Included in Christ

The Book of Ephesians from the Bible is perhaps one of my favorite books. There is so much wisdom to be gleaned and it is a surprisingly short book at that. Yet don't be confused that just because it is short, doesn't mean that there isn't much to learn. In fact, Paul probably used so many concise specific topics that not only applied to the people living in Ephesus, but also is very relevant to us in our current modern day age. Ephesians is a letter from Paul that you can understand best by thinking about seven operative or most important words in this short study. These words happen to be vivid verbs. The seven words in the 8 week study of Ephesians surely change you. It represents deeply transformation material. The hope is that after you finish this study people will begin to wonder and ask if you are a different person.

To complete this study you will need, a Bible ( one that you love the most will benefit you the best and everyone has their preferred choice), something to write on and with. Even though this study comprises eight weeks, five days each, keep your own pace and what works best for you. God may be calling you to spend time on something in this book that might be relevant to what He wants to teach you and what you are going through. I guess what anyone needs in completing any Bible Study is an open mind and a willing heart. This book can be used in an individual, couple or even a small group study through the book of Ephesians.

Each chapter in this book will ask you to think carefully about the crucial verb in each section and to picture a scene in our mind about this verb, such as 'how does a person understanding this verb live?' You first begin to answer the question bu first identifying their opposites or contrasts to enhance how we make sense of our new identity in Christ. You will begin with a shadow narrative about the particular verb you are studying. How that applies to your life, what are you doing or should be doing  and then using your five senses see if you can develop a short story about how He is currently writing about this verb in your life. These can be positive or negative and can be things you want to share or just keep to yourself. By the end of the study you will quickly identify ways your Shadow Narratives prevent you from fully embracing and fully inhabiting God's Word and you will have new stories to tell, your Savior story, to truly learn from the Scripture.

I received Included in Christ by Heather Holleman compliments of Moody Publishers and Side Door Communications. Each of this daily and weekly studies are to help you understand how you can become a new creation in Christ and embrace that and learn to let go of the old you, the former person who is trying to keep you from all Christ has in store for you. Think of it like spring cleaning for your soul and its about time to learn to let go of that excess baggage we've been carrying and lighten our loads and embrace the joy that comes from having a Christ centered life. These are perfect for small group studies or even a couple's study that will enrich your relationships in ways you never dreamed possible. I would give this a 4 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Included in Christ, Heather Holleman or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Included in Christ by Heather Holleman

You can find Heather Holleman on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest information.

For more reviews on Included in Christ, please visit Moody Publisher's website.

The Unexplainable Church - Bible Study

How does the grace of God work harder within us? How do we promise its fruit in our lives? Can we accept the grace of God as an intellectual assent and not experience any of its effects? Many Christians rest in the assurance of God's grace to take them to heaven, yet experience little of its ramifications in their daily lives. Or they yearn for more. There is a stirring in their soul, ushering them to experience the fullness of God's grace in their lives. But how?

This fifty-day journey is an invitation to walk alongside a man who never got over the awe and wonder of God's grace. For years he had sought God's favor through a religion of works, spiritual disciplines, knowledge and service. Then he met Jesus, and after approximately a decade of understanding Jesus as the Messiah, he finally came to the realization of the fullness of His grace. And he was never the same again. Rather than resting on a bed of laurels at the gift of grace he had been given, he strove even harder to ensure that God's grace to him was not in vain. He accepted the divine invitation and most likely met his Savior with a clear conscience and no regrets.

In The Unexplainable Church by Erica Wiggenhorn, readers will use this study guide to work their way through the Acts, chapter 13-28 over fifty days to discover the invitation that not only went out to Paul and his disciples after the ascension of Jesus but also to those who began believers at that time, and the beginning of what we know now as the church age believers. It helps us all understand our own unique place we have not just to be followers of Christ, but understanding the importance the role of the church plays in spreading the gospel message. Each day's study begins with a thematic title and Bible passage that should take you about 20-30 minutes to complete. The version used in this study is the English Standard Version, but you can use any version you are most comfortable with to do this study. You will encounter questions in blue working through your daily assignment. These questions are geared to help you stop, pray, collect your thoughts, and write out the answers.

