The Masterpiece

I have fallen in love with Francine River's novels.

So whenever I hear that she has written a new one, it's an automatic response for me to buy it. I don't even have to know what it is about, because I love the way she writes her novels. I know it will be life changing for me. I know it will also challenge me in a good way as well.

So when her latest novel, The Masterpiece arrived, I couldn't wait to carve out some time to sit back and enjoy my book, like someone would enjoy a fine wine, a decadent dessert or whatever will cause you to get excited because it is something you will look forward to.

I was not disappointed.

The story takes place between a struggling famous artist, Roman Velasco, who has to come to terms with his past before he can ever move forward in his future. To say he is a success at painting is an understatement and his paintings are always sold out for obscene amounts of money. He can't seem to find a way to manage all the time in between and has gone through so many personal assistants, the agency is down to its final candidate and if he isn't happy with this one, they are done trying to work with him.

Fortunately for Grace Moore, she needs this job and will stop at nothing to ensure she makes enough money that she can move out of the home she shares with a couple that had hoped to adopt her young son when he was born. They are still hoping she will change her mind and thus the reason for letting her stay. They understand how difficult it is for a single mother to make it in Los Angeles alone! So Grace is will to pass along a little "grace" to Roman and hopefully find a way for the two to work together. But she will also need to come to terms with her own past, and one that can apply a little grace to both of their lives.

The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers is an exceptional look into the pasts that we think define who we are today and unfortunately for some hold us back in the very areas that God wants to release us from. While Grace has the faith to work through some of her issues, there are some still holding her back. Yet at least, she begins to peel back the layers of Roman's past and help him to see that God is his only hope for a future, that is if she can reach him before his has a tragic accident that will forever change them both. Well worth all 5 out of 5 stars in this reader's opinion and now proud to add this novel to my permanent library.

For more information about The Masterpiece, Francine Rivers or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers

You can find Francine Rivers on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Masterpiece, visit Tyndale House Publishers website. 

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone - DVD Giveaway

Buy this!!!

That's truly all you need to know if you're looking for a great, well produced Christian movie that the entire family can enjoy! The Resurrection of Gavin Stone is such an incredible movie that shows what the power of grace and redemption can give to those who put their lives in Jesus Christ, from Universal Pictures! This is NOT your cheesy, poorly written Christian movie most of us are used to seeing. There is an exceptional plot, recognizable actors and well filmed so it truly looks like something you would see on the bigger movie screens. In fact it did make its debut on select theaters but didn't stay out too long. Now it is available on Blu Ray, DVD and Ultra-Violet!

The premise behind this one is childhood star Gavin Stone, (Brett Dalton, Agents of Shield) made it big when he was little but is struggling to find any roles now that he is grown. So like most childhood actors we know, he decides to exemplify the bad boy image and instead has turned to parties with less than desirable results. He is the spotlight star on reality news and the recent action of trashing a penthouse roof in a high rise hotel has now landed him on the wrong side of the law. With either jail or 200 hours of community service, he opts for the lesser of two evils. Only his community service is within the confines of a local church as a custodian.

When he happens upon the pastor's kid, attractive but means business Kelly Richardson, (Anjelah Johnson-Reyes) he learns that she is putting together a theater performance of Crown of Thorns and is auditioning local talent to play the parts of the show. Believing he is just the right person for the job as lead, he convinces the pastor of the megachurch, Pastor Allen Richardson, (D.B. Sweeney) to allow him to utilize his remaining hours to help out the struggling production. He wants to star as the lead, Jesus Christ. When Pastor Allen tells him that only Christians are allowed in the production, he lies and tells him that he's a Christian. That's when things get interesting, because now he has to prove it by acting like one, talking like one and sharing his testimony before the church. Will he be able to pull it off?

I received The Resurrection of Gavin Stone compliments of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Icon Media. 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. I can't begin to tell you how incredible this movie was and am so glad I had the opportunity to watch this. Most well meaning Christian movies never really pull off the expectations most of us have for a great movie without a big budget behind it or a lesser known cast. But seeing Brett Dalton, Agents of Shield Grant Ward, play Gavin Stone, well this was a part suited just for his acting experience as well as everyone else who put this entire movie together. There are some great bonus features like deleted scenes, church uniform advice and interviews with the cast and Pastor James MacDonald. This movie is rated PG due to the crucifixion scene might be a bit graphic but the message of one man's redemption is simply one you won't want to miss. We even wish they included the entire play, because it was so well conceived in the parts you get to see. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

Now for the best part, thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Icon Media, they are offering a giveaway copy of this movie as a combination Blu Ray, DVD and Ultraviolet to one lucky reader! Here's the details to enter to win!

