Seal of God Book Review, Autobiography of a Navy SEAL

 

Annie’s Ink-Lings

If you are at all interested in:

 a. the transformation of a rebellious life to that of a transformed life in Jesus;

b. in what life is like for a Navy SEAL;

c. what it is like to train to be a Navy SEAL;

d. what it is like to make tough decisions regarding career vs. the call of God on your life; . . .

. . . then you need to read this autobiography by Chad Williams, ex-Navy SEAL.  His writing is not polished, as this was his first attempt to author a book.  However, his story is for real and well worth reading.

 Chad was a typical California kid who became a skateboarding star at a young age.  As he became older, he set his sights on becoming a Navy SEAL.  Despite his parents’ opposition, his dad supported him by hiring Scott Helvenston, ex-Navy SEAL. to physically train Chad to be ready for enlisting with the SEALs.  The name Scott Helvenston may ring a bell, since he was one of the youngest to join the Navy SEALs at age 17.  He became well known for the infamous incident in Fallujah, Iraq, when he and three other security contractors were brutally killed on March 31, 2004.  Their bodies were set on fire, dragged through the streets, and then hung from a bridge. 

 Days before Chad was to report to military duty, he turned on a television and was greeted with the horrifying images of Scott being brutally murdered in a premeditated ambush on the street of Fallujah.  Steeled in his resolve to become a SEAL, Chad followed in Scott’s footsteps and completed the US military’s most difficult and grueling training to become a Navy SEAL.  One of only 13 from a class of 173 to make it straight through to graduation, Chad served his country on SEAL Teams One and Seven for five years, completing tours of duty in the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Iraq.

 After going through the brutal training, he continued his partying lifestyle.  He went with his parents to a Harvest Crusade as ruse so his friends could move a keg in the garage.  The crusade was by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, a Southern Baptist Church, where Chad surrendered his life to the Lord.  His conversion with Pastor Laurie led to a radical shift in his life.  There is a chapter on him being picked on and physically assaulted by members of his platoon.  It reminds us that being a Christian light in the military sometimes is its own war zone for a Christian.  His tour in Iraq was mentioned only towards the end of the book.

 Chad shares how his experiences as a SEAL helped him better understand Christ's love and sacrifice.  He is now in full time ministry.

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I read 

and appreciate each one. Thanks for visiting 

Annie's Ink-Lings. 💗

Shiloh Autumn, Book Review

Annie’s Ink-Lings

 

The prayer, below, is so appropriate for what we are going through now, due to this pandemic of COVID19, in particular with trying to comply and obey those who rule over us.

This beautiful prayer is from a book I'm reading called, "Shiloh Autumn," by Bodie and Brock Thoene, Christian authors. They are some of my favorite authors, by the way. It's about the families, two in particular, who live in Arkansas, telling us about their struggles during the depression, the bottom falling out of the cotton market, being cheated out of their cotton land, and being taken advantage of by unscrupulous people.

One by one, everything is taken from them by ruthless men. Amazingly, the farmers never give up hope - hope that is rooted in our Heavenly Father.

Here is a prayer from one of the share croppers, whose parents were slaves.

"Lawd," he said, "in that buildin' are the men You saw fit to have govern this land. They can do a heap of good for us and our families if they want to. Give 'em wisdom, Lawd. Let 'em see our cause and its justice. Give 'em hearts to understand that we ain't askin' for a handout; we're just tryin' to keep our homes and feed our families. Bless this land, Lawd. May all our thoughts turn to You and seek your will, so that this terrible depression will be lifted. Hear our prayer, so's we can all have honorable work that will pay enough to provide for our loved ones. Lawd," he was saying, "give us wisdom to trust in You, too. You done seen us through terrible times . . . and brought us through mighty deep waters since. Don't let us fail this test of faith right when we need it most. . . . In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen."'

Will you join me in this kind of prayer for the leaders of our country.

