Postmark: Christmas

One of my favorite past times is to enjoy celebrating the Christmas season with a great book. Yet sometimes you find something a bit more amazing when you pick one up, much like I did, when reaching for Postmark: Christmas, I found a delightful and charming collection of 4 short Christmas romance stories all in one, centering around four different encounters in the town of Christmas, Florida. Each of the authors, Paige Winship Dooly, Darlene Franklin, Kathleen E. Kovach, and Paula Moldenhauer, each create a heartwarming romance story set with the town of Christmas, Florida as the background just as a Christmas festival is slated for the residents.

In the first story, Home for Christmas from Paige Winship Dooly, we immediately meet Stella McCall who has been hired as the event planner by Brick Myer to put together the town's Christmas festival. Stella's a seasoned road warrior who spends her life moving from town to town in her RV whenever the jobs call for her to plan a local event. Since most of her family has passed away, her only traveling companion is her GPS, she has affectionately named Roger. When she misses her exit, she finds herself trapped in deep sand trying to turn her RV around and she is rescued by none other than Brick Myer and his young son Seth. Has love trapped Stella in the town of Christmas for all the right reasons?

The next story in this collection is Merry Christmas, with Love from Darlene Franklin. Here we meet a young widowed mother, Randi Pearson, who has spent the last 5 years reaching out to service men and women sending them cards and letters as reminders that they are not forgotten. When she arrives to volunteer at the post office run by her mother, she meets fellow volunteer Major Troy Brennan, who has just retired from the army. He is seeking to find the lady who owns Box 1 at the post office because he believes God has planned for them to be together. It's through this woman's faithful correspondence that got his through his last tour and longs to tell her so. Will their fate be sealed with a Christmas card?

A Blessed Angel by Kathleen E. Kovach is the delightful third story in this collection. Gabi Archer works at Jungle Adventures Nature Park and dreams of falling in love with a man with an adventurous heart, that's why she's so attracted to Captain Ron, a co-worker who tells the most amazing stories of his adventures abroad, but when her friend Naylene, believes that they are just fabricated stories designed to entice the customers, she pushes her to find a real adventurer. In to the gift store walks David Preston, a national photographer who has been using his love of photography to bring the unseen life in nature into peoples lives through his pictures in National Geographic and other magazines and books. But it's his gentle heart that Gabi sees in interacting with her disabled sister, Jerica, who was hit by a drunk driver when she was a baby. Will David's past come back to spoil his hunt for love with Gabi?

The final story, You're a Charmer, Mr. Grinch by Paula Moldenhauer takes the reader back to meet Edie Hathaway, the postmaster of the local post office, and Randi's mother from the story Merry Christmas, with Love, who is being pursued by Rick Stanton, retired policeman, who is attempting to charm his way into Edie's heart. In fact, the whole town knows of his infatuation with Edie but it seems like Edie want's to keep him at arms length. What will it take to melt her heart and fall in love again?

I received Postmark: Christmas by these wonderful talented women compliments of Barbour Publishing and Net Galley for my honest review. This will be one of those books that I will continue to read as the Christmas season approaches to get into the Christmas spirit. Each of these heartwarming stories brings the people of Christmas, Florida together in a perfect blend of romance and the Spirit of the season. I easily rate this a 5 out of 5 stars and thinks it's the perfect book to read on a cold, night before a fire. For fans of Christmas Romance Fiction, this is a must read!

For more information on Postmark: Christmas, the talented group of women authors, and where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

Postmark: Christmas by Paige Winship Dooly, Darlene Franklin, Kathleen E. Kovach, and Paula Moldenhauer

Susanna's Christmas Wish

Susanna Wagler is trying hard to move forward and hoping to leave her past behind. But when your heart has been badly broken, it's hard to find ways to mend it again. She gave her heart many years ago to Matthew Yoder, who loved her and brought out all the goodness and love she had to offer. She believed after so many years of getting to really know him, that they would be married. In fact, when he asked, she was more than willing and ready to say yes. But little did she know that that simple answer would cause Matthew to realize he didn't really love her as much as she loved him. He left Susanna behind and went to live among the English. Now Matthew's been banned and Susanna has wondered if she could ever learn to love again.

Herman Wagler had waited most of his life for opportunity to present itself with Susanna. However, this was not the opportunity he had in mind, when he would spend months trying to find ways to heal her broken heart and restore the love she had inside. She did agree to marry him, but her heart just wasn't there. He hoped in time, she could come to love her as much as she loved him. But they were both raised to accept certain family traditions. For Susanna, her family celebrated Christmas as the English did on December 25th, while his family held on to the beliefs that it should be celebrated on January 6th. When Susanna asked him about spending time with her family on Christmas, Herman reminded Susanna that now that they were married, they would be establishing their own traditions and he would follow in the way he was raised and forbid Susanna to spend time with her family.

In the novel by Jerry Eicher, Susanna's Christmas Wish, invites the reader into a difficult time for newlyweds, Herman and Susanna Wagler. While this is just one of the many situations causing them conflict, Susanna is trying to fight her feelings of love and realizes, she loves Herman differently than she did Matthew. She knows she has to push back her past and try to find ways to really love Herman like she should and life suddenly becomes more complicated when Matthew comes to visit his family and is hoping Susanna's feelings for him, haven't changed.

I received Susanna's Christmas Wish compliments of Harvest House Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review. I am a huge fan of Christmas books and especially Amish romance novels, so when the opportunity presented itself to review this one, I knew I would enjoy it. I was not disappointed and truly admire Susanna's character. The choices she makes are admirable even despite not getting her way with trying to please her new husband, Herman. It shows that not all of our life choices are easy, but with grace and doing the right thing, great blessings can come from them. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on Susanna's Christmas Wish, Jerry Eicher, or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Susanna's Christmas Wish by Jerry Eicher

You can also follow Jerry Eicher on Facebook, by clicking here. 

Walk with Me

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Walk with Me River North; New Edition edition (September 1, 2012) by Annie Wald

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Along with being the author of Walk With Me (forthcoming September 2012, River North/Moody), my fiction has been published in numerous journals including Image, The Southern Review and The North American Review and included in the anthology series, Not Safe But Good, edited by Bret Lott and published by Thomas Nelson. I’m also the author of a young adult novel, The Counterfeit Collection (Tyndale) and I’ve written feature articles for many publications such as Guideposts, Leadership, and Partnership.
Before writing full-time, I worked in book publishing as an acquisitions editor and then as Editor-in-Chief at Princeton University Press. Since 2000, I’ve lived in Morocco where my husband is the pastor of Rabat International Church. We have two married daughters and four delightful grandchildren.