1. "Like" the Resurrection of Gavin Stone's Facebook page. 

2. Be a resident of the US or have a US mailing address. No P.O. Boxes please.

3. Leave me a comment below telling me why you'd love to win this movie along with your email address. You can use the words (at) and (dot) instead of the symbols, but I need a way to reach you in case you're the lucky winner.

4. Share this giveaway on social media or blogs. Please share your link below in the comments. For each share, you are entered in the giveaway. So the more you share, the more chances you have at winning!

The giveaway ends on May 24, 2017 and I will be emailing the winner of the giveaway. This is why you need to include your email address with your comment. I can't tell you how many times I have had to redraw winners because they left me no way to contact them. 

For more information about The Resurrection of Gavin Stone, Icon Media or where you can pick up a copy of this DVD today, please click on the links below:

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

You can find The Resurrection of Gavin Stone on Facebook to get more details about the movie.

You can purchase a copy of this movie through Universal Pictures Home Entertainment or a retailer near you.

The Shift

On Easter, I felt there was no greater story to share than one of redemption and hope in a world today filled without hope. When you look around the world you begin to wonder just how bad will it get. If you love a bit of spiritual warfare coupled with an unforgettable romance story of a prodigal family finding their way home, then you will love The Shift from author M. Ann Ricks.

The story opens with a young girl Xion who finds herself literally at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ amid Jesus' mother and others. Only she doesn't realize it at the time, just who the disfigured man is hanging there dying while those around him are weeping and sobbing. All she knows is when she looks into the eyes of this man, she doesn't see despair but love instead. Then she wakes up. Xion has been living with her grandparents since graduating from school and has been estranged from her mother Veronica since as far back as she can remember. It's a painful place that memories can keep us chained and no one is more content with that than the demons who want nothing more than to keep her in bondage and away from the truth that her grandparents have been praying for.

But for Xion, despite all she knows about Jesus Christ, and what her grandparents have shared with her, this is something that has to come to her on her own terms not merely accepting what everyone tells her she should do. So while her grandparents diligently continue to pray for her to come to know Jesus as they do, she continues to be haunted by the dream that felt like more than just a dream. She wonders just who the man is and why she continues to be haunted by his image.

Meanwhile Zeborah and Richard, Xion's grandparents and founders of Kingdom Revelation Center continue to pray for Xion, they are also praying for Veronica, her mother to come back home. It has been years since she has remained separated from them but feel God's got something big going on that will draw them all closer together one more time. Yet the enemy isn't so willing to give up the secrets of the past that have kept them all in bondage and he will stop at nothing to ensure the success in his plans of keeping Xion and Veronica from finding the salvation, hope and forgiveness that can only be found in Jesus Christ.

I received The Shift compliments of the author M. Ann Ricks herself for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions included here are strictly my own.. I've been a huge fan of speculative fiction, which is the new term that accompanies books on spiritual warfare in a fiction sense, since being exposed to Frank Peretti's books, Piercing the Darkness and This Present Darkness. It is important to understand that there is a world that we cannot see in which spiritual battles are taking place between believers and non believers everyday for our souls. This one is along those lines and shows just how strong the weapon of prayer can be in the life of a believer. It also shows how the enemy will do whatever it takes to keep us from using that power to battle for the lives of the unsaved around us. I LOVED this story that M. Ann Ricks has so thoughtfully put together and was divinely inspired to reach those that will read it. I easily give this one a 4.5 of out 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Shift, M. Ann Ricks or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Shift by M. Ann Ricks

You can also fine M. Ann Ricks on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

You can pick up a copy of this book at your favorite book retailer or through Amazon. 