Blessings,
Annie

Christian Book Review - Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World, by David Jeremiah

Annie’s Ink-Lings

“Sure, we realized the good times couldn’t last forever.  Everybody knows that economies move through seasons and cycles, just like everything else.  What goes up must come down – just basic common sense, right?  Still, those realizations didn’t quite prepare us for the reality.  It was as if the United States of America went to the doctor’s office for its annual checkup.  The nurse said, ‘This will hurt just a little bit,’ then picked up a mallet and smashed us a good one on the head!”

This is part of the introduction to Living with Confidence in a Chaotic World, by David Jeremiah.  While this book is mainly about the aftermath of the economic crisis of 2008, it is still pertinent to the present chaotic, disastrous, and fearful time.   Confidence can be hard to come by these days. People are losing their jobs, their houses, and their life savings at an unprecedented rate. Violence, natural disasters, and moral depravity seem to be skyrocketing.  

In the midst of all this chaos, we need to know...what on earth should we do now? You will find hope and confidence from the priceless counsel of the Word of God as he answers our most urgent questions, including:  •How can we weather this storm with a calm heart?  •What does it truly mean to “wait on the Lord?”  •What is Jesus saying to our chaotic world today?

Highly recommended.  Pick up a copy to read soon.

Blessing,
Annie

Christian Book Review - A Thorn in My Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs

Annie’s Ink-Lings

Thorn in My Heart is a beautifully written, touching book by Liz Curtis Higgs, who does a masterful job of taking the beautiful story of Leah, Rachel, and Jacob from the pages of Genesis, setting it in a different era.

The story unfolds in 1788 Scotland, where twin brothers, Evan and Jamie McKie vie for a father's blessing. When the elder McKie gives the blessing to the wrong brother, chaos and murderous threats ensue. Driven away from the prosperous estate of Glentrool by his jealous brother, Jamie flees to his uncle Lachlan's property of Auchengray with the blessing of his mother, Rowena.  Once there, he hides his true intentions of seeking a bride among his cousins Leana and Rose, and agrees to work for a month for his uncle Lachlan while he decides which cousin to marry.

Somehow, everything goes wrong. From his wedding, to which woman he truly chose for his wife.  Plagued by the deceit of the past and the lies of the present, hidden secrets and two sisters that vie for his heart, Jamie is torn between what is right - and what truly belongs to him.

From the beginning of this book until the last page, your imagination and your heart will be captured. The very human struggles each character faces will engage your emotions. The harshness of a father. The love of two sisters. And the undeserved redemption and forgiveness offered to one man who neither wants nor deserves it. It is a thrilling peek into the lives of a family that is very much like our own, who face the same challenges we do, and are as human as we are.  A very engaging  Christian book.

To read the real biblical story in the bible, go to Genesis 25:19 through 29:29.

Blessings,

Annies

Book Review: In the Footsteps of Jesus, One Man's Journey, by Bruce Marchiano

Annie’s Ink-Lings

In the Footsteps of Jesus, One Man’s Journey, 

by Bruce Marchiano

This is a book written from the heart of the author, Bruce Marchiano, who portrayed Jesus in the movie, “The Gospel According to Matthew.”  It is his personal testimony of the effects that playing this roll had on his spiritual life and in his personal life.  One of the things that I found so encouraging was that he related how wonderfully God worked in his life and then shares that he is nobody special.  God wants to relate to each one of us right where we are.  Bruce talks about his background and details about how he came to be in such a film. He gives insight to his thoughts, feelings, and attitudes leading up to and during the filming.  You come away feeling as if you were on location with him during the shoot.

Bruce's writing is so fresh and conversational that you feel he is sitting in your home and chatting with you about what matters most in the world - Jesus!  Although he was a believer before playing the role of Jesus, I feel he was very transparent about what was in his heart and thoughts as the Holy Spirit led him to know a Jesus that he previously didn’t fully understand. 

It was an encouragement to me to read Bruce Marchiano's testimony about his amazing journey of following Christ and his life changing experience of portraying Jesus in the film.  What he shares is from the heart as he bares his soul in this book and the greater knowledge he gained of who Jesus really was. After reading the book, you feel as if Bruce is a friend who has shared an intimate part of his life with you.  More importantly, he reveals to us the Jesus who is a friend to us all, not a solemn or sad Messiah, but a man of joy and love.  I believe it will deepen your own relationship with Christ as it did with Bruce - it did mine!

