tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79623572403895268182024-02-21T07:02:27.743-07:00The Writer’s Toolthoughts from a freelance editor on self-editing, writing, and reviewing Christian fiction... with a little bit of life thrown inMarjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.comBlogger2237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-64903592597671633312023-11-02T15:48:00.005-06:002023-11-02T15:50:48.554-06:00Royal & Ancient Book Review<p> Unless otherwise noted, all the books reviewed on The Writer's Tool are
review copies the various publishers provide free of charge for the
purposes of review.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU75kV182VzhtCt7X-yxOzrs6N-bdpVfd6oTGtBar9Td-6J_nCO92NEMjz8tA-D2UkAw2vOLCmaZ9AkR804K02OG2EBius_4vrzOMj3gf5VoWHwIMJvYQQhbZjMzb8rN6f9LyOWCoGlgtfqXzH9Nvb-G0D4Ag3Icwl_E6oFlSNkuI5qxMFkJ6wdoI4GgFa" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="190" data-original-width="468" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU75kV182VzhtCt7X-yxOzrs6N-bdpVfd6oTGtBar9Td-6J_nCO92NEMjz8tA-D2UkAw2vOLCmaZ9AkR804K02OG2EBius_4vrzOMj3gf5VoWHwIMJvYQQhbZjMzb8rN6f9LyOWCoGlgtfqXzH9Nvb-G0D4Ag3Icwl_E6oFlSNkuI5qxMFkJ6wdoI4GgFa=w638-h205" width="638" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: #7bbf6a; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-size-adjust: auto;">NOW AVAILABLE - Royal & Ancient by Amanda Lauer! Enter the GIVEAWAY here:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://4lhpr.r.a.d.sendibm1.com/mk/cl/f/sh/7nVU1aA2nfsZpYjcWUuqIulr8t0Onpq/7vXqvbI-w6pC" style="color: #707c99;">https://bit.ly/46cEn5k</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> </p><p style="background-color: #7bbf6a; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; text-align: justify; text-size-adjust: auto;">Purchase here:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://4lhpr.r.a.d.sendibm1.com/mk/cl/f/sh/7nVU1aA2nfuSp5EvV49ILH5fJFVBXmM/42isRhKg0WeR" style="color: #707c99;">https://bit.ly/3PY8UhA</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> #royalandancient #readchrismpress</p><p></p>Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-6764570615532233392023-10-03T12:29:00.002-06:002023-10-03T12:29:39.629-06:00Royal and Ancient by Amanda Lauer<p> I know, I know. It's been a long time. But I'm going to try to be a little more active on my blog right now.</p><p>I've done teaching at Beth Eden Baptist School, and I'm enjoying my retirement. But there are a few things I need to start up. And this is one of them.</p><p><br /></p><p>I'm here to announce a new book that released yesterday. Please get the book and enter to win a copy of your own.</p><p><br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">NOW AVAILABLE - Royal & Ancient by Amanda Lauer! Enter the GIVEAWAY here:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://4lhpr.r.a.d.sendibm1.com/mk/cl/f/sh/7nVU1aA2nfsZpYjcWUuqIulr8t0Onpq/7vXqvbI-w6pC" style="color: #707c99; text-decoration: underline;">https://bit.ly/46cEn5k</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Purchase here:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://4lhpr.r.a.d.sendibm1.com/mk/cl/f/sh/7nVU1aA2nfuSp5EvV49ILH5fJFVBXmM/42isRhKg0WeR" style="color: #707c99; text-decoration: underline;">https://bit.ly/3PY8UhA</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> #royalandancient #readchrismpress</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">I will post a review once I've read the book. :) </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">And there will be some things for you to do during this next. month, too. So stay tuned!!</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Here's a preview of the book:</p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-caa10820-7fff-f9bf-ea88-10e87bcc467f" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-1cc207df-7fff-6135-52c8-27060192de3e" style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 355px; overflow: hidden; width: 232px;"></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-1cc207df-7fff-6135-52c8-27060192de3e" style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 355px; overflow: hidden; width: 232px;"><img height="355" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AojfResRqIL4bWEmDHUZtrNYRnUt1D1PtKZ_8qOZ_vNCUU4HjOIz8KG47q_A5By7r1Z2nRWlPGxLXpY7Oo3daUlWKQy3rNq7_CHqG7vEPB6j8WaIrmp87aqkb3Iz9BSrt03YzocxZTzoMScofXYZLz0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="232" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-caa10820-7fff-f9bf-ea88-10e87bcc467f" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">About the Book</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Bronwyn Campbell’s end-of-summer plans were simple: wrap up her job at Saint Andrews Country Club, meet her friends one last time at the virtual reality arcade, and move across the country—again—with her father. But when lightning strikes while she’s working the club’s Saint Andrews Heritage Day, she’s transported from an American fairway to the home of golf, The Links at St. Andrews, in Scotland—and in the year 1691, no less.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When Iain MacDonald discovers Bronwyn knocked out cold on the seventeenth green, little does he know their meeting will change not only the course of their lives but the course of history. The son of the chieftain of Clan MacDonald, Iain bears the weight of responsibility for his family and his clan’s survival on his shoulders. Family drama and the growing discord over religion in Scotland add to the heavy load he carries daily while stepping further into his role as future chieftain.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">As political events between England and Scotland heighten the conflict surrounding the MacDonald lands, Bronwyn and Iain rely upon their shared faith and growing feelings toward each other for survival. Amid the questions that plague both of them, though, one stands out: How can you be with the one you love if your choice ultimately influences history?</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Book Purchase Links</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Ancient-Amanda-Lauer-ebook/dp/B0CHGPNFQT/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Amazon</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> | </span><a href="https://chrismpress.com/product/royal-ancient/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Chrism</span></a></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">About the Author</span></p><br /><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 195px; overflow: hidden; width: 195px;"><img height="195" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/y3094We_bBiDs2nlMVlpbREBhWLKXTTju0aCd4ob3ZoptqmkyD_vT-9i1W-v-7HmOmLrm7hqYJoqFoj3B8kRxz0RcstaxniTDdGy6qITG25R18Rx2oSE_cS0AYf9wcUAc-DBaLQWrZQPpR9ngyEuvpE" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="195" /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">An avid reader and history buff since childhood, award-winning author, journalist and screenwriter Amanda Lauer is the author of the Heaven Intended Civil War series. <i>A World Such as Heaven Intended</i> won the 2016 CALA Award and <i>A Freedom Such as Heaven Intended </i>earned the 2022 Catholic Media Book Awards: First Place Catholic Novels: Inspirational. Lauer’s first time-travel novel <i>Anything But Groovy</i> was released in 2021. She also contributed to the Catholic Teen Books anthologies <i>Treasures: Visible & Invisible and Ashes: Visible & Invisible</i> and worked with Archduke Eduard Habsburg to bring his children’s tale <i>Dubbie: The Double-Headed Eagle </i>to life. In addition, Lauer won the Red Letter Awards 2020 Best Writer or Screenplay for her work on the Christian film <i>The Islands</i>. Find her online at </span><a href="https://www.amandalauer.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">amandalauer.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Author Links</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Amanda-Lauer-Author/100090820185794/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Facebook</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> | </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/amandalauerauthor/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Instagram</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> | </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amlauer/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">LinkedIn</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> | </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/AmandaLauerAuthor/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Pinterest</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> | </span><a href="https://twitter.com/amandalauer23" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">X (Twitter)</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> | </span><a href="https://amandalauer.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Website</span></a></p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(59, 63, 68); color: #3b3f44; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> <br /></p><p></p>Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-66452823966635493692018-10-20T15:53:00.000-06:002018-10-20T15:53:53.606-06:00Gathering of Sisters by Darla Weaver
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">An
interview with Darla Weaver,</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Author
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gathering of Sisters</i></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlUBzxardQ659zzgw-E1zxL4AQDkOUVMOqy1TCVOIc-vGwt88h-v0aU9Z7Q89JvIRNgqnw2cHbL0A-aRx3Lu_aBgWzBy72lXiYgC0asA8cK4lQBpcA4529V2pklvmqKi8jnhSfsafuGan/s1600/Gathering+of+Sisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlUBzxardQ659zzgw-E1zxL4AQDkOUVMOqy1TCVOIc-vGwt88h-v0aU9Z7Q89JvIRNgqnw2cHbL0A-aRx3Lu_aBgWzBy72lXiYgC0asA8cK4lQBpcA4529V2pklvmqKi8jnhSfsafuGan/s200/Gathering+of+Sisters.jpg" width="129" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Once a week Darla Weaver hitches up her
spirited mare, bundles her children into the buggy, and drives six miles to the
farm where she grew up. There she gathers with her four sisters and their
children for a day with their mother. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gathering
of Sisters: A Year with My Old Order Mennonite Family </i>(Herald Press),
Weaver writes about her horse-and-buggy Mennonite family and the weekly women’s
gatherings that keep them connected. On warm days, the children play and fish
and build houses of hay in the barn. In the winter, everyone stays close to the
woodstove, with puzzles and games and crocheting. No matter the weather, the
Tuesday get-togethers of this Old Order Mennonite family keep them grounded and
centered in their love for God and for each other, even when raising an
occasional loving but knowing eyebrow at each other.</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">The rest of the week is full of laundry, and
errands, and work that never ends. But Tuesday is about being sisters,
daughters, and mothers. </span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gathering of Sisters </i>tells about getting
together weekly with your mother and sisters. Tell us a little bit about your
family.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There were five of us sisters, growing up together with our
four little brothers in the white farmhouse our parents built. The nine of us
kept this five-bedroom house brimming with life, and crowded with both
happiness and some inevitable sadness. We did a lot of living and a lot of
learning in that house.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And then we all grew up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was the first to leave. On a warm and sunshiny day in
September 2000, after the leaves on the lofty silver maples had faded from
summer-green and before they wore brightly flaming autumn shades, I was married
to Laverne Weaver. It was the first wedding in that mellowing white house we
all called home. Four more were to follow in the next several years. Except for
my youngest brother, we’ve all left home. Most of us live close, but one
brother lives in Alaska.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Why did you
decide to make an effort to get together once a week?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk524538358"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our Tuesdays happened more by accident
than by conscious planning. We never sat down and planned for Tuesdays. But
after I moved six miles away to my own home, I gradually acquired the habit of
going back to the old home place and spending a day each week with my family.
On Monday I always had laundry to do, and scores of other jobs to tackle after
the weekend. And before we had children, I worked part time in a bakery at the
end of the week.</span></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk524538358;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That left Tuesdays.
Tuesday really was the perfect in-between sort of day to spend with Mom and my
sisters. On Tuesday the five us sisters still come home. We pack up the
children—all eighteen of them during summer vacation—and head to the farm.</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk524538358;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We go early. I
drive my spirited little mare, Charlotte, and she trots briskly along the six
miles of winding country roads. Regina and Ida Mae live much closer. They
married brothers, and their homes are directly across the fields from Dad and
Mom’s farm. They usually bike, with children’s noses pressed against the bright
mesh of the carts they tow behind their bicycles. Or they walk, pushing
strollers over the back fields and up the lane. And Emily and Amanda, who also
married brothers and live in neighboring houses about five miles away, come
together with everyone crammed into one carriage.</span></span></div>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk524538358;"></span>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Do all the kids
enjoy Tuesdays as well?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The children love Tuesdays. On warm days they play on the slide
and the swings in the cool shade of the silver maples, jump on the trampoline,
run through their grandpa’s three greenhouses, ride along on the wagon going to
the fields where produce by the bushels and bins is hauled to the packing shed.
