Stumbling Souls: Is Love Enough?

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to lose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? ~ Isaiah NIV

What does it look like when believers dare to radically love those who are the hardest to love but most desperate to be loved?

In Stumbling Souls, former Army captain and recent seminary graduate, Chris Plekenpol tells the compelling story of his interactions with a homosexual, HIV-positive, homeless man, James. Chris asks James to move in with him, and then Chris and his friends try to help James get back on his feet. In reality, James helps Chris get back on his feet by finding out what happens when believers risk living out their faith in a tangible way. (excerpt back cover).

This was a great true story accounting what all of us at one time or another have thought about doing but don't do. Take in a homeless person. Why? Because it's what we are called to do throughout the Bible, but too often we would rather hand out a few spare dollars and feel better as if we have dramatically changed someone's circumstances.

This is just what Christ and his Bible Study decided to do upon inviting James to their church. It's to show one man that he isn't going to be judged but the love of Jesus within them all. It's not just about a free meal or a few dollars, but when Chris offers a place for James to stay, he has to wrestle with the decision if he has truly done the right thing.

I love how this book turns out in a series of twists and turns, judgments and accusations with James and Chris and without spoiling it, have to say get the book. It will really make you truly wonder if the church we are a part of is truly doing what it preaches!

I was offered this book compliments of B & B Media Group in exchange for my honest and humble review. For more information about this book, the author or where to pick up a copy for a church Bible study, click on the link below:

http://www.stumblingsouls.com

Gripped by Fear or Compelled by Love?

Author Chris Plekenpol shows how living Christ’s love isn’t always clean, neat, or safe.

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX—Imagine inviting a homeless, jobless, HIV positive stranger off the street into your inner circle of friends, your closest community, your home? For most, if not for all of us, that would be way outside of our comfort zone, and yet that is exactly what former Army captain and seminary student Chris Plekenpol did. In Stumbling Souls: Is Love Enough? (Authentic, May 2010), Plekenpol shares his unexpected journey from “learning Christ to living Christ” as he reaches out to a homeless man who happened on a newcomers’ meeting at the author’s home church.

What follows his introduction to James is an adventure of twists and turns as Plekenpol tries to minister and change this man’s life, only to find that, through it all, he too is changed. With authenticity Plekenpol tells of his inner struggle over whether to invite this man to live with him, learning to serve with no thanks, discovering what it means to really help another person and how to give a hand up to those who need it, and, above all, the scary messiness of living by faith.

“I went from a Christian ideologue to a person who has an understanding of life on the streets and an understanding of how Christ makes believers righteous on the basis of grace, by means of faith,” writes Plekenpol. “I have a deeper love for the lost. I have a better grasp at how rotten I can be in my own sufficiency. There wasn’t just one stumbling soul in this book; my sins were pretty apparent, and God is still working on my selfishness and pride. I know that with God all things are possible.”

From a surprise trip to a theme park and timely help from a stranger to a late night search when James goes missing, the adventure is a roller coaster ride with an unexpected twist. In the end, Plekenpol challenges readers and leaves them with practical ideas that everyone can use to begin to live by faith in service to others.

Plekenpol is a 1999 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. After completing seven years with the U.S. Army, he attended Dallas Theological Seminary, where he graduated in 2010 with a Th.M. with an emphasis in media. An irresistible communicator, Plekenpol has a dynamic speaking ministry. After his experience retold in Stumbling Souls: Is Love Enough?, the author was led to join the movement and ministry I Am Second, where he serves as the conference director and community organizer. He intends to use the rest of his days on earth to reach as many people as possible with the gospel of Christ, hopefully by pastoring a dynamic, culturally engaged church.

Stumbling Souls: Is Love Enough? by Chris Plekenpol

Biblica, May 2010

ISBN: 978-1-93406-821-2/240 pages/softcover/$14.99

www.stumblingsouls.com

Become a fan of Chris Plekenpol on Facebook.

Let's Go To The Hop

ABOUT THE HOP:

In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new book-related blogs that we may be missing out on! This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed! So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun! This is a weekly event! And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added! We get nearly 200 links every week!!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

If you start following someone through the Hop, leave a comment on their blog to let them know! Stop back during the week to see other blogs that are added! And, most importantly, the idea is to HAVE FUN!!

DISCLAIMER:
The Hop isn't just for you to throw your link in there and not visit any other blogs. It's all about networking and finding new blogs that are of interest. So, in the spirit of the Hop, try to make some time to visit other blogs and don't post your link if you are not planning on visiting other blogs in the Hop that week. This is a weekly event, so if you don't have time this week, that's fine! We'll see you next week!

I LOVE this meme! I have some wonderful people who share the love of reading! Thank you Jennifer for hosting the weekly meme! Go here to link up!

