Passions of the Soul

The Author

When I read a novel, each time I have to put my e-reader away, I find myself musing on the story, wondering how problems or issues among the characters will be resolved, bringing the happy ending I know is ahead. Rarely do I question the nature of the ending or that two characters in a romance will resolve their challenges; I just don't know the details of how that will take place.

Yesterday, as my mind engaged in its usual thinking about the story, at times imagining that it might work this way, or maybe that way, I finally tired of the effort and reminded myself that "the author has it all worked out."

[Light bulb.]

Now, if any of my readers (or should I say, either) insists on reading only the most intellectually or even spiritually profound writings, such reader(s) will be excused for checking out early. I'm not sure if what follows is profound, or not.

The writer of the letter to the Hebrews wrote, in 12:2, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. . . ."

Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6 that "he who began [authored?] a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ."

Consider, also, Genesis 1:1-27, which begins--as I think almost everyone knows--"In the beginning God created. . . ." That is echoed in John's account of the Gospel: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made, and without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men" (1:1-4).

It all began with God, and when I get nervous about our future financial security or fearful of seriously advancing age, I need to remember that the Author has it all worked out. Whatever comes, He already knows and sees how He will work it into the tapestry of my life, of Bruce's life and our life together. And the story has a very happy ending, for those who have put their faith in Him.

It's a beautiful love story from beginning to end.

God Within: A Review of God Inside the Fire

Title:  God Inside the Fire: An Amazing True Story***
Author:  Greg Stelley
Published by: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012
Kindle Edition

God Within

Place:  San Diego County, CA
Date:  October, 2003

On a very windy day, two hunters set out for the day, the Santa Ana winds blowing and gusting as the Santa Anas always do. The hunters became separated; one became lost, increasingly confused, and dehydrated. After wandering for too long, he came to a clearing and dropped to the ground. He tried to use his cell phone but had no signal. Fearful he would never see family and friends again, he eventually set a small fire, despite the winds and in surroundings that were as thirsty as he, to signal an approaching search helicopter. By the time the hunter was located and rescued, the fire already was beyond control; to his list of reasons to be grateful, the hunter could add the fact that he otherwise would surely have burned to death.

That fire burned too rapidly and too hot for the efforts of firefighters and water tankers to have any noticeable effect. By midnight, some 5 acres had burned; by 3 a.m. that number was 62 acres. On that first night 12 people were killed while trying to flee the fire. In all, between October 25 and December 3, many homes and other structures were burned to the ground. Thankfully, more people made it out alive, some with only the clothes they wore.

Right in the midst of everything on the mountain that was thoroughly destroyed, one home did not burn. One piece of property, with the animals that had been left behind, remained untouched. And it is that story that Greg Stelley wants you to know.

The story of God Inside the Fire records the events prior to the fire, its progression and destruction, and its aftermath. That story is worth telling, whether the reader is a believing Christian, skeptic or searcher. Other parts of the overall story are fictionalized, as typically takes place in nonfiction writings. Some of those parts are clearly the work of a story-teller and add to, rather than detract from, the value of the bigger story of the miracle. At least one other part, which contained the identities of a young, newly-married couple (who appear unrepresented on a list of those who died in the fire--not a spoiler alert!), must have been, again, the work of a storyteller. However, that story no doubt conveys the terrible sense of desperation and stark terror that must have been true for those who died trying to drive through a wall of flame in their desperate attempts to escape.

The narrative is gripping, often heartbreaking. But there was the miracle that prompted the writing of this story: The one piece of property left untouched, belonging to friends of the author and his family. To the Stelley family, it is a miracle, period. One fire captain said only, "Strange things happen in a fire."

Given that strange things do happen in a fire, why do I persist in referring to the one story (that I know of) of untouched property as a miracle? Because I have read the book. Joni Stelley and her daughter Danielle had both prayed that God would protect the Scalari's property, home, those animals the family had to leave behind--even a big oak tree in front of the house and its tire swing. Because of the very specific nature of their prayers and the equally specific nature of the protection, I can only conclude that God answered the prayers of two people who prayed in faith, not doubting that God would answer their prayers.

I really wanted to give this book an unbridled positive review. But, the crisis past, the rest of the book began to drag, for me--the whole section titled "After Events," but especially a chapter titled "Last Pieces." Not that the contents of the section and chapter were useless; no, clear through to the end the author included details and scriptures and spiritual insights, each one helping to convince me further that a true, God-directed miracle had occurred on that one piece of property, in that fire. But the most persuasive parts were surrounded by loose writing that often made me long for an end.

I also became confused as to the purpose of the book: The writer has said that, after sharing the story with many people, he felt compelled to write it down. I understand that. I experience it. But having told the story of the fire and the miracle, his purpose seems to have shifted to evangelizing. That, from an evangelical Christian who understands evangelical zeal. But for me, the evangelizing actually bogged down the book and detracted from the story that had gripped me.

In my opinion, the main story, the real body of the book, would best have ended at the end of Chapter Nine, if not sooner. All of the further details and insights that emerged could have been contained in a tightly-written epilogue, perhaps further highlighted as items for group discussion, with scripture references.

I give the narrative of the story four stars, but for the book overall, I'm going with three.

 

Un-indebtedness

A line in one of the songs we sang in church this morning says, simply, "My debt is paid." As we moved on to the next words and lines, I was thrown back to my feelings on the day we paid off our very last debt, back in about 2005.

