He Knows Her Name Review

We've had our first little heat wave here in Central Washington state, and I've spent every minute possible outside in a lawn chair with this splendid book propped up in my hands.

The author has such a tender heart. I'm thankful for the opportunity she gave me to read and review an advanced copy. I most often review books for publishers but this came straight from the home of the beautiful inside and out Kelly McCorkle Parkison herself, with a hand written note. That made it so much more special.

What a story! For those of us who can relate to an international adoption journey this book is witness to the trials, tribulations, joys, and triumph of the entire messy thing. Those of you interested in adoption and orphan care and just starting out or not yet begun, you will be riveted! I promise.

Anyone helping to bring up the plight of children around the world without hope of ever belonging to a family deserves to be heard. Kelly McCorkle Parkison has highlighted these children and God's heart for them in this most excellent story of her family's own adoption of an Indian "untouchable".

Kelly graciously and honestly opens up and shares her struggles and feelings, prayers, and God's answers to her in her telling of the adoption that really began for her, on a reality TV show. Really! A mission trip sealed the deal. A former Miss South Carolina and a true southern Belle, and now a pastor's wife. Mrs. Parkison bares her true self and you'll be glad she did.

Adoption is a hard, and terrible and wonderful thing. I particularly enjoyed the honestly in the telling of her readiness to adopt before her husband. This is often the case, and I myself could have learned a thing or two from reading this book when we were going through our first adoptions. Oh the angst! Adoption is SO beautiful and painful. It brings to the surface all of the ugliness and the beauty in our hearts. God uses the process in so many ways to refine so  many things in us. I love that about Him! Kelly and her husband Scott certainly had a wild ride, and it makes for a great story- but that's not the end at all. You see the book is a way to raise funds for an orphanage in India where their gorgeous little girl is from. Their ministry LOFT 218 is certainly worth checking out folks. Think Gospel, Generosity, and Going on behalf of orphans, widows, the sex-trafficked and not only in India but also here in the USA. When you buy this book you are partnering with them to shelter the least of these that our Father loves so much.

He Knows Her Name is sprinkled with photos which I love, being a visual type. It's full of faith, and real struggles with heart issues, obedience to the Lord, financial struggles and fundraising; in short, the nuts and bolts of a complicated adoption from a foreign country. Kelly addresses the honest questions people have about adoption, especially internationally versus domestic. We have done both and believe all children left orphans are deserving of being rescued regardless of where they reside. We can't pigeon hole God, He calls us each by name to individual missions. It's always so amazing to see in hindsight how He orchestrates things in advance in ways that could only be Him. He gets glory and we get guts! The story Kelly tells us certainly gives God the glory and proves she has guts. Bravery results in some seemingly impossible feats when it's mixed with faith and obedience...because as the title of this book implies- God already knows. If He calls us to something or someone, He will perform it. Over and over again in this book I was reminded of that..

I love how Kelly writes, and I love how she gives us the highlights of every important bit of this love story. And it is a love story, reflective of God's and ours, make no mistake. But it's real life, not a fairytale, and instead of "happily ever after", in Kelly's words, they lived, "radically ever after". (pg. 239)

From the back of the book:

There are an estimated 20 million orphans in the country of India. Thanks to Kelly and Scott Parkison, that number has decreased by one. Having promised to never return to India after her experience on the reality show The Amazing Race, Kelly never dreamed she would one day be a mother to a beautiful Indian girl named Lyla. This is the amazing and true story of how God uses the most unlikely circumstances for His greater purpose.

Calling the Parkison's adoption story a rollercoaster ride of emotion would be an understatement. After almost every major decision in the Parkison's adoption process, God put a twist in their carefully laid plans only to lead them to greater opportunities. Faced with an overwhelming amount of fundraising, mountains of adoption paperwork, an unexpected pregnancy, a medical issue to patch with their new daughter, and the adjustment of bringing their child into a new culture, the Parkisons clung to God through their whirlwind adoption of Lyla. Their heartwarming story is a beautiful testament to the gift of adoption on this earth and the love of God for all of us as His children.

I had a hard time putting this book down. Anyone interested in adoption and orphan care will feel the same I'm sure. It's Well-written, thought-provoking, faith building and engagingly told, I ate it up. For those walking beside others on an adoption journey, reading this book will give you more insight on how to help support the adoptive parents and how to pray for everyone involved.

Well done Kelly.

Now, I need to pray about some things and get busy checking out LOFT 218!

from LOFT218 website:

OUR MISSION:  To rise up and build the lives of the least of these (LOFT) to include orphans, victims of sex trafficking, widows and the oppressed of India.

At LOFT 218, we aim to rebuild hope where it’s been damaged or lost. Although it is our plan to build physical structures like an orphanage, a women's shelter, and a place of refuge and refreshment for the widow... Our desire is more than buildings. We aspire to RISE UP AND BUILD the individual.  Our focus lies in a holistic approach through meeting the physical, emotional, educational, vocational and spiritual needs of our residents.  Through the application of God’s unconditional love, our methods allow the people we serve to meet their full potential, and it prepares them to take hope out into their communities. In turn, our residents will become valuable and productive members of their community and have the tools to impact their world.

