Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Instead of the vicious tribal warfare that defined my people, I found a nation united beneath one God and united in purpose like nothing I’d ever experienced. A nation willing to accept outsiders as one of them, beneath the protective banner of their Torah laws.
Alanah a Canaanite who had lost her family in battle. Had disguised herself a soldier to fight her people’s greatest enemy – the nation of Israel. At this time, the Jewish nation had exited Egypt and were wondering under the leadership of Moses and Joshua. Tobiah and his Jewish brothers went into battle against the Cannanite’s who seeked to destroy their way of life. A life of family, community, all united in the laws of God. Tobiah in a fierce battle found Alanah, injured and realizing her sex, took her into camp. To protect her, he offered her marriage and safety. It is where Alanah learned thru Tobiah’s obedience the sacrifice and love of a God that she could not see. Their story weaves thru the culture differences and allows the reader to gleam spiritual truth. To see the bigger picture of the wandering of the Jewish nation. The fight for life and the walk of faith. Their is a pursuit for love for both Alanah and Tobiah that cuts to the heart. Alanah who suffered from the abandonment of her mother and Tobiah’s guilt of the death of his brother in law.
It ends to the well known story of Jericho. I loved how the author brings their story to life thru spiritual truth that encourages a deep hunger for the word of God. Right now in our world, the nation of Israel is on a fight for survival. They were in the time of Moses as well and God displayed is glory thru his people. I pray that He will again. It might look different but we do not have the mind of God but we do have his word and his promise. Lean on Him. Thank you Ms. Cossette for being faithful to the word of God.
A special thank you to Bethany House and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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The Marriage of Opposites by: Alice Hoffman
The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There are those who say that heaven and hell are not so far apart. They are not at opposite ends of the world beyond ours, only a step away from one another.
If you have not read an Alice Hoffman book, you are missing out – she is the reason to read. Her characters are deep and they always lead me to how the mundane is easily a passion of life. The best way to describe her books is by her characters
Rachel Pizzarro Pomie a young woman that is defiant. Her Jewish heritage may be the reason for her defiance. A people that have been scattered and persecuted throughout history. Her family in the mid 1800 had scattered to St. Thomas islands. Her father Moses Pizzaroo was a merchant and wanted his daughter educated despite her mother’s wishes. She loved her father deeply, however, her mother’s relationship was strained. Rachel did as she pleased. When her father arranged a marriage of Isacc Pomie who was recently widowed with 3 children, Rachel insisted on meeting the children first. She loved the children as her own and swore to their dead mother that she would care for them and not replace her in her children’s hearts or her husband. The Marriage of Opposites show Rachel’s two marriages- The first one was of duty and the second of Love to Frederick. It also showed two different sides of Rachel. A dutiful Rachel that was loyal to what was right and wrong and a passionate Rachel that loved without apology.
There were several characters in Rachel’s story that brought out the good and bad of her character. Her best friend Justine whom she betrayed. Her mother and her favorite son. The relationship between mother and son were solely ironic in nature and hooked me all way thru her life. It is a story that is full circle in friendship, love, and loyalty. What drives us and keeps us going. Rachel in her zest for what mattered to her knew love in all extremes.
A special thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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Why? A story for kids who have lost a parent to suicide. by: Melissa Allen Heath
Why?: A Story for Kids Who Have Lost a Parent to Suicide by Melissa Allen Heath
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Very difficult book to read but needed. Children need to know the truth of depression and that they are not to blame. How do you go on after suicide?
Oliver’s father died of suicide and being left with the aftermath, his mom helps him see that he is valued. That he was loved by his father. How they can remember the good times.
The book deals with the what – depression. The why- how people struggle and give up. The how- how do you process the pain and still love.
A special thank you to Magination Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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Pine Creek Matchmaker by: Amity Hope
Pine Creek Matchmaker by Amity Hope
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
God cannot create a new thing in us until we stop clinging so tightly to the old.