A Word from Annie:

If you still want to know more about me, you may be interested to learn:
On the Myers-Briggs scale, I’m not an I for introvert. I’m an H for hermit.
But I’ve been known to say, “We’re having a small gathering; only 10 people.”
I love Easter sunrise services in cemeteries.
I live on the west coast — of Africa.
My favorite Moroccan meal: Zahara’s beef couscous with raisin sauce, and tchouchouka.
J’adore le francais.
I once told God I’d marry anyone except the man who became my husband.
I prefer to make things up rather than do research, although I have been described as an ‘infomaniac’.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Peter and Celeste choose to travel as one on the lifelong journey to the King's City
. They are blissfully in love and bound to each other by the Cords of Commitment.
Shortly after visiting the Moon of Honey they discover that the journey proves
much more difficult than they expected. When they find themselves laboring
through the Swamp of Selfishness, crossing the dismal Plains of Distance, and
nearly becoming separated by the River of Unfaithfulness, their love for each
other and for the King is challenged. They must choose whether to continue on
together, not knowing if they can be warmed again by the Kindling of Affection,
or visit the Valley of Cut Cords to journey alone once more.

If you'd like to read a chapter excerpt of Walk with Me, go 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. 

Two Destinies

Sometimes as Christians we feel our faith is a difficult path to follow at times. When we are confronted with people who don't agree with our beliefs or find ourselves the brunt of jokes from people, we feel we are facing persecution. But I honestly believe the hardest stand to take is one where you life is at risk and taking a risk to become a believer of Jesus instead of what your culture and family would want for you is the biggest cross to bear. When the sentence is death for your beliefs much like the early church days were for the apostles that followed Jesus Christ.

In the latest novel, Two Destinies by Elizabeth Musser, faith is about to be tested in ways we probably would never imagine. Rislene Namani was raised a Muslim with a strong family belief in Islam, living in Algeria. But lately she sees that her family is beginning to change in ways that seem a bit extreme based on her beliefs and she sees them becoming more rigid in their ways. She learns about Jesus Christ through a chance meeting and when she does, she realizes that He is the answer she has been searching for. But if she were to tell her family, her father and younger sister would punish her severely. Much worse, the punishment for possessing a Bible is death and one she tries hard to make sure is hidden well. However when a nosy sister, begins believing that Rislene is up to no good, she uncovers the Bible hidden between her mattress and informs her father. As Rislene tries to explain, her father harshly slaps her and forbids her to continue in this manner. Rislene has no choice but to run away. Not only that, she has fallen in love with an Christian American man. Will she be able to continue in her new found faith or will she become one of the many martyrs for Jesus Christ?

Eric Hoffmann knows he must keep the love he has in his heart hidden for if anyone found out, not only would harm come to Rislene from her family and country but his life would be at risk. Eric knows all to much what the punishment is for Muslims who convert to Christianity if they are exposed. Even now Eric and other believers living in Algeria, have to make sure that the church meetings were kept hidden. If anyone discovered them, they could face severe persecution, punishment and death. The violence against believers has been increasing at an alarming rate in Algeria and it's one of the most hostile places to be. When Eric learns that Rislene's father has sent her to Algeria to visit her "ailing grandmother", he panics because he believes she is about to be forced into marriage against her will in order to force her to give up her beliefs in Jesus in an effort to control her.

I received Two Destinies by Elizabeth Musser compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and David C Cook for my honest review and have to say, it's been eye opening as a believer in Christ living in the US. It's hard for us sometimes to realize just how much others are truly persecuted in comparison to what we feel is difficult for us to endure in our faith. I've had the opportunity to meet a Muslim Christian and learn how difficult it truly is for them to give up everything, their culture, their way of life, even their families for the sake of following Jesus, and they gladly do it. There is hope even in sharing this novel with new Muslim Christians who are bound to be encouraged through this fictional series. For that reason I rate this novel a 5 out of 5 stars. This is the third book in the Secrets of the Cross Series and can be read as a stand alone. For those of you that would love to read the first two, begin with Two Crosses and then Two Testaments!

For more information on Two Destinies, Elizabeth Musser or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Two Destinies by Elizabeth Musser

You can also find Elizabeth Musser on Facebook by clicking here. 

To read more reviews on Two Destines from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance book tour, please click here. 

Guest Post: Where Ideas Gestate by Benjamin Kane Ethridge

WHERE IDEAS GESTATE
By Benjamin Kane Ethridge

            It’s interesting many people want to know where an author’s ideas come from. Did they have a vivid dream and happen on something by chance? Did they find a secret book bursting with fresh new material? Or did they steal the idea from a friend who didn’t have the ambition to write?

            I suppose any of these notions could be viable. Well, the book bursting with concepts is probably a stretch—while I’d definitely recommend reading some great authors in lieu of finding a magic cookbook. Really though, the answer to this question is boring. Where do ideas come from?

            Your brain.

Everybody has ideas. Case closed. How you recognize good ideas is more valuable to this discussion. Crazy concepts enter our minds and sometimes manifest into scenarios. Writers tend to immediately frame these as a larger story. Richard Matheson, for instance, was almost run off the road by a semi truck on a trip once. The truck driver wasn’t homicidal and yet…  what-if. Matheson’s near-accident was literary intercourse for his mind, and his short novel Duel, the resulting baby. 

            Was it a good idea for a story though? I say yes. But how do you distinguish the good from the bad?  Without being too wishy-washy, I’ll say that one can never know the answer until the story has been consumed and the verdict is in. However, judging from all the stories you’ve read or heard or watched, it’s easy to determine if it’s worthwhile in comparison.

            I thought of Matheson for my example because today I was almost rear-ended by a mysterious looking figure in a white van. This person had some type of white and blue head-wrap, possibly a religious garment. My mind, as soon as I knew I was safe, started immediately playing off that garment. That person was a lunatic driver, and yet, what if that wasn’t the whole truth… that head-wrap was strange—vaguely middle eastern, but nothing like I’d seen any culture wear. If that was a psycho back there, perhaps he’d invented his own religion. Maybe he’s a maniac that has all sorts of strange rules he lives by and practices a religion that only manifested in his mind?

