Book Review: Persecuted

I recently had the opportunity to read Persecuted; the global assault on Christians by Paul Marshall, Lela Gilbert, and Nina Shea.  This is a heart wrenching book of real stories of people all over the world who are being persecuted for their religious beliefs in Christ.  It is a reminder that Christian persecution didn’t occur just two thousand years ago or will occur some day in the future.  It is occurring right now, every day, every minute to millions of Christians.  Their proclamation as Christ as their Lord and Savior is truly a death sentence to many.  And yet they still make it.

The authors did a wonderful job with presenting the reader with all the details without getting too gory graphic.  This book made weep, my soul ache for fellow Christians, be disgusted in my intolerance to minor injustices that occur in our everyday lives, and be eternally grateful that I could drive to church on Sunday without the worry of imprisonment or physical harm to me and my family. 

This book is a wonderful reminder to many of us how fortunate out lives are.  We have freedoms of faith that many do not and yet we take them for granted.  I for one have been changed by this book and its message. 

 

Lord, help that my eyes stay open to this injustice of Your people.  Give me the courage to stand up for them and pray for them daily.  Lord, please grant them peace. Amen.

Note: I did receive a copy of this book for free from www.booksneeze.com to read and review.  The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: Bathsheba bathed in Grace

Bathsheba bathed in Grace by Carol Cook is 8 stories of women in the bible from their view. Carol eloquently retells the stories of Bathsheba, Rachel, Leah, Sara, Hagar, Tamar, and Eve.

I loved this book. Ill repeat it, Loved this book.  Carol Cook did an amazing job at retelling these well-known stories in a way that made me rethink my old perception.  Why had I always assumed Bathsheba was giddy when David called her to the castle?  I had always heard it like a bad romance novel where an old high school crush sees her and she runs to him with abandon for one nights bliss.  In reality she was ordered by the king and had no choice.  And if anyone would have found out she could have been stoned to death for his decision.

I also enjoyed the author telling the same story from two perspectives.  Although we know more about Sara’s side of the story from the bible I loved her take on Hagar’s side.  A slave ordered to bear her mistress a child and then was thrown into the drama of the house. 

I think the most amazing thing about this book is just to see how much God can use us and our situation in spite of us. God grew his people and lineage in spite of all eight women.  I love the real questioning and faith of these women and their relationship to God. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.  It’s not only entertaining but it strengthened by faith seeing parts of my life in theirs.  We all have doubts, jealousy, and fears but God loves us and will make our lives great if we only believe in him.

 Note: I did receive a copy of this book for free from www.booksneeze.com to read and review.  The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: Moon Over Edisto

The book Moon Over Edisto by Beth Webb Hart is about Julia, an artist living in NYC who does everything in life to not look into the past. But when her ex best friend/stepmother comes to see her, her life is turned upside down.  Her old friend has lung cancer and asks her to watch her three children while she is in the hospital recovering.

From this she is thrown back into her past hurt and anger towards her deceased father and friend who betrayed her. She is also confronted with how this incident not only affected her life but how it still affects her mother and sisters life. 

This story line would have been enough for a great book but it’s always better when a guy shows up to keep her spinning. Her first kiss/crush shows up and helps her while staying in Edisto. 

Overall I really enjoyed this book.  It seemed a little long to me at times but that could have just been me wanting to hurry up and find out what was going to happen.
I think the author did a great job creating characters with good stories and texture to them.  I can’t wait for another book by her.

Note: I did receive a copy of this book to read and review from www.booksneeze.com.  The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: More than a bucket list

More than a bucket list: Making your dreams, passions, and faith a reality by Toni Birdsong  is a list of suggestions on how to make a bucket list or how to live a life that is full and intentional.  The suggestions range from visiting the holy land to eating every flavor of bon-bon.  From live faithfully to learn new jokes.  After each statement he does a wonderful job of listing suggestions on how to accomplish that goal or build your own goal from that idea. 