 ...And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 

**Please after you read this book yourself, take the time to review it on your blogs, facebook, twitter, pinterest, etc. but especially Amazon. An author needs reviews, and every copy of this book purchased is another brick in the wall so-to-speak of an orphanage waiting for the funds to be built. Your small gift of time will in reality help shelter those who need rescuing.

Blog

Buy the Book (coming soon, pre-order as of 4/10/16)

Kelly's facebook

website
LOFT218 facebook
LOFT218

About the Author

Kelly McCorkle Parkison is a native of South Carolina and currently resides in Tennessee.  A Mass Communications cum laude graduate from North Greenville University, she held the title of Miss South Carolina 2002, earned Top 15 at Miss America, and placed third on the CBS Reality Show, The Amazing Race Season 7.  Now she proudly wears the titles of "Babe" to her awesome husband, "Mom" to her five children, and "Pastor's Wife" to her church. She is an inspirational speaker and the founder of the LOFT 218 Organization, a ministry to orphans, widows, and sex trafficking victims in India. She loves Jesus and coffee!

Behold The Man

I just finished another outstanding Theone book. I was excited to have the chance to review this book because I wanted it badly anyway. I read all the Theone novels I can get my hands on. I am a Bible study nut and these novels, although fiction are woven throughout with truths that inspire me to dig deeper into the Bible. 

Behold The Man is the 3rd book in the Jerusalem Chronicles, a series following Jesus and His followers.

I love that many of the vivid characters have been present in more than one series. I feel as if I know them personally after reading about them for years.

There is a discussion guide in the back, and this is a great choice for a Book club. So much meaty dialogue would come out of this book!

Behold The Man travels through Jesus' last days and crucifixion through three major people who had interaction with Him: Pilate, Claudia, Pilate's wife, and the Centurion ( who has been one of my favorite characters in many of Bodie and Brock's novels).

If you love excellent writing, very well-developed characters and storylines,  colorful people and thorough historical research, you will be enthralled with this book. The Theone's never fail to deliver emotion and  deep truth with engaging imagination all rolled into one glorious tale. Intrigue, danger, joy, love, passion, fear, greed, heroism, kindness and cruelty - you could not possibly fail to fall in love with some characters, sympathize with or despise others. All in all, another successful work for my favorite authors.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a completely unbiased written review.

The Midwife's Choice Review

Read an excerpt or see author's bio here

This book was #2 in a series and I wish I'd read #1 because at first I thought the author just hadn't quite finished developing her characters for my picky preferences. Once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. It's a well-written book but it I was exhausted reading it. It seemed like there was a drama or crisis three times a day for this character. In spite of that I did enjoy the tale and immersed myself in it by the fire for two days straight. Some of the characters became very dear to me, but for some reason not the main character. I just didn't like her as well as I liked some of the other female characters.

This was a fast-paced dramatic book with a lot going on. You won't be bored, that's for sure.

* I received a free copy of this paperback from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased  written review.

About

Come Home to Friendship, Family, and Faith in the Town of Trinity
In a time when the traditional ways of medicine are constantly being questioned by new doctors fresh from medical school, midwife Martha Cade tries to balance her life's calling with the demands of her family. Recently reunited with her estranged seventeen-year-old daughter, Martha finds herself torn between guiding her child and allowing her to be an adult. At the same time, she must decide whether she'll risk reopening the heart she'd long closed off to love.

Though a small town, Trinity, Pennsylvania, is fraught with secrets, and as a midwife, Martha moves among its people. She knows which homes are filled with light and love, which families have slipped into grief, which wives are unhappy, and which husbands dare to cross lines...As Martha struggles with the conflicts of being a mother, a midwife, and a woman, she learns the greatest lessons of all--that hope can shine even in the darkest hours, and that faith has a way of making the impossible possible

Fika

 

‘Fika’ by Anna Brones and Johanna Kindvall was a great find! I had never heard of the Swedish tradition of a "kaffe" break with baked goods. After reading the 1st chapter I not only discovered this lovely ritual but that it means so much more. It's an ideal. Check out Wikipedia's entry on Fika here and learn something lovely. I enjoy my afternoon coffee but being an American, and not very familiar with my Swedish roots, it's more of a coffee on the road while doing errands than a relaxing way to unwind and connect. My great grandparents immigrated here from Sweden- came over on a boat, but I never knew them and their ways didn't translate down the generations. I wish I knew more about them and the culture.

This darling little book explains Fika, and gives traditional recipes- some easy and some more involved, but all authentic. I'm pretty excited to start having Fika at least once a week.I think I'll start with the Blackberry Almond Cake. My kids and friends would enjoy it, and think how much money I would save by being home more, and not spending $$ on Starbucks!