            Has a story with a character like this been done before? Honestly, I don’t know. Probably, is always my first reaction.  Now, I’ll go a bit further, with some Brian Keene philosophy here: who cares if it’s been done before; the real question is, has it been done by me? I’ve never written anything about a delusional psychopath who invented his own religion, and more importantly, I’ve never read anything like that by anyone else. You never want to embrace a cliché, but if you do attempt a story with a familiar idea to others, at least you’re going at it from your own perspective. 

So make it seem like your own idea, regardless if you know it’s been done before. It’s all about what story you wish to tell, after all. The great ideas are born from the desire to tell them. Your DNA will run all through it, from cover to cover, and by the time people are reading and asking how you came up with the concept, you’ll vaguely recall the genesis, like a drunken tryst, but that baby will be alive and bawling, ready for the world.

With Every Letter

Some of my most favorite and memorable movies are the old classic black and white movies starring Jimmy Stewart, and one of them is The Shop Around The Corner. It set the precedent for the newer movie, You've Got Mail and also the premise and background for Sarah Sundin's latest novel, With Every Letter. This is the first in the Wings of the Nightingale Series and being a huge fan of WWII fiction novels, I knew I wanted to read this one.

The book introduces us to two very different but similar characters. The first is Lt. Philomela "Mellie" Blake who we meet as a nurse at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center carrying for her patients while awaiting a response to become a flight nurse for the upcoming Air Evacuation Group that was forming in Bowman Field in Kentucky. When the Army Air Force announced plans to train nurses to assist in air evacuation, Mellie had begged the chief for a recommendation. Flight nurses would fly into combat areas, load the wounded, and care for them in the air. They would be stationed all over the world, and she hoped even in the Pacific, close to her Papa, who went missing when the Japanese conquered the Philippines a few months earlier and she doesn't know his fate, but believes he is still alive.

Yet the biggest challenge facing Mellie is her lack of social skills in making friends. She can work magic caring for the patients she oversees but forming any long, lasting connection, is near to impossible for her. When she is asked by chief nurse to participate in a letter writing campaign to boost morale and encourage the men serving in the armed forces, she is more than fearful. If she can't maintain relationships with men or women, how can she possible participate in this. But with encouragement from her chief nurse, she willingly agrees and finds that perhaps she might be on her way to something that might open doors for her to finally make friends.

Lt. Thomas MacGilliver Jr is the lucky recipient of Mellie's attempt at friendship through the letter writing campaign and they both have been asked not to reveal any details or names but to keep the letter writing as professional and encouraging on both ends as possible. Thomas is made aware that the letter writers are flight nurses and that is about as personal to her identity that Mellie and Thomas can be. What he finds is a fellow soul mate that speaks the same language she does. He, too, has a difficult time making friends and finds that aside from leading a platoon of men into war, that is about as far as his relationships go as well. He also has a dark past that he is trying to escape from and with Mellie's help, he may finally put his ghosts from his past to rest once and for all. So he finds a true friend through his letter writing with Mellie and that is the true treasure of this book.

It shows how much a letter from someone can really encourage one another through the hardships and trials of war. What may start as a friendship may lead to something more as Mellie and Tom get to know one another without revealing too much and find a love that goes beyond mere words on a page. It's taking the movie premise of letter writing to a completely different and timeless level in this wonderful book and what happens along the way is worth reading this historical novel. I can't wait for the next book in this series. I received this novel, With Every Letter, compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and have to say this one rates a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. For those of you that love a great historical romance set in the midst of WW2, then you will truly LOVE this novel!

For more information on With Every Letter, Sarah Sundin or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

With Every Letter by Sarah Sundin

You can also become a fan of Sarah's by joining her on Facebook

Celebrate with Sarah by entering to win a eReader (winner's choice of Kindle Fire or Nook Color)!



See what folks are saying about With Every Letter!








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• A Kindle Fire or Nook Color (winner’s choice)


• Handmade With Every Letter First Aid Kit


• With Every Letter by Sarah Sundin

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 26th. Winner will be announced at the “With Every Letter” Author Chat Facebook Party on 9/27. Connect with Sarah, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at a trivia contest, and chat with readers just like yourself. There will also be gift certificates, books and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group)!



So grab your copy of With Every Letter and join Sarah on the evening of the September 27th for a chance to connect with Sarah and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book – don’t let that stop you from coming!)




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River's End

We all know at some point in our lives, chapters in our life stories must reach an end before new one's begin and that is just what happens in the conclusion to the Inn at the Shining Water Series of books by Melody Carlson, River's End. It's a book of some sadness, anxiety, hope and of course new waters to chart, but it is also filled with the most heartbreaking and sweetest goodbyes as well.

If you have followed the series from the beginning with River's Song, you learn about Anna's story and her Indian heritage and why the river holds a place for her people and offers any who come to live here a chance for healing and restoration. In River's Call, we learn about Anna's daughter Lauren and the healing of a broken relationship between Anna and Lauren, and finally now a grandmother in River's End, and the prodigal returning home of her missing granddaughter, Sarah who has gone without a trace for two years. She has answered the call of the river and came home.

Now as history repeats itself, mother and daughter are at odds and bitterness between the two continues to escalate as one tries to heal and the other tries find a path towards forgiveness. Each is trying too hard to make the other one see the path towards new beginnings as Sarah returns home from living in a commune in Oregon that seems to have inspired a bit of sadness and harbors grudges towards her mother for not being good enough while she was growing up. Lauren on the other hand wants nothing more than to apologize and move forward without recognizing the pain and hurt that Sarah is carrying within her heart, she wants the quick band aid fix but the pain goes much deeper than Lauren realizes.

As Anna tries to help them work together to find healing along the water by working at the Inn during the summer season, it only seems to do nothing more but cause each of them to avoid the other for the sake of not getting into heated confrontations, and drive them further apart. Anna's mother-in-law, Hazel, returns home from a long trip in China only to return home ill. Anna hopes some old-fashioned home made remedies might do her some good but soon we find out that Hazel's heart has grown much older than she feels and Anna and Clark along with some of the readers must find a way to say good-bye to a loveable character that has been so prominent from the very beginning. Will Lauren and Sarah find healing in the passing legacy Hazel has to leave behind, or will the river's call go unanswered between the two?

