Fireproof Love

“A real man’s got to be a hero to his wife before he can be anybody else’s–or he ain’t a real man!”

I had heard the lines over and over.

“You run into a burning building to save people you don’t even know, but you’re gonna let your own marriage just burn to the ground.”

Our radio station has been playing soundbites from “Fireproof” ever since the movie came out. I knew them nearly word for word. But nothing could compare to the impact they had when combined with the rest of the story and the scene by scene, day by day display of The Love Dare in action.

During our Thanksgiving visit to my family, my husband Merritt and I took advantage of a nearby theater and my parents’ willingness to babysit our little girl. We sat hand in hand in the back row of the theater, waiting for the movie to start. We knew what to expect, we’d heard interviews with the actors on Moody radio, and understood the general storyline. But seeing it for ourselves, seeing it together, made for more than just a great date–it was a vivid reminder of all the ways we need to be showing love to each other every day. Even married to your best friend, it’s easy to get complacent. A cozy house, a precious baby, the nicest of husbands, it’s easy to forget that I still need to be building into our relationship, fighting every day to maintain the wonderful marriage we have.

“Fireproof” has some great fire scenes. But it also shows the firemen doing the routine exercises of winding hoses, testing hydrants, cleaning the engines. Without doing those mundane tasks, they would not be able to adequately fight the fires that come without a moment’s notice. Just like my marriage might not survive some unforseen trial if I have not been doing the sometimes “meaningless” things like fixing my husband’s dinner, praying for him, or even just smiling at him across the dinner table.

The movie deals with more than just fires and showing love in the face of constant rejection. It also deals with pornography (in a way that is still appropriate for all ages), as well as exploring how marital troubles may highlight problems in other relationships.

Sherwood Pictures, the makers of “Flywheel” and “Facing the Giants“, just keep getting better. “Fireproof” was number three in the box office on its opening weekend. Next thing Hollywood knows this little church in Albany, Georgia is going to have a movie nominated for an Oscar. And there wasn’t a single swear word or inappropriate scene!

It’s the perfect movie. Plenty of action for the guys, plenty of romance for the ladies, and signature Sherwood Pictures humor in the most unexpected parts. Whether you’re single, in a great marriage, or on the brink of divorce, there’s something in it for you.

The DVD comes out January 27. Give the Christmas gift of pre-ordering “Fireproof” for someone on your gift list. Catch the movie in one of the few remaining theaters. Or plan ahead for your own “Fireproof” Valentine’s Day. Whatever you do, see the movie or read the novel. Take The Love Dare. And do everything you can to fireproof your marriage. Before it’s too late.

“Fireproof doesn’t mean the fire will never come. It means that when the fire comes you will be able to withstand it.”