A Matter of Heart ~ Tracie Peterson

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Tracie Peterson has outdone herself with A Matter of Heart once again.  She is easily the most reliable author for me.  What I mean by this is she has written over 100 books now and I have yet to find one that did not intrigue me!  Tracie is one of the authors I have been reading since I was a child and A Matter of Heart continues Tracie's legacy of amazing books with that western historical feel to them.  

A Matter of Heart keeps the reader intrigued with a story of lawyers, Texas Rangers, forged gold certificates, and suspense.  If you love Mary Connealy or Linda Lael Miller you will love this book.  I absolutely love Tracie's ability to take the antagonist from a previous book and turning her into a protagonist.  You start to root for the person that you formerly rooted against.  This makes for an exciting turn of events for the reader.  Go and get this book!  You don't want to miss it:)  Also look for A Steadfast Heart by Tracie Peterson which will be out in a few days!

Colliding with Destiny ~ Sarah Jakes

Colliding with Destiny by Sarah Jakes is a really great study on the story of Ruth in the Bible.  I had previously read and reviewed Lost and Found by Sarah Jakes which was also a great book.  Sarah Jakes' second book is equally good and has great insights into the story of Ruth.  So many studies of Ruth focus on Ruth finding her Boaz.  Jakes does a great job of studying all of the story of Ruth.

Jakes explores what happened to Ruth before meeting Boaz and how she handled adversity.  I appreciate how she chose to show the perseverance that Ruth showed throughout her journey.  The relevant examples to today were also very well done.  This is definitely a good read and very applicable to today.

*This book was received from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a fair review*

Tried and True ~ Mary Connealy

                          Image from:http://www.jcs-group.com/johnwayne/ajpicts/bonham1.jpg

Tried and True is a great start to a new series by my favorite author Mary Connealy.  Kylie Wilde is the youngest of three sisters who have spent the past few years masquerading as men!  They served in the Civil War and are now continuing to masquerade as men in order to receive special exemptions on homesteading because of their military service.  Obviously (since this is Mary Connealy) hilarity ensues.

All three women are convinced that they can fool everyone into believing they are men.  Kylie just wants to do this until she earns her land and can move back East to far grander things.  However, everyone's plans get thrown for a wrench when Aaron Masterson - land agent - shows up.  Will their masquerade be continued or uncovered?  What will people think if they found out that one family is attempting to gain possession of a large area of  prime land?  What will everyone think we they discover it is a group of sisters?  Read the book to find out!  Definitely worth your time!

*This book was received by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a fair review*

Dirty Faith ~ David Z. Nowell

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 Dirty Faith was an inspiring and educational book.  As a social worker I really appreciated this book because of the issues it brought up.  Today there is a popular movement for Christians to go on mission trips and help orphans.  However, many Christians do not really understand what it means to be an orphan.  They have this image of going and helping cute, adorable kids and saving their lives.  That is sadly not what happens when working with orphans.

Nowell does a great job of showing what following God and "bringing the love of Christ to the least of these" is really like.  There is a reason he calls this book Dirty Faith.  Through many stories and biblical references Nowell tells how important it is to minister to orphans and how difficult it is.  He points out something that I realized soon after getting into social work.  Orphans are cute and adorable but they have major issues.  They are young and older children who have faced hardships that others can only dream of facing.  That hardens people.  Most of these orphans have a hard time trusting people.  Some steal for a living, some prostitute themselves, while others have even murdered.  They are not your typical children.  However, they deserve so much love because of all of this and most importantly because Christ loves them.  Dirty Faith does such a good job of explaining this.  I highly recommend this book, especially if you are a social worker!

Answering Your Kids' Toughest Questions ~ Elyse Fitzpatrick & Jessica Thompson

Answering Your Kids' Toughest Questions is a delightful and informative book about answering all of those tough life questions that kids like to ask.  I absolutely loved how the authors took this informative book and made it absolutely fun.  From it parents can learn all about how to tackle questions that can be awkward to answer.  Topics covered are death, sin, hell, divorce, the Bible, and more.  The authors give great answers on how to address questions with developmental appropriateness and discernment of each individual child.  The following is very good and illustrative example from the book regarding how to handle the question of sin:

"What if you were a frog?  I know that's quite a leap (smile), but just play along for a moment, if you please.  And what if being a frog was against the Law of the Lily Pond?

Well, of course to avoid getting into trouble you could try to curb all your desires to jump or catch flies with your long, sticky tongue.  And every time you felt like you needed to croak, you could try to stuff that urge and sing like a canary instead...Your problem is not a problem with outward activity; it is a problem with being.  And so it is with humans and sins." (p. 23)

This example shows how creative Answering Your Kids' Toughest Questions is at relating to children and helping them understand critical issues.  The authors also back up their ability to understand children by the fact that both women have children and Elyse Fitzpatrick has a degree in Biblical counseling which helps in tackling issues with children.  This book is a great book for parents to have on their bookshelf and to help parents answer all of those tough questions!

