“The Gospel Story Bible” by Marty Machowski is a very colorful and richly illustrated bible that makes learning about the basic bible stories for kids fun, with interactive discussions for parents to discuss with their kids.
Having used this for some time, I like how from as young as 5 to even as old as 11, the stories help provide a basic, broad spectrum for the bible and get kids interested in learning more when they are ready to start reading the bible on their own.
In the meantime, “The Gospel Story Bible” provides a great basic starting point for families looking for ways to create a “Family Devotion Time” or just for nightly readings and discussions, before the kids go to bed.
Younger children will be captivated by the illustrations that abound in this book, while its still “sophisticated” enough for the older kids to get involved without feeling like the parables and stories share are not watered down or talking down to them and I was just very impressed by the discussion questions that are provided to help encourage discussions in the family about the Bible.
The book itself is a hardcover and really well bounded that I feel would last through several little hands and many nights of reading through the bible or even for use with family devotions and a great starting point for families who are wondering how to share God’s word with their younger kids.
Parents really won’t be able to get over the illustrations and how they beautifully capture the stories (along with Scriptural references) that are shared and will find that the illustrations, for the younger kids, really encourage not only just narration but gives kids a chance to have a medium to discover and re-tell the stories they’ve just heard on their own and I personally thought that it was “toddler hands” friendly from the way the pages are designed to the toddler friendly hard cover.
Though not spill free or mess proof, it still invites kids to even just look through the pictures, if they are not reading yet and provide them with eye catching images for parents to discuss the corresponding pictures with them.
The Gospel Story Bible, is a beautiful, well written bible for families and kids to share and something to look into adding into the family library.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings – The B&B Media Group – for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Marty Machowski is a Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church, a Sovereign Grace Ministries church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on the pastoral staff for twenty-three years. Marty leads Promise Kingdom, the children’s ministry of Covenant Fellowship. He is also the author of Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God and the forthcoming Gospel Story Sunday school curriculum. He and his wife Lois and their six children reside in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Visit the author’s Facebook Page.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
I have never been the best at anything. This has given me the freedom to really enjoy alot of things; perfection is not on the line. So my drawing is not clean, my patchwork corners don’t really match up, and my cooking is always an adventure. I was raised by a single mom who has an exhausting amount of creative energy. My brother and I were taught how to create our own entertainment and seek adventure in the everyday.
When I was in Jr High, both my parents remarried and let’s just say things have never been boring. A foster brother, two step sisters, and a half brother were added to the mix. I have aunts and uncles who have been beyond generous and helped raise me in many ways. I have been blessed to travel overseas and even live in Prague for six months. My dad and stepmom run a special needs home in Guatemala where I have spent time and really fallen in love with the culture. My brother and his wife run a shoe company out of Guatemala. Everywhere I have been, even a dirt floor hut in the hills of Guatemala, there has been art: design and color. I believe as humans we are created in the image of The Creator, and so we all have some creative effort to put forth.
I have a BFA in Illustration because after all the studio classes one takes to finish an Art Education degree, I found what I really like to do is draw. I doodle. Alot.
Presently, I am married with two little ones, living in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. I teach art part time at a sweet little christian school, grow tomatoes and beets, and sew or draw when I get the chance.
My first illustration project is coming out in the fall, 156 illustrated Bible stories in the “Gospel Story Bible” by Marty Machowski, published by New Growth Press.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget Jesus in the midst of frantic schedules, family squabbles and conflicting priorities. For many Christians, God often becomes little more than an afterthought after days absorbed and depleted by the busyness of life. But the truth is that he is the hero of every story—including the mundane, ordinary ones we experience on a regular basis. That is why Marty Machowski beckons families to take time out from the daily grind to be transformed by the message of the Good News in his latest release, The Gospel Story Bible: Discovering Jesus in the Old and New Testaments (New Growth Press, November 2011).
Based on the ESV Bible, this uniquely illustrated Bible storybook uses 156 stories to present God’s plan of salvation in Christ from its opening narrative in Genesis to its finale in Revelation. This easy-to-read storybook written for children from preschool to high school introduces readers to many captivating people, places and events from the Bible’s Old and New Testaments. At the same time, Machowski skillfully connects the individual stories to the overall gospel narrative of how God redeemed a broken world through sending his son Jesus to save his people. Each story ends by connecting to Jesus and his gospel of grace. By sharing these Bible stories with each other, young and old will learn together the life-changing habit of recognizing the presence and workings of Christ in every moment of their day.
“The gospel is deep enough to keep the oldest and wisest parents learning and growing all their lives, yet simple enough to change the heart of the first grader who has just begun to read,” says Machowski. “That’s what makes The Gospel Story Bible ideal as a storybook for a preschooler, a devotional for a grade school student, a refresher for the adult believer or an introduction for the new one. Parents and children will learn together to read the whole Bible as one story, with one hero—Jesus Christ.”
Vibrant illustrations by A. E. Macha, child-friendly discussion questions and Scripture references accompany each story to help lead families in exploring the Bible. Parents and teachers will be delighted to discover how easily even a young child can understand the original text of a story that he or she has already come to love. A companion to the family devotional Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God and the soon-to-be-released Gospel Story Sunday school curriculum (February 2012), The Gospel Story Bible is also a great resource for churches, Sunday school classes, home-schoolers and Christian schools who want to teach their children to apply the gospel to every situation and make Jesus the most important part of their everyday lives.
Product Details:
List Price: $29.99
Hardcover: 328 pages
Publisher: New Growth Press (December 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1936768127
ISBN-13: 978-1936768127
AND NOW…Some Sample Pages (click images to see them larger):
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“The Accidental Bride” by Denise Hunter is a sweet, heart warming romance set out in Montana; It has cowboys, it has the open plains, it has our Father in Heaven working behind the scenes, readers will fall in love with the characters and find themselves misty eye and smiling by the book’s end.
