Earlier this month I said yes to writing a novel based on the screenplay of the new movie Courageous. Both the movie and novel will be released a year from now. The movie is being done by the Kendrick brothers, Stephen and Alex (pictured with me on the right), who produced Facing the Giants and Fireproof, and will be distributed by Sony. As Fireproof centered on fire fighters and marriage, Courageous will center on police officers and fatherhood and, not surprisingly, COURAGE for men in their homes and personal lives.

It contains some great action, characters, and humor along with very serious themes related to the importance of fatherhood and the disastrous consequences in lives and our culture when fatherhood is abdicated. It’s also a soul-stirring and heart-touching challenge for men and women and families to help each other raise the bar.

Here’s a 5-minute video that shares the heart of the Courageous movie:

I just got back Monday evening from spending three days in Albany, Georgia, doing background research for the novel. (And left again Tuesday with Nanci for Texas—I’ll be attending and speaking at the C. S. Lewis Southwest Regional Writers Workshop & Retreat later this week.) I had a great time hanging out with the Kendrick brothers, who love Christ passionately and are dedicated to God-honoring excellence. Also got to visit Sherwood Baptist. Love those guys and that church. (That's me in the photo with with Robert Amaya, who plays Javy in Courageous and is my favorite character in the movie. Once you see the movie, you will know why this photo is funny!)

I enjoyed meeting Ken Bevel and his wonderful family, and talking with Ken about the great character he plays in Courageous. Ken also played a lead role in Fireproof. I interviewed him, and he’s nothing but quality. He’s a marine officer at a nearby base, and sings in the church choir. I recognized dozens of people—on the worship team, ushers, people walking in hallways—who played roles in Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof and Courageous. Really an odd and delightful experience.

On Sunday, my plane took off from Albany too late to make the connection in Atlanta, so I spent the night at an Atlanta hotel, far from home. The next day I got to see part of God's purpose of being stranded there: for 40 minutes I got to share the gospel with a businessman named Marshall, and give him two booklets, If God Is Good: Why Do We Hurt? and Heaven. Then, I had one Spanish Heaven booklet "accidentally" mixed with the English copies, and it was the only one left in my briefcase. The waitress was Candi, who was delighted to get the booklet in her mother tongue and told me she would read it. God always has his good purposes, thousands of which he is accomplishing at once, invisibly.