God Bless the Broken Road tells the story of a young mother who loses her husband in Afghanistan and struggles to raise their young daughter in his absence. The film combines elements of faith, country music, and stock car racing while paying tribute to those who serve in the United States Military.
Bless the Broken Road has always been a special song for me. Some of my first sweet memories are from teaching a friend to play the accompaniment for this song on her harp. And now they've made a movie based on the song's theme.
Amber Hill leads the choir at church and focuses on raising her young daughter while waiting for her husband to return home from fighting in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, devastating news is brought to her and Bri, and they must learn to live life differently. Bri's loving Sunday school teacher plants the seeds of faith in her students and Bri's childlike trust is beautiful to watch. Amber's faith, however, is tested, and though others around her love her and protect her, ultimately she will have to find her own way along the broken road.
The church friends, the mother-in-law (however different she may be to Amber), the race car kids' leader, the US military men, a car repair man (and his apprentice ;) show their support for Amber in various ways. It was so amazing to watch the community of the church gather around her and provide for her in physical, mental, and emotional ways. And they continued doing so even when she tried to make life work for herself.
Though Amber believed in God, she doubted His goodness, and it takes more challenges in Amber's life to bring her back to a full relationship with God. This movie wasn't shallow or casual in it's approach to faith in God, and the little quotes and vulnerable moments bring theology to a practical level. Sometimes it is a broken road that God takes us along to make us understand knew things or to show us the old things we've forgotten. And in the end, Amber finds that those around her were instrumental in holding her up when she couldn't stand.
I believe God Bless the Broken Road is already in theaters, so go check it out and support those who bring us Christian content through the art of film!
*Film has been provided courtesy of Pacific Northwest Pictures and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
*Film has been provided courtesy of Pacific Northwest Pictures and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.