I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
Wow! This story is a fast-paced, explosive action thriller about a drug cartel in a small town and all of the lives that it affects. A small family business is turned upside down when the drug cartel comes to town, and a police officer’s life is hanging in the balance. Mark was investigating the cartel and ended up in a coma and then suspected of wrongdoing himself. His wife Robin is determined to find the truth and almost loses her life instead. The plot is easy to follow even though there are so many characters involved. I really enjoyed how the author wove faith into each character’s life, at least the lives of the “good guys.” It was no small wonder that the book has a happy ending, but it had me on the edge of my seat at the climax, when all the bad guys are there together to take care of getting rid of the good ones. I will definitely want to read more books by this author and highly recommend this clean read to fans of Christian suspense.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy fo this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This excellent Christian fiction is a clean read and is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble now!
Matthew McConaughey at the Oscars on March 4, 2018, in Los Angeles.Listen to The Daily Article Podcast, then subscribe.
Matthew McConaughey made headlines recently, but not for a new movie or television commercial. He joined other volunteers last Friday in preparing eight hundred turkey dinners for firefighters in Los Angeles battling wildfires. His team prepared an additional eight hundred dinners for local homeless shelters.
Our culture will remember McConaughey for his Academy Award-winning acting career. These firefighters will remember him for his kindness.
“Three things that are important in life”
Frederick Buechner: “When Henry James, of all people, was saying goodbye once to his young nephew Billy, his brother William’s son, he said something that the boy never forgot. And of all the labyrinthine and impenetrably subtle things that that most labyrinthine and impenetrable old romancer could have said, what he did say was this: ‘There are three things that are important in human life. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. The third is to be kind.’”
In the most polarized and politicized culture of my lifetime, Henry James’ advice is more urgent than ever.
How to be “sons of your Father who is in heaven”
On one hand, it is obviously urgent that Christians speak up and stand up for truth today. It’s difficult to identify an issue on which our culture is not moving further from biblical morality by the day.
On the other hand, it is urgent that Christians speak up and stand up for truth in a way that leads people totheTruth.
Jesus taught us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). The second imperative amplifies and applies the first. It is hard to hate someone for whom we are praying. The more we pray for them, the more we come to love them. And the more we love them, the more we will pray for them.
Our Lord then explained why such kindness is so important: “So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (v. 45). Just as a father loves his children whether they love him or not, so we must love each other whether they love us or not.
It’s easy to love those who love us: Jesus asks, “Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (v. 46). And when you “greet only your brothers,” Jesus asks, “What more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (v. 47).
But when we love those who do not love us, we stand out in a way people cannot forget.
Let’s join “Golden Rule 2020”
Yesterday marked exactly one year before the next presidential election. In that light, a campaign that began Sunday is especially significant.
The campaign is supported by a remarkable coalition, including the National Association of Evangelicals, the Episcopal Church, a department of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Presbyterian Church USA. It encourages Christians to “pray for God’s help in healing our country” and to “promote the use of the Golden Rule in political discussions and election activities throughout the 2020 campaign season.”
As a result, “there will be a focus on the practical application of the Golden Rule and how politics in 2020 could be different if Christians practice Biblical teachings about how to treat people who disagree with them.”
Let’s join Golden Rule 2020 today, to the good of our country and the glory of God.
The truest test of character
It has been said that the truest test of character is how we treat people we don’t have to treat well.
When people hurt us, our society tells us we have the right to hurt them in return. Jesus says we have the privilege of loving them by praying for them. When Christians decide that Christ is right and culture is wrong, the culture is drawn to Christ.
Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
I come from a family of five of us siblings, and although we were all born in Virginia, we have scattered. That means that I don’t get to see my distant siblings much, but they are ALWAYS in my thoughts and prayers. My older sister lives about an hour away, so I do visit her frequently.
From top to bottom is Ann, Steve, James and Denise. They are and always will be part of my heart. Who is close to your heart? Blessings for a day of thankfulness!
Lest you think that I am confused, I am actually trying to catch up so that my days of thankfulness match the calendar, even though I got a late start by one day. So, I am thankful for my husband of 46 years. We have had many ups and downs, but we have stuck together. He spent many years alone in the military, as did I, as his military spouse. But each time he returned, we were happy to be reunited. For the last 23 years, he has been retired and we have actually gotten to know more about each other. I think that our age has allowed us to tolerate/accept our many differences. He has been my mainstay through five surgeries and a stroke, so he is my caregiver and my best friend. I thank God for giving me a man who loves me in spite of me.
I hope that you all are joining me in being thankful, if not on a blog or on social media, then in your hearts and minds. May God bless you this evening. See you tomorrow for day #4!
I am so thankful for each of our nine grandchildren! I am especially thankful that the Lord has allowed me to live long enough to get to know each of them. Just before little Penny was due to be born, I had a stroke, so the three youngest grandchildren are extra blessings for me!
Please join me in 30 days of thankfulness. What are you thankful for today?
Knowing that God is always present gives me a lot of hope and comfort. He is invisible, but He is always there. He is my place of refuge. He is the One who is my greatest comforter. How do I know that He is here with me? I read His Word and hide it in my heart so that when I am feeling lonely or depressed about something, I can call on the Words that I have stored in my heart and feel His loving arms around me. I covet prayers these days, my friends, because I can sense that change is coming, and I am not sure that I am ready for it. Nevertheless, I know that the same God who raised Jesus from the dead and who sent His Holy Spirit to live within us is alive and well and waiting to keep me steadfast through whatever happens. His is the glory and honor now and forevermore! Blessed be the Name of the Lord and may many blessings fall on those who call upon His Name!
This is an atypical Amish fiction book in that it deals with some “modern” topics like alcoholism, infertility, marital problems and fostering children. That being said, I loved it! I was immediately drawn into the story of Mollie and Sam as well as that of Izzy and Luke. Sam is a shy horse trainer who only wants to be around horses. Mollie is new to the town of Stoney Ridge and is an exuberant new member of the community. When Luke, in his position as a new deacon, suggests that the community take in foster girls while their group home is being repaired, Mollie takes that challenge immediately. In her haste, Mollie ends up with twin girls who are trouble with a capital “T.” The story of Mollie, the girls, Sam, Luke and Izzy is absolutely mesmerizing. Although I did not read the first book in this series, I was very easily able to follow along with this well-written plot. I really enjoyed the mystery that was part of the story, i.e. Sam and Mollie are both hiding something from their pasts. Throughout the story, the faith of the characters is the foundation that helps them to cope with all of the issues they face in this fictional tale. Fans of Amish fiction will enjoy this book, but I also think that fans of mystery will enjoy it. This book is a clean read and is a must read for those who enjoy fiction with a lesson to learn and a great story to tell!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Isn’t this cover beautiful? This wonderfully written book is available now at your local bookseller or online.
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 