Attend

Everywhere we look into our busy days there simply doesn't seem like there is enough time to get our items crossed off our "To Do" lists. The biggest challenge is not forgetting time with God during our busy days as Moms, Dads, Women and Men. So how do we find God in the ordinary things we do every single day? Is it possible that we can take time to converse and be in the presence of God while doing our mundane chores that must be completed like making our beds, cleaning up a mess, making ourselves a snack, lighting a candle to fragrance our home or even sitting with a loved one during a painful moment?

Laura Davis Werezak takes readers into the heart of 40 simply ways we can do just that and in the process find that God loves nothing more than to walk with us in every detail of our lives that we complete each day. Often times we feel cut off from God, when it is simply that He is very present, we have simply chosen to forget about inviting Him into the things we do each day. I believe we are simply forgetting those meaningful connections we used to have with Him and strive to find some time in our days and hope at the end of it, we will have a few minutes to connect with him. We find ourselves looking for the next best thing to connect with God so we can feel better about ourselves and the fact we even included Him into our day.

We need to begin to look for God in our every day moments. Take a moment and discover with all our senses that God is very present in everything we do. From the brush of the wind against our cheeks to the gentle kisses of water from rain drops on our skin. God is here. "Unpacking the truth of Isaiah 30:15, this book delightfully ventures through this process of turning toward God, resting quietly in God's presence and taking action to serve and glorify Him. To attend is to live with attention instead of retreating into a spiritualized reality or a digital virtual reality. To attend is to live the reality that God has designed, shaped, and formed specifically for us and for our benefit. Let us turn away from distraction, look one another in the eys and re-learn how to live in the world." (Front Flap).

I received Attend by Laura Davis Werezak compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups. This is such a simple way to get back to understand the importance of our intimate connection to God in the simplest ways. God isn't looking for over-achievers, just people willing to spend some real quality time with Him. I love the simple lessons found in this book and learning to mediate and understand how things like making a bed can teach us to manage tasks better, and that even if you have a terrible day in which nothing goes right, at least you can come home to an inviting bed. A made bed gives you the encouragement that tomorrow will be better! This would be a wonderful give of encouragement to someone you might know that needs a gentle reminder that God is very present in all things. For that reason, I easily give this book a well-deserved 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about Attend, Laura Davis Werezak or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Attend by Laura Davis Werezak

You can find Laura Davis Werezak on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Attend, please visit Faith Word's website today. 

The Noticer Returns

Ever wonder how some people handle life in general without really knowing them? The is a saying Don't Sweat The Small Stuff, in fact there are several books written that would have us think there is some great wisdom found by a simple quote tucked inside. But is there really? To a man known simply as Jones, Not Mr. Jones. Just Jones.

Jones is a old man that is always around even though you may not see him as is the case for Andy Andrews who has run into Jones more than a handful of times and knows undoubtedly he will see him again, but not sure when. Just that he will.

If you handed Jones that sentiment about not sweating the small stuff he would tell you "that is a lie and one that will ruin your life. He would tell you that your choices, your words and every move you make are permanent. Life is lived in indelible ink. Wake up. You're making little bitty brushstrokes every minute you walk around on this earth. And with those tiny brushstrokes, you are creating the painting that your life will ultimately become-a masterpiece or a disaster.

You need to understand a very important fact about your earthly existence. It is this: Every single day for the rest of your life, somebody is going to push you in the pool. And you'd better decide now how you're going to act when it happens.

Are you going to come out of the water whining? Maybe crying and complaining? Will you throw fits or worse?

Or will you come out of the water with a smile on your face? Looking to see what you can learn...who you might help? Will you act happy though you feel uncertain?

Almost every result that your life produces from this moment forward-good or bad-will depend upon how you choose. Every day, in one form or another, whether you like it or not, you will be pushed in the pool. You might as well decide right now how you'll act when it happens."

