Book Review: A Girl's Guide to the Outback

I literally JUST finished this book, am in the middle of cleaning the kitchen after Mom's stirfry dinner, but I want to get this review written now while it's fresh and before days pass like with The Dating Charade.

So it may be a quick review.

First, the setting was lovely. Australia with its accents and different English words for things, the farm setting, the casual mention of kangaroos and koalas--I don't know anything about this author but I sure hope she's Aussie. :) I listened to the audiobook version, so I enjoyed the accents (even though the author's American sounded Canadian!).

Second, I liked the plot and characters. All-business Kim goes to Australia to try to convince called-to-preach Sam, who considers her his nemesis, to return to their youth ministry which is falling apart in the states without him. They both must learn to confront their fears, communicate them, and not allow their fears power to have control any longer. The side characters with their own love story is fun too. :)

Third, there was too much description of physical attraction (and PDA) for me. It was woven well into the character's personality (It was very believable that Jules would use binoculars to watch Nic chop firewood). But, it was a bit much for me. These Christian romance novels are actually ironic (probably not the correct adjective) considering I lean towards having a fairly hands-free dating relationship and no kissing til the altar, and all these books take the general stance of kiss first, build the relationship later.

Ok, out of time! :) Now I get to read Sarah Sundin's book review. I was putting off reading it until I finished the book. :)

P.S. According to Amazon, Jessica Kate IS Australian--yay! And Sarah Sundin's book review (which I DID link) gives a MUCH better synopsis than I did. :)

P.S.S. One of the lines that will stick out to me for awhile is, "What would you do if you weren't afraid?"

Book Reviews: Fragments of Fear, Formula of Deception, and Carry Me Home

This is not a life update. This is a novel-love update. :D

So, have any of you heard of the Christian fiction author scavenger hunts that happen in the fall and spring? They are tremendous! Probably not the correct adjective, but they really are...insightful. Again, not the correct adjective. They introduce me to new authors, and I discovered one that I LOVE. So. They are tremendously insightful in directing me to new books and authors. There. Click here to learn more.

Through the most recent scavenger hunt, I came across author and forensic artist Carrie Stuart Parks. Forensic artist--I bet she writes interesting stuff, yeah? But then, she said that Frank Peretti was her mentor. He's only my favorite fiction author of all time. His books are riveting. As I was able to find Carrie Stuart Parks' books free on Hoopla (library app--it's amazing), I immediately downloaded and began listening to Fragments of Fear.

As you may have inferred, this is not a slowly-unfolding Christian romance. The first chapter gripped my attention. Here is what the Amazon summary says:

Evelyn McTavish’s world came crashing down with the suicide of her fiancé. As she struggles to put her life back together and make a living from her art, she receives a call that her dog is about to be destroyed at the pound. Except she doesn’t own a dog. The shelter is adamant that the microchip embedded in the canine with her name and address makes it hers.

Evelyn recognizes the dog as one owned by archaeologist John Coyote because she was commissioned to draw the two of them. The simple solution is to return the dog to his owner—but she arrives only to discover John’s murdered body.

The problem is, no one believes her. No one listens. This book will keep you guessing--and fearing for her life--until the very end.

I almost immediately began listening to the other Carrie Stuart Parks' audiobook available on Hoopla (excellent reader, btw).

Formula of Deception is about artist Murphy Anderson who has come to Alaska to find out what happened to her sister who was murdered (or was she?) by a serial killer. But when Murphy's money and ID are stolen, she poses as a forensic artist so she can get a job, and then gets caught up in a long-buried mystery about Ruuwaq Island.

This one was just as riveting, though with a slightly slower start. It also has some funny quips. The romance is definitely on the back burner, though the attraction is stated outright. Death and injury seem to haunt the main character like a hound dog, and you don't know who to trust through the whole thing! I'll admit, when it was over, I thought, "What just happened?" It was a little confusing!

As there were no more Carrie Stuart Parks audiobooks on Hoopla, and as I ran out of book allowances for the month (boooo!), I moved on to another author I wanted to try from the scavenger hunt.

Dorothy Adamek is an Australian author, and her book Carry Me Home is set in Australia. That's what drew me--to read a book set in a place that the author knows intimately! Well, the storyline drew me too. Excerpt from Amazon:

Chasing her dead father’s dreams, the twenty-year-old English bride arrives in Australia in 1875 for an arranged marriage....

But instead of her fiancé, Finella is met by Shadrach Jones, a poor farmer sent to collect her from the busy Melbourne pier.

Carry Me Home is much more like the other novels I have reviewed here. The setting is the Australian equivalent of "pioneer life" along with lots of mud and no "fancies." Finella not only meets Shadrach Jones, she also meets Shadrach's sister Molly, who is a 14 year old with a brain injury that has kept her at a young girl's mental capacity. Finella falls in love with Molly, and perhaps the brother? You'll have to read to find out :-P *chuckle* I will say, there is a huge twist at the end that will have your jaw dropping. No. Seriously. Like, WHAT?! *chuckle* If you read this book, DO talk to me afterwards.

Well, tomorrow my Hoopla allowance restarts with the new month--actually, it's after midnight so it probably starts now! I can't seem to get into any of the books that are on my Kindle, and I'm slowly (though enjoyably) making my way through a paperback copy of P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves in the Morning--my first time not listening to P.G. Wodehouse! I also came across an intriguing personal narrative by Henry "Box" Brown that I have only read parts of so far, if you are interested in checking it out here.

Ok, time to scram!

Hoping to fall into another lovely story soon,
Michelle

Book Review: Party of One

I really wanted to finish this book this weekend! Success!

Two weeks ago, I was at work and suddenly wanted to read a book on singleness. If I remember right, I had been mulling over the concept of accepting this season of life as semi-permanent--and how does that affect how I live?--and how does one do it well?

So I went online looking for a book. I had one in my wish list, but it mentioned something about Sex and the City culture, and that's so not the culture I am surrounded by. I wanted something more relevant to me who does not work in a high rise or wear high heels (like, ever). So I searched Amazon. I bypassed any books that were theological addresses by married folk. Right now I wanted something for singles by a single. And preferably an older single.

Well, Party of One isn't written by an older older single--she's 29 at the time of writing--but otherwise, I think it was exactly what I was looking for.