Caleb Weaver left his Amish community four years ago because he needed too. A terrible accident was the catalyst of his departure that injured his sister. He went to live with his cousin Aiden who had left because he wanted to. Working for Aiden in carpentry made a good living for Caleb. With his family needing help to run their store, he had come back for support. Driving his truck, he spotted an Amish woman needing help rescuing a kitten. However, to his surprise the young woman was his sister’s best friend and his nemesis in school. Sadie Ziegler was just as surprised as Caleb when Caleb stopped his truck to help. The sparks are flying and you know that these two are meant for each other.
I loved how a common good brought them together – the cat, helping the sister and eventually they both became matchmakers with the people they loved. Of course ignoring the good match that they were. Caleb and Sadie both had to deal with issues that put a wall up. Together, they brought down those walls. The one wall that remained was – would Caleb go back to being English after living Amish for months. Would he be able to take the step of faith.
A special thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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The Woman From Lydia by:
The Woman from Lydia by Angela Elwell Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Everyone serves someone or something, whether or not they want to. Whom will you serve.
The Woman from Lydia is taken from the New Testament. Where Paul was preaching the good news of salvation. Giving the people hope such as Euodia, a dyer of purple. People of the region would call her Lydia because that is where she had come from. She was a stranger with a past that haunted her. She had lost her husband and daughter and with the wealth that she had, she had business that she employed slaves only to free them. If they wish to stay, they worked for her for wages.
She encounters a young girl (this young girl is briefly mentioned in the New Testament and where Angela Hunt draws her narration) that is demon possessed and to the anger of her owner, Paul sets her free. Lydia cannot stop thinking about her and asks her employee to buy her from her slave owner. She wanted to redeem this child. This is where the story takes shape and the freedom of the gospel comes alive in pursuit of this troubled child.
There are many lessons learned from Hunt in her story of Lydia. She has a good grasp of the history of Christianity and of the gospel. The truth will set you free. Set you free to love God and others. A lesson we all can learn. Highly recommend.
A special thank you to Bethany House and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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Lost and Found by: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Lost and Found by Suzanne Woods Fisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Noticing that special bird. That is how it started for birders. One special bird. Everyone had a spark bird that ignited interest. Everyone began somewhere.
There are many lessons to learn from birds. Especially in bird watching. Micah Weaver is well-known for bird watching. With his side kick Trudy Yoder, they both enjoy each other’s company and learning about the different birds. Trudy is the youngest sister of Micah’s girlfriend that jumped the fence. Her family have not heard from her and Micah’s heart was broken when she left without a word. The two sisters are complete opposites however, Trudy is Shelley’s biggest defender. She is also in love with Micah.
The narration is between Trudy and Micah and each chapter begins with a lesson on a special bird. It is Trudy’s Bird log. A log that she keeps on the lessons she learns about each bird. These lessons are what makes their story so special as it takes shape.
Shelley contacts Micah saying she is in trouble and needs help. She tells him not to say anything to anyone. The tension rises when he becomes desperate to find her. She leaves several messages and each message leaves a clue to where she is.
Another story is brewing in the community of Plain when a Beachy community moves in and takes opportunity away from the Plain community. The elders vote on finding a new place to live which Micah sees the opportunity to find Shelley. All the while, Trudy is feeling frustrated by Micah’s distraction and fears loosing her friendship with Micah and loosing her community.
It all comes to head and everything is revealed. One of the revelations is mental illness and how it affects families. You never know who is suffering. A lesson in it self. I loved how their story came together.
A special thank you to Revell and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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The Exchange: After the Firm by: John Grisham
The Exchange: After The Firm by John Grisham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Not sure what I was expecting with this. Maybe my expectation lead to my disappointment. I still watch The Firm with Tom Cruise playing Mitch McDeere. Wondering where Mitch and Abby drove off to and what did they end up doing.