For instance if you goal is to “know your neighbors” than you can pick up a newspaper and see what in your town needs prayer and help, find the needs in homeless, shelters, food pantrys, churches, centers, etc.

I enjoyed this book.  The ideas are mixed together in no particular order.  I do like how it can go from the simple (read a new joke a day) to the extreme (run a marathon on hike Everest).  It does a great job also in not just listing physical goals but personal ones like be less negative, count your blessings, and forgive the person who wronged you. 

I also enjoy that his main focus is really to look to God and see what his great plans are for you. To always strive to bigger than you expected and what God always expected.

I am excited to take from this book and make my list of things I want to accomplish with the help and direction from God

Note: I did receive a copy of this book from free from www.booksneeze.com to read and review. The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: Dark Eyes Deep Eyes

Dark Eyes, Deep Eyes by T. Neal Tarver is two stories of two people’s journey; one to heaven and the other to hell.  Wayne was pastor who felt like he failed God and God failed him when his church didn’t take the direction he felt led. He ended up leaving the church and working in a factory.  When he suddenly dies of a heart attack he is sent to heaven and goes on an adventure to learning all the pleasures of Heaven. Nick has turned away from God while a teenager. Now he is out to conquer as many things as he can; jobs, money, women, anything he wants.  When he suddenly finds himself in a car accident he is thrown into Hell and goes on a journey of pain, deceit, and agony.  He is unable to die but could feel pain and hunger. 

I really enjoyed this book.  There were a few times I thought the pace was too slow but the end is all worth it.  I also found is confusing at times with how the stories are broken up.  Every chapter switches from the Nick to Wayne story and vice versa.  In the beginning when I was still trying to pin down characters this made it hard to follow.

Note: I did receive a copy of this book from www.booksneeze.com to read and review. The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: the five money personalities

The Five Money personalities; speaking the same love and money language by Scott and Bethany Palmer is an insightful book for couples with money issues.  Not “we don’t have enough money” issues but conflicts in how to (and not to) spend money.  It looks at how each person look and feels about money and allows them to understand their partner better and have a more information perspective of your spouse and yourself when it comes to money. 

Are you a saver, spender, security seeker, risk taker or flyer?  This book helps individuals understand the pros and cons of each category.  You then pick your primary and secondary money personality. 

It was interesting to me to discover you can have conflicting primary and secondary personalities.  For instance you could be a spender (primary) and a security seeker (secondary).  Knowing this will help you understand why you can make lots of purchases and then regret them and the money spent as you get home. 

This book does a wonderful job (as was its goal) to not look at the money but the core of the problem. 

Note: I did receive a copy of this book for free from www booksneeze com to read and review.  The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.

Book Review: The Amish Kitchen

I always love reading Amish stories.  Sometimes the plot lines are a little dry but not in this book.  An Amish Kitchen by Beth Wiseman, Kelly Long, and Amy Clipston are three stories on three different women in an Amish community in Paradise, PA. 

Fern is the local herbalist in her Amish community.  Her world and heart are turned upside down when her neighbor, declared bachelor, Abram comes to her house for help for his siblings.  In only a few weeks her life changes like she never expected.

Hannah is running her parents bed and breakfast when a stranger asks for a room.  Stephen is running away from his community to Paradise for a new start on life.  Fate sends him to a small bed and breakfast in Paradise, PA.  As these two lives collide they find comfort and friendship together and maybe something more.

Eve is forced to move her family into her parents’ house after theirs in damaged during a storm.  Eve is forced to be in close quarters with her mother, whom she’s never gotten along with.  Her mother is judgmental on herself and how they raise her children.  She struggles with how to connect to her mother and survive the stay.

These three stories are great reminders that God is always in control and has a divine plan.  All we need to do is trust and obey.  There will be many hardships but many moments of Joy and it’s all for the glory of God.

Note: I did receive a copy of this book for free from www.booksneeze.com to read and review.  The opinions above are my own and I was not compensated for a positive review.