Check it out, you might learn to enjoy a slow down yourself. If you already have a ritual of Fika, or maybe something like an English Tea, let me know what you do and what it means to you. We have lost the art of slow food and gathering in homes and slowing down. I'm very aware of it but swept up...I'd like to change this about my life. This book gave me a little inspiration to make a start. It's well-written, clear, has the English and Swedish names and spellings of the goodie recipes and it's simply but sweetly illustrated. I give it a thumbs up!

*This book was given to me free in exchange for an unbiased review by the publisher.

Miracle On Voodoo Mountain

 

I devoured this book in one day. I mean I could.not.stop.

I cried. My faith was built up enormously.

Megan Boudreaux tells her story (or is it God's story?) thoroughly and well. I'm telling you this is a hands down MUST read. I realized again that God isn't finished writing His story and that we are chapters in His book. It excited me all over again.

 

Megan had dreams of a Tamarind tree in Haiti, where she had briefly visited on a missions trip.

She had no idea that a pastor and his wife had

  prayed faithfully under that tree for 12 years for God to send someone to rescue the children.

That tree being an idol for voodoo worshipers who came from all over the world to practice there. All.Over.The.World.

The pastor had been a Restavek. A child slave.

A niave Megan, prompted by Jesus in dreams of the tree, came to Haiti and slowly began to uncover the reason for all of the poor, hungry children with dull eyes who always seemed to be busy working, but not going to school. It's common there to keep or take children as servants/slaves. They are starved, beaten, and unloved. Made to work long, grueling hours, they have no chance for anything better most of the time. But God...

 

24 year old Megan goes to Haiti alone without much of an idea of what to do but God knew and paved the way and in a surprisingly short amount of time what she and her team- yes, she has one now- have built Respire Haiti.  School, medical and dental clinic, sports, arts, language classes, feeding program...I want to go there!

 

Megan obeyed God's quiet voice and she went -

 Now she has her husband, adopted children, and close friends. God sets the solitary in families!(Ps. 68:6) She has a life of purpose and meaning and it's a beautiful picture of Jesus. I can't tell you enough how faith building it is to read Megan's story. Her humility and love and courage are all God-given and she makes sure we know that it could be any one of us if we were called and willing.

 

This story is full of God speaking, acting and performing miracles in real lives. I've read many of this genre to be honest, but this is the one that inspired me to get on my knees and ask God what He wants me to do.

Brilliantly written, I encourage you to read it. It's like being an eye witness to gospel accounts only in our time. :)

 

 

See her on LifeToday

 

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased written review. 'm so grateful!

Sunday Suppers Review

Uncomplicated and stunning. Sunday Suppers could serve a double purpose as a beautiful coffee table book.

 

Divided up as "Morning", "Noon", "Afternoon", and "Evening" sections with creative titles like, "Take Along", and "Spring Forager's Lunch" this simple cookbook impressed because inside is a treasure trove of gorgeous photography. Sophisticated but simple, this is probably the cookbook I would buy as a gift for someone I really loved and admired, but I don't mind keeping this one for myself as a reminder to slow down and enjoy beautiful meals with my beautiful people.

The recipes are classic and unfussy but gourmet and easy to create using simple, fresh, ingredients.
(please excuse the terrible condition of my fingernail polish! Farm chicks, you know...)

This book groups the recipes into occasions and categories with menu plans to use if you like. 

 

About the Author

KAREN MORDECHAI, a photographer and stylist, is the founder of Sunday Suppers, a Brooklyn-based food community and blog that has won many accolades, including a 2013 Food and Wine Digital Award, top food blog by Saveur, and #6 in Babble.com’s Top 50 Design Blogs. Karen’s work is regularly featured in the New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Remodelista, New York magazine, and more. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, New York.

I was given a copy of this book for free by the publisher in exchange for an unbiased written. online review.

Walk to Beautiful by Jimmy Wayne and Ken Abraham

 

I began this book without ever having heard of the name Jimmy Wayne; at the tail end of my foster parent journey, but by the end I was convinced that even though I knew I wouldn't continue as a foster mom, I need to continue helping kids in some capacity. I thank Jimmy Wayne for helping me come to that conclusion.

 

I just have to say by the end of it, I became a Jimmy Wayne fan, and I'd never heard a single song. We have a lot in common, and no, I'm not the tiniest bit musical, but reading about his growing up years was all too familiar to me and it was a bit of a dark day as I read through. It just took me back to incidents I had wanted forgotten. We could have grown up in the same neighborhoods, it was that familiar. 

 He was not just a survivor but a "thriver". We have Jesus in common, and a great passion for the fatherless and foster kids. I now consider myself a fan of his music, after having taken the time to find the songs on iTunes that he wrote about it in the book. I'm not much for country music either, but hey, they are really great songs!