Mitch ended up in a successful Law firm in New York and Abby a food author. They have kids and are involved with their children and their activities. Their lives are normal. The narration starts with where they are and what they are doing and leads to Mitch meeting up with a past co-worker that was sent to jail. Nothing came of that. So where does that leave us. A favor from a current co-worker in Italy. So not to go to deep in all the going on but it became a lesson in International law when upcoming partner is kidnapped in Libya. The questions become why, for what purpose, and how does a firm go thru the land mine of an Exchange.
I love reading John Grisham but this was not a edge of your seat read. I liked the ideal of Mitch McDeere saga but we need to do better.
A special thank you to Doubleday Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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With Winter’s First Frost by: Kelly Irvin
With Winter’s First Frost by Kelly Irvin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Burying pride and fear lead to second chances for love.
The Jamesport, Missouri Amish community is all about second chances. Laura Kaufmann great-grandmother, grandmother and mother, she serves her family and community well. Being a widow has not slowed her down. She misses her husband and the love that they shared. She continues sharing that love by loving her family well. Laura in her later years still wants to be useful so when a opportunity comes up to help a family with the birth of twins, she is more than happy to do step up. The Stutzman family also has their grand father Zechariah staying with him. He is a widower as well and suffering from Parkinson.
The two seem to bounce off each other in a good way and in doing so are also learning what does God have for them. They both grow closer together when family crisis come up that test their faith and question their purpose. They both have fears for their family and are dealing with how family dynamics are reversed. The kids begin telling them what to do.
Laura’s family crisis are two-fold. One granddaughter is jumping the fence to become a doctor and the another granddaughter becomes pregnant. Laura dealing with the crisis becomes a journey of acceptance of God’s will and drawing wisdom of God’s grace. These family lessons that Laura and Zechariah draw them together in a sweet way.
A special thank you to Zondervan Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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Impossible Christianity by: Kevin DeYoung
Impossible Christianity: Why Following Jesus Does Not Mean You Have to Change the World, Be an Expert in Everything, Accept Spiritual Failure, and Feel Miserable Pretty Much All the Time by Kevin DeYoung
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The treadmill of Christianity that we put ourselves on can make many walk away from the faith at the worst or not walk in the joy of our relationship with God. We become the 2nd brother that nobody talks about in the prodigal son. When we live in the “Impossible Christianity” we lose hope of our salvation. Kevin DeYoung is one of my favorite teachers to read. He is clear on what the gospel is not. As he states, we have equated feeling bad with doing good. A easy pit to fall into.
We live in the day where information is easy to have by the internet or seeing other Christians on social media “doing good” that we may develop a construed ideal of what it means when Jesus says Well done, good and faithful servant. Have we made that statement our idol and not what God has done in our behalf? Have we made that statement an Impossible Christianity.
I believe that Kevin is challenging his readers to remember the Gospel. The application of the Sermon on the Mount. The gospel is freeing from sin not to sin. The To behold the work of God, the love of Christ, and the equipping of the Holy Spirit.
A special thank you to Crossway Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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Divine Blessing and the Fullness of Live in the Presence of God by: William R. Osborne
Divine Blessing and the Fullness of Life in the Presence of God by William R. Osborne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A through study on the blessing of God. How many times have you heard or even said God has blessed me with family, home, good health, job, and friends. The list can go on. However, if we compare the blessings or lack of blessings can it change our view of God. This is why this study is so important to Christians to have a biblical understanding of what blessings are and what they are not.
Divine blessings are what draws us near to God and an understanding of who He is. The study incorporates the blessing of the trinity as well. In honesty the blessings I listed above are blessings that we experience but a true blessings in light of the Kingdom of God. As Christians, we need to be reminded to seek the giver thru the gift and not the gift. In other words, what can I get from God if I do this and that. It only leads to bitterness and despair. Having a construed understanding of blessings can lead to destructive emotions and more away from God than what blessings are designed for.
What a blessing this book is! Highly recommend.
A special thank you to Crossway Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
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Book Gatherings 