Negatives first. I skipped one of the three chapters on sexuality because it looked like it was not going to be edifying for *me*. The other chapters on that subject were confusing to me--I couldn't understand what she was trying to convey. Even she said that her editor insisted she stop and define what "sexuality" means. At one point, I became very frustrated--and scribbled my frustration in the margins--as she seemed to keep blurring, or at least avoiding distinguishing, the very clear black and white lines we have on the subject in Scripture. So there is a hint of possible liberalism in the book, and also, later, some of what would be called feminism.

Positives: Joy Beth Smith has her finger on the pulse of today's Christian singleness! The first third of the book was a constant YES! THAT! Mmhm! Preach it! 😛 Party of One is the most accurate summary of current Christian singleness I have read apart from blog posts. Her style is a discussion. It is not meant to be didactic, though it is, but not in a theological, or removed/distant, or me-when-I'm-feeling-spiritual, sense. She desires marriage, and her vulnerability in expressing that in the pages is a bit astounding. But she also pushes for living life NOW. She also brings up assumptions we have--our common church culture background stuff--and even if you disagree with her conclusions, it's nice to have all those things brought up and acknowledged.

So, in summary, I was encouraged by reading something so true to our lives, and I did a lot of underlining and note scrawling. She challenged some of my thought processes (or autopilots) about singleness. I'm glad I read it.

"We live our single lives, and we give ourselves permission to hope for more. We take the vacations that might have been more fun with someone else, but we snap pictures and try the fried alligator and have a fabulous time regardless. Marriage shouldn't be the gatekeeper to happiness and life experiences." --Joy Beth Smith, Party of One

"Even if you don't get married, you'll be okay. I know you want marriage and kids, but no matter what, you're still going to be okay. You  may have unmet desires, but life goes on." --Party of One, quoting "Gina" (p. 155)

"Success in this world is the woman who lives her whole life longing for marriage, remains single, and dies more convinced than ever that God is good, with 'Glory, glory, hallelujah' as the last words on her lips." --Joy Beth Smith, Party of One, p. 155

"[Y]ou finally get up the courage to voice one of your deepest fears to some close friends: 'What if I never meet someone?'

"And then someone responds too quickly, almost flippantly, 'Oh, you'll get married.'...

"A husband is not a sure thing.

"We can't continue to put prophecies in the Lord's mouth and call it comfort." --Joy Beth Smith, Party of One, p 11, 14.

"Instead of leading with 'Oh, are you seeing anyone?' I'd love to be engaged in conversation by being asked, 'What are you doing for the kingdom? What are you passionate about?" p. 212 <--these are great questions for all of us to ask each other, no matter marital status!

Book Review: Better Together by Rusty George

I've been horrible at posting, I know. And I'm hoping during the summer, I write a bit more. Because I don't want this site to be alllllll book reviews. And I honestly do sometimes have things to say. I just then don't have the umph to pull out my computer and external keyboard. But rumor is that I'm getting a new computer, smaller, with a keyboard that works. And it IS summer. So I should write more. *should*

Meanwhile...another book review!

This poor gem has been waiting patiently for me to finish for a couple months now. I could have written the review before now, but I wanted to wait til I actually finished it. Which was this weekend. So now I can say what I have been waiting to say.

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOOOOOOD!

I have lost faith in today's nonfiction books, but this book, au contraire, was no disappointment. I mean, it could have easily been a trendy, little basis-in-Scripture book, especially with the fun spotlight on the cover:

"SUPRISING TRUTH FOR: Introverts, Extroverts, Control Freaks, Free Spirits, People Persons, Curmudgeons, and, Especially, YOU"

Gotta admit though, that is one of the things that drew me to this book.

Ok, backing up. Why did I choose this book to review?

I have been stirred the last, mm, year, about the need for godly community, spiritual fellowship, mutual edification. Or as a friend and I do when we text each other Scripture verses, #mutualedification. (SO trendy sounding ;))

I have been blistered by the thought from Proverbs 5:14, "I was on the verge of total ruin, In the midst of the assembly and congregation." In other words, I can be attending church faithfully and still find myself slipping away spiritually.

I know that community is important. But any of us can spout how we need it til the cows come home. Doesn't mean we have found it.

So, this book. Back to the topic at hand. I didn't know what to expect. Would it be primarily watered-down, Scripture-quoted-out-of-context content? But this book was neither exegetically unsound (imo; not that I necessarily agree with every iota) or made up of run-of-the-mill opinions that do nothing. The author actually had some really good, solid, edifying insight, with lots of personal stories, and I highly recommend the book! 5 out of 5 stars.

The most impactful chapter to me was "Everyone else is an idiot." Basically, Jesus' disciples were not on-par with him. They were not His equals. In fact, they were sub-par in comparison. But, author Rusty George writes, "Jesus stayed in community with them. . . . He continued to trust, lead, and teach them. He gave them opportunities to represent Him. It was as if He enjoyed being with them. How could they have possibly been any benefit to Him? How could they have given Him anything other than heartburn or a few laughs?" The author adds that "it's hard to have people walk with me who cause more trouble than they're worth."

It struck me hard that Jesus did not need his disciples to be his spiritual or mental equals to desire to be in community with them. He could have easily gone with the idea that "I can do this better alone." He is God. He created the world without any help. But He didn't choose to do His three years of ministry on earth alone. Even when He was at His emotional lowest before the cross, He actually wanted three of these people around Him. He wanted that community, even though they fell asleep on Him.

If Jesus didn't need people who were his mental and spiritual equals, then that qualification must not be important. If Jesus wanted community, then it must really be important.

So, 5 out of 5 stars. Available at an Amazon near you.

P.S. Lest there be any confusion, no, this isn't a marriage book :)

Book Review: Mary Poppins

I found this old book review I wrote, and since I've been thinking of the book lately, I thought I'd share it here!

August 21, 2012

Greetings! A school librarian gave me four Mary Poppins books for my class (when I was teaching). Before I put them in my personal class library, I thought I should preview them first. I read through the first quickly and am in the middle of the second right now.

Parents have differing opinions on the Disney version of Mary Poppins. The movie has two splendid actors - Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews - and has some fabulous songs, like the very famous Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! But in the movie, Mary Poppins seems eerily magical, and many have thought she is a witch. And then there is the Disney injection of early 20th century feminism. So what about the books?