They build hay houses in the barn and explore the creek. The boys take poles
and hooks and bait and spend hours fishing and playing in the small creek that
flows beneath the lane and through the thickets beside the pasture fence. They
catch dozens of tiny blue gills and northern creek chubbs, most of which they
release back into the water hole, a deep pool that yawns at the mouth of a
large culvert, to be caught again next week. They work too, at mowing lawn,
raking, lugging flower pots around, or anything else that Grandma needs them to
do, but most often Tuesdays on Grandpa’s farm are play days.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: What do you do
when you are all gathered together?</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk524538567"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We don’t exactly play, yet Tuesdays for
us are also about relaxing. Of course, there is always work to do—just making
dinner for such a group is a big job—but the day is more about relaxing,
reconnecting, visiting, and sharing. We talk a lot, we laugh a lot, sometimes
we cry. Tuesdays is about being sisters, daughters, moms. It’s about learning
what is happening in each other’s lives.</span></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk524538567;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Every day is
different, yet every Tuesday follows a predictable pattern that varies with the
seasons. </span></span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Winter finds us inside, close to the
warmth humming from the woodstove, absorbed in wintertime pursuits which
include card-making, crocheting, sewing, puzzles—jigsaw, crossword, sudoku—and
reading books and magazines. But as soon as spring colors the buds of the
maples with a reddish tinge, we spend more time outside. The greenhouses are
loaded with plants, the flowerbeds full of unfurling perennials, and the grass
is greening in the yard again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In summer, while the garden and fields burst with produce,
the breezy shade of the front porch calls. It wraps around two sides of the
house and is full of Mom’s potted plants and porch furniture. We sit there to
shell peas, husk corn, or just sip a cold drink and cool off after a warm
stroll through the flowers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Then autumn echoes through the country, the leaves flame and
fall, and we rake them up—millions of leaves. Where we rake one Tuesday is
covered again by the next, until at last the towering maples stand disrobed of
leaves, their amazing seventy-foot branches a wavering fretwork against a sky
that is sullen with winter once more.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: How did your
sisters react to the news about you writing this book?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The initial reactions
varied.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I suppose you
would change all our names,” Mom said after a while. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That was a new
thought for me, and one I didn’t want to consider. “Oh, no, that would be much
too hard. We would just use every one’s real name.” Merely the thought of
renaming eighteen children exhausted me.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk524538951"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Maybe
you’ll have to Sunday-us-up a bit,” Emily suggested with a laugh. “Make sure we
all use our best manners when you write about us.”</span></a></div>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk524538951;"></span>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Oh, yes, I won’t
write anything you wouldn’t like,” I promised. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“She will still
have to claim us as sisters,” Regina points out, as usual finding a positive
angle to the topic. “She won’t make us sound too odd or ornery or anything.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_Hlk524539006"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
promised not to.</span></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk524539006;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Regina’s
oldest daughter, Jerelyn, who at fourteen has graduated from eighth grade and
is again spending Tuesdays with us, considered staying home for the entire next
year to keep her name out of the book. But on a whole, no one really objected.
Like Laverne and our children, Mom and my sisters are almost used to my
compulsive scribbling. Almost.</span></span></div>
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk524539006;"></span>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now
onto some frequently asked questions about life in Mennonite communities.</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: What does daily
life look like for a Mennonite?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In some ways being a Mennonite is not so different from
being anyone else. We have one life to live, we work to make a living, take
care of our families, make time for the things we enjoy, eat, sleep, pay our
bills and taxes. Some days are better than others as for anyone else.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In other ways it’s vastly different from the culture around
us. Partly in the conservative way we live; perhaps even more in the way we
look at life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The most important goals for most of us are: Faith in God
and in his Son who died on the cross for sinners; growing into a closer walk
with him; learning to love, serve, and obey his commandments. These beliefs
help shape our lives as we grow older.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Old Order Mennonite life is family-oriented. It centers
around our church, our families, our schools and neighborhoods. It has been
said, “Destroy the home and you destroy the nation,” which has been proved true
in various eras of history. God’s plan for one husband and one wife, working
together to care for their children, is a most important foundation for our
lifestyle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But, of course, we are far from perfect. Although the
majority of us strive to live lives that demonstrate a faith and love and
steadfastness rooted deep in God and his word—the Bible—we make plenty of
mistakes too. Stumbling and falling and getting up to try again, praying that
God will help us do better tomorrow, is a part of life, too.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Do Old Order
Mennonites believe in the new birth?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Of course. We believe the Bible truth: “Except a man be born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It is when one believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
that God’s Spirit comes into one’s heart. It is by repenting of and turning
away from our sins that they can be forgiven. It is by faith in God’s power,
and asking in prayer, help us break away from sin’s strongholds. And it is
because of that new birth that we desire to live a life that God can bless and
sanctify.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But those who grow up in Christian homes may not always be
able to pinpoint a certain day or year when their new birth occurred. To say,
“When were you born again?” is a little like asking, “When did you grow up?”
Sometimes there is a specific date to remember. Just as often there isn’t,
because we grew so gradually into the awareness of our need for a personal
Savior. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Was there ever a time I didn’t know and believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God who came to die for my sins? If so, I can’t remember
it. I did have to come to the place where I was willing to accept that for
myself, acknowledge all the sin in my life, and turn to God for help and
forgiveness. That day came, gradually. When I asked Christ into my heart to be
Ruler there, it led to more years of growing up, and into what it means to be
one of his disciples.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When I was born physically I still had much to learn. When I
was born again spiritually I had just as much to learn about living a
Christ-centered life. I’m still learning about it. I imagine I’ll be learning
more for as long as I live. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: What could a
visitor expect at one of your church services?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Church services last around 2 to 2 ½ hours and are in the
Pennsylvania Dutch dialect, although the Bible reading is done in German. They begin
with everyone singing together. One of the ministers then has a short sermon,
which is followed by silent prayer. Then a second minister explains a chapter
from the New Testament, or part of a chapter that he had selected and studied
previously. Services are closed with an audible prayer, more singing, and the
benediction. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s a special time of singing, praying, and worshiping God
together with our congregation, and is full of encouragement and inspiration.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Throughout most
of the country, we would find most businesses open at least part of the day on
Sunday. Would we find any businesses in your community open on Sunday?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt
though labour and do all thy work” (Exodus 20:8-9). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When Sunday comes around, those of us who own businesses do
close them, and most of our work is put aside. Sunday is kept as a day to go to
church to worship God, then spend it socializing with family and friends. It is
a day to get together for meals, visit families who have a new baby, or just
relax at home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sometimes when it’s warm we go fishing or hiking at nearby
state parks or in our own woods. Sometimes we go on picnics or visit the
neighbors. In the evening, the youth group gathers at one of their homes to
play volleyball, sing and eat.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sunday is set aside for worship, rest, and family time. It’s
refreshing, both spiritually and physically, to have one day each week reserved
for that. Work almost always waits. Worshiping God is first priority, then
being with family.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: What kind of
activities are your youth groups involved in?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Most of the young people are part of a structured youth
group that gathers each Sunday evening in one of their homes. If it’s warm they
play volleyball before singing hymns. A snack is served, unless everyone is
invited for supper, then an entire meal is served. This can be quite an
undertaking for the hostess, depending on the size of the group. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While Sunday evening gatherings are a regular thing, there
are sometimes “work bees” during the week, when they get together to help
someone who needs it. They might go to sing at a nursing home, go skating in
winter, fishing in summer, or other upbuilding activities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The majority of the young people are a part of this group
and are dedicated to serving God. However, the upper teen years can be hard
whether you’re Mennonite or not, and there are always some who drift away and
choose not to live as part of our culture. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q: Can you tell us
about your private schools?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Parochial schools are a vital part of our neighborhoods.
Three men serve as the school board for each one, and they are in charge of
hiring teachers, handling the financial part of running a school, upkeep of the
building, and any other need that comes up. They serve in three-year terms and
are up for one re-election at the regular yearly community meeting where all
directors and trustees for various things are selected.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Most schoolhouses have two classrooms and two teachers. The
number of children attending each one varies greatly. Parents pay a yearly
tuition which covers the teachers’ pay, books and supplies, and building
repairs.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Most children start first grade in September after their
sixth birthday. They graduate after completing eighth grade. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Each school day starts with a Bible story, reciting the
Lord’s prayer together and singing. Lessons include, but are not limited to,
reading, writing, math, spelling, English, vocabulary, history, geography, some
science and nature study. Curriculum varies a little from school to school and
from one area to the next, but these are the basics.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Religion is not taught as a subject. Rather, faith in God,
and Christian living as based on the Bible, is woven into almost every textbook
and lesson. It’s a way of life for us and can’t be separated into a single
subject. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: teal; font-family: Cambria; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">About the Author</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Darla
Weaver</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;"> is a homemaker, gardener, writer and Old
Order Mennonite living in the hills of southern Ohio. She is the author of </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Water My Soul</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Many Lighted Windows </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">and </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Gathering of Sisters</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">. Weaver has written
for </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Family Life</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Ladies Journal</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">Young Companion</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Cambria; font-size: 10.0pt; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">, and other
magazines for Amish and Old Order Mennonite groups. Before her three children
were born she also taught school. Her hobbies are gardening and writing.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To request a review copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gathering of Sisters</i> or for excerpt
information, please contact Audra Jennings, </span></b><a href="mailto:ajenningspr@gmail.com"><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ajenningspr@gmail.com</span></a><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Margie's Comments:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Reading this book opened up a whole new world to me, one that I'd frequently wondered about.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I loved the descriptions of the various Tuesdays spent at the author's mom's home. The writing is laid-back and calm, reflecting the quiet way the Old Order Mennonite people face the world and its everyday challenges.</span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Their faith is integral to the way they live., which is how it should be. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you'd like to read an excerpt before buying the book, please do so here: <a href="https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jtUzO1sZg7IXGyBKoRkn-HYFSm96O-tG" target="_blank">https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jtUzO1sZg7IXGyBKoRkn-HYFSm96O-tG</a> </span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I received a copy of the book free from the publicist Audra Jennings and the publisher Herald Press in exchange for this review.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b></div>
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</style>Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-55356957273763630872018-01-22T16:33:00.000-07:002018-01-22T16:33:37.765-07:00Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqq2lGAizgsKwzsiXwSoEnvuCKSJQbMYmu9RxtpvSiTLk7jpRMYJjso5Ce9RuA-ADrmPPsL1wWzHgCeSUnp_xN0H4n3iUdiIdwFBEzQBFfE7MprB5SEedKKdm1pTd8UF84ZpnAh4pWiM9/s1600/Sacred-Rest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqq2lGAizgsKwzsiXwSoEnvuCKSJQbMYmu9RxtpvSiTLk7jpRMYJjso5Ce9RuA-ADrmPPsL1wWzHgCeSUnp_xN0H4n3iUdiIdwFBEzQBFfE7MprB5SEedKKdm1pTd8UF84ZpnAh4pWiM9/s320/Sacred-Rest.jpg" width="213" /></a><em> </em><span style="font-size: small;"><b>About the Book:</b></span> <em><br /></em><br />
<em>Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity</em>
(FaithWords, December 2017)<br />
<br />
<strong>Staying busy is easy. Staying well rested— there’s a challenge.</strong><br />
<br />
How can you keep your energy, happiness, creativity, and relationships fresh
and thriving in the midst of never-ending family demands, career pressures, and
the stress of everyday life? In <em>Sacred Rest</em>, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith,
a board-certified internal medicine doctor, reveals why rest can no longer
remain optional.<br />
<br />
Dr. Dalton-Smith shares seven types of rest she has found lacking in the
lives of those she encounters in her clinical practice and research-physical,
mental, spiritual, emotional, sensory, social, creative—and why a deficiency in
any one of these types of rest can have unfavorable effects on your health,
happiness, relationships, creativity, and productivity. <em>Sacred Rest</em>
combines the science of rest, the spirituality of rest, the gifts of rest, and
the resulting fruit of rest. It shows rest as something sacred, valuable, and
worthy of our respect.<br />
<br />
By combining scientific research with personal stories, spiritual insight,
and practical next steps, <em>Sacred Rest</em> gives the weary permission to
embrace rest, set boundaries, and seek sanctuary without any guilt, shame, or
fear.<br />
<br />
<strong><a href="http://ichoosemybestlife.com/sacred-rest/">Learn more and
purchase a copy.</a></strong><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>About the Author:</b> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBlwU0X-CfbeBQ4mwW3KktQHnnKXay8OGpd2FzFpqbiNmTAgrawQ2GY1lQc780gdAPr7NbhF-vN9cxfgjeJxIuGg-uIvRSCwjIgCEq2fy7fRlc9oPKNlkPW659YkWDyTYDIa7I1895kTn/s1600/SDaltonSmith-352.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBlwU0X-CfbeBQ4mwW3KktQHnnKXay8OGpd2FzFpqbiNmTAgrawQ2GY1lQc780gdAPr7NbhF-vN9cxfgjeJxIuGg-uIvRSCwjIgCEq2fy7fRlc9oPKNlkPW659YkWDyTYDIa7I1895kTn/s1600/SDaltonSmith-352.jpeg" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is an author,
speaker, and board-certified physician. She has an active medical practice in
Alabama (near the Birmingham area). She received her B.S. in Biochemistry at
the University of Georgia, and graduated with honors from Meharry Medical
College in Nashville. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Baker College
and Davenport University in Michigan teaching courses on health, nutrition, and
disease progression. Dr. Dalton-Smith is a national and international media
resource on the mind, body, spirit connection and has been featured in Women's
Day, Redbook, and First For Women magazine. She is the author of "Set Free
to Live" and "Come Empty" (winner 2016 Golden Scroll Nonfiction
Book of the Year and 2016 Illumination Award Gold medalist). She is a member of
the Christian Medical and Dental Association and a repeat keynote speaker at their
annual gathering. She has shared her tips on merging faith and medicine with
over 16,000 health care professionals to encourage the current and next
generation of doctors to treat the whole person.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Margie's Comments:</b></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
thought my word for the year would be “strength.” Last year my word was
“courage,” and I learned some new ways in which courage was needed. But after
reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sacred Rest</i> by Saundra
Dalton-Smith, my word for the year is changing to “rest.” Last year was one of
the most difficult years I’ve had. Lots of illness, chronic pain and fatigue.
