Book Review: Undistorted God

Undistorted God
Reclaiming Faith Despite the Cultural Noise
Ray Waddle
Copyright 2014

I believe this is a book that should be added to your personsal library.  It would be well worth the investment.   Undistorted God is a wonderful tool for Christians.   This books reminds us that God Is the Creator not us.

We are reminded too that it does not take doctoral hairsplitting to make a difference sometimes we just nred to take action.  We need to get involved in some way.

The Readers guide and conversation discussions at the endbof the book are a great tool to allow you to delve deeper into the book, and to perhaps get more out of the book, it would be ideal for a small group study.

I give this book Five out of Five Stars...

Book Review: Jeremiah Daring to Hope in An Unstable World

Jeremiah: Daring to Hope In An Unstable World
A Bible Study By Melissa Spoelstra

Copyright 2014

This study reminds us that the prophet Jeremiah was called to surrender in the midst of his hardships.  This book reminds us that God does not want to hear our excuses.

This would make a great study for either group or even individual study, it is a reminder that no matter what we go through we can surrender it to the Lord and he will help us through.

I give this Bible Study five out of five stars...

Book Review: Angels Walking

Angels Walking
Karen Kingsbury
Copyright 2014

Kingsbury opens up this novel with a meeting of Angels who are on a mission to battle for a young baseball players and a young woman's very heart and soul.

The two Angels chosen for this mission were Beck and Ember.

Tyler Ames has been playing baseball since he was four.  A back injury, public drunkeness and poor choices ruin his carrer and his public persona.

Sami Dawson loves her job as an assistant at the prestigious marketing firm Finkel and Schmidt in Santa Monica.  

Angels Walking is a powerful novel that deals with some tough subjects but deals with them in such a manner that you are compelled to read on.

Sami and Tyler had a relationship when they were younger and soon Sami finds herself having to fly to Tylers hometown to mret with a client.

This novel will take you on a Spiritual journey of just how powerful forgivenes is and just how the Lord uses Angels even today.

Follow me on this Angelic journey in Angels Walking.

I give this novel five out of five stars...

Book Review: The Most Beautiful Girl

The Most Beautiful Girl
A True Story of a Dad, a Daughter and the Healing Power of Music
Tamara Saviano
Copyright 2013

This is the story of Tamara Saviano's relationshiop with her Father.  We learn early on that when Tamaras Father was drunk he was mean.  We learn how quickly Tamaras father can go from calm to boiling mad over small things so much so that Tamara and her brother grew more and more afraid of them. 

When Tamara graduates and shortly after gets married she finds herself married to an abusive man who not only takes his agression out on her but their infant daughter as well. ..

When Jenny, Tamaras daughter is fivevshe tells the parent of one of her friends that her Father is touching her inappropriately and soon her Father is arrested and charged.

In 1988 Tamara meets her birth father for the first time and is slowly able to learn abouy him and her paternal grandparents.

I give this powerful book five out of five stars.

Happy Reading. ...

Book Review: God in Motion

God in Motion
Making Sense of the Loose Ends in Life

Jeff Leak

Copyright 2013

God in Motion reminds us from the first chapter that doubt is deadly.  We are reminded too that we shouldn't perceive God as two dimensional.

We are reminded too that God is an awesome leader but he is not a follower.    Jeff Leak reminds us to that forgiveness is both a choice and a process.

After each chapter is a seriex of questions entitled consider this whi h makes a great tool for either personal study or group study.

Five out of five stars...

Happy Reading...

Book Review: Rich In Love

Rich In Love
When God Rescues Messy People
Irene Garcia, Lissa Halls Johnson
Copyright 2014

This is a story of how God redeems messy people.  We are reminded too that just because it looks like a person has everything on the outside does not mean its true.  Some people are very good at hiding how they truly feel.

We see what alcoholism can do to a relationship and we see also how God can create something new from people who seem broken to the world.

Irene talks about raising a daughter with multiple physical and mental issues as well as an adopted Son and later goes on to tell about her Sons battle with Cancer.  

I give Rich In Love five out of five stars.

Happy Reading...