Blessings,

Annie

Book Review: All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr

Annie’s Ink-Lings

Haunting, harrowing, heartbreaking. This book was an incredible depiction of the Second World War, told from the point of view of two characters in very different circumstances.  It’s just before the Nazi invasion and occupation of Paris. A young blind girl relies on her father for everything and she is his world as well. He spends all his time making her a miniature wooden model of the city so she can get around alone with her white cane. In neighboring Germany, a young boy, who lives with his sister in an orphanage, starts fooling around with crystal radios and becomes a crackerjack radio repairman enthralled by the voices coming over the air. Her blindness and his fascination with these invisible waves give us the main theme of the book.

For me, this was a very special story. I feel like I have been on a long gut-wrenching journey, and in a way I have, traveling with two young children, one in Berlin and one in Paris and follow them as they grow-up. There are poignant moments, downright sad moments, moments that made me smile and moments that made me so very angry. Werner in Berlin is a curious child, a child with the talent for putting things together, like radios, he and his sister Jutta live in an orphanage. Marie-Laure, a blind girl and her father live in Paris. Her father is the locksmith and keeper of the keys the natural history museum. It is the radio that will connect these two lives long before they actually meet.

Werner finds that he has been chosen to be put into a military school. This is the brutal story of his education at a military school; the military escapades of the boy as he works with a German unit identifying and killing resistance radio operators. We travel along with him as we learn that the many young men in the Nazi party were trained to be cold blooded killers.

Letters from his sister back in Germany become the boy’s conscience after he enters military service. How far would you go along with the prevailing threats and times, how would you react when confronted with an injustice? This young man pays heavily for his supposed weakness of character. How long can one pretend everything is fine, trying to keep eyes closed so one cannot see?

This is the story of the chaotic flight of Marie-Laurie and her father from occupied Paris to distant relatives in St. Malo in Brittany; the imprisonment of her father; the search for a missing jewel; the formation of a women’s resistance movement in St. Malo; a budding one-day romance between the French girl and the German boy.

This is the story of a miniature towns and houses built by Marie-Laure’s father so she can get around wherever she lives. It is keys, the French resistance, the United States Air Force bombing of St. Malo, of imprisonments, love, and moral questions.

What I loved most about this book was all the light that I did see. There is so much here that captivated me - from the beautiful writing to the strong, caring characters, to the loving relationships, and the way people touched each other's lives during the trying times of WW II. The descriptions are wonderful, very detailed as they are made for a blind girl, to enable her to envision the many things described.

I really did not want this story to end.

Blessings,

Annie

Book Review: Agents of the Apocalypse

Annie’s Ink-Lings

                                  

Agents of the Apocalypse, by

 David Jeremiah

  

Dr. David Jeremiah makes the study of the End Times so exciting!  I could hardly put this book down.  It is written in a way that keeps one riveted to the pages and makes it very easy to understand what the Bible has to say about the things that are to come!  This is the perfect book for those of you who refrain from reading Revelation because you think it is too difficult to understand.  It is written using a style that should be especially helpful to someone who is not a Bible scholar.

Agents of the Apocalypse is not a word-for-word study of Revelation but instead, a study to understand the 10 primary characters involved in the book of Revelation.  Each chapter is divided into two parts.  The first part is a dramatized version of the specific agent; a "real life" fictional story to help the reader understand how the end times might play out.  The second half of the chapter is the actual biblical truth and explanation of the scripture.

Alternating each chapter with the story followed by the Scripture and commentary to back it up was absolutely fascinating.  I'd say that it captured my imagination but actually, it was more than that - my heart was captured more than my imagination.

This book filled me with both hope and heartache.  Hope that this life, no matter how bad it may get, is not the end.  Heartache that so many of those I love are choosing this world instead of Jesus.  My mind cannot grasp eternity, especially for those whose names are not found in the Book of Life.  The section on The Great White Throne chilled me to the marrow.  The question now is, am I motivated enough to boldly share the Good News.