I was standing at the teller window waiting for a bank check to be prepared to pay off our credit line. Our first mortgage had already been paid, as that one had carried the higher interest rate. We owned our cars out-right. With this final payment, we would be left with only utility and telephone bills; credit cards (one each for personal and business use), which we paid off in full, each month; and commitments to church, family, sponsored children, and such other items as might come up. But we were finished with credit. So as I stood there, waiting for the check, I wanted to lift my hands and yell, "Woo-HOO!" And if I had really cut loose, I might have skipped around the lobby and through the small Wells Fargo branch, chanting, "We'refreewe'refreewe'refree!"

The song of this morning spoke of our debt of sin, which Christ Jesus paid off with His death on the cross. His resurrection cancelled our eternal death.

Wow. That rates a whole lot more than a woo-hoo! But an "I'm free!" is often expressed by the person who has just received Him, just returned to Him, or had a very heavy burden lifted through prayer.

I can't count the number of times those words, "I'm free!" have gone through my mind, as the peace of God has flooded my heart. My debt, that I could never, ever have met, is paid.

Don't Wallow, Follow!

Our church's current Bible Reading plan follows prescribed chapters in either the Bible or in The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People (NIV). The Story is the Bible; it just isn't the whole Bible, as some portions are summarized.

In Chapter 3 of The Story we read about Joseph. If you don't own a copy of The Story, you can read about Joseph in Genesis, beginning in Chapter 37. But skipping ahead to Chapter 49, the whole family of Jacob (Joseph's dad) is reunited in Egypt where Joseph has been to the position of Deputy Pharoah. And, lo and hark, the rest of the family bows down to him. Now, Jacob knows he is about to die, so he calls his sons to him and says, "Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come" (v. 1).

In verse 3, he begins with Reuben. But first, here is an exerpt from the summary in The Story: "Not all [Jacob's] sons got what they wanted. Reuben, for example, was chastised for an earlier sexual sin that no doubt he had hoped his father would not remember."

But Jacob did remember Reuben's sin against him:

³Reuben, you are my firstborn,
    my might, the first sign of my strength,
    excelling in honor, excelling in power.
⁴ Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
    for you went up onto your father’s bed,
    onto my couch and defiled it.

Maybe this is just me, but I have often wished that God would just forget all about some of my sins. Okay, all of them, but especially those sins that for so long weighed me down and hindered my living in freedom (Hebrews 12:1). But I am in good company: David, psalmist and King of Israel, sang,

⁶ Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
    for they are from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth
    and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.

Reuben had sinned against his father and was not forgiven. Like him, we have sinned against our Father. But unlike him, when we put our faith in the Son and received His grace and mercy, our Father forgives our sins. He does not hold them against us. They are done. They are forgiven, and God moves on. My challenge is to follow and not wallow, in either the good or the bad of the past.

*Most definitions of wallow in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and examples given suggest a pleasurable, leisurely activity, such as a pig wallowing in mud. But keep looking and find these: "To move with difficulty in a clumsy or rolling manner; flounder," and "to become or remain helpless <allowed them to wallow in their ignorance>." That describes the way I have  felt when I wallowed in sins that I know have been forgiven. Thus, my use of the word.

Widgets Don't Tell You Everything

I have widgets in the sidebars that readers (both of them) can use, if they want to sponsor a child through Compassion International. But widgets don't tell you much, if anything, about the child you will receive, so with four new child packets on hand, I want to tell what little I know about each one. Most of the information comes from the packet, itself, but you can't see those, can you? Basic first fact: Each child lives in extreme poverty.

First up is Revania (Eva), 7, of Indonesia. Eva, her parents and two siblings live in a coastal community where malaria and acute respiratory diseases are common.

Eva participates in church activities and is in primary school, where her performance is averge. She enjoys playing with dolls.

Your sponsorship will help the staff at the student center to provide Eva with Bible teaching, nutritious food, medical checkups, outdoor activities, sports, handicraft classes, school uniforms, tuition, academic courses and scholastic materials, as well as worship services, child protection training, and income-generating skills for her parents.

Your love and support will help her to develop her God-given potential. Your letters will encourage her heart; she will be amazed that someone she has never met, who lives far away, could love her! An immediate bond with you will form in her heart and mind, and only never hearing from you will diminish that bond. (The content of this paragraph applies to every child registered in a Compassion project, in any country where Compassion works.)

Four-year-old Kiara lives with her parents and two siblings in a jungle community of Peru. She attends church activities regularly and is in pre-school. Common health problems include malnutrition, anemia, parasites, upper respiratory infections and diarrhea. But the nutritious meal or snack that Kiara receives, every time she attends the project, helps to make her strong.

Your sponsorship allows the staff to provide Kiara with Bible teaching, medical checkups (and treatment of any illness), hygiene and dental education, nutritious meals, sports competitions, birthday celebrations, academic reinforcement, income-generating workshops and computer labs for children to work on homework. Marriage retreats and parenting education for her mom and dad are also provided. Yes, Kiara is a little young to enjoy some of these benefits, but she will be able to participate as she gets older.

Muzungu is 9-1/2 years old. He and his siblings live with their parents in Rwanda. He enjoys soccer and playing group games, attends church activities regularly and is in primary school, where his performance is average.

