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.

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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

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: 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

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 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

"If God is Good" Book Review

If God is Good, Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil, by Randy Alcorn

With so much turmoil in the world today, along with many family members, friends, and acquaintances experiencing traumatic situations, debilitating health issues, and sufferings of all kinds, it seems as though evil is gaining ground.  However, I believe in my heart that God is still the One and Only who is in control and that one day evil will be no more. Despite my unwavering faith, I felt I needed to learn more about God’s character and purpose regarding suffering and evil as they are revealed and taught in the Bible.

For these reasons I chose to read a book by Randy Alcorn called, “If God is Good, Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil.”  I found this book extremely helpful in locating a lot of scripture dealing with this subject.  Mr. Alcorn’s views and commentary seem to be right on and insightful.  He has broken up his writing by using many subject headings to organize his thoughts and progressively build his case on the reasons for pain and suffering.  This writing style makes it very easy to read and to better understand, from a biblical point of view, the answer to why there is suffering and evil.

I appreciate that Mr. Alcorn spent time pointing out that whether a person is a true believer of God’s sovereignty will determine if one has a spiritual view or a world view of suffering and evil.   

You may find that this book requires a real interest in reading it because it is a thick one.  Although it is easy reading, it is not one that you will want to breeze through as it offers plenty to pause and think about it.  It is a great piece of writing that will help you to minister to those who need help in dealing with any kind of suffering.  I have no hesitation in recommending this book to others.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

May the Lord bless and keep you,

Annie

Sisterchicks in Gondolas, by Robin Jones Gunn

So here we are, another set of Sisterchicks off to Italy this time. Jenna has been invited to cook for a small retreat group, with airfare and lodging included and a free ticket for a friend – unbelievably in Venice!  Having been on her own since her husband walked out on her when their daughter was only 3 month old, and now with her daughter grown and out of the nest, Jenna felt this was the perfect opportunity to get a fresh start in her life.  Of course the perfect companion for this trip would be her best friend sister-in-law, Sue, who only required a small amount of coaxing to accept Jenna’s invitation.  For the last couple of years Sue had been caring for her husband and helping him to recover from a serious auto accident that had left him paralyzed.  Sue really needed a retreat of her own to help her get over her anger at God for letting this happened to her husband.

With only a few Italian words between them, I found their attempts at communication with the shopkeepers to be hilariously funny.  I loved their goal of eating a new flavor of gelato everyday.  Yum!  With all the shopping, sightseeing, riding in gondolas, and exploring the city, I’m surprised that Jenna and Sue were still able to find time to do the grocery shopping and cooking for the conference.

As the women spent more time together, they were able to open up and share about their past hurts and unpleasant experiences.  They found that they were being drawn into a deeper relationship with God and the bond between them was growing ever stronger.  A healing had begun and they realized that God was not done with them yet.  A bright future was waiting for them.  Yes, God does answer prayer.

I love this definition,  “SISTERCHICK n.: a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you’re being a brat.”

One of the reasons I like the Sisterchicks books so much is because they remind me of the escapades of my two sisters and me and all the fun we have when we get together.  And also because God is woven throughout the stories and there’s always a message that points us to Him and how to apply it to our lives.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Twelve Unlikely Heroes

I was captivated by “Twelve Unlikely Heroes,”  written by John MacArthur.  He painted such vivid portraits of people in “Twelve Ordinary Men” and “Twelve Extraordinary Women,” so I was really looking forward to reading this book.  Once again he has captured the essence of twelve people in the Bible whom God chose to use to accomplish His purposes.  At first glance, they seem anything but heroes, but who today could walk 300 years with God and please Him everyday.  “As a saved man, Enoch’s life was characterized not by harsh legalism but by the joy of intimate communication with his Creator.”  Wow, that is so awesome! 