Writing responses will take you into a deeper understanding of these passages of scripture to see how they can apply to your life today. On certain days, you will come across blue frames and these are your time to be creative, draw, doodle or ponder and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you in the quietness of your heart. Bible Study is not meant to be a task to complete. Instead, it is an avenue for building a relationship with God. This resource can be used in small group Bible studies and the leader's guide for this study indicated which questions work best for groups. You can access this resource through the website provided in this book as well as additional resources that will take you deeper into the daily studies if you want to as well.

I received The Unexplainable Church by Erica Wiggenhorn compliments of Moody Publishers and Side Door Communications. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. Each days study can be completed in as little as 30 minutes or less and is designed to take you into a deeper study of the early believers that make up the age of church age believers which began when Jesus left and sent His Holy Spirit to begin to minister into the hearts of those willing to be open to His message. I especially love this study in Act because we have a common place with the invitation of the early church age believers. We are still adding to them daily and it helps to understand the various roles the church plays in making this the success that it has in the world today. It helps us all understand the individuals roles we all play to continue this ministry until we are called home. I easily give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars and I especially love the additional resources that can be found online that can incorporate this into a small group Bible Study.

For more information about The Unexplainable Church, Erica Wiggenhorn or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Unexplainable Church by Erica Wiggenhorn

You can find Erica Wiggenhorn on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read more reviews on The Unexplainable Church, please visit Moody Publishers website. 

Sky Blue

To say I really like Travis Thrasher's novels would be a serious understatement, and I truly believe that somewhere if it is at all possible, we are definitely on the same wave length when it comes to writing. The exception is, he has had his books published, while mine remain shared between close family members and friends, much like Donald's, a character in his novel, Sky Blue, meaning for now, those great novels are simply in my head. If you have honestly never picked up a novel by Travis Thrasher, I would seriously encourage you to do so, especially if you are at all like me and hate books where you can figure things out before the end. Most novels have that uncanny ability to do just that, introduce a set of characters, develop a plot line and then slowly lead you down the path to where you imagine it all might just end up. Not with Travis's novels.

Sky Blue was something I didn't quite expect and since I've been filling the gaping holes in my Thrasher library with his older novels, I was extremely interested in reading this one since the note he included in the book was "one of my favorite novels." I mean how could you not resist wanting to read a novel that is one of the authors favorites. Once again, I was floored by the last handful of pages, because despite where I though this one was going, once again, he pulled the proverbial rug out from beneath my feet and left me flat on the floor looking at the sky. How did I miss that? I mean it's like the movie Signs by M. Night Shyamalan or The Sixth Sense with Bruce Willis. It's exactly like when you get to the end of the story expecting one thing then it takes you some place different, a place you didn't even see coming. You have to almost go back and reread it to figure out where did the unexpected turn come from that you simply missed perhaps because the story was so good, you simply missed that exit while you were driving along.

To sum up Sky Blue without giving away the true diamond is simply about the life of Colin Scott, a literary agent who is simply burned out (think Jerry Maguire), and is struggle to find his way out of the same old boring routine and from over paid, demanding, egotistical authors who believe that they are the next J.K. Rowling in the mix. Couple that with his marriage to Jen that is on the rocks while they are trying unsuccessfully to have a baby. With careers that keep them apart more than together, they try for one final vacation to put their marriage back together before it's too late. Then tragedy strikes and the life Colin had hoped would be their future is now lost at sea and he is among the debris. Think you know where this one will end up. Yeah I don't think so. Trust me you will want to savor this one to the end, don't rush it trying to figure it out. Enjoy the journey!