Rwanda is one of the countries that Compassion has designated as an "AIDS-affected area." That means that every child is considered to have been affected by AIDS--whether infected, living with an infected parent or other family member, orphaned by AIDS, or otherwise associated with someone who has this disease or its relatives. Compassion will never tell a sponsor if his child is infected, to protect the child's dignity and privacy.

Malaria and worms commonly afflict residents in the plains of Ndama, where Muzungu lives. His father is sometimes employed as a farmer and probably earns the equivalent of $16 per month. His community needs tuition assistance, scholastic materials, employment opportunities and caregivers for orphans.

In Want of a Title

Title:  Letters to Katie
Author:  Kathleen Fuller
Published by Thomas Nelson, 2013
Kindle Edition

Letters to Katie: A Review ***

Katie is the next in the Middlefield Family Series, set in Middlefield, Ohio. "Katie" is Katherine Yoder, a young Amish woman who is very discouraged with her life, her unrequited love for Johnny Mullet, and her continued unwedded state. After all, most of her peers are married, with children, and she has no valid prospects. She prays that God will either remove her love for Johnny from her heart, or grow a love for her in his, but neither seems to happen. She fears being alone, whether entirely on her own or living with her parents, forever. She sees her life, back through childhood, in a very negative light in terms of her social interactions.

Katherine works at Mary Yoder's, a restaurant in town. One day, a young Amish man she has never seen before sits at one of her tables and begins to flirt with her. Katherine does not know how to flirt and doesn't realize that is behind his friendliness, but she is confused by his attentions and by a co-worker's informing her that the fellow watches her every move. Then, one day, he asks her to go with him to the next "singing," an Amish gathering for young people. Before she can answer, Johnny comes into the restaurant, specifically to speak to her. The reason for his visit is more fodder for her winding up feeling misused by a friend with whom she wants so much more than friendship.

As our heroine stands with Isaac, as he waits for her answer to his invitation, Johnny waits to speak to her, alone--his own fears mounting that she won't be interested in courting him, by the time he is ready to court her. Isaac takes his leave without a clear reply from Katherine, and Johnny is able to make his request of her, obtaining her happy assent. Sadly, Johnny has not been clear about the role he wants her to play, so he ends up hurting her very badly. And, some time later, she learns that Isaac had presumed a positive answer from her, leading to an unpleasant scene.

All this time, Katherine is growing sicker by the day, not aware that she is actually ill, until a persistent headache refuses to go away and only becomes much worse. A hospitalization of a few days puts her back on the road to health, but she has lost her memories of the preceding three weeks. She does remember that Johnny has hurt her, and hurt her badly, one time too many.

Johnny has his own set of growing problems, largely brought on by his prideful determination to prove to himself, his family and Katherine that he can succeed in turning a seriously run-down farm into a
thriving horse farm. Almost immediately after buying this farm, he is given two weeks' notice at his job. Panic ensues. Other employers are not hiring. The banker who denies him a loan recommends that Johnny talk to a non-Amish investor the banker knows, who might be interested in Johnny's business plan. At first, Johnny thinks the couple are going to invest in his horse farm, in which case he will be financially set. Sadly, it doesn't turn out that way, and Johnny very nearly allows them to create something very different from his dream, in order to get the money they offer.

A sub-plot exists involving Sawyer and Laura and their families (see Faithful to Laura). In my opinion, Sawyer and Laura's story would have made the better plot, with Kathleen and Johnny's story serving as the subplot. Laura and Sawyer's story made this book more enjoyable for me than it might otherwise have been, as their part of the book showed more of the way God works in people's hearts and minds than did the main part. At least, that is the way it seemed to me.

Did I enjoy this book? Hmm . . . I have enjoyed what little else I have read by Kathleen Fuller, but
this one?--not as much. It is a "nice story," but except for details, it's very predictable. Even the process of drafting this review has been a ho-hum effort. Two and a half stars seem right, but I'll round up, because I did not hate the book; it just lacked any spark or any real depth. I give this book three stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Got it back!

I forgot to report that my Bible was returned to me, last Sunday morning--one week after I left it at the church. I was so happy to see it! Wish I hadn't had my name embossed on the front of my new Bible, or written my name or made any other marks on the inside. Oh, well. I'm a happy girl!

I Want My Bible Back!

I haven't mentioned this, all week, on Facebook or anywhere online, but . . . I lost my Bible on Sunday, at church. By "lost," I mean that I am about 99% certain that I know exactly where I put it down, and when, just before I left the campus. I know that somebody picked it up, because the place where I put it down (to get my keys out of my purse) was straightened up and moved, as a part of straightening the lobby. Whoever picked it up could have put it in Lost and Found, turned it into the office, or something, but it has not appeared. I went down on Monday to look, and I searched every place I had been, to no avail. The L & F in the lobby contained someone else's Bible, but not mine; the L & F in the church office has several Bibles that no one has claimed, but mine isn't there, either.

So, of course, I thought that someone looked inside, saw that it was mine and said, "Oh, I know her; I'll take it and let her know I have it." But I've heard nothing, and no one has contacted the church office.

After another search on Wednesday, I broke down and bought a new Bible (paid way too much for it, too, because I didn't look at the price until it was too late. My name is embossed on the cover).

I've been in mourning. Yes, I know my new Bible contains the same message, the same scriptures, as my previous one, and I know it is God's Word that really matters, and not the particular book in which I read it.