Looking at Joseph, we see that he grew up in an environment of family tension and strife.  Joseph was spoiled by his mother and was his father’s favorite son.  When his mother passed away Joseph’s brothers began to treat him with hostility and resentment.  And it certainly didn’t help matters when his father Jacob sent Joseph to spy on his brothers to make sure they were doing their work properly.  Joseph was a tattletale.  It’s a familiar story how Joseph was sold to owners of a caravan and carted off to Egypt.  Who knew that this smug, proud, troublemaking little Hebrew boy would be chosen by God to rise up to unheard of power among the Egyptian royalty and free his people from slavery!

The stories of Miriam, Gideon, Samson, Jonathan, Jonah, Esther, John the Baptist, James the brother of Jesus, Mark, and Onesimus are just as amazing.  The message of this book is to show that God can use anyone for His good purposes.  You don’t have to be an exceptional person because God can do the exceptional with plain, ordinary people.  Through our weaknesses and imperfections, God will showcase His power, wisdom, and love.  From the heart, thank you John MacArthur for this lovely, inspiring book.

I received this complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson Publishing through their BookSneeze program.  A positive review was not required and the opinion expressed here is my own.

A Wreath of Snow

“A Wreath of Snow,” by Liz Curtis Higgs.

 On that cold, snowy evening of Christmas Eve when Meg boarded the train, the last thing she expected was to run into a man from the past who, when he was a teenager had caused great pain for her family.   When Gordon Shaw overheard the conductor saying Meg’s name, he realized he knew this young woman.  Unsettled by the chance meeting, stammering and embarrassed, Gordon could only say “Gordon” when introduction could no longer be avoided.  At this point Meg still had not recognized this handsome stranger and believed that Gordon was his last name.  Being a man of faith and moral principal, Gordon was working out in his mind how to set right this misunderstanding.  He also was trying to put the words together to confess that he was the teenager who lost his grip of the curling stone handle that struck her brother and caused his paralysis 12 years ago.  However, before Gordon could speak, the train shuttered and came to a violent stop, throwing the passengers this way and that.  Thoroughly stuck in a snow drift, the train could neither go forward nor back up. 

This is the beginning of a story of lies and secrets – Gordon pressed by Meg to keep his true identity from her parents; Meg wanting to hide her part in deceiving her parents; and the brother Alan deceiving everyone for 12 years.  But it is also a story of love, repentance, and forgiveness.  As Gordon’s heart always sought to follow the leading of the heavenly Father, he must live by his belief that light is better than darkness and the truth is better than lies.  Thus, Gordon took the first step that brought healing to his heart and started a chain reaction of events that eventually led to exposing the darkness and bringing healing to Meg’s family.

“A Wreath of Snow” is the first book I’ve read which was written by Liz Curtis Higgs.  I was captivated by her portrayal of Gordon’s close walk with the Lord.  It was so simple and natural and trusting.  I could “feel” Him in Gordon’s life and how it seemed that He just reached out from the pages of the book into my own heart.  I definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more by Liz Curtis Higgs.

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers as part of their Blogging for Books book program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Another Good Book!

From the first page of “Rare Earth,” by Davis Bunn*, I was drawn into the tension and intrigue as Marc Royce begins his assignment in Kenya, where he was sent by his employer, Lodestone Associates. Lodestone was a major provider of armed security services around the world. In Kenya, Lodestone was supplementing UN security details, also providing Medevac helicopters, field hospitals, and personnel. It recently had added a new division that provided emergency relief supplies. The U.S. State Department was receiving information that someone at a very high level of power was providing extremely profitable supply contracts to a corporate ally in return for kickbacks. But now things were heating up. The State Department was receiving rumors that Lodestone was up to something far worse. Marc was undercover in Kenya as a field agent for Lodestone, but in actuality he was a covert op for State Department Intel. Action and danger was expected by Marc when he entered Kenya. What he did not expect was that he would become so personally involved with the people whose land had been stolen and who barely survived in the squalor and chaos of the refugee camps. And he certainly didn’t expect to become involved with the cause of the lovely Messianic Jew, who was an aid worker at the Red Cross camp.  This is a wonderful story of how Marc Royce, a group of displaced Christian tribes in Kenya, and a kibbutz of persecuted Messianic Jews in Israel, work together toward a common goal of bringing justice and finding a place that can be called "home."  