I really enjoy reading this book and it was just one of those romances with a blend of God’s word, weaved into a very delightful story about not basing one lives on other’s opinions, overcoming heartaches and the beauty of finding love and second chances.
Set in modern day Montana, I loved how Denise Hunter, created characters that really warmed the heart and she does a wonderful job of weaving in both romance and suspense of will they or won’t they as her main characters, after a heartbroken history together, find themselves “married by accident” and from that incident, set on a path of redemption, growth and moving forward from each of their own pasts.
This is a very well written romance and I’m normally not big on romances, but I found myself unable to put the book down and by story’s end, thinking, “I have to re-read this book again”; It’s a perfect summer vacation read, when you’re in need of a little “romance” in your life and just an all around feel good story that captures not only the scriptural message of Galatians 1:10 but about not allowing one’s one personal experiences, cloud one’s thoughts of others or prevent oneself from moving forward.
“The Accidental Bride” has a strong story line, it has cowboys, and the main character is a strong willed, hard headed woman struggling to save and keep her family’s ranch while at the same time, mending a broken heart that was broken, one to many times while dealing with a first love who sweeps back into town and turns everything, all the more upside down.
Readers will love how the main character overcomes the obstacles in her life and in the process find healing and love as well.
Get swept away to a Montana ranch and discover for yourself, “The Accidental Bride”
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Audra Jennings – The B&B Media Group – for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Denise lives in Indiana with her husband Kevin and their three sons. In 1996, Denise began her first book, a Christian romance novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her books often contain a strong romantic element, and her husband Kevin says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!
Shay Brandenberger has built her entire life on the shifting sands of what others think. Constantly seeking the approval of others, she has struggled through a rocky childhood, a failed marriage and single parenthood. Now it looks like she’s losing the ranch that has been in her family for three generations, a surefire way to mark her as a failure in the eyes of the community. When Travis McCoy, the high school sweetheart who very publicly broke her heart fifteen years before, returns to Moose Creek, she is less than pleased. Not only does his re-appearance dredge up a deluge of painful memories, it also reminds everyone in town that it was he who left her, not the other way around. To make matters worse, Shay and Travis are unwittingly paired to play bride and groom in the annual Founder’s Day wedding re-enactment where, much to her chagrin, she discovers he still has the power to take her breath away.
Product Details:
List Price: $15.99
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595548025
ISBN-13: 978-1595548023
AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:
The bell above the diner’s door jingled
and—despite her most valiant effort—Shay Brandenberger’s eyes darted toward the
entry. An unfamiliar couple entered—tourists. She could tell by their khaki
Eddie Bauer vests and spanking-new hiking boots. Look out, Yellowstone.
When her heart rate returned to normal,
she checked her watch and took a sip of coffee. Five minutes till she met Miss
Lucy at the Doll House, forty till she met John Oakley at the bank. What if he
said no? What would they do then?
“Mom . . . Earth to Mom . . .” Olivia
waved her hand too close to Shay’s face, her brown eyes widening.
“Sorry, hon.” The one bright moment of
her Saturday was breakfast with her daughter, and she couldn’t enjoy it for the
dread. “What were you saying?”
Olivia set her fork on her
pancake-sticky plate and heaved a sigh worthy of her twelve-year-old self.
“Never mind.” She bounced across the vinyl bench, her thick brown ponytail
swinging. “I’m going to meet Maddy.”
“Right back here at noon,” Shay called,
but Olivia was out the door with the flick of her hand.
The diner buzzed with idle chatter.
Silverware clattered and scraped, and the savory smell of bacon and fried eggs
unsettled her stomach. She took a sip of the strong brew from the fat rim of
her mug.
The bell jingled again. I will not look. I will
not look. I will not—
The server appeared at her booth, a new
girl, and gathered Olivia’s dishes. “On the house today.”
Shay set down her mug, bristling. “Why?”
The woman shrugged. “Boss’s orders,” she
said, then made off with the dirty dishes.
From the rectangular kitchen window,
Mabel Franklin gave Shay a pointed look.
So Shay had helped the couple with their
foal the week before. It was the neighborly thing to do.
Fine. She gave a reluctant smile and a
wave. She pulled her wallet from her purse, counted out the tip, and dragged
herself from the booth, remembering her daughter’s bouncy exit. Lately her
thirty-two years pressed down on her body like a two-ton boulder.
She opened the diner’s door and peeked
both ways before exiting the Tin Roof and turning toward the Doll House. She
was only checking sidewalk traffic, not hiding. Nope, she wasn’t hiding from
anyone. The boardwalks were busy on Saturdays. That was why she hadn’t come to
town for two weeks. Why their pantry was emptier than a water trough at high
noon.
She hurried three shops down and slipped
into the cool, welcoming air of Miss Lucy’s shop.
“ ’Morning, Miss Lucy.”
“ ’Morning, dear.” The elderly woman, in
the middle of helping a customer, called over her rounded shoulder, “It’s in
the back.” Miss Lucy’s brown eyes were big as buckeyes behind her thick
glasses, and her white curls glowed under the spotlights.
“Okeydoke.” Shay forced her feet toward
the storeroom.
A musty smell assaulted her as she
entered the back room and flipped on the overhead fluorescents. She scanned the
boxes of doll parts and skeins of yarn until she found what she was looking
for. She approached the box, lifted the lid, and parted the tissue.
The wedding gown had been carefully
folded and tucked away. Shay ran her fingers over the delicate lace and pearls.
Must’ve been crisp white in its day, but time had cast a long shadow over it.
Time had a way of doing that.
Her fingers lingered on the thin fabric.
She remembered another time, another dress. A simple white one that hung on her
young shoulders, just skimmed the cement of the courthouse steps. The ache that
squeezed her heart had faded with time, but it was there all the same. Would it
ever go away?
Shaking her head, Shay turned back to
the task at hand. The gown seemed too pretty, too fragile to disturb.
Oh well. She’d promised.