In the books, Mary does all the crazy weird things she does in the movie, if not more. But I am not convinced, yet, that one must attribute these to witchcraft or underworld power. It is often hinted by others that Mary is unusual and unlike other people. But every time the children have an extraordinary adventure with her, she emphatically denies that anything happened. As of right now, I tend to think a family could read the Mary Poppins series and just call it a fun, wildly imaginative story.

Who is Mary Poppins? She is a nanny who is noted for being obsessed over her appearance, curt, and often angry. She is haughty and treats the children rudely. She gets angry when they talk about their adventures with her until they are forced to wonder if anything really happened. And yet, they still love her.

So Mary Poppins is not a role model (she's no Julie Andrews!). But who says that she should be? Michael and Jane don't aspire to be like her one day. They simply love her, faults and all. Her faults are in no way glorified. Just because she has "super powers" (if you could say that) doesn't mean she can't be very human.

There's no suffragette theme in the books, though some of the adventures are a bit animal activist. In book one, they go to a zoo at night where the animals have locked up people and are treating them like humans treat zoo animals. In book two, Mary Poppins helps a lark lock up its former owner in a bird cage so it can terrorize her.

My conclusion? I'm not sure. I would say give them a try and see what you think. I've been enjoying them, but I'm not part of the Mary Poppins Fan Club now. :)

Wrestling bears and Book Review: Graciousness by John Crotts

Ok, so...

Long time no see, btw. :)

At the time I requested this book to review, I was contemplating the strange notion that a guy can be kind without being nice. Or rather, I wanted to learn more about the Biblical category of kindness versus the cultural concept of niceness, because I felt like they must be different, and in getting to know menfolk, I wanted to be able to let go of my need for niceness while still evaluating whether they were the opposite of kindness. Because niceness seems to be more a feminine demand that maybe "we" shouldn't demand of men all the time.

So I thought this book might be JUST THE THING to give me a study on Biblical kindness from a man's perspective. :)

Meanwhile...

(Yes, I'm turning this into more than a book review, because it's more interesting this way, if not more cumbersome just to get to the review section.)

I'm part of a conservative Christians group on Facebook. And right before I got the e-mail confirmation about this book--with an e-book link to keep me occupied while the paperback was being mailed!--there was a big Calvinist/non-Calvinist eruption online. Actually, there have been several in the last month, most of which I seem to find myself in the middle of, but this one happened simultaneously with my receiving this book.

Background. I am not Calvinist. I believe in God's sovereignty, His foreknowledge, His omniscience, His omnipotence, that He does whatever He pleases. I also believe that He allows men to accept or reject His free gift. I believe that He loves the WHOLE world and that Jesus' substitutional sacrifice is available to all people. I also believe that baptism is a sign to the world by the believer of Who his Master now is. I do not believe that God's calling and promises to Israel in the Old Testament were only to a spiritual "Israel" that then became what we know today as the church. Rather, Romans 9-11, in my viewpoint, is talking about a nation, a group of people, that God will restore when the fullness of the Gentiles is complete. I also believe in a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ on earth at the end of the world.

I know there are lots of nice Reformed believers who do not bend on what they believe--that's a good thing!--but who also do not feel the need to be obnoxious about it. I respect and have learned from Reformed believers because of their passion for Biblical scholarship even as I disagree fairly strongly with their conclusions.

But over the years I have run across a VERY few that feel the need to proclaim from the rooftops something like *dot, dot, dot* Calvinism is the true Biblical theology, the theology Jesus would have preached, that you're either Calvinist or Arminian, and that Arminianism is heresy. And if you want them to calm down on the passionate rhetoric, then you're insecure or being too sensitive or haven't read your Bible. Go, Reformed Theology!

Or at least, that's how the communication trickles into my ear. Whether that is what is meant, I cannot say. And whether or not I may have poked a Calvinist bear a time or two in my lifetime, well...I'm working on self-control.

So that's what I had just experienced when I received this book. I opened up to the first chapter and read, "Many young Christians who discover Reformed theology for the first time enter what has been called the 'cage phase.'. . . They are using their newfound knowledge of the truth like a club to assault those around them who have different understandings of the Bible." The author continues that the "antidote to the truth zealots' harsh tones" is not a lesser love of truth but an application of Biblical graciousness.

What on earth? How did I get a book aimed at instructing Reformed believers on how to be gracious when discussing theology with others? LOL!

So, obviously, this book was not what I was expecting to get, but that's ok.

On to the book review!

The first half of the book is an apologetic for graciousness. It was hard for me to follow the author's organization, and I felt like some of the extrapolation from Scripture was a stretch. Like that Jesus' admonishment to the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation--that they needed to return to their first love--refers in large part to their love of people. So if they did not repent of acting unloving, He would snuff them out. Interesting and edifying, but I wasn't exactly convinced of this interpretation of that verse.

The second half of the book though got into practical application. Much of the information wasn't new, but it was a good compilation of other sources into one. Actually, what he had to say was very good, very true, and applicable in many scenarios.

My favorite part is when he says that before we try to convince another of some point of theology, we need to first listen. He says that other people will be more open to listening to you if you can well articulate their own point of view back to them. WITHOUT that tinge of criticism that I know I personally am so prone to add when summarizing what someone has just said. People will know that you actually understand them and thus will be more willing to hear your verses combating their view. Yes! This! On Facebook I noticed that no one was asking what non-Reformed believers actually believe. Or why.

The author talks about listening well for the reasons beneath the opposing position. He gives an example of someone who believes you can lose their salvation and has concerns that those who believe in eternal security now have license to sin. Instead of blasting them with eternal security verses, the author suggests you first address the legitimate concern about the license to sin. Because that is the underlying issue for the other person. I love that. It is so applicable in all communication, not just theological debates.

He also writes, "If you merely match passion and volume for passion and volume, coupled with verses against verses, what do you think will be accomplished? Will God be glorified? Will the conversation communicate the love of Christ to the other person?" (chapter 7)

Another good quote--again, applicable to any situation--"Obviously, when everyone is on the same team, or perceives themselves to be on the same team, the potential for a gracious and effective conversation multiplies exponentially. . . . If two people are having a theological discussion, it makes a difference if they posture themselves as enemies or friends." (chapter 7)

We are all on the same team--we are all redeemed, we are all followers of Christ, we all value Scripture as the authoritative Word of God. That is our unifying point. We are not enemies but brothers.

