After chewing on just what to write and when and how, I’ve decided to write a very simple post here about this movie. This movie was touching and refreshing for my wife and me – we finally got a date last night and enjoyed every minute of this movie, which came very highly recommended by some wonderful family friends.

Some things you should know about my wife and me and why I believe movies like this mean especially much to us… We desire to be healthier and healthier in our marriage and want to prioritize dating each other and attending to one another and fostering care for each other in this imperfect world full of unmet expectations and unrealistic expectations in many cases, but also a world full of low expectations and ungodly expectations. The couple that starts out in this movie are honorable in their dating relationship, not sleeping together before marriage – something very, very few movies portray. We were blessed to be each other’s first and only when it comes to purity physically – crazy right? We really are so deeply grateful to not have the distraction of memories from sharing a bed with others besides each other. We are also blessed to have been raised with these ideals, regularly being encouraged to save our bodies and hearts for our future spouse. My wife is still in my eyes that virgin beauty, that untouched godly wife, untouched from the lies of the enemy that going outside of the boundaries of covenant love is just fine and something to even be encouraged. My life-long labor of love is to labor with all I am to cultivate these same values which we receive right from the LORD God Himself in His Word in not only my wife and children but in those we encounter.

Even writing this feels so unlikely to be received by our modern world, and yet I know it is enjoyed and appreciated when thoughtfully considered by thoughtful and values-oriented people. God has put a taste, an attraction into us from birth for beauty and purity and saving ourselves for whomever God guides us to love and marry and raise children with Lord-willing and love and serve the world with, and yet there are instances such as portrayed in this movie, where singleness goes longer than planned or desired, and we should still protect our bodies from immoral embraces and instead wait for marriage. This is very old school, but it’s something I really appreciated about this movie.

It was also so precious to watch this author dive deep into a subject matter she not only wanted to write about but felt deeply desirous to be a part of – family and beautiful neighboring. While Lord-willing most of us will not live through the terrors these neighbors lived through with the Germans occupying their island and turning it into a stationary battle ship of sorts, enslaving others and bringing them to the island to build their fortresses with the islanders having to witness their brutal treatment and starvation even… We will witness difficulties in our neighbors’ lives and they in our lives the more we cross paths.

Neighboring is a really special focus in this movie and something that we would do well to observe and seek to replicate. What if our neighboring was at least somewhat closer to what this is in this movie. You’ve got to watch the movie to see what I’m saying.

Sadly you have to subscribe to Netflix for a month – I’d cancel immediately after viewing this movie due to the things Netflix has supported in recent years, but I’d say it’s worth stepping into the Netflix scene just for that movie and then skipping back out.

Can I comment on something here? Oh, this is my blog – or at least I’m to steward it – Thank You, LORD, for this context.

Father, I’d like to pray this instead of say it. Thank You for the conviction to get off of Facebook for a year, go to primarily using a flip phone, and for reminding me to re-prioritize my wife and children in these crazy times, all while doubling down on improving in neighboring… Thank You that the first couple of things I have mentioned have helped SO MUCH in doubling down in my walk with You, walk with Carrie, walk with J&A&F (our kids), and my walk with our neighbors! I pray for F and R and R and R and S and so many more neighbors, Oh God. I pray for C and L and C and A as well, newer to our hood. Father, thank You for our newest two neighbors and this possible change to a new neighborhood. Please, Oh God, awaken in our country a truly deep and steady LOVE FOR YOU – THE GOD OF THE BIBLE, love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, love for neighbor and love for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ first in action and very much also in our words. Please awaken our nation once more, in Jesus’ name!

Much love to you all.

Torrey