She pulled it out and draped it over the
box, then shimmied from her jeans. When she was down to the bare necessities,
she stepped carefully into the gown. She eased it over her narrow hips and slid
her arms into the long sleeves. The neckline was modest, the gathered skirt
fuller than anything she ever wore. Here in the air-conditioning it was fine,
but she would swelter next Saturday.
Leaving the button-up back gaping, she
hitched the skirt to the top of her cowboy boots and entered the store.
Miss Lucy was ushering the customer out
the door. When she turned, she stopped, her old-lady shoes squeaking on the
linoleum. “Land sakes.”
Shay took two steps forward and dropped
the skirt. It fell to the floor with a whoosh.
“Fits like a glove,” Miss Lucy said.
“And with some low heels it’ll be the perfect length.”
Shay didn’t even own heels. “My boots’ll
have to do. Button the back?”
Miss Lucy waddled forward, turned Shay
toward a small wall mirror flecked with time, and began working the tiny pearl
buttons.
Shay’s breath caught at her image. She
forced its release, then frowned. Wedding gowns were bad luck. She’d sworn
she’d never wear another. If someone had told her yesterday she’d be wearing
this thing today, she’d have said they were one straw short of a bale.
Miss Lucy moved up to the buttons
between her shoulders, and Shay lifted her hair. The dress did fit, clinging to
her torso like it was made for her, wouldn’t you know. Even the color
complemented her olive skin.
Still, there was that whole bad luck
thing.
And what would everyone think of Shay
Brandenberger wearing this valuable piece of Moose Creek heritage? A white
wedding gown, no less. If she didn’t have the approval of her closest friends
and neighbors, what did she have? Not much, to her thinking.
She wanted to cut and run. Wanted to
shimmy right out of the dress, tuck it into that box in the storeroom, slip
back into her Levi’s and plaid button-up, and go back to her ranch where she
could hole up for the next six months.
She checked the time and wished Miss
Lucy had nimbler fingers. Of all days to do this, a Saturday, when everyone
with two legs was in town. And she still had that infernal meeting with John
Oakley.
Please, God, I can’t lose our home . . .
“I’m obliged to you, dear. I completely
forgot Jessie was going out of town.”
“No problem.”
“Baloney. You’d rather be knee-deep in
cow dung.” The woman’s marionette lines at the sides of her mouth deepened.
“It’s one hour of my life.” A pittance,
after all Miss Lucy had done for her.
Miss Lucy finished buttoning, and Shay
dropped her hair and smoothed the delicate lace at the cuffs.
“Well, bless you for being willing. God
is smiling down on you today for your kindness.”
Shay doubted God really cared one way or
another. It was her neighbors she worried about.
“Beautiful, just beautiful. You’ll be
the talk of the town on Founders Day.”
“No doubt.” Everyone in Moose Creek
would be thinking about the last time she’d worn a wedding gown. And the time
before that.
Especially the time before that.
Third time’s a charm, Shay thought, the corner of her lip
turning up.
“Stop fretting,” Miss Lucy said,
squeezing her shoulders. “You look quite fetching, like the gown was made for
you. I won’t have to make a single alteration. Why, it fits you better than it
ever did Jessie—don’t you tell her I said so.”
Shay tilted her head. Maybe Miss Lucy
was right. The dress did make the most of her figure. And she had as much right
to wear it as anyone. Maybe more—she was born and raised here, after all. It
was just a silly old reenactment anyway. No one cared who the bride and groom
were.
The bell jingled as the door opened
behind her. She glanced in the mirror, over her shoulder, where a hulking
silhouette filled the shop’s doorway. There was something familiar in the set
of the man’s broad shoulders, in the slow way he reached up and removed his
hat.
The sight of him constricted her rib
cage, squeezed the air from her lungs as if she were wearing a corset. But she
wasn’t wearing a corset. She was wearing a wedding gown. Just as she had been
the last time she’d set eyes on Travis McCoy.
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The Common English Bible @CommonEngBible, is being hailed as a new translation for the modern world and after having a chance to peruse the book, since November, what really impressed me about this translation, that although it is slightly comparable to the ESV, due to it being written in a fluid writing that makes the reading of God’s Word, even more accessible to the average reader, at the same time, the language is very modern that makes it a change from reading the bible from more traditional versions such as the NKJV or ESV or even NRSV.
Though personally preferring the ESV and NKJV, for the language and particularly the KJV, for its poetic language, what I like and think many will enjoy with the CEB, is that it is geared toward reading as people today speak.
There were some translation of the scripture that I personally thought was questionable, but one has to keep in mind, that there is a variation across the board, with each of the different translations that are out there, and if you are looking for a bible for in depth bible study,it helps to have several translations on hand, just to get an idea of how the verses may varied, but for everyday reading, the CEB, really accomplishes that goal.
Some of the differences the reader may encounter ,for example, Genesis 1:1, that the CEB actually provides examples from the CEB, NRSV, and NIV to help readers see how this current translation differs and can be seen at this link: commonenglishbible.com/Explor…
One has to keep in mind, that different translations, has always been met with doubt, so it helps to use any translation of the bible, with a translation that you are comfortable with, but also, with an open heart, take the time to compare and see what is it about any translation, that is used, that makes it worth being used.
In this case, those who are more comfortable with say, the KJV, may find the CEB, confusing, but there are vast differences too in resources that are use to translate a bible and personal preference and the CEB seems to be almost similar to that of the Good News Bible, although, there were a few cases that the “natural” wording, read out loud, more un-natural than it was intending.
Truthfully, the NLT and NRSV seem to have better word flow than the CEB, where at times, the wording seem choppy and stagger in a pace that didn’t read comfortable.
However, given how new the CEB is at the time, there will bound to be mixed reviews and it will take really more than cursory reading the CEB to see how much more of a comfortable read it is, so its really about taking the time to compare the translations and taking the time to read about the background when it comes to choosing a bible.
For more in depth studying, I can see the NLT,NRSV, ESV and NKJV, still winning out, but for an everday read, I can see the CEB, being a more comfortable read for those who are either very familiar with the bible, or those who are new to reading the bible for the first time, making the CEB, a bible translation to consider.