So what is my assessment of this book? I think the practical second half of the book won me over. I think all Reformed seminarians should read this book as part of the curriculum (since Reformed believers are the target audience), but it is also great for anyone who is passionate about theology and wants to grow in communication effectiveness. He makes a good argument for the idea that communication breaks down if we do not practice graciousness.

I also recommend David Powlison's Good & Angry for those who want to delve deeper into the heart motivations of why we are sometimes ungracious.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Judah's Wife by Angela Hunt

I LOVED Esther by Angela Hunt, but after Bathsheba I decided to forego any more Angela Hunt books (b/c tmi). But then a family member recommended Egypt's Sister, the first of the new Silent Years series. And then Judah's Wife (about the Maccabees) came up in my Bethany House Publisher's e-mail of books I could potentially read and review and, being that it was around the time of Hanukkah, I thought HEY, I'll ask for the e-book and get started on it while it is still the time of the year when we celebrate the Maccabees! I was excited! I was going to enter into the season!

There was strong characterization in the beginning. A girl brought up with an abusive father is glad to escape but thinks her new husband is secretly waiting for her to let down her guard so he can hurt her. Judah, one of several sons, told by his father it is time to marry and then finds himself lovestruck by the cheese-maker's daughter with no idea of the baggage she will be bringing into their relationship. The setting? The in-between years of the Old and New Testaments when many Jews were assimilating with the culture of the nations. Judah's zealous father leads his family and town to stand up against the invading pagans who would force them to sacrifice to their gods. But when the father dies, he appoints Judah to take his place, and Leah finds herself married to a warrior, a man who strikes down people, a man who is everything she never wanted.

The book offers a play by play of the battles Judah and his brothers lead against invading forces. A couple descriptive battle scenes (with elephants!). A lot of "we went there, hid here, fought them, and won." Several inspiring rallying speeches before and after Judah's father dies--a call to serve the one true God, to defy the idol-worshipping rulers, to trust Him who is not constrained by small numbers.

And Judah and Leah's story stays mostly surface level, in the background.

Their initial conflict is resolved. They finally are happy. But they are like characters passing in the night. Who are they? What do they say when they are at home taking care of their goats? For the reader, the husband-and-wife character development is sacrificed for Judah's battles, and I am left wondering why it is called "Judah's Wife" when I feel like I barely know her.

Neither is there any build-up to a climax. I was waiting for the BIG MOMENT. The goal towards which all this is building. There wasn't one. I'll refrain from giving away the ending. It was really good, if not abrupt, but...

the book was ill-named and so my expectations skewed my perception of the story.

I recommend this book if you want to read about the Maccabees battling the many enemies that came out against them and be inspired by how God delivered them. That part was interesting though slightly monotonous (even the characters mention near the end that they've been doing the same thing in and out with no change to their circumstances). I would not recommend this book if you want to read a character-driven story.

I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Too Far Down by Mary Connealy

Well...I usually love Mary Connealy, but her latest book, Too Far Down, was a dud for me.

Connealy's genius comes in her action writing. This book spent the first full half inside the characters' heads and in reminisces (retelling) of what happened in all the other Cimmaron Legacy books up to this point. Waaaay too much thinking. Way too much talking! The first half of the book was boring, redundant, and not even especially believable.

Now the second half of the book got fun! The plot finally MOVED, there was at last more action than thought and dialogue, and, yeah, basically things started happening. There was still too much dialogue, ie. Murphy's loooong speeech, Hattie's loooong speech--neither seemed quite believable, but they were at least more interesting.

I'm not sure what made the author change her normal method of writing (the last book in this series was weak too), but I hope she goes back to what makes her older books so great. A little less Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot scratching verbally at the problem and a little more, well, Mary Connealy!

Also, I have a bit of a problem with the last page of the book describing the author. Connealy's books are NOT "romantic comedies about cowboys." At least, not in the American sense of "comedy". At least, I don't think of them as comedies. Enjoyable, but not because they are knee-slappers.

Review for book 2 in this series: http://ladymsdistractions.blogspot.com/2017/04/book-review-long-time-gone-by-mary.html

Review for book 1 in this series: http://ladymsdistractions.blogspot.com/2016/07/book-review-no-way-up-by-mary-connealy.html

P.S. The Bartered Bride by Tish Davis was a pleasant discovery last weekend after reading Irenaeus and Too Far Down! It too is the third in a series, and now I'm reading the first in the series because The Bartered Bride was such a solid Christian romance.

Book Review: Irenaeus of Lyon

This year we didn't have any plans for Thanksgiving until later in the day, so I took the opportunity to finally read one of my free-in-exchange-for-an-honest-review books that I was supposed to review weeks ago. Oops.

Irenaeus of Lyon by Simonetta Carr is a lovely-looking biography for young readers. My mom and I relaxed on our living room couches and I read to her the 62 landscape-laid pages.

Although definitely meant for readers above my 6-9 yr. old range, Irenaeus is thorough and very clearly written. My mom and I were fascinated by this less well-known brother from early church history. As was the same with the author's biography on Martin Luther that I shared with my class last month, this one is interspersed with Rembrandt-esque original art relating to the story and with photos of statues, ruins, and other relevant depictions of the culture of Irenaeus' day.

The book is very informative not only about Irenaeus but also about early church history and the theological differences of the day. It was edifying and interesting. My favorite part is actually about a disagreement between Polycarp and Anicetus about when Easter should be celebrated. The author says, "In the end, Polycarp and Anicetus couldn't persuade each other but agreed to allow both practices so that the churches could be united." Apparently this unity left an impression on Irenaeus. I was delighted too.

I highly recommend this book, but I think it is more fitting for pre-teens and teens than elementary-age children. The theological content is deep, but also there are descriptions about persecution that, while sensitively handled, are still intense. 5 out of 5 stars!

Book Review: An Inconvenient Beauty by Kristi Ann Hunter

It is so sad that the Hawthorne House series is over! I love this aristocratic family--Griffith, Miranda, Trent, Georgina...and Amelia. Times like these make me grateful a friend got me into reviewing books. I would never have discovered Kristi Ann Hunter's books otherwise. Here's the link to my review of her book about Trent, which I really had a hard time reviewing because I enjoyed it so much but I knew it had some mature elements. Actually, that's a lot like Roseanne M. White's Jewel of Persia that I just finished before starting the book below (Roseanne M. White is another author I was introduced to through Bethany House's review program).