I received River's End compliments of Abingdon Press and Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review. In this series it shows the lasting consequences that can happen when we let bitterness poison our hearts and keep us from the opportunity to say our final good-byes to those we love the most. It shows how forgiveness isn't about letting someone off the hook for the pain they have caused, but more about the healing that happens within our own hearts when we can let the burden go and finally move forward in freedom spiritually. While the river I believe is a metaphor for the spiritual river all of us have running through our lives, we must all heed to its call and return home to God, for without it we will be left in a faithless drought and always be searching in thirst for something to fill it unless it's God. Only He can fill the emptiness in anyone's life and that's why I rate this series a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. Trust me, you'll want to read this series from the first book to gain all the insight you can from Melody Carlson's words!

For more information on River's End, Melody Carlson and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

River's End by Melody Carlson

You can also find Melody Carlson on Facebook!

Still Life in Shadows

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Still Life in Shadows River North; New Edition edition (August 1, 2012) by Alice Wisler

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Alice was born in Osaka, Japan in the sixties. Her parents were Presbyterian career missionaries. As a young child, Alice loved to walk down to the local stationer's store to buy notebooks, pencils and scented erasers. In her room, she created stories. The desire to be a published famous author has never left her. Well, two out of three isn't bad. She's the author of Rain Song, How Sweet It Is, Hatteras Girl and A Wedding Invitation (all published by Bethany House).

Alice went to Eastern Mennonite University after graduating from Canadian Academy, an international high school in Kobe, Japan. She majored in social work and has worked across the U.S. in that field. She taught ESL (English as a Second Language) in Japan and at a refugee camp in the Philippines. She also studied Spanish at a language institute in San Jose, Costa Rica.

She has four children--Rachel, Daniel, Benjamin and Elizabeth. Daniel died on 2/2/97 from cancer treatments at the age of four. Since then, Alice founded Daniel's House Publications in her son's memory. This organization reaches out to others who have also lost a child to death. In 2000 and 2003, Alice compiled recipes and memories of children across the world to publish two memorial cookbooks, Slices of Sunlight and Down the Cereal Aisle.

ABOUT THE BOOK

It's been fifteen years since Gideon Miller ran away from his Amish community in Carlisle, Pennsylvania as a boy of fifteen. Gideon arrives in the Smoky Mountains town of Twin Branches and settles in at the local auto mechanic's garage. He meets a host of interesting characters -the most recent acquaintances are Kiki, an autistic teen, and her sister Mari. Known as the "Getaway Savior" he helps other Amish boys and girls relocate to life in modern America.

One day the phone rings. On the other end is his brother Moriah calling from Florida. Of course Gideon welcomes his brother to stay with him and offers him a job. But Moriah is caught in a web which ends in his death and forces Gideon to return to the town of his youth, with his brother's body in the back of a hearse and Mari and Kiki at his side. He must face not only the community he ran away from years ago but also his own web of bitterness. Will he be able to give his anger over to God and forgive his father?

If you would like to read the first chapter excerpt of Still Life in Shadows, go HERE.

The Telling

Some legends have no real basis. They are simply made up stories from an over active imagination. The stuff designed to frighten people or told by campfires. Then there are the legends that are so horrifying and true, you only wish they were made up stories.

In the suspense thriller, The Telling by Mike Duran, the lives of four unique characters are about to intersect at the crossroads of pure evil awakening from a long slumber deep within the hills of Endurance, a small isolated town just north of Death Valley off of Interstate 395. Only some have heard of the legend of the Madness of Endurance, a mass suicide of the residents of a small town many years ago that seems to be creeping it's way into the residents of a small convalescent home, Marvale Manor. It seems like one by one, the elderly are just not themselves any more and spend their nights walking the grounds and during the day, they are catatonic. When Annie Lane, begins to notice, she calls her granddaughter, Tamra for help. Like most, they simply believe this is just one of those life cycles all senior citizens go through, but one by one, the mumblings of a strange language and writings on the walls of those that seem to be changing, soon convince Tamra, all is not right in Marvale Manor.

Zeph Walker now lives his life in seclusion, partly because of a horrible scar that has disfigured his face and partly because of the unwanted attention he gets when people learn who he is and what he gift is. He refers to it as the "Telling," a gift he believes that was given to him from God, to become a modern day prophet. He can sometimes see into the lives of the people he comes into contact with, offer a word of advice from God, heal and even curse others with death as though God has spoken through him. But after spending a life being used by others, Zeph has resolved to simply operate a bookstore, called the Book Swap in return for some peace and quite on the outskirts of town.

Now as Tamra has been called to locate a book for her grandmother, she is told the only place she will find this, is at the Book Swap, if she can locate it. When she meets Zeph and reveals the book she is searching for, Zeph knows there is more to this than simply providing her with what she asks. He was told many years earlier that when the time is right, someone will come to him asking for this book, but until such a time, he is to keep it hidden. Only Zeph isn't ready for this. He isn't ready to face his past and contend with using his gift again. But when the shadows in his house, suddenly begin to speak and move, Zeph knows that evil has been set loose and it's only up to him to stop it.

I received The Telling by Mike Duran compliments of Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Tours for my honest review. When I saw the opportunity to review this one and read the back cover, I knew it would be one I had to read. Being a huge lover of Christian Suspense Thrillers, I dove into this one immediately when it arrived and literally inhaled it as quickly as I could turn the pages. Mike does an amazing job at keeping things hidden until the very end without giving too much away and I found myself second guessing what would happen at the end. By the time I was finished, I was left wanting much more than I got and felt that with such a build up through most of the book, the way it ended, was a bit confusing. I found myself going back to re-read the final chapter to see if I had missed something or had gotten a few pages stuck to one another. I felt that the author could have spent a bit more time with the climatic ending then he did, but perhaps that is just my perception in wanting so much more. I like more of a profound prophetic ending then the way it did but overall the book had a great premise. I would rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars, just based on simply how it ended not how it was written overall.

For more information on The Telling, Mike Duran and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Telling by Mike Duran

You can purchase The Telling by clicking here. 