This is just one of the many eye-opening conversations that Andy will have with his encounter with Jones as well as handful of others he writes about in the Noticer Returns. If you haven't read the Noticer, please take the time to read that one first. Each of these books, I promise you will be highlighted and dog-eared with so many wonderful nuggets of wisdom that no two people will gain the same perspective out of it but it will be life changing. I can only hope that Jones will return soon with another amazing book. For now however, this one along with the Noticer remain on my personal best loved book shelf. They will be books I reference often when a situation calls for a visit from Jones again to help me gain a different perspective on things in my life. I too, Jones, choose an extraordinary life!!!

I received The Noticer Returns by Andy Andrews as a gift from my husband who has enjoyed taking this journey with me through several of Andy Andrews books and every single time there is a new one, he knows without a doubt it will be a "have to have!" If you are looking for something that when you read it will be so life changing you will want to read it again and again? Pick this one up! I personally rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and have even given away a copy to someone I knew could use it just when they needed it the most. Jones would be proud. This is a inspirational and motivational book that would be perfect for parents, coaches, employees and anyone who wants something more out of life than just the ordinary!!

For more information about The Noticer Returns, Andy Andrews or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Noticer Returns by Andy Andrews 

You can also find Andy Andrews on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest books.

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 1, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785231455
• ISBN-13: 978-0785231455
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches

Beyond Heaven's Door

" I make no claims to being a good golfer, but I readily confess to being a golf addict. If you know of a twelve-step program for the condition, sign me up. "Hi, I'm Max. I'm a golfaholic." I love to play golf, watch golf, and on good nights, I even dream golf.

Knowing this will help you appreciate the extreme joy I felt when I was invited to attend the Masters Golf Tournament. A pass to the Masters is the golfer's Holy Grail. Tickets are as scarce as birdies on my scorecard. So I was thrilled. The invitation came via pro golfer Scott Simpson. Each player is given a certain number of passes and Scott offered Denalyn and me two of his. (If there was ever any question about Scott's place in heaven, that gesture erased the doubt.)

So off we went to Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, where golf heritage hangs like moss from the trees. There you find the green where Nicklaus sank the putt. The fringe where Mize holed the chip. The fairway where Saranson hit the approach shot. I was a kid in a candy store. And like a kid, I couldn't get enough. It wasn't enough to see the course and walk the grounds; I wanted to see the locker room. That's where the clubs of Hogan and Azinger are displayed. That's where the players hang out. And that's where I wanted to be.

A guard stopped me at the entrance. I showed him my pass, but he shook his head. I told him I knew Scott, but that didn't matter. I promised to send his eldest child through college, but he didn't budge. "Only caddies and players," he explained. Well, he knew I wasn't a player or a caddie. Caddies at the Masters are required to wear white coveralls. My clothing was a dead giveaway. So I left, figuring I'd never see the clubhouse. I made it all the way to the door but was denied entrance.

Many people fear the same will happen to them in heaven. They fear being turned away at the door. A legitimate fear, don't you think? We're talking about a pivotal moment. To be turned away from seeing golf history is one thing, but to be refused admission into heaven is quite another.

That is why some people don't want to discuss heaven. It makes them nervous. They may be God-fearing and church-attending people but still nervous. Is there a solution to this fear? Need you spend the rest of your life wondering if you will be turned away at the door?

According to the Bible, it is possible to "know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13 MSG). How? How can any of us know for sure?

Curiously, it all has to do with the clothing we wear." (pg 10-11).

Written in a comfortable style that is uniquely Max Lucado, Beyond Heaven's Door takes the reader through an amazing way to assure you that when this life is over, if you have clothed yourself in Christ, then you will have eternal life the instant you close your eyes when this one ends. No more worry or doubt will cross your mind when you rest in the assurances that after reading this and following the simple steps Max provides, you can be assured of your final destination.

The book not only tells us how to get to Heaven but assures us that even when our loved ones pass away here, as believers their life is only so much better than we could have ever dreamed or imagined. Taking all of his references and information directly from the Bible, Max makes the entire trip towards Heaven, a personal one. You truly feel like the words from this book are like words from a trust and close friend and I believe that is where the appeal in all of Max's books I've been honored to read comes from.

