My Review of Sun Moon (movie)

Today, I have another Pure Flix movie review for you and a giveaway contest at the end of this post! In case you didn’t know, Pure Flix is like the faith-based version of Netflix. It works the same way but the difference is in the content that points you back to Jesus Christ and shows you how much The Creator of the Universe loves you!

Pure Flix is a one-stop shop for faith and family-friendly movies and shows where you can confidently stream in your home with the entire family. With new premium and exclusive original entertainment choices every week, Pure Flix streaming service has the largest variety of high-quality, curated, positive, encouraging, wholesome movies, series and kids' content in one service. Pure Flix is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment, alongside AFFIRM Films.

Pure Flix VIP Ambassador program asked me to review the movie Sun Moon. The main idea for this movie, in words from the producers, is: Kelsey is running from failure, heartbreak and humiliation. In an attempt to understand God’s purpose for her life, she goes to Taiwan to teach English. Will her leap of faith pay off?

I watched this marvelous movie before it was made available for viewing on Pure Flix. It made me laugh out loud, cry for a moment, sigh several times, smile at one point in almost every scene, and seriously crave some bubble tea at the end!

Now for my review: 

Sun Moon is a beautiful story about how God can turn your heartache into hope and make your life a blessing to others along the way. This movie is filled with faith, hope, love, second chances, sweet school children and characters who have a heart for helping each other. The storyline is filled with highs, lows, twists and turns that will keep the viewing audience engaged. It may even make you want to sip some bubble tea (you'll have to watch the movie to find out why). I loved everything about this wonderful movie and it encouraged me in my real-life journey of learning how to step out on faith and follow God's lead where He may send me. Let me highlight a few main points about Sun Moon…

MacKenzie Mauzy, the actress who played Kelsey, did a delightful job of portraying this character from heartbreak to hope. She stayed in character throughout the movie’s highs, lows, twists and turns. I’m also impressed how in one scene, she climbed over a very tall gate after-hours so she could return to her apartment. I was hoping she wouldn’t get hurt. The movie watcher may identify with Kelsey’s story—especially those who have experienced being left at the altar in real life. But the story doesn’t end with the pain of jilted bride, it only begins there! This is a wonderful reminder about how God can use our pain to catapult us into our purpose.

Kelsey finds her purpose in Taiwan and her life is forever changed in a very good way! Who knew that answering a call to be a missionary would be just what she needed? Just like in real-life, God knew! Oftentimes, we can forget that God has us right where He wants us to be and we cannot mess up His plan for our lives because the Bible says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21).

I also like that the storyline showed that despite Kelsey leaving her church and abandoning her faith in God for a while, God never left her alone to do life on her own. He continued to be with her every step of the way even when she tried to run away from Him and push Him away. This is a beautiful portrayal of God’s love that endures forever not just in faith-based fiction stories or in Christian movies, but in the real world.

In conclusion, I’d like to say that Sun Moon should win an award! It was delightfully done in a way that will educate, inspire and encourage viewers to seek God's plan for their life and follow it fearlessly. This movie will touch your heart and help you hope again just when you thought all hope was lost.

Themes of this movie included:

· Keeping up appearances/your image

· Learning new cultures

· Loving all of God’s people, being afraid of losing loved ones/sick relatives

· Being angry at God for how events unfolded

· Moving forward after loss or unplanned events, healing

· Friendship

· Learning to trust in His timing

· Struggling with disappointment and loss of faith

· God uses everything, even the hurt and pain

· Finding confidence

· How to walk through difficult and challenging times

· There is a season for everything

· Grieving loss

· God will push us out of comfort zone (all the way to Taiwan)

· The difference we make in the lives of other people

· “God did not burn you” your boyfriend did

· Choosing to not blame God in difficult situations

· Overcoming adversity

Sun Moon is a movie that will introduce you to Pure Flix, prompt you to join and watch it again and again! And once you’re a member of Pure Flix, you’ll find more content to view that will encourage your heart. So don’t delay, join today!

Watch Sun Moon movie trailer:
https://www.pureflix.com/movie/sun-moon

Jean Thomason from Momentum Influencer Network interviewed Sydney Tooley, writer and director for Sun Moon. Watch their conversation here: https://youtu.be/UX0a9X4DEcg

Before you go, enter this contest for your chance to WIN a FREE 3-month Pure Flix subscription! Note: This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only. The giveaway starts today and ends on May 12, 2023. If you're participating in the giveaway for Sun Moon, please note that we cannot accept winners that have won a Pure Flix subscription in the last six months.

Here is the Giveaway Contest link:
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f8dcb68c448/?

Disclosure: Many thanks to Pure Flix for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.

#SunMoonMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork 

Love,

Alexis A. Goring, MFA

Founder of "God is Love" blog

A Prelude to Christmas: Delia's story "The First Noelle"

Welcome Delia Latham to the blog today! She's here to talk about her book that by its title, may remind you of a popular Christmas song. Read on for details about The First Noelle which is available for purchase on Amazon. 

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Book blurb for The First Noelle: Noelle Joy stopped celebrating Christmas ten years ago, when Trevor Holden skipped out on their long-planned Christmas Eve wedding. He destroyed her trust in men, crushed her belief in God, and left her cynical about love. Gone is the bright, cheery spirit of the girl she thinks of now as “the first Noelle.” Stronger and savvier, the new Noelle would never be found waiting at the altar for a groom who didn’t show.

When a famous-but-mysterious architect commissions her to decorate his mansion for a holiday event, Noelle finally returns to her hometown. Even as she finds an unexpected peace in facing ghosts from the past, her fiercely private client disturbs her. Michael Holliday is kind and considerate, but far too handsome…and hauntingly familiar.

Holliday didn’t choose Noelle to make his home a Christmas wonderland by accident. She’s the only one who can do the job he has in mind—and once she’s in his mansion, he never wants to let her go. But he’s hiding a secret that could destroy any chance of a relationship with the beautiful decorator.

A false persona. A shattering secret. Can love break down these insurmountable walls?

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Delia is doing a book giveaway contest! Fill out the form on the Rafflecopter widget for your chance to WIN a copy of her book: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Interview with Delia Latham, author of The First Noelle:

Alexis: What is the significance of the title of your book, The First Noelle?

Delia: My heroine, Noelle Joy, becomes a different person after being abandoned at the altar on Christmas Eve. She refuses to allow any aspect of her former personality to resurface, and thinks of the sweet, innocent girl she once was as “the first Noelle.” The new Noelle, in her opinion, is stronger, smarter and far more savvy than her old self.

Alexis: How is the “First Noelle” different from the “Now Noelle”? Why?

Delia: The first Noelle was guided by her faith in God, her love for family and friends, and her own innate sense of right and wrong. She was joyful and open hearted. The “now Noelle” has abandoned faith and rarely sees her family. She still has a strong moral compass, but she’s lost the joy that once defined her. She’s become a loner, refuses to form emotional attachments, and presents a chilly persona. Within her professional field, she’s known as “the Ice Princess of Design.”

Alexis: Describe Noelle as the heroine of this story. What makes her strong? What are her weak points? What are her dreams for her life and how does she plan on making those dreams come true?

Delia: Noelle thinks her strength is in her success as an interior designer. She believes the emotional distance she maintains at all times, with absolutely everyone, keeps her safe and protected. The truth is, success doesn’t automatically spell strength. Noelle isn’t strong. She’s emotionally crippled. The bubble of isolation she’s created around herself doesn’t protect—it shuts her off from the world, leaving her isolated and defenseless. Her strength is, of course, right where it was for the first Noelle—in God; in her love for family and friends; and in her joy in life, which she left amongst the wilting flowers and burnt-out candles the day Trevor Holden failed to show up for their wedding. What will it take for Noelle to understand these things?

As for her dreams for her life, the “now Noelle” is focused solely on monetary and professional success. She has no personal life, and doesn’t bother to dream—just look where dreams got the first Noelle! She keeps a guard up, and doesn’t trust any man enough to give him her heart. Besides, her heart is damaged goods. It’s raw and broken, and her bitterness won’t allow it to heal. When she returns to Hope Springs and meets Michael Holliday, her strengths and weaknesses become clearer, as the first Noelle struggles to free herself from a ten-year lock-down.

Alexis: Tell us about Noelle’s ex-fiancé Trevor. What is his role in shaping her current perspective on love and life, when we first “meet” her in the story?

Delia: Trevor and Noelle were best friends from toddlers on through middle school. In high school, they fell in love, and were inseparable all the way through college. Their relationship was two-fold. Noelle loved Trevor as a man, but also as her closest and most trusted friend. When he left her alone in a beautifully decorated church packed with family and friends who witnessed her humiliation, it was as if he threw that trust and her love back in her face. Furthermore, the God she’d loved, lived for and worshipped all her life had allowed this hurt and humiliation, despite her dedication to Him. She left Him in that church, as well. The “now Noelle” refuses to talk about God, and prefers not to hear about him from others.

When we first “meet” our heroine, she’s headed back to her hometown for the first time since she left, almost a decade ago. She struggles with feelings she’s kept locked away for a long time. Memory overwhelms her, as if everything happened only yesterday, and she knows one thing: Noelle Joy doesn’t cry anymore, but sometime soon, she can expect a genuine gully washer!

Alexis: How did Trevor crush Noelle’s belief in God? Why would you as the author give him so much power? You must have a lesson for real life to teach in doing that, what is it?

Delia: When Trevor—her best friend and the man she loves—abandoned her, Noelle’s hurt was so deep she didn’t know how to handle it. Truth was, she couldn’t handle it alone…not in a way that would be truly beneficial. That’s when the “now Noelle” was born and the first Noelle was locked away in her mind. She refuses to ask help from the God who let such an awful thing happen to her. Trevor stole not only her trust in him, but her trust that God had her back.

For a decade, she carries a burden she could have shared had she not turned away from the Burden Bearer…

We’ve all done it, haven’t we? Rather than turn to God in times of trouble, we sometimes turn from Him and try to shoulder the burden ourselves. Only when we allow Him to carry us through whatever the situation might be, do we find comfort, strength, and a Way through the darkness.

Alexis: Who are the people in Noelle’s life that keep her focused, grounded and encourage her to keep the faith in God? How did you dream up these characters and why did you choose them to be a support for Noelle?

Delia: Her parents. Her dad is a minister, and her beautiful mother is the strength and support behind the beloved pastor. Noelle is close to them both (although, like me, she’s a bit of a Daddy’s girl). After she abandoned all that had been most important to the first Noelle, she continued to respect their faith—for them. Not for herself.

I hadn’t really thought about why I chose Noelle’s parents to be her focus-point, but I guess the answer is pretty simple. My parents were my greatest Christian heroes, and my greatest supporters through whatever life tossed my way. I wish everyone had the privilege of being born to that kind of parents.

Alexis: Who is Michael Holliday? Why did you choose to make him the hero in this story? Describe his character flaws and his positive points.

Delia: Michael is an award-winning architect, famous for keeping to himself. He’s a mystery man—never does face-to-face interviews, is rarely seen in public, and has managed to avoid the media, much to their chagrin. His good points are his humility, his compassion, and his faith. As for his flaws…well, Michael is a true hero. His flaws are few, but I think the biggest is...On second thought, I think I’ll let the readers decide.

Alexis: What is it about Noelle that makes Michael want to keep her forever?

Delia: Michael has watched Noelle’s climb to success. He admires her determination and refusal to give up. She’s beautiful and talented, and her smile is bewitching. He’s in love—at least, with the idea of who she is.

Alexis: Where is the setting for this story? Did you borrow from a real life setting or is the town purely fictional?

Delia: Well, northern California is very real. Hope Springs is entirely fictional.

Alexis: What is your favorite part about Noelle’s hometown? Why?

Delia: I love places that time seems to have forgotten. Quaint, old-fashioned towns where everyone knows everyone else, and every little storefront looks exactly as it must have looked fifty years ago…so sweet and refreshing!

Alexis: What was the most difficult part of writing this book? And the easiest?

Delia: Unfortunately, I can’t talk about the most difficult part because it would reveal more than I want to about the story line. The easiest was the romance between Michael and Noelle. I always love bringing two people together, despite whatever odds.

Alexis: As the author, what do you hope your readers will remember the most from “The First Noelle”?

Delia: How much it cost my heroine to turn away from the One she should have turned to in her darkest hour.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview! Would you like to share any closing thoughts?

Delia: Yes, here are my thoughts...

To the readers:
I hope you’ve enjoyed this interview, and that you’ll also enjoy The First Noelle. I tucked a little surprise ingredient into the story that I think you’ll enjoy as something completely unexpected. I also pray you find encouragement in the pages of this book, and are reminded to live always within the sheltering, loving arms of the One who can best take care of you in any and every situation.

To Alexis:
Thank you for such thoughtful, in-depth questions! You really made me think.

To all:
Have a beautiful holiday season, and a warm, wonderful, Merry Christmas!

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Author bio: 

Writing Heaven’s touch into earthly tales, Delia Latham puts her characters through the fire of earthly trials to bring them out victorious by the hand of God, His heavenly messengers, and good, old-fashioned love. You’ll always find a touch of the divine in this author’s sweet tales of romance.

Delia lives in East Texas with her husband Johnny. She’s a Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and author of inspirational romance…with a finger or two immersed in the design pool, where she creates beautiful marketing material for other authors. 

Delia treasures her role as child of the King and heir to the throne of God. She’s got a “thing” for Dr. Pepper and loves hearing from readers.

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Connect with Delia:
Website
Amazon Author Page
Personal blog
Facebook Reader Page
Christmas Inn Facebook Page
Twitter