You can also read more reviews from the Christian Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Tour by clicking below:

http://tdtwr.wordpress.com"> Jim Armstrong

http://noahsreads.blogspot.com/"> Noah Arsenault
http://www.AdventuresInFiction.blogspot.com/"> Keanan Brand
http://rbclibrary.wordpress.com/"> Beckie Burnham
http://kittycrochettwo.blogspot.com"> Brenda Castro
http://jeffchapmanwriter.blogspot.com/"> Jeff Chapman
http://www.theiemommy.com/"> Christine
http://tweezlereads.blogspot.com/"> Theresa Dunlap
http://vicsmediaroom.wordpress.com/"> Victor Gentile
http://www.thehahnhuntinglodge.com/"> Nikole Hahn
http://www.brucehennigan.com/"> Bruce Hennigan
http://www.spoiledfortheordinary.blogspot.com/"> Jason Joyner
http://www.molcotw.blogspot.com/"> Julie
http://carolkeen.blogspot.com/"> Carol Keen
http://emileightherebuilder.blogspot.com/"> Emileigh Latham
http://www.bloomingwithbooks.blogspot.com/"> Meagan @ Blooming with Books
http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/"> Rebecca LuElla Miller
http://annamittower.blogspot.com//"> Anna Mittower
http://reviewsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/"> Kathleen Smith
http://www.mindsinger.com/"> Donna Swanson
http://jessicathomasink.com/blog/"> Jessica Thomas
http://christiansf.blogspot.com/"> Steve Trower
http://www.fantasyandfaith.com"> Dona Watson
http://www.shanewerlinger.com/"> Shane Werlinger
http://christian-fantasy-book-reviews.com/blog/"> Phyllis Wheeler

You can find Mike Duran on Facebook as well by clicking here.

The Mine

It was just an average day in the life for Joel Smith, the day he and his buddy stopped at the Canary Diner for a quick bite to eat before heading back home. They took a road trip in hopes of unwinding a bit before finals week began and their real lives would begin. When a traffic snarl delays them, Joel decides to take the road less traveled when he spots a sign for a gold mine up off a dirt road. Seeing opportunity knocking, Joel manages to convince his friend Aaron to give it a chance rather than wait for the construction traffic to clear.

They locate an abandoned, boarded up gold mine at the end of the road. Joel is the willing adventurer while Adam simply realizes that the trip home is only going to take longer by waiting to tackle this mini adventure with him and wants to get back on the road. Giving Joel just 15 minutes to explore the mine, Adam waits for him outside. Joel seizes the chance, being a geologist at heart, he can't wait to see what the mine has hidden. When he spots a phosphorus enriched room deep in the darkened mine, he finds it's guarded by a poisonous rattler. While attempting to flee, he drops his flashlight and smacks his head on a low hanging beam. When he wakes up and finds his way back out to the top, he realizes it's been over 30 minutes and knows Aaron will be more than upset.

He soon realizes that Adam has taken the SUV and left him behind. As Joel begins the long walk back to the highway, he soon realizes that things around him have changed and he doesn't seem to be heading in the right direction. He realizes that the houses and cabins that were lining the road, are no longer there. It's as if they hadn't been built there at all. When he finds the highway again, all signs of construction have vanished as well. It isn't until Joel hitches a ride back in a restored Buick from the 40's, he realizes that it isn't restored, he is back in 1941 in Montana and things are about to get really interesting for Joel!

In the novel, The Mine by John A. Heldt, Joel Smith suddenly finds himself trapped back in time just before the United States is entering the war. Realizing that credit cards haven't been invented yet and all his money is dated from the 80's he can't very well use it when most would consider it counterfeit. Now Joel has to find a way to exist until he can figure out how to get back to the year 2000. Along the way, he heads back to his hometown in Seattle and soon finds himself at the good fortune of saving a young man, Tom Carter, who he realizes is dating his grandmother, when she was a young girl in 1941.

I received The Mine compliments of John A. Heldt's request for my honest opinion and really was drawn into this wonderful story. It's a blend of Back to the Future meets the Twilight Zone and I found myself wondering just how and if Joel Smith would find himself back home or if he will want to once he finds the love of his life. But if he remains, he could quite potentially change time forever and cause himself to possibly not to exist at all. The reader will be delighted in this entertaining science fiction twist. There is some profanity, and some of Joel's choices about women, dating more than one at the same time, even though one of them is engaged, are cause for concern, knowing my reader base.  For that reason I rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars. For those of you that love the 1940's as much as I do, John's eloquent characters that he has created made this a trip back in time a memorable one. I could relate to Grace's character who finds herself falling in love with two men, one who is on the brink of serving while the war looms in the near future, an officer named Paul, who promises her security and a solid future, and then there is Joel, who is whisking her off her feet, while making most of his money with staging bets on sporting statistics he knows will pay off, and promising her a fun time that is completely unexpected. You will love this unique twist on historical romantic science fiction! This book is available as an eBook only from your favorite retailer for now.

For more information about The Mine, John A. Heldt and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Mine by John A. Heldt

You can also find John on Facebook by clicking here.https://www.facebook.com/johnaheldt?ref=ts

The Ultimate Conversation

If you are a believer, then I am sure you understand that prayer is a part of a Christian's life. That there is a power to prayer and it's a direct line of communication for us to God. Yet so many of us wonder just how to pray or if our prayers are even worth it. Often times we find ourselves resorting to prayer as a last ditch effort when everything else fails and hardly believe that anything will change when we do. So how can you be assured that God hears our prayers, how can we tell if God is speaking to us, how do we know if our prayers fall in line with God's will instead of it being simply a wish list or to do list for God to act in our lives?

In the latest book by senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta and best selling author, Charles F. Stanley, he begins to answer these questions and such much more in The Ultimate Conversation: Talking with God Through Prayer. In this book, Charles Stanley answers the questions that all of us as believers have often wondered along with great stories from the Bible and scripture to encourage us in just what our prayer lives should be and what we should be doing on a daily basis. Topics include why you can trust God's character, how the Holy Spirit helps you pray, how to win your battles on your knees, how to pray for others and God's ultimate goal in speaking with you. You can help but be encouraged through this book as I found myself in desperate need of prayer when this book arrived. Just in the first chapter alone, I was immediately comforted.

At the conclusion of each chapter it closes with a prayer guiding the reader in the next step in working toward learning more about the will of God and in using prayer. This will definitely help you grow deeper in your relationship with God and enable you to understand just how simple and powerful adding to prayer to your daily walk will change not only your life, but even the lives of those around you that not only request your prayers but in some cases never ask. Lives can be changed in the most simple response to anything in a Christian's life. We need to make this a first response to our lives in all situations instead of a last minute desperate plea. See how your own life can be profoundly impacted today by picking up a copy of The Ultimate Conversation today!

