Soul Surfer

On Sunday, I took my youth to see the new movie Soul Surfer. For those of you who haven't heard about this movie, it's about Bethany Hamilton. That's the girl that was attacked by a shark in 2003 while surfing causing her to lose her arm.

First, this was an awesome movie! The movie makers did a wonderful job with portraying everything that this teenager and her family went through after the shark attack. They didn't skip any of the horrible details of the actual attack or anything like that. We saw the shark actually come up and attack Bethany. We saw the panic in the eyes of her friends and coach that were present. Bethany's struggle to surf again was so apparent! The movie makers also did a wonderful job casting and writing the role of the youth pastor, Sarah. (Of course, that's the role that I would pay a lot of attention to and watch with the most critical eye.) Carrie Underwood did a wonderful job playing the youth pastor and answering the tough questions that I know that I'll have to answer at some point from my youth. The answers to those tough questions weren't answers that would make any person feel all warm and fuzzy when all was said and done. They were honest and true answers.......answers that I would most likely give my youth in that kind of situation. (Who knew that my job could be so glamorous? haha.)

When the movie was over, we left the theatre and I started to ask my youth how they liked it. A few said that they cried a few times. A few others said that they're favorite part of the movie was the shark attack. Then they asked me if I cried. I told them no. The reason why I didn't cry is because of Bethany's reaction to everything that happened is exactly what a youth pastor would hope for. Carrie Underwood displayed the same reaction that I would have; that proud parent who is watching someone grow and use a horrible situation for something good. I don't want to give away too much of the movie but I think that any youth pastor would agree with me after seeing the movie.

I highly recommend this movie to anyone! This was the first movie that I'd seen in theatres in about 18 months. It was totally worth paying the money to see in the theatre! Go see it!