Family

I had the most amazing privalege last week to meet my "extended family" from Brazil. I can not begin to say how grateful I am that this family of mine has reached out, even after the passing of my daddy. They got to meet him, and I am so glad I got to meet them. In honor of my oldest brother's birthday, we went to dinner and captured the moment with this beautiful family picture. Only one person missing, my hero, my PapaMoose.

House of Mercy

House of Mercy

By: Erin Healy

This book, House of Mercy by Erin Healy, had a lot of potential when I read the synopsis, however, it took me a long time to get into. I read this on my Kindle, and I kept thinking to myself, I'm only at 40%? And the thought continued throughout. However, once I got to about 70% (again, reading on my Kindle), I was intrigued and interested in the outcome.

As I mentioned, the book had a slow start. It seemed that everything, and I mean EVERYTHING was going wrong for Beth and her family. Beth is an aspiring vet, at least this is what she wants to go to school for in order to work on a farm helping animals. She seeks to help someone out and ends up "stealing a horse" according to the horse owners, and inevitably injuring the horse and her family in the outcome. Her family is injured because they are being sued for practically eveything, but all they really have is the farm. As I was reading the opening chapters, I just kept thinking, "Wow, this book is kind of depressing". In another small town near Beth's families farm, is her grandfather whom she doesn't know because her mother and him are estranged. The characters that develop in this story are really hard to "love". I feel if I don't love the characters, it is more difficult to get into a book.

The book was not all bad though. The message behind the book was great! The message that I received is that God does not always answer our prayers the way we want him to. However, he is alwasy PRESENT and he is always showing us Mercy.

Thank you Booksneeze for the opportunity to read this book.

Another Great Read!

The Widow Of Saunders Creek

By: Tracey Bateman

I was quite torn reading this book. On one had I absolutely loved the storyline and the way it was written, and on the other hand I was having a hard time relating to the storyline.

The Widow of Saunders Creek, by Tracey Bateman, was an intriguing read. It is written about a woman, Corrie, who is recently widowed by her late husband who was killed on a mission. He left her his grandparent’s house in the town where he grew up. They were planning to live there together one day. She moved in and hired Eli, Jarrod’s (her husband’s) cousin, to do the renovations on the house. While Corrie is there, strange things happen throughout the house, doors slamming, things breaking, etc. She thinks it is Jarrod’s spirit wanting to speak to her and know that he is still around for her. This is the part of the story that I am not sure if I like. I understand that there are people out there who believe in spirits and ghosts haunting a person or a place. However, I don’t. I was having a difficult time imagining how these things were just happening in the story. However, Bateman, wrote about the power of God in a way that can send shivers down your spine.

All in all, I really enjoyed the way this book was written. It would bounce back from Corrie to Eli, so you always knew whose thoughts you were reading, which I really liked. The setting for the story was quite unique and fun. However, I would have picked something a little different for the title as I was a bit apprehensive about reading this book based solely on the title.

What a great read! Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah’s Blogging for Books Program. 

This Scarlet Cord A Love Story of Rahab

This Scarlet Cord

By: Joan Wolf

I enjoyed reading This Scarlet Cord, by Joan Wolf. This was a fictional book based on the love story of Rahab from the book of Joshua in the Bible. Obviously, mention of Rahab in the Bible consists of a few verses in chapter 2 and chapter 6. But her real importance is in the book of Matthew, chapter 1, the Genealogy of Christ.

Rahab, in the Bible, is a prostitute who helps two Israelite spies escape Jericho. They in turn save her when the Lord takes Jericho for his people.

In This Scarlet Cord, Wolf, takes a slightly different look at Rahab. She breaks the book into three parts. Part 1 is where Rahab and Sala (Salmon in the Bible) meet when he saves her from slave traders. They meet again in Part 2 when Sala and his father, Lord Nahshon, disguise themselves so that people in Jericho will not know they are Israelites‘. Rahab and her family have come to Jericho so that Rahab can find a wealthy husband. Then, in Part 3, this is the part of the story that comes from the Bible in Joshua Chapter 2-6.

In order to read this book, you need to have an understanding of the book of Joshua so that you are not lead astray as to the character of Rahab. However, it is wonderfully written to give you some insight of the things that were happening at that time to both the Israelites and the Canaanites.

I really enjoyed just being able to take a glimpse into history by reading this story. Thank you Booksneeze for the opportunity to review this book.

Great Devotional

Trusting God: A Girlfriends in God Faith Adventure

By: Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, and Mary Southerland

Trusting God: A Girlfriends in God Faith Adventure, by Sharon Jaynes, Gwen Smith, and Mary Southerland is a 12-week devotional study about learning how to trust God, one step at a time.

I really enjoyed going through this devotional study. The three women authors have chosen topics that are issues for women who are struggling to trust God. Each week has five devotional readings with a final section called “Now it’s your turn” an opportunity to reflect on what you have read and to answer questions and journal. When I was going through this book, I did not read one devotional a day, I read several, because they were so quick and fun to read. However, if I was using it as a devotional, I can see the benefit of really taking your time to read through the devotions and meditating and memorizing the scripture that is provided for you at the beginning. I did find myself stopping to pray the prayer at the end of each reading and even adding more of my own prayer to God.

One thing I wish this book had is for each week in the Table of Contents to be labeled with a theme. When I think about going back to use this as a devotional book on my own, I may not want to go through week by week but choose readings that would apply to my life. However, this is not specified very clearly.

Otherwise, I truly enjoyed the devotionals in this book. I look forward to reading it again. Thank you WaterBrook Multnomah’s Blogging for Books program for this great devotional.

Tidewater inn

Tidewater Inn

By: Colleen Coble

Tidewater Inn, by Colleen Coble was a great read. Coble does a great job mixing Scripture and promises from God with Love and Romance and a little mystery.

Libby and her friend, Nicole are heading to Hope Island to restore some old buildings. She also found out from her friend Nicole who got to the island early that she has inherited land from a father she has never met, who died just a few months prior.

Unfortunately, the Inn that Libby has inherited needs a lot of upkeep and there is an investor who wants her to sell it. She also becomes aware of a brother and sister whom she has never met and who are not too fond of her and the fact that their father left the Inn to her.

Before Libby leaves for Hope Island, she is talking with Nicole and watches on a web cam her friend’s abduction. She gets to the Island as fast as she can. As she is seeking to find her friend and enlisting the help of others, she meets Alec, a Coast Guard Lieutenant and fisherman who helps her in the search.

Obviously, you can see the mystery and romance, but what Libby learns in the process is the ability to trust God and to ask “What Would Jesus Do?” in this situation.

I find myself asking the same questions at times. God is good and he has a plan for our lives. He also puts us in situations that enable us to trust him more and more. I always enjoy reading a good romantic fiction story that is laced with Gospel Truth.

Thank you Booksneeze for allowing me to read and review Tidewater Inn.