I received The Ultimate Conversation compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review and think this is a MUST HAVE for any believer. There is so much knowledge to work this into a Bible Study for a personal or even a small group Bible Study to grow in your personal faith with Jesus Christ today! I rate this resource a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to see the growth and changes in my own personal walk with Jesus.

For more information on The Ultimate Conversation, Charles F. Stanley, and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Ultimate Conversation: Talking With God Through Prayer by Charles F. Stanley

You can also follow Charles F Stanley on Facebook by clicking here. 

Charles F. Stanley is part of In Touch Ministries and you can learn more by clicking here. 

Courageous Teens

"The story is told of a battle where the flag bearer got so far ahead of the regiment that the officer called back to headquarters and asked, "Shall we bring the flag back to the regiment?"

The commanding officer said, "No, make the regiment catch up with the flag!"

Today we need young people with the hearts of warriors; people who will run to catch up with the flag Christ carries ahead of us. People who won't turn back. But the responsibility to mentor those young people falls to me, to my generation. During our Disciple Now weekend in 2012, Tally Wilgis, pastor of one of our church plants in Baltimore, was our greatest speaker. Talley asked the students, "How many of you know for certain that one of your parents has led a person to Christ in the last year?" Out of the 250 students, only 12 stood in agreement.

In a church filled with "Bible-believing" people, it's hard for me to imagine we are that apathetic about sharing our faith. It is a denial of the Great Commission and a bad example for you, our next generation. Faith works or it is not faith. Faith gives evidence by what it does.

Unless the people of my generation take time to equip you, our young people, with spiritual courage, the church is just one generation away from extinction. In this book, I explore the examples of people in the Bible who displayed great courage when playing it safe would have easier. Each section begins with a segment of Joshua's story of courage and throughout we explore other leading examples of courage in the Bible, Esther and Moses, Daniel and Jesus - each story challenges us to keep moving forward. They cause us to examine our priorities and deal with anything that brings fear to our hearts. They call us to have a faith that matches our mountains.

If we can raise up an army of courageous soldiers for Christ, we can once again recapture that adventuresome faith of biblical days and win the world for Christ. It's not too late. We need to step out in faith! We need to be courageous! We need to do it now!" (pg 1-3)

In the book, Courageous Teens by Michael Catt and Amy Parker, the challenge for this next generation is laid out for teens to rise up and become empowered to lead the world in whatever capacity they can to Jesus Christ. Written by the creators of the movie Courageous, each chapter opens with a scene from the movie, and then moves on to a specific Bible passage to reference the chapters contents that lay out how to develop a courageous heart with a passion and call to follow Christ. The chapters close with some thinking questions.

This book would be an incredible resource to use in youth groups, church camps and Bible Study's to enable this next generation to be equipped in what is to be expected, how to develop courage, how to face an unknown future, creating the courage to lead on all levels, how to become a humble hero, how to do what's right when faced with what's wrong, and so many more topics. I am super excited to share this with our youth pastor so he can use it with middle schoolers and high school students to inspire them to be a positive change in the world. There is even a resolution pledge, much like the one listed in the movie Courageous that teens can sign showing their commitment to follow through on what they have learned through this book!

I received this book compliments of Handlebar Central and B & H Publishers for my honest opinion and can't wait to see how this generation can be equipped to carry on the Great Commission with boldness, courage, and all the right tools to be successful in sharing their faith and their personal testimonies. I easily rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and look forward to working within my own family and church to encourage our youth in the right direction when it comes to their faith. I look forward to hearing more stories of just how God will use this resource to help our younger generation prepare for the future.

For more information on Courageous Teens, Michael Catt and Amy Parker, and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Courageous Teens by Michael Catt and Amy Parker

You can also learn about more books by Michael Catt by following his Facebook page.

A Heartbeat Away

Oncology surgeon, Victoria "Tori" Taylor is a well-known for her ability to deal with the issues surrounding her patients. She is precise, methodical, and is successful most of the time. But it is her bedside manner and interpersonal relationships that lack the warm that should be present when dealing with her co-workers and patients. It's that arrogance of being great at what she does that have turned most of her co-workers against her. She is hated by the majority of the nursing staff, her interns cringe when they know they are assigned to follow her on rounds because in her eyes, they will never measure up to her perfect standards. Tori Taylor makes Dr. House look weak.

When fate deals Tori the worst hand possible, she is about to see things from a completely different side of the medical field, when a complication from a virus causes her own heart to fail and requires her to face a heart transplant if she wants to live. Now as she has to deal with those same nurses and staff in her own hospital, she begins to wonder if her own life is worth saving after all. When she wakes up in recovery, she learns how close to death she actually came and learns that she is being placed on a three month administrative leave and has to receive counseling before possibly returning to work. Seems like personnel at the hospital has received quite a few complaints regarding her actions from fellow employees and unless she agrees to change, she will be out of a job.

However, bad news from her employer isn't the only thing on Tori's mind when she awakens from her surgery. She know has memories from a horrible fire, a young women with green eyes and a heart tattoo telling her to remember the numbers 316 as they will be required to punish the men who did this to her. She must remember. Tori wonders just where the memories are coming from and begins to notice more changes in her own life as well. She is now more emotionally connected than ever before, she cries where she didn't feel any emotion to anything before, she is also acutely aware of peoples lives and can sense trouble in their lives without them telling her anything. Is it possible that the person who donated their heart to save hers, has some how transferred their memories along with their heart?

In the novel, A Heartbeat Away by Harry Kraus, MD, the reader is taken into a medical suspense thriller that begins to slow unwind over the course of the novel. Since Harry Kraus is a doctor, his attention to detail allows to reader to immediately get a feel for all the medical procedures that Tori is experiencing without going over the readers head. This makes the novel all the more enjoyable to experience while dealing with cellular memory, the hearts ability to capture memories and retain them, thus transferring a portion of their lives into the heart transplant recipient. But apparently it now puts Tori's life into danger as she works with Phin MacGrath, her counselor to discover who her donor was and what really happened to them.

