by Allen Reynolds, UrbanFaith Editor | Jun 8, 2025 | Entertainment, Headline News |

The Life of Chuck is one of the most peculiar and delightful films I have ever seen. At face value it is hard to know what this movie is about from the outset besides that a man named Chuck will be at the center. And while that evaluation is true, this movie is about so much more than Chuck. This movie is about the multitudes of lives contained within all of us. It is a movie that makes you ask and consider hard questions. How do we face loss, death, and difficulty? What matters most when the world is falling apart around us? Why do we make the choices we make every day? How do find joy in the midst of difficulties?
I am not a normal Stephen King fan. I do not like horror films, I’m not into scary books, I don’t enjoy exploring the paranormal. But this movie was fantastic. It refuses to be pinned down into one category of movie and is not even told in a normal narrative order. But it is one of the most thought-provoking and emotionally inspiring movies I have seen in years. I would highly recommend it for anyone willing to walk into a theater with an open mind.
The Life of Chuck feels incredibly timely. I have struggled watching the news as many people have in our current historical moment. As we see natural disaster after natural disaster, wars and famines, death and destruction in a constant cycle and ignorance in echo chambers many people have responded with exasperation and apathy. Chuck responds head on to the crisis. It explores the Life of Chuck, but the contents of that life are far more expansive than I could have anticipated. Chuck is not a larger-than-life amazing figure on an adventure. He is a mundane and complex man who was once an innocent and awkward boy. The people in his life feel like people I know.
The authenticity of the performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor and Karen Gillan were so moving. The depth and complexity of young Chuck’s family made my heart ache. I felt moments of pure joy, sadness, fear, wonder, laughter, worry, inspiration, and reflection watching this movie. And Tom Hiddleston made me think and smile. I almost shouted with joy when I saw The Pocket Queen, a young woman drummer, appear on screen. I followed her on social media as a college student and to see her in this movie I was elated. When I heard Nick Offerman and saw Mark Hamill I felt tremendous nostalgia. I’m not sure how Mike Flanagan did such a seamless job balancing both familiarity and wonder. But the impact was palpable. But the questions from this film stick with you. What matters most in our lives? Chuck brings the questions to the forefront.
How should believers live with the destruction and difficulty in the world? We know what eternity holds. But being intentional and joyful about life today is something this movie left me pondering. The movie is rated R, but it is really for about 2 minutes of curse words and some mature themes dealing with death. But I would say anyone with an open mind and reasonable maturity can see this film. I would love my teenager to see it. I would love to watch it with a Bible study group. I highly recommend it as an artistic, intellectual, and emotional experience.
by Allen Reynolds, UrbanFaith Editor | Dec 7, 2021 | Headline News, Prayers & Devotionals |
Advent is a wonderful time for reflection and devotion as believers look forward to Christmas and its significance for our faith. UrbanFaith had the opportunity to have a Q & A session with Katara Washington Patton, the author of Joyous Advent: Family Christmas Devotional. The exchange is below, edited for clarity.
It is so good to have you share with UrbanFaith again and your new and relevant book. Advent is a great opportunity to reflect, be inspired, and deepen our relationship with God and others, so I’m grateful for your book.
1. A lot of people are not as familiar with Advent as some of the other major holidays such as Christmas and Easter. What is Advent and why is it important for believers?
Advent is the period leading up to the observance of our Savior’s birth–Christmas; Advent is observed during the four weeks before Christmas and normally begins the last Sunday of November. Advent means to anticipate the coming of Christ (remembering how people anticipated His birth and how we anticipate His second coming).
2. What inspired you to write a book of devotionals for this holiday season?
I love devotionals; they have been one of my main sources of growth. They are shorter readings you can do mostly every day, which increases your faith through reading and reflecting on Scripture. So, whenever I’m given the opportunity—as I was by my publisher with this book—I jump at the chance to write material that can help people grow in faith. This one particularly is for the entire family…so adults and children can learn from it.
3. You were very intentional at making this a FAMILY devotional, why is that important to you?
We know Family can mean…grandmother and child, two parents and children, auntie, uncle, big sister, etc. So I like the fact that families—whatever your definition is—can center themselves around a scripture and reading and explore its meaning, have activities to do. This can be done alone as well but it is written at a level children will understand too. I think that’s important…for my family, my child has a different Christian education than I did. I went to Sunday school every Sunday because my mom was the superintendent and my dad a teacher; today, pre-pandemic, my child was in a class at church maybe once a month or so (due to several reasons like the format of classes at our church); and now with the changes due to capacity limits and the pandemic, she’s not in a class. Where does she learn those fundamental lessons we learned? In family devotions, I hope and pray.
4. I love the format of your devotions, why did you decide to include activities as well as the traditional prayer and Scripture inspirations?
I’ve always been a person who looks at learning and even ministry from a practical stand point. If I can’t apply this lesson to my life, then it’s just words. Activities help reinforce the application of the lesson. I’m always going to look for a way to bring home the point through activities.
5. How has choosing devotion during Advent and Christmas impacted your faith journey?
I loved rediscovering many of the stories I selected: Jesus’ genealogy, Simeon and Anna, even Noah and the rainbow, Elizabeth and Mary, even Abigail and David– all to drive home the four themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy, and love. I think we need to tell these stories over and over again to remind ourselves and to teach our children of the goodness of God and the amazing faith journey we have been presented with as we journey ourselves. Utilizing these devotions can also help us connect the faith stories within the Bible to our own faith story based on our belief in our savior’s birth.
6. What advice would you give to our audience who may be trying to grow in their faith?
Other than read my books?! Lol. Honestly, read your Bible and supplemental material of your choosing faithfully. If you find one devotional or book isn’t giving you enough or inspiring you to read regularly, find another. There are so many different formats we can utilize for Bible reading and devotions that you can find something that is speaking to you in the moment. Being consistent is key. I enjoy waking up and having that time with God; I understand it may be car time for another or bed time or lunch time for others—but the consistent practice of carving out that time to study, reflect, and pray has been my saving grace.
Joyous Advent: Family Christmas Devotional is available everywhere books are sold.