthemovie.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RingTheBellTheMovie

About Ring the Bell:
Ring The Bell shares the story of a slick, big city sports agent Rob Decker who seems to have it all. But on his latest mission to sign a high school baseball superstar, Rob becomes stranded in a small town where the simplicity of life—and the faith of the people—stand in stark contrast to his own fast-paced, win-at-all-costs mindset. Torn between these two worlds, will Rob have the courage to let faith transform his life? This heartwarming story of redemption is sure to entertain and inspire the whole family.

Ring The Bell features a host of well-known Christian music artists, such as Mark Hall along with his band Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Matthew West, all who play a role in this inspirational drama. Several former and current Major League Baseball all-stars are also featured in the film: ESPN analysts John Kruk and Rick Sutcliffe (a former Cy Young Award winner), along with Ben Zobrist.
This family-friendly movie was produced by Mark Miller, Beach Street Records' founder and Casting Crowns’ producer. Miller, who is also the lead singer and founder of country music group Sawyer Brown, co-wrote the script with Thomas Weber and Weber directed the production. 

MY TAKE:

For starters, of course I'm going to be thrilled to watch something that has the first Contemporary Christian artist that I ever became a fan of---Stephen Curtis Chapman---from way back in the 90s.  (Oh goodness, I think I just felt old referring to something way back in the 90s!).  Of course, I'm going to love watching something that has some of my greatest current artists in it! Casting Crowns and Matthew West?  Oh yes, please!  Now, to be honest, I didn't have the first clue who the sports stars are!  Not in the least.  However, I know MANY of you baseball fans do. 

I was expecting an OK movie with the bonus of some recognizable faces.  I was expecting it to be entertaining. 

What I soon found out:  it went BEYOND my expectations in EVERY way. 

We've watched this movie OVER and OVER in recent days.  I LOVE the story line (even though I'm not a huge baseball fan other than enjoying it in the backyard with the kids!).  I loved the scenes with the recognizable faces....but it went beyond that.  The gospel of Christ was presented in a remarkable way!  Mark Hall (Casting Crowns) gave the "audience" the message of Christ and it was heart felt----no acting there in my opinion.  

Without giving ALL of the movie away, I will say that since watching the movie, we've  had many times to mention"ringing the bell" and what that means to us.  We are looking for ways to ring the bell in our own lives or to spread the message of that to others in our actions.  It has been a GREAT starting point for many GREAT conversations.  I feel confident that it will change MANY lives of viewers that watch it!   The main character, Rob, learned that sometimes what you are looking for and what you *THINK* you must have are not necessarily what you need!  

This movie releases tomorrow (May 3) and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to give one copy away to a reader!  Simply comment on this post to enter (be sure to include a contact email!).  Enter before end of day May 11th (yikes, my oldest will turn 16 that day!..my emotions are worse than a hallmark commercial).  Winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted shortly after for address information!

(On a side note, I learned something I probably should have known.  I had no idea that the producer of this movie, Mark Miller, is also the producer of Casting Crowns.  At the risk of sounding REALLY old now, Mark Miller was the lead singer of Sawyer Brown.  Sawyer Brown was the FIRST concert I went to---in 6th grade---GASP! I will never forget watching him bounce around that stage in a full leg cast, hopping on a broken leg with such energy that I thought there was NO way it would stay together! I attended a pre-concert pizza party with the group  for winning a writing contest for the school based drug prevention program JUST SAY NO. Ohhh...the memories....and oh man, I REALLY must be getting older!)