Now if you ask me, I'm going to have a hard time, trying to pick one of my favorite novels from Travis Thrasher simply because they are all that great but in vastly different ways. One thing he has taught me as a potential future author is that it's okay to take people where they least expect to go. If you sell them on the story they will go with you all the way to the end and it will be that greatness you had dreamed it would be. Well one thing I can say about this novel Mr. Thrasher is to pen a quote from Sky Blue where you borrowed a quote from Stephen King, " writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, or making friends. In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who will read our work, and enriching your own life, as well." You have done that and more thanks to taking your talent and enriching the lives of those that read your novels. Greatness awaits as you put more of your incredible stories between the pages of another brilliant novel. I am a forever fan!

I received Sky Blue  by Travis Thrasher as a self purchase and did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. The opinions contained in this review are strictly my own personal honest ones. Hands down I would be extremely hard pressed NOT to give this one 5 out of 5 stars but if you read it, I'm sure you are likely to agree with me.

For more information about Sky Blue, Travis Thrasher or where you can pick up a copy of this novel, please click on the links below:

Sky Blue by Travis Thrasher

You can find Travis Thrasher on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

Admission

When most people are asked to describe college life for typical male young men, you would often bring to mind fraternity parties, college pranks, drinking, partying, drugs and short term relationships, even perhaps poor choices when it comes to studying and attending class. Often time, most people believe that this would be a check list of sorts for your average college student. When Travis Thrasher wrote Admission it was about that kind of experience. Where a group of rag tag men gathered together to have one anothers backs. If you mess with one, you messed with all of them.

You have your teens that went there based on their parents money, so it wasn't a real serious thing for them. They went because it was something to do to pass the time instead of getting real job. For others, it was simply about trying to figure out where they fit into the world, what would come next after college, a half way point between leaving high school and making the jump into real life as a mature adult. One final hurrah before you had to get serious. But what happens when things go too far. When people take life into their hands as a seemingly innocent prank designed to scare and it gets too far out of hand. I guess it shows that even life's best laid plans don't always work out and sometimes you have to grow up and leave all that college stuff behind.

As Jake Rivers attempts to remember what happened during Spring Break in college at Providence, he learns that not everyone is keen to rehash something that might be better off being unsaid and undiscussed. However 11 years later, Jake needs to put those nightmares to rest and with the incentive to help locate the missing daughter of a wealthy man who believes she has left with one of Jake's old college roommates Alec, he spends time piecing together where Alec ran off to and to regain the missing pieces of a dark memory that no one want to talk about.

I received Admission from Travis Thrasher compliments of a self purchase as I have been a huge fan of all Travis Thrasher's novels and wanted to revisit some of his earlier novels. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own personal ones. This one reads like the movie, "I know what you did last summer," in which some terrible deed lays in the past that Jake has no memory of but has flashbacks of bits and pieces he can't make sense of. The novel toggles back between present day 2005 and 1994 where once again the author cloaks the mystery until the final pages of the book. While you know you could easily have wrapped it up sooner, the author conveys there is more that to this story than simply what Jake goes searching for and thus the reason for taking his time getting to what we all want to know. Well done again, Travis and in my mind, another 4.5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Admission, Travis Thrasher or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Admission from Travis Thrasher

You can find Travis Thrasher on Facebook to stay up to date on all his latest novels.

End of the Trail

Brooks Morgan never saw the importance of learning how to run his family's ranch because he had no intention of taking it over when it was time. He also never understood the needs for doing so many chores when there were plenty of other brothers and sisters to do it. He'd rather spend his time fishing, hanging out with his friends or riding his Morgan, Jester. Yet when a confrontation with his father left him feeling less than wanted, he rode off and never looked back.

Yet when opportunity presented itself to Brooks through needs of an elderly but friendly old man, Will Langston who hired him to help him out while he was dying, Brooks knew he couldn't run from this. In time, he actually grew to appreciate and care for Will and when fate dealt him a winning hand in a poker game, he found himself the new owner of Raven Creek Ranch, a 4000 acre cattle ranch owned by Will, with the promise he would care for Keri. When Will returns from town he finds the cabin in a disarray and Will looks to have been murdered. Rather than spend his time searching for revenge, the Marshall tells Brooks to head out to the ranch and leave the investigation to him.

