With God all things are possible

Such is the theme of both the plot and real life story of Facing the Giants, a Christian film released on DVD today. In the feel-good story, Grant Taylor coaches football at a small Southern Christian high school and his life seems to be unraveling. Nothing seems to work; his home, his car, his team, and even his body fail him. But not all is lost for those who have God. The film's theology isn't quite as simple as pray for a car and God, like a genie that grants wishes, will give it to you. The moral of the story, though, is definitely that if you believe, in God and yourself, good things will happen.

It's easy to see how the films creators think this way. The David-versus-Goliath film was created by an all-volunteer cast and crew from Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia with a $100,000 production budget. After it was picked up by Sony Pictures for national distribution, it earned $10 million in ticket sales at 441 theaters last fall.

Now they hope that Christians around the country will use Super Bowl Sunday to inspire football fans with the Good News by showing the DVD, which is for sale online and in some video stores, Christian book stores, and major chains such as Wal-Mart.

I, for one, will be watching da Bears in da Super Bowl on Sunday. Most of us at Claretian Publications and the St. Jude League here in Chicago feel like our prayers have been answered this football season. Here is the sign above our front door right now:

Go Bears!