 

This charming and boyish guy has a big heart. He does a lot to raise funds and awareness and even helps to change laws, for foster kids. I'm so impressed with him as a person. Quite extraordinary, and it was a breath of fresh air to find another soul in this world doing good things for other people. The world could use more.

His song Paper Angels, and the story behind it, have inspired a sweet little movie. See the trailer here

Having been one of those kids who received gifts from a similar program at Christmas, I can attest to the difference kindness makes. Even from a stranger. I have an old picture of my little sister and me, wearing coats and holding dolls that a complete stranger bought us, next to a Christmas tree that other strangers brought to our home and decorated for us. I remember they also brought boxes of food, and to kids who sometimes had bare cupboards, that's exciting! So, this Christmas when you have an opportunity to grab a little paper angel off a Christmas tree with a child or family's name on it, grab it! I'll bet you will be blessed to be a blessing to someone who could just about use a little kindness.

 

 

 

 

I hadn't heard of Jimmy's walk halfway across America called Meet Me Halfway probably because it got over shadowed by the earthquake in Haiti, about the same time. Check out the link, I think you will be impressed. He walked to bring awareness mainly to the foster kids who "age out" of the system at 18 and have nowhere to go.

(Of course most of them end up homeless and then jail, on a street corner prostituting- unwillingly, dealing drugs, or dead. Who could expect differently of a kid with NOBODY? No one to call for help, no one to send them a birthday card, or set a seat at their table at Thanksgiving for them...nobody to care if they live or die. This has been a soapbox of mine, having a cousin who aged out. My sister and I were also in foster care for a while, and other of my relatives. This really hits close to home for me. Most people never think about these kids, but Jimmy Wayne, having been one of them, rescued by a couple full of Jesus and His love, remembers.)

 

He finished the last leg of his race on a broken foot, no less.

 

 

Walk To Beautiful by Jimmy Wayne with Ken Abraham was hard to put down, because of personal reasons but also because it was fascinating. His past was memorialized quite well in a journal he kept since 6th grade as well as receipts, tickets, and other things, so at times the memories seem meticulous in detail. He kept them in ziplock bags to preserve them from the weather and constant moving. It's an honest, sometimes brutally so, memoir written by a man honest with his feelings and who has been able to graciously forgive and just tell his story. His childhood was traumatic to say the very least. His mentally ill mother abused not only substances but her children as well. The word neglect an understatement. The various men she brought into their lives were broken people who in turn damaged and broke her children. Terrible beatings, abandonments, watching people murdered, religious tones in his mentally ill mother at times confusing him about God, his sister married off to an abuser at age 14...being shot at, laughed at, scorned...wearing the same dirty clothes day after day, he grew up having never been valued as a human being until he met Bea and Russell Costner. (Lord, let there be more like them!)

 It's a story of betrayal and violence and lots of dramatic moments but also hope and love and selfless kindness. Jimmy's story proves that love really does rescue. He says of Bea Costner, who took him in as a teenager, "She changed every cell of my body." Man, I want to be a Bea! When Bea and her husband Russell took Jimmy Wayne Barber into their home, he was homeless, dirty, and smelled like it. After her husband died, Bea continued to  love and care for Jimmy. They were close even after he became an adult and began his career in music. He used to pick Bea up so she could attend his performances; she sat at his concerts in the front row, with the screaming girls and read her Bible! Precious visual.

 

I loved this story. I devoured it, even though it did take me back to some of my own dark days as I read the first half. His life now makes me remember that our pasts cannot make victims of us unless we allow it, but instead we can turn it around and let Jesus do something marvelous and redeem the pain. We can, by the grace of God, see others and help them out of their pits.

Jimmy is generous in sharing personal details. You won't be disappointed with this book. It delivers.

The mother in me wanted to rescue him as I read through the pages of his childhood. The child in me related too well. But the betrayed and rejected can become like Bea-and  like Jesus for someone.

 

 I'm blessed to have read Walk To Beautiful. I received a copy by the publisher for free in order to review it.

 

 

 

 

 About Jimmy Wayne (from his website):

Jimmy Wayne is a former foster kid turned country music singer/songwriter whose songs and story highlight his mission to bring awareness to kids who age out of the foster system and become homeless. With hits such as Put Your Hand In Mine, I Love You This Much, and Paper Angels, he released Do You Believe Me Now, his biggest hit to date for which he earned the millionaire award for having 100,000,000 radio spins in America. In 2009 Jimmy toured with Brad Paisley and recorded Sara Smile with Hall & Oates. In 2010, Jimmy walked halfway across America to raise awareness for kids aging out of the system. The next year he became CASA’s national spokesperson and released the novel Paper Angels. In 2012, Jimmy helped get the bill passed extending the age of foster care to 21 in both California and Tennessee. Jimmy lives in Nashville and continues to raise awareness for kids by writing, singing, and speaking.