*This book was received in exchange for a review from Bethany House Publishers*

A Match of Wits ~ Jen Turano

A Match of Wits by Jen Turano is another great story:)  I love all of Jen Turano's books and this is definitely another hit.  I am a huge fan of historical fiction that has a lot of comedy in it as well.  This is another book full of comedic incidents and pratfalls.  Sometimes historical fiction can feel more serious, but Jen is one of those authors who changes that.  She also continues a series well without it becoming boring (which can very easily occur after a 3rd book).

If you have read the other 3  books in the Ladies of Distinction series, you know they have been comedic and entertaining.  This 4th book is where you finally get to have a book about Agatha and Zayne!  I don't want to give away the story but it is as amazing as you would expect!  Go and get A Match of Wits!  If you haven't read this series - go get all of the books and read them!  They are definitely worth your time:)

*I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review*

Love Hunger ~ David Kyle Foster

Love Hunger by David Kyle Foster was an interesting read.  This book is great for anyone who has struggled with any type of sexual addictions.  Foster goes very in - depth on the story of his life and how he overcame a very rough childhood to become a pastor who helps people overcome sexual addictions as well.

My warning for this book is to proceed with caution.  It is a great book if you struggle with sexual addictions or if you have a family member or close friends who do.  If not this book can be a very hard book to read.  David Kyle Foster is a brave man who overcame much.  His story is very inspiring and exhibits how truly amazing God is through his story.  However, his story can be graphic as Love Hunger portrays Foster's life with honesty and in depth.  Definitely an inspiring story.

*This book was received from Baker House Publishing in exchange for a review*

Undetected ~ Dee Henderson

Undetected by Dee Henderson is another captivating and riveting book by Dee Henderson.  As someone who loves learning new things I was obsessed with this book.  Submarine warfare is not something I would normally look for in a suspenseful book.  However, I found the whole subject of the Navy and submarines fascinating in this book.  I definitely feel very knowledgable about submarines now.

The other thing I really enjoyed in Undetected was the interplay between the two main characters.  Dee Henderson's latest books have a fascinating aspect in romantic relationships.  I have found it to be unique and something different.  I do not want to give away too much of the story so that's all I will tell you:)

*This book was given for free by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a review*

Lost and Found ~ Sarah Jakes

Lost and Found was an inspiring biography of the daughter of T. D. Jakes.  I got a lot of insight from reading this book.  This book goes through the story of a young woman raised in the church who made mistakes and learned from them.  She is definitely an overcomer.

As someone who works with teen moms I found this story very insightful.  I get to be a part of the team that helps a teenage mom learn how to overcome and be a great parent.  This book helped put me into the exact mindset of a how a teenage mom would feel.  It is always very inspiring to see these young mothers learn to put their children first and give of themselves 110%.

Sarah Jakes shows just how she did that.  She also shows how she did make more mistakes and also overcame them.  My opinion of her father, T. D. Jakes, has went up since reading this book and how well he supported Sarah throughout her trials.  Lost and Found is an amazing story of the grace that God shows us and how we can always overcome.

*I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review of the book*

Mission Drift ~ Peter Greer

Mission Drift is another excellent book by Peter Greer.  I had previously reviewed his book The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good (which was also an excellent book).  Mission Drift surpasses The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good in quality.  This book was very applicable to the field of social work and is an emerging topic in social work classes that I am currently in.

Peter Greer discusses how organizations that were created with a specific goal start to drift from that goal over time.  He discusses how easy it is to drift if you do not come back to the mission of the agency often enough.  Having worked in several Christian organizations, I have observed this happen.  When an organization drifts from it's real purpose, it tends to not help as many people and the organization even falls apart on occasion.

In Mission Drift Peter Greer offers up solid ideas for keeping mission drift from happening.  He does this by using stories of existing agencies who have drifted and agencies who have stayed with their original purpose.  This book would be great for any non - profit organizations and anybody who works for one or is even affiliated with one.  As a social worker, I highly recommend Mission Drift.
*I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers  in exchange for an honest review.*

A Beauty So Rare ~ Tamera Alexander

A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander is possibly her best book yet.  This story is full of the true beauty in life - inner beauty.  Eleanor Braddock is not known for being outwardly beautiful - she is more plain in outer appearance.  However, her inner beauty shines outstandingly in this fabulous story about how Eleanor finds her true worth and helps others find their true worth as well.