If you are looking for, how does the verses compare with other translations, here is one resource: commonenglishbible.com/Explor… but with how new the CEB is, it will be awhile to really get the feel of the CEB as a whole.
Some things to note, when considering this version, the CEB was written to be read at a seventh grade level, and the language is of a more common English than what would be found in the NRSV or ESV so expect to see translations that will differ more than any other bible that is out there.
When it came to how the Common English Bible was translated, the following is shared,
”
Combining scholarly accuracy with vivid language, the Common English Bible is the work of 120 biblical scholars from 24 denominations in American, African, Asian, European, and Latino communities, representing such academic institutions as Asbury Theological Seminary, Azusa Pacific University, Bethel Seminary, Denver Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, Seattle Pacific University, Wheaton College, Yale University, and many others. They translated the Bible into English directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts.
Additionally, more than 500 readers in 77 groups field-tested the translation. Every verse was read aloud in the reading groups, where potentially confusing passages were identified. The translators considered the groups’ responses and, where necessary, reworked those passages to clarify in English their meaning from the original languages. In total, more than 600 people worked jointly to bring the Common English Bible to fruition.”
Dr. Franklin is quoted as saying regarding the Common English Bible translation that,
Translators came from the largest groups in the country, but the term “mainline” is inaccurate as a label because the translators often (more than half of the time) are evangelical regardless of denominational tradition. They are Presbyterian (17), Episcopal (17), Methodist (17), Baptist (14), Christian Churches (7) Catholic (12), Lutheran (5) Nazarene (5), and Pentecostal (5).
The CEB is comparable in reading level to the NIV, but the CEB starts over fresh with Hebrew and Greek instead of trying to preserve the KJV vocabulary that is still very strong in the NIV and especially ESV. The ESV is actually the RSV, which was translated by the so-called mainline denominations in 1951.
Our goal was builing common ground rather than choosing sides between denominational controversies.
The verdict is really out there as far as the CEB goes, with it not being a bad translation, a definite shift from the translations that are out there, including that of the Message and Amplified Bible, and may fall into, up to the reader themselves.
As a resource for deeper bible study, that is debatable there and the CEB really seems to be geared more for just general reading and not really for academic or in depth study, but this doesn’t detract from its appeal to a more mainstream audience that would find this and easier translation to read.
Either way, the CEB is still worth checking out and has merit for use for anyone’s bible reading.
I would suggest, if you are looking into other viewpoints and insights about the CEB, here are several good posts that are out there regarding, the Common English Bible:
Want a copy of the CEB for your own perusal and addition to your library? Participate in the giveaway and on January 31, 2012, I will pick a lucky winner to send their very own copy of the Common English Bible to discover this new bible translation on their own.
The winner will be picked on January 31, 2012 and announced on Twitter, Facebook and here. Make sure to leave entries in the rafflecopter to count toward winning your very own copy of the Common English Bible!
This giveaway is also a participant with the “Off the Shelf” giveaway that is going on atHere’s My Cup Lord! Drop by Here’s My Cup Lord, to discover other book giveaways that are going on now as well!
Disclaimer: This post contains my personal opinions and does not reflect the opinion of any organization I am/was associated with or affiliated to.The product I have reviewed was/is based on my honest opinion and was not influenced or edited by anyone.Thank you to Audra Jennings of TBB Media for the complimentary copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.
With a name like, Alice, set in depression era America and her love for books, “Wonderland Creek” is a book to fall in love with, particularly if you are a “nose in the books” book lover who can find yourself identifying with Alice’s misadventures.
Not as much a love story as a historical fiction adventure set in America, dealing with the grips of the Depression, poor Alice has a love for books, that is a little too much and costs her the courtship of a boyfriend, she thought was alright, and finds herself on an adventure in the mountains, that takes her breath away.
I love books. I love reading and “Wonderland Creek” was a perfect blend of a passion for books, and a lesson how sometimes, life can be just as stranger, if not just as fun as the books themselves.
The characters are lovable and though there is no falling through a rabbit’s hole or Mad Hatter’s tea party to be found, what readers will find is a perfect book for the holidays and vacations, that will leave you smiling, laughing and yes, there is a touch of romance, but in a more Laurel and Hardy sense that will leave you chuckling throughout the book.
The story starts off with a misadventure that lands poor Alice in hot trouble and what she discovers as she grows throughout the book, not only wisens her but touches the lives of all those who are around her.
This is just a really fun book to read and I enjoy reading, “Wonderland Creek” and the way it shows that hey, being a librarian isn’t so boring after all.
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Disclaimer: This post contains my personal opinions and does not reflect the opinion of any organization I am/was associated with or affiliated to.The product I have reviewed was/is based on my honest opinion and was not influenced or edited by anyone / Thank you to Bethany Publishers for the complimentary copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.
“The Spirit of Texas:The Astonishing Story of a Pioneer Rancher’s Family and Their Mighty State” takes readers on a very unique perspective of Texas history by following the experiences of William Menzies, a carpenter who arrived in Texas in 1876 and with tales of,local and state history, politics and culture , captures “The Spirit of Texas” in an engaging and true story of a Texas pioneer and the men and women who made Texas what it is.
Perfect for lovers of history, Texas history, and a true story of a pioneering spirit, readers will love how,”The Spirit of Texas” captures the independent spirit that is often associated with Texas.
Filled with rich history, personal stories and photographs, that will capture the hearts of anyone who reads, “The Spirit of Texas”, I enjoyed how, Winston Menzies, the great grandson of vividly described his great-grandfather and the mark, his great-grandfather, William Menzies made on all those who knew him.
Readers are also introduced to William Menzies, wife, Letha Ann, who embody a quiet strength, faith and dedication that instilled in future generations, an embracing of unshakable faith and a strong pioneering spirit that defines many a Texan.