But the Bible that is gone had, over the 10 or 11 years I had it, become a journal, of sorts. I'm a marker. I underline or otherwise mark passages that speak to me, make notes in margins, and even mark study notes that I find especially helpful. And no, my new Bible, although it's another NIV Study Bible, does not have all the same study notes; I know this because one I had gone back to, again and again, isn't the same, at all. I also had some sermon notes on the note pages, in the back.

I still want my other Bible back. I've tried to say, "Okay, Lord, maybe someone else needs to see some of the passages I've marked. Maybe you can bless that person through them. I hope so--" and then I cannot help but add, "Because he or she has taken 10 or more years of my Bible study life from me!"

That is not a good attitude, and I'm sorry. And if whoever has it were to return it to me, I would just be very, very grateful. Honest!

Reaction to a Horror

Life News carries a story today about the growth of sex-selection abortions. Here is my response, from my heart and my gut.

This particular strategy of misogynists was practiced long, long before Margaret Sanger, Gloria Steinem and other champions and leaders of the Women's Lib' movement were ever conceived. Long before their parents, grandparents, and long strings of their antecedents--or ours--were conceived.

That it still happens is a curse on "civilization" and "civilized" people everywhere. That it happens now, in the U.S., is a horror upon and an outgrowth of the fundamental horror that is abortion, that is partial-birth abortion, that is "after-birth" abortion.

I wonder. After the killing of baby girls who never get to grow up, to follow their God-ordained paths to fulfillment and contributions to science, literature, the arts, or to raising children to honor God and all of His creation; and to contribute their time, gifts, talents and other resources to all that makes humanity bearable--after sex-selection abortion has become the norm, what is next? Sex-selection hiring? (Isn't that one of the issues that generated Women's Lib' in the first place?) Even more-rampant growth of female sex slavery, regardless of age, without (social, political or legal) condemnation or consequence, even in America? Free killing of women of any age?

Oh, well. I'm being dramatic, here. Those things will never happen. Right? After all, the SCOTUS sitting in 1973 deemed that abortion was a private matter protected by the U.S. Constitution in order to make life better for women. How could it possibly hurt us . . . more than it has? How about higher rates of depression, drug and alcohol abuse and addiction, cancer, and suicide? How about more murders of girls and women who get pregnant by men who do not love them and take the quickest way out of a "problem"? How about more coerced or forced abortions of girls and women who have been forced into prostitution and taken by their pimps to abortion mills?

No, I am not being dramatic, here. Check out the statistics, and if you can't find good sources, let me know; I've written about them, before, and I'll find the link or links.

A spiritual poverty continues to move through our land like a rising mist of death, reaching further and further into the life and fabric of our nation.* Those who value life and the  guarantee of the right to life by our Founders had better pull together and make a lot more noise. And if members of Congress who value life want to preserve it--or more accurately, who want to restore the right to life--they had better stiffen their spines and stop going along. Their wives, daughters, granddaughters, sisters and nieces, are not invulnerable.

There is One who can rescue us and dispel this mist. We call him Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, God the Son (second Person of the Trinity), Lord of Lords and King of Kings, and His reign will never end.** If you don't know Him, perhaps only know of Him, please let me know. I and many of my friends would like nothing better than to point you to Him; but be aware, following Him will cost you everything.

^* "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5:8)

^** "They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers” (Revelation 17:14)

Grace Awakening

Title:  Threads of Grace: A Patch of Heaven Novel
Author:  Kelly Long
Published by Thomas Nelson, 2013
Kindle Edition

Grace Awakening

Grace Raber, 18, is forced into a marriage to Silas Beiler, an embittered, evil old man and the family’s landlord. In exchange for the hand of his youthful bride, Beiler pays the family’s debts and sees to Frau Raber’s medical care; he then isolates Grace from her family, though they live on the next farm.

Following the accidental death of her husband, Grace emerges from her nine-year marriage mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually drained of all the color in life. But God has granted to her one blessing: her son Abel, diagnosed with autism but possessed of an unusual ability to sense the hearts and deepest aches of others.

Released from her marriage but not from her past, Grace takes Abel and what possessions she can take with them and runs from Middle Hollow, OH. She sets up housekeeping and her quilting frame, enrolls Abel in the small Amish school under the tutelage of Lilly Wyse, and lives quietly for six months; quietly, but not without notice by neighbors, including one Seth Wyse, Lilly’s brother-in-law.

In those six months Grace tells no one about her life with Beiler—how he told her repeatedly that her very beauty, including her hair and her violet eyes, was a sin and a temptation to him (for which he punished her); and that Abel’s disability was a result of her sin. He even cut off her hair, adding to her shame. After her one pregnancy, Beiler vowed never to touch her in such a way, again—a vow which he mercifully kept. All of this Grace has kept to herself, focusing on caring for Abel, on maintaining her small house, and on her quilting. But after six months of quiet living in her new community, her life takes a drastic turn.

A broken ankle means she cannot manage at home, so she agrees to accept the hospitality of the neighboring Wyse family for one night. Events of the next 48 hours make the broken ankle seem a mere blip: Her sister Violet, whom she has not seen since marrying Silas Beiler, shows up on the Wyse farm, looking for Grace. She brings with her the news that her and Grace’s parents have both died in an accident. Grace then insists that, with Violet’s help, she can manage in her own home.