I received Beyond Heaven's Door by Max Lucado compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. This one is a must read for anyone who really wonders what lies beyond death's door and is looking for the absolute truth before it's too late to make that decision to accept Christ. This book also provides comfort for those of us left behind when a believer dies and shows us in a small way just what is on the other side waiting for all of us that accept Jesus Christ into our lives. An unforgettable book and well worthy of 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Beyond Heaven's Door, Max Lucado or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Beyond Heaven's Door by Max Lucado

You can also follow Max Lucado on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest books.

Looking for more inspiration, check out Max Lucado's website.

Memory of Murder

The one thing that Deputy Jeff Gage didn't want to happen, has happened. He has failed at what he was hired to do and now must face the consequences of his actions. While assigned to escort Lindsey Presley, a restaurant owner on her night deposits to the bank, he is brutally attacked and Lindsey is kidnapped. When he regains consciousness, he hears someone standing over him handcuffing him with his own handcuffs and telling him that Lindsey will be dead before he can get to his feet. He reminds Jeff that Sheriff Taylor will fire him by the time they get through with him. They will be watching and waiting for the next chance to make him fail. Those are the last words he hears before he feels electricity shooting through his body once again.

Had it not been for Lindsey's quick reaction, she knows without a doubt she would be dead. The one thing she understood about being kidnapped is that if she didn't act, when she arrived at the destination he had planned on taking her to, she would be dead anyway. Even as great as the risk was that she might end up dead anyway, she waited for just the right moment and kicked the driver in the head with the force of both of her feet resulting in the car she was traveling in, to crash into the guardrail. The last thing she remembers before losing consciousness is a man telling her that they were not finished with her and they are around ever corner.

Now she and Jeff must work together to piece together the clues to figure out just who wants Lindsey dead and for what reason. She can't think of any reason why someone would want to kill her. She is just attempting to start over by opening her own restaurant and wants to make sure the last thing she gets involved with is a man who wants a relationship with her. Nope she has thick walls in place to ensure that doesn't happen. Yet Jeff Gage can't help himself but fall in love with Lindsey as he has gotten to know her over these last few months. If only he can convince her that is feelings are true and that love isn't such a bad thing. If only he can find a way to break down the walls before they both wind up dead.

In the novel, Memory of Murder by author Ramona Richards the pulse pounding suspense hits you full force within the first chapter. You can barely take a breath while watching this all unfold before your very eyes. It is that type of adrenaline that keeps you flipping pages as fast as possible to help figure out what is going on, who is trying to kill Lindsey and if they will fall in love with one another before either of them winds up dead. At little over 200 pages long, this is the perfect Christian Suspense novel to read just about anywhere you have time for a thrill ride. I finished mine just after dinner and absolutely LOVED this one. Harlequin's Love Inspired Suspense series, is for those fans of Harlequin romance but looking for a clean version with an impactful message of hope and love for Christian readers. If you are a die hard romance fan looking for a great novel without all the added details of romance but with the thrill of suspense added in, pick up Memory of Murder by Ramona Richards today.

I received Memory of Murder by Ramona Richards compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense for my honest review and have to say this one hold its own at a 5 out of 5 stars!!! I want to personally thank Ramona Richards for signing my book as well. That always makes it special to open the cover and find that as a special surprise!!! For more information about Memory of Murder, Ramona Richards, or where you can pick up this book, please click on the links below:

Memory of Murder by Ramona Richards

You can also find Ramona Richards on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tour on Memory of Murder, please click here.

Godwink Stories

"The centerpiece of this book is the collection of charming, heartfelt, and astonishing letters I have received from people like you who have taken the time to share their life-altering godwink stories.

These warm letters reaffirm that godwinks happen to everyone. We just need to learn how to see them, allow them to unfold, and accept them as direct, person-to-person communications from God to each of us.

As you'll see, every note, buoyant with enthusiasm, is from someone like a new friend of yours who tells you that those so-called coincidences you've been dismissing really do mean something. And you need to pay special attention. They are like unopened gifts that have been placed on your doorstop.

If you're like me, you will also be impressed at how every joy, every hurt, and every worry you encounter has already been written about in the Bible. Godwink Stories simply draws upon the parallel between the letters of real people and the wisdom God had others write into the ancient Scriptures three thousand years ago.