Seeds of Summer

My Review:

You know my favorite genre books by now if you've been reading my book reviews for quite some time, Christian western fiction! Have I roped up another winning book for all of you to really enjoy. I can imagine getting immersed in this one, sitting on a ranch spread overlooking heads of cattle while seated on my faithful horse. Yup it's that good.

Seeds of Summer by Deborah Vogts is from the Seasons of the Tallgrass series and in this novel we find ourselves knee deep in ranching trouble with Natalie Adams. Following the unexpected death of her father and earlier death of her mom years before, she finds herself thrown into managing a 5600 acre cattle ranch with only the help of her younger brother Dillon and sister, Chelsey. With a lazy hired hand Tom and a retired Vietnam vet Willard, she wonders how a runner up Rodeo Queen can handle this ranch with no money in the bank.

Meanwhile the church has recently acquired a new pastor, Jared from the city, who wonders if helping Natalie at the ranch is his mission while in town. Lucky for him he's fond of Dillon and enjoys fishing in the river as much as he does. When Natalie searches for her constantly wayward brother, she comes across the pastor and Dillon fishing. Is this a chance encounter for love or simply God's divine way of answering Natalie's prayer for help?

Another 10 out of 10 and again read it in a day it's that good and I didn't want to put it down. All the way to the end I found the book amazing and inspiring as Natalie is put to the ultimate challenges in raising a family of her siblings and running the ranch while trying to find out where God fits in to it all. Oh how I wish they would make books like this into movies or at least Hallmark classics. This is a great book and one for pre-teens and up.

I was provided with a copy of this book compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance in return for my humble and honest review. Trust me, add this one to your library.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Seeds of Summer Zondervan (May 25, 2010)

by

Deborah Vogts





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A word from Deborah:



If you haven't guessed by now, the books I write are set in the country. I believe my most dedicated readers will be those who live in the country, those who have moved from the country and still hold it in their hearts, or those who have never lived there but long for the simple life it offers. Because of this, I've chosen Country at Heart as my writing brand, which is also the title of my Blog.

On Writing: http://deborahvogts.blogspot.com/



I began my first book when I was in high school. In college I studied English literature and journalism. Then came marriage, kids . . . life. During that time, I piddled with my writing but didn't take it seriously until 2002 when I joined a local writer's group and American Christian Fiction Writers. I also joined a critique group, took online writing workshops, read writing book how-to's and attended writer's conferences. Now I have an agent, Rachelle Gardner, at WordServe Literary and have been contracted with Zondervan for a three-book contemporary romance series.



The Seasons of the Tallgrass series captures the spirit and dreams of ordinary people living in the Flint Hills of Kansas--one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world.



The first book, Snow Melts in Spring, is available in stores now. Seeds of Summer released May 2010.





ABOUT THE BOOK

When opposites attract, sparks fly--like an electrical malfunction. That's what happens when former rodeo queen, Natalie Adams meets the new pastor in Diamond Falls.



Upon the death of her father, Natalie returns to the Flint Hills to raise her two half-siblings and run the family ranch, giving up her dreams for the future. She soon realizes her time in college and as Miss Rodeo Kansas is not enough to break the bonds that held her as a girl.



Jared Logan, a new pastor in Diamond Falls, is set on making a good impression to his first congregation, but finds that change doesn't come easy for some people. In fact, most in his congregation are set against it. Natalie and her troubled family provide an outlet for his energy and soon become his personal mission project.



Having raised her stepbrother and sister from an early youth, Natalie's self-sufficient nature isn't inclined to accept help, especially from a city-boy do-gooder like Jared Logen. Though attracted to him, there's no way she'd ever consider being a pastor's wife. Bible studies and bake sales just aren't her thing.



Jared repeatedly comes to Natalie's rescue, forcing her to see him with new eyes. At the same time, Jared's plan to plant Christ's word in Natalie's heart backfires when he loses his own heart to this wayward family. When problems arise in his congregation, he must face his greatest fears---of letting down God, his congregation, or those he loves. His time with Natalie has shown him the importance of standing by those you love, a lesson he chose to ignore in order to please his father years ago.



This is put to the test when Natalie faces a battle of custody of her half-siblings against the mother who abandoned them twelve years ago. Natalie's fight for the children turns into a fight for custody of her heart as she learns the true meaning of unconditional love. In turn, Jared must decide which dreams are his own---and whether Natalie is part of those dreams.



If you would like to read the Prologue and first chapter of Seeds of Summer, go

HERE.

The Six Liter Club

Camille Weller has arrived as the first African-American attending in the trauma service of the Medical College of Virginia. Never mind that the locker rooms are labeled "doctors" and "nurses" rather than "men" and "women" or that her dark skin communicates "incapable" to many of her white male colleagues in the OR. Camille has battled prejudices her entire career, but those battles were small spats compared to what she faces now.