Dr. Jeremiah's style relates the full meaning of the scripture; this is spiritual food for my soul!  Amazing and breathtaking!

Agents of the Apocalypse Chapters

 1. The Exile

 2. The Martyrs                      

 3. The 144,000                                               

 4. The Two Witnesses         

 5. The Dragon                   

 6. The Beast from the Sea

 7. The Beast from the Earth

 8. The Victor   

 9. The King

10. The Judge

 Epilogue:  The Overcomers

  

In addition, there is an Apocalypse DVD Bible Study.

Blessings,

Annie

Only the River Runs Free - Christian Book Review

Annie’s Ink-Lings

Only the River Runs Free, Book 1 of 4 of The Galway Chronicles

by Bodie and Brock Thoene

I am a big fan of  the authors Bodie and Brock Thoene's (pronounced Tay-Nee) a Christian husband-wife team. Previously, I have read the Zion Chronicles and Zion Covenant, both of which are in our church library.  I recently began reading The Galway Chronicles, which is also in our library. The Thoenes are known to be accurate in the historical content of their books and are amazingly gifted in bringing forth characters and developing them.   The Galway Chronicles is an awesome series of four books about the persecution of the Irish by the British.  In an endeavor to eliminate all influences of Irish heritage, the English forced an intellectual and spiritual bondage on Ireland as well as a bitter physical bondage of servitude.  Freedom had become so rare that the Irish coined a saying, "In Ireland only the rivers run free."

And, of course, it was this clash of Protestantism and Catholicism, English and Irish, that has become Ireland's story.

This is a review of the first book of the series. 

The setting for the series is Ballynockanor, Ireland, in 1841, under the rule of the British.  Queen Victoria was on the throne in England.  Some of the Irish turned on their own during this time to avoid the wrath of the British.  The story is woven with mystery and intrigue, love and romance, sin and forgiveness, and much Irish history, scenery, and folklore.

Only the River Runs Free is aptly titled, for no one, not even the land of Ireland itself, is free in this book. Joseph Connor Burke is a lost man.  Cheated out of his inheritance as the Burke after his father was murdered, he has lived a silent, hidden life apart from his native Ballynockanor.  As would be expected, Joseph has also been waiting for an opportunity to right old wrongs, to free himself from his past, and to step into the role he was destined to fill.

The Donovans are a proud, Irish family.  A tragic fire had taken the life of Mrs. Donovan, her youngest child, and the young husband of her oldest child Kate.  Mr. Donovan, still heartbroken over the deaths of his wife and youngest child, is bound to the bottle, while Kate, scarred from the fire, which still holds her heart in bondage, believes her beauty has been marred and she will never be loved again.  She is still beautiful, however, to Joseph, who is beginning to question his call to the priesthood.

This is more than Joseph's and Kate's story, however, and the other Donovans are just as engaging. The setting is well done and almost a character in itself. You will smell the green of Ireland. You will feel the land kick against English suppression. The Thoenes do a great job of meshing the political and religious issues into the plot without overwhelming the reader with details. While the characters are finding their way to freedom, so are the Irish people.

Only the River Runs Free is a highly recommended series by me!

Blessings,

Annie

1 Peter Bible Study - John MacArthur

Hello friends, 

I just finished a great study on 1 Peter. Along with the bible I used the John MacArthur New Testament Commentary on 1 Peter, and my pastor's recent sermons. I didn't realize how much I was missing in 1 Peter until I did this study. The last paragraph at the end of the book says, 

"There is no shortcut to a Christian mind possessing those godly attitudes and motives Peter outlined. They will be perfected only as believers regularly and faithfully place themselves under the preaching, teaching, and study of God's truth and obediently allow His Word to change their hearts and shape their characters."

This is a very truthful reminder that we will never be in a closer relationship with God unless we study the bible, pray for understanding, listen to sermons, worship with other believers, and be active in developing our spiritual life. Just sitting at home and saying that, "Oh sure, I believe in God," isn't enough. "Even the demons believe—and tremble!" James 2:19  

I highly recommend reading this commentary.