An Inconvenient Beauty is the last installment of the Hawthorne House series, a delightful collection of regency romances revolving around the family of a duke. What a treat to get to know each character, and at last, here is Griffith's story, the imperturbable, authority-oozing, silent giant that we heard about in passing in all the other stories.

Now that all of those under his care have married, Griffith finally agrees it is time for him to do so as well. Although he will not break the family tradition of marrying for love, he doesn't see why he cannot go about this business of choosing a wife logically and without all the messiness his loved ones endured. Unfortunately, his choice seems to keep fainting or disappearing when he's around, leaving her beautiful cousin who is in town for her debut season a recurrent distraction from his goal. What happens when God seems to shut his plan down, and when messy emotions start confusing all his carefully planned logic?

Kristi Ann Hunter's romances are distinctly Christian romances, meaning the characters are usually forced to seek God's guidance. Her characters read God's word, pray (and listen!), and search for wisdom from trusted counselors. Her characters learn and grow.

Yesterday I had a sore throat, felt weak, and feared having to go into work tomorrow sick. Lying around most of the day (and night) entranced in the storyline of An Inconvenient Beauty was a definite treat in between the 3rd and 4th week of the school year. The only bummer is that today I finished it and now have to find another story to get lost in.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I honestly thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Book Review: A Name Unknown

Pretty book covers and seeing an author's name over and over actually is effective marketing it turns out.

When I had a chance to read a novel by Roseanne M. White, I knew I wanted to finally try this author that kept popping up on Facebook. So I got a Kindle copy of A Name Unknown.

Wow, oh, wow!

Characters you fall in love with (and learn from!), an interesting plot, romance, complications--it was all there. A female street thief from London gets hired to prove a certain wealthy man is a traitor to England. She infiltrates his estate posing as a librarian and begins discovering the true character of this man and, perhaps, questioning her own. But what will her Artful-Dodger-type family and powerful and mysterious boss think if she doesn't deliver? She must deliver.

Unlike most novels I review, the romance in this one comes much later in the storyline. So while it is not strictly a romance, it is still satisfying. The gospel plays an important, and necessary, and exciting, role in character development. My only complaint is the characters begin to pursue a modicum of romantic interest before both are saved. I can't stand it when stories do that! (Like the Christy TV series and Hallmark's Signed, Sealed, and Delivered movies) But because the romance happens at the end, the spark and the conversion happen almost concurrently.

Since sadly finishing this book, I've read a really good arranged-marriage novella and a sweet juvenile fiction story (that I plan to read to my class), but I still feel like A Name Unknown was a story I was able to cozy into like an oversized leather chair and enter into a world worth entering into. It's a good feeling.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. And apparently, this is the first in a series! I also heard from a friend that the author's other series is really good too.

Book Review: Reformation Women by Rebecca VanDoodewaard

Sometimes you're in the mood for fiction; sometimes you're in the mood for non-fiction. And sometimes a book outside of your mood draws you in and takes you captive for several dozen pages while on a plane heading for Chicago.

Thus was my experience with Reformation Women: Sixteenth-Century Figures Who Shaped Christianity's Rebirth by Rebecca VanDoodewaard.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested this book from Cross Focused Reviews. I hoped to be edified. I was. I also was pleasantly surprised at the author's scholarship. Most pages cite sources in the footnotes, and the style is straightforward. I was afraid I'd have to wade through conjecture and fluff. But while always interesting and cohesive, the mini-biographies of the ladies in this book seemed to stick to simple fact. In an enjoyable way.

Reformation Women is actually based on a book by James Isaac Good published in 1901. The content of that book has been "revised, expanded, and corrected to make the stories of these remarkable women accessible for today's church" (from the Preface, p. xiv). Each chapter is a mini-biography of a woman who lived during the time of the Reformation, focusing on her life and how she fought for the cause of Protestant theology. I really enjoyed reading about these sisters in the faith. It's been awhile since I studied that era, so I often could not keep up with the background history of what was going on. This book would be a great companion to a world history unit! But even in its own right, it really is so edifying.

Each woman is different--they don't have the same personalities or the same life experiences. Rebecca VanDoodewaard does an excellent job of prefacing the book by noting some characteristics you'll observe in each of these women, like their devotion to supporting their husbands' work if they were married to believers (though these women often carried on the work apart from their husbands). At the end, she does an equally amazing job concluding what we can learn from the biographies. And she was spot on in drawing out some of the things I noticed in their lives as well.

What was perhaps most impactful was how these women did not let circumstances get in the way of always encouraging the church and pushing forward. One woman lost her father and husband in the same massacre, a year after she was married. One woman had her children taken away and raised by Roman Catholics. Younger women often remarried and helped raise their new husband's children. This remarriage quote I thought was noteworthy: "He was content to have her without a dowry. She was happy to have a husband whose abilities and goals she could respect" (p. 73). Such a different world almost, or maybe it just seems so. Where life is more matter of fact. Where you are chased from one city to another, one country to another, corresponding with famous people and taking stands for Protestantism smack dab in the middle of violent Roman Catholic opposition. Where you carry on.

Rebecca VanDoodewaard writes in the conclusion, "Often, if our self-appointed identity evaporates, our feelings of security and usefulness shrivel. When we think about how the women in this book had the versatility to be fruitful in many different situations, it is clear why they did not associate with one identity other than a spiritual one. They were Christians" (p 110).

Married. Single. Living at home. Living on your own. Those are lesser identities. But the one constant thread is glorifying Christ. N'est-ce pas?

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars easily.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: High as the Heavens

It's summer! It's summer!

Granted, I've just spent the last few hours working on school stuff. I don't know if it's the late hour or sitting in front of my computer that has me not making any jerking motions with my head because of the pain on the right side. But, summer means long days of free time. Summer means a trip to Chicago a couple weeks ago (SO. VERY. ENJOYABLE). Summer means an abnormal amount of time playing games (Marrying Mr. Darcy, Ticket to Ride, baseball card game, Canasta, Iota). Summer means time with my great-nephew and my new great-niece! Summer means multiple trips to the dog park. Summer means sleeping in and staying up late. And summer means lying on my bed absorbed in a book!

beautiful cover, no?