Once there, Violet tells Grace how she had found her sister, assuring her that Tobias Beiler, Silas’s brother, cannot be far behind—and on cue, they hear a pounding on the door. He has arrived, with a sheaf of legal papers in hand. Grace knows immediately what they are, as Silas had insisted that she sign her agreement to their contents; having learned the price of non-compliance, Grace had signed. Tobias is on hand to enforce their terms at noon the following day, if Grace is still unmarried. The terms: Silas’s fortune, property, and Grace’s hand in marriage will all transfer to Tobias. Silas’s purpose had been to “protect” Grace from temptation and sin, should she remain a widow for too long, and Tobias means to have Grace; however, to get Grace, he will first have to take Abel.

Most of the story tells of love unfolding, release from the prisons of the past, and redemption of a hardened heart: grace upon grace that binds us together as threads bind pieces of a quilt. I also enjoyed the insertion of Grace’s friend Alice, from Middle Hollow, though I tired a bit of the Pink Lady theme (an obvious allusion to a well-known cosmetics company). As for the title of this review, it describes both the title character's awakening from her dark past to recognize the grace God is showing her in the present, Grace's decision to extend grace to a young woman, and an awakening to grace for other characters.

I love a good series and look forward to the next installment in this one. I see hope for redemption of another wounded soul, as an evolving Grace feels led to befriend a hardened young woman. And of course, another love story may find its fulfillment. 

Threads is Book 3 in the Patch of Heaven series by Kelly Long. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books, probably a bit more than this one. I give Threads of Grace four stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

 

Amish Whisperer

Title:  A Plain Scandal: An Appleseed Creek Mystery
Author:  Amanda Flower
Published by B&H Publishing Group, 2013
Advance Reader's Edition/Kindle format

A young Amish woman is attacked, her hair cut. Three more young Amish women are similarly attacked, their hair also cut. Two Amish-hating thugs are out of prison, too soon. An elderly Amish gentleman is attacked, his beard cut--but his horse took a bite out of the attacker's shoulder, through his wool coat. Finally, an Amish businessman is stabbed in the back and killed, his beard also cut.

How many attackers are there? Are all of the attacks really related? Are the two thugs, Curt Fanning and Brock Buckley, responsible? Or is it possible that one or more members of the Amish community are attacking their own?

Readers of Flowers' A Plain Death, the first in the Appleseed Creek Mystery series, will welcome the return of Chloe Humphrey, an Englischer; her two formerly-Amish friends, siblings Timothy and Becky Troyer and their family; and Police Chief Greta Rose. In Chloe's office, Clark and Miller also remain.

In part because of their history with Curt and Brock, Chloe and Timothy assist police in the investigation. Along the way, Chloe and Becky get a new landlord whose motives they suspect;
- most of the Amish community turns against the entire Troyer family, and especially against Chloe;
- Chloe discovers a dead body and a secret engagement;
- Chloe runs from Brock across a pond that is not so frozen, after all;
- a man loses his grip on reality; and
- Chloe nails the killer.

The series is obviously Amish-related, but with Chloe as the protagonist, that community does not quite claim center stage in A Plain Scandal,. However, Timothy plays a strong supporting role which becomes increasingly significant--especially to Chloe. A Plain Scandal includes a number of  references to events in the first book, which I have now read. Usually, when I read a series novel out of order, I don't especially feel as though I've missed a lot, even though (if I like it) I will read whatever came before. I suspect readers of Scandal may be more satisfied for having read Death, first, but this is only my experience.

I like most of the characters that carried over to the second novel, and I enjoyed Scandal as easy reading, with more than enough intrigue to keep me in it. And now both books continue to haunt my mind. The third book in the series is set for release in the fall, 2013, and already I chomp at the bit. I give A Plain Scandal ****. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Shelton Interactive on behalf of their author or publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Let Me See Jesus!

Title:  Fixing My Eyes on Jesus: Daily Moments in His Word
Author:  Anne Graham Lotz
Published by Zondervan, 2012
Kindle Edition; also available in Hardcover, with 400 pages

Anne Graham Lotz is the daughter of the Reverend Billy Graham and his late wife, Ruth Bell Graham--herself a noted author. The devotionals in this book reveal the solid foundation in faith that Ms. Lotz and her siblings, including the Reverend Franklin Graham, received from their parents.

When this book became available for BookSneeze reviewers, I tried to get past it, because I didn't
think I wanted to review a devotional book. But I did want to use it, and I kept going back to it. And here I am. 

Some years ago, while reading a book based in the letter to the Hebrews, my eyes similarly got caught while reading the first two verses in Hebrews 12:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Those words looking to Jesus might have been in neon lights, the way they captured not only my eyes, but my mind.  

I find Lotz's devotional book helps me stay on track--or, more accurately, get back on track, when I am distracted by people, places or things; by weighty concerns for family, friends, our church, or our future. If, as I do, you need a daily, Bible-based reminder to let Him carry your worries, your guilt or shame, your fears--those things that weigh you down--I highly recommend Fixing My Eyes on Jesus as an adjunct to your Bible reading. I give it *****.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Notes to Self

1. Kat is always wary of being trapped. No nice, soft, cave-like cat bed ever felt his presence. And a carrier? Forget it!

2. When Kat needs to go to the vet', which has not happened often enough (see item #1), it does not help to close him in a room 90 minutes earlier than necessary.

