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.
bible.com/bible/113/psa.66.20.NIVUK
I think all of us can relate to times when our faith was low and we thought we had failed God. Last week was such a time for me, but I clung tightly to the One in whom I believe and He is restoring me. I’m still struggling in some areas, but God knows and He is meeting me right where I am, just as He will do for you.
God bless you and your day with Him and His presence, reminding you of His love and faithfulness.
This is the third book in the Texas Murder Files series and is just as good as the gorgeous cover presents. It can be read as a standalone, but I did read the other two books and really enjoy the series. In this latest romance thriller, Macey Burns comes to Lost Beach to film a tourism commercial and gets caught up in a murder investigation. There she meets Detective Owen Breda, a quiet man with a lot of responsibility to catch a killer who seems to be escalating. The book begins with the description of a murder scene and the action ramps up from there and goes full steam ahead all the way to the end. As Owen investigates and Macey films, a killer is walking among them and they both know it but cannot seem to figure out who it is. There are red herrings, which I love, and plenty of twists in the story. The love affair that begins between Macey and Owen begins slowly and builds as each discovers a need for each other. All of the characters are well fleshed out but especially Macey and Owen. Some of the other characters were more fully developed in the other books and are a welcome addition to this one. I enjoyed the relationships, both professional and personal between the police officers at Lost Beach. They are dedicated to the pursuit of justice and don’t mind losing sleep to find it. I liked that Macey had a less than stellar past and that she is not afraid to admit it and move on. Mostly, I enjoyed the cat and mouse game that the police engaged in with the murderer. With missing cars, assaults on innocent bystanders and lots of action in every chapter, this book kept me reading until reached the ending, with a sigh of satisfaction and a desire to go back to Lost Beach for the next adventure there.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. 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, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Many of us seek safety and security in things or in other people. But the Bible teaches that it is the Name of the Lord that is our safety, our strong tower into which we can run to seek shelter. Buffeted by the world and all of the bad news that is reported daily, I find myself frequently just withdrawing and calling on God. His answer is to calm my spirit and reassure me that He is in control in spite of circumstances. I have needed that reassurance this week and I am thankful for His strength that has carried me back to calm waters.
May your day be blessed with worship, peace and the love of the Almighty surrounding you.
This book gets my nomination for book of the year, hands down. It is he breathtaking and awe-inspiring story of a young woman named Mel Ellis who suffers from an eating disorder and a lack of self worth that is slowly killing her. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, she decides to take a pilgrimage on foot from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Mount Ranier in Washington state. The people she meets along the way are both memorable and inspirational. They don’t only insist on feeding her physically, but they also feed her hungry soul. What she is searching for is not found in a protein bar or fewer pounds on the scale, but it is found within herself if she can only survive to discover that truth. This book is a testament to the God who created each of us and who loves each of us as though there is only one of us. Mel realizes that she is damaged goods and throughout the book she has to come to terms with the fact that she can never do enough or be enough to be accepted. She just has to accept that she is. Her pilgrimage is a story that needed to be told and is told in a sweeping saga, complete with beautiful imagery of all that she sees and experiences. My favorite characters besides Mel are Chrystal and David, a sister and her young brother, who offer Mel shelter, first aid and a family that accepts her just as she is. I loved this book and all of its beautiful descriptive passages, but mostly I enjoyed the heartfelt message of hope that it gives.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell 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.”
Preachers Don’t Need To Be Storytellers
— Read on ettingerwriting.wordpress.com/2022/05/20/preachers-dont-need-to-be-story-tellers/
Please go to the original post and follow David. He is wise and kind.
I am absolutely in love with the SNAP AGENCY series and could not wait to get my hands on this newest one. I was not at all disappointed as it is the best one so far. Telling the story of Kekoa, the gentle computer giant from Hawaii, was brilliant as he is a favorite character with a mystery in his past. I have wanted to know more about Kekoa since book one and this book definitely satisfied my thirst for knowledge about his background. In the latest story, Kekoa is tasked with finding out who is selling secrets from a lab and his discovery actually upsets him. His neighbor, the quiet and unassuming Elinor, appears to be the culprit and Kekoa is overwhelmed with dismay because he is attracted to her. I was also dismayed because I liked Elinor a lot and wanted her and Kekoa to get together. There is a lot of technical information in this book that I can’t say that I really understood, about pigpen codes and algorithms that are dangerous to the person with the skill to decode them. The characters were very well-developed, with a lot of information about Kekoa’s roots and family back in Hawaii as well as Elinor’s beloved grandfather who recently died. There were also some really humorous parts like when Kekoa and Elinor went out in the rain and slid down a grassy hill on boogie boards. Cheehoo! The entire regular cast of the Snap Agency is present, with Walsh taking more of a leading role in this book and Lyla and Garcia still teasing a romantic interlude between them. The plot is fast-paced and intense, with the security of the U.S. at stake and the team plus the FBI working together to find out what is happening and why. I must admit that I was fooled all the way until the reveal about who the villains were. One person I did guess, but not the real motive, so there were lots of great revelations for me at the end. I loved Kekoa’s story and look forward to the next Snap Agency book already. This team is like NCIS, only so much smarter and better!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. I also purchased my own copy because I love this series so much. 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.”
