Thursday, June 30, 2016

The Calling by Rachelle Dekker - A Book Review

         

     Fear. Fear from without: fear of persecution, fear of punishment, fear of retaliation. Fear from within: fear of failure, fear of not being good enough, fear of letting others down, fear of letting yourself down. Fear. Debilitating, enslaving, imprisoning, defeating.

     Grace. Grace from the Father. Grace sometimes offered by others. Grace, something we rarely offer ourselves. Grace, once accepted: freeing, releasing, joy evoking, undeserved, a gift, the foundation of freedom.

     The Calling is a story of both fear and grace. It is a story of surrendering the things that fears are built upon in order to grasp the grace that is offered. It is a tale of forgetting and remembering, only to forget again. In the midst of life’s joys and turmoils, it is sometimes difficult to remember who and whose you are.

     The continuing story of Carrington and Remko that began with The Choosing, is extremely well written, and completely enthralling. Readers will need to have read the first book in this series in order to truly understand and appreciate this second book. An investment of time and money that will pay great dividends. You will emerge changed. Not many books or authors have such a significant impact


    One important bit of information for readers new to The Seer series, this series is of the dystopian genre. For those who are fans of this genre, you are in for a treat. For those who have never read a dystopian novel, this is a great place to start. For those who have previously tried this genre and found it less than appealing, this is the perfect opportunity to give it another chance. 

Friday, June 10, 2016

Love Finds You in Holiday Florida by Sandra D. Bricker - A Book Review

          

     My mother-in-law read this book and recommended it to me because she really enjoyed it. It was a sweet, light read. I had recently visited the area in which the book is set, and enjoyed that connection. However I felt like I was two people reading this book. On one side I was enjoying the romantic story with a touch of mystery. On the other I was feeling angry with the main character for living out the life that she deprived her late husband of during their marriage, and seemed to be doing so without regret. The realization that my feelings about how a member of my own extended family was living after the death of his wife was clouding my enjoyment of the book made it easier for me to separate those feelings and enjoy the sense of freedom and personal growth experienced by the main character. I would recommend this book as a nice beach read.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Warren W. Wiersbe's Be Series - A Comment

         

     I have read the Be Series studies of Isaiah and Ephesians, and have been truly blessed. I began the Be Series study of Galatians today, and am already hooked. Wiersbe takes his students deeper into the Word of God with clear, logical writing backed by Scriptural references. My time in the Bible has been more productice with these studies to guide me due to the additional insight they provide. I have allowed the Holy Spirit to guide me as to which study to do rather than my typical start at the beginning and work my way through. They have been very timely, thanks to this guidance.