 

See Jimmy Wayne's website

 

Ken Abraham is a fourteen-time New York Times best-selling author known around the world for his collaborations with high-profile public figures. A former professional musician and pastor, he is a popular guest with both secular and religious media. His books include One Soldier's Story with Bob Dole, Payne Stewart with Tracey Stewart, Falling in Love for All the Right Reasons with Dr. Neil Clark Warren, and Let's Roll! with Lisa Beamer.

 

See it on Amazon and even listen to a sample of the audio book.

Buy it on CBD

 

 

Thief of Glory by Sigmund Brouwer

Thief of Glory

(follow the link to the website- it will be worth your time!)

About the Book

…A boy coming of age in a time of war
…the love that inspires him to survive

 

 

For ten year-old Jeremiah Prins, the life of privilege as the son of a school headmaster in the Dutch East Indies comes crashing to a halt in 1942 after the Japanese Imperialist invasion of the Southeast Pacific. Jeremiah takes on the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings when his father and older stepbrothers are separated from the rest of the family, and he is surprised by what life in the camp reveals about a woman he barely knows his frail, troubled mother.
Amidst starvation, brutality, sacrifice and generosity, Jeremiah draws on all of his courage and cunning to fill in the gap for his mother. Life in the camps is made more tolerable as Jeremiah’s boyhood infatuation with his close friend Laura deepens into a friendship from which they both draw strength.
The darkest sides of humanity threaten to overwhelm Jeremiah and Laura, as time and war will test their fortitude. The only thing that will bring them safely to the other side is the most enduring bond of all.

~___~

 

Once in awhile you come across a book that is remarkable. Unforgettable. Masterful. This book has hardship, heroics of a kind you wouldn't suspect at first, romance, suspence, and truth. I know people describe a book sometimes as a "page turner" or as one that "grabs" you. This is a book like that. One you stay up late reading long past the time you are tired and know you should be sleeping. It's good enough to suffer the consequences of a busy day with a lack of sleep.

 

How did I miss knowing about this author? His book was so extremely well written that it was like I was there, observing the events in person. I was hungry. I was imprisoned in a Jappenkamp. I was afraid and sad, and brave.

 I will never forget the characters, as they became as real to me as people I can actually touch, feel, and smell.

I was afraid to read the last chapter, because the story had been so ravishingly good I hated to end it, but also I was afraid of being disappointed, as sometimes happens with a book like this. How can it end as well as it lived? I'm grateful Mr. Brouwer gave this book it's dignity in the final pages. I was stunned.

This is not the kind of book I lend out to my friends. Sorry. Get your own. I simply will have to read it again. It's one of those!

 



 Read chapter 1 here


* "I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."
 

A Very Fine House

A Mother's Story of Love, Faith, and Crystal Meth.

By Barbara Cofer Stoefen

 

 

A Very Fine House is a very fine read.

Just finished this and it was, for sure riveting.

From a Norman Rockwell picture perfect life to a parent's nightmare. From the family princess to a homeless drug addict.

But...from a comfortable life, to despair, anguish and strong faith. To freedom. What a story!

 

A gift to any parent of an addict, or anyone related in any way for that matter. I'd also add that it would be of special interest to those who love someone with a mental illness, personality disorder, or is otherwise sometimes a "handful". Worry, anxiety, betrayal- it all follows when you have someone in your life who is out of control. 

 

Barb wrote this book in such a voice that I was there, if you know what I mean. She wrote honestly and openly and her pearls of wisdom are invaluable. I walked her journey with her as she told it and major life lessons unfolded. I highly suggest a visit to her site. She has kept the information, advice and resources coming. If the book offers hope the site will be of practical benefit. As a matter of fact follow this link and watch a video. This wonderful woman will even come and speak!

 

Although there were many painful moments it was a relief to see  that Barb and her family actually received more than they lost by the end. The Lord came through when all hope seemed lost. Barb calls her Annie the hero and I'll agree but I'm nominating Barb for Mother of the Year!

Fantastic read. Helpful beyond what I imagined. Barb has a quick wit and sharp mind and serves us well by educating us and not merely relaying her experience but showing us the way to get through. Not only to survive but pick up the pieces and really live, no matter the outcome.

I highly recommend this book as a great and enthralling read- well-written, but also as a source of help and example of handling one of our culture's most difficult of situations for some families. 

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased written review.

 

Simple Thai Food Cookbook Review

So, I don't eat Thai food often. Simply because it's not readily available where I live. I do, however, love it. It seems too complicated to make, and the ingredients too hard to obtain. This book made it reasonable. Whew!

The recipes are lovely and like all cookbooks, there are a sprinkling in it that don't appeal to me, but on the whole, majority wins for deliciousness. The full color, glossy photos are a treat for the eyes. Being visual, I almost never even bother with a cookbook without them.

Just being honest.

 

 

 

I adore the visual beauty of this book- the Thai language at the top of each recipe adds interest.