I chose High as the Heavens by Kate Breslin from my Bethany House Publishers optional, complimentary, books-to-review list because...nope, not because it has a marriage of convenience plot. Ha! Thought you had me pegged, did ya? Nah, I chose it because I had read one of her books before and had been intrigued. Only...the book I remembered reading before ended up not being by Kate Breslin; I had read a different book by her. Ah well. :P

High as the Heavens is set during WW1--a historical time definitely not as popular to write about as WW2. (Ironically, the next novel I'm going to review is also set during WW1--what a coinkidink!) The plot happens mostly in Belgium and tells the story of a woman who works for the Belgian resistance group "La Dame Blanche." Like Wings of the Wind (which I reviewed last), High as the Heavens has a strong romance. And yet, that's almost misleading. The story is compelling because of the personal drama (with and without romance), but it also has all the intrigue, suspense, and deceit you would expect in a story set during a world war. It is character driven with a strong plot. I hesitate to say more because I don't want to give away anything! If you enjoy character-driven war movies, you'll definitely enjoy this book. I was completely engrossed and entertained.

FYI, I don't feel like I learned tons about WW1 through this novel--maybe I did and didn't realize it? Also, although it is a Christian novel, it did not have as strong of a Biblical message as some of the other novels I read.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I'm not disappointed in the least!

Here are some pix from my Chicago trip for my non-FB friend (Hi! Sorry I haven't written in ages. :/):



This place reminded me of Lyme in Persuasion!!

Marrying Mr. Darcy--so fun! :D

The Bean! Actually, it's called Cloud Gate.

yes, it was as good as it looks

Lake Michigan--my first time at one of the Great Lakes

I tried not to think about it.

Book Review: Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette

Isn't the cover breathtaking?

My mom read the first Out From Egypt book by Connilyn Cossette awhile ago. She loved it! When I got the list of possible books to review from Bethany House Publishers, there were a couple authors I've enjoyed before--which to choose?? Well, Wings of the Wind (the third book in the Out From Egypt series) was not only by an author my mom had enjoyed (I made sure to request a hard copy so she could read it after me), but it also had an arranged marriage plot...so of course I chose it. :-P

Wings of the Wind takes place during the end of Moses' leadership and the very beginning of Joshua's. It is a romance, but more than a romance. It is about a Canaanite woman and a Hebrew man who marry solely for the sake of her own safety. The plot, especially for the first couple dozen chapters before the plot twist, are about their budding relationship. But that's not what I take away from this book. What I loved about Wings of the Wind was how the author contrasts Canaanite culture and Yahweh's way. I think often we read the first five books of the Bible and scratch our heads and go okaaaay.... That's a weird law. That law doesn't seem severe enough. We read God's laws from a 21st century, Judeo-Christian/post-Christian perspective and, to be honest, they don't seem to fit into our thinking. Connilyn Cossette plants those laws back into 1400 B.C. culture where Biblical morality wasn't the norm and, granted it's a novel, suddenly His laws appear how they are--wonderful and beautiful and designed to create a holy people. She also describes (not in excessive detail, but in detail) the cruelty and immorality of the Canaanites, and you understand why God told His people to destroy that culture of evil (and the cultural anthropologists gasp). The author also puts her own spin on what the pillar of cloud looked like and makes a beautiful contrast between the living Yahweh and the "having ears, they do not hear" baalim.

I left this novel--and yes, it's a historical fiction romance--worshipping God more.

5 out of 5 stars!


Book Review: Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano

Behind the Scenes is I think the sixth Jen Turano book I've read. Her historical romances are always humorous and somewhat outlandish, her female heroines unique and strong-minded, and her plots much more like a comedy of errors than a staid historical novel. It's her trademark.

On Amazon, it seems you can always get a Jen Turano prequel for free--and then you're hooked! I think the novella At Your Request, introducing the reader to the world of wallflowers during the 1880s, was my first Jen Turano book. Behind the Scenes, the official Book #1 in the series, was not yet published, so I put its release date on my calendar and went in search of other Turano books. I read through the Ladies of Distinction series, one right after the other. Bad choice. Even though I really enjoyed the first couple books, by the time I reached the 4th and last of the series, I was completely burnt out on Turano's style. And I kinda still am.

So although this author's books are always guaranteed for a good laugh set in either the Regency Era or, like Behind the Scenes, in the Gilded Age, let me forewarn you about the aggravations of these novels, and you can decide if those would inhibit your own enjoyment.

Besides outlandish situations and quirky characters, another trademark of her flowery language. It reminds me of how I used to talk on instant messenger when it was late at night and I wanted to pretend to be British and talk witty and at length. At long length. It's fun to read, but there is no economy of words. None. Whatsoever. And some of the same phrases are used over and over.

Then when the male characters sound and think EXACTLY THE SAME as the female characters, and the side characters are the same, and characters between books in the same series all sound the same--it becomes painful. Very painful to this reader.

I can't help but wonder why the editor didn't notice the lack of characterization? If I were her editor (which I'm not qualified to be), my red pen and I would have a heyday with Asher Rutherford's parts in Behind the Scenes. He should not sound like a carbon copy of Permilia. He should not talk and think like a girl. His lines should be more succinct, his mental density more natural, his thoughts less ridiculously intuitive.

Confession. When the author started focusing on Asher Rutherford's mental processes, I read a whole other book (Lassoed by Marriage--soooo good!) before returning to finish this one.

It's not that I don't enjoy Turano's writing. I do. It's just sometimes very painful to read because of the lack of ruthless editing. But even though it's painful doesn't mean I won't read another of her books. Because, despite being historical fiction, Turano's novels are in a category of their own.

Try one of the free novellas on Amazon and know that every other book she writes is exactly the same, for better and for worse.

(Side note: If you want to read really well-written historical fiction--but less crazy--from the same general time period, try Kristi Ann Hunter. Yummmm.)

P.S. Amazingly enough, I didn't have to buy this on the release date after all! I got a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for writing an honest review. Sweet deal!

Book Review: Long Time Gone by Mary Connealy

Long Time Gone is the second book of The Cimarron Legacy series. I remember where I was when I read the first book. It was last summer, and I was out in the back yard on our lounge chair. When the book ended, I felt all delicious and so ready to read more about the Bodens and Sadie and Heath.