So most of the year I was out of commission. I was able to do a few things, but
for the most part, I spent a lot of time in my recliner, reading, resting,
playing games, resting, crocheting, resting. And I started this year with strep
and a viral cough that I’m still struggling with. I had to drop out of many of
my normal activities. Then I was asked to review this book.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As I
started reading, I couldn’t think of a timelier topic! The author has a “rest
quiz” at the back of the book, which she encourages her readers to take. I did.
And crud! I still need to rest in every area she covers in the book: physical,
mental, emotional, spiritual, sensory, and creative. She writes in short but
info-rich chapters discussing each of the kinds of rest most of us need. In the
second part of the book she talks about the gifts of rest: boundaries,
reflection, freedom, acceptance, exchange, permission, cessation, art, communication,
productivity, choice, and faith. In every chapter she includes scripture and
faith elements, something I really appreciate, as I’m one of those that wants
to know how to make my faith more practical. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here’s
a quote from the first chapter that really spoke to me: "Rest is not for
weaklings. Hollowing out space for rest is work. Finding time for rest is the
hands and feet of the promises we long to claim. It means saying no. It means
having limits with ourselves. It means having limits with others. It takes courage
to rest in the midst of an outcome-driven society. It takes strength to walk
away from good in the pursuit of better."</span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
highly recommend reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sacred Rest</i>
as well as reading the information she keeps current on her websites. (I
received this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.)</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b> </span></div>
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Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-85831761258809243162017-09-01T15:03:00.000-06:002017-09-01T15:03:28.054-06:00The Child Safeguarding Policy for Churches and Ministries by GRACE
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Does your church or ministry need help developing a policy to keep
children safe? The GRACE team with multi-disciplinary knowledge, headed by Boz
Tchividjian, a lawyer and former child abuse prosecutor, want to help you
create a plan with their new book and resource, <span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022http\:\/\/stores\.newgrowthpress\.com\/the-child-safeguarding-policy-guide-for-churches-and-ministries\/\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Child Safeguarding Policy for Churches and Ministries</span></em></span>.</span></strong><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Creating
a policy can seem too overwhelming, and it feels like an impossible task to
plan for every contingency. This handbook is designed for use by a group
that will be formulating policies and procedures to protect children and deal
with possible child abuse in their ministry, school, and/or church. Working
through this book will assist churches and ministries to assess their current
child abuse polices and then guide them through each step they need to take to
address the safety of children under their care<strong>.</strong></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtcQTM4GXTtwYSJe_8s7AA5_uK5lVelRXpMeuPBuTQNrfAO5aMgQsKHvfDgvASY29MIZqshZQglAYc6q5MejpvVxUZN3Mo8CNztV5ZcziUa8mLIkNncypwt8lq-3v9bK9wx9myG_FFdhl/s1600/Child-Safeguarding-Policy-Guide-Small.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="446" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtcQTM4GXTtwYSJe_8s7AA5_uK5lVelRXpMeuPBuTQNrfAO5aMgQsKHvfDgvASY29MIZqshZQglAYc6q5MejpvVxUZN3Mo8CNztV5ZcziUa8mLIkNncypwt8lq-3v9bK9wx9myG_FFdhl/s320/Child-Safeguarding-Policy-Guide-Small.png" width="212" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About
the Book</span></b></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Child Safeguarding Policy for
Churches and Ministries</i> (New Growth Press, August 2017)<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Times;">Churches have always sought to be a
safe haven for children and families, but many today are dealing with the
tragic reality of child sexual abuse.</span></strong><br />
<br />
This handbook, authored and edited by a multidisciplinary team of child
abuse experts, is designed for use by a group that will be formulating policies
and procedures to protect children and deal with possible child abuse in their
ministry, school, and/or church. Working through this book will assist churches
and ministries to assess their current child abuse polices and then guide them
through each step they need to take to address the safety of children under
their care. It will cover vitally important topics including:<br />
<br />
—Protecting the children in a Christian environment from child abuse<br />
—The warning signs of child abuse<br />
—Crafting and implement a child protection policy<br />
—Responding to abuse allegations<br />
—Caring for victims of child abuse<br />
—The legal implications and requirements for churches and Christian ministries<br />
<br />
Written by a GRACE team with multi-disciplinary knowledge, headed by Boz
Tchividjian, a lawyer and former child abuse prosecutor, this handbook will be
an invaluable resource to Christians who are seeking to educate themselves and
others about child abuse and how to best protect the little ones under their
care.<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022http\:\/\/stores\.newgrowthpress\.com\/the-child-safeguarding-policy-guide-for-churches-and-ministries\/\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><strong><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times;">Learn more and purchase a copy.</span></u></strong></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxiIcLgC6JZrl0ldX5dqXdVEEhr_QzZjDU3UkEEE0PNFmhrAQj_hXAF43oTDf_T-Sp23GDkYHsXZ22OabVDeq_WHNV6dQyTJx1iDeBhM1Lb8CENDDZktWVeyzb1A6vc5_-GcN1LoJW_hn/s1600/GRACE-460.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxiIcLgC6JZrl0ldX5dqXdVEEhr_QzZjDU3UkEEE0PNFmhrAQj_hXAF43oTDf_T-Sp23GDkYHsXZ22OabVDeq_WHNV6dQyTJx1iDeBhM1Lb8CENDDZktWVeyzb1A6vc5_-GcN1LoJW_hn/s200/GRACE-460.png" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Authors</b></div>
(Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment) is a nonprofit
organization made up of highly trained, experienced multidisciplinary
professionals who seek to educate and empower the Christian community to
identify, confront, and respond to the sin of child abuse.<br />
<br />
Find out more about GRACE at <a href="http://www.netgrace.org/">http://www.netgrace.org</a>.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Margie’s Comments</b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The Child Safeguarding Policy for Churches and
Ministries</span></i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> is the book any Christian
ministry needs in order to set up a policy for employees and volunteers in a
church, school, camp, or any para-church ministry that works with children. Over
the years I have worked in almost every area of ministry at our church,
including the school and camp our church owns. Twenty years ago, the state of
Colorado required all “religious” entities that work with children to have a
written policy of what abuse is, and how we intended to keep the laws set up to
protect the children who came through the church, school, or camp. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Today my son and
daughter-in-love head up the training each employee or volunteer at our church
must go through <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">each</i> year in order to
work with the children the Lord brings into each ministry. (They will get my
copy of this e-book that was provided by the publisher in exchange for an
honest review.) There are many organizations out there who actually can help in
training employees and volunteers in order to be in compliance with each
state’s laws concerning abuse. But those who wrote this policy book are considered
among the most experienced with the most practical advice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The book is divided into five
sections covering a definition of every kind of abuse, a plan for protecting
the children in our ministry, a plan for responding to policy violations and
child abuse, a plan for ministering to those who have been abused, and a plan
for living the policy. Each chapter ends with a sample wording for a church
policy manual, plus sample forms located in the Appendices. Having been through
the training for adults working in children’s ministries, I found this book to
cover each topic thoroughly with easy to understand narrative and case studies.