The third book in the Fallout Series is a stunner, with action on every page, romance blooming and the people of Shadow Ridge still surviving the unthinkable. The focal character in this book is Tess McQuaid, the youngest daughter of former sheriff Garrett McQuaid. Tess is a young woman with the heart of an artist and the courage of a mama tiger. She wants to find truth and justice and is willing to make sacrifices to pursue it. When her life is disrupted by unexpected danger, she is rescued by Deputy Kellen Grey and together they have to survive a winter storm and killers chasing them. The plot is fast-paced and riveting while the characters are realistically vulnerable as well as strong, in a way that complements each other. I love the family dynamics of the McQuaid family and have enjoyed meeting them in each of the books of the series. This book can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the prequel as well as the first and second books. I’m sure that you will not want to put them down and, just like me, you will be ready for the next book as soon as your finish this one. The genre is Christian romantic suspense, with plenty of action but nothing objectionable or too intense in it.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via BookFunnel. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
The story of Dawn Dixon and her mom Marnie is one that will long remain with me because of the relationship that the two establish during the course of the novel. Marnie is recently widowed and a breast cancer survivor, so she decides on what seems to be a whim to buy an ice cream shop and start her own business. Dawn becomes a reluctant participant in her mom’s plans after her own plans to get married to Kevin, the love of her life, fall apart. With a new perspective on life at the beach, in a little town called Chatham, a vision is born of a successful business and an enduring partnership. What a lovely, heartwarming story! The tale was not without conflict since there is a formidable foe in the shape of Mrs. Nickerson-Eldredge, the head of the Historical Commission who wants to stop the Main Street Creamery from opening. The way the characters all come together was magical, with a theme of preserving the past but also looking forward to a new future. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of the characters, but Linc, the handyman who just pitches in to help and seems to always know when Marnie needs him, was my absolute favorite. He was unassuming, humble and offered common sense advice that he gave from his heart. All of the characters were realistic and I could almost taste the ice cream flavors that Dawn created. Blackberry with chocolate chunk? Sign me up! This is a feel-good story that engaged me from beginning to end and made me cheer for a happy ending for all. With wisdom from the Bible subtly interwoven into the story as well as a heartfelt prayer or two, this is Christian fiction at its best!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books 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.”
Sometimes attacks come when we least expect them. Actually, most of the time, that’s when they happen. This last week was no exception in my life. First, our air conditioner stopped working. Bad news for me because I am asthmatic and need the “canned air” to breathe. The repair was completed last Friday and we were able to finance having it done. Not part of the budget, but it’s done. The really good news is that the entire time our AC was down, there was a cool wave in Virginia so the house stayed comfortably cool, meaning I was able to breathe well without the stultifying humidity that makes me gasp. Thus, God blessed us even during this trial.
A few days ago, my son told me that he had received a letter from our grandson in boot camp. Isaac has Covid-19 and as a result has been moved out of his division into quarantine. We have no idea when he will graduate now, but we do know that it will be delayed until he is completely well and has been placed into a new division. I have no doubt that God is working in this situation to redeem it, just as he did with the petty annoyance of our air conditioning. In the meanwhile, I can’t write Isaac (no address, since it’s by division) or call him (no phones allowed), but what I can do is pray for him to be encouraged during this time of waiting.
I don’t know that this is a test of Isaac’s faith as much as it is a test of mine. I have prayed for him faithfully every day (several times a day) to be successful and protected in boot camp. And then…Covid. Well, God didn’t say bad things wouldn’t happen, but He did promise to be with us through them. So, like the rock pictured in the Scripture above, I want to rise above the circumstances and praise God for what He is doing and what He is going to do in this young man’s life, and in the lives of the multiple other seamen recruits who have the same malady. It will be a great day when I hear that he is restored to his training, but in the meantime, I hope that you will join me in prayer for him to be strong in his faith at this time. That reminds me about the small Bible that we gifted Isaac to take along with him to Great Lakes. I wanted to give him a Bible but I didn’t know if he would even appreciate having one along with him. He was raised in a home in which Bible reading is reserved for church time, so thus my reluctance. I read the brochure provided by the USN about items the recruits could/could not bring along with them. One of the things they were told not to bring was their phones (no phone numbers available to them) or books other than religious materials. They were allowed a pocket Bible only. Thus, on the last day that we visited with Isaac before he left, we went to a bookstore and I purchased a pocket Bible for him. He was a little leery about this gift until I showed him the blank pages that could be his address book for phone numbers for family and friends. He grinned at what he considered my duplicity and was happy to accept the gift, along with the addresses and phone numbers that I printed neatly inside for him. I was not at all being duplicitous, telling him that the Bible would serve two purposes, one to encourage him to read God’s Word and two, to have that information about loved ones handy. After all, he had not memorized any phone numbers because he always had them in his phone and just touched the number and it dialed. Now, he has both resources. Thus, when I write him letters and include a Scripture for him to read, he can refer to his new pocket Bible/address book. 😉
In the meantime, God continues to work in our lives and to work out His salvation within each of us. Sometimes the process we go through is painful, but we know that God is in control, even when our lives take unexpected detours. He is the God of the mountains and the valleys!
proverbs.bible/proverbs-18-10
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 