Keri Langston has spent two grueling years at Wesleyan Female College in Georgia and couldn't wait for her final days to be free. Even though she went under duress, she knew her Uncle and the boys on the ranch couldn't help her with knowing what a lady should know even though she didn't want it. They knew if she didn't attend finishing school, the likelihood of her finding a suitable husband would be hard to come by. Now she was looking forward to getting back to her Uncle's ranch and out of corsets and dresses and back into trousers and boots!

When Keri arrives in town, she finds it odd that no one arrives to pick her up from the train station but believes perhaps her Uncle or one of the ranch hands didn't receive her letter informing them of her arrival and decides to head home. Along the way, she comes across a man about to be hanged and she knows that no justice ever comes from vigilante hangings. She is advised by the men to head on out so they can dispense with their task but Keri doesn't like anyone telling her what to do. She warns the men to turn the man loose or risk her wrath with a loaded shotgun. She sends them enough knowledge about her shooting skills when she shots the noose off the man and they leave but with a warning, they are both going to pay for this! What Keri doesn't realize is the man she saved is Brooks Morgan, the new owner of the ranch she still believes is hers and this is where the story gets exciting! But you'll have to pick up the book because that is all in the first couple chapters and there is loads more excitement behind the covers of Vickie McDonough's latest novel, End of the Trail, the six and final book in the Texas Trail Series.

So if you love a great western romance with a little bit of intrigue and laughs tossed in for good measure, you'll want to pick this one up. But with it comes a warning. If you haven't read the other 5 books in the series, you'll want to pick those up as well but you can read this one as a stand alone and still LOVE it! They are written by different authors but it is a series you will truly love from beginning to end as they each contribute something unique through their writing skills to make this an incredible ride!

I received End of the Trail compliments of Moody Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review and have to say being a huge Christian Western Romance lover, this one spoke to my heart and soul. I love the strong female character of Keri Langston and seeing how she handles the men that she meets along the way, doesn't show a girl can't wear a dress and still know how to rope, ride and shot like the best of the men. I give this one a 5 out of 5 stars and just know you'll love it too!

For more information on End of the Trail, Vickie McDonough or where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

End of the Trail by Vickie McDonough

The other books in the Texas Trails series are:

#1 Lone Star Trail by Darlene Franklin
#2 Captive Trail by Susan Page Davis
#3 The Long Trail Home by Vickie McDonough
#4 A Ranger's Trail by Darlene Franklin
#5 Cowgirl Trail by Susan Page Davis
#6 End of the Trail by Vickie McDonough

Cowgirl Trail

Maggie Porter has grown up on the Rocking P Ranch and has come to love everything there is to about ranching, from riding horses, roping and driving cattle. As a young girl at 13, she had developed a school girl crush for ranch-hand Alex Bright because he didn't treat her any different because she was the bosses daughter.

Now that she has returned to the Rocking P as an older women, she wonders if that same crush exists and she can't wait to see Alex again. When she arrives home on the ranch, she learns Alex has been promoted as foreman, but even though her heart continues to chase after Alex, she finds out that things on the ranch aren't running as smoothly as her father would like. Maggie returns home after a long stay from helping her ill mother at the sanatorium and later attending her funeral, she finds her father isn't his usual self. She believes he is taking her mother's grief harder than she expected and learns that he has relinquished most of the ranch's task to Alex instead of being there on hand to help.