The sample forms easily delineate what each is for and why it exists. As a
former teacher, mom, grandma, camp kitchen coordinator and counselor, I found
this book extremely helpful and thorough in helping a ministry like ours make
sure they are in compliance with the law. I highly recommend the book and
commend the authors for addressing this difficult topic in a kind and
compassionate way.</span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-38747255201094282252017-08-29T15:21:00.005-06:002017-08-29T15:21:42.739-06:00 'God's Crime Scene for Kids' Mystery Investigation Kit Giveaway<strong>Join your children in learning how to determine the most
reasonable cause for everything we see in creation with a real-life
detective! In <a href="http://www.casemakersacademy.com/get-the-book/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>God’s Crime Scene for Kids</em></a>, J. Warner Wallace shows kids ages 8 to 12 what skills are needed to solve Jason’s mystery.</strong><br />
<br />
Jason uncovers a mystery in his grandmother’s attic. He and his
friends, Hannah, Daniel and Jasmine, enlist the help of Detective
Jeffries at the Jr. Detective’s Academy. Your kids will look at evidence
in the universe that demonstrates God is the creator and ultimately
learn how to make their own case for God’s existence.<br />
<br />
<strong>Help your kids become detectives who investigate creation for
signs of God and His creativity by entering to win the Mystery
Investigation Kit!</strong><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/c003" rel="noopener" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21440" data-jpibfi-post-excerpt="" data-jpibfi-post-title="God’s Crime Scene for Kids by J. Warner and Susie Wallace | Blog Tour and Kindle Giveaway" data-jpibfi-post-url="http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/gods-crime-scene-kids-j-warner-susie-wallace" data-jpibfi-src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/gods-crime-scene-kids-400.png" height="300" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/gods-crime-scene-kids-400.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<strong>One grand prize winner will receive:</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>A copy of <em>God’s Crime Scene for Kids</em></li>
<li>A <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GEW27DA/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Kindle Fire</a> so your kids can visit the <a href="http://www.coldcasechristianityforkids.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Cold-Case Christianity for Kids</em> website</a> and start their journey in the Case Makers Academy</li>
<li>A kid-proof, protective <a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-New-Amazon-Kid-Proof-Generation-Release/dp/B01MSQEEMF/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Kindle Fire case</a> (your kids’ choice of color)</li>
</ul>
<strong>Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on August 31.</strong> The winner will be announced September 1 on <a href="http://litfusegroup.com/category/blog" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>the Litfuse blog</strong></a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/c003" rel="noopener" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-21442" data-jpibfi-post-excerpt="" data-jpibfi-post-title="God’s Crime Scene for Kids by J. Warner and Susie Wallace | Blog Tour and Kindle Giveaway" data-jpibfi-post-url="http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/gods-crime-scene-kids-j-warner-susie-wallace" data-jpibfi-src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/gods-crime-scene-kids-enterbanner.png" height="100" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/gods-crime-scene-kids-enterbanner.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-64985231668480172672017-08-29T15:07:00.000-06:002017-08-29T15:07:01.836-06:00God's Crime Scene for Kids: Investigate Creation with a Real Detective by J. Warner and Susie Wallace
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYBJxltTx1E6W0Civ-UZubF7mGq8wwsxAldIjidbIRx-IMVWAYlZX5HsAIfcLRSG1H4cM-lKgQsNqd-xZfmsJMIIk_96KHKMHyq1iU5xo2E4AOdPZB4_NJAKCTp4mX_1Z1r1Edd0KhTOp/s1600/Gods-Crime-Scene-for-Kids-Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqYBJxltTx1E6W0Civ-UZubF7mGq8wwsxAldIjidbIRx-IMVWAYlZX5HsAIfcLRSG1H4cM-lKgQsNqd-xZfmsJMIIk_96KHKMHyq1iU5xo2E4AOdPZB4_NJAKCTp4mX_1Z1r1Edd0KhTOp/s200/Gods-Crime-Scene-for-Kids-Small.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Book:</b>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times;">God’s Crime Scene for Kids: Investigate
Creation with a Real Detective</span></em> (David C Cook, September 2017)<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Times;">Hone your reasoning skills as you
investigate evidence in the universe to determine the most reasonable cause for
everything we see in creation.</span></strong><br />
<br />
In this companion to <em><span style="font-family: Times;">Cold-Case
Christianity for Kids</span></em>, Jason uncovers a mystery in his
grandmother’s attic. He and his friends, Hannah, Daniel and Jasmine, enlist the
help of Detective Jeffries at the Jr. Detective’s Academy. Along the way, they
develop the skills needed to investigate the mystery and the evidence of God’s
existence. The cadets learn logical-thinking skills as they examine the contents
of a mysterious box and the vast universe.<br />
<br />
In <em><span style="font-family: Times;">God’s Crime Scene for Kids</span></em>,
real-life detective J. Warner Wallace shows kids ages 8 to 12 what skills are
needed to solve Jason’s mystery, and at the same time looks at evidence in the
universe that demonstrates God is the creator. Ultimately, kids will learn how
to make their own case for God’s existence.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://www.casemakersacademy.com/get-the-book/">Learn more and purchase a
copy here.</a></span></strong><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Authors:</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjdywbBIYPCaZH6dgTGeSYYYsRsYNPpOxN-mzefJpG2ZBP9uVPnc4UuaAwhdL5LnxtPjll0rhyphenhyphencDawMcpJG1tQtFfS1BUayzh2Anrtk3fyQJEjCyYGiRIDisp-iRgvGOFs2C4BpUHI28-/s1600/JWSWallace-403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="189" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjdywbBIYPCaZH6dgTGeSYYYsRsYNPpOxN-mzefJpG2ZBP9uVPnc4UuaAwhdL5LnxtPjll0rhyphenhyphencDawMcpJG1tQtFfS1BUayzh2Anrtk3fyQJEjCyYGiRIDisp-iRgvGOFs2C4BpUHI28-/s200/JWSWallace-403.jpg" width="151" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">J. Warner and Susie Wallace have been
training young people in the church setting for over a decade. J. Warner is a
cold-case homicide detective who has been featured on Dateline, FOX News, Court
TV and other crime-related television shows. A former atheist, he is the author
of "Cold-Case Christianity: God’s Crime Scene," "Forensic
Faith," and "Cold-Case Christianity for Kids." He has a master’s
degree in theology and is the founder of ColdCaseChristianity.com. Susie has a
master’s degree in speech pathology and co-writes (and edits) all the kids books
in this series. J. Warner and Susie have four children and live in southern
California.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Margie’s
Comments:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In this sequel to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cold-Case Christianity for Kids</i>, the authors take us through a
second year in the junior police academy. The reader follows the same kids,
including themselves, as they solve a mystery for one of their friends as they
apply the new techniques they are learning. At the same time Detective Jeffries
teaches them about God’s creation using the same techniques. I loved the first
book in this Cold-Case Christianity for Kids series, so I have been looking forward
to reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God’s Crime Scene for Kids: Investigate
Creation with a Real Detective.</i> And I wasn’t disappointed. I love the
approach to creation facts as given in the Bible, proving once again that God
doesn’t lie. As with the first book, I’ll pass this book (which I received from
the publisher in exchange for an honest review) on to my son, the director of a
church camp. He also loves this approach to teaching biblical truths to young
people. </span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-70015552324179299212017-08-23T12:01:00.002-06:002017-08-23T12:01:37.445-06:00A Name Unknown by Roseanna White
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxF00Ea8nmyeyA25V7TOZKmng7yf-PV74PDNz1CgITi-mcSQIs8kJgujLfcehpQ02cdrgv5U1d1KU7WCp-RH2gMfUsbwSjjvcXTbzm9eAFfJvqeNLY13AGXGc7ZrFcLI_cZ1KJTiOeGRra/s1600/a-name-unknown-small.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxF00Ea8nmyeyA25V7TOZKmng7yf-PV74PDNz1CgITi-mcSQIs8kJgujLfcehpQ02cdrgv5U1d1KU7WCp-RH2gMfUsbwSjjvcXTbzm9eAFfJvqeNLY13AGXGc7ZrFcLI_cZ1KJTiOeGRra/s320/a-name-unknown-small.jpg" width="206" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Book:</b>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times;">A Name Unknown</span></em> (Bethany
House, July 2017)<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Times;">She’s out to steal his name. Will he
steal her heart instead?</span></strong><br />
<br />
Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins that helped
her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they are no
longer pickpockets—now they focus on high value items and have learned how to
blend into upper-class society. Rosemary’s challenge of a lifetime comes when
she’s assigned to determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to
Britain or to Germany. How does one steal a family’s history, their very name?<br />
<br />
Rumors swirl around Peter Holstein. Awkward and solitary, but with access to
the king, many fear his influence. But Peter can’t help his German last name
and wants to prove his loyalty to the crown—so he can go back to anonymously
writing a series of popular adventure novels. When Rosemary arrives on his
doorstop pretending to be a well- credentialed historian, Peter believes she’s
the right person to help him dig through his family’s past.<br />
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Anger and danger continue to mount, though, and both realize they’re in a
race against time to discover the truth—about Peter’s past and about the
undeniable attraction kindling between them.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://www.roseannamwhite.com/books/shadows-over-england-series/a-name-unknown">Learn
more and purchase a copy.</a></span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCIH4GWyjPJq4Ue-VqnxcnYbLJQw5ow_WqVe7T1f4qhwhLwLAD38yTDN3JD-Zy-G7S9FAjrFwMyFJX9dP63R8y17GqjM9i_dcb5hyZfNXgsnR08k2mLrTo9XhtflQVCBRrL_DRg0eekb-/s1600/RWhite-458.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="228" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjCIH4GWyjPJq4Ue-VqnxcnYbLJQw5ow_WqVe7T1f4qhwhLwLAD38yTDN3JD-Zy-G7S9FAjrFwMyFJX9dP63R8y17GqjM9i_dcb5hyZfNXgsnR08k2mLrTo9XhtflQVCBRrL_DRg0eekb-/s320/RWhite-458.jpg" width="291" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Author: </b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Roseanna M. White pens her novels
beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over
her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing
and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the
author of over a dozen historical novels and novellas, ranging from biblical
fiction to American-set romances to her British series. Spies and war and
mayhem always seem to make their way into her novels . . . to offset her real
life, which is blessedly boring. She passes said boring life with her husband
and kids in the beautiful mountains of eastern West Virginia.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Margie’s
Comments:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
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“With the greatest risks come the greatest rewards.” This is
the theme of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Name Unknown</i> by
Roseanna M. White. And the heroine of the story, Rosemary Gresham, proves the
truth of that statement over and over throughout the story White has brought together
with wonderful storytelling skills. The characters, major and minor, are all
well-developed and the story is truly unique and well-written. The book was
hard for me to put down. I look forward to reading the other books in this
series—Shadows over England—by Roseanna White in the future. I highly recommend
this book, set in the Edwardian period of English history, leading up to the
First World War.</div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-56902943989741470882017-08-21T11:46:00.000-06:002017-08-21T11:46:36.062-06:00My Daughter's Legacy by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTUuE5M4mj9LsDXfgQpo-P_66WtmsNu0UzpPMo6RUucOVmRurewDU1CBguFNbd7x-gXUxOZdCEhBQSXF8fLkTBd9U36DrlTkOZebv9uyyn8Xveuay-6cllepp87CHKcp9WY0PQbMBLsiM/s1600/My-Daughters-Legacy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="453" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTUuE5M4mj9LsDXfgQpo-P_66WtmsNu0UzpPMo6RUucOVmRurewDU1CBguFNbd7x-gXUxOZdCEhBQSXF8fLkTBd9U36DrlTkOZebv9uyyn8Xveuay-6cllepp87CHKcp9WY0PQbMBLsiM/s200/My-Daughters-Legacy.jpg" width="129" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Book:</b></div>
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<em>My Daughter’s Legacy</em> (Harvest House, July 2017)<br />
<strong>A thrilling tale of two women longing to follow God’s leading, make
the most of second chances, and find true love at last</strong><br />
<strong>Virginia, 1864</strong><br />
Therese Jennings cannot abide the thought of owning slaves. When her widowed
mother inherits a plantation, Therese flees to Civil War Richmond, where she
works as a governess by day and tends to wounded soldiers at night. But when
trouble befalls her family, can she reconcile her obligations with her beliefs?
And will love—whether with an old beau or a handsome new suitor—ever fit in her
broken world?<br />
<strong>Virginia, present day</strong><br />
Nicole Talbot’s life is back on track after years of substance abuse. Home
from college for the summer, she’s finally ready to share a shocking secret,
one that raises new questions about a traumatic childhood experience. But when
facts she uncovers cast doubt on her family’s legacy, she must risk all that
she’s gained—her fresh start, her family’s trust, and her growing relationship
with a new man—to unlock the secrets of the past.<br />
<strong><a href="https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/books/my-daughters-legacy-9780736962926">Learn
more and purchase a copy.</a></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavkI4Z_XJtzQWQ8CKacqUhe0DGRc2nfg2wn5SLoTLRvRLdymnbLlpmk3Pb-t3BACCePl89Lv88rjLhjhy0c18mKOu6SDpT92gVCZCDngle2lgOH6sns6kG4gIruRiPnjaxYVTCHddbXEU/s1600/ClarkGould-451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="125" data-original-width="250" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavkI4Z_XJtzQWQ8CKacqUhe0DGRc2nfg2wn5SLoTLRvRLdymnbLlpmk3Pb-t3BACCePl89Lv88rjLhjhy0c18mKOu6SDpT92gVCZCDngle2lgOH6sns6kG4gIruRiPnjaxYVTCHddbXEU/s320/ClarkGould-451.jpg" width="320" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Authors:</b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling
author of more than 20 books, both fiction and nonfiction, with over a million
copies sold. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live in
Pennsylvania. **||** Leslie Gould, a former magazine editor, is the author of
numerous novels, including "Beyond the Blue" and "Garden of
Dreams." She received her master of fine arts degree from Portland State
University and lives in Oregon with her husband, Peter, and their four
children.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Margie’s
Comments: </span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My
Daughter’s Legacy </span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould
is an excellent book! I loved the story, the characters, and the unique style
of the writing. As the story went back and forth between the historical and
contemporary settings, I couldn’t tell which author wrote what. This is truly a
good writing duo. While moving back and forth between the two stories is
confusing to some readers, I have always enjoyed the stories even more. This
book did not disappoint. I highly recommend <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My
Daughter’s Legacy</i>. </span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-53565802721290899802017-07-11T10:17:00.000-06:002017-07-11T10:17:40.436-06:00Dragon Seed by Marty Machowski
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">About the Book:</span></b></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9D2giT59s3dXuuHVxzvxP7PAhC5RvcEo26XVg_1b2OajK4JdPRP6jybnnkycJlwspD_zPneGOKSXS3NwgmK3ehckaTmdZsFJNCdRQiZLPIVKVDpCqqTxyaFlu3BM9JwTFwtg5s0ZYWsv/s1600/Dragon-Seed-Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9D2giT59s3dXuuHVxzvxP7PAhC5RvcEo26XVg_1b2OajK4JdPRP6jybnnkycJlwspD_zPneGOKSXS3NwgmK3ehckaTmdZsFJNCdRQiZLPIVKVDpCqqTxyaFlu3BM9JwTFwtg5s0ZYWsv/s200/Dragon-Seed-Small.jpg" width="133" /></a><em><span style="font-family: Times;">Dragon Seed</span></em> (New Growth
Press, June 2017)<br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times;">An angry teen, a desperate mother, a
missing father, and a shadow lurking in the background. </span></strong><br />
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Things were going from bad to worse for Nick and his family. Tempted to run
away after yet another argument with his mom, Nick receives a handwritten,
leather-bound copy of an old book—a family legend passed down to him from his
great grandfather. The book, called <em><span style="font-family: Times;">Dragon
Seed</span></em>, leads Nick deep into his family’s history and introduces him
to another angry young man who lived in the shadows (the shadows of the tombs).