Book Review: In Real Life

In Real Life
Lawrence Tabak
Copyright 2014

Seth is a sophomore in highschool who happens to be a math prodigy and loves gaming.

Seth lives for gaming.  He was written up in a magazine because of his gaming skills.

Soon a girl named Hannah starts taking interest in Seths gaming skills.  Soon Seth finds himself competing with some of the top gamers in the world.

Seth finds himself competing in tournaments in Korea which means he has to travel away from his family,  his friends even Hannah. 

Being part of Team Anaconda seemed like a big deal at first but before long Seth feels even more lonely, more alienated thsn he had felt at home.  He misses his family and Hannah of course.

I give this YA novel five out of five stars...

Book Review: Get Unstuck: Be Unstoppable

Get Unstuck
Be Unstoppable
Valorie Burton
Copyright 2014

I received this book from Netgalley and Harvest House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.   

Burton reminds us that Getting Unstuck involves a series of choices. 

We need yo get moving go to a quiet nplace and meditate and tell the truth to ourselves. We are told that we can rewrite the dtories we tell.

We are reminded to not wait for inspiration if we just get to work that will come...

This book is full of such good advise as to stop living in the past snd it reminds us too that we need to drop toxic friendships.

I give this book five out of five Stars...

Book Review : A Young Woman's Guide to Discovering Her Bible

A Young Woman's Guide to Discovering Her Bible
Elizabeth George
Copyright 2014

This book is a wonderful tool for young women wanting to get to know yheif Bible better. The questions and excercises bthroughout this book allow you ideas on how to delve deeper into the word.

In this book Elizabeth George gives study tips that will help young women to delve deeper into the word.

I give this wonderful study guide five out of five stars.   And I would recommend it to young women wanting to dig deeper into the word.

Book Review: Choose Love

Choose Love
The Three Simple Choices That Will Alter the Course of Your Life
Stormie Omaritian
Copyright 2014

I was excited to receive Choose Love by Stormie Omartian through netgalley for my honest review.  I have read many of Stormie Omartians books over the years so it was my honor to be able yo review this book.

Choose Love reminds us that growing in Christ living in his love is a continual growing practice. We are reminded of the importance of being grounded in Gods word as well as Gods wisdom especially when we are making choices that will affect others.

This book reminds us of three simple choices that will change our lives the first being not only tonunderstand Gods love but to open up and receive it, the second choice we need to make is to deliberately choose to ecpress our love for God in response to his love for us.  The third reminder is yo love others in a way that pleases God.  We are reminded that if we choose to not walk with Godand continue in that way we will be cutting ourselves off from the lifesource.

I give this book five out of five stars..

Book Review: Where I Belong

Where I Belong
Mary Downing Hahn
Copyright 2014

Brendan doesn't have low self esteem he has no self esteem everyone from teachers to his foster parents continually remind him how inadequate he is.

Brendan was born to a crack addict Mother who abandons him as an infant and he has difficulty concentrating in school and in sixth grade he gets Fs in everything but art.  When Brendan is forced to go to Summer School he does not expect to meet a friend but he soon meets Shea and they become friends.

One day a group of boys beat Brendan so bad they nearly kill him but with his Fostef Moms help he makes it through, but he is to afraid to admit he knows who they are until he sees them hurting someone else.

I give this book five out of five stars...

Happy Reading...

Book Review: Betrayed by God

Betrayed by God?
Making Sense of Your Expectations
Shana Schutte
Copyright 2010

One thing that struck me early on in Betrayed by God is when Schute says that Gods plan involves blending her emotions with Gods truth.

Another Analogy that stuck with me is when she compared to how when we feel betrayed by God our heart becones like that garden that is overtaken by weeds.

We are reminded that in order to avoid believing the deception that we are betrayed by God we need to remain grounded in God's Word.

We are reminded too that allowing ourselves yo believe God has Betrayec us is an open window for letting Satan in.

I highly recommend this book be added to your library if you have ever allowed yourself to feel Betrayed by God.

Five out of Five Stars..

Book Review: Tara Revisited

Tara Revisited
Women, War & the Plantation Legend
Copyright 2013

Tara Revisited gives us a look at southern woman during the Civil War.  This book shows what it was like both for the enslaved Women and their mistresses while thd men of the plantation were away fighting.

