Friday, September 30, 2011

Your 100 Day Prayer by John I. Snyder

At first I thought this was just another one of those daily devotionals that sound great but have no impact on my day to day life. Not so. John Snyder begins by asking the reader to start with a prayer request. This request becomes the theme, the focus throughout your 100 days of prayer. This is not a dated devotional – you pick up wherever you left off. Miss a day or so? No problem, just start where you last left your bookmark.

Starting with a scripture, the reading for each day applies the scripture to our lives in a fresh, modern way. We can relate to what we are reading. A short prayer follows and then you have a place to write what God has spoken to our heart during your prayer time.

I recommend this devotional to anyone seeking a resource to use in their prayer life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Out of Control by Mary Connerly


Colorado territory in 1866. Last time. This is it. Never Again.  Rafe Kincaid…rubbed the ugly, jagged scar that ran from the corner of his eye to his hairline just above his ear. He was glad he had it. A livelong reminder of that awful day thirteen years ago and this treacherous cavern. He’d grown up fast.

And so begins the story of Rafe Kincaid and Julia Gilliland. With that return visit to the cavern, Rafe becomes Julia’s rescuer. Years before Julia had become fascinated with fossils and cave formations. This cavern provided hours of exploration for her until the day someone removed the rope by which she had entered the cave. Julia is convinced that someone else was in the caverns, so she extinguished her lamp. Now in the dark she is scared and not sure she will ever see daylight again. Hearing a voice calling for help, Rafe is taken back to an earlier time, the last time he entered the cavern. Battling and winning over fears, he enters the cavern to rescue her.

And so we enter the lives of Rafe and Julia. Rafe’s mother died of a broken heart, his father left to tend traps and never returned and both brothers have left home. What has happened to destroy this family and what role does the cavern play? Julia is the only child of a man who is determined to keep her, his young wife Audra and their child in seclusion. They are not to leave the cabin or the area near the cavern. When her father returns to die, Rafe knows he cannot leave the two women is a cabin that will give them no shelter from the coming winter. With the visit of his brother, Ethan, we begin to learn the secrets have held both families captive. Is all as it appears on the surface?  

Apparently not as more cave exploring reveals that the third brother has been living in the caves since the end of the Civil War and has a knowledge of them that excites Julia. As Rafe realizes he has fallen in love with Julia, he also realizes he must now choose between a life with her and a life with his brothers. As secrets and fears are revealed he finds that there is no reason to choose.

The first in a series titled The Kincaid Brides, the reader leaves Out of Control with an idea as to who the next bride will be.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Gabby, God’s Little Angel by Sheila Walsh


A delightful children’s book about the role of guardian angels. As a guardian angel in training Gabby receives her first assignment. Sophie needs lots and lots of protection as she goes through her day and Gabby is there for her. From tree climbing to her first independent pony ride, mishaps seem to follow Sophie. By the end of the day, Sophie tells her mother that she felt as though someone had been watching over her. This is the first book in a new series that offers a comforting message for young readers.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall


Who sleeps when reading Cindy Woodsmall? I know I don’t. The Harvest of Grace is very well written and keeps the reader going to find out how things work out. Sylvia has been helping her father on their Amish dairy farm, has made improvement suggestions, and found that she preferred the dairy barn to tending house and looking forward to marriage. It appeared that marriage was on the horizon, but Elam did not understand or accept her desire to be involved in the day to day operations of a dairy. After he marries one of her sisters, Sylvia finally convinces her father she needs to find work elsewhere. Leaving the family farm, she is employed by Michael Blank to help on his farm. Aaron, Michael’s son, returns home after spending time in a rehab program to help on the farm in hopes of eventually convincing his father to sell. As the reader progresses through the issues facing both Sylvia and Michael, we find that previous characters from other books return and continue with their stories.

Do not become disheartened and decide that reading the third book in a series will leave you out in the uninformed cold. Cindy begins The Harvest of Grace by giving a brief recap of The Hope of Refuge and The Bridge of Peace. She introduces the main characters for these two books and tells enough of their stories to help you make the transition to The Harvest of Grace.

And as you finish The Harvest of Grace, you find that all of the characters have reached the resolution of the issues facing them in each of their own stories.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.