There's a helpful glossary in the back.

 

There's also a section that teaches you some Thai basics like seasoning blends, sauces, pastes, etc.

This book is useable and it's so lovely I think it's a great gift idea.

*I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased written review*

5 Hebrew Words that Every Christian Should Know

 

Lois pulled me in by stating she's into artisanal Bible study.

So am I! She compares the common, quick, microwave-style pre-packaged devotional with an aromatic, spicy, savory meal- feasting on the Word instead of a vending machine style portion. She asks us to imagine a bag of bagel chips from the store compared to fresh, hot, chewy pita bread made by a bedouin over a fire. That's the difference in our translated word- still nourishing and good of course, but with a Hebrew context: oh-so-delicious!

 

She's right. I have since studied (as I have time- and it's not much) the Bible differently. I have a Strong's Bible app on my iPhone and iPad, a Hebrew Greek Study Bible, and I have read Lois' books as well as others on middle eastern culture and Bible times. Things like that, and they make a difference in how I understand the scriptures, which is Lois' point and ministry- helping us to get so much more out of our time in the Word.

Miss Tverberg explains the basic difference in Hebrew language vs. our English and why knowing the meanings of some key Hebrew words can make such a difference in broadening our understanding. Bringing some clarity to passages that don't quite translate clearly in our language and culture.

 

This ebook is a unique online study with live links to Gateway Bible so you can see 3 different hand picked English translations side-by-side to help you see what the Hebrew is trying to transmit to our greek thinking brains. She also has other links for further reading on topics. I enjoyed this study so much! I spent my whole Saturday doing it on my iPad but I also had printed out a copy because I really like to mark up and journal all over my studies. She's right though, the access and use of the links makes a big difference.

 

There are 5 fairly short studies. Words that you will learn and likely never forget. I'm pretty excited for her new book to come out, because I'm hungry to study more, and she makes it so easy and interesting. The insight I gain into my beloved Bible is enriching to my faith. I believe you would love this ebook too. It really is bite sized and I'm sure it will whet your appetite for tastier study as it did mine, if you're at all a Bible study lover like me. If you aren't yet, let this be your introduction to a rich and wonderful journey into the context and culture of the Bible's native language. Hebrew is a simple, yet beautiful language full of shades and layers of meanings. When my little people are more independent I plan on getting back to my Hebrew studies. This fall as part of my 15 year old son's homeschool studies I will incorporate Lois' books, including this one, into our Hebrew language course.

 

If you enjoy this book as much as me, I'd be glad to hear about it.

 

 

 

This ebook is only available on Lois Tverberg's site

Our Rabbi Jesus

You can also get a sample of the book here

 

  I have read this blog for a couple of years, always enjoying her articles. They shed light on biblical passages, culture, and always make me think.

 

Lois captured my interest with her approach to Bible study years ago with a small devotional type book Listening to The Language of the Bible. I have been interested in Hebrew word studies and culture since. Her other two books are both on my nightstand as well, and I highly recommend them: Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus, and Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus. I have both in book and kindle form.

 

Miss Brenda and The Loveladies

This book. I could not put it down.

 

Talk about a story! One crazy brave woman managed to change the lives of thousands of people. Because she believed she had a calling on her life from God and she was too stubborn to be beat down. An imperfect, brazen woman with money to burn learns that no amount of money can fill the emptiness inside we all feel when we aren't fulfilling our calling. She claims to have learned more from the hard, dangerous women she literally embraced and welcomed into her mansion than they taught her. I believe her. There's something about women who have never had a chance in life; underneath all the anger and outrageously bad behavior is...just a scared little girl.

 

Grown women still needing a mama and that's what Brenda Spahn became to them.

She tells so much in this book- describing the women's first trip outside in the "free world", at Walmart no less, where they had their brains fried over just having a choice in what color underwear they could buy, to their first trip to eat inside a restaurant. That was quite a tale as well. There are little bits of writing in here from a few of the women- their own perspective, like a page in their journal. By the end of the book you come to love and care about these women almost as much as Brenda does, and see that there is value in every human life, no matter how damaged and past redemption they may seem- that all can be redeemed. God is still in the business of miracles, and this story proves it.

It also really gives us a candid peek into the hardest of lives- of what some people have to overcome just to survive. For those of us living in safe, loving environments we may not have even come close to understanding how some people live and as some of the stories of these Loveladies unfold, you may find yourself, like me, setting aside judgment and instead feeling compassion and heartache for the little girls they never got to be, and the battered and tattered women they became.

 

This book made me feel brave. It made me feel rich and blessed. I could really relate to Brenda on some levels. Not at all on others. I have never been filthy rich, or even close to being obsessed with making money like she used to be. I do, however, have a little part of me that is a crusader and wants to save at least part of the world. Well, dreaming is one thing, Miss Brenda actually did it.