We learn that most white southern wome  even wives of slave owners did not usually live on plantations but in more modest dwellings.

In Tara Revisited we will learn that 200,000 colored men served iin the Union Army.  

By the end of the Civol War therevwere 8000 famiies destitute in Atlanta alone.

If you are looking for a book on the lives of southern women during the civil war then Tara Revisited is the book for you.

Five out of five stars...

Book Review: The Case of the Stolen Sixpence

The Case of the Stolen Sixpence
Holly Webb, Marion Lindsay
Copyright 2013

This is a fun book for children just learning to read chapter books.

Maisie fancies herself a detective and is friends with Alice but Slice is not in the same clasx as her so she has to keep their friendship a secret.

When Maisie comes across a dig that is either lost or abandoned Alice reminds her that she has her first real case. And soon after that she finds herself in the midst of another case her friend George gets fired fro  his jo  accused of stealing only it looks like someone may be trying to frame him.

If you have an elementary scholl child who loves to read and who likes mysrery mixed un eith puppies and best friends this is the book for them.

Five out of five stars for a fun well written childrens book...

Happy Reading...

Book Review: Redeemed

Reedemed
Embracing a Transformed Life
Kerry Clarensau
Copyright 2012

This book talks about something that is not addressed often enough and that is Redemption.

Websters give seveal meanings of the word reedeem but the one that fits this book is...

Redeem 

6.a To atone for...Expiate...Redeem an error

B. 1. To offset the bad effect of...2...To make worthwhile retrieve.

Although this book is brief only 97 pages it is a worthwhile book to read on the subject of redemption. Jesus died for our redemption after all.

In the pages of this book we will be challenged to have a deeper relationship with our reedemer.

The worksheets at the end of the chapters are great for group study.

I give this book five out of five stars...

Book Review: Rory's Promise

Rory's Promise
Michaela MacColl, Rosemary Nichols
Copyright 2014

Rory made a promise to her Mother before she died that dhe would help take care of her sister Violet. When there Mother dies the Children are taken to the Foundling Hospital.

Soon Rory is mistaken for a thief by a policeman and taken into custody when shevtries to tell them she belongs to the nuns at the foundling hospital they think she is lying.

But the Sister comes to rescue her and is not pleased with the way she was treated by the Police.  

Soon Rory learns that the Nuns have found a home for her Sister and she wants the best for her sister so she does her best to encourage her sister.

When Vi gets on a train to go to a family in Arizona Rory sneaks on the train to make sure her sister is given a good home.

This is a wonderful book for young adult readers or anyond who has an interest in the Orphan Trains for that matter.  I givd this book five out of five stars..

Happy Reading...

Book Review: Song Of My Life

Song of My Life
A Biography of Margaret Walker
Carolyn Brown
Copyright 2014

Although a rather short biography this biography of Margaret Walker is pretty detailed.  The author was able to create this book using some information taken from Margaret Walkers unpublished unfinished biography.

Reading this book will allow you to get a good glimpse into Margaret Walkers life and education.   You will discover a very determined intelligent young writer who made friends with the likes of such famous poets as Gwendolyn Brooks and Langston Hughes.

We learn that in 1988 Margaret Walker had a branch of the Hinds county library named after her.

I give this book five out of five stars...

Book Review: A Beauty So Rare

A Beauty So Rare
Tamera Alexander
Copyright 2014

This book takes us back to mid to late ninteenth century it opens up in 1864 when Eleanor is nursing injured soldiers in the civil war.

By 1868 Eleanor is dealing with her Fathers failing health and ends up having to take him somewhere where he can get The help he needs when it gets to be to much for her.

Eleanor is shocked when she goes to visit her Father and half the time he thinks she is a little girl who is being mouthy and threatens to take a strap to her.  She does not understand her Fathers decline or what is happening to him.

Soon things start looking up though when she finds she may have a suitor a man named Marcus.

So come on and travel with me back to the 1860s and meet Eleanor and Marcus, and so many others.  

Five out of five stars for a well written and well researched novel.

Happy reading friends...