When a colleague discovers a lump in her breast, she believes Dr. Camille Weller is the best doctor for her. Together, they decide on a course of treatment that bucks the established medical system, keeping Camille firmly in the crosshairs of male surgeons already riddled with skepticism and suspicion.

Her success as a surgeon is jeopardized further when dark whispers from her childhood in Africa plague Camille's thoughts. Bewildering panic attacks instill fear in a surgeon bent on maintaining the control, pace, and direction of her own life. Unable to shake the flashes of memory, Camille is forced to face a past she has not acknowledged since the death of her father on an African mission field. Who was he? Who was she? And why would either of those answers affect her present? (excerpt from back cover).

My Review:

In the book, the Six Liter Club, by Harry Kraus, MD, I absolutely loved the story from page one. It's a story similar to an episode of your favorite medical show with more drama and intensity than I have seen in a medical fiction novel in quite some time. It holds your interest in every single page!

The Six Liter Club is a prestigious club on men who have saved the lives of patients that have lost six liters of blood and still lived. Today, Camille becomes not only the first woman, but also the first African American surgeon as well to join the "boy's club". She finally thinks this is what it will take for the men in the hospital to finally see the potential she brings as a trauma surgeon at the Medical College of Virginia.

However during one private conversation, Camille learns the real reason behind her being hired and it doesn't have to do with her medical qualifications. Just how long will she last here? Odds are exactly in her favor. So does she have what it takes to outlast and prove her worth here or will she simply pack her bags and become a resident instead? Will the God she met on the missions field with her father, help her during this time of indecision?

This book was amazing and I read it in one sitting. I wasn't able to predict my way through this book and found the ending humorous, tearful, and surprising uplifting. I only hope that Harry Kraus, MD, the author decides to create a sequel for this novel.

I received this book, compliments of Glass Roads Public Relations for my review and this is a must have for anyone's permanent library. I again rate this book 10 out of 10!

For more information on this book, the author and where to get your very own copy, click on the link below:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Six-Liter-Club/Harry-Kraus/e/9781416577973/?itm=2&USRI=the+six+liter+club

This book is available in paperback and eBook formats for your reading pleasure.

*************************************************************************************
UPDATE:

Due to the overwhelming responses on how much you all loved this book, Glass Roads is offering a giveaway copy to one lucky winner. Please NO P.O. Boxes and US or Canada residents only. Just be a follower of mine and post about this giveaway on your blog. That's all there is too it. The more people you tell, the more chances you have of winning this book.

Finding Jeena

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Finding Jeena Kregel Publications (March 8, 2010)

by

Miralee Ferrell





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In October 2007 Kregel Publications published The Other Daughter with excellent reviews. The Romantic Times Review magazine gave it Four out of Four and a half stars, with a very strong review. Two different major motion picture studios are currently considering the book as a possible family movie, and my second book in the series (Past Shadows) is on my publishers desk being reviewed for a possible contract offer now.



In February of 2009, Love Finds You in Last Chance, California was published by Summerside Press and Finding Jeena released in March 2010 from Kregel Publications.



Miralee Ferrell lives in Washington with Allen, her husband of more than 37 years, ans has two grown children. She serves on staff at her local church ans is actively involved in ministry to women.









ABOUT THE BOOK

Jeena Gregory thought she’d made it. She has everything a woman could ask for and a budding career promises more. But when rumors around town cast her boss in a shady light, Jeena starts to question her employer’s integrity. Was she wrong to trust this man and this job?



When the boss disappears, salaries go unpaid, and Jeena overhears several hush-hush phone calls, she realizes her carefully crafted world is crumbling. Shaken to the core at the threat of losing everything, Jeena is suddenly confronted with her prejudices─and with a God she had long forgotten.



If you would like to read an excerpt of Finding Jeena, go HERE.

My Review:

I have to say this book really touched my heart because of where my family finds itself these days. This book made me cry in so many ways, for the life Jenna had to uncover along her way as well as the saving grace that God offers to anyone who truly comes to love and accept Him. It really is life changing. The character of Jeena is well written and one that any reader can relate to no matter what road you are on in life, one of prosperity or one of great loss. This book truly deals with everything that life throws our way and it's through Jeena's walk that we can see the hope what our outcomes can truly be.

I highly recommend this book to anyone facing any uncertainty in life due to the inspiring message of hope and grace it brings along the way. I was provided with a complimentary copy of the book to review by Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and can't recommend it highly enough. Though the circumstances in the book are hard to accept and deal with from Jeena's perspective, it does show you the light at the end of the tunnel that can be ours to enjoy. This book is available in paperback.