• Paperback: 342 pages
• Publisher: M. Ann Ricks Literary Creations (March 1, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0991039955
• ISBN-13: 978-0991039951
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches

No Turning Back

Before we all became believers we all made mistakes in which we needed to find God in order to gain an understanding of who He is and about the forgiveness of sin. When we struggle in the darkness, it is hard for us to see what believers see so clearly. The hallmarks of a sin-filled life. They watch us struggle to come to terms with our sin, our anger, our pain and hurts before we find such a freedom and release in learning to hand all that over to God and find redemption and forgiveness in its place. Such is the case for Katy Thannen, an Austrian born sixteen-year-old who is struggling with just that very issue. While she has some basis for a faith in God, she becomes resentful when others point out what God is doing in their lives and how it can help her as well.

Growing up for Katy hasn't been easy. Her mother has worked hard to give Katy what she can, offering her schooling in a local convent but soon Katy realizes the value of hard work and obtains a job working for a wealthy family as a maid. There she finds herself the center of attention from the son of a wealthy Austrian bureaucrat, Alex Meissen, who sees nothing wrong with falling in love with Katy. That is, until he confesses his intentions and feelings to his parents which are met with less than expected results. They send Alex off to the small town Egg to gain a better understanding of the business world and in the hopes, he'll give up marrying Katy.

But like all great love stories, love is the greatest thing in life, and no matter the distance, Katy and Alex defy all the odds when they make a plan to leave Austria and head to America to leave their families behind. However since they remain distanced, Alex provides Katy the money and directions to meet him at the dock to board a ship bond for America, but they never find one another. Alex's train is derailed and since he can't get a message to Katy, she believes that Alex may have changed his mind and she heads to America without him. Now arriving in New York City alone, Katy realizes that a chance encounter with Alex has left her pregnant. She finds a place to stay with a local convent who helps immigrant women arriving in America find a job and a place to stay but once again Katy meets an unlikely adversary with another immigrant who finds her work in a laundry facility and offers to share rent in flat in town.

Through a series of truly unfortunate events, Katy makes a series of bad decisions which alter how she views Alex and her life in general. When Alex finds comfort in learning more of God's provision, Katy only rebels further away from him. It seems the closer Alex moves to God, the further Katy moves away and soon it will take a miracle of sorts to get Katy to view the circumstances in her life as something that can be redeemed no matter how great she believes they are. It may in fact take her to the brink of death before she can see what has been in front of her all along. But will she see it before it's too late?

I received No Turning Back by Joanne Wilson Meusburger compliments of Ambassador International Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. My first impression upon reading this book was I did not believe it to be a Christian novel at first based on the series of events that happen to both Alex and Katy and the decisions they make. But like all of us, we have all found ourselves like sheep being led astray til we discover the truth about life and how God can redeem and forgive us once we establish that relationship with Him. This is just what happens with Katy and Alex, it's the struggle between unbelievers finding hope and love in the midst of some of the most difficult situations life has to offer. We don't always make the right decisions, but in the end it enables us to be able to use those for the good of others and I think that is precisely the message the author provides in this novel. That nothing is too great to keep us separated from God. I give this novel a 4.5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about No Turning Back, Joanne Wilson Meusburger or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

No Turning Back by Joanne Wilson Meusburger

You can also find Joanne Wilson Meusburger on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

For more information on No Turning Back, visit Ambassador International Publisher's website. 

Prime of Life

"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." ~ Hebrews 13:2 (NIV)

If you're looking for an exceptional book that has just a little bit of everything tucked just inside the covers, humor, kindness, reflection, humility and a powerful message that ties them all together, than look no further than Prime of Life by P. D. Bekendam. The is a treasure just waiting to be discovered and I promise you, that you will NOT be disappointed when you get to the end.

It takes place at Heritage Gardens, a retirement home for seniors where we meet our main character, who simply goes by the name of Ben. He works as a janitor not only as a way to earn a living but to escape his past that refuses to stay in the past. When one of the retirees, the Professor, discovers that Ben used to be a doctor, he sets out to discover just why Ben would give up a high paying career saving lives to spend it cleaning toilets for a bunch of old folks.

Soon you will find that in Heritage Gardens, humor abounds in the unlikeliest of places. Frank and Marvin have grown up trying to out do each other since they were children and it hasn't changed now that they reside in the same senior home. It's a never ending job for Ben cleaning up each others messes as each one tries to get back at the other. When a younger woman named Betty Boestra, who been nicknamed Betty Boop, moves into the home, suddenly Frank and Marvin try to out do one another seeing who can attract her attention first.  The elderly ladies in the home, spend their time gossiping about Betty or spend their time in the beauty shop trying to look better for all the men who suddenly seem interested in the newest resident.

