Let me just be completely honest. I have not been resting well lately. For example, I can illustrate with the conversation that took place between me and the Lord in the early hours this morning.

Me: Good Morning, Lord. Oh, no! Another day with all of its problems. Maybe I should try to sleep some more because I still feel tired.

The Lord: Rest in me.

Me: You do remember, Lord, that I have waited almost a month for my new stove and they delivered a damaged one yesterday. They can’t seem to find one for me. The birthday present from my brother has created a lot of stress!

The Lord: Rest in me.

Me: And then there is the car that Harry says isn’t starting as it should. And You know that we have two short trips planned in August. And I looked and I can’t find my CarMax warranty. And we only have one car.

The Lord: Rest in me.

Me: And Teagan fell down the basement steps yesterday while Hope was out at work and doing errands. What’s with all of this bad stuff happening, Lord? Teagie is just a little girl and she has a knot on her head and….

The Lord: Rest in me.

Me: I haven’t been sleeping well, Lord. I check my app and I am getting very little deep sleep. My mind needs rest so that I don’t end up having a stroke again. How can I rest when all around me is chaos? I need to sleep peacefully, Lord.

The Lord: Rest in me.

Ultimately, I decided to get up, take my shower and start my day. Then I sat down and looked up scriptures to help me where I am right now. Here is what the Lord showed me.

So, that is my testimony for today, folks. If you think about me today, there is a reason for that. Pray for me to be able to rest in the Lord. Even as I go through another day with the trials of this world, help me to rest in the Lord. And may you do so as well. Blessings for a day of rest and assurance that the Lord is with you through the high waters and He will lead you safely to the other side!

This book is the haunting story of a girl who escaped being abducted, but her friends, Tess and Hank, were not so fortunate. Rain Winter ran from her abductor and hid, terrified that he will find her. Flash forward to the present and Rain is a stay-at-home mom of an infant daughter, having given up her journalism career. The abductor was captured and put in prison, but once released, he is brutally murdered. Then another criminal is murdered and Rain is drawn to what she knows, investigating. This book is thought-provoking, making the reader think about what real justice looks like. It is a tense read with a lot of suspense. I did think that it should have been shorter because there was a lot of repetition; for example, the abduction was described over and over again, as was Rain’s torment about being left behind while her best friend Tess was killed. The time goes back and forth from the past when the abduction occurred to the present day with Rain and her family. There are a lot of characters, so at times it was difficult to keep track of them. All in all, the book was a good mystery-thriller and I would recommend it to those who enjoy that genre. The ending was an absolute surprise and was the best part of the book!

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.”

This book will be available in September. It does include violent scenes and is very intense, so it is not for all readers.

I have been reading the story of Jonah during my devotions and how reluctant he was to go to the city of Nineveh and declare that they would be destroyed. One of the reasons for his reluctance is that he knew the character of God and knew that He could change His minds about this destruction if the people repented. Jonah, being human just like we are, did not want to be embarrassed by the Lord changing His mind. It seemed that he was willing to declare that the city would be destroyed, but he was not going to be happy if they were not wiped out. However, one thing Jonah had to learn, just as we do, is that God is sovereign and does what is right, regardless of how we feel about His final judgment.

So, if the people in Nineveh can turn from their evil ways and repent, then I truly believe that the people in the United States can do likewise. That is my intercessory prayer for our nation, that we will repent just as Nineveh did. I want the people to be united in their realization that God is the Lord and that He has every right to judge our nation. I am praying for mercy and grace and I am standing in the gap to ask for forgiveness for our multitude of sins. We are a nation without excuse. We have so much freedom of religion here and yet we have turned away from the One True God; so many are busily worshipping themselves and their own pleasures so that they have no time for God, our Creator. I am praying that God Himself will show His love for our nation in a way that we cannot imagine. I pray that a whole army of God’s people will see the necessity to pray for our nation and not be mute as Jonah tried to choose to be. My desire is for us to pray, in intercession for our nation that is falling into the hands of Satan in such extreme ways that it is obvious. Pray, my friends, pray! And then step back and watch God work. God can change His mind about judgement here in the U.S.A. just as He did for Nineveh. We need to be His messengers and His prayer warriors. Armor on! Ready to battle for the Lord and His kingdom? Blessings for a day that is peaceful and prayer-filled!

This is a terrifying book because it is so realistic and I was reading I kept thinking that this scenario could actually happen to anyone. The main character in this book is a divorced single mom who is already suffering through just finding out that she has breast cancer. Then she becomes a victim of the chain. Kidnappings done by establishing a chain. Do what you’re told or your loved one dies and so will everyone else that you care about. The premise of this book is absolutely horrifying. The action is fast-paced, the characters are flawed and mostly likable (except for the villains, of course). What a compelling book! I highly recommend it to those who love thrillers!

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I purchased a copy of this book for my Kindle. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

This terrifying thriller is available now from your local bookseller. I would say this is the best thriller that I have read in a long time, but I would caution that there is a fair amount of graphic violence.

This is one of those books that you really need to just set aside time to read it straight through. I did not do that and now I want to read it again to look for all of the awesome foreshadowing that the author uses so expertly. This is the story of a private girls’ school in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Since that is where I am from originally, I was instantly drawn into the story. The drama! Oh, the drama! Put a group of teens together and of course, you expect drama, a lot of gossip and some mean girls. This book has it all, plus murder! This is a mystery and thriller and the more you read, the more thrilling it becomes. Ash Carr has arrived at the very exclusive Goode School and is instantly targeted by senior Becca to be one of her groupies. Ash’s roommate Camille is snooty, but when Ash hears her crying at night, she does offer her help. What would make a sophomore who is already accepted into the “in crowd” sob into her pillow at night? That’s one of the mysteries that keeps the reader involved in the story. There is also Dean Ford Westhaven, a woman with an attitude of entitlement and a lot of secrets about her love affairs. This book will transport the reader into the fictional world of a private girls’ school and will not let you go until the last satisfying page. The strengths of the book are in the well-developed characters and the intricately woven plot. At the end, I was left with a sense of awe at how everything came together. Readers of suspense and psychological thrillers will thoroughly enjoy this latest book by J.T. Ellison!

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.”

This engrossing thriller will be available on December 30, 2019. There is some graphic violence and some sex scenes, so I would have to rate it a PG-13.

Brenda Novak has once again written an enticing story of love and choices. Callie is living on her grandparents’ farm and hiding a big secret from all of her friends in Whiskey Creek as well as her parents. She wants to have a wonderful summer at the farmhouse and is surprised when a stranger shows up with horrific dog bites all over his limbs. She enlists the help of retired veterinarian Godfrey, stitch Levi up and then she offers to let him stay in the barn while he recuperates. Levi also has a dark secret that is keeping him from being honest with everyone about his past. Of course, Callie and Levi seek solace in each other’s arms and then the conflict begins. Callie doesn’t want to share her secret and neither does Levi. The author does a masterful job of resolving the conflict and satisfying the reader at the conclusion. Fans of romance will not want to miss this book!

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I own this book, purchasing it from the author’s bookstore. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.

This book is part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone. The sexual scenes are written in a tasteful manner, but be warned that they are plentiful in this book. You can purchase this book now from your favorite bookseller.