I am impressed. By the woman, the book, the writing, the publishers. By the work of God in so many lives and situations.  Absolutely a fan of this book and you should immediately get a copy because we need more Brenda's in the world. There are too many of those who need to be rescued, and never are, simply because we don't bother to care or even look.

Sometimes- no often, in this country, I feel we need to be rescued from ourselves. We have much and do more, but give little. Of ourselves, our time, our prayers, and ourselves. Our stuff.

We are too busy and too self centered and preoccupied. Brenda found her true identity when she gave it all she had to help ex-cons with nowhere to go but back to their drugs, violent boyfriends, prostitution, the streets and crime. They didn't know there was another way. She just showed them there was. She loved them like a mother. She gave them tough love while she taught them how to live and how to see themselves as God's princesses, not prisoners. Because you will realize just because someone is no longer inside a prison doesn't mean they are free.

I love her personality- she's a sassy woman, who doesn't have an ounce of phony in her. I also loved that she was crazy enough to adopt a baby after her biological kids were grown. A drug addicted baby- now that I can relate to. Her little son is right there with her, making the whole story seem that much less plausible, but it's true! She and her husband and kids did something truly brilliant and I not only admire her, I' love in some way to emulate a little of what she's done.

 Even one person makes a difference. Any one of us, armed with faith and a calling, can accomplish so much for the Kingdom. That's my big takeaway from Brenda's story.

LOVED this book!

 

 

 

About This Book

One woman’s fight to provide hope for the hopeless…

Seven ex-cons who changed her heart forever…

 

For Brenda Spahn, entrepreneur and businesswoman, wealth was a lifestyle—until a brush with the law threatened to send her to prison. In those dark moments, Brenda made a promise to God. 

 

Spared incarceration, a renewed Brenda glimpsed into the lives of women serving time in one of the worst places in America—the Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women in Wetumpka, Alabama.

 

What she saw prompted a God-inspired vision.

 

With a heart to help and a will that couldn’t be crushed, Brenda fought the system and overcame tremendous obstacles to take ex-cons into her own home and help them navigate the alien world of life on the outside.

 

This is the story of Brenda’s journey from rags to riches to redemption. It’s the story of the first unlikely year of her “Whole Way House” and of the extraordinary lives of the first seven women who came to call her “Miss Brenda.” It’s a story that testifies to the power of faith and how God changes hearts every day.

*I received a copy of this title for free from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased written review.

 

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Seams Unlikely

 

 

 Nancy Online

 

 

I don't sew at all, it's not my gift, but I think it's an amazing skill and I admire it. Having said that, I have actually watched Nancy's show, believe it or not. When offered the chance to review this book I took it, because, like everyone who loves a good overcomer story, I wanted to hear hers.

 

The book was a comforting, if not riveting tale. She tells her story in a matter-of-fact way that I liked. She spends a good amount of time on her childhood on a family run dairy farm. I love agriculture so the familiar terms and the images of farm life and a cozy farmhouse and family appealed to me. Nancy Zieman has a lovely family and grew up with good, solid,  American farmland roots. The book is peppered with nice recipes of foods your mother and grandmother might have made- the kind you still find in church suppers. (potlucks) I enjoyed those.

The rest of the book tells of Nancy's life and struggles, and is inspirational in that what she was able to accomplish was truly something! Her physical impediment aside, in the business world she built something from nothing. From working in her kitchen to a multi-million dollar business. Astounding. Given her struggles with appearance due to the Bell's Palsy, it a wonder that she ended up with a program that ran for decades. In fact, the longest running sewing show. What bravery, determination and fortitude. The woman has good character and faith in addition to her other fine qualities.

This book was inspiring and pleasant to read. It wasn't exactly a thriller or the kind you just can't put down, if you're like me and don't even sew, but for fans of her show I'm sure this book is a treat. It's well-written and interesting.

 

 

In Seams Unlikely, Nancy:

• Shares her life story for the first time
• Gives details of the onset of Bell's Palsy and how it played a part during school
• Reveals the intricate involvement of 4-H in her development
• Tells, step-by-step, how she grew Nancy's Notions from a basement in her home into a multi-million dollar business
• Includes behind-the-scenes information on the growth of Sewing with Nancy from filming in her living room to a long-term partnership with Wisconsin Public Television
• Shows pictures of the people, buildings, and places that played key roles along the path of her life 

Reading of the growth of Nancy's family (she is a married
mother of two, one son by birth, one by adoption) alongside the growth of her show and business is both familiar and instructive to working moms. Nancy created solutions in both the workplace and at home, to carve a niche uniquely suited to her situation and talents. It's a goal to which many of us aspire. And Nancy Zieman's story gives us key insight

 

*I was given this book by the publisher at no charge in exchange for a written review on my blog.

Glass Road Media & Management

 

Deployed by Mel Odom

Have you ever had a book that was just too good to put down? You stayed up way too late at night reading when you knew you needed a good night's sleep, but...well you just had to find out what happened next?!