Blessings, 

Annie

Cold Shot

Cold shot is a term used by snipers.  You make the shot without a practice shot first.  Chief Park Ranger Griffin McCray of Gettysburg National Military Park knows all about cold shots, as he was formerly a SWAT team sniper.  Therefore, when Griffin was called to a crime scene in the park at Gettysburg, along with Finley Scott, a forensic anthropologist, they were able to determine that an expert sniper killed the victim.  Also called into the case are two of McCray’s three best friends from college days – Declan Grey an FBI agent and Parker Mitchell a crime scene analyst.  However, the third friend, Luke McCray, brother of Griffin McCray, had mysteriously disappeared after the tragic death of his and Griffin’s sister.  Their world – and their friendships – crumbled.  Each of the group realized that if they were going to be able to work together and solve this case, they were going to have to confront the dark days of the past.  Little did they know that their investigation would lead them to the mysterious disappearance of Luke.

The plot of this story has a lot going for it.  I really liked the action and suspense and how the author led us through the collection of clues and tied them together. What I did not like is the author’s weak attempt to add to the story a budding romance between Griffin and Finley.  I mean how could this woman, Finley, – all at the same time – 1. be fearfully shaking in her boots,  and  2. so overcome by Griffin’s closeness and manliness that she could hardly breathe from the excitement of standing next to him?  These romantic notions seemed to be randomly thrown in and did not add anything of merit to the story.  It was the same with references to God and faith – just thrown in so it could be called a Christian fiction book.  Not!

Bethany House Publishers provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

Song of the Stars

“Song of the Stars” is a beautifully written Christmas story by Sally Lloyd-Jones, a well-know author of children’s books.  The illustrations are as beautiful and inspirational as the story.

From the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the animals, to the plant life, all of creation was joyously heralding the coming of Christ Jesus.  There was music from the crashing waves and whispering praise from the leaves of the trees.  All the animals sang songs of worship and adoration while keeping watch for the Savior, and then spreading word of His arrival.  The whole world and every created thing were in awe and praise of the newborn King.  Reading this story gave me an unexpected sense of wonderment, joy, and thankfulness that I had not expected to experience.

Although written for children, this little board book is a gem for all ages as a reminder of how we are to worship the Savior and look with great expectation for His return.  If you don't have any little ones in your home, just read it for yourself and experience the magic!

Blessings, Annie

In exchange for my review, the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookLook Bloggers.

On this Foundation, by Lynn Austin - Book Review

“On this Foundation,” is the third and last book of The Restoration Chronicles by Lynn Austin.  I really appreciate how thoroughly Ms. Austin did her research for this series of books.  Once again, I was captivated by her story-telling skill and character building.  Her words became so alive in my mind’s eye that I could almost see the characters and the story taking place.

As the story begins Nehemiah, a Jewish exile, is the trusted cupbearer and chief of security for King Artaxerxes, ruler of the Persian Empire.  This empire included The Promised Land and its holy city, Jerusalem.  When Nehemiah learned that the wall of Jerusalem still had not been rebuilt, from its destruction nearly 20 years ago by the Babylonians, he became extremely distressed because the people and the Temple were completely unprotected from their enemies.  Feeling God’s call upon him, Nehemiah obtained permission from King Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall.

This book depicts Nehemiah as a righteous man, who God blessed with courage and unfailing faith, just as he was written about in the Old Testament of the Bible.  No matter the danger from his enemies and their plans to either stop the rebuilding of the wall or kill Nehemiah if they had too, Nehemiah carried out his God-given assignment.  In his real lifetime, Nehemiah was an inspiration to his people and a perfect example of living by faith in God.  The biblical account of this man is still inspiring to me, as I am sure it is to many others.

This is an absolutely wonderful book, just like the previous two books in the series.

Bethany House Publishers provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

Blessings,

Annie

The Looney Experiment in the Life of an Eighth Grader

Meet Atticus Hobart, an eighth grader who has decided that his life is pretty much a mess and wonders how it got that way.  Why did his dad just up and walk out on his family, why does he choke up and cannot utter a word in public, why is he the one who is constantly beat up by Danny, the school bully, will he always silently pine for Audrey, the most beautiful girl in school?  And by the way, why was he named Atticus of all things?  Just so Danny could taunt him by calling him Fatticus?

