Synopsis:

Amidst financial pressures and the uncertainties of WWI, Pastor Frederick Lehman begins to write a song about the love of God. When he gets stuck on the third verse, ten-year-old Blynn comes to the rescue by calling a sibling council and laying out a strategy to help Papa write the song. Along the way they waste a lot of paper, explore an old asylum, meet a real Jewish Rabbi, and learn about events that took place more than eight centuries earlier. Faced with failure and grief, Blynn is left grappling with a desire to love God. Can Papa help Blynn discover the truth about God’s love?

— Thorn Crown Project

Review:

This is a simplistic but valuable film about how we are to love God. It gives the history behind the well-known hymn, The Love of God, and is a great introduction to kids on how to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Blynn’s brother goes off to fight in World War I and his father is struggling financially as the world goes through hard times. In the midst of these challenges, Blynn’s father, Frederick Lehman, begins to write the words to the hymn, The Love of God. Excited with the possibility of getting a lot of money for the song, Blynn enlists his siblings to help their father finish the song.

Along the journey, Blynn not only learns about the history of some mysterious words on a card, but he learns through grief and loss how to take steps to show his love for God and for others.

This movie is a sweet story and while it may be simplistic in its approach to faith and love, it can be a great introduction to the concepts or a conversation-starter with your children.

There is no objectionable material in this film. There are a few moments of fighting and death shown in the history parts about the crusade and the tensions gets high during that time, but everything is kept very clean and suitable for children to view. It would be worthwhile to watch it with your children to take advantage of the teachable moments from the film.

— B. Payne