As Veterans Day approaches, we pause to reflect on stories of courage that show how faith endures even when peace feels far away. Because war stories, at their best, don’t glorify conflict. They instead search for meaning within it, asking where love and duty meet, and what remains when the fighting ends.

In every generation, the most honest war stories aren’t about victory, but about the hearts that choose compassion when the world calls for something harder.

This week, we’re also excited to introduce Funding Watch, a new section in the newsletter highlighting Kingdom-minded filmmakers and the genre projects they’re bringing to life. Check it out below.

Based on the true story of Army combat medic Desmond Doss, the film follows a pacifist Seventh-day Adventist who went to battle armed only with faith and compassion. Director Mel Gibson captures both the brutality of combat and the quiet grace of a soldier who chose to save rather than take lives, reminding us that courage can look like mercy.

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This recent biopic revisits the life of German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whose moral clarity led him to resist the Nazi regime at the cost of his life. Rather than dramatizing rebellion, the movie examines the weight of obedience and what it means to follow conscience when silence is safer. Through Bonhoeffer’s unwavering faith, we’re reminded that peace sometimes demands resistance.

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War stories have long asked a difficult question: how do you honor courage without glorifying conflict? The line between truth and fiction is often thin, and how filmmakers walk it reveals what they believe.

In his 2022 essay “Do All War Films Glorify War?”, writer Dayan Mustafa explored that same tension, suggesting that even the most sincere depictions risk softening the cost of courage. It’s a fair concern. Film, by design, can turn even chaos into something watchable. But the best stories don’t dwell on destruction; they search for meaning within it.

That’s what sets Hacksaw Ridge apart. Instead of amplifying the necessity of violence, it salutes the unsung heroes who chose to serve through faith and healing.

Scripture tells us there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for another. That kind of love keeps stories like Hacksaw Ridge from glorifying war. They don’t linger on the fight itself, but on what quietly endures in the midst of it: care, compassion, and faith are beacons in the fog of war.

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Currently fundraising on Wefunder, this high-concept comedy follows a hot-headed race car driver who teams up with a monastery full of monks to save their home. Blending high-octane humor and heartfelt faith, Race Car Monks parallels the genius comedic contrasts of Happy Gilmore with a spiritual twist, reminding us that grace can show up in the most unexpected ways.

And honestly, there’s nothing wrong with a movie the whole family can enjoy! We’re all for that, and great genre storytelling. So keep an eye on this one, and invest if you’d like to go along for the ride.

_{*Plumb News is not affiliated with this film or Wefunder and does not receive compensation for featuring it. We’re highlighting it because we believe stories like this deserve support.}

“A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." - Ecclesiastes 3:8 (NIV)

There are seasons in life when both seem to exist at once, when calm feels distant and the weight of living asks more of us than we think we can bear. Scripture doesn’t glorify war, but it doesn’t turn away from it either. It speaks honestly about the tension between conflict and compassion, reminding us that faith often takes root in uncertain ground.

In those moments, it can feel as if God has stepped back, yet His presence holds. He meets us where our strength runs out — not with ease, but with grace. A steady hand in the chaos. A quiet voice that reminds us we’re not alone.

Maybe that’s the truth hidden in this verse: peace isn’t born from winning or retreating, but from learning to rely on the One who holds both. It’s the kind of peace that transcends understanding, the kind that remains long after the noise fades.

So this week, when the world feels heavy or uncertain, remember that what’s unseen is still at work. It’s what holds all things together.

Until next time,

THE PLUMB NEWS TEAM