"Amish Peace" by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Available October 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
The book, "Amish Peace" is organized around five central themes in Amish life, simplicity, time, community, forgiveness and the sovereignty of God. It tells real-life stories, including Amish proverbs and facts about the culture.
Fisher, whose grandfather was raised as an Anabaptist in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, faces her own heritage and the value of the simple life. The author offers the perspective of a simpler way to look at life in the midst of our overstressed lives.
When in the midst of our hectic lives, we cry for a simpler life with less stress. We fail to know how to reach for simplicity. The author offers a glimpse into the lives of Plain People who have been living simply for generations. Allowing us to confront these values and live apply them into our own lives. We begin to answer the question of how to take these truths back into our busy and often over-complicated lives. Lessons of living with what we have and finding it is enough and not striving for more then our needs, not allowing unnecessary wants to destroy our peace.
"Amish Peace" reveals peace as holding the hand of our children and seeing the wonder in them at their discovery of nature: a curled leaf, the color of a robin's egg. Allwing a task itself to be as important as the end product, and finding joy in the doing of the ordinary that sustains life. Joy in being in the midst of famly and an uncluttered life and does not takes us away from each other.
The Plain Peole make no distinction between the sacred and the ordinary, it is all important. The book show us these people up close and personal in good times, and in times of deep sorrow. Well worth the read.
Labels: author, book, book review
“Intimate Conversations” by Alicia Britt Chole
Chole book was selected as MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)theme devotional for 2009.
Many good devotional to choose from if you browse Christian literature. This is one more for women. Great books you want to read over and over, and I wouldn't put this one in that category. It is great in the sense that it resonants with women in the midst of struggles of raising a young family.
Chloe, the author, is an middle-aged women who adopted young children, and is writing in the midst of daily demands. She offers young mothers a testimony of mature love of God and children. She touches on struggles women face, and gives you encouragement to deal with challenges, grief, and her words bring you close to God.
Her devotional is geared to those who journal, or those who would like to start journaling with suggestions of exercises at the end of each chapter. The book does not offer a great deal of depth, but better it gets you started in your own conversation with God. Guiding you to talk with him, and deepen a relationship in the midst of an everyday world of balancing a hectic life with young children at your feet.
Read with pleasure and a shared intimacy with the author as you see windows into her life, and open windows into your own. She addresses hidden years, and the joy in watching your own children in their everyday life and find them treasures of immeasurable value from God. He is leading, and she is listening.
Unsigned Hype
Revell Publishing Group has released Booker T. Mattison 2009 novel UNSIGNED HYPE, a young teen book. Tory Tyson, who is called Terror Tory in the book is an gifted music maker. Mixmaster Magic hosts a contest and spots Tory's talent. Taking Tory into an environment his Christian mother would prefer he not go. She finds a mentor for her son who adds lots of understanding, wisdom and a male role model, which expands Tory's ambitions into areas more fitting to the youth, and elevates his life beyond just the fame and wealth he acquires by his own mixes.
It offers alot of simple sense and Christian values for the youthful reader. It also gave me a look at a type of music I know little about, a definite bonus for the book. Easy read.
Labels: author, book, Christian
TUCK, by Stephen R. Lawhead
TUCK is Book 3, the conclusion to the King Raven Trilogy. The first two in the series being HOOD and SCARLET.
Book 3, teaches you how history is changed with the telling and how legends grow up around events changing places and people's names. He leaves us with a new way of seeing and interpreting history. As a storyteller, it will add dimensions to your tales rooted in folklorn. A glimpse of adapting every story you tell to your present audience. Enjoy.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1595540873
Stephen R. Lawhead’s Web site - http://www.stephenlawhead.com/
Check out other reviews on TUCK, by Stephen R. Lawhead.
Brandon Barr Jim Black Keanan Brand Rachel Briard Grace Bridges Valerie Comer Amy Cruson CSFF Blog Tour Stacey Dale D. G. D. Davidson Jeff Draper April Erwin Karina Fabian Alex Field Beth Goddard Todd Michael Greene Ryan Heart Timothy Hicks Christopher Hopper Joleen Howell Becky Jesse Cris Jesse Jason Joyner Kait Carol Keen Krystine Kercher Dawn King Terri Main Margaret Melissa Meeks Rebecca LuElla Miller Caleb Newell Eve Nielsen Nissa John W. Otte John Ottinger Epic Rat Steve Rice Crista Richey Hanna Sandvig Chawna Schroeder James Somers Robert Treskillard Rachel Starr Thomson Steve Trower Speculative Faith Fred Warren Phyllis Wheeler Jill WilliamsonLabels: author, book, Christian
A Passion Denied, by Julie Lessman
Book Three of The Daughters of Boston series. Book One is the story of Faith and the hurt from the loss of the man she loves by her sister, until she wins out in the end. Book Two is the story of Charity, the second sister, and her struggles with her honesty and her natural flirtation and her role in God's plan for her. Book Three is a book staring the the third sister, Elizabeth, who is coming of age in this story, and the heart-ache caused by falling in love with her mentor, and he stills see her as a child.