Maggie learns from Alex that most of the men are considering striking against the Rocking P, since her father has taken back some of the benefits they used to have working for him, from herding their own cattle on the ranch, to basic help in maintaining the bunkhouses and they haven't had a pay raise in ten years. Things get worse when Leo, one of the ranch hands is injured and her father refuses to help. He tells Leo that his wife will have to take him to town to see a doctor because he can't spare any men. That leaves Leo's wife, Sela to have to manage with an infant and leave her three young boys in the care of Dolores, the housekeeper. But when her father learns of this, he dismisses the boys and Sela to town because he can't afford to help them manage their family affairs on the ranch.

This places Maggie and Alex in the middle as Alex attempts to keep the men working on the ranch at least til they finish the cattle drive and they can get paid, while Maggie tries in vain to find out what is going on with the change in her father. It goes against how he has managed the ranch up to this point and if they can't reach a compromise, the ranch will fail.

In the novel, Cowgirl Trail by Susan Page Davis, the reader is transported back to Brady, Texas during the late 1800's for a look at what it takes to manage and run a large cattle ranch and how people made a living back then, either running a ranch or helping to maintain it. I feel for Maggie Porter, because as a daughter she is stuck between her loyalty to her father and toward helping the men when she feels her father is out of line. Will she be able to help them all find a compromise or will the ranch be lost along with her dreams of falling in love with Alex?

I received Cowgirl Trail compliments of Moody Publishers and Net Galley for my honest review and being a huge fan of Christian Western Romances, I absolutely loved this one. Susan Page Davis creates a different type of conflict and the way she has Maggie attempt to handle this as the only child of the Rocking P is brilliant and virtually unheard of in most western fictional books but one that works well in this one. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and shows the strength that can be required of us when faced with challenging and difficult situations if we are willing to look to God for answers! This is book 5 in the Texas Trails series and one I've really enjoyed if you love westerns!!

For more information on Cowgirl Trail, Susan Page Davis or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Cowgirl Trail by Susan Page Davis

You can also stay up with the latest from Susan Page Davis on Facebook.

A Marriage Carol

Here's a beautiful twist on the classic story of The Christmas Carol that offers hope to any relationship but essentially one of a troubled marriage.

Marlee and Jacob are spending their 20 year anniversary together only not the way most would expected a married couple to. Jacob and Marlee are headed to a lawyer's office to sign the divorce papers. Only they are headed out on a snowy evening leaving behind their three children in the care of their oldest Becca. Worried on what they should tell them and when, an argument ensures in the car. When traffic begins to slow to a crawl, Jacob decides to take a short cut on a less traveled road headed through the mountains.

As the arguments between the troubled couple continues, Marlee cautions Jacob about the road conditions and the speed at which they are traveling. Oncoming headlights suddenly appear on the dark road before they and as Jacob tries to apply the brakes, their car is broadsided and crashes over the side of the mountain.

When Marlee awakens, she finds herself alone in the car believing that Jacob has gone for help. Trying to escape the cold, she wanders into the snow and comes across a small home in the woods where she finds shelter from the weather and a kind old man who provides her with a unique opportunity to change her life.



In the novel, A Marriage Carol, by Gary Chapman and Chris Fabry, the reader is taken on a magical journey to rediscover the secrets of snow and how to find the hope to see her marriage in a different light. Some of my favorite parts of the book are:

"Love beckons you outside in a snowstorm, in a shaking, wobbling globe where there is no control, where you stand naked in a bitter wind searching for what has been covered. You cannot plan for love. You cannot choose against it once it has come. True loves doesn't end once another steps away. "

"You've seen fake snow in movies. You can tell it every time you see it. The stuff blows around. Won't stick. But real snow does. And that's what the world hungers for, something that sticks. Not something that's tossed by the wind."

I received this book compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Moody Publishers for my honest review. This is a beautiful story that I highly recommend to all my readers! This one will not only bring you love and warmth during the Christmas Season, but a way to see your circumstances in a new light! Hands down this one rates 5 out of 5 stars and in my opinion is one of the best Christmas books that I have read this year. It's definitely one, my family will make part of our Christmas traditions to read every year.

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

A Marriage Carol by Chris Fabry and Gary Chapman