Saturday, May 18, 2019

The Heart of a King: The Loves of Solomon

Jill Eileen Smith (Author)

King Solomon was wealthy and wise beyond measure. He could--and did--have anything he wanted, including many women from many lands. But for all his wisdom, did he or the women in his life ever find what they searched for all of their lives?

In this engrossing novel, you'll find yourself whisked away to ancient Israel, where you'll meet Solomon and four of the women he loved: Naamah the desert princess, Abishag the shepherdess, Siti the daughter of a pharaoh, and Nicaula the queen of Sheba. As you experience the world of Solomon through his eyes and the eyes of these women, you'll ask yourself the ultimate question: Did Solomon's wisdom ultimately benefit him and those he loved . . . or did it betray them?

My Review:
First off I love this author! She has a way of opening up the bible so we can better understand people we read about in scripture. This book did not disappoint. I had a better understanding of King Solomon. I could see and understand his flaws and his desire to please God. Throughout the book, you will question and wonder how he could miss the obvious but realize that we too often twist and justify our disobedience to God. In the end, the author states what is perceived in the Bible and what is historical so not to miss lead the reader.


I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Saturday, October 20, 2018

Gathering of Sisters


Gathering of Sisters By Darla Weaver
© 2018 by Herald Press –
Author’s Introduction
Our Tuesdays happened more by accident than by conscious planning.
There were five of us sisters, growing up together with our four little brothers in the white farmhouse our parents built. This house is situated on the rise of a small hill, beneath the sheltering canopy of eight towering silver maples. Five of these trees line up along the front of the house; three more circle to one side.
The nine of us kept this five-bedroom house brimming with life, and crowded with both happiness and some inevitable sadness. We did a lot of living and a lot of learning in that house.
And then we all grew up.
I was the first to leave. On a warm and sunshiny day in September 2000, after the leaves on the lofty silver maples had faded from summer-green and before they wore brightly flaming autumn shades, I was married to Laverne Weaver. It was the first wedding in that mellowing white house we all called home. Four more were to follow in the next years.
We never sat down and planned for Tuesdays. But after I moved six miles away to my own home, I gradually acquired the habit of going back to the old home place and spending a day each week with my family. On Monday I always had laundry to do, and scores of other jobs to tackle after the weekend. And before we had children, I worked part time in a bakery at the end of the week.
That left Tuesdays. Tuesday really was the perfect in-between sort of day to spend with Mom and my sisters.
Regina was married the following year; Ida Mae and Emily were both married in the spring of 2005: Ida Mae in March and Emily in April. And Amanda, the youngest of us five girls, also had a spring wedding in 2009.
In retrospect, it seemed the white house beneath the maples had emptied fast, and even our little brothers were little no longer. One had also gotten married, one was currently living in Alaska, and one was planning a spring 2017 wedding. Except for Christopher, the youngest of the nine of us, Dad and Mom were alone again.
Except for Tuesdays. On Tuesday the five us sisters still come home. We pack up the children— all eighteen of them during summer vacation—and head to the farm. The large house snugged in by the maples is full again, and more than full.
We go early. I drive my spirited little mare, Charlotte, and she trots briskly along the six miles of winding country roads. Regina and Ida Mae live much closer. They married brothers, and their homes are directly across the fields from Dad and Mom’s farm. They usually bike, with children’s noses pressed against the bright mesh of the carts they tow behind their bicycles. Or they walk, pushing strollers over the back fields and up the lane. And Emily and Amanda, who also married brothers and live in neighboring houses about five miles away, come together with everyone crammed into one carriage.