I do not want to give away the whole story but as a social worker I love Eleanor's desire to help others when she realizes how fortunate she is and how unfortunate others are.  Her desire to be a shining beacon in the community is admirable.  The way she helps others throughout the book shows a beauty that is Christlike.  A Beauty So Rare is a fabulous story that not only has a wonderful romance but also has an amazing story of a woman's journey in realizing her worth and the worth of others.  Definitely a must read.

*This book was given from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review*

A Few of My Favorite Things March Edition

So, I forgot to do a February edition but here are some of my favorite things from this month.

This is where I am getting my MSW from - Asbury University.  Spring has officially started and the campus is so beautiful in the spring.

This picture is taken fromhttp://www.votors.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/horses.jpg).  Since spring has come every time I go driving out of my town, this is the view I get to see.  I love driving and see all of the baby animals (not just horses but cows too)!

Now that spring has arrived I officially love listening to country music again.  There's just something about listening to country music while you're cruising down the backroads of Kentucky:)  Of course, Florida Georgia Line is always my favorite to put in my car's cd player when it gets warm.  These are my favorite things for this month - so pretty much I just have to say that spring is my absolute favorite thing right now:)

Where Courage Calls ~ Janette Oke

Janette Oke is the pioneer of Christian fiction.  I remember that I skipped straight from children's books to adult books when I was 11 years old.  The first adult books I read were the Love Comes Softly series.  Whenever I tell people that I am addicted to Christian fiction, they automatically bring up Janette Oke because her name is synonymous with Christian fiction.  I was so excited when I heard that Janette Oke was coming out with this new book in the When Calls the Heart series.  

When I was younger I read the When Calls the Heart series over and over again.  I loved the story of Wynn and Elizabeth.  It was so cool to read about the RCMP and living out in the frontier of Canada.  Where Courage Calls definitely stays true to the When Calls the Heart series.  I absolutely loved getting to read another frontier story.  There is something about Janette Oke's books that always touch the heart.

Janette Oke is the best at taking a love story and making it beautiful yet realistic.  The characters in her story do not just fall in love and live happily ever after.  They face real struggles and persevere through them.  This is something I have always appreciated about Janette's stories.  When Courage Calls holds true to Janette Oke's signature style.  This book is a definite must read!

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*I received this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for a free and fair review*

A Few of My Favorite Things January Edition

I decided to start a new section of my blog - A Few of My Favorite Things.  Each month I will put up a few things that I have found for the month that are completely amazing or I am obsessed with.  They could be absolutely anything.  Here are my things for January.

1) Architecture is a beautiful and haunting song.  Jonathan Thulin is an up and coming christian singer who also happens to be a part of Press Play (a band from the Dream Center - one of the most amazing Christian church organizations out there http://www.dreamcenter.org).  I normally listen to faster paced music but the lyrics and Jonathan Thulin's voice in this song are incredible.

2)  I don't have a picture for this one but it is a recipe for BLT's.  My mother gave me the recipe for this gourmet BLT and I keep wanting to eat it all of the time:)  Here it is:

- 1 pack of King's Hawaiian mini sub roll

- 1 package of fresh mozzarella

- 1 pack of bacon

- 2 orange (or red) tomatoes

- 1 Bag of fresh spinach

Cook bacon.  Slice tomatoes and mozzarella while bacon is cooking.  Once bacon is done cooking, cook the spinach in the bacon grease.  When spinach is done assemble the sandwiches and enjoy!

3) 

    Image from:http://writing.pinartarhan.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/castle-nathan-fillion.jpg

I am currently obsessed with the television show Castle.  My roommate introduced me to this show and it has everything I love in a book and can rarely find in a television show (suspense, romance, and history mixed together).  Richard Castle is such a unique character that brings the show to life.  

4) This Budweiser commercial is adorable.  According to the Chinese New Year - this is the Year of the Horse.  This favorite is in honor of that and because I really love horses and adore puppies:)

What are some of your favorite things this month?

Prepared for a Purpose ~ Antoinette Tuff

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So many stories on the news are about how the people in the world who commit evil.  It is always refreshing to hear the stories of people doing good in the world and showing compassion.  Prepared for a Purpose is the perfect story of someone who showed compassion to someone who was intent on going into a school and shooting.  This is the best story because it shows how one woman's life led her to a moment to be used by God.

The title of Antoinette's book is Prepared for a Purpose because she truly believes that she was brought to that moment in her life to be a vessel for God.  This book tells about the trials Antoinette faced in her life and how they brought her to a pivotal point where she was able to use her experiences to show compassion to a young man who was hurting.  It is a very inspirational story and the book was so good that I read in it one night.  If you are looking for a story of God using someone to stop another Columbine or Sandy Hook from happening - this is good.  People are sometimes scared to send their children to school because of all the news when school shootings happen.  This book restores some confidence by showing that God can use ordinary people to help prevent something bad from happening.

*This book was received for free from Bethany House in exchange for a review*