Amazing Love: The Story of Hosea

A beautiful story, this movie had the potential to be fantastic. The movie started really good as the group was leaving for a camping trip. Once they arrive at the campsite the movie continues to be moving along well. The film then switched to Israel which was wonderful.During most of this movie, the scenes would switch back and forth from Israel to the campsite, which was really good. But the camera work could have been so much better at the campsite. Instead of the camera capturing a cozy view of the campers sitting around a campfire with a nice wilderness background, the camera only zoomed in on each individuals face.You could barely tell they were at a campsite. Then it would switch back to Israel and the story of Hosea, which again was wonderful. But every time they switched back to the campsite, the camera did super close ups on everyone's faces, completely leaving out the rest of the group and the beautiful surroundings.Had the video camera not zoomed in so very close and taken a wider angle of the campsite to include the surroundings, for me it then would have been a really enjoyable movie. I just was not on the same page with the director or who ever was in charge of the actual video shooting of the film.Erin Bethea turned in her usual fantastic performance and the rest of the actors also performed well. So a more detailed breakdown, I give 4 stars for the story, 4 stars for the acting, to be kind I will not even rate the camera work. On a positive note, they did include some beautiful footage of the countryside of Nazareth, but it would have been nice to have seen much more of the gorgeous scenery across the Holy Land. Would have also been nice to include more of the wilderness around the campsite.Amazing Love could still work as a witnessing tool for troubled teens. God can certainly take our mediocracy, and have it yield blessings a hundred fold as Jesus did with a few loaves of bread and couple of fish.I would like to share thoughts on some Christian movies you may enjoy: October Baby, Camp Harlow, Miracles from Heaven, Letters to God, A Box of Faith, and of course, Fire Proof and Facing the Giants.Another really good dvd was WWJD what would Jesus do? This stars John Schneider. Great for witnessing. This movie was followed up by WWJD the woodcarver, which basically showed 2 people sitting down talking about the Bible. They certainly meant well, but I was looking for more. The third movie in this saga is called what would Jesus do? The Journey Continues. This is a continuation of the original again with John Schneider. Not as good as the first, but a good dvd with some help from the fast forward button at times.77 Chances is a very different type of movie. Rachel Hendrix and Erin Bethea are such blessings in this film, I would definitely recommend the movie, if you don't mind fast forwarding on occasion. A bit like 50 first dates except the message is to learn to listen to what God is telling us through our difficult circumstances.I recently ordered and expecting to arrive soon This is our Time and The Redemption of Henry Myers which I am really looking forward to. Almost forgot, last month I watched a dvd called Saving Winston which was also pretty good, especially as a witness for struggling teens.Finally I would like to share something I always do before watching a movie that you might want to consider. I put the dvd on and leave the screen on the main menu and then I pray for everyone in the movie.I pray for the writers, producers, directors, actors, and actresses. I pray for anyone who has ever watched the movie and anyone who ever will. I pray for their salvation, witness, health, happiness, safety and loved ones, and for them to praise Jesus with their lives.As I watch the dvd, I receive a lot of joy knowing I have prayed for everyone in the movie. It gives me more of a connection with them, especially knowing the hope of actually meeting them one day and becoming great friends for all of eternity in Heaven.God's richest blessings to all..

I bought this because I was looking for movies with Sean Astin in them. It's actually a good solid story and interesting to watch, and had a study of Hosea built into the story line. I recommend it for anyone who likes video Bible studies, and especially for teen youth groups.

This is a five star movie. It has a great message and the setting they cast it in amplifies that message. They take one of the most forgotten stories in the Bible and give it a modern-day application without compromising the Biblical truth of the story or creating an unrealistic situation in the modern-day setting. I do wish they would come out with a Spanish version as this is the best way I have seen the message fro Hosea ever presented.