This book will find a loved place on anyone’s bookshelf and if you are teaching Texas history, maybe interested in learning about Texas history, or enjoy reading historical non-fiction that inspires the spirit of being a pioneer, “The Spirit of Texas” does all this and more.
The reading is easy going and feels like Winston Menzies is speaking personally to the reader about his great-grandfather and its a book, that is difficult to put down and instead really draws the reader in, learning fascinating tidbits about Texas history that often isn’t taught in a classroom and makes it just as much an invaluable resource as a great read for history fans.
“The Spirit of Texas” is an absolute must read!
More about the book:
The Spirit of Texas features include:
More than 170 original photographs.
Astonishing true stories of the rambunctious old West.
Details of Texas events never before told.
An enlightening account of Texas history that is accurate, exciting, and entertaining.
An inside look at the rough-and-ready ranchers and cattlemen who tried to tame the wild West Texas plains.
Drop by the book’s website: spiritoftexas.us/ where you can learn more about the author, the book, “The Spirit of Texas” and you can also order a copy for yourself, family or a friend!
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Disclaimer: This post contains my personal opinions and does not reflect the opinion of any organization I am/was associated with or affiliated to.The product I have reviewed was/is based on my honest opinion and was not influenced or edited by anyone.Thank you to Audra Jennings of TBB Media for the complimentary copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.
“The Hidden Gifts of Helping: How the Power of Giving, Compassion, and Hope Can Get Us Through Hard Times ” was a surprising read and a great reminder how easy it is to lose our focuses sometimes in a critical world.
It seems easy to look for the negative, to be critical and just focus on the worse of things, but with, “The Hidden Gifts of Helping: How the Power of Giving, Compassion, and Hope Can Get Us Through Hard Times”, Stephen G. Post, reminds us that things can only be as bad as we choose to look at it and not really a “kitschy everything is so good” book, as much as a reminder how our attitude can make or break our view on the bigger picture of the world and the people around us.
Not so much as a prosperity, if you do this, you’ll get that, but a genuine, by changing the way we look at our life, our surroundings, the people we interact, how we just take the time, through giving, compassion and hope…just the simple act of having genuine, not about us or anyone, but just hope for everything, can make a difference in our lives and the lives of the people we touch and encounter.
The book brings up a character that we know all about, Ebenezer Scrooge, and his “Bah Humbag” attitude at the world, at everyone and his persistence look for “everything that he saw was wrong” with the world” and the eventually change by the end of the book, as he realized the power of hope, compassion and giving to others.
There is a quote that stood out in the book, “Hatred, hostility, and revenge are strong emotions that can engulf our deeper sense of Unlimited Love like a tidal wave. Our experiences of God’s love can be distorted by the human filters of groupishness and exclusion, and translate into a willing to condemn those who happen to see the world differently than we do. We must be on guard to prevent the love of power from overwhelming the power of love”.
In the bible, it says to love our enemies and to forgive our enemies and although, “The Hidden Gifts of Helping: How the Power of Giving, Compassion, and Hope Can Get Us Through Hard Times”, may not appear to be a Christian non-fiction, but that’s missing the bigger point…it addresses the very points that makes being human, its best….its brightness and at the time of this review, with it being the holiday season, and for Christians, a reminder of the reason for the season, and as fellow human beings, a reminder of being the best that we can be, not the worse and not focusing on the worse either, which sadly we are all guilty of slipping into, at some point and time.
I love what the author describes as “God-Winks” and “Grace Notes” and I think we have all experienced those moments at some point of our lives and always expectantly.
Not just for the holiday season, but a fantastic reminder for living EVERYDAY of our lives, “The Hidden Gifts of Helping: How the Power of Giving, Compassion, and Hope Can Get Us Through Hard Times” is a must read to remind all of us, no matter what, what makes us great as people.
“The Hidden Gifts of Helping: How the Power of Giving, Compassion, and Hope Can Get Us Through Hard Times” was written by Stephen Post in response to a trying time in his life and of his own experience as a “castaway”, trying to reach the shores of safety, and what he discover, by rescuing not himself but others and in a way that was compassionate, loving and filled with a genuine hope and love that makes us the best of people, not the worse of people.
This is a book that reminds us, its not about us….its about something bigger than us and that when life gets rocky and it does that “We can find the link between a temporal and material world and the world of spiritual emotions and eternity. In this is a peace that passes all understanding. We can then stand in courage as points of light, and bring healing to ourselves, our families and the world”.
“The Hidden Gifts of Helping: How the Power of Giving, Compassion, and Hope Can Get Us Through Hard Times” was both an encouraging and challenging book that challenges the reader to rethink their perspective on the world, particularly if they are approaching it with a sense of anger, despair and there is no hope and instead sheds light that when we see the beauty, the hope and instead of focusing on what we think and feel, but look outside of ourselves with hope, compassion and giving to others than ourselves, we can discover something much bigger than ourselves.
This is a book to be read during the holidays, when you may find yourself stressed out and in despair during the holidays or just find yourself feeling a sense of…what hope is out there.
There is hope..and its there and there is compassion if we move pass the blinders we put on ourselves and instead look and see the love and the possibilities that are out there; To often we can fill the glass that we look at the world with so much doubt, criticism, negativity and skepticism that we miss the good that is really there.
This is a book that will help you see how there is something better out there….
Disclaimer: This post contains my personal opinions and does not reflect the opinion of any organization I am/was associated with or affiliated to.The product I have reviewed was/is based on my honest opinion and was not influenced or edited by anyone.Thank you to Audra Jennings of TBB Media for the complimentary copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Book Three of the Volga Flowers series, “From Gulag to Freedom” is another deeply written book filled with historical richness by Sigrid Weidenweber, chronicling the experiences of Katya, a descendant of German pioneers facing imprisonment in a gulag and eventual escape to freedom.
Filled with rich, strong characters and masterly woven a detailed history in between the weaves of a fictional tale, this is a story that those who are seeking a story, whose characters are strong, captures a time in history that many aren’t familiar with and a story that will keep readers spellbound to the end.