Then into this mess and confusion, Mr. Looney appears as their substitute teacher for the rest of the year.  Not only is Mr. Looney old, he’s a bit loony himself, and older than dirt according to Atticus.  Taking the path less traveled seems to be Mr. Looney’s teaching style.  And yet there’s something about this guy that makes Atticus want to listen to him, and not just because Mr. Looney has a loud, clear, and strong voice.  Atticus began to feel safe inside and thought to himself, “I’d better listen up.  This voice has got something interesting to say.”

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Looney Experiment written by Luke Reynolds.  It was very humorous and entertaining.  When Atticus’ imagination kicked in and he became the super hero in all kinds of situations, I actually laughed aloud.  But also it presented a very strong message.  In small steps Atticus left his shell of protection and began to feel hope.  This is a book about finding things within one’s self that you didn’t know existed.  Things like courage, believing in yourself, and the ability to manage the problems in your life.

In exchange for my review, the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookLook Bloggers.

Bathsheba, Reluctant Beauty

When reading this book, one thing you need to remember is that this story of Bathsheba is from the imaginings of the author, Angela Hunt.  Although it contains actual biblical events, the story surrounding these events is fiction.  With that in mind and understood, Bathsheba, Reluctant Beauty, is a riveting love story about a beautiful young woman named Bathsheba, who is married to and madly in love with her soldier husband, Uriah.  As one of King David’s most faithful and valiant soldiers, Uriah is sent off to fight in a war against the Ammonites.  Thus begins the end of Bathsheba’s joyful and contented married life with Uriah.

As many women did in those days, their baths were taken in the privacy of their sun-filled courtyards, usually in the late afternoon, sometimes in the early evening.  On one such evening, King David stepped out onto his terrace, seeking fresh air and release from a feeling of restlessness.  Once he caught sight of the beautiful Bathsheba, he was struck to the core of his being with desire for this woman and he could not avert his eyes, as decently required.  Not caring who this woman was or her status in the community, not caring whether she was virgin or married, David demand that Bathsheba be brought to him immediately, where upon he forced himself upon her, and all the while Bathsheba was protesting, pleading, and declaring her love for her husband.  As the Bible tells us, Bathsheba became pregnant, which led King David to cover up his evil deed by planning the secret murder of Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband.   He added Bathsheba to his harem under the ruse that he was taking her under his care in honor of the loyal and faithful soldier Uriah. 

Although the first child of David and Bathsheba died as punishment for David’s great sin, eventually another son is born to them, who was named Solomon.  God told David, through the prophet Nathan, that he was to anoint Solomon to succeed him, and that his seed would rule forever as long as Solomon was obedient to God.

As could be expected, contention and strife grew between the older sons of David as to who would one day become king.  There follows deceit, treachery, and murder from Solomon’s half-brothers, and Bathsheba’s constant struggle to protect Solomon until it was time for the prophecy to be made known.

Bethany House Publishers provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

I hope you take time to enjoy the blessings of reading a good book.  Thanks for stopping by.

Annie

A Wonderful Gift!

I just finished reading an absolutely wonderful book called, "So Great Salvation, What It Means to Believe in Jesus Christ," by Charles C. Ryrie. It is in our church library and I highly recommend reading it, even if you have been a follower of Jesus for many, many years.

This is what the dust jacket says:

"In an age when there is a tendency either to water down the Gospel or add to it requirements that are not scriptural, people need a clear, concise, and authoritative word on the meaning and evidences of salvation. And that is exactly what Charles Ryrie provides in the pages of this timely book.

Here Dr. Ryrie answers key and practical questions such as :

*What exactly is the Gospel?

*What is spiritual fruit?

*Can a born-again Christian be carnal and, if so, how long?

*Can a person accept Jesus as Savior without acknowledging Him as Lord:

*Can a dedicated Christian take back part or all of his commitment?