I received A Heartbeat Away compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, David C Cook, and Net Galley for my honest review and have to say, I really enjoyed this one. I didn't quite know where it was headed but I was committed for the entire ride. I rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and this is my second book from Harry Kraus that I have completely enjoyed and recommend to those of you looking for a great medical suspense thriller with a twist!

For more information on A Heartbeat Away, Harry Kraus MD, and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

A Heartbeat Away by Harry Kraus, MD

You can also read more reviews from this book tour by clicking here.

You can find more outstanding books at David C. Cook publishers by clicking here.

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: David C. Cook (September 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 143470257X
• ISBN-13: 978-1434702579

Unending Devotion

For Lily Young, her search will never tire. She will continue to search every single town and saloon with no danger too great for her to bare along with Oren, an elderly photographer she travels with as his assistant take pictures of shanty workers for money. Even though she's been searching for her runaway younger sister Daisy whom she believes now works in a saloon for money, she vows she will continue to search for her, no matter how long it takes. Even if she can't save her sister, Lily finds God's calling in her life to help any of the young girls that are looking to escape the life of prostitution and working for saloon owners who will do anything it takes to ensure that their girls stay put. Most of the time it involves taking their shoes and outer clothing now that winter has set in, but Lily is on a mission and no matter how long it takes she will never give up her unending devotion to find her sister.

As Oren and Lily arrive in the town of Harrison, Michigan just as winter is setting in, she finds herself the center of attention when she enters the Northern Hotel being one of just four hotels in Harrison with temperance leanings. Only when she enters, she finds the dining room filled to capacity with more shanty men staring at her as if they had never seen a woman before. But Lily knew she was a rarity in any lumber town, only in that she wasn't up on the table dancing in her skimpies. When she asks Mrs. Heller if there are any rooms available, more than one of the men are too willing to offer her a free place to stay with them.

It isn't until a struggle ensures between Jimmy, a drunken shanty man and another one wanting to lay claim to Lily that Connell McCormick rises to put an end to this public tug of war using Lily as a rope between the two. But Lily can stand on her own two feet and since the men apparently have taken their shoes off to allow their boots to dry, she takes the liberty in measuring out her own form of discipline on their stocking feet with her own boots. She is immediately thrown into the arms of Connell and they land in a heap on the floor tangled in a line of drying socks by the fire. It seems that this is just the beginning of the many such entanglements between Lily and Connell while she remains in town. Will Lily find more than just a search for her sister in the town whose nickname is Hell's Waiting Room? Or will Lily find herself trapped in more ways than one in the town of Harrison?

I received Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. Since this is one of my preferred genre's, I couldn't wait to read this book and was immediately captivated by the characters that Jody created. I could completely understand the impatience of Lily Young who senses the more time that has gone by the greater the urgency becomes to find and save her sister before it's too late. She always wants to do the right thing, even if it means going it alone despite all the dangers. Eventually however, all those impulse responses gets Lily in more trouble than she bargained for and almost cost her, her life! I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars because it kept me interested without the lulls you find in some novels. Jody did an exceptional job at keeping the reader engaged with non stop action as the search for her sister continues through the novel and the romantic tension develops between her and Connell. For those that love a bit of spicy western romance, then this is the one for you!

For more information on Unending Devotion, Jody Hedlund and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund

You can also read more reviews from this tour by clicking here.

Become a follower of Jody Hedlund's on Facebook by clicking here to stay on top of the latest novels!

Celebrate with Jody by entering to win a Nikon Camera Prize Pack! See what folks are saying about Unending Devotion! One “devoted” winner will receive:

• A Nikon COOLPIX Digital Camera
• $25 Shutterfly gift certficate
• Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 17th. Winner will be announced at the “Unending Deovtion” Author Chat Facebook Party on 9/18. Connect with Jody, get a sneak peek of her next book, try your hand at a trivia contest, and chat with readers just like yourself. There will also be gift certificates, books and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group)!
So grab your copy of Unending Devotion and join Jody on the evening of the September 18th for a chance to connect with Jody and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book – don’t let that stop you from coming!) Don't miss a moment of the RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!

Unending Devotion

For Lily Young, her search will never tire. She will continue to search every single town and saloon with no danger too great for her to bare along with Oren, an elderly photographer she travels with as his assistant take pictures of shanty workers for money. Even though she's been searching for her runaway younger sister Daisy whom she believes now works in a saloon for money, she vows she will continue to search for her, no matter how long it takes. Even if she can't save her sister, Lily finds God's calling in her life to help any of the young girls that are looking to escape the life of prostitution and working for saloon owners who will do anything it takes to ensure that their girls stay put. Most of the time it involves taking their shoes and outer clothing now that winter has set in, but Lily is on a mission and no matter how long it takes she will never give up her unending devotion to find her sister.

As Oren and Lily arrive in the town of Harrison, Michigan just as winter is setting in, she finds herself the center of attention when she enters the Northern Hotel being one of just four hotels in Harrison with temperance leanings. Only when she enters, she finds the dining room filled to capacity with more shanty men staring at her as if they had never seen a woman before. But Lily knew she was a rarity in any lumber town, only in that she wasn't up on the table dancing in her skimpies. When she asks Mrs. Heller if there are any rooms available, more than one of the men are too willing to offer her a free place to stay with them.

It isn't until a struggle ensures between Jimmy, a drunken shanty man and another one wanting to lay claim to Lily that Connell McCormick rises to put an end to this public tug of war using Lily as a rope between the two. But Lily can stand on her own two feet and since the men apparently have taken their shoes off to allow their boots to dry, she takes the liberty in measuring out her own form of discipline on their stocking feet with her own boots. She is immediately thrown into the arms of Connell and they land in a heap on the floor tangled in a line of drying socks by the fire. It seems that this is just the beginning of the many such entanglements between Lily and Connell while she remains in town. Will Lily find more than just a search for her sister in the town whose nickname is Hell's Waiting Room? Or will Lily find herself trapped in more ways than one in the town of Harrison?



I received Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund compliments of Bethany House Publishers and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. Since this is one of my preferred genre's, I couldn't wait to read this book and was immediately captivated by the characters that Jody created. I could completely understand the impatience of Lily Young who senses the more time that has gone by the greater the urgency becomes to find and save her sister before it's too late. She always wants to do the right thing, even if it means going it alone despite all the dangers. Eventually however, all those impulse responses gets Lily in more trouble than she bargained for and almost cost her, her life! I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars because it kept me interested without the lulls you find in some novels. Jody did an exceptional job at keeping the reader engaged with non stop action as the search for her sister continues through the novel and the romantic tension develops between her and Connell. For those that love a bit of spicy western romance, then this is the one for you!