The children love Tuesdays. On warm days they play on the slide and the swings in the cool shade of the silver maples, jump on the trampoline, run through their grandpa’s three greenhouses, ride along on the wagon going to the fields where produce by the bushels and bins is hauled to the packing shed. They build hayhouses in the barn and explore the creek. The boys take poles and hooks and bait and spend hours fishing and playing in the small creek that flows beneath the lane and through the thickets beside the pasture fence. They catch dozens of tiny bluegills and northern creek chubbs, most of which they release back into the waterhole, a deep pool that yawns at the mouth of a large culvert, to be caught again next week. They work too, at mowing lawn, raking, lugging flower pots around, or anything else that Grandma needs them to do, but most often Tuesdays on Grandpa’s farm are play days.
We don’t exactly play, yet Tuesdays for us are also about relaxing. Of course, there is always work to do—just making dinner for such a group is a big job—but the day is more about relaxing, reconnecting, visiting, and sharing. We talk a lot, we laugh a lot, sometimes we cry. Tuesdays is about being sisters, daughters, moms. It’s about learning what is happening in each others’ lives.
Every day is different, yet every Tuesday follows a predictable pattern that varies with the seasons. Winter finds us inside, close to the warmth humming from the woodstove, absorbed in wintertime pursuits which include card-making, crocheting, sewing, puzzles—jigsaw, crossword, soduku—and reading books and magazines. But as soon as spring colors the buds of the maples with a reddish tinge, we spend more time outside. The greenhouses are loaded with plants, the flower beds full of unfurling perennials, and the grass is greening in the yard again.
In summer, while the garden and fields burst with produce, the breezy shade of the front porch calls. It wraps around two sides of the house and is full of Mom’s potted plants and porch furniture. We sit there to shell peas, husk corn, or just sip a cold drink and cool off after a warm stroll through the flowers.
Then autumn echoes through the country, the leaves flame and fall, and we rake them up— millions of leaves. Where we rake one Tuesday is covered again by the next, until at last the towering maples stand disrobed of leaves, their amazing seventy-foot branches a wavering fretwork against a sky that is sullen with winter once more.
The years spin faster now than they used to, and we catch and retain only fleeting memories of the months as they come and go. Once upon a time there were nine of us growing up in the house Dad and Mom built to be our home. We have moved on, but what we learned there is with us still, and those things are alive and well and budding in the hearts of the next generation—the eighteen children who play and work and laugh and cry and generally fill our old home with new noise every Tuesday.

I watch the children at play and marvel at the heritage our parents bequeathed to us, which we in turn are passing on to their grandchildren, and think about the lines of a verse I love in Psalm 16: “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage” (Psalm 16:6).
The years go fast, it is true, but what is written down is never forgotten. These are fleeting memories of fleeting moments of a year of Tuesdays, spent gathered with sisters, children, and Mom.

My Review:
This is a book written by an old order Mennonite woman that shares stories of a year worth of Tuesday with her sisters and mother. Every Tuesday these five sisters along with their children head back home to spend time with each other and their mom. They bring along food and craft ideas to share with each other. The grandchildren get a chance to play with their cousins and always find fun activities to fill their time.
The old order Mennonites live more like the Amish. They have a weekly routine and order of how they do things. The book includes recipes and in the back of the book, the author answers a few questions about old order Mennonites.
I think we all wish at times that we lived their lifestyle that seems so simple and predictable. Most important part is the relationship with Jesus who is our everything and that we center our life around Him.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Sunday, September 2, 2018

Praying God's Promises

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Praying God's Promises: The Life-Changing Power of Praying the Scriptures Paperback – 

by Linda Evans Shepherd  (Author) 
   The Scriptures tell us that when we pray the will of God, he delights to answer our prayers. But what is God's will in any given situation? How can we know it? And if we don't know it, how can we pray it?

Linda Evans Shepherd shows readers that God's will is not a mystery--it's clearly laid out in his Word through his many promises. Through stories, practical application, examples of prayers, and guided reflection, Shepherd leads readers toward a more powerful prayer life. Arranged by topic for ease of use, this book shows how to pray God's promises

- of his presence
- of love
- of peace
- of joy
- of hope
- for provision
- for health
- for breakthroughs
- for our relationships
- over children and loved ones

Shepherd includes a chapter on God's powerful answers to prayer that will inspire readers to search the Scriptures, pray God's will, and wait expectantly for his promised answers.       


 My Review:
I really enjoyed this book and keep it with my bible for quick prayer needs. This book describes how to pray God's promises. She uses the Word of God and a prayer that agrees with the Word. She also shares peoples experiences of how God honors and answered their prayers.
An example of how she shares praying God Word includes a prayer for protection:

Gods Word says, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1 ESV).
I agree: Lord, you protect me. You are my refuge and strength, and you help me in times of trouble.

The author discusses the power of God's Word and shares the example of praying God's Word for our needs and for others.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Homespun:Amish and Mennonite Women in Their Own Words





Homespun: Amish and Mennonite Women in Their Own Words Paperback – August 7, 2018


My Review:
I always enjoyed reading books on the Amish so was looking forward to reading these women thoughts on their faith and life. This book covers several areas but mostly is about our relationships with one another and with God.
I liked the stories about hospitality. We don't see much of that these days. We learn that no matter the size or beauty of the home it is the people's kindness that makes others feel comfortable and welcomed. One person shared how one of the houses they attended wasn't even finished but people were drawn to that home.
In the stories, the woman shared their relationship with the Lord and how it is the most important part of their lives. Through the good times and the difficult, He is ever present. How we have heaven to look forward to but until then we must remember to share the gospel with those who don't have the pleasure of knowing our loving Savior.