*Must repentance precede faith?

*Is believing in Jesus Christ really so easy?

*What is eternal security?

As you read, you will find the Gospel message and its implications for your life clearly delineated. You will receive added insight and confidence to explain the Good News to family members, friends, and others without the Savior. And you will be touched anew by the marvelous grace and sacrificial love of the Author of our great salvation."

Head for the library now. This is a must-read book!

Annie

A Good Book for Beginners

Amy Lively writes very enthusiastically about how she overcame her fear of getting to know her neighbors.  However, she didn’t offer anything new to those of us who study the Bible and try to walk the Jesus way.  But for new Christians or those who have little or no knowledge or experience in loving their neighbors, this book may give them a starting place.  It is based on biblical principles so that is a big plus.

The content is good, lots of ideas and suggestions on how to get to know your neighbors, but the writing is slow paced and a bit boring.  I like a good page-turner-book, and this one didn't light my fire.  I'm sorry to  say that to complete reading the book was very tough for me as it just didn’t hold my interest for very long at a time.  But for others it may be just the perfect help they need.  And for that reason, I still plan to add this title to our church library

 

Bethany House Publishers provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

Shadow of the Mountain

Not the Caleb of the Bible that I Envision!

I was quite excited to receive “Shadow of the Mountain,” by Cliff Graham, because the summary for it was so favorable.  However, after only a few pages, disappointment set in. The author states right up front that the Bible does not yield very much information about Caleb.  He tells us that he has taken a great deal of liberty in fashioning Caleb’s background, because Caleb didn’t appear in the Bible until Moses called upon him and Joshua to lead the spies into Canaan.  Apparently, the author chose to not delve deeper into historical documents written by other authors of that time period.  Caleb’s character as portrayed by Mr. Graham is one with which I am not comfortable.  I cannot see Caleb as a mercenary for the Pharaoh in Egypt, heartless and cruel.  Nor can I see him as one who rose to the ranks of a special group called Red Scorpions after passing punishing and brutal tests and surviving near-death experiences.  Supposedly, Caleb became the most excellent soldier in the land and won the Gold of Honor, the highest award in the Egyptian army and in the kingdom itself.  “It was reserved only for those who exceeded every understanding of courage and valor in battle.”

If you’re not looking for biblical fiction based on fact and if you like stories about raging battles of war, blood, and guts, then this book might be considered very entertaining.  At least two-thirds of the story is about the grueling military training that Caleb experienced, and his battles, then finally in the last third of the book Moses and Aaron enter the story, and finally Joshua.  I finished reading the book only because I said I would read and review it.  This is only one woman’s opinion – you might find it really entertaining.

Bethany House Publishers provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

Blessings,
Annie

The Woods Edge, by Lori Benton (Christian Historial Fiction)

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, especially when it includes stories of our American Indians.  Author Lori Benton’s book, “The Woods Edge,” hooked me on the very first page.  Although a new author to me, apparently she is a well-known writer of Christian historical fiction.  This is the first book I’ve read by this author, but she is now on my favorite authors list because her storytelling is beyond exceptional – the characters finely woven together in the mist of well-researched historical events of the early New York frontier, home to the Oneida tribe and to the British colonials. 

The story begins as the white flag of surrender is raised over Fort William Henry, finally ending the six-day siege by the French soldiers.   During the fighting, noise, and confusion, the wife of Major Reginald Aubrey of His Majesty’s Royal Army, suffered 20 hours before giving birth to a son, who died within a few minutes of his birth.  Being completely exhausted by the painful labor, the Major’s wife Heledd fell into a deep sleep, not even looking at her baby and not knowing that he had died.  Fearing that, upon being told of the baby’s death, Heledd’s mind would not bear the trauma and that she would no longer have the will to go on.   Pacing in the hallway, holding his dead son, Major Aubrey glanced into another room where a young Oneida Indian mother lay asleep on a pallet, having herself just given birth to twin boys, one with fair skin and one dark.  Half out of his mind with worry and grief, and while the Indian mother Good Voice slept, the Major made a desperate decision to switch his dead son for the living fair-skinned baby.  Thus begins the story of lies, deceit, regret, grief, heartbreak, broken lives, love, and forgiveness.