Like Nick, you’ll be shocked to discover where he fits in this story of epic
proportions!<br />
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This page-turning, young adult fiction story invites older children and teens
into the real-life struggles of Nick. But it also ushers them into an
imaginative exploration of the life of the young man Jesus saved as he wandered
through the tombs. Best-selling author Marty Machowski uses both stories to
introduce the reality of spiritual warfare and how its shadows affect and
change us.<br />
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Machowski, a trusted teacher for children of all ages, presents a thoroughly
biblical view of spiritual warfare that emphasizes the importance of humility
and dangers of pride. Teens will be drawn to the story of Nick and his
struggles and will learn, as they read, to also identify the shadows in their
own life and turn from them. While the biblical teaching is evident throughout
the narrative of <em><span style="font-family: Times;">Dragon Seed</span></em>,
Machowski also includes a twelve-lesson Bible study at the end of the book to
help teens ground their understanding of spiritual warfare on biblical
principles.<br />
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Youth pastors, leaders, and parents will also want to explore with teens the
small group study at the end of the book with its unique take on spiritual
warfare that emphasizes the biblical theme of humility. This is a perfect book
to read with a group and discuss together the implications of Nick’s struggles
for their lives.<br />
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<a href="http://stores.newgrowthpress.com/dragon-seed-by-marty-machowski/"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times;">Learn more and purchase a copy.</span></strong></a><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">About the Author:</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8IfZGChpiE5jhEeiiBg88Sqs1LC3DgGCxwM99Wo69Jvq1SSmx57Rd1CgFY7jky9BdKHpjy-i0L-DetxLR3XcEJPfhW8UP5vXxLrOWfyzLGGxpkxEEH31CQM5xVv7K4j1IWCazRdHVm0s/s1600/MMachowski-448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8IfZGChpiE5jhEeiiBg88Sqs1LC3DgGCxwM99Wo69Jvq1SSmx57Rd1CgFY7jky9BdKHpjy-i0L-DetxLR3XcEJPfhW8UP5vXxLrOWfyzLGGxpkxEEH31CQM5xVv7K4j1IWCazRdHVm0s/s200/MMachowski-448.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> Marty Machowski is the Family Life Pastor at
Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on
the pastoral staff for over 25 years. Marty leads Promise Kingdom, the
children's ministry of Covenant Fellowship. He is the author of a systematic
theology for children entitled "The Ology," "Long Story
Short," "Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God,"
"The Gospel Story Sunday School Curriculum" and the companion
"Gospel Story Children's Bible." He and his wife, Lois, and their six
children reside in West Chester, Pennsylvania area.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Margie’s Comments: </span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">While <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dragon Seed </i>by Marty Machowski was written for older children and
teens, I loved this book and found it difficult to put down! What a unique way
to get a good look at Jesus and who He is and what He did while He was on the
earth in man’s form! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Nick is a teen who is
struggling against his mother’s good intentions and desires for him. When he fights
her decision, she hands him the book and asks him to read it while he is
isolated in his room. With nothing else to do, he reads the book. And he, too,
finds it difficult to put down. There’s a surprise for him in the reading, but
at the end he is ready to listen to the Lord as Lord of his life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The author finished the book
with a twelve-day devotional. These are based on Scripture and on
the principles of spiritual warfare </span></div>
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brought out in the story. It’s a good reinforcement to children
and teens to see where in Scripture these principles are upheld.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">If anyone has a teenager at
home (maybe more than one) they are struggling with spiritually, I highly
recommend this book for your teen(s) to read. Read it yourself, then have your
teen read it. Sooner or later it will lead to some great discussions because of
the content. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">(I was sent an ebook free
from the publisher and the publicity group in exchange for an honest review.)</span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-37876556598110122072017-06-26T21:13:00.000-06:002017-07-10T14:55:50.561-06:00Israel—God’s Heart by Ron Gafni and Kathleen Barrett<style>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Book:</b>
</div>
<i><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Israel—God’s Heart: Landscapes and Legacy of
Israel</span></i><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> (Skypics Israel, November 2016)</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Soar across the skies of beautiful Israel and
visit contemporary and historic sites beckoning visitors to stay and explore.</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The beauty of Israel from above is captured
by top aerial photographer Ron Gafni. As you sweep over ancient ruins,
fly high in hot air balloons, and view vignette’s of Israel’s modern
lifestyles, Holy scripture will also come alive. Author Kathleen Barrett offers
reflective narrative with scripture pointing to God’s redemption plan for the
world.</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://skypics.co.il/ContentPage_en.aspx?id=358">Learn more and purchase
a copy.</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv39bcJUcDmb4Yl_u6RpUpOqQR6148K9mpzevgjUZ9EJPxghmZiNbzYLIRKD5QqZafWAXzjq2tCGPdE60E6WGLjEefq8uf-yTrZeCVrNuZ3O7F4e-DuL60KNWnIMpD38osHdA0dil3Zb6F/s1600/GafniBarrett-446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="125" data-original-width="250" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv39bcJUcDmb4Yl_u6RpUpOqQR6148K9mpzevgjUZ9EJPxghmZiNbzYLIRKD5QqZafWAXzjq2tCGPdE60E6WGLjEefq8uf-yTrZeCVrNuZ3O7F4e-DuL60KNWnIMpD38osHdA0dil3Zb6F/s200/GafniBarrett-446.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Authors:</b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ron Gafni</span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
works as a professional aerial photographer after spending more than a decade
in Israel's High-Tech Industry. He brings his vast experience and personal
perspective through the lens of a proud Israeli citizen. His work has been
featured in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">National Geographic</i>, and
his company, Skypics.co.il, provides books from its "Israel From
Above" collection to the Israeli government, Army and Air force, as well
as to large corporations in Israel. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kathleen Barrett</span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,
a south Florida resident and former teacher is a student of the Word. She shares
her thoughtful point of view in "Israel-God's Heart" from a personal,
40-year walk of Christian faith and study. In 2002, she authored a children's
devotional. Before that and since then, she has published numerous articles
from mission's outreach to local political events. Her more personal and
reflective work has been featured in a number of collections.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Margie’s Comments:</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The photos in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Israel – God’s Heart</i> are stunning!
Beautiful! Amazing! I’ve never been to Israel in person (it’s on my bucket
list), but this book was the next best thing. What a blessing to read the narrative
that went along with the photos, as well. The readings combined with the photos
truly spoke to my heart and made me so thankful for God’s grace that makes it
possible for me to be a part of God’s family and chosen people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Thank you to the publishers,
photographer, and author for the free book in return for a review. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">The author/photographer of
the book have made this available online. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Here is a link for the
flipbook:</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "century gothic"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001d0W_zMsyr0oJ7N3b_srrUWhOPNur4_gEFTmI0oOqGhEhgHAr6PyiPX2oJgNybd687lLNG4tsnyft0b9PwZY5nzBmPX0jCXgEHOR_QjyUCDyGSndyZkkaLFqNIL-jYx0EYT5xx6hADzsCv1pbMyoP3x9WiLFJVykBqFNicXv7JihGNrus2gj52Ra3QG_qnLBqaLfrTngXgSI=&c=Dvr_BRjO3qmywnRfB8bqbLFRXvuw4BoDnheUpYgrd09-PBjKzUO41w==&ch=q-SJKP3VWAEHmiuQkalxxUxsy_SF6hKJU6GEaMfLT3p5G6ldBOxKog=="><span style="color: #6ba3a6;">http://online.fliphtml5.com/sbzi/lbnv/</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "century gothic"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" frameborder="0" height="210" marginheight="0</a>" marginwidth="0" nbsp="" scrolling="no" src="<a href="http://online.fliphtml5.com/sbzi/lbnv/" title="IGH" type="text/html" width="240"></iframe></span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-71867068544145811612017-06-16T20:40:00.004-06:002017-06-16T20:40:22.914-06:00Driver Confessional by David L. Winters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5onbWyaJLiysheykr5K10gbR91_9azRzTy2pmDc9Wg-7TyOAFyaHHDwU6pR3h3jh6zq7J_DNpO-pTqWNWByVbLIASK7vzI9hkO_PdkLW2Tr-hnqbKtBDlvOl1hvZp0dgFpGa29mb3PS65/s1600/Driver-Confessional-e1496864282807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="193" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5onbWyaJLiysheykr5K10gbR91_9azRzTy2pmDc9Wg-7TyOAFyaHHDwU6pR3h3jh6zq7J_DNpO-pTqWNWByVbLIASK7vzI9hkO_PdkLW2Tr-hnqbKtBDlvOl1hvZp0dgFpGa29mb3PS65/s200/Driver-Confessional-e1496864282807.jpg" width="124" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ABOUT THE BOOK:</b>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt;">Driver Confessional</span></em><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> (May 2017)</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ride share driver
Antonio cruises the streets of Washington, D.C. looking for his next fare. </span></strong><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">He has an unusual gift for relaxing his Buber
customers and stimulating their desire to reveal more than they planned. By the
completion of their ride, many feel so comfortable they confess their sins
great and small. Antonio’s faith and continuous prayers guide his discussions
and points him in new directions. Suddenly, his peaceful world is turned upside
down by a mysterious businesswoman. As she heads to a midnight rendezvous, she
confesses more than Antonio can handle. Her story sends him and his police
detective brother into a world of espionage, international terrorism, corporate
excesses, and danger.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.sabbaticalofthemind.net/product-page/pre-order-driver-confessional"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times;">Learn more and purchase a copy.</span></strong></a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48Y5PvrcVCwblU5Sg6t2eVBpmTtvwZNz8yEGITM_I0aWt1TTUA_FfjNR5l01GRZMb4zlGwD5gKHjb0wv-XTl3uCwiZCpN48p6HLf4D7Gf8fuTaK-4bE5-U1cO3cYePhNinvdhdSNnOLJR/s1600/DWinters-442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48Y5PvrcVCwblU5Sg6t2eVBpmTtvwZNz8yEGITM_I0aWt1TTUA_FfjNR5l01GRZMb4zlGwD5gKHjb0wv-XTl3uCwiZCpN48p6HLf4D7Gf8fuTaK-4bE5-U1cO3cYePhNinvdhdSNnOLJR/s200/DWinters-442.jpg" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR:</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">David L Winters is an award-winning
author, humorist and speaker, originally from Ohio, who lives in the suburbs of
Washington, D.C. His first book, "Sabbatical of the Mind: The Journey from
Anxiety to Peace," won several awards including a Silver Illumination
Award from the Jenkins Group and two Finalist Medals from the Next Generation
Indies Book Awards.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MARGIE’S COMMENTS:</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Even though some of the
publicity that came out about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Driver
Confessional</i> by David Winters said it was a fast-paced thriller, I found it
difficult to get into. While the story overall was good, it definitely wasn’t a
fast read for me. The characters were good, but could have been better
developed, so I didn’t connect with them as I would have liked to. Then there
were the editing/proofreading errors. As a professional freelance editor, when
I run across errors, they pull me out of the story. (I received a free book
from the author in exchange for an honest review of my personal opinions.) </span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-69495928026593238582017-06-16T20:06:00.000-06:002017-06-16T20:06:10.566-06:00The Great Chattanooga Bicycle Race by Mike H. Mizrahi<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4pmeVkpjHIkPeVU-I7CoU7ooz0EUIdqMA-nn8GiJXgQ2YVEYjGRlbB71PEq9qSt0O9cCicuHRDMp0Rg1x-2epHIQXIpKCtvhwVoMDqLvMUcin1QcUABT6CTZ04B2I0UvcQUP-DceCnyL/s1600/The-Great-Chattanooga-Bicycle-Race-Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="270" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4pmeVkpjHIkPeVU-I7CoU7ooz0EUIdqMA-nn8GiJXgQ2YVEYjGRlbB71PEq9qSt0O9cCicuHRDMp0Rg1x-2epHIQXIpKCtvhwVoMDqLvMUcin1QcUABT6CTZ04B2I0UvcQUP-DceCnyL/s200/The-Great-Chattanooga-Bicycle-Race-Small.jpg" width="135" /></a><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ABOUT THE BOOK:</b>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Great Chattanooga
Bicycle Race</span></em><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> (Redemption Press,
April 2017)</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chattanooga society
is turned upside down as a young woman has the audacity to ride a bicycle–in
bloomers!</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It’s 1895. Anna Gaines, 19, struggles to
conquer her insecurities after a horrible fall years ago from her beloved
horse, Longstreet. On a visit with her aunt in Brooklyn, she’s drawn to the new
pastime of bicycling. But back at home, cycling is a scandalous sport for a
proper lady. Southern women did not engage in activities meant for men.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Anna has her eye on Peter Sawyer, president
of the Cycling Club. As community outrage grows, an unexpected turn of events
pits Anna against Peter in a race between the sexes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Will Anna prove that women deserve the same
right as men to ride “the wheel?” Will she choose to live a quiet, traditional
life of a housewife and mother? Or will she pursue college and become one of
the “new women” emerging into the twentieth century on the seat of a bicycle?