It's really to story of Ben that readers will find themselves drawn to as Ben becomes a bit of an obsessive compulsive person addicted with numbers, especially prime ones, and everything he does revolves around how many tiles he walks over to how many steps he takes getting from one place to another. It all has to end in a prime number. He refuses to wear anything with zippers and even his striped polo shirts or ties, have to have a prime number of stripes or he won't buy them. Yet along the way, you can't help but be drawn in to Ben's past and how it will soon resurface in a way he never imagined and his life will become full circle.

I received Prime of Life by P. D. Bekendam compliments of Worthy Publishing for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. I love how this story concludes and probably the highlight for me when you see how it all comes together kinda of like a hidden treasure. What you don't realize is the whole time, clues are being given which you miss until the end. It's then you have that "Aha!" moment and discover what the whole thing has been about. Truly a brilliant author who uses his god-given talents without being overly religious to get his meaning across in an unforgettable way. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars for this heartwarming debut novel that feels a bit like Grumpy Old Men meets Cocoon! The best part is proceeds from his writing go to help fund his activities in developing countries as he works to bring cataract surgery to the needlessly blind!

For more information about Prime of Life, P.D. Bekendam or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Prime of Life by P. D. Bekendam

You can also find P. D. Bekendam on Facebook to stay up to date with all his latest novels.

To read more reviews on Prime of Life, please visit Worthy Publishing's website. 

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Worthy Publishing (February 4, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1617952273
• ISBN-13: 978-1617952272
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1 inches

Bound To A Promise

"Never in a million years did I think I would be feeling so apprehensive about a trip to Jethou, but then I never thought my parents would be murdered either. Life is so uncertain, and that is why what Kimberly's mom, Shirley, said to me the day I got "the call" keeps me from fearing what tomorrow may bring. She said, "Bonnie, I know this has shocked you and shaken you to the core, but honey, this did not take God by surprise."

Couple that with Pastor Johnson saying, "God, could have prevented this, but He didn't, and He doesn't make mistakes," and you've got a certain God in an uncertain world.

It is not God who makes our lives uncertain, it it those who choose to sin. God knew my phone would ring that fateful morning, and in His sovereignty He orchestrated His angels to watch over me, and He sent my brothers and sisters in Christ to come alongside me. Therefore, I rest in my faith, knowing that God can and will see me through anything." (pg 89).

In the book, Bound to A Promise by Bonnie Floyd, she chronicles the true story of the murders of her father William Norman Clever, his wife Kathleen and two crew man aboard the yacht Challenger, Thomas Williams, and Ian (Criddy) Cridland. It was the phone call no one ever wants to get and one that would consume years waiting for the suspects to be arrested and the trial to begin. But more than that, this book is about what redemption and salvation looks like for the believer that has to deal with a situation no one ever wants to deal with and how it looks to come out of it on the other side.

It show cases how prayer and faith in God got both Bonnie and her husband Don along with their family and friends through the darkest of times. It is a book based on the true story of those murders but more than that it is a store of restoration of lost souls and finding compassion instead of bitterness as the reader takes a walk back in time in Bonnie's shoes through this entire nightmare. Her faith in God remains evident on every single page and I am so glad I got the opportunity to read this.

I received Bound to a Promise by Bonnie Floyd compliments of B and B Media Group for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable one. The opinions contained in this review are strictly my own. This is such a great testimony not only of Bonnie's life of faith but also how God answers in some of the darkest moments of our life. The road is not one that is easily traveled but when you consider the alternative fork in the road, you can see the results of this endeavor once she emerges on the other side stronger in her faith than ever before. God never left her or her parents and He gives her confirmation of that through several ways. I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend this to anyone struggling with faith in why God allows bad things to happen. It is life changing.

For more information about Bound to a Promise, Bonnie Floyd or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Bound to a Promise by Bonnie Floyd

You can find Bonnie Floyd on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books and information with her ministry.

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Creative Enterprises Studio; 1ST edition (2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 098905215X
• ISBN-13: 978-0989052153
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds