Movie
Avalon releases first album in 10 years, says there’s an urgency in the world for a Savior
Avalon, one of the most successful Christian music groups, reunited this year to release their first album in 10 years titled, Called, which shares a message about Jesus that the group believes the world desperately needs to hear.
The group, comprised of Greg and Janna Long, Jody McBrayer and Dani Rocca, announced in October 2018 that they were gearing up for their “next chapter.” The statement revealed that founding member McBrayer would return to the group along with the addition of Rocca.
The award-winning vocal group, who have been making music since 1995, are excited about this new chapter in their career and shared what they thought has changed since they first began.
“I think there are obviously positive and negative aspects to where the music industry is now. Of course there were positive and negative 10 and 12 years ago too. However, the one thing that stands out for me, more than anything else, is the urgency,” McBrayer told The Christian Post on Monday.
Their new album, Called, released last week, is filled with lyrics loaded with faith and encouragement.
“Now more than ever, what we do is so important because this world is desperate for a Savior. They are desperate for hope. If we have a chance to bring some light and hope to people who are struggling, we have to take that chance,” McBrayer declared.
“One thing I love about where Christian music is right now is that it blatantly points to Jesus,” Greg Long added. “No one loves like Him, no one saves like Him, and there is only one Jesus.”
During their 10 year sabbatical, Greg and Janna Long worked as worship leaders at their home church. Now, they’re excited about getting back on the road and creating new music.
“I feel grateful and humbled by the fact that I still get to do this after all of these years. God continues to be gracious and I am forever grateful. I love these people I get to do life with while getting to do the very thing that I love the most — singing for Christ,” Janna told.
“Making new music after 10 years for me has been fun” Greg said. “The phrase ‘you don’t miss something until it’s gone’ rings true in that Janna and I have been raising our kiddos and leading worship at a local church, all of which is fantastic, but I didn’t realize how much I missed making music with my friends.”
The new Avalon record features a collection of catchy tracks including the title track, an upbeat first single titled “Keeper of my Heart,” along with the songs, “If Not For Jesus,” “Sacred Ground,” “Closer,” and “Glitter and Glory.”
“It’s amazing that, after 12 years, we just picked up basically where we left off. Except for the fact that we all have so much more to say now. God has done so much in all of our lives and we are obligated to share those things with whomever will listen,” McBrayer added.
Newcomer Rocca said she is “humbled” to join a group of singers that have a “legacy.”
“To serve alongside such incredible talent and even more kind and accepting people is an honor in itself,” Rocca said. “It is refreshing to see firsthand that 20-plus years in the music industry hasn’t removed an ounce of graciousness from them. If anything, the more life lived and more lessons learned, the more able we are to love others and extend the love of Christ to those who need it most.”
Called is the first project released on Red Street Records, a label founded by Don Koch and Jay DeMarcus, a member of the country group Rascal Flatts.
Avalon is now gearing up to go on, The Called Tour kicking off February 27, 2020, continuing through April 2020.
Sources: Christian Post
Movie
വിയറ്റ്നാം കോളനിയിലെ ‘റാവുത്തർ’ , നടൻ വിജയ രംഗ രാജു അന്തരിച്ചു
ചെന്നൈ : സിദ്ദിഖ് ലാൽ സംവിധാനം ചെയ്ത വിയറ്റ്നാം കോളനിയിലെ റാവുത്തർ എന്ന കഥാപാത്രത്തിലൂടെ ശ്രദ്ധേയനായ തെലുങ്ക് നടൻ വിജയ രംഗ രാജു (70) അന്തരിച്ചു.ചെന്നൈയിലെ സ്വകാര്യ ആശുപത്രിയിൽ ഹൃദയാഘാതത്തെ തുടർന്നായിരുന്നു അന്ത്യം സംഭവിച്ചത്.
കഴിഞ്ഞ ആഴ്ച ഹൈദരാബാദിൽ സിനിമാ ചിത്രീകരണത്തിനിടെ വിജയ രംഗ രാജുവിന് ഹൃദയാഘാതം അനുഭവപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു.തുടർന്ന് അദ്ദേഹത്തെ ചെന്നൈയിലെ സ്വകാര്യ ആശുപത്രിയിലേക്ക് മാറ്റി.ഇവിടെ ചികിത്സയിലിരിക്കെയാണ് മരണം സംഭവിച്ചത്.അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ അന്ത്യകർമ്മങ്ങൾ ചെന്നൈയിൽ നടക്കും.
തെലുങ്ക്, മലയാളം സിനിമകളിലായി വിജയ രംഗ രാജു വില്ലൻവേഷങ്ങളിലും സഹനടനായും തിളങ്ങി.നന്ദമൂരി ബാലകൃഷ്ണയുടെ ഭൈരവ ദീപം എന്ന ചിത്രത്തിലൂടെയായിരുന്നു തെലുങ്കിലെ അരങ്ങേറ്റം.അശോക ചക്രവർത്തി, സ്റ്റേറ്റ റൗഡി, വിജയ് തുടങ്ങിയവാണ് മറ്റ് ശ്രദ്ധേയ ചിത്രങ്ങൾ.അഭിനയത്തിന് പുറമേ ഭാരോദ്വഹനത്തിലും ബോഡി ബിൽഡിംഗിലും വിജയ രംഗ രാജു ശ്രദ്ധ പതിപ്പിച്ചിരുന്നു.
Telugu actor Vijaya Rangaraju, also known as Raj Kumar, passed away due to a heart attack in Chennai. The 70-year-old actor had reportedly suffered an injury while shooting for a film in Hyderabad last week. He was later shifted to a private hospital in Chennai for treatment. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries and health complications.
Vijaya Rangaraju was a popular actor in the Telugu and Malayalam film industries, known for his strong performances in negative and supporting roles. He gained fame with his portrayal of villains in various movies, which showcased his versatility and talent. One of his most iconic roles was in Gopichand’s film Yagnam, where he played a villain, earning immense praise for his acting skills.
Raj Kumar began his acting journey with theater in Chennai and later transitioned to the film industry. His first breakthrough came with the Telugu film Bhairava Dweepam, starring Nandamuri Balakrishna. Over the years, he worked in several notable films, including Ashoka Chakravarthy, State Rowdy, Vijay, and many others. He also worked with legendary director Bapu in the film Seetha Kalyanam, which marked his entry into Telugu cinema.
Beyond acting, Vijaya Rangaraju was passionate about weightlifting and bodybuilding. He was admired for his dedication both on and off-screen. His contributions to the film industry left a lasting impact, and he was respected by his colleagues and fans.
Movie
These Bibles Are Flying Off Shelves and Inspiring Millions
A popular retelling of the Bible in comic book form just hit a major milestone, selling more than three million copies in the United States.
“The Action Bible,” first released in 2010, continues to dominate Amazon bookselling charts, remaining in the top 100 among all books.
Brock Eastman, senior director of The Action Bible brand at David C. Cook, said he believes the project’s success is rooted in its unique approach to bringing the Gospel to young and emerging generations.
“What strikes people that read ‘The Action Bible’ is just the beautiful, full action-packed [presentation] and our illustrations that really bring the story to life,” he said. “And we like to think about … bringing the Bible to life in a different way.”
Eastman continued, “For this generation, specifically, who is involved with graphic novels, this Bible appeals to them because they like that kind of, ‘Oh, I can see the images of the story moving,’ and there’s a narrative, like a paraphrase narrative of the Bible story that’s easy to understand and sounds like a conversation.”
This all creates what Eastman called an “inviting” experience that allows young people to fully immerse themselves in this Bible version, including 230 stories from Scripture and extends to 830 pages.
The roots for “The Action Bible” were set in the 1970s with a preceding project known as “The Picture Bible.” With young people diving into the comic book world — and with new ways of evangelizing emerging — “The Action Bible” was seen as an innovative tool to build upon successes with “The Picture Bible” and deliver timeless truth to a new generation.
As a dad of four kids himself, Eastman said, “The Action Bible” does two important things: it seizes upon the interest of youths in graphic novels while also delivering hope to youths who desperately need it.
Many of the popular graphic novels and comics of the day simply don’t offer “hope,” he said.
“Those stories don’t provide the hope and the beautiful story that God does and the redemptive story … of the plan of bringing Jesus and our salvation,” Eastman said. “And, so, the Bible does that.”
This is especially important right now, as young people in Generation Alpha — those born between 2010 and 2024 — recently dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and other struggles. Hopelessness, for some, has been a result of the chaos, with Eastman believing “The Action Bible” holds power and sway to help ease some of this pain.
“Something like ‘The Action Bible’ that has these graphics that the kids … are drawn to, telling this narrative of this beautiful story of redemption, of hope, of stories and the characters in the Bible that are just like them — people who struggled with things, who had fear but overcame it with courage because they were empowered by God,” he said. “These fantastic stories that kids are connecting to. They’re like, ‘I see myself in that story and I can be that.’”
“The Action Bible” has carefully worked to ensure it keeps “true to what God’s word is.”
“There’s a lot of careful effort put into not only the language and the words, but also the imagery that took those pages and basically … brought them to life,” Eastman said.
The impact of “The Action Bible” has been undeniable, with the project being translated into 108 languages around the globe. While the book has sold 3 million copies in the U.S., the worldwide number is “much larger.”
“In the last four years alone, we’ve sold 1.1 million action Bibles around the world,” Eastman said, explaining this is in addition to the 3 million sold in America.
Ultimately, Eastman said the mission of “The Action Bible” — to bring Jesus’ story to the masses — is being recognized, with stories of the project’s impact continuing to reach his team.
Sources:faithwire
Movie
Actor Carlos PenaVega Praises God, Shares ‘Supernatural Peace’ He Experienced After Loss: ‘God Has Just Been Covering us’
Actors Carlos and Alexa PenaVega believe God has been faithful in their lives, expressing how they have found peace and contentedness even amid the unthinkable.
“God has just been covering us,” Carlos recently told CBN News.
The couple, who maintain a busy Hollywood career and just released their new movie, “Get Him Back for Christmas,” made headlines last year after the stillbirth of their fourth child, Indy.
Despite such a difficult challenge, they relied on the Lord to find strength and overcome.
Carlos recently recalled the tragic Saturday Indy passed away. As he and Alexa pondered whether to attend church in the aftermath — just one day later — they felt God calling them to do so.
“Me, and Alexa, and our three kids went to church that next day and we didn’t know anybody,” he said. “It was our second time ever going, and we were worshiping … and I’ll never forget that we’re standing in the middle … and Alexa and I are holding each other and we’re just bawling.”
In those moments, Carlos described finding a “supernatural peace,” as parishioners — people they barely knew after having recently moved to Tennessee — surrounded them and prayed over them.
“It was like God’s saying … ‘You’re not alone. I got you, and I have you here for a reason, and I’m gonna take you [through] this and make it into something amazing,’” he said.
Since the loss, the PenaVegas have seen God work in amazing ways.
“It’s been amazing to see, especially with Alexa, how much God has been working in her through this loss, because how do you live after that?” he said. “That we have over it … I just keep saying it’s … supernatural — like, God is just covering us.”
Carlos continued, “He has a reason for everything, and He takes whatever the enemy meant for evil and turned it to good.”
As CBN News previously reported, the couple went on to work on passion projects throughout the year. The film “Get Him Back for Christmas” offers a heartfelt romantic story — typical holiday fare.
But it also delivers much deeper themes about doing good, caring for others, and being inspired by genuine and unadulterated kindness. And it’s the first project to come from their new production company, Good for You Entertainment.
“We really believe in creating content that is good for you,” PenaVega said, noting the couple plan to continue creating powerful films and projects. “We feel very strongly that we need more content that is family-friendly. It doesn’t need to be PG-13 or R to be a good movie.”
Sources:faithwire
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