I was blown away by the spirituality in this story, experiencing the faith journey of each character as an individual.  I felt as though I was actually witnessing salvation come to real people.  One statement in particular burned in my mind, when the second twin Two Hawks said about his salvation, that the Gospel covered him with the red blanket of Christ's goodness.  I was in tears at this point!  Now, I can hardly wait for the sequel, which will be released in 2016 called, “A Flight of Arrows.”

 My recommendation is, "You've gotta read it!"  So happy reading,

Annie

I received The Wood's Edge from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for my unbiased review.

Book Review - The Patmos Deception

Davis Bunn is one of my favorite authors of Christian fiction.  When I learned about his new book, “The Patmos Deception,” I could hardly wait for my copy to arrive and get busy reading.  And as expected, I was not disappointed.  After all, Patmos, a part of the Greek islands, is where the Apostle John was exiled in AD 95 and where he had his Apocalypse vision and wrote the book of Revelation.  It was fascinating to read a story that took place on an island that has so much biblical history.

Nick Hennessy, an investigative reporter, is secretly hired by the assistant director of an organization called World Heritage Sites, to investigate the disappearance of historical and artistic icons from the Greek islands.  Needing an expert in Grecian antiquities, Nick hires Carey Mathers, a forensic archaeologist who is also a long-time friend.

The third main character is Dimitri Rubinos, who lives on the island of Patmos, owner of a charter boat business that is about to go under, as most of the other businesses on Patmos already had, due to the economic crisis in Greece.  Desperate to earn enough money to support his aging father and grandmother and to save his business, Dimitri agrees to use his boat to pick up and deliver cargo for an extremely wealthy English man.  At the time, Dimitri thought that what the cargo actually was made little difference to him.  By accident, he discovered that it made a great deal of difference because this cargo made him a smuggler.  What could he do to make good come of this?  He didn’t know, but he would figure it out; he would make a plan.  Then, Dimitri discovers that the investigation by Nick and Carey has led them to him!

Davis Bunn is a real storyteller.  I really like how this story starts out with mystery, then danger creeps in, and then the level of suspense grows and grows with every turn of a page.  I got so caught up in the story that I just could not put the book down until I knew the ending!  I would recommend it to anyone.  Also, it is appropriate for church libraries.

Bethany House Publishers provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

A Story About Ezra

Keepers of the Covenant, by Lynn Austin

Absolutely wonderful – I love this story.  Lynn Austin has written several series of books, which include Gods and Kings and Refiner’s Fire.  This is the second book in the Restoration Chronicles.  In her series books, each book is its own story and stands alone, and does not have to be read in any order.  I really like that! 

Keepers of the Covenant is a Biblical fiction story about Ezra, a brilliant Jewish scholar who lived in Babylon during the rein of Persian King Xerxes.  Although this is a work of fiction, it holds many truths straight from the Old Testament.  As I read this book, I also did daily reading and Bible study on the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.  This was a special time of blessings as I delved deeper into the wonderful history in the Old Testament and of spiritual growth as I read of God’s everlasting faithfulness to His people and to all who trust and believe in Him.

In the opening of the story, the exiled Jews receive a decree from King Xerxes that all Jews would be annihilated on the thirteenth day of Adar in that year.  The King had been deceived by Haman, his most trusted advisor and second in command, into believing that the Jews were plotting against him and planned an uprising.  Out of this devastating decree, God raises up Ezra to be a leader of his people, and eventually Ezra is able to lead his people out of exile and to return to Jerusalem. 

Through the lives of Ezra's family and two other families, we see that they faced the same struggles “of faith and doubt, love and loss” as we do today.  As the story develops, the lives of the three families intersect and shows us how God amazingly works His purpose in each of us.  Ezra faithfully studied the Torah to learn as much as possible about God’s ways.  He became an outstanding leader of his people and was greatly loved, not just in this book, but in reality – in the Bible.

Bethany House Publishers provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

Happy New Year to one and all. 

Annie