That was me with Deployed.

The characters developed so well I actually had to check again to see if this was fiction. Bekah, Daud, Pike and Heath, I won't forget you! (Bekah I was rooting for you!)

This was action and war, so maybe not for the squeamish. It's a story of faith and overcoming and accomplishing  what you feel called to do. Some by God, others by necessity and still others by revenge and hate. Daud and Pike made me think another way about bad men vs. evil men. Bekah made me think another way about women in the military and what it costs them. I'm considering other people's stories and what brings them to where they are now.

This would be a good movie! I very much enjoyed this book.

 

 

*I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for reading it and writing an unbiased review. Tyndale House Publishing*

 

 

From the Back Cover

Lance Corporal Bekah Shaw joined the Marine Reserve to support herself and her young son when her ex-husband decided they were no longer his responsibility. Deployed to Somalia for her current tour of duty, she learns that her team must protect international humanitarian efforts and hunt down the terrorists responsible for the violence and carnage. The mission seems straightforward until the team encounters a renegade, a ghost who seems to be fighting against both sides.

Rageh Daud once lived in contentment with his family in Mogadishu, Somalia. But when that life was torn from him by a terrorist attack, he vowed to avenge his loved ones whatever the cost. Raising an army of men from the displaced people scattered through the countryside, his only goal is destruction—until he encounters an orphan child he feels compelled to protect.

When their worlds collide in a desperate situation, Bekah’s Marines and Daud’s militia realize that their only hope for defeating a common enemy—and their only chance at staying alive—may be to form an unthinkable alliance.

Happy Happy Happy

 

I just finished this. It took me about 24 hours inbetween bathing children, Church and cooking. And a nap. I have to say, of all the books I've read this year this one stands out for overall message. My family and I are hooked on the show, even though it's pretty scripted, the truth is, it gives us a taste of homemade and homegrown and what we all wish our families were- close. Strong, and full of faith.

The book just really told the nitty-gritty of Phil's life and he tells his story and the gospel and how he lives it with the expected redneck rough style. I loved it. My grampa was a great fisherman and hunter and I have always admired the manly man sort. The Robertsons rock. If you haven't read the book, do. The last couple chapters especially.

Return To Me

 

I haven't read Lynn Austin before. What have I been missing? I'll have to remedy that. Especially since she is so passionate about the Old Testament and bringing the scriptures to life by writing the truth skeleton with fictional flesh, so-to-speak; giving us the truth that the age old stories are real. The people were ordinary with an amazing God who was involved in their lives, just like He is today with us. I love the Old Testament!

Return to Me is the first of three books in “The Restoration Chronicles,” based on Ezra and Nehemiah. I have always loved reading Nehemiah, Kings and Chronicles, and she has covered those too in Gods and Kings. I'm going to have to get more of her books.

Return to Me is the story of God's unending love and finding God's grace in the days when we tend to think there was only the law and nothing more. This book will bring the time period when Cyrus, the Persian King decreed the Jewish exiles could and should return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple and the struggles for about 2 decades afterward. This is just after the 70 years of Babylonian captivity. The book clearly outlines the why and how. The book clearly outlines the why and how. It shows clearly the result of a pagan culture's effects on God's people and the pagans themselves. It explains well why God said what He said and what happened when Israel wouldn't listen.
 It's fiction, but the real events and some of the real people are all very biblical.

I loved this book. I will read more from this author after this.

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review on my blog*

Bread & Wine Review

"….Part of becoming yourself, in a deeply spiritual way, is finding the words to tell the truth about what it is you really love."  I love this line in the author's introduction.

 

 

Shauna loves God, food, and family, and expresses it through this generous sharing of "her table" through this book. I think it's her way of gathering us around and showing us how it's done. The almost-lost art of feeding people's belly but also nourishing souls and knitting folks together all at the same time. How many times do we gather 'round these days and just relax over a good meal and share stories and talk about God, important things, or family history, or anything at all? Not often. Holidays?

Shauna is passionate about it. I fully enjoyed vicariously being at her table through her story-telling and recipes. She shares her life here and she shares some of her best recipes. This book is a great read. You should be aware it's not a cookbook

but it is about food, and life. She shares both here and I hope I'm inspired enough to start thinking of the table as vital. The people I can have around it is more precious and deserving of my time and efforts. Of food as a pleasure and preparation of it as not a chore, but a way to gather around those I love and those I'm getting to know to be nurtured and blessed at my table.

 

I'm going to go wash my tablecloth and put away the stack of books, papers, and day planner away in my office! It's time to practice the age old art of hospitality and love my people with food and community.

 

In short I think this is a wonderful, cozy book, best enjoyed and savored, much like a good dinner around the table with friends and family.

 

She has a website you might enjoy. You can also find links to buy her book and download a free sample of  it there. Printable or audio!

*I was given a free copy of this book by Booksneeze in exchange for an unbiased review of it.