P.F. Changs Home Menu Meals for 2

I was recently contacted by email from Unilever based on a blog post I did, while getting my book signed by Joyce Meyer. In it, I shared how much I enjoyed P.F. Chang's food that night and she wanted to know if I wanted to try the newly released P.F. Chang's Home Menu Meals for 2 now in the frozen food section of the local grocery store to review.

How could I say No, knowing how much I enjoy their food. So last night I made Shrimp in Garlic Sauce with a side of fried rice. Can you say, "Amazing!"

It was so simple too. Not realizing how late the time had become, I thought about something quick and easy to make and remembered, I had recently purchased this during my last grocery shopping trip. Reading the directions straight from the freezer, all I had to do was add the ingredients to a hot skillet and cover for 10 minutes. After that, remove the lid and stir for 3 more minutes just to let the sauce thicken.

Meanwhile I made some rice, added some fried eggs, soy sauce and butter and served it alongside the meal for the three of us. Trust me there was enough even though it states its clearly for two. In all honestly, it was as good as anything I could have ordered from P.F. Chang's and I made it so quick and to the table in under 15 minutes. This is perfect for moms who want something quick and easy but not filled full of fat and unhealthy. Served with a side of rice makes the perfect meal.

I received a coupon compliments of Unilever to review and try any of the eight varieties that P.F. Chang's makes available from Orange Chicken to Sweet and Sour Chicken. I chose the Shrimp with Garlic Sauce. They retail at $ 8.99 but mine was on sale for $ 7.99 but with my coupon it was FREE! Like I said, its well worth the money to feed your family something you know is healthy, nutritious and fast in 15 minutes from freezer to table.

To make this review even sweeter, I am offering one of my lucky readers the chance to try it for themselves. Simply go to http://www.pfchangshomemenu.com/ and tell me which meal you're likely to try and then on June 18th, I'll draw one lucky winner. This contest is for US and Canada residents only and NO P.O. Boxes please.

Life After Yes Review and Giveaway

About Life After Yes

This is the story of Quinn—born Prudence Quinn O’Malley—a confused young Manhattan attorney who loses her father on that tragic September morning that changed everything. Now, at an existential crossroads in her life, Quinn must confront impossible questions about commitment and career, love and loss. Her idealistic beau desperately wants a wedding, and whisks her away to Paris just to propose. But then Quinn has a dream featuring judges and handcuffs and Nietzsche and Britney . . . and far too many grooms. Suddenly, her future isn’t so clear. Quinn’s world has become a minefield of men—some living, some gone, and traversing it safely is going to take a lot more than numerous glasses of pinot grigio.

Life After Yes is a blisteringly honest, thoroughly modern tale of life and love in chaos, marking the arrival of a truly exciting new voice in contemporary fiction.

About Aidan Donnelley Rowley

Aidan Donnelley Rowley is a graduate of Yale University and Columbia Law School who writes about life as a mother and writer on her blog Ivy League Insecurities (www.ivyleagueinsecurities.com). She was born and raised in New York City, where she lives with her husband and two young daughters.

Follow Aidan on Twitter: @ADonnRowley

Connect with Aidan on Facebook: Aidan Donnelley Rowley

Aidan Donnelley Rowley TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Tuesday, May 18th: Life and Times of a “New” New Yorker

Thursday, May 20th: Confessions of a Bookaholic

Monday, May 24th: Books Like Breathing

Wednesday, May 26th: Luxury Reading

Thursday, May 27th: Rundpinne

Wednesday, June 2nd: Cindy’s Love of Books

Thursday, June 3rd: Write Meg

Monday, June 7th: Crazy for Books

Tuesday, June 8th: Heart 2 Heart

Wednesday, June 9th: Thoughts From an Evil Overload

Thursday, June 10th: Book Club Classics!

My Review: As with all my book reviews I have promised to provide an honest review in my own opinion and while the story between the lines is great, as a Christian reviewer with many readers who feel the same as I do, I have to say that this book shares a great deal of profanity. It may not bother some but I have to say it did bother me. Halfway through the book, in my opinion the book is very graphic in it's ability to share the intimate details of the sex life of Sage's and Quinn's life in the bedroom, as well as a man she barely knows who loses his phone in her lap during a cab ride in NYC.

The story is basically what some women may fear once they say I do, after the initial proposal and then second guess themselves through their day to day experiences and wonder if they did the right thing by saying Yes. The book is based in NYC just after 9/11 as Quinn has lost her father and therefore has to deal with losing her father while making sure she is doing the right thing for her life. She sees marriage as a one time thing and wants to make sure she is doing the right thing.

I received this book compliments of TLC Book Tours and looking past the material contained within the pages, I found the story to be very real to the things many women would experience.

I am providing a copy of the book as a giveaway if you leave a comment and are a follower of this blog. Please NO P.O. Boxes and residents of the US and Canada only. The giveaway ends on June 16th.