Godwink Stories can be read in various ways. You may decide to read the book cover to cover. You may wish to place it on your nightstand to read one bite-size mini-chapter per week for fifty-two weeks. Or you may just want a pick-me-up-story that fits your need of the day. Godwink Stories is cross-referenced by category - suiting your desire to peruse a letter that speaks to a time of sorrow or your appetite for an uplifting bedtime story. " (pg 9-10).Each story is linked with a specific biblical scripture that ties the letter to the Bible, along with an insightful information that is geared to make you think about a situation before you read the letter.

Some of the categories you can search for are Times of Sorrow, Medical, Heartfelt, Angels, Don't Quit, Divine Alignment, Just In Time, Love Stories, Uplifting, and Prayer. You are geared to find something to inspire you at just the right moment or perhaps encourage and share a story with others in need. This is truly a gift that you can give at anytime of the year and would make the perfect Christmas gift. I received Godwink Stories: A Devotional by Squire Rushnell and Louise Duart compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster Publishers for my honest review.

If you love books like Chicken Soup for the Soul but geared for more faith based and inspirational readers, than this is the perfect book for you. I chose to read mine like a great dessert, a little bit at a time each night and there is truly something geared to make you smile, sigh and even reflect on your life or the life of someone you know. I personally rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars. The one story that really hit home for me this week in particular was called "Can I Trust God to Look Out for Me?" It talks about how so many times it feels as if everything is going wrong and often times we wonder where is God in all of this. The scripture reference was 1 Peter 5:8 " Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Too often times we look to God for the blame when it's the enemy we should be pointing our finger at. It reminds us through three separate letters of others in the same circumstance as you, that if you've gotten into the habit of fortifying your daily life with prayer, you'll find yourself better prepared for an emergency when it comes.

For more information about Godwink Stories: A Devotional, Squire Rushnell, Louise Duart or where you can pick up a copy of this book please click on the links below:

Godwink Stories: A Devotional by Squire Rushnell and Louise Duart

You can also find more information on Godwink Stories website. 

To learn more you can also find Godwink on Facebook by clicking here. 

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books (December 4, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1451678568
• ISBN-13: 978-1451678567
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.3 x 1 inches

Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole

"If you would have told me fifteen years ago I would be working on a book about my Christian walk, I would have laughed. And so the story goes, right? God has a way of redefining our expectations.

It has been a labor of love to walk back through some writing published over the past four and a half years on my blog, Bring the Rain. The blog began as a way to keep family and friends informed as we walked through the pregnancy of our fourth daughter, Audrey Caroline, who we only got to have with us on this earth for a few short hours. I blogged through the brokenness and hurt, clinging to God's Word and a community emerged. Somewhere along the way I began to consistently get e-mails from people asking if there was some way to combine my more devotionalesque entries into book form. Mended is the fruit of that vision, and I hope it blesses you and reminds you how loved you are by your Creator. Has something convinced you that you aren't a worthy recipient of His love? Where are the distractions and the noise of life getting in the way of your walk with Him?

Whatever calls our name louder than the voice of Jesus needs to be identified as an obstacle in our walk. Life is busy and days are short. We don't take the time we need to let our souls breathe. I want to invite you into my little corner of the world for a few minutes of your day and ask you to sit with me in silence. There's no wrong way to read Mended. Go at the pace that matches how God is speaking to you. But as you start, let me suggest that you carve out a half hour out of the madness each day and let's talk about the way He loves us in spite of ourselves.

My hope is that will be a resource that leads you to pray and dig deeper into His word. I have given you some prompts to help with this along the way, whether you are reading alone or with a trusted friend or spouse. Each entry has a focused Scripture, a devotional, and then some brief application ideas." (pg 2).

In the book, Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole by Angie Smith, she incorporates her own stories as a way to help the reader look into their own life circumstances and be challenged to see how God can heal all those broken places and renew us in ways we might never have imagined. This would be a perfect for a women's small Bible Study to help heal the areas within us all that remain broken and make us feel less than perfect, when God's whole purpose is restoration in our lives. I think the way Angie has utilized her own stories creates a bonding of sorts with what women can relate to on their levels. The overachiever, the one never feeling worthy enough, the ones whose past is holding us back from the future God has imagined for us. This book does just that and more and one I highly recommend!!!