Like her previous stories, this isn’t light reading, but a story that will keep readers captivated and up late at night, discovering a story of strength, courage and perseverance.
***Thank you to Media Guests for the opportunity to read and review this book***
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“What Do You think of Me? Why Do i Care?”, sounds like what we can hear from pre-teens to young adults and in today’s world, they are facing a lot of pressures that are more than just peer pressure, what do they wear, or “Mom and Dad just don’t get it”, but seem to be dealing with more mature issues than any other generations has before.
Although I’m not a teenager anymore (except maybe in heart and mind sometimes) and more in the “You’re so not cool, Mom” category, “What Do You think of Me? Why Do i Care?” really impressed me in the connection that it does make with pre-teens to young adults (the 17-college age)who are finding themselves, probrably thinking…how do they balance their walk with God while dealing with the pressures that the world can and does bring.
“What Do You think of Me? Why Do i Care?”, doesn’t talk down to them, talks on their level and provides the pre-teen to young adult crowd, with not only down to earth, solutions and ways to work through the issues that are bothering them, but provides strong Scriptural backgrounds, that, always with prayer, would encourage them to try and look at things with a different perspective and one that will glorify, our Father in Heaven.
For parents who maybe struggling with, how to connect with their kids and let them know,”What Do You think of Me? Why Do i Care?”, this book really appears to help provide, one avenue to help with discussions that might be bothering their pre-teen or young adult with dealing with whatever it is that might be bothering them.
This is a great book to open up conversations, and open up a bridge to connect with the kids and really more for the pre-teen to young adult age to figure out, “What Do You think of Me? Why Do i Care?”.
So if you find yourself or maybe find your kids having that, “What Do You think of Me? Why Do i Care?”, check this book out and see how it can open the needed doors in your pre-teen to young adult life.
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You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). No other copying or use is permitted without written agreement from the author.
Disclaimer: This post contains my personal opinions and does not reflect the opinion of any organization I am/was associated with or affiliated to.The product I have reviewed was/is based on my honest opinion and was not influenced or edited by anyone.Thank you to Audra Jennings of TBB Media for the complimentary copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.
As a cat owner (and a dog owner), I was thrilled to be able to read and review, “The Cat Lover’s Devotional” and could relate to the many humorous but faith filled anecdotes that were shared through out the book.
Despite their reputation for being independent, anti-social creatures, the cat that we have and is a part of the family, has both changed our view of this “mysterious species” and warmed our hearts including those who didn’t have much love (or care for cats), so I found myself just connecting with how cats are a reminder, in a lot of ways, how God’s word itself, can warm and become a part of our own hearts.
Beginning with delightful quotes, filled with scripture and thought provoking questions, that takes a feline adventures and asks the reader, life applicable situations, “The Cat Lover’s Devotional” is a purrrfect, cold weather, in need of a heart lift, encouragement, read that will delight the hearts of even those who do not own cats.
I thought this was perfect for those who do own cats, and could relate to the idiosyncrasy behavior of cats and also understand the complexity of feline behavior that often shows a sense of companionship and warmth that is comparable to dogs, but also different in that, while dogs are completely open to anyone, cats tend to require more time and trust to develop that friendship.
However, this isn’t a book about cats and their idosyncrasy…this is a book sharing God’s perspective and encouragement from the viewpoints of felines; Stories are short and make for great morning devotionals and readers would enjoy sharing this with fellow cat lovers or just those looking for encouragements to start their day.
It is worth taking the time to discover!
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Susan Otis, publicist, Creative Resources, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
M. R. Wells is the co-author of Four Paws from Heaven, Purr-ables from Heaven, and Paws for Reflection. She has written extensively for children’s animated television and video programs, including several Disney shows, Adventures from the Book of Virtues and Bibleman. She shares her Southern California home with her cats and dogs Muffin, Bo, Munchie, Becca and Marley.
Connie Fleishauer is a retired teacher and writer, and is the co-author of Four Paws from Heaven, Purr-ables from Heaven, and Paws for Reflection. The wife of a Bakersfield, California farmer, she is a mother of three and grandmother of one. While many cats have warmed her home, currently, she has two dogs.
Dottie P. Adams is a teaching director for Community Bible Study in the Los Angeles area where she has taught a Bible class for twenty years. Co-author of Purr-ables from Heaven, she is the wife of a retired physicist, the mother of three children, grandmother of five, and currently has cats Midnight and Mooch.
A new devotional for cat lovers will delight and impart truth about God’s ways, workings in our lives and our relationship with Him. Entertaining true accounts of the antics and personalities of cats are interwoven with anecdotes from the lives of the people who love them and timeless biblical truth. Suitable for adults, youth or children, the stories are filled with gripping moments that reveal God’s love and would lend themselves well to family or personal devotions.
Product Details:
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (August 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736928812
ISBN-13: 978-0736928816
AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Midnight’s Not-So-Rapid Transit
Relationships Take Time
We always have time enough, if we will but use it aright.
JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE
I love sitting at the dining room table on spring mornings, watching the stark darkness turn into a misty dawn as the birds sing to announce the new day. It’s a great time to be alone with the Lord. The house is quiet because I’m the only “early bird” up besides the real ones chirping outside.
As I sat praying one particular morning I heard a loud thump on the window behind me. It was Midnight, asking to come in for breakfast. She always bangs her head against the windowpane to get my attention. Then she rubs her nose against the window frame and meows softly, knowing I will come outside to fetch her. I call this her “rapid transit,” even though she could come in much more quickly through the cat door. But it’s not the quickness she desires—it’s the contact.
As Midnight softly meowed and rubbed that morning I pulled on a jacket and headed outdoors to perform the rite we both love. I cozy up to the air conditioner, which is exactly the height of my shoulders. She steps from the machine to my shoulder as I guide her. She drapes herself around me with her front paws on my left shoulder, her belly nestling the back of my neck, and her back paws hanging down over my right shoulder. As her face presses against me, she purrs into my left ear. I understand that this is her ride to her food bowl—but it’s so much more. Not only do I get a smell of the morning air, I have precious moments of special closeness with my “living fur shawl.” It’s a joy to have this relationship with one of God’s little four-foots—a joy I treasure!