3. Once there, he knows something is up--which he already knew, if no food was left out for him overnight.

4. Remember that he may also need to go potty, and he will do that as soon as he is picked up.

5. Cat pee really stinks, and he will, too, when he has peed in the carrier.

6. Getting him into the carrier 60-75 minutes early may seem, on the surface, like an accomplishment, but it means that much time of listening to "Meow! Meow! Meow! Meow! Mew! Mew! Mew? Meow? MEOW!"

7. There is no good way to do this. None.

 

I can't believe it's been more than a month and a half, since I last posted! No wonder my stat's are in the tank! I will try to get something up in the next week, or so, if only to prove that I am still breathing.

When You Can't Find God

This is the second book review I am reposting in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shootings, of last week. Anytime I look at my blog stat's, this is the one post I'm likely to see listed among recent hits; I'll bet there have been more, in recent days. If you are wondering where God is, please read this book; if you know someone who really needs to find "His Presence, Purpose and Power," this would make a very thoughtful gift.
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Title: Where Is God? Finding His Presence, Purpose and Power in Difficult Times
Author:  Dr. John Townsend
Published: Thomas Nelson (2009)
   206 pp. (plus Appendix and Notes)
*****

Dr. Townsend had me at the title. The book's arrival the day after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake ripped through Port-Au-Prince heightened my desire to read, devour and review Where Is God?

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have often felt guilty for asking, 'Where is God?" or, more directly, "Where are You??" just as if He had to explain Himself to me. I think many of us believe at a visceral level that, if we really believed, if we really trusted God, we would never ask such a question. We would just be assured that He is with us.

The author encourages us to ask and even says that, when troubles come, that is exactly the sort of question we ought to be asking. It shows that we care about having God in our lives, that we want to connect with Him.  And it shows that, right at that moment or in the dark hours, we cannot feel His presence. But turning to Him is exactly what He has invited us to do, in joy and in sorrow.

In Chapter 11, Townsend draws from C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters, which was written from the perspective of the Devil (Jesus is referred to as the "Enemy"). A senior devil, instructing his nephew on undermining spiritual growth in humans, cautions him about the risk involved when people seek God in their suffering, to no avail:

Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys (qtd. in Townsend, p. 134).

We hope in God, even when we don't feel Him, see Him or hear Him. We hope in God because we know that "God's love for us will move Him to do what is best for [us]" (p. 67).

Many of us find it difficult to hope, when we have doubts about God's goodness, or His intentions toward us, or His power, or whatever our personal doubts are about. And there's that pesky sense of guilt, again. But Townsend tells us that "doubt is not the absence of faith. It is part of faith" (p. 168).

Where is God? offers the reader good reasons for hope, encouragement to hold fast to God's promises even when He seems not to show up, and tools we can use. Rather than encouraging the reader to smile, no matter what, Townsend encourages us to acknowledge our realities and our emotions. He also encourages us to seek support from caring friends and family, and to believe that God is good and has good intentions toward us.

I wish I could give this book six stars, but only five are available. I hope everyone who is struggling will pick up a copy and read it, and that those who are not struggling will give a copy to a friend or loved one who is in a dark place.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Purpose Beyond the Pain

I am re-posting this and one other in the wake of the mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. If you are frightened for your children or grandchildren--or for yourself--or are dealing with other kinds of pain (emotional, relational/social, etc.), this is a good choice for you.
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Title:  Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain: Uncover the Hidden Potential in Life's Most Common Struggles
Authors:  Paul Meier, M.C., and David L. Henderson, M.D.
Publisher:  Thomas Nelson, 2009
281 pp. (including Notes) *****

Every now and then I read a book that is so full of wisdom, insight, encouragement and other life-enhancing power that I want to stay with this sentence or that paragraph.  As I continue reading, I may want to stop to explore further what I've just read and how it might apply in my life.  Reading Finding Purpose... was like that, for me, and I have some revisiting to do.  This book should have a place in every home, because none of us escapes the pains of life.

Drs. Meier and Henderson focus on seven major "universal struggles": Injustice, Rejection, Loneliness, Loss, Discipline, Failure, and Death.  Each section contains four chapters offering insights, perspective, and stories of individuals who experienced the type of struggle being discussed.  Each section stands alone, so the book can be read as needed, when we find ourselves dealing with any of these seven common sources of pain.

What Meier and Henderson want us to grasp is that "pain is not the enemy" (p. xv) and that, if we will look and listen for God's perspective, we can find the "light beyond our most common struggles" (p. xvii).

As I write this, I am thinking of a disaster that occurred on Interstate 10, in Arizona, just one week ago, as a result of a major dust storm.  A series of crashes involving 20 vehicles left at least three people dead, including two teen siblings, and many injuries.  We had just driven through the same dust storm and were perhaps a mile beyond, when the crashes occurred.

When I think about the individuals whose lives were forever changed, in those brief moments, I can well imagine that those whose loved ones are gone are grieving, today, from the loss, the deaths, the seeming injustice and apparent lack of purpose to it all.  Many will experience the loneliness of separation from loved ones, along with the physical and enotional pain of their injuries.

Finding Purpose... speaks to these and other pains and points us, always, to God, to seek His comfort and to cooperate with Him in finding that purpose that will bring meaning and healing to our lives.  The authors do not minimize the realities of pain or spout spiritual pablum.  Their approach is spiritual, in that they write as Christians who have experienced these same struggles; it is also practical, drawing on their mutual experience as psychiatrists who, every day, listen to and work with individuals who are dealing with pain in any of its manifestation.