I received Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole by Angie Smith, compliments of Shelton Interactive and B and H Publishing Group for my honest review. Far too often, as women who are busy in families and marriages we place our own needs far below others and this book helps heal those places and makes us better equipped to deal with those challenges that women face. I rate this book a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on Mended: Pieces of a Life Made Whole, Angie Smith or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Mended: Pieces of A Life Made Whole by Angie Smith

You can also find Angie Smith on Facebook. 

To visit Angie Smith on her website, please click here. 

My Father's Business

"The only reliable way to be truly guided by God is to assimilate the Word of God to your character...Scripture reveals God's will only if we allow His Holy Spirit to apply it to our circumstances." ~ Oswald Chambers.

Have you ever wondered what it means to discern God's Will for your life? How can you hear His call? The word discernment comes from two Latin words: discernere (to perceive) and discretis (to separate). To discern God's voice and will is to converse with Him. In both Hebrew and Greek, the word will means "to yearn." When we say, "Lord, Your will be done," we are asking God to infuse His deepest yearnings into our spirit and alter the circumstances of our lives in order that we may grow. God sees beyond our past and knows our secret desires, even those desires yet to be born. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express" (Romans 8:26, NIV).

As you seek to discern and do God's will, ask the following questions:

Will this course of action use my gifts, talents, and passions?

How has my previous experience prepared me for this task?

Will this new opportunity cause me to be more loving?

Is this an expansion of my influence for God?

Will I feel more fulfilled and have a greater sense of inner peace?

Who will benefit from my actions?

What will it cost me and my family?

Is this a time sensitive opportunity?

We often complicate the business of knowing God's will, but His word is clear: "And You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13, NKJV) Those who seek and ask, hear His voice. The devotional stories in this book, illustrate how others have heard God's call and heeded his voice. My prayer is that you, too, will learn to recognize God's voice so that you will be able to both discern and to do his will." (pg 9-10).

In this wonderful inspirational book, My Father's Business connects some well known celebrities and tells us their personal story of how they were able to discern what God's will was for them in their own lives despite what others felt about their decision. For example the story of Walt Disney following his dream to build a magical theme park for families. He had it all planned out in his head, but those around him saw it as merely a large piece of dirt and sage filled land. Walt had to help them "see" his vision. Along with this story that reader is taken into the Bible, to the prophet Joel who spoke of a vision he had when God would pour out His Spirit on His people and infuse them with new visions. As the conclusion of each chapter, there are some study questions for the reader to dig into the Bible deeper for more understanding on what it means to work towards God's will in your life and some opportunities to pray for others along the way.

I received My Father's Business by Eddie Jones compliments of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, The Kindred and The Vessel Project for my honest review. I've always been a fan of using short stories like Jesus used parables to define life lessons for us. These stories that Eddie Jones have compiled are much like modern day parables for us to discern and move us forward in finding out what God's will is for us in our own lives. This can be used for individual or small group Bible study's or merely for your own enjoyment. There are numerous quotes from Oswald Chambers at the beginning of each chapter to inspire you to further introspection. I easily rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on My Father's Business,Eddie Jones, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

My Father's Business by Eddie Jones

You can also find Eddie Jones on Facebook by clicking here. 

To read more reviews from The Vessel Project by clicking here. 

Beyond the Rapids - Giveaway and Review

Imagine you are a believer living in a communist country. You live with the knowledge that anytime you could be imprisoned, tortured, or killed simply because you are a Christian.

Beyond the Rapids by Evelyn Puerto is the true story of Ukrainian pastor Alexei Brynza and his wife, Valentina, who endured persecution in a culture that was hostile to their faith as they struggled to raise their four children as believers.

From the Great Terror of the 1930s to the time when believing in Christ is no longer a crime, this close knit Ukranian family quietly persisted through the years, trusting God for everything. The Brynza's children, forced to choose between God and the communist system, wrestled with temptations of ambition, popularity, love and wealth. For periods of their lives, one or more gave in. But God heard the faithful prayers of Alexei and Valentina, and eventually the Bryzna family was able to not only survive while serving God, but to thrive. Their son in law, Igor Yaremchuk, adds his own testimony of coming to Christ with the help of miracles and atheistic propaganda.

