It’s going to be an amazing weekend!! Not only do I get to spend it with my beautiful Daughter…..but we get to spend it at Women of Faith in St Paul. I have been to Women of Faith several times and I have never been disappointed. Wonderful speakers, great music, and amazing fellowship with thousands of other Christian women…..what could be better? At Women of Faith I have cried at things that have touched a place deep in my heart, I have laughed at things that I can relate to, and I have developed long-lasting relationships with the women I have shared the experience with. I have listened to Steven Curtis Chapman share the experience of the tragic loss of a child, I have received help with my anxieties from the encouragement of Patsy Clairmont, and I have been revived in my spirit watching the antics of Anita Renfroe. So if you have the chance to attend a Women of Faith this year……do everything in your power to get there. You won’t be disappointed…..and you just might be blessed!

A Conversation With God

Who wouldn't want to have a conversation with God and find out what the real answers to life are? Of course, this book isn't actually written by God, it’s written by Alton Gansky. I was a little skeptical when I first saw the book….how could a mere man speak for God and know how God would answer our questions about life? But the author actually does a really good job of searching the Bible (which is, of course, God's Word) to find the answers to questions that people wrestle with....."God, How can we believe you created us?"...."How do we know the Bible is accurate?"....."Is Jesus really Your Son?"...."What is Heaven like?"....."Is there really such a place as hell?"....and many others. The author also has Jesus, Luke, Peter, Lazarus of Bethany, and many other Biblical characters answering the questions as well. As you read the book you may want to check for yourself the actual Scripture passages that the author has gleaned the answers from……they can be found at the back of the book. So....if you have unanswered questions or know someone who is struggling with questions about Christianity and you want to know how to help them, take a look at this book.

The Final Hour

Andrew Klavan is one of my favorite Thriller authors….and he certainly did not disappoint me with Book Four of the Homelander Series….”The Final Hour”. Teen-ager Charlie West is in prison for the death of a friend. And not just any prison, but Abingdon Prison, where beatings are a daily occurrence and death seems to be moments away. Because of something he sees in flash-backs of a time before being sent to prison, he knows that the remaining members of the Homelanders are planning a terrorist attack on NYC. But getting someone to believe him seems impossible. He feels like there is no way out until an unlikely group within the prison asks him to join them in a prison break….and he makes the decision to go with them. Through many twists and turns, including flying and landing a small plane, he finds help on the outside and at the very last moment stops Prince from setting off a device of poisonous gas in Times Square on Year‘s eve….and in so doing saves millions of lives! A great ending to a wonderful series.
So….if you love a fast-paced thriller that leaves your head spinning….this book is for you! I highly recommend it!

Out of A Far Country

“Out of A Far Country” is written by Christopher Yuan and Angela Yuan, a Mother and Son who traveled a troubled and dangerous road through homosexuality, drugs, and prison that eventually led them both back home. Christopher was the Son of Chinese immigrants who felt as a young child that he was somehow different from other kids and these feelings led him into a gay lifestyle. His Mother Angela was so distraught with her son’s choices and the fear of what might happen to him that she tried everything in her power to “change” him. When she felt like she was absolutely at the end of her rope God showed up in an interesting turn of events and she realized that not only was her Son a Prodigal, but she was as well. She gave her life to the Lord and gave her fears for her Son to God and began to trust Him with he results. Angela started praying and fasting for her Son, spending many hours on her knees in her makeshift prayer closet. When Christopher was imprisoned for drug dealing instead of being fearful she had a calm assurance that God was going to work in his life while he was in prison…..and He certainly did! While in prison Christopher found out that he had been infected and was HIV positive…..but more importantly he found God in prison which turned his life in a direction that he never thought possible and eventually it led him back home.
This is a powerful story of hope, love, forgiveness, and redemption….it is amazing to see the way God works in the lives of this Mother and Son. I highly recommend this book.

"When Sparrows Fall"

I am reviewing the book “When Sparrows Fall” by Meg Moseley that I received free from Water Brook Multnomah Publishing Group. I first thought that this was going to be a typical story about a young widowed Mother who falls for the Brother-in-law when he steps in to help. That did happen, but it became much more than that! Miranda, who had been repressed by an overbearing husband and a controlling Pastor, had some secrets in her past. But she wasn’t the only one with secrets. The Pastor also had some and because of the scandal that would ensue if his indiscretions were found out, he was leaving town and taking his entire congregation with him. When Miranda took a terrible fall off the cliffs behind her home her husband’s brother was called to help. She had only met him once, but in that one visit she saw someone who she could trust her children with. And she also found that she could trust her secrets with him as well. Together they worked through the mire of her life, helped the Pastor’s wife leave her abusive husband, and let the Church members know why the Pastor was moving them away. This is a good love story with several intriguing twists…..I recommend it!

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

Andy Andrews is a New York Times best-selling author and his latest book is "The Final Summit". This book takes place 28 years after David Ponder found the Seven Decisions for life in "The Traveler's Gift". In this book Gabriel appears to David and gives him the ominous challenge of finding the answer that will allow humankind to carry on...and the answer must be in the form of two words. As in the first book the main character in this book meets people from the past who are there to assist him in coming up with the answer. Fellow "travelers", including Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill, Joan of Arc, and George Washington Carver, give David what they feel was the key to their success and what they believe to be the critical answer. After several unsuccessful tries and as time is running out, they finally come up with the correct 2 word answer that will save humanity!

This book is at times a bit confusing, but it is interesting, fast-paced, and fun to see who is on the scene next to help David Ponder! If you enjoy parables, suspense, and a bit of history....you will enjoy this book!

Voices of the Faithful

Do you have a heart for Missions and want to hear more about what is happening on the Mission Fields…….then you will want to read Book 2 of “Voices of the Faithful”. It is a series of daily devotionals compiled by Kim P. Davis and written by Missionaries currently serving in other countries. This book not only inspires the reader to courageously spread the Good News to those on our “mission field”, but it also is a wonderful source of information about the cultures of other countries and religions. In reading this book I have learned things about other religions that I had never heard before. One thing that really made an impression is that when Muslims are being wooed by the Holy Spirit they have dreams about Jesus……then as they are later approached by someone with the Gospel message they understand who the Missionary is talking about. It is also made clear to the reader that new believers in many countries do not have the freedom to express their new beliefs…..in fact, they are many times shunned by family, persecuted by governments, or perhaps even martyred for their new faith. This is definitely a book that I am recommending.