What will become of the spark between Anna and Peter?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Faith, patience, and courage help Anna to
become the person she was meant to be.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.mikehmizrahi.com/the-great-chattanooga-bicycle-race/"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Times;">Learn more and purchase a copy.</span></strong></a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6E-hNin5zyjeqyuLHY7Hb9g5KGhM_wW2Oe6EIf5XnMcSAz-oOMeIiaAUNuBgyKXms11Ya4O3JQf8_d07yyuD2G0ttCVP-ZPggRwZSClphHv13qJLmILHDHLEjU4nwhBeEiEe8zKaCh5p3/s1600/MMizrahi-439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="166" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6E-hNin5zyjeqyuLHY7Hb9g5KGhM_wW2Oe6EIf5XnMcSAz-oOMeIiaAUNuBgyKXms11Ya4O3JQf8_d07yyuD2G0ttCVP-ZPggRwZSClphHv13qJLmILHDHLEjU4nwhBeEiEe8zKaCh5p3/s200/MMizrahi-439.jpg" width="132" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ABOUT THE AUTHOR:</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mike Mizrahi has a master’s degree in
public relations, advertising, and applied communication from Boston
University. After a career in corporate public affairs, he retired to pursue
writing. After a mission trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, he wrote his
first novel, "Kabirizi’s Revenge," and is also the author of
"The Unnamed Girl." Mike and his wife Karen live in Woodland Hills,
Calif., where the couple raised their two adult children, and he enjoys reading
and writing.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">MARGIE’S
COMMENTS:</span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">The Great Chattanooga Bicycle Race</span></i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> is the first book I’ve read by Mike Mizrahi. And I <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">loved</span> it. Right away I identified with
the heroine, Anna, and I rooted for her all through the book as she fought for
emancipated womanhood combined with women’s traditional roles. As the book
built up to the race between Peter and Anna, she didn’t realize how many
people, men and women, she’d influenced and helped in her fight to become an
active, godly woman, overcoming her fears, and gaining respect, in front of the
entire town. I will be looking for more books by this author in the future. (I
received a free book from the publisher in exchange for a review that states my
personal opinions.)</span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-78265497029643449962017-05-16T20:02:00.000-06:002017-05-16T20:02:13.608-06:00Brave Is the New Beautiful by Lee Wolfe Blum
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Do you find
yourself succumbing to unattainable “thinspiration” messages and pressure to
“do it all”? Be encouraged to live out who you really are with Lee Wolfe Blum’s
new book, </span></strong><em><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://leewolfeblum.com/product/signed-copy-brave-is-the-new-beautiful-finding-the-courage-to-be-the-real-you/">Brave
is the New Beautiful</a></span></b></em><strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.</span></strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Lee offers stories from everyday women who have answered
these questions with their lives—and found true beauty in the process. Through
call-to-action questions and ideas, she encourages readers to be brave enough
to be who they really are and the beloved that God knows they are.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">###</span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfuFsATFZY-xnhYkUXMIY3MvCzlFsDAhw-leTQDcD0269W7wcDpfuDLfGga5VGlIJ8mJ70aw-8lajbYXONxnLWPLbTk16pvWh5zCTVD3Fy67E2CFdEqPJLq1hgBiGMGRcKsj0YTwW9YoJ/s1600/Brave-is-the-New-Beautiful-Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZfuFsATFZY-xnhYkUXMIY3MvCzlFsDAhw-leTQDcD0269W7wcDpfuDLfGga5VGlIJ8mJ70aw-8lajbYXONxnLWPLbTk16pvWh5zCTVD3Fy67E2CFdEqPJLq1hgBiGMGRcKsj0YTwW9YoJ/s200/Brave-is-the-New-Beautiful-Small.jpg" width="133" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">About the Book:</span></b></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Brave Is the New Beautiful:
Finding the Courage to Be the Real You</span></em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
(David C. Cook, March 2017)</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Our culture
bombards women with “thinspiration” messages and pressure to “do it all” while
wearing the mask of perfection. </span></strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Women are left feeling alone and
overwhelmed. How can they stop comparing themselves to others? How can they
live out who they really are?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lee Wolfe Blum offers stories
from everyday women who have answered these questions with their lives—and
found true beauty in the process. In <em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Brave Is the
New Beautiful</span></em>, Blum weaves reflections from her own journey with
inspirational stories from everyday women who chose to take off their masks and
live authentically. Through call-to-action questions and ideas, she encourages
readers to be brave enough to be who they really are and the beloved that God
knows they are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://leewolfeblum.com/product/signed-copy-brave-is-the-new-beautiful-finding-the-courage-to-be-the-real-you/"><strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Learn more and purchase a copy.</span></strong></a> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">About the Author:</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_DL6IfxIkcfTQeozuq8Dbo6QsDxPkDO3H4s7elWINQaG_5SjiHaUePC7-PSaOhyIIbUNDhP5cjhfu6NcukrKizPaDgq2wmHTgvPaRvrcR4jCoonElk7SJW22Z6nSkaklbyRWVHBbSUAF/s1600/LWBlum-437.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_DL6IfxIkcfTQeozuq8Dbo6QsDxPkDO3H4s7elWINQaG_5SjiHaUePC7-PSaOhyIIbUNDhP5cjhfu6NcukrKizPaDgq2wmHTgvPaRvrcR4jCoonElk7SJW22Z6nSkaklbyRWVHBbSUAF/s200/LWBlum-437.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lee Wolfe Blum is an energetic
and passionate speaker who loves to help women find hope in healing from
perfectionism and addictions. She works as a mental health practitioner in the
field of Eating Disorders and Chemical Dependency. She lives in Minnesota with
her husband and three boys.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Find out more about Lee Wolfe at <a href="http://leewolfeblum.com/">http://leewolfeblum.com</a>.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Margie’s Comments:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">For
each of the past twenty years or so, the Lord has given me a word to make my
focus for that year. Sometimes the word is repeated the next year. The last
couple of years, He’s given me two or three related words. But this year it is
just one word: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">courage</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">And
even before the new year began, He had plans to put me into a “time out.” Yep.
Nearly five months worth so far. And who knows how much longer until I learn
the lessons He is teaching me. Each day I realize that in many ways it takes
more courage than I thought to get out of bed and get dressed, even if it means
I go no further than my living room and my recliner because of the incredible
fatigue. It hasn’t been a fun place to be, but I have learned so much about the
courage as a result—many times first-hand experience is much better than head
knowledge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Lee
Wolfe Blum’s book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brave Is the New
Beautiful</i> opened my eyes to even more stories of courage that God has
instilled into each one of His children. I love how her friend describes
courage in the last chapter: “The kind of bravery you are talking about isn’t
the kind that conquers. . . . It’s the kind that submits and relinquishes
control to God. This is true bravery. It is letting our guard down and becoming
naked, just like we were always meant to be. Trusting God and relying on him,
just as he made us to do.” This book is full of stories of women who make the
difficult decision each day to get up and do all that God has put before them,
in total submission and trust in His goodness and guidance. In this way, we
live out the purposes for which God made us. Even if it means He has to put you
into a “time out” in order to teach us what true submission and trust is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Thank
you, Lee Blum, for sharing these stories from your life and others’ lives.
Thank you for being authentic, for removing the masks we all don and try to
hide behind. Thank you for allowing God to use you in spite of your perceived
failures and inadequacies. These are the things the Lord is teaching me this
year. This is true courage, true bravery. </span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-12046117089037318972017-05-02T18:04:00.000-06:002017-05-02T18:04:40.755-06:00Think Again by Jared Mellinger
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTu_CnZHw9fWWHL46A4ATWSTW8UyALvkDcIaBlPUNLAYY14Ri6G2Qb3cuWmXwdQfi8GOojZxyqhGwJY6GTjn4JaElx-z10p12vZHcdsnqOUENy1ILHC4mbbJBxbih6oEZibUKRo6zS02h/s1600/Think-Again-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTu_CnZHw9fWWHL46A4ATWSTW8UyALvkDcIaBlPUNLAYY14Ri6G2Qb3cuWmXwdQfi8GOojZxyqhGwJY6GTjn4JaElx-z10p12vZHcdsnqOUENy1ILHC4mbbJBxbih6oEZibUKRo6zS02h/s200/Think-Again-1.png" width="130" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Book:</b></div>
<em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Think Again: Relief from the Burden of
Introspection</span></em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> (New Growth Press, April 2017)</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Evaluating yourself—being mindful of who you
are and what you are doing—is necessary and can lead to positive change.</span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But what about the dark side of
introspection? Do you ever feel weighed down and exhausted by your own
self-analysis? Perhaps you made a mistake, said a careless word, or even messed
up big time. Your self-examination spirals into a full-blown cross-examination.
You keep revisiting what happened. Your mind circles around the event,
fruitlessly trying to somehow make the outcome different so you don’t feel the
embarrassment, shame, and regret.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The modern self-esteem movement has left us
empty and self-focused. We exhaust our healthy introspection and pervert it
into constant self-evaluation, wrong views of ourselves, self-accusation, and
false guilt. Introspection was never meant to bear such weight.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Think Again</span></em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> offers real relief from the burden of introspection that so many
of us carry each day. Pastor Jared Mellinger, who tends to overdose on
self-analysis himself, shows us how the hope of the gospel can rescue us from
the bad fruit of unsound introspection. Mellinger’s short, story-filled
chapters help readers identify and turn away from unhealthy introspection.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There is an outward-focused God who delights
to rescue an inward-focused people and lead them into a better way to live.