I received this amazing book of the Bryzna's testimony of God's faithfulness in all circumstances compliments of the author Evelyn Puerto for my honest review. I loved this book, not only based on all the details of just how difficult life was for the whole family but in knowing my own friends that have immigrated here from the Ukraine and knowing personally from them just how difficult life was for them being Christians.

The book details how difficult it was for them and how many times God came through for them in miraculous ways. One of them was when Valentina had developed a painful lump in her left breast, not only had it doubled in size but turned black and green and developed a horrible smell. She prayed to God to help save her because she couldn't imagine her children enduring life without her. When she realized was a foolish prayer it was to God saying that she doubted His ability to care for her children without her presence, she changed that prayer.

As she prepared for surgery to remove that breast, she felt a peace in her heart. As the doctors performed her biopsy to see how difficult the tumor was, all that came out was pus. There was nothing left to remove and surgery wasn't necessary after all. There are so many examples of just how God constantly showed His hand to this amazing family and just how it strengthened and challenged their faith.

This book rates a 5 out of 5 stars! I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to build their faith and make it stronger. Sometimes just seeing difficulties in others is such an encouragement in our own lives and shows us that God really does love and care for all of us. As you sail through your own torrents in your life, God will meet you right where you are and guide you to the smooth water beyond the rapids.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of this book, click on the title below:

Beyond the Rapids by Evelyn Puerto

Thanks to the generosity of Evelyn Puerto, she has agreed to offer a giveaway copy to one lucky reader of this blog. Here are your guidelines:

1. Be a follower of Reviews From The Heart.

2. You must be a resident of the US or have a US shipping address.

3. I must have a way to contact you if you are the lucky winner, so please provide your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols and please include it with your comment.

4. Leave me a comment and tell me why you'd love to win a copy of this book. The giveaway will end on February 7th. I will notify the winner via email at that time.

Which None Can Shut

Imagine a place where becoming a Christian is a punishable crime—and your own family exacts the punishment. Where those who spread the gospel among locals are deported if discovered. Where converts to Christianity face persecution, isolation, or even death as the price for their faith.

“Reema Goode” and her family are Christians working in a closed Middle Eastern country where all of these things are true. Yet they are also firsthand witnesses of a whole new trend that is taking shape in missions to Muslims. Despite all obstacles, God is opening miraculous doors in the Islamic world, where an unprecedented number of Muslims are becoming followers of Jesus.

In this powerful collection of personal stories, Reema takes us deep inside her Arab neighborhood to show how God is opening doors in just one of many Islamic communities. As she walks us through everyday life in a Muslim town, she reveals the diverse, creative, unexpected, and thrilling ways God is reaching her neighbors with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it.”—Revelation 3:8

My Review:

In seems in recent days that there has been so much discussion in pertaining to the Muslim world and this book addresses all those very issues. Reema Goode felt a calling from God on her life to take the message of God into the parts of the world where the largest number of people needed to hear it and weren't. This led her to the Middle East. She ventured along with her husband Mike and for the past several years have led many people from the Muslim world to the truth in Jesus Christ.

The book takes those down to earth stories from Reema and Mike and translates them to us to show how God uniquely used every day situations from a car not starting to a woman who was going to die with a brain tumor to lead them to Jesus.

I received this book Which None Can Shut by Reema Goode compliments of Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review and found it eye opening. Sometimes we don't know where to begin to share our testimony with others but in seeing the many ways Mike and Reema did, it has encouraged me to share mine more with people I come into contact with everyday. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about how to talk to Muslims about God in a personal way.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy, click on the link below:

Which None Can Shut

You Changed My Life

Kind people not only say Good Morning, they make the coffee.

You've met them. Your life is probably better because of them.

They're the people who make life nicer, more beautiful...and for some, bearable. They're real people with remarkable hearts. People whose unselfish generosity wraps a strong arm around your shoulders and walks you from brink of despair to the axis of hope.