I have loved everything I have read by Mary Connealy. She always grabs your attention right away and perfectly combines suspense, action, and romance.

So I don't know if it was because I have more recently been reading Regency Era fiction (so different from Western!), or because I was struggling to recapture my first impressions of this book's main character from when he was introduced in last summer's book, or if it was because the author spent chapters upon chapters re-establishing the plot so we wouldn't be confused, but I didn't feel like this book picked up the pace until around chapter 12.

Long Time Gone is the continuation of No Way Up. The characters are trying to figure out the reason behind all the chaos in book one. Which means there is a lot more sitting around talking and trying to piece the puzzle together than Connealy's normal fare.

The romance too, while fun once it started, seemed to go way too fast, like time in each other's presence was implied, but I didn't even realize it had happened.

In the past, I have marveled at how smoothly Connealy writes--flawlessly smooth. This book wasn't like that at all. It felt more haphazard and pieced together. (Example: I didn't like that when it was Angie's time in the spotlight, the point of view was more omniscient than her POV.) The end was the best part (and it was really good!), but then it was over.

I still want to see what happens in the next book--so little happened in this one--but I have to give Long Time Gone 3 out of 5 stars unfortunately.

Book Review: An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter

I started this book on Monday. I cannot recall the exact time--perhaps mid-morning. Yesterday I met with a visiting out-of-country friend for 3 hours. [Did you know that Noah's peppercorn potato bagels with onion and chive schmear are AMAZING? They are. I had 2. (I went back for another after I left your car with the pointsettia :-P)] Then I came home, took the dogs to the dog park, LOST MY KEYS AT THE DOG PARK, and was late getting back home where an out-of-state-most-of-the-year friend was waiting patiently on the stoop (porch steps...but we should bring back the word "stoop," no? XP). She stayed until late this morning. Then I presumed reading again--not that I hadn't snatched bits and pieces yesterday. I had! All that to say, I just finished An Uncommon Courtship, and it wasn't a novella, and I'm not as avid a reader as some, so this was like marathon reading.

 

And according to the Bethany House Publishers, when I sign up to do these honest reviews in exchange for a complimentary copy, I have a whole month before I have to deliver.

 

On the other hand, I went on a limb to try a book by an author I had never heard of before, because of this plot description:

 

After a night trapped together in an old stone keep, Lady Adelaide Bell and Lord Trent Hawthorne have no choice but to marry. Dismayed, Adelaide finds herself bound to a man who ignores her, as Trent has no desire to connect with the one who dashed his plans to marry for love. Can they set aside their first impressions before any chance of love is lost?

 

 

And then when I realized I had never let the publisher know I had reviewed the last book they sent me, I sent them the link submission and told them I really hoped the delay wouldn't keep me from being able to review An Uncommon Courtship.

 

It didn't.

 

I put down the other novel I was in the middle of and began reading this one.

 

*Book Review begins here*

I really enjoyed it. There were a few confusions--the main male character thought something earlier in the book and then was surprised by the same facts later; the main female character had portrayed her parents' marriage one way early in the book and then differently later (maybe she just came to understand the truth?). There were some proofreading blips--words left out.

Ok, enough with the negatives.

Kristi Ann Hunter has taken on an ambitious project: to attempt to explain the mystery of how two people go from beings strangers to married . . . while already being legally married. How does a man accept his wife as permanently his, court her, love her, and live as a fully married man? How does a woman who has never had a voice in her family and has never been taught how to be a woman step into the foreign role of wife? To a lord, nonetheless.

How do two people that are inexperienced figure out how to make this relationship work when those who should have been their advisors are unavailable in that role? Part of me is like this has some too PG-13 elements (mostly in content matter, not graphic-ness). Please be forewarned! I need to give that caveat. Another part of me realizes that, in the kingdom of the world, this novel is a model for God's way of doing relationships. Not the part about being thrown into marriage with a stranger! But in the characters themselves. I was skimming through books for sale at the library today and realized I mostly only look for Christian novels because you don't have to then sift through unchecked lust and fornication. Although An Uncommon Courtship starts with the marriage contract already signed, it still portrays an uncommonly high value for purity in the overt innocence of the characters. The story is about building a marriage relationship with depth--winning the heart--not just about kisses and romance.

Two people thrown together with absolutely no idea how to make a good marriage, relying on familiar community, their own feeble wits and good character, and an unfailing hope for more than what they have so far--An Uncommon Courtship was a riveting read for me. I'll have to try Kristi Ann Hunter again.

Oh! There are also several delightful humorous turns of phrases, and it's set in the Regency Era, so if you are a Jane Austen fan, you will definitely find yourself comparing one of the characters to Mrs. Bennett. ;)

"Back home they'd stood awkwardly in the hall, facing each other but staring at points on either side. Adelaide chose a strange still-life painting to inspect, noting that the bowl of fruit all appeared to have faces. Her humiliation was being witnessed by a painting of sentient fruit. She'd truly reached the bottom of her ladder."

"Mother smiled, that indulgent smile only women seem to be able to perfect--the one that told Trent he obviously didn't understand and that he was rather pitiful and adorable at the same time. He hated that smile."

"Her eyes looked somewhere in the vicinity of his left elbow. He'd thought they'd moved past her talking to various parts of his person instead of his face."

(P.S. I've really enjoyed Melissa Tagg's One Enchanted Eve and Sarah Sundin's With Every Letter recently too!)

Book Review: For the Record by Regina Jennings

Some of you might suspect the truth--I really like novels and movies with marriage-of-convenience/accident stories, or stories where someone has to pretend to be another's fiance for some outlandish reason and then, of course, they fall in love even though it wasn't in the plan. (Like Hitched for the Holidays, among many, many others)

For the Record by Regina Jennings isn't one of those stories. So it took me a little of a running start to get into it. But once I did, the story unfolded a worth-while romance between two characters who were not looking to get hitched at all.

The setting is Pine Gap, Missouri, back in the day of outlaws and sheriffs. Betsy is an independent-type, 24 yr. old girl. Unlike most independent stereotypes in fiction, she is not anti-family. Rather, she has spent the last however many years raising her cousins after their mom died, and now that her uncle has remarried, she finds herself a financial burden on the family. She wants independence so she can be her own mistress--a reasonable enough desire for a girl in her mid-20s that has managed a house before.

