WodFamChocSod Recipe!

YAY! I talked to my secret source and well I think we got things figured out. So here's the recipe like I promised everyone:

You take ------


WAIT A MINUTE!!!!! You guys were trying to trick me into giving you the recipe! Well that didn't work on Jason with Raspberry Ripple and it won't work on me with WodFamChocSod's either. Remember, Me + Jesus is ALWAYS a majority. ;)

I'm sorry guys, I tried, but I just can't tell you how to make one. My source made me promise to never ever tell anyone EVER! Apparently it's a matter of national security or something like that...hmm you know..they DO have the Air Force Base or Academy or something right near them...hmmm...I wonder..... Anyway, I guess you will just have to go to Whit's End in Colorado Springs to taste one! Sorry I couldn't help guys, but I promised on pain of death, and well, if I give in and tell you then we'd probably get cut off from all our inside information, and then we wouldn't be able to make you happy as a listener, and THEN where would we be?!

Ok for now this is Sarah signing off

Album 28 Cover Art!

If it's seemed like forever since we've last had a album repack update, it's because it has. This past January saw new designs released for Album 22 - and today, over five months later, we finally have new artwork to unveil! This particular cover was briefly featured in the last video podcast, in which we saw a preliminary sketch for Album 28. But now we have the full, completed art in all its high resolution glory!



As I've mentioned several times in the past, I'm a huge fan of Gary Locke's illustrations - and once again, I'm thrilled with this new design. Not only is it a vast improvement from the original cover, which had one glaring inaccuracy with Jason depicted at City Hall, but it also conveys a lot more vigor and excitement. What do you think?

More Details on "The Screwtape Letters"!

Ever since Dave Arnold spilled the beans about The Screwtape Letters being dramatized for Focus on the Family's Radio Theatre, fans of C.S. Lews' classic novel have been waiting on pins and needles for more news. At least I have anyway. As we saw at the end of the last video podcast, Andy Serkis will be lending his voice for the role of Screwtape.

According to product descriptions from Christian Book and Tyndale Publishers, the final product will include three or four CDs as well as a behind-the-scenes DVD documentary and is slated for an October 2009 release. I don't know about you, but this is definitely something for which I'm extremely excited!

Unofficial Podcast Ep. 56

06.20.09. It's our first summer podcast and we're back to talk about the latest Odyssey news. Plus, we unveil our first ever top five list! Leave us a comment or send us an email at aiofanpodcast@hotmail.com.

Right-click and save here to download.

Running Time: 27:12

New Podcast This Weekend!

Things sure have heated up in the Odyssey world since my last post. Starting with the Washington Secret Word Contest, fans will have the opportunity to access special bonus contest from the Official Site by listening to the weekend shows this summer. Don't miss out!

Paul McCusker and Dave Arnold were recently interviewed on the Cornerstone Television Network about their time working on Odyssey. The broadcast ran an hour long and featured several scenes from the AIO: Live! DVD. It was certainly a welcomed sight to see Odyssey getting this type of publicity. Right-click and save here to download... or click the play button below to stream it.



Last, but certainly not least, we'll be releasing our next podcast this Saturday!

Passages Manuscript #1 Review

Darien's Rise
by Paul McCusker

Summary: Rising out of obscurity into a position of prestige and power, a young man remains humble as he demonstrates abiding loyalty to his king. Sound familiar? Maybe that's because it is! Except this tale has a twist involving two siblings from Odyssey. When Kyle and Anna find themselves inside the strange and mystical land of Marus, they are initially incredulous of their surroundings. With swords and pistols being brandished as modern weaponry, the two children seem to have been transported a couple centuries back into the past. However, they aren't just any normal strangers to Marus; it appears they have both been called for a purpose. As the plot unfolds, Kyle and Anna find themselves on two different paths. Yet by the end of it all, they both learn valuable lessons that will stick with them for a lifetime.

Review: I had the "advantage" of reading 1 Samuel at the same time, so I was constantly making comparisons as I read Darien's Rise. One of the things which stood out to me was the tale of David and Goliath retold as Darien and Soren. It's one of the most well-known Bible stories and has even morphed into one of the most commonly used themes in film and literature - "overcoming the giants in your life." I'd heard the story so many times I'd never really given it a second thought. Until I read it again in Darien's Rise. David used a pebble and slingshot to kill Goliath. What an incredible demonstration of faith! How it must frustrate our Lord when we gripe and complain about our difficulties. We so quickly forget that us plus Jesus equals a majority! I've heard it said before that we need to stop telling God how big our mountains are and start telling our mountains how big our God is. That's what Darien did. Amidst relentless persecution from the very person he swore to protect, Darien remained steadfast in his faith.

Another person who never wavered was Anna, the one called by the Unseen One to be a prophetic voice. She believed the Unseen One would protect her and Kyle - even when it seemed like the odds were stacked up against them. Much like Darien, Anna gradually grew into spiritual maturity by stepping into and then exercising faith. Kyle, on the other hand, never fully accepted his calling and instead began to allow pride to get in the way. His actions mirrored that of King Lawrence, who glorified himself instead of the Unseen One. In a way, it was fitting that they both met their doom in the Valley of the Rocks. As the Palatian soldiers closed in them, Kyle and Lawrence each recognized that the cause of their impending demise was lack of faith. Furthermore, they both lacked humility. Kyle wanted to be the hero and Lawrence wanted to remain king. But as Luke 14:11 reminds, "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

I especially enjoy how Paul McCusker's Passages series, which is essentially a contemporary version of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, creates an environment in which the Unseen One is so tangibly real and alive. As Christians, we often forget that God is real and alive in our own world. The problem isn't that He isn't doing anything - the problem is that we aren't paying enough attention! Like Kyle and Anna discovered, we too have a specific and unique purpose in life. Our responsibility is to pursue Christ so that he will reveal his good and perfect will to us. Are we up for the challenge?

Rating: 4 out of 5