So "[t]he next time you experience pain, find the perfecting purpose it plays in your future--beyond the pain[--]and use that powerful knowledge to endure the pain today. . . .  Don't give out; don't give in; don't give up until you have found it" (p. 278).

An Inconvenient and "Outrageous" Truth

The following is in response to Mike Huckabee's allegedly "outrageous comments" regarding the mass murder of children and several adults in Newton, Connecticut.

Would I have said, "We shouldn't be surprised"? No, because most of us are civilized and don't think of shooting people as a way to deal with our anger, hurt, rage, etc. Well, we might occasionally be so ticked off that we think something like, "If I had a gun, I'd pop'im one!" But we don't live there. We don't mean it. We don't plan for it. We don't do it. And we don't expect other people to do it, either.

But I do agree with Huck' that we don't need to look far for the reason, when such things happen. Oh, there will be analyses as to the shooter's mental state and/or motives, but we need to shoulder some responsibility for having allowed our society to slide further and further from any measure of reverence, of respect, for God's moral laws, one of which is, "Don't commit murder" (my paraphrase).

Still, the horror of these events shocks us to our core. The massacre of innocent children; the depth of grief experienced by the families and other loved ones of those who are killed, both children and adults; the awareness that first responders walk into scenes they will never, ever forget, though some will try in some unhealthy ways; these things and so much more bombard our minds even as members of the media bombard us with information, speculation, rumors, hearsay, occasional misinformation, and interviews, all in the name of bringing us the news. And we stay tuned, if we're able, because we crave more information, perhaps in the hope of hearing some one thing that will make all of the pieces fall into place, so that we can sit back, take a deep breath, and say, "Oh, okay. That's why. It's still horrid, but now I understand."

Many of us turn to God in the hope that He will make sense of it for us, but He already did that, long before He provided the means of our redemption through Christ Jesus, our Lord. And our hearts cry out, "Come, Lord Jesus!"

If Ever I've Needed You...

Title:  Need You Now
Author:  Beth Wiseman
Published by Thomas Nelson, 2012
Kindle Edition

Brad and Darlene Henderson moved themselves and their three teenagers from Houston to Round Top, Texas, after one of the kids got into some trouble. Brad commutes back to his accounting firm in Houston, a 90-minute drive each way, to provide for his family. He works long hours, hoping--and expecting--to make partner, very soon; his goal is to earn enough money for Darlene to be able to refurbish her late grandparents’ farmhouse in whatever manner she desires. 

Darlene has been a stay-at-home mom, but two of the children seem to have adapted well to small-town living, and middle kid Grace is the “perfect child” who never gives her parents reason to worry. So Darlene decides to apply for a teacher’s aide position at a small, private school “of last resort.” She is hired on the spot, and tensions begin to rise at home. A budding friendship between Darlene and Layla, the woman at the next farm, introduces other stresses, but also brings blessings to the whole family. 

After a major threat to Grace comes to light, Darlene begins to feel as though the crises come from all sides. Grace, who really wants to be that “perfect child,” holds in so much that she has begun hurting herself. Dave, the widowed father of one of the students at the school, begins to pay too much attention to Darlene at a time when she and Brad are not communicating well. About the time Darlene is sure she can handle no more, Layla is critically injured.  

Brad is faring little better than Darlene, but while they love each other deeply, they are not working together, and the problems mount up. Fighting, fear, secrets, guilt and the desperate effort to keep up a good front only make matters worse, until a major loss brings them—especially Darlene—to the breaking point.  

Need You Now touched more than one emotional place in me. My heart ached throughout much of the book for the Hendersons, Layla and other characters. But this story speaks to the pain of a marriage in crisis, even one involving two people of faith who are totally committed to each other; and of a family in crisis, when someone’s deep needs are not being met. And as so often happens with people of faith, the breaking point leads this family back to the One who makes it possible to triumph over all that would destroy us. Wiseman reminds us, here, of two truths: No sin is any worse, or any less serious, than another; and we must—we really must—forgive one another.

This is my first non-Amish book by Beth Wiseman. While I have enjoyed most of her Amish books and novellas that I have read, not even the best of those can compare to this book for complexity, depth of character and storyline development. I would give Need You Now six stars, if it were possible. I cared about these characters, every one of them. They are all as broken as I am, and their triumph is mine.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

It's All in the Recipe

Title: An Amish Kitchen ***
Author: Kelly Long, Amy Clipston and Beth Wiseman
Published by Thomas Nelson, 2012
Kindle Edition

Three novellas and many more Amish recipes than usual comprise this book. As for the recipes, I’m delighted to report that creamed celery is included, though I’ve not yet tried it. I believe every Amish-based novel that I’ve read has spoken much about creamed celery and what a favorite it is among the Amish. But this book is not about the recipes, which would have made it a cookbook, and I knew it was not that.

Each of the stories in An Amish Kitchen is set in the same community of Paradise, PA, with minor overlapping of a few characters. Kelly Long’s “A Taste of Faith” opens the volume with a letter requesting that Henry and Martha visit his father, who is very ill. This letter makes sense only as we get into the story, which begins with Fern Zook, 20, tending her plants along the windowsills and dreaming that “a tall, dark, handsome man . . . with a frame large enough to find her generous curves . . . interesting” might grow from the garden.