Do you know who Greg Mitchell is? He is the author of The Coming Evil Trilogy, a Christian horror series that's very Biblically correct and accurate. Also the author of Rift Jump, a YA sci-fi book dealing with doubt and faith.Believe it or not, he also co-wrote the screenplay for this movie, and it was through him I found out about this film. And when I saw the movie, his brand of humor hat I could recognize from The Strange Man and Enemies of the Cross (from TCE) was definitely there, so I couldn't help but love it. But more than that, there was the story of a Book from the Bible that's not really discussed in the church for some strange reason. Hosea.When a youth pastor (Seasn Astin from The Goonies, Lord of the Rings, and numerous other films) and his wife (Erin Bethea, Kirk Cameron's wife) are ready to go on a camping trip, they find the number of kids coming with them rather short-handed. And one of them, a young, materialistic girl with a hard past who could care less about anything they do, is coming with them. While camping out, the kids (Carrie, Steve, Cooper, Gameboy, and Ashley) seem to be having a good time (except Ashley who immediately wants to go home) when an accident happens that further reveals how self-centric she is and hints at her hard past. When the youth pastor's wife suggests they show her unconditional love, it gives him an idea.An idea in the form of presenting a fully fleshed-out story of the Book of Hosea. And with the way he presents it, it's not only keeping with the Bible and how society was back then (Hosea being the lone faithful to God while all the other Jews of his time are relying on pagan gods, including his own wife), but showing how even God's love transcends above all the mistakes we make, no matter how devastating they can be for those they affect.At certain moments through the story, some of the youth present their opinions on how Hosea should've dealt with his wife, and I could recognize today's status quo of "Once he/she makes a mistake, they have to be thrown out," and the youth pastor will further comment that that's not what God wanted. At times, he seems on the verge of sounding preachy, but luckily he doesn't (that's the good Samwise Gamgee for you!). Instead, he directs attention to how God lets Hosea know how to handle his unfaithful wife, and at time it does provoke confrontations with others in his community, even if not violently, sparks happen. Taunts come up. References to immediate economical well-being (and Hosea's prophecies of potential famine and drought) keep being mentioned, in comparison to Hosea's day-trade: making pottery. By the end of the story, despite how unfaithful his wife, Gomer, becomes, and how worthless the rest of the community sees her, it's what Hosea does in the end that caused tears to flow, and unashamedly. And with that came the context on how people today need God's love, without mincing the context nor sounding like some very typical church sermon (gotta hand it to Greg Mitchell, he never sounds preachy in his books, and the one time one character does try to sound preachy, it backfires in his face, in a darkly comical style).Independent? Yes, it shows. No, it doesn't matter. This film was worth getting and will be worth multiple watch-throughs.

I had bought this months ago and I finally watched it last weekend. I had time and it was a nice story I hadn't read before. But, my DVD had a couple of glitches in it right at the part where the Israelites were to undergo God's wrath. Luckily for me, I was able to get the DVD to go ahead some scenes and did get to the end of the story/stories.

This movie was a wonderful retelling of the story of Hosea and Gomer and gave visible testimony to the difficult Hosea faced in being married to her but the power and strength of real love. This story is also there to tell us that God's love is like Hosea's for His people. He is always ready to forgive and rescue His own.

Wow, I really enjoyed this movie. It is a great conversation starter for a youth group or any group for that matter. Great example of God's unconditional love for us as well as a message of being kind to others because you never know what causes a person to behave differently. Love and understanding go a long way.

This story of the prophet Hosea has a profound meaning - ultimately points us to what Christ did for his people. My family and I watched it for the first time Christmas 2016 and have done so many times since then. My 15 yo said it's a great lesson on the deepest, truest form of forgiveness.

I cannot recordmend this DVD enough... Excellent story very well done...A must for parent's and teenagers.What a value for the money unbelieveable.In hope they make more DVD's like this.

Finally a film of the "small prophet's" in the Holy Bible. It was a good film,with a very good lesson taught. Youth groups,not just Christian youth groups should see this film and it's message.

EXCELLENT!! My family Really enjoyed this very well Portrayed story of the Book of Hosea.Well scripted.Well acted out!This IS a story that EVERY family should have in their movie collection!! wether Christian or not!Great PriceQuick delivery.

Israel scenery was beautiful - giving a good setting for the Hosea side of the story.Theme very western Christianity - rather than keeping the Jewish context, but enjoyable all the same - (use of Jehovah rather than Yahweh)Very well done for a smaller budget movie.A family film with Biblical values.