The two older sister's help the younger in her plot to win the heart of John Brady. One prays and the other schemes. The book also plays out the early days of the two sisters marriages and the pleasures and happiness in their marriages. Charity pregnant, and Faith still barren after three years of marriage.
The love interest, John Brady, fears his past. His self-doubts stop him from allowing his passions to lead him to love. He does not trust his own deep desires.
Revell sypnosis of the book is as follows: Has she fallen in love with a man who cannot love her back?
Elizabeth O'Connor has been like the little sister John Brady always wanted, sharing his love of literature and his thirst for God. But in the throes of the reckless Roaring Twenties, Lizzie has grown up. Suddenly she wants more from the man who has been her friend since she was a child. When this shy little bookworm blossoms into a beautiful young woman bent on loving John, she discovers that his past won't let him return that love. But Lizzie refuses to give up--until his shocking secrets push her away.
Can true love survive the betrayal and deceitful of a painful past . . . or will it be shattered like the fairy-tale dreams of a girl in love?
Brimming with romance, longing, and redemption, A Passion Denied, will quicken your pulse and gladden your heart with a riveting story of the true power of love.
The book explores the hurt that can surface even after a marriage of many years when there is betrayal before the marriage. It also shows how those we look up to can fall into sin from unexpected hurt, and we too, are victims in a close knit family when one member isn't living the love and faith of God.
The main character tries to stay true to her first love John Brady. Even when he fails to return her open and honest love. He holds his past close and does not tell anyone, until he seek healing and talks to his priest. Healing begins, when circumstances throws him back into the throes of despairs, and he run away to become a priest himself. Elizabeth almost marries his twin on the rebound.
The book introduces us to the third daughter, Katie. This is a fun but not too serious addition to the book. One scene with her first boy interest, Cluny, buying her life savers turns into a truly memorable moment when he demands she say something nice to him for more life savers, and says he will do the same back. Then reneges. She response by kicking Cluny and is seen by her father. Her father starts to scold but then realizes in Cluny calm response that more is going.
The two brothers take a back seat to the story. They are mentioned but are flat characters in this book. The older brother, Sean, was part of previous storyline and it was mentioned, but not followed. This was disappointing.
The book had twist and turns which kept you reading. The book looks at the same situation from characters view, then you see the same from another, when you care about the feelings and thoughts of the people involved, it helps you understand motivation, and gives you the feel of a more old fashion novel, which is a plus in the day of the quick and forgotten books.
Labels: author, book, Christian
April CSFF Blog Tour for George Bryan Polivka’s Blaggard’s Moon
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0736925376
Author's website: http://www.nearingvast.com/
See other reviews:
Brandon Barr Jennifer Bogart Keanan Brand Melissa Carswell Amy Cruson CSFF Blog Tour Stacey Dale D. G. D. Davidson Jeff Draper April Erwin Karina Fabian Alex Field Marcus Goodyear Todd Michael Greene Ryan Heart Timothy Hicks Cris Jesse Jason Joyner Kait Carol Keen Mike Lynch Magma Margaret Melissa Meeks Rebecca LuElla Miller Nissa John W. Otte Steve Rice Crista Richey Chawna Schroeder James Somers Rachel Starr Thomson Steve Trower Speculative Faith Jason Waguespack Fred Warren Phyllis Wheeler Jill Williamson With pirates in the news, here is a story told by a pirate as his life balances on a post over threatening waters filled with creature to devour him. He reviews the events before being left to die, and tries to learn to think creatively. He hopes to figure out how to save himself. Not realizing the act leading to his abandonment is the act on which his life is balanced. It determines his outcome, it leads to salvation or destruction. Another great read by George Bryan Polivka.
Among his Christian credentials for writing Christian adventure, is one that caught my eye of traveling to Europe to study after Francis Schaeffer at L'Abri Fellowship is Switzerland. An adventure I wished to make when I was in college, the closest I came was to devour Schaeffer's books. I am sure the experience not only deepened Polivka heart towards God but also his understanding.
God bless the writer and each of us in our own adventures even if we go no further then in the pages of our books.
Labels: author, book, Christian, fantasy
Hunter Brown and the Secret of the Shadow, by The Miller Brothers.
A Christian teen novel with Hunter Brown and his two high school friends faced with who and what to believe. The book starts by their attempt to stand up to the school bullies only to find themselves locked into a garbage dumpster. Their rescurer sends has them pick up a book for him at a local bookstore. Only to find latter he has disappeared and the bookstore has vanished too.
Hunter has a conversion type experience at the end of the book, faced with deciding to whom he owes his allegiance. The book is geared mostly to the male teen. Yet there is a group of three pre-teen who play supporting roles to Hunter, I would like to hear more of these three in relationship to Hunter for I found them a strong, supporing force.
Read and enjoy, then pass it on to your teen or pre-teen.
A book that is more like a travel through a new world, then just a plot and resolve the plot book. It leads you into a fantasy world and now, that you are established there and you have decided where to place your trust, you are ready to fight and defend the truth.
Labels: book review, Christian, fantasy
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