Enter Abram Fisher, the confirmed-bachelor neighbor who was left to care for his younger siblings in his parents’ absence. Fern and Abram have grown up together, but they don’t seem to like each other, much, in the beginning. As Fern is the community’s healer and Abram is caring for his siblings, and as the younger children keep getting hurt or sick, Fern and Abram are thrown together a great deal and begin to see each other differently. The romantic outcome is entirely predictable.

Amy Clipston serves up “A Spoonful of Love,” with Hannah King often wielding the spoon—or whatever implement is handy for the moment. Hannah runs a bed and breakfast owned by her parents, and has done so since her father’s first stroke. However, her very critical mother hasn’t learned to trust Hannah to manage well—with reference to either her personal life or the B&B--giving rise to classic mother/daughter conflicts.

The arrival of Stephen Esh, who left tragedy in his wake, has moved from Ohio to Paradise with no plans, no job, and no place to live. When he begins to board at the B&B, with young and single Hannah in charge, their immediate friendship only aggravates the conflicts. And, again, the romantic outcome is utterly predictable.

Beth Wiseman offers some relief with “A Recipe for Hope.” Eve Bender, her husband Benny, and their three boys—all of whom are in their “running-around” period, or rumschpringe—are having to leave their home, for a while. In a storm the day before, a tree had come down onto their two-story farmhouse, causing extensive damage. While Eve thanks God that no one was hurt, she does not look forward to their having to move in with her parents for the roughly two months the community will need to rebuild the farmhouse to at least a livable condition.

The conflicts she anticipates between herself and her mother do, indeed, arise, along with some problems with two of her sons—the twins, Elias and Amos. Eve’s father encourages her to “get to know” her mother, but won’t tell her what is going on. Of course, she thinks she knows her mother, but she does learn some things that help her understand her mom much better than ever before. And her mother finally admits her fears that have caused her to keep Hannah at a distance.

Of the three novellas in An Amish Kitchen, this one had more layers than either “A Spoonful of Love” or “A Taste of Faith”; while “complex” only by comparison with the others and less predictable, both storyline and character development left me feeling more satisfied, by the end.

Having read Clipston’s entire “Kaufmann Bakery Series” and the related Naomi’s Gift, and several other novels and novellas by both Long and Wiseman, I had approached this book eagerly. Understating the case, I was disappointed. Not only were the first two novellas too predictable to be of interest, neither story offered enough complexity to hold my interest. I read because I had made the commitment to do so. All three authors have done so much better. I give An Amish Kitchen ***, only because Wiseman’s portion improved the total.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Many Choices of Sandy

Seventeen-year-old Sandy is a high-school senior, cheerleader, and honor student. Brad Donnelly plays football, and plays it well. She is in love; he is--well, he’s a teenaged boy with “experience.”  

But it is 1974 and Sandy is convinced that Brad loves her as much as she loves him and that they will get married, one day. And then she learns why she’s been throwing up, every morning, before school. These days, she could have had him charged with date rape, because he got her very drunk, the one night that they had sex. But her real anguish begins after she has told Brad that she is pregnant, and worsens when a meeting of Sandy, Brad, and their respective parents ends very badly.  

Later, Sandy encounters a mysterious woman who calls Sandy “Rebekah,” saying Sandy is carrying twin boys who must be separated at birth. The woman adds that, if the boys ever meet, one will die—and then she walks away. Her prophecy haunts Sandy through the years as, little by little, it comes true. Just in case the prophecy is true, Sandy selects two adoptive couples—on opposite sides of the country—to take one boy, each. Neither couple knows about the fraternal twin.  

After Sandy’s pregnancy is resolved, the story jumps 33 years from 1974 to 2008, and takes us into the lives of other young, pregnant, unmarried teens. Between the beginning of the book and the crisis point, we read about the choices to be made including abortion, adoption, and keeping the baby. Whitlow gives us parents and other family members who support without forcing or coercing; boyfriends who manipulate and give ultimatums; a rapist who later threatens the lives of several key characters; and other adults who apply great pressure to a young Hispanic girl who is learning English, but who does not understand legalities and many “big words.”  

Along the way, the many important choices Sandy faces and makes, as Whitlow points out in his notes to the reader, show her to be both “pro-life” and “pro-choice.” Yes, it’s possible. Whitlow has written from a “pro-life” bias, but with sensitivity to the anguish of young girls who find themselves pregnant, whether through rape or romantic entanglements, when they are not prepared for motherhood; to the pressures they encounter from other people in their lives; to the strength that can be offered by parents and other family members; and to the difficulty in making the many decisions—choices--that must be made, not only by the pregnant teen, but by others in her life.  

Many years have passed since girls in that situation were often sent to stay with an “Aunt Linda” until after the birth of the baby. But so much of what passes for societal support only adds to their anguish. 

Whitlow learned, however long ago, how to foreshadow things to come; too many authors today rely on statements like, “It’s impossible,” and “It can never be,” which get really old after the third repetition in a given story.

The Choice is my first book by Robert Whitlow, but I guarantee it won’t be my last. Far more complex and gripping than most of the novels I’ve read, in recent years, this one all but had me biting my nails before the crisis had passed. I highly recommend The Choice, and not only for women and girls. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.