Once again Davis Bunn made his characters jump to life from the pages of the book. He provides just the right amount of detail and description to draw you into the story, all the while building layers of suspense and action. As badly as I wanted to know how the story ended, I was sorry to finally reach the end. I really liked these characters and wanted the story to somehow carry on. It seems that Davis Bunn always has a great story to write. I look forward to his next one.

*This book was received free through Bethany House Book Reviewers in exchange for my unbiased review.

Is there a Jezebel in your Life?

“Confronting Jezebel:  Discerning and Defeating the Spirit of Control,” by Steve Sampson was originally published in 1996. During the following years, he continued to study more about the evil spiritual principality of control and in 2012 he published a revised and expanded edition. The author shows us that more than the name of an evil queen, Jezebel is a spirit of control who works its evil on men and women with passive spirits.

Mr. Sampson does an excellent job of explaining the Jezebel principality – the characteristics of a Jezebel, the sinister strategies of Jezebel, what it’s like to see a Jezebel in action and the damage it can cause, with one purpose: to work against the move of God’s Spirit. Amazingly, the people who have a Jezebel spirit of control can have a magnetic attraction, especially to believers who have little or no interest in learning about spiritual warfare. Passive believers can be easily manipulated by people with a Jezebel spirit of control. They are dazzled by the strong leadership qualities of a Jezebel, while behind the scene the Jezebel is planting seeds of discontent, mistrust, and doubt. Their lack of knowledge and preparation makes it impossible for them to even recognize the effects of demonic forces. The author goes on to teach us how to confront and battle the Jezebel spirit of control, all based on biblical truths with scripture included. “For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places].” Eph 6:12.

I definitely would recommend this book as one everyone should read. It will really open your eyes and make you aware of how important it is to put on “the whole armor of God.”

*This book was received free through Bethany House Book Reviewers in exchange for my unbiased review.

The Truth about the Lordship of Christ

 

“The Truth about the Lordship of Christ,” by John MacArthur is one of three books in the Truth Series.  After reading this one, I am inspired to also read the other two, “The Truth about Grace,” and The Truth about Forgiveness.”  These books are teachings of the core aspects of the Christian faith.  Whether you are a newbie or a well-seasoned Christian, learning for the first time or just being reminded and refreshed in your convictions, “The Truth about the Lordship of Christ,” is a book that will definitely speak to your inner spirit.

John MacArthur is a skillful writer and teacher who draws you right into comparing the life you are living with what God is willing for your personal relationship with Him.  The book has only six chapters, but they are wonderful chapters full of knowledge, assurance, biblical references, encouragement to believers, and explaining the consequences to unbelievers who deny Christ.  The chapter titles are:  Lord of the Universe; Lord in Our Lives; Daily Submission; Holy Living: Confession and Restoration; and Ultimate Destination.  Mr. MacArthur delves deeply into God’s character and purpose and how it applies to our daily walk of faith – things like the sovereignty of God, that only God can declare us righteous, the importance of repentance and of receiving a renewed mind, salvation. God wants us to have a Christ-like character, to become sanctified.  John MacArthur explains, “Sanctification is the continuous operation of the Holy Spirit in believers, making us holy by conforming our character, affections, and behavior to the image of Christ.”  What a loving and merciful God we have, who wants to make each of us like His own Son!  How grateful I am for that privilege.  I absolutely loved this book and recommend it be put at the top of your book reading list.

I received this complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson Publishing through their BookSneeze program.  A positive review was not required and the opinion expressed here is my own.

When I Was a New Mama . . .

Boy, does this bring back memories!  Being a book lover, I began to read to my son when he was only months old, and then carried on with my granddaughters as they were born.  This story is exactly the kind that I liked to share with them.

