The Call to Wonder: Loving God like a Child - R.C. Sproul Jr.

4.5/5

This book was such a joy to read.  These Reformed authors (Piper, Platt, Sproul) sure do know how to convict you with their writing while encouraging you to grow in Christ.  In The Call to Wonder: Loving God Like a Child, R.C. Sproul calls us not to just love God, but to know Him.  Many of us can say we love God, but I wonder at times how many would actually deign to say that they know God.  Of course we can not fully understand His sovereignty, but the miracle of Christianity is that not only can we know Him, but that He wants us to know Him!


I've had this book for awhile and was just now able to read it.  Between the time that I received this book and actually read it my life has changed tremendously.  I've had a beautiful baby daughter, survived 2 months of bed rest with a toddler, my husband changed jobs, two separate friends both experienced heartache with the loss of a son and the diagnosis of cancer.  I've even struggled with a little bit of post partum anxiety.  And through it all God has quietly been encouraging me to rest in Him, to trust Him despite the circumstances that have tried to blow my faith away like dandelion puffs.  So I picked up this book, decided to read it so I could finally get back to my book reviews that I love so much, and only God could have known how this book would move me into His arms.  With faith and wonder like a child, just as the author describes.

One section in The Call to Wonder really stuck with me.  Sproul's daughter was diagnosed with a serious medical condition, and his father called to ask how he was handling the grim news.  Sproul Jr. replied, "Dad, I have been preparing for this moment my entire life. There is no faith on the planet that more strongly affirms the sovereignty of God than the Christian faith. We know this did not catch God by surprise. We know that Shannon, Denise, and I all rest in His loving hands. We will, by His grace and in His power, be able to manage."  Wow.  This is knowing God.  This is the kind of faith that the author calls us to experience throughout the book.  I would recommend this read to any Christian who is looking for encouragement to renew the joy and wonder of their walk with Christ.  I came away with a desire to please God, an eagerness to take Him at His word and revel in his majesty.  The Call to Wonder: Loving God like a Child, opened my eyes to what Jesus meant in Matthew 18:3.  I encourage you to discover it as well. 

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy from Tyndale Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Heart of Gold - Robin Lee Hatcher

4/5

This is an excellent historical novel, full of romance, suspense and colorful scenery. Hatcher expertly weaves aspects of frontier life and the Civil War as she tells the story of Shannon Adair.

Shannon is torn between her loyalties to the South and the mysterious neighbor she grows to admire. Her minister Father encourages her to see her new neighbors with a heart of gold, but Shannon struggles with bitterness.

This novel is a beautiful story of redemption and forgiveness. Robin Lee Hatcher is a Christy award winner, and Heart of Gold is an excellent example of her writing acumen.

Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from the publisher via Book Sneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Jesus Experiement - Bill Perkins

3.5/5

Think of The Jesus Experiment as "WWJD" on steroids.  It is an intensive 12 week study into the life and words of Jesus Christ and how you can apply them to your own.  If you ever wondered "What would Jesus do?" in a given situation, The Jesus Experiment will most likely answer that question...and then some.

Bill Perkins uses a twelve chapter format to look into three major areas of Jesus' life and ministry.  These major areas of study include:  

1) What Jesus did in private.
2) What Jesus did in public.
3) What Jesus did with people.

Perkins begins each chapter with a personal story that relates to the subject.  These stories are heartfelt and dramatic, leading the reader through moments of great joy and despair with a gentle hand.  Woven into these stories are biblical discussions and scripture verses that break down the words and actions of Jesus.  There are questions and challenges at the end of each chapter to take you through the week.  I found these sections to be very beneficial and appreciated the thoroughness with which Bill Perkins laid out the areas for reflection and growth.

Bill Perkins started The Jesus Experiment by asking himself, "In what ways do I want to be like Christ?".  I think this is a question that every believer should ask of themselves.  In asking such a question you get to the heart of two issues; who Jesus is and where in your spiritual walk you currently are.  When I began to dwell on that question I realized that my answer was "in every way".  The Jesus Experiment, in addition to the Bible, gave me an intimate look into the character of Christ and helped me to understand what that answer even means.

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy from Tyndale Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Shadow in Serenity - Terri Blackstock

4.5/5

Oh, this was a fun little read.  Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock is fast paced romantic fiction with a little intrigue mixed in for good measure.  Terri Blackstock could be considered the pioneer of Christian suspense novels, and I have always enjoyed reading her thrilling tales, but was even more captivated by this foray into romantic fiction.  With Shadow in Serenity, Blackstock leaves the chilling suspense behind in favor of a well written romance that still packs a mysterious punch.

Description from Publisher: Carny Sullivan grew up in the zany world of a traveling carnival. Quaint and peaceful Serenity, Texas, has given her a home, a life, and a child. Logan Brisco is the smoothest, slickest, handsomest man Serenity, Texas has ever seen. But Carny Sullivan knows a con artist when she sees one—and she’s seen plenty, starting with her father. As far as Carny Sullivan can tell, she’s the only one in town who has his number. Because from his Italian shoes to his movie-actor smile, Logan has the rest of the town snowed.