I received an ebook copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Book Review


The Road Home

About

As the sun began to rise, Lena Rose leaned against the cool pane of the bus window and gazed out at the familiar landscape of her life. I'm leaving my family and everything I know behind. She sighed, trying to keep her composure.
Grieving the death of her Amish parents and the separation from her nine close-knit siblings, Lena Rose Schwartz consoles herself that her new life in Lancaster County won't be forever. Surely someday soon she will return to her beloved Michigan settlement, including her beau. But even as she holds on to hope for a reunion with those she loves most, she discovers that Lancaster holds charms of its own. Will she find the courage to open her heart to other possibilities?
My Review:
This book is well written as are all of the author's other books. The book centers on Lena the oldest child of a family of nine children. When the parent our killed in an accident it is hard to find families to take in all the children. Lena is sent to live with her father's cousin. While she's there, she works with the wife as a seamstress to earn money. As she waits for an opportunity to return home to live close to her siblings she finds love and dear friendships.
When at last she has a place to stay and work back home she will be leaving special people behind. When she returns home she is happy to be with her brother's and sister's again but wonders what God has for her life. 

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for my review.





Wednesday, November 8, 2017



OCD, ADHD, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder . . . these are no longer just technical terms and medical diagnoses, they are part of our common vocabulary and culture.
As Christians, we shouldn't isolate ourselves from this discussion or dismiss these important issues. But we also should be careful not to accept the entire secular psychiatric diagnostic and treatment enterprise without question. What we need is a balanced, biblically (and scientifically) informed approach that neither blindly accepts nor harshly dismisses psychiatric labels, diagnoses, and medicines that are prescribed to help those who are suffering.
As both a Biblical counselor and medical doctor, Michael R. Emlet, MD, gives readers a Christ-centered approach to psychiatry and guides both lay and professional helpers through the thicket of mental health labels and treatments with a biblical lens. In a clear and thoughtful way that puts the person experiencing mental health issues at the forefront, Emlet uses Scripture to show how the Bible engages in the discussion of psychiatric labels and the medications that are often recommended based on those labels. The first book in the "Helping the Helper" series, Descriptions and Prescriptions will give readers a biblical, gospel-formed perspective to help them understand and minister to those struggling with mental health issues.
Michael R. Emlet, MDiv, MD, practiced as a family physician for over ten years before becoming a counselor and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He is the author of the book "CrossTalk: Where Life & Scripture Meet," the mini-books "Asperger Syndrome;" "Chronic Pain;" "Angry Children: Understanding and Helping Your Child Regain Control;" and "Help for the Caregiver: Facing the Challenges with Understanding and Strength," and many counseling articles.
Find out more about Michael at http://newgrowthpress.com/.
My Review:
This book gives an insightful look at mental health and Christian counseling working together to help the individual. It discusses the use of medication which has been looked down on by churches of varying denominations. The great part of the book is the hope it provides for those who may suffer from mental disorder. You are not the disorder that is a small part of who you are in Christ and with Christ you can get better.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Small Book About A Big Problem



How many times today have you been irritated? Frustrated?
While you might not think about it often, if you look closely at any day most everyone can find anger in their actions and attitudes. Something spills or goes missing, we get stuck in traffic or someone cuts us off on the road, or we feel like the people we live and work with are only making our lives more difficult. And while no one wants to get angry, what happens when our irritations and frustrations rise yet again?
Anger is so common-yet it also hurts. It not only leaves a mark on us, but it also leaves a marks on others. The wounds we inflict on ourselves and others because of anger-loss of intimacy, trust, security, and enjoyment in our closest relationships-give us compelling reasons to look closely at our anger and think carefully about how to grow in peace and patience.
But if you, like many others, have just gotten irritated for the umpteenth time today, you might wonder if change is possible. Can anyone truly find peace? The answer is yes, but you will need a plan. Biblical counselor and psychologist Ed Welch invites readers to take a fifty-day journey that unpacks anger while encouraging and teaching readers to respond with patience to life's difficulties. Readers will also be introduced to Jesus, the key to any plan for change. Known as the Prince of Peace, he is the only one who can empower his people to grow in patience, peace, and wholeness.
Edward T. Welch, M.Div., Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). He earned a Ph.D. in counseling (neuropsychology) from the University of Utah and has a Master of Divinity degree from Biblical Theological Seminary. Ed has been counseling for over thirty years and has written extensively on the topics of depression, fear, and addictions.
Find out more about Edward at http://stores.newgrowthpress.com.
My Review: This is a much-needed book for Christians. A lot of time we think anger is not a problem while not realizing what damage we can cause with our angry word. This is especially concerning our children.
You read a chapter a day so that you can really mediate on God's word on the issue and learn to overcome acting out in anger. 
This book would be good for Christian counselors and for Christians in general. Would recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review.