“God Gave Us You,” is a very sweet little board book written by Lisa Tawn Bergren and beautifully illustrated.  It is about a Papa and Mama polar bear and their Little Cub.  One night as Mama was tucking Little Cub into bed, she asked, “Mama, where did I come from?”  There follows a delightful and loving conversation where Mama answers questions from Little Cub and explains that Little Cub was a truly treasured gift from God.  Papa and Mama were so excited and even the angels in heaven were celebrating because Little Cub was growing inside Mama.  As Mama’s tummy got bigger and bigger, Papa talked to Little Cub and sang to her because he wanted Little Cub to be born knowing his voice.  They prayed every night to God that Little Club would have straight bones and a strong heart, but most of all that someday Little Club would love God.  Mama continued with the story and when she came to the end, Little Cub went happily to sleep because she knew that God had given her to parents who wanted her and loved her very much.  The story is so touching that I believe if you read it to your child, he or she will truly feel like a gift from the Lord.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review and really enjoyed it.

Kay Arthur, "As Silver Refined"

I’ve spent several months trying to finish reading, “As Silver Refined,” by Kay Arthur*.  Once I finished reading the book, I spent another month attempting to write a review of it.  It never became clear to me why this book has been such a struggle, other than being put off by the many uses of “beloved,” “oh my friend,” and “dear child of God.”  But on the other hand, these phrases may be just the comfort that many hurting women need, as though the words were spoken from a loving mother, aunt, or friend.  So putting the sugar coating aside, I can say that Kay tackles many problems and disappointments of everyday living and provides counseling and biblical truths that will “melt and burn away the undesirable elements in your life, leaving you pure and radiant – like refined silver.”  Would you like to overcome dejection and despair?  Would you like a better understanding of God’s sovereignty, meekness in action, and the secrets of everyday endurance?  You will find lots of guidance in this book which will help you to become stronger when life doesn’t turn out like you planned.  The use of this book was well received by a women’s bible study group in our church.

*This book was received free in exchange for my unbiased review through WaterBrook Multnomah Book Publishing Group.



Enemies of the Heart

I didn't realize that I had heart disease until I read this book.  I also discovered that the type of heart disease I have can't be treated with a prescription drug.  If you decide to read this book, you might be as surprised as I was to discover that you are afflicted with a spiritual heart disease.  Perhaps it's time for a check up.

Being an excellent communicator, Andy Stanley keeps you riveted to Enemies of the Heart as he discusses four destructive emotional forces that compel you to act in undesirable ways and have the power to destroy your home, your career, and your friendships. Guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy are described by Andy to be a spiritual heart disease that has the potential to “destroy you and squeeze the life out of your most valuable relationships.”

Andy quotes Proverbs 4:23 NASB, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life.” Whether it be good or bad, whatever is in our hearts is eventually translated into words and deeds. Reading this book will likely cause you to realize that you too, like many of us, have a spiritual heart disease that we aren’t aware of. Thankfully, in his easy to understand and practical advice, Andy helps you get to the root of your bad heart condition and provides biblical direction for healing.

Once again, I’ve been enlightened and inspired by the writing of Andy Stanley. I’ve already recommend it to several friends and will certainly promote it through my church library.

I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers as part of their Blogging for Books book program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

A Whisper of Peace

A novel by Kim Vogel Sawyer.

Lizzie Dawson is a young woman of mixed blood: born of a white father and a mother from a native tribe of Athabascans in the Alaskan Territory. Lizzie grew up as an outcast because the tribe had banished her mother after her marriage to a white man. When Lizzie’s father had made his fortune in trapping and fur trading, he returned to California to begin a new life, abandoning both his wife and child. After her mother died, Lizzie continued to live alone in the cabin that her father had built, completely self-sufficient in caring for herself and her sled dogs. She had dreams of fulfilling her mother’s dying request that Lizzie be reconciled with her grandparents and be accepted back into the village. A few years had passed since her mother’s death and so far she had not found a way to honor her mother’s request.

Little did Lizzie know how much her world was going to change when Clay Selby, a missionary, and his step-sister Vivian, who was a teacher, arrived in the village to set up a church and school among the Athabascans. Besides becoming friends with the people of the village, Clay and Vivian wanted to also befriend Lizzie and were puzzled as to why she was ostracized by her tribe. Clay felt led to intercede for Lizzie, but her grandfather angrily told Clay that he and Vivian would have to make a choice between friendship with Lizzie or ministering to the natives. Also, Clay was coming to realize that his interest in Lizzie was more than just seeking a casual friendship.  Would he really be forced to make a choice? What did the future hold for all of them?  Would the God of Clay’s faith who brought him to the Alaskan Territory supply his needs and give him guidance as he faced these challenges?