When we truly understand it, we’ll see that the gospel actually sets us free
from thinking about ourselves too much. We can seek after and pray for the
peace and joy—the sanity—that comes from thinking about ourselves less often. <em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Think Again</span></em> includes practical instructions for
self-examination, fighting false guilt, breaking free from hyper-introspection,
and more. Ultimately, <em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Think Again</span></em>
demonstrates that the solution to thinking too much about ourselves is to look
to Christ, and it gives readers the tools to begin to turn from the mirror.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://stores.newgrowthpress.com/think-again-by-jared-mellinger/">Learn
more, purchase a copy, and read a sample here.</a></span></strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Author:</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jared Mellinger joined the Covenant
Fellowship Church pastoral team in 2006, upon graduating from Pastors College
of Sovereign Grace Churches. He became senior pastor in 2008. Jared graduated
from Kutztown University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Art
Education. He enjoys reading, rollerblading, poetry, drinking coffee, building
fires, and listening to Josh Garrels. Jared is the author of Think Again:
Relief from the Burden of Introspection. He resides in Glen Mills, PA with his
wife Meghan and their six children.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Margie’s
Comments: </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I must admit that when the opportunity
to review <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Think Again </i>by Jared
Mellinger came, I almost turned it down. I was already stuck in the pit of
introspection, and my extra-special group of ladies with whom I pray twice a
month (well, more than that, but we meet twice a month for purpose-filled
prayer) were working with me on solutions to the problem. But at the last
moment I did agree to do a review (for which I received a free copy of the
ebook). And I am so thankful I did.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Think Again</span></i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
talks about the problems inherent with excessive introspection, why we get into
the trap and can’t seem to find our way out, and how to “examine” our motives
and actions biblically so we can be released from the trap. It isn’t a long
book, and the author has a style that is very easy to read and understand. And
while the solution to excessive introspection is simple, it can also be
difficult to implement. Any time we have to change our thinking patterns, we’re
in for a spiritual battle because Satan’s main battlefield is for control of
our thoughts. The author suggests that we don’t try to do it alone, for this
reason. Reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Think Again</i> has
reminded me once again how thankful I am for the ladies I mentioned. We are
truly iron-sharpening-iron friends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With our focus first of all on God
alone (who He is, His promises, and His love and tender care) and then on
others, we will find ourselves free from the trap of introspection and can face
life with joy. I highly recommend this book. </span></div>
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Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-78394387669159814332017-04-26T20:46:00.001-06:002017-04-26T20:46:55.866-06:00The Woman's Study Bible (NKJV) Review
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtPJA1fbWbFmrTIxewKecYPsmFPupjBv5vJwIZYd-rhzgcTsUsOK4scI1c7o_HQ_PkTUU-suB-nBj9OPlldYRhRVdHfmGw0jnwa16lYuPghckH4H7MEN7xuUKjaLbyQPuPhzm70yMbjc5/s1600/Bible-selections-504x347.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtPJA1fbWbFmrTIxewKecYPsmFPupjBv5vJwIZYd-rhzgcTsUsOK4scI1c7o_HQ_PkTUU-suB-nBj9OPlldYRhRVdHfmGw0jnwa16lYuPghckH4H7MEN7xuUKjaLbyQPuPhzm70yMbjc5/s200/Bible-selections-504x347.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Bible:</b></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The NKJV Woman’s Study Bible</span></em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> (Thomas Nelson, March 2017)</span></div>
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<em><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Woman’s
Study Bible</span></b></em><strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> poignantly reveals the Word of
God to women, inviting them to receive God’s truth for balance, hope, and
transformation. </span></strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Special features designed to
speak to a woman’s heart appear throughout the Bible text, revealing
Scripture-based insights about how godly womanhood grows from a woman’s
identity as a Christ-follower and a child of the Kingdom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now with a beautiful full-color redesign,
<em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Woman’s Study Bible</span></em> reflects
the contributions of over 80 women from a wide variety of ethnic,
denominational, educational, and occupational backgrounds. Since the
publication of the first edition of <em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Woman’s
Study Bible</span></em> under the editorial guidance of Dorothy Kelley
Patterson and Rhonda Harrington Kelley, this landmark study Bible has sold over
1.5 million copies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Features Include:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—Beautiful full-color design
throughout<br />
—Detailed biographical portraits of over 100 biblical women<br />
—Thousands of extensive verse-by-verse study notes<br />
—Over 300 in-text topical articles on relevant issues<br />
—Insightful essays by women who are recognized experts in the fields of
theology, biblical studies, archaeology, and philosophy<br />
—Book introductions and outlines<br />
—Hundreds of full-color in-text maps, charts, timelines, and family trees<br />
—Quotes from godly women throughout history<br />
—Set of full-page maps of the biblical world<br />
—Topical index<br />
—Concordance</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com/womansbible/"><strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Learn more and purchase a copy.</span></strong></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs12TpLzly5YPxazlzuOoorv6HSA5gye6cSOsP6_lFTbnMjgfRCByvqoFQk1jFZzoM2ehiZiKj2BywvO8iiTd5JCHzz4p21i3lZt0HkHo_pG1ri1SDMI0IYZ1UxyGsk4ExdFWRBMztKGSr/s1600/TNelson-432.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs12TpLzly5YPxazlzuOoorv6HSA5gye6cSOsP6_lFTbnMjgfRCByvqoFQk1jFZzoM2ehiZiKj2BywvO8iiTd5JCHzz4p21i3lZt0HkHo_pG1ri1SDMI0IYZ1UxyGsk4ExdFWRBMztKGSr/s200/TNelson-432.jpeg" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Publisher:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In business since 1798, Thomas
Nelson is one of the oldest Bible publishers in the world and the largest
publisher of the King James Version. Their mission is to inspire the world by
using our talents, assets, opportunities, and influence to engage and equip
people with Scripture and draw people to a deeper study and understanding of
God’s Word.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Find out more about Thomas Nelson
at <a href="https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com/">https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com</a>.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Margie’s Comments:</b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">While
getting ready to review the updated NKJV Woman’s Study Bible, I decided to look
at the two books of the New Testament that I’m studying in my personal study
right now: Ephesians and 1 Peter. And I have enjoyed the pertinent, short
articles that accompany the text and help to bring more light on the subject of
women in the Bible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">In
Ephesians the article that “hit home” with me was on Women’s Ministries and how
women serve the local church body. “Jesus’ desire is that each woman yield
herself to him in utter dependence, recognizing that “without Me you can do
nothing” (John 15:5), and relying on His Spirit to fulfill the special ministry
He selects for her—a ministry appropriate to her talents and effective in her
generation. . . . Each woman is hand-picked by God, situated in Christ’s body
just as He desires, and is indispensible in reaching her particular sphere of
influence for Christ.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Submission,
especially to husbands, is a topic that can spark controversy in the church.
Yet it is a topic that both Paul and Peter address in their letters to
believers. In 1 Peter the compilers of The Woman’s Study Bible put together an
article and a chart that thoroughly explains biblical submission. I especially
love the chart and will use it often as I teach/lead women’s Bible studies. The
definition of submission is one of the clearest I’ve come across: “to put all
of yourself—understandings, knowledge, opinions, feelings, energies—at the
disposal of a person in authority over you. This never means subjecting
yourself to abusive tyranny, nor does it suggest mindless acquiescence to the
whims of another. It is the yielding of humble and intelligent
obedience—without suggestion of inferiority or worthlessness.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">I chose the
leather cover on the Bible Thomas Nelson sent me in return for an honest
review. The full-color interior as headers for the articles and other
information used for study really set this particular Bible for women. I will continue
to use it in my Bible study for a long time to come. </span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-77124072775426306892017-04-26T17:27:00.000-06:002017-04-26T17:27:27.617-06:00The NKJV Woman’s Study Bible Grow in the Word Giveaway<code><b>You’re invited to receive God’s truth for balance,
hope, and transformation in the fully revised and redesigned <a href="https://www.thomasnelsonbibles.com/womansbible/" target="_blank"><i>The NKJV Woman's Study
Bible</i></a>.</b> The new edition
features a beautiful, full-color redesign and poignantly reveals the
Word of God with Scripture insights and the contributions of more
than eighty women from a wide variety of ethnic,
denominational, educational, and occupational
backgrounds. Special features designed to speak to a woman’s
heart appear throughout the Bible text, revealing Scripture-based
insights about how godly womanhood grows from a woman’s identity as a
Christ-follower and a child of the Kingdom.<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<b>This spring, cultivate your heart's spiritual roots and enter to win the Grow in the Word Giveaway!</b><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
</code><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<code><br /></code>
<code><a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/b63e" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-20762" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/nkjv-400.png" height="300" width="400" /></a> </code></div>
<code>
<br />
<br /><br />
<b>One grand prize winner will receive:</b><br />
<br /><br />
<ul><br />
<li>A copy of <i>The NKJV
Woman's Study Bible</i> (winner's choice of design)</li>
<br />
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Hope-Love-Corinthians-13/dp/B011W54CD2/" target="_blank">A decorative plaque</a></li>
<br />
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Tree-Life-Necklace-rose-gold/dp/B01NCMC8EM/" target="_blank">A rose gold Tree of Life
necklace</a></li>
<br />
</ul>
<br />
<b>Enter today by clicking the icon below, but
hurry! The giveaway ends on
April 27.</b> The winner will be announced
April 28 on the <a href="http://litfusegroup.com/category/blog" target="_blank"><b>Litfuse blog</b></a>.<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/b63e" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-20764" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/nkjv-enterbanner.png" height="100" width="400" /></a></div>
</code>Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-11772856051337960992017-04-13T15:08:00.000-06:002017-04-13T15:08:30.273-06:00Getting Jesus Wrong by Matt Johnson
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">About the
Book:</span></strong>
<div style="mso-pagination: none;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We all want
something from Jesus, whether that’s help to get through life, a new job, a new
direction, a new exercise plan. Learn why that approach doesn’t result in real
faith or love in Matt Johnson’s new book, <a href="http://stores.newgrowthpress.com/getting-jesus-wrong-by-matt-johnson/"><em><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Getting
Jesus Wrong</span></em></a>.</span></strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Whether
we’ve followed a false Jesus or attempted to coopt the real Jesus, <em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Getting Jesus Wrong</span></em> ultimately offers us hope because
it helps us see Jesus as he is. Getting Jesus right gives us more than
spiritual vitamins or a blueprint for living; it gives us a full, rich life
spent exploring the depths of gospel love together.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMUHDGXz7Pyq-SZBzHX04_jS8E08BooX4j8IRmnJ6JYBAOs3AxyLMmKNrfuIUzhMldTf99bvm73E792aEn6svCMmJwWSYvQQp_wxux6e5aYdBqecF-_tY1bgyY8R_A_bmFKBu5M1zH2JvT/s1600/Getting-Jesus-Wrong-sm-504x765.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMUHDGXz7Pyq-SZBzHX04_jS8E08BooX4j8IRmnJ6JYBAOs3AxyLMmKNrfuIUzhMldTf99bvm73E792aEn6svCMmJwWSYvQQp_wxux6e5aYdBqecF-_tY1bgyY8R_A_bmFKBu5M1zH2JvT/s200/Getting-Jesus-Wrong-sm-504x765.png" width="131" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Getting Jesus Wrong</span></i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> (New Growth Press, February 2017)</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Jesus is not a life coach, a
movement leader, a cultural visionary, or a blessing dispenser—but you might
not know that by listening to many Christians talk about their faith. </span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Feel-good slogans promote a caricatured Jesus made
in our own image who cannot save us and leave us feeling guilty for not saving
ourselves. Following the wrong Jesus disappoints us and produces anxiety,
pride, and despair.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The first half of <i>Getting Jesus Wrong</i>
recounts pastor and author Matt Johnson’s personal encounters with a string of
false saviors—false saviors that many, especially young adults, will recognize.
Johnson’s humor and transparency in recounting his own painful experiences will
appeal to those who have tried a “brand” of Christianity and found it lacking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The truth is, we all want something from Jesus.