 Logan Brisco and Carney Sullivan are an antagonistic match made in heaven.  Both characters benefit from a colorful and interesting back story rooted in the world of con-artists and carnival tricks.  Despite being wary and suspicious of the others motives, Carney and Logan fall head first into a tumultuous romance that threatens to unravel the lives they have carefully constructed.

I loved reading this book and was hooked from beginning to end.  In fact, I could hardly put it down and probably did irreparable damage to my husband and child while ignoring them so I could finish it (just kidding, I hope)!  The plot moved along at an engaging pace; perfectly well written and executed.  I especially enjoyed the tender scenes between Logan and Jason, Carney's son.  This book was romantic, heartbreaking and mysterious in all the right places.  I would highly recommend it.

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy from Zondervan. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Stuck (dvd based study) - Jennie Allen

4.5/5

I was thrilled to recently receive Jennie Allen's Stuck bible study kit from Thomas Nelson publishers.  I was hoping to actually apply this study in an authentic small group experience, but unfortunately did not have that opportunity.  Instead I spent time pouring through the teaching guide, study book and DVD sessions.  I came away with the sense that this study is a wonderfully written, powerful look into the heart of women and the things that hold them back from living the life God has created them for.
 
The study kit includes:

• 8 sessions on DVD
• Study Guide with story-driven teaching, Scripture study, and short five-day-per-week lessons
• Leader’s Guide for group study options
• Conversation cards to promote meaningful conversation
• Promotional resources for the church

If you feel stuck - in bitterness, brokenness, anger, apathy, fighting for control...take a look at this study.  Jennie Allen speaks with a gentleness and authority that comes straight from the Bible.  The scriptural truth and application in this study is excellent.  I look forward to actually participating in the study as part of a small group!  This study kit is recommended for a group of 8-12 women.

Disclosure of Material: I received this book free from the publisher via Book Sneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Belonging - Robin Lee Hatcher

4/5

Robin Lee Hatcher does it again with another fabulous novel in Belonging, book number one in her new "Where the Heart Lives" series.  When I was offered the chance to review this novel I jumped on it, as Robin Lee Hatcher is one of my favorite historical Christian fiction writers.  Her characters are charming and honest, drawing you into their stories as her gracefully written narrative transports you to another time and place.  In Belonging we are taken to 19th century Idaho on a journey filled with emotional and spiritual revelations that speak to God's promise to work all things together for his good purposes.

The story revolves around Felicia Kristofferson, a teacher looking for a fresh start in the dusty desert town of Frenchman's Bluff.  Orphaned as a child and separated from her brother and sister, Felicia has not had the influence of love and family in her life.  Still, her faith is sure, and she believes God has sent her to Idaho so that she may provide the children with a strong education.  Felicia just has to win over the widowed general store owner, Colin Murphy, who is certain she has come only to find a husband, not to be the teacher his daughter Charity so desperately needs.  As their relationship grows over a mutual concern for Charity, the merchant owner finds that he is the one who is falling for the teacher.

This is such a sweet book, I loved reading every word of it.  Belonging is a wholesome love story that speaks biblical truths and paints a bright hope and future for its characters.  The subtle layering of story lines keeps the plot moving along and provides some wonderfully surprising elements.  Robin Lee Hatcher creates the world of Frenchman's Bluff with charm and ingenuity.  From the school house to the townspeople, everything is written with an emotional validity that goes straight to the heart.  I especially enjoyed Felicia's back story of being separated from her siblings on the orphan train and look forward to exploring that connection in future novels from this series.  Hopefully book #2 will be arriving soon!

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Irish Healer - Nancy Herriman

3.5/5

I have always wanted to visit Ireland.  Perhaps one day I will, but for now it is a place relegated to random daydreams and the occasional novel that transports me its green hillsides.  So, imagine my disappointment when The Irish Healer by Nancy Herriman does not happen to take place in Ireland at all!  Despite this unfortunate circumstance, The Irish Healer is a solid piece of historical fiction.  I never found myself at the edge of my seat, greedily turning pages so that I could discover how the story ends.  But instead read quite leisurely, enjoying the characters and the novel's conclusion.

Rachel Dunne's journey takes place in the dark and dirty streets of London.  After being wrongly accused of murder, Rachel flees her homeland and takes refuge with the friend of a distant relative.  The irony lies in the fact that by leaving her role as a healer in Ireland, Rachel runs straight into the arms of an English doctor desperately in need of an assistant during a cholera outbreak.  Both James and Rachel must let go of past hurts in order to discover the hope God has for their future.  Their love story unfolds despite social and racial barriers, broken families, death, sickness and bitterness.   

The Irish Healer is a testament to God's grace and the power of forgiveness.  I very much enjoyed Rachel Dunne.  She is a wonderfully smart character, displaying grace and maturity in extremely trying situations.  Her conversations with James often showcase a bit of her Irish spunk, which makes her even more delightful to read.  The story was at times predictable, and I personally could not get past the sickness and death that prevailed throughout the novel.  But the beauty of The Irish Healer is Rachel's ultimate realization that true healing comes from God.

Disclosure of Material: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.