This novel written by Kim Vogel Sawyer is the first of hers that I’ve read. It was a swiftly moving story, flowing and well-written. The author took time to give depth to the characters, along with detail that kindled my imagination.  I have no reservations about this book and would highly recommend it. 

*This book was received free in exchange for my unbiased review through Bethany House Book Reviewers.

The Grace of God

Andy Stanley is one of my very favorite speakers and he writes just the way he speaks – powerfully! Consequently his book, “The Grace of God,” is a powerful lesson on how much God loves us and freely gives us His grace with no strings attached. Grace is unmerited favor – we don’t deserve it and we can’t earn it. Andy is gifted with the ability to explain, describe, and peel back layers until he brings you to the point of a full and deep understanding of the scripture he’s teaching on. He did just that for me as he explained that the grace of God began even before the Garden of Eden. He led me on a journey through the Old Testament, highlighting many acts of God’s grace given to biblical figures – Adam and Eve, Abraham, Jonah, Rahab, and even the thief on the cross – to name a few. And then we come to the New Testament where Andy teaches on the parables of Jesus. But this is not a brief explanation after a quick read of the scripture. As Andy helps you to come to a deeper understanding of grace, you are rewarded with background information of the customs and practices of the Jewish people which sheds a more bright and wonderful light on the meaning of the parables and how grace is intertwined throughout them.

The book is written in a conversational style that is smooth flowing, uses plain language, and is easy to understand. It is one that I would highly recommend to others. I am very happy to have this book on my bookshelf for future reference and inspiration. As of now, it is the very favorite of my library.

Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing for providing a complimentary copy to me through their BookSneeze program. A positive review was not required and the opinion expressed here is my own.

God's Promises

Hi there!  I'm back with another book review, plus a few Independence Day celebration greeting cards.  I realize it's not the 4th of July, but they are so perfect to go along with this book.

“God’s Promises for the American Patriot,” by Dr. Richard G. Lee and Jack Countryman, is the book I’m reviewing today. I have to say that I was a bit disappointed when I unwrapped the package and opened the book. I expected the book to be larger and to be a regular non-fiction book. What I found is that it is laid out in two-page sections: the first page of the section contains American history in the way of an incident, speech, excerpts of essays, or quotes from the lives of great American, patriotic believers; and the opposite page lists corresponding scripture.
However, my disappointment quickly turned to absolute delight once I began to read. The more I read, the more my patriotic pride and love for my country was lifted to a new height. Not to say that I didn’t already have a sufficient amount, but reading about these great men who contributed so much to the founding and building of a God-fearing nation was very inspiring. And, it clearly shows how important God and the Bible were to these men. Unfortunately in this age, there are those who constantly chip away at what made, and makes, our nation great. After reading this book, you will have no doubt that our country was founded on Godly principles.  Besides being uplifted by the contents, I also learned some important history.  The following is a portion of George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation, "Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me 'to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God' . . . Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficient Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.'"  How wonderful is that!  The pilgrims and the Indians may have had the first Thanksgiving dinner, but George Washington initiated Thanksgiving Day.

Although this book could be used as a daily devotional, I find it to be more of a book for meditation and inspiration. It is a book that could be read in one sitting or one you could pick up for a short read.  Beautifully bound and designed, with a different picture on each page, it is one you will want on your bookshelf. It would also make a great gift for someone who loves history.

(I received this complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson Publishing through their BookSneeze program. A positive review was not required and the opinion expressed here is my own.)

Does red, white and blue make your heart flutter like it does mine!  So my cards are pretty traditional.

Stamps by Stampin' Up

Background made from postage stamps.

Hero Arts Stamps.
Background made using Shaving Cream technique

Wishing you a wonderful week.  Check back soon, or sign up for automatic updates.  Many blessings, Annie