For more information on Unending Devotion, Jody Hedlund and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund

You can also read more reviews from this tour by clicking here.

Become a follower of Jody Hedlund's on Facebook by clicking here to stay on top of the latest novels!

52 Little Lessons from It's A Wonderful Life

"It's full of romance, that old place. I'd like to live in it." ~ Mary, on the night she and George throw rocks and make wishes at the old Granville House.

This is the quote from Chapter 19, titled " Don't look for What is, but for What May Be" in the book, 52 Little Lessons from It's A Wonderful Life by Bob Welch. In this chapter, the reader is reminded of how vastly different George and Mary view their world; for George at 12 years old working the soda fountain he informs Mary where Coconuts come from, "Tahiti, Fiji Islands, the Coral Sea!" Mary has no idea where they come from, she just wants chocolate ice cream while George wants to go exploring.

But here's the thing about Mary Hatch: She knows what matters. She has keen insight. Imagination. Initiative. Intuition. Perspective. And, when you boil it right down, wisdom. And what it all seems to tell her is this: the grass isn't necessarily greener somewhere else. Why not, instead, take what you have right now, right here, and make the most of it?

We first see that in the soda shop scene. Forget the ice cream. Forget the Fiji Islands. What Mary wants, among other things we can assume, is to grow up and marry George Bailey. It may only be puppy love, but when Mary whispers into George's bad ear, "I'll love you till the day I die," we're witnessing the initiative of a young woman who knows something good when she sees it. Never mind that this model comes with its deficiencies; the kid can't hear out of one ear since he jumped into that icy pond to save his brother. Despite George's weaknesses, Mary sees something special in him. Mary sees potential in things where most see only weaknesses, like God does with us. He doesn't care as much about where we've been as where we are going. About what we look like now as what we might look like in the future. About the defeats of yesterday as what might be our victories of tomorrow. With Him, all things are made new. Even decrepit folks like us." (pg, 74)



This book takes readers back to their favorite Christmas classic and teaches us through the movie, It's a Wonderful Life, how God wants us to learn things through His word to make us better people. I am so excited to share this treasure with you through my review and since there are 52 lessons captured in this book, there is one for each week, but I had to read them all. Such classic lines are quoted to open each of the chapters, and we are taken back to specific clips in the movie to see things we didn't know were there, little nuggets of pure Godly wisdom that when applied can change our perspective on things much like how Mary Hatch views the Granville House that is abandoned and in a state of complete disrepair. George doesn't even want to live in it as a ghost but Mary sees the potential of what good be.

We are reminded that it's far too easy to focus on how bad things look instead of simply changing our perspectives and seeing the greatness that is there instead. Mary's ability to take what life has given her and she makes the most of it. Quite simply, Mary teaches us that the best things in life are simple things that surround us, especially when coupled with our imaginations. Then we can exploit those things for goodness. And with God's help, to make it more than anyone else could have imagined.



I received 52 Little Lessons from It's A Wonderful Life by Bob Welch compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers for my honest review and HIGHLY RECOMMEND this one to anyone who is a fan of It's A Wonderful Life. There are such amazing things tucked inside this wonderful book, fun movie facts, and life lessons that are bound to keep the Christmas spirit going inside us all year long. I easily rate this as a 5 out of 5 stars and will definitely keep this one near me all year long for reference and a constant reminder of what is good in our lives everyday if we are simply willing to find it.

For more information on this book, the author Bob Welch and where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

52 Little Lessons from It's A Wonderful Life by Bob Welch

You can also visit Bob Welch's website by clicking here.

Become a follower of Bob's on Facebook as well.

Be Still My Soul

Lonnie Sawyer is praying for the day she turns eighteen. Not like most girls who are hoping for potential marriage to the man she has loved and hopes to spend the rest of her life with. Lonnie's desperate to leave her home because of the abuse she has been suffering at the hands of her father for years. Her only escape has been to flee to her Aunt Sarah's house when things go wrong. While being comforted with love, her Aunt Sarah reads to her from the Book of Psalms, she's already been through them three times and is starting all over again.

"Where did we leave off?" Sarah asks her.

"We are on the 23rd Psalm." replies Lonnie with a sigh, and so Sarah begins to read.

When she walks home from a singing accompanied by Gideon O'Riley, a boy that seemed to attract all the wrong kinds of attention and mothers warned their daughters to stay away from, he pressures her for a kiss as payment. Feeling more than guilty for the hour long walk, she relents but that is when things change forever for the both of them. Gideon begins to take the kiss a bit farther than Lonnie wants and knocks him square in the jaw, and flees for the safety inside her home.

Only come morning, it seems like her father was watching and now thinks that Lonnie has been soiled. Her only consolation now is being forced to wed Gideon O'Riley by both sets of parents despite the arguments of both of them than nothing happened. At least in Lonnie's mind, she has escaped her father earlier than she expected, but how can she be married to a man who doesn't love her? Gideon seems determined to let Lonnie know that he's isn't thrilled to be forced to marry her and pushes her in ways her father didn't. It seems like Lonnie has traded in one form of abuse for another. Can her faith in God, change her circumstances or will she be forced to endure the breaking of her soul and spirit being tethered to a man who thinks only of himself?

In the new novel, Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof, readers are introduced to a brand new series, The Cadence of Grace in this first book. I believe this book takes readers through a unique series of circumstances and shows how no matter what our trials look like at the time, no matter how hopeless, if we maintain being persistent in our faith, God will work them all out for our good and His glory! I truly felt for poor Lonnie in this novel because it seems no matter how hard she tries, nothing ever seems to get better for her, but she never really complains about it. She keeps to herself and keeps reading those Psalms she has memorized in her head when her heart wants to give in!

I received Be Still My Soul compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah for my honest review and highly recommend this book to those that struggle with their faith during trying circumstances. It gives us hope that in the end our reward will be great if we are willing to finish the race with God! I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars! This is available in paperback and eBook formats from your local book retailer in October of 2012, so make sure you preorder a copy of yours today! For more information on Be Still My Soul, Joanne Bischof, and where you can preorder a copy, please click on the links below:

Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof

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