Some are just hoping for a little help to get through life—a new direction, a
purpose that will get us up in the morning, an exercise plan, a way to get
organized. But that approach to Jesus doesn’t result in real faith or love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Whether we’ve followed a false Jesus or attempted
to coopt the real Jesus, <i>Getting Jesus Wrong</i> ultimately offers us hope
because it helps us see Jesus as he is. <i>Getting Jesus Wrong</i> shows that
the message of the Bible is about Jesus coming to us as we are—which is good
news for exhausted and disillusioned disciples. It shows us that getting Jesus
right means a whole new way of thinking (the way up is down) and a whole new
way of life (daily dependence on the one who knows the beginning from the end).
Getting Jesus right gives us more than spiritual vitamins or a blueprint for
living; it gives us a full, rich life spent exploring the depths of gospel love
together.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://stores.newgrowthpress.com/getting-jesus-wrong-by-matt-johnson/">Learn
more and purchase a copy.</a></span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">About the Author:</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0poJLxzFrJhX3a4GwOUGEYEBYfzflWSREeFOhuSCAGlkiQvjlPpO_AdtEcg-8gZEdnULHwBGgOddw2rIoVRBCG4i_ylVgAJbSvF0c-i-aILUSOsjbePHECrkCU_jdczC9Z4GsOfSrBMxD/s1600/MJohnson-431.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0poJLxzFrJhX3a4GwOUGEYEBYfzflWSREeFOhuSCAGlkiQvjlPpO_AdtEcg-8gZEdnULHwBGgOddw2rIoVRBCG4i_ylVgAJbSvF0c-i-aILUSOsjbePHECrkCU_jdczC9Z4GsOfSrBMxD/s200/MJohnson-431.jpeg" width="149" /></a><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Matt Johnson is a husband, father
to two little girls, and is an armchair student of theology living in Seattle.
He is also a freelance writer and editor. Until recently, Matt spent 7 years as
an associate volunteer pastor in counseling and recovery ministry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Find out more about Matt at <a href="https://www.therealmattjohnson.com/">https://www.therealmattjohnson.com</a>.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Margie’s Comments: </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Getting Jesus
Wrong</span></i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> by Matt Johnson<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>is an interesting read—one that I
needed right now. We all want Jesus to be the person we need Him to be, but as
humans we tend to focus on the aspect of Christ that we see ourselves needing
most. And because of that we tend to limit Him by putting Him into a “box” of
our own making. After a time we wonder what went wrong, why Jesus isn’t doing
what we want Him to do. While I identified with many of the false Jesus persona
the author presents, I think checklist Jesus was the one that convicted me the
most. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Not
only does the author talk about the “false Jesus” but he also includes a section
of who the true Jesus is and how we can learn to depend on Him alone daily and
in every situation. While reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Getting
Jesus Wrong</i>, I kept thinking of the discussion Jesus has with His disciples
in John 15 about abiding in Him, especially verse 5: “In am the vine, you are
the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for apart from Me you can do nothing</i>”
(emphasis added, NASB). God is using this book and circumstances in my life
right now to teach me this lesson: without Him I can do absolutely nothing!!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">If
you are frustrated with your limited faith in Jesus, I highly recommend this
book. Even if you aren’t, but wonder if you’re “getting it all,” read this
book. Don’t just read it. Study it. Check out the verses the author quotes, and
pray for God’s direction and understanding. </span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-32955454365688760752017-03-21T15:56:00.000-06:002017-03-21T15:56:35.003-06:00The Elusive Miss Ellison by Carolyn Miller with Kindle and Cuppa Giveaway<div style="text-align: left;">
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<strong><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Book</b></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPndGsbLn6zIufYTuyWKoQxBHlEBDyB_84aJ60ZVrnWqFtBJwPWTtISVGrS9EwvyYfQaAcGTNbH-M6P188kSeUtbDDn8mq6Sc7PwkEn-jDz7KdZVo3RES2Wz9w9HPvB4N2vawrNLqe7ZYR/s1600/The-Elusive-Miss-Ellison-001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPndGsbLn6zIufYTuyWKoQxBHlEBDyB_84aJ60ZVrnWqFtBJwPWTtISVGrS9EwvyYfQaAcGTNbH-M6P188kSeUtbDDn8mq6Sc7PwkEn-jDz7KdZVo3RES2Wz9w9HPvB4N2vawrNLqe7ZYR/s200/The-Elusive-Miss-Ellison-001.jpeg" width="129" /></a></div>
<em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Elusive Miss Ellison</span></em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> (Kregel, February 2017)</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Handsome appearance counts for naught unless
matched by good character and actions.</span></strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That’s the firm opinion of not-so-meek
minister’s daughter Lavinia Ellison. So even though all the other villagers of
St. Hampton Heath are swooning over the newly returned seventh Earl of
Hawkesbury, she is not impressed. If a man won’t take his responsibilities
seriously and help those who are supposed to be able to depend on him, he
deserves no respect from her. In Lavinia’s pretty, gray eyes, Nicholas Stamford
is just as arrogant and reckless as his brother–who stole the most important
person in Livvie’s world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nicholas is weighed down by his own guilt and
responsibility, by the pain his careless brother caused, and by the legacy of
war he’s just left. This quick visit home to St. Hampton Heath will be just
long enough to ease a small part of that burden. Asking him to bother with the
lives of the villagers when there’s already a bailiff on the job is simply too
much to expect.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That is, until the hoydenish, intelligent,
and very opinionated Miss Ellison challenges him to see past his pain and
pride. With her angelic voice in his head, he may even be beginning to care.
But his isn’t the only heart that needs to change.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">These two lonely hearts may each have
something the other needs. But with society’s opposition, ancestral
obligations, and a shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles in
their way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fans of Georgette Heyer, Lori Wick, and Julie
Klassen will enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister’s
daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past pride and presumption to a
humbled appreciation of God’s grace and the true strength of love.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://www.carolynmiller.org/book-inner">Learn more and purchase a copy.</a></span></strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Author</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPCCGNfJLQlSfDJRWXeyzvUbrcTagJyw-Dhl8zq0vFXaosv_e7Ir6-vRQb8v425J7fOa3nK_vrBQ3eTiXX-bYJiQdxV8Q8axwLtYTGuL9HIoEQAcPMWPE1VnE5DLfh0kIucwSw_m14dTT/s1600/CMiller-423.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyPCCGNfJLQlSfDJRWXeyzvUbrcTagJyw-Dhl8zq0vFXaosv_e7Ir6-vRQb8v425J7fOa3nK_vrBQ3eTiXX-bYJiQdxV8Q8axwLtYTGuL9HIoEQAcPMWPE1VnE5DLfh0kIucwSw_m14dTT/s200/CMiller-423.jpeg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Carolyn Miller lives in New South
Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of
Regency romance, Carolyn's novels have won a number of RWA and ACFW contests.
She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Australasian
Christian Writers.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Margie’s
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What a wonderful read! I thoroughly
enjoyed this well-written book. The characters and setting are true to their
time period (Regency England). This debut author has done an excellent job of
writing a Regency romance that will take her readers away from contemporary
times and troubles to another historical time full of secrets and troubles.
Lavinia Ellison and the new Earl of Hawkesbury are truly iron sharpening iron
as they challenge each other to change and eventually to love. I look forward
to reading more from this author. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Make sure you sign up for the author’s
giveaway of a Kindle and a cuppa. (See below)</span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
</strong><br />
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<br />
<strong>Regency romance fans have another must-read novel to add to their lists: Carolyn Miller’s <em><a href="https://www.carolynmiller.org/book-inner" target="_blank">The Elusive Miss Ellison</a></em>.</strong>
Enjoy the spirited exchanges between the bluestocking minister’s
daughter and the bruised war hero as they move past pride and
presumption to a humbled appreciation of God’s grace and the true
strength of love. These two lonely hearts may each have something the
other needs. But with society’s opposition, ancestral obligations, and a
shocking family secret, there may be too many obstacles in their way.<br />
<br />
<strong>Settle in for a cozy night of reading with a cuppa and a Kindle from Carolyn!</strong><br />
<br />
<a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/b341" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-20541" data-jpibfi-indexer="0" data-jpibfi-post-excerpt="" data-jpibfi-post-title="The Elusive Miss Ellison by Carolyn Miller | Blog Tour and Kindle and a Cuppa Giveaway" data-jpibfi-post-url="http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/elusive-miss-ellison-carolyn-miller" height="300" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/elusive-400.png" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<strong>One grand prize winner will receive:</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>A copy of <em>The Elusive Miss Ellison</em></li>
<li>A Kindle Fire</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Maxwell-Williams-William-Granville-Ceramic/dp/B00THE8DEK" target="_blank">Two William Morris mugs</a> (winner’s choice)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Taylors-Harrogate-Classic-Variety-Count/dp/B0062JSYEW/" target="_blank">A box of tea</a></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/b341" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-20543" data-jpibfi-indexer="1" data-jpibfi-post-excerpt="" data-jpibfi-post-title="The Elusive Miss Ellison by Carolyn Miller | Blog Tour and Kindle and a Cuppa Giveaway" data-jpibfi-post-url="http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/elusive-miss-ellison-carolyn-miller" height="544" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/elusive-collage-504x686.png" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<strong>Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on March 22.</strong> The winner will be announced March 23 on the <a href="http://litfusegroup.com/category/blog" target="_blank"><strong>Litfuse blog</strong></a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/b341" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-20544" data-jpibfi-post-excerpt="" data-jpibfi-post-title="The Elusive Miss Ellison by Carolyn Miller | Blog Tour and Kindle and a Cuppa Giveaway" data-jpibfi-post-url="http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/elusive-miss-ellison-carolyn-miller" height="100" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/elusive-enterbanner.png" width="400" /></a>Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-63683090714937381732016-12-15T19:46:00.000-07:002016-12-15T19:50:33.172-07:00Getaway with God: The Everywonan's Guide to Personal Retreat by Leticia Suk<style>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorRexc4W4FwESK85wA4g4siyQ2fuVpY6u5yEK0z9KEsOQ5qiKxVWTF8BOMUh0yddWbS94OLe21hfaOnP8VGGKGhIkCSKncQFCPH2Fh5nJkNWBzkCGWKYXw4o45VRf7H0NReLLveJnG20I/s1600/Getaway-with-God.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorRexc4W4FwESK85wA4g4siyQ2fuVpY6u5yEK0z9KEsOQ5qiKxVWTF8BOMUh0yddWbS94OLe21hfaOnP8VGGKGhIkCSKncQFCPH2Fh5nJkNWBzkCGWKYXw4o45VRf7H0NReLLveJnG20I/s200/Getaway-with-God.jpeg" width="129" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>About the Book:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> </b></span>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Getaway with God</span></i><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> (Kregel, November 2016)</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What if a simple day away could transform
your life?</span></b><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Does spending time with God sound like just
one more thing to check off an ever-increasing to-do list? How are you supposed
to fit in anything that threatens to be more time-consuming? Too often there’s
simply no room to experience the intimacy, grace, and peace that God offers us.</span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Getaway with God</span></i><span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> does more than invite you to step away from life’s pressures to
take a personal retreat. It shows you exactly why you must–for your sake and
for your family’s.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With grace and warmth, Letitia Suk provides
step-by-step guidance and the necessary tools to enable any woman on any budget
to plan time away, whether it’s a quick, half-day break or a weeklong time of
restoration. You’ll find detailed steps for preparation, including descriptions
of different kinds of retreats and how to choose the best one for you, and
you’ll learn ways to bring the renewal you experience home with you. Practical
appendixes identify retreat centers nationwide and provide exercises and
prayers to kick-start your getaway with God.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">No matter what your season in life, the time
for retreat is now!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.letitiasuk.com/getaway-with-god.html"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "cambria"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Learn more and purchase a copy.</span></b></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b> About the Author:</b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Letitia invites