They give whether anyone notices or not. They sacrifice without being asked. They give up personal dreams for the sake of others.

What would we do without them? Let's hope we never have to. What can we do for them? Let's recognize what they've done and give them a medal of gratefulness. Let's say, "Thank you!" (excerpt back cover).

My Review:

What a wonderful breath of inspiration as always in a gift book from Max Lucado, called simply, You Changed My Life, Stories of Real People with Remarkable Hearts. This wonderful hardcover book is a gift book of all the wonderful stories we have all come to love and know as we have read through Max Lucado's books.

Here's a classic short story of just what you will find tuck inside this wonderful book:

Chapter 1 - Changed by Love

Confident of Dad's Love

Dropping a fly ball may not be a big deal to most people, but if you are thirteen years old and have aspirations of the big leagues, it is a big deal. Not only was it my second error of the game, it allowed the winning run to score.

I didn't even go back to the dugout. I turned around in the middle of left field and climbed over the fence. I was halfway home when my dad found me. He didn't say a word. Just pulled over to the side of the road, leaned across the seat, and opened the passenger door. We didn't speak. We didn't need to. We both knew the world had come to an end.

When we got home, I went straight to my room, and he went straight to the kitchen. Presently he appeared in front of me with cookies and milk. He took a seat on the bed and we broke bread together. Somewhere in the dunking of the cookies I began to realize that life and my father's love would go on. In the economy of male adolescence, if you love the guy who drops the ball, then you really love him. My skill as a baseball player didn't improve, but my confidence in Dad's love did. Dad never said a word. But he did show up. He did listen up.

I received this amazing book, compliments of Thomas Nelson publishers for my honest review and think this would be a wonderful way to say thank you to a friend or family member. I would even think this would make a wonderful graduation gift to someone who is graduating from school or to someone who has really changed your life!

If you would like more information about this book, the author or where to purchase a copy, please click on the title of the book below:

You Changed My Life

A Friend In The Storm

Want to share God's hope with a hurting friend?

How does A Friend in the Storm by Cheryl Ricker encourage others?

It addresses readers' deepest questions and feelings. "God, if you're so loving, why did you let this happen?"

What's more, it offers Christ's patient answers as He identifies with their pain.

Describing His own love and suffering, Christ paints a big-picture perspective of time and eternity, always drawing people closer to experience His love.

As readers visit with God in A Friend in the Storm, they will:

Ponder truth distilled from over forty essential hope-related topics,
Be a peace that God is helping their suffering loved ones,
Learn to trust God and find inner healing,
Be softened by Christ's compelling explanations of life,
Desire heaven, and know with certainty it's their eternal home, and
Enjoy a non-threatening gift they can share with others.

In tough times we turn to the Psalms because poetry is so personal, powerful and pure.

Soothing words from Christ's point of view dispel people's disillusionment by fanning reader's faith to hope in God's sovereignty, mystery, and perfect timing.

Here is just a sample of what you will find inside this wonderful gift book:

Why?

Why would a God who loves so strong
allow this blow of senseless wrong
enwrap me in this shock of pain
that tries to snuff what's kept me sane?

With failing strength, I'm struck down low,
so where's this peace supposed to flow?
Inside this hole where dreaming dies
beneath bare groans and screaming cries?

What a wonderful thing to know, to remember,
to remind yourself of when you feel overwhelmed with
busyness or with pain. You don't have to come to
him quiet. You just need to come to him. - Emilie Barnes

I pour out my complain before him;
before him I tell my trouble. - Psalm 142:2

I received this wonderfully refreshing book, A Friend in the Storm, by Cheryl Ricker, compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I think everyone would love to have this simply gift book to have when life hands us the unexpected or as a gift to a friend enduring their own personal storm. What a comfort and encouragement it is to draw comfort not only from a poem but a personal scripture that goes right to the heart of what that person is experiencing and drawing them closer to God who understands exactly what we are going through.

For more information on this book, the author or where to purchase a copy of this book for yourself, click on the title of the book below:

A Friend In The Storm

You can also visit Cheryl at her website www.AFriendInTheStorm.com