The rest of the plot-line you can get from Amazon, but basically it includes a deputy running from unfounded accusations, a gang of masked vigilantes, and a web of uncertainty about who are the good guys and who are the bad guys.

Part way through my reading today, as the circumstances got even more complicated and dire, I had to remind myself that the author would make sure that everything turned out okay in the end. Sometimes you have to with suspense! And she did. :) The beauty of fiction. The beauty of "love wins out in the end." I hate the oh-so-predictable miscommunication in many novels for the purpose of creating relational conflict. You know the kind I mean--so-and-so has a secret and so-and-so has a secret, and both secrets get revealed suddenly and unexpectedly, and now both parties are so mad that they won't get to the truth of the matter, and you want to yell at the characters to stop and JUST COMMUNICATE! It's like seeing an impending train wreck from afar and cringing as you watch it happen. This story, fortunately, wasn't like that. You could still see the impending disaster, but when the inevitable occurred, you saw the hurt, you saw the doubt, but, in the end, the characters acted like reasonable human beings. Actually, they acted quite stellar.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel. I enjoyed the characters. I enjoyed the halting-developing romance. Finishing For the Record was a sweet way to end my Saturday.

Book Review: Good & Angry

I've spent the last couple days entrenched in this book, and today I realized I am impressed by how balanced it is. And content-full. But backing up...

Good and Angry: Redeeming Anger, Irritation, Complaining, and Bitterness by David Powlison is a book about, you guessed it, anger. I would say it's about how we deal with anger, but Powlison makes it clear that anger is not an "it" that you "deal with," as if it is separate from your being (see Chapter 5, or page 46, for more about that). Anger is our assessment of a situation. It says "That matters . . . and it's not right" (p. 39, or Chapter 4). What is unique about this book is that the author argues that to never feel anger is also a problem because anger "is the justice emotion. Anger is the deliver-the-oppressed-from-evil emotion" (p. 63).

"Your anger is both brilliant and appalling. The shifting line between good and evil plays out when it comes to your anger, like everywhere else. Your anger is Godlike to the degree you treasure justice and fairness and are alert to betrayal and falsehood. Your anger is devil-like to the degree you play god and are petty, merciless, whiny, argumentative, willful, and unfair."

--David Powlison, Good and Angry (Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2016), p. 65-66 (Chapter 6!)

 

Powlison then delves into what he calls the "constructive displeasure of mercy," which to me, honestly?, has been rather confusing. But, in summation, when you feel angry, you can do anger well by responding with 1) patience, 2) forgiveness, 3) charity, and 4) constructive conflict, each of which he explains in detail. I thought his description of patience especially noteworthy:

"You struggle within yourself so that you don't react immediately in the wrong way. You bear with difficult people and events, not out of indifference, resignation, or cowardice. You hang in there because you are driven by a different purpose. . . . [Patience] is how to be purposeful and constructive in the face of great difficulties. . . . By definition, patience means that what's wrong doesn't change right away." (p. 78, Chapter 7)

I love that Powlison repeats over and over that mercy is not saying that what someone did was okay. "Jesus gathers up our angers, not to neuter our sensitivity to evil, but to redeem how we respond" (p. 72, emphasis mine).

I am only 100 pages into this 243 page book, but so far I have gleaned a lot and done much self-inspection. I have learned that I don't have to lump all my irritation/impatience/frustration/mad issues into one lump and say "that's bad, I need to be more patient." This is SO helpful, because some things are worth getting stirred up over (p. 31). Because the author makes that differentiation, he can then provide Biblical tools for how to handle that justice emotion constructively.

I'm hoping in the second half of the book Powlison will deal more with the less-godly side of anger, like irritation when someone doesn't understand what you're talking about on the first go-through, or doesn't hear you even tho you've yelled from the bathroom three times already, or the drawer sticks when you're in a hurry because a wooden spoon is wedged in there and when you jerk the drawer free your whole body feels jarred. I think he will though since one of the upcoming chapters is called "The Everyday Angers."

So far, this book gets 5 out of 5 stars for being so balanced, Biblical, and not trying my patience by being slow to get to content. (Trying my patience...impatience....anger...get it? *silly joke* But seriously, each chapter is packed full of content.)

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for a timely review.

Book Review: Come With Me

Oh, now that's ironic. Posting a book review after my last post. :-P I have been reading some really good books lately (Dignity and Worth: Seeing the Image of God in Foster Adoption, for example). Don't really want to write about every single one though, so I'll stick with the one I received for free, from Bethany House Publishers, free in exchange for an honest review!

In Come With Me, Suzanne Eller, an author with Proverbs 31 ministries (for those who follow Lysa Terkeurst, etc.) shares what God taught her as she spent time in the Gospels. Each chapter is loosely devoted to one of the 12 disciples. I say loosely because I felt the correlation between the disciple and the lessons the author extrapolated from that disciple's life were a bit of stretch at times. Still, I have never studied the disciples, so some of the connections she made really were insightful. The overarching theme of the book I think would be living as a true disciple of Christ, abandoning all for Him. Each chapter has a different focus.

It took me a long while to make it through this book, I'm not sure why, but this review is waaaaay overdue (it came out in May!), but when I did get around to opening up the pages, there would often be a nugget waiting for me.

Each chapter ends with a handful of "Taking It Deeper" questions (for cross-referencing Scriptures and reflecting), a main Scripture verse, a short prayer, and bullet pointed ideas for "Living As a Disciple." This is not a theological book. It is one woman sharing her journey of faith in an instructional way, like the older woman teaching the younger woman, only not in a "I have it all together" way but in a "let's seek Jesus together" way.

I am giving this book 4 out of 5 stars.

"Intentional gratitude is a course corrector. It turns away temptation. You aren't asked to pretend that there aren't challenges, but to take a step back and tackle them in a different way." (p. 127)

 

"There's nothing wrong with dreaming. Many times those dreams are a catalyst to make a difference or to take a huge step of faith. Your dreams can encourage you when getting there is difficult. . . .

 

Dreaming is worthwhile unless it makes you unhappy with where you are or who you're with, or it creates resentment with God's timing versus your own. . . .

 

Should we dream big? Absolutely. Should we obsess, worry, wrangle, or plot to get what we want, or to have what someone else has? Probably not the best plan." (p. 130)