Like my cat, my youngest grandchild also loves to cuddle. He and his brother and their parents live with us right now. I often spend part of the morning upstairs working on lectures for the Bible study class I teach. Eli and Jayden are awake by the time I come downstairs. Jayden (age two and a half) is content to smile, call to me, and continue his play. But Eli (18 months) wants more. He rushes over to me, crying “Maw-Maw!” Then he tugs at my clothes till I pick him up so he can snuggle. As soon as he’s in my arms, he lays his head tightly against me, his ear pressed against my chest. He stays that way for what is a long time for a toddler. It’s a joy to have this special time with him, and I treasure it too!
I also treasure the special relationship time I spend with God. Most mornings I go to Him in prayer, even if it’s just to ask His blessing on my family. I spend a few moments reading the Bible, even if it’s just one verse to connect my mind to Him. I call this “having coffee with Jesus.”
I get my coffee and intentionally ask Jesus to sit with me as if He were here in the flesh. I picture Him sitting right across the table. I talk about the previous day or the day to come. I weep with Him over hardships I’m facing or the suffering of others. I laugh and rejoice with Him over answered prayer. I share my needs and thank Him for being my friend. Sometimes I imagine Him smiling back at me, and other times I believe He brings a verse of Scripture into my mind to correct me or give me hope or courage.
Building close relationships takes time. It must be intentional. It can’t only happen when it’s convenient. Jesus lived this out when He walked the earth. He called each of His disciples and poured His life into them for three years. And He always took time to pray and be with His Father in heaven.
Midnight intentionally bumps the window to begin our special time together. I intentionally respond, even if she’s interrupting something pressing. When Eli wants to snuggle, I take time to enjoy his toddler love, even if I’m in a hurry. I have coffee with Jesus in the same way. Whether it’s convenient or not, I take the necessary time not just to go through my prayers, but to be with my Lord. I believe He delights to hear me purring in His ear as I start the day with Him!
In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly (Psalm 5:3).
Consider This:
Do you set aside time to be with God each day? If so, how does it enhance your relationship? If not, would you be willing to try?
Perry’s Good Shepherd
Be a Shepherd for God
The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am His,
And He is mine forever.
HENRY W. BAKER
Perry is a very special kitty, the first to live indoors with my in-laws, Harold and Doris. They got him from relatives who could no longer keep him. He is totally enjoying his new life as he chooses where to sleep and whose lap to jump on for some pampering. This gorgeous fluffy orange cat with bright peridot eyes knows just what he wants and how to get it. He loves Harold and Doris, but like all ornery kids he knows how to work them.
On one particular evening when I’d been visiting with them, Perry decided to be a bit more playful than anyone desired. When we walked out the back door, Perry slipped out behind us and followed. He darted under my car to hide. I saw him first and began to call him, but there was no way he was going to obey me. This was playtime. He raced to the back of the vehicle and sprinted down the long driveway.
Harold and Doris live in the country, but their home is near a popular road where cars drive fast. Perry could have been in great danger. He would have had little chance of survival on this road in the dark of night. Fortunately, his faithful master took care of him. As I started to go after the truant, Harold stopped me. He said, “Cover me with the flashlight and I’ll go get him.”
Although Perry was ornery, perhaps this cat had some “horse sense.” He got close to the road but turned aside. He darted into the pasture at the east end of the farm. Perry slunk down in the high grass while Harold, age 82, tried to sneak up on the mischievous feline in his stocking feet in the dark. I felt bad that Harold would not let me join him in the pursuit, but this was his cat, his “child,” his responsibility. He was Perry’s “good shepherd,” and he was acting as any good shepherd would. Giving up or giving in was never an option.
Finally, Perry seemed to realize that Harold was in charge (or he chose to let Harold think he was). Perry hunkered down and let his human grab him. I could tell that even though Harold was tired and his stocking feet were muddy, he was pleased to have Perry back safely in his arms.
Harold probably just thought of this as another one of many chases he had with Perry. But to me, it was more. It was a reenactment of the Parable of the Lost Sheep. In Matthew 18:12-14, Jesus talks about the shepherd who left the rest of his flock to search for the one little lost sheep that had wandered off.
Many years ago, I was just such a lost sheep. Just before entering high school, I had been making some very poor choices. I had accepted Jesus as my personal Savior when I was six years old, and I had gone to church all my life. But at this time, I decided to explore my small world in ways I didn’t need to. I had chosen to be with some “friends” who weren’t true friends, and we had done some things we needed to confess.
My older brother talked to me about what I was doing. He asked if I really wanted to go to high school with that baggage. He stayed with me until I prayed and promised that I would try to obey God and behave like His child. Darrell was my shepherd at that point, and many other times through my teenage years. When I was lost, he went looking for me till he found me. He’d bring me home and nurture me the way a brother or a shepherd would.
The story of the lost sheep had great meaning to me as I was growing up. I loved thinking about the caring shepherd picking up the scared, tired little lamb in his strong arms and carrying it home. I still take comfort in this parable today. It is a way of telling us that we will never be left alone. No matter what our age, if we choose to run off by ourselves, like Perry did that night, our Good Shepherd will always go after us and bring us home in His loving arms, if we allow Him to.
Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent (Luke 15:4-7).
Consider This:
Have you ever strayed from God? What lured you away? How did your Good Shepherd pursue you? Did you let Him carry you home? If not, would you like to do that right now? Is there someone God might want you to shepherd for Him?
Undying Love
Be “Otherly”
True happiness is found in unselfish Love, a Love which increases in proportion as it is shared.
THOMAS MERTON
Tigret was my dear friend Patty’s treasured four-footed kitty soul mate for 17 wonderful years. He was her first real pet and best buddy. They lived together in New York, and when Patty moved to California, Tigret made the cross-country journey with her.
When Patty watched TV, Tigret would curl up beside her. He slept on her bed at night. When she gave parties, he sat on his very own chair. But he was more than a faithful companion. Patty once heard someone say that God gives us each a pet to teach us something special. She feels Tigret was given to her to teach her to be “otherly”—to love others and God with an unselfish love.
Tigret knew Patty’s moods. He sensed when she was sad or happy. He would put his paw on her lap or hand in a gesture of kitty comfort. He also seemed to know when she was sick—sometimes even before she did. He would stay close by his beloved human until he sensed she was better.
Tigret’s ultimate expression of unselfish love was to care for Patty even when he was dying. He was 17 and had developed kidney problems. He couldn’t drink enough water to stay healthy, and giving him fluids subcutaneously didn’t work well. He would yelp when the needle was inserted. Patty decided not to force this on him. Tigret got sicker and sicker until it took all his strength just to go upstairs. Clearly Tigret’s time on this earth was ending. Patty made him as comfortable as she could…even as her own heart was breaking.
One day, as Patty tended Tigret in tears, he reached out his paw and placed it on her arm. It was as if he was saying, “You’ll be okay.” When Tigret died, Patty wasn’t with him. She believes he knew it would be easier for her that way.
Someone else in Patty’s life also tried to care for her while dying. Patty’s mother passed away just one month after Tigret. She had battled cancer before—but no one knew it had come back.
Patty’s mom was a pediatric cardiologist. In her later years she semiretired from private practice and became involved in teaching and mentoring medical interns and residents. She kept this up even when the cancer returned, and Patty would not have realized that something was wrong except for God’s intervention.
It was a Sunday after church, and Patty had gone up front for prayer on a completely unrelated matter. The gentleman who prayed with her asked Patty how her mother was. “As far as I know, okay,” Patty answered. The man suggested Patty ask her mom about her health. When Patty did, her mom admitted her cancer had come back.
Just like Tigret, Patty’s mom was concerned for the needs of others, even as her own health was failing. She tried to keep teaching. She talked to Patty about taking care of her dad. When Patty finally persuaded her to go to the doctor, he said she had six to nine months to live. They could try chemotherapy, but there was no guarantee.
Patty’s mom took her first dose of chemo—and passed away a week later.
Patty recalls a moment in her mother’s hospital room. Her mom was on a ventilator. Patty saw two angels in a corner by the bed. Patty knew her mom loved Jesus and would go to be with Him. She died soon after. That experience feels to Patty like a special gift from God.
Our loving Lord Jesus was also “otherly” when it was time for Him to die. As His betrayal and crucifixion approached, His focus was to teach and prepare His disciples. In John 16:5-7, He told them, “Now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” Even as He hung on the cross, Jesus asked His disciple John to care for His mother.
But Jesus’ sacrificial love went far deeper. He willingly took upon Himself the penalty for our sins. By doing so, He conquered sin and death so that all who put their trust in Him could enjoy eternal life. Patty has given her life to her Savior, and she knows that when she leaves this earth she will go to her loving Lord, who will wipe away all her tears, including the ones she shed for Tigret and her mother. And she’ll be reunited with her mom again.
Being “otherly” isn’t something that starts when we are dying. It’s a way of life. It’s what Jesus calls us to do. If you live and love with an “otherly” focus, as Tigret and Patty’s mom did, you will show that you are Jesus’ disciple!
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 John 4:10-11).
Consider This:
Is there someone in your life who loves you unselfishly? How do they do that and how does it make you feel? How could you focus more on others and be more sensitive to their needs? What could you do to show them “otherly” love?
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One of the keys to a successful quiet/devotional time, is finding that one devotional that will connect with your reading and studying style and encourage, not discourage you from digging deeper into God’s word.
With “The 365 Most Important Bible Passages for You: Daily Readings and Meditations on Experiencing God’s Richest Blessings in Your Life” by Jonathan Rogers, instead of just opening the bible at random and going from there, the reader will find themselves guided on a daily journey with key passages picked from the bible and enriching anecdotes that will bring to life, that day’s scriptural passage.
Combining God’s timely word with modern examples that the reader can connect and apply to their life, “The 365 Most Important Bible Passages for You: Daily Readings and Meditations on Experiencing God’s Richest Blessings in Your Life” is a roughly 10 minute read that for many people who are on the go, would find beneficial to consider for their daily devotional time.
Note this isn’t a bible study but rather just select passages, each day, that will give readers a chance to read select passages and a chance to start their day with passages from God’s word, the bible.
The font is good for ease of reader, the New American Standard Bible is used for the selected passages and there is a good balance of showing how relevant and timeless God’s word is to readers, no matter the age, or time or place that His word is use.
This is a stylish, relevant and yet timeless devotional book that either yourself or maybe someone close to you, whose looking for a daily devotional book, would enjoy using.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to Sarah Reck, Web Publicist | FaithWords & Center Street | Hachette Book Group, for sending me a review copy.***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
No matter what he is writing, Jonathan Rogers is motivated by the astonishing reality of God’s transforming grace in the lives of human beings. He is passionate about seeing the truths of Scripture bear fruit in the lives of students – lives of integrity, purpose, and joy. That passion is reflected in his books, including Words to Live By for Teens, What Really Counts for Students, and his Wilderking Trilogy of adventure novels – The Bark of the Bog Owl, The Secret of the Swamp King, and The Way of the Wilderking. Jonathan holds a PhD in English literature from Vanderbilt University. He lives with his family in Nashville Tennessee.
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It's about a passion for books, devotionals,memes and our Father in Heaven and His Word as it is shared in the Bible. Sometimes silly, sometimes sarcastic, sometime serious way, but always with a love for our Father in Heaven, a love for family and friends and of course, when possible, a love for coffee...come join me and others here on Sunflower Faith.
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Posted May 07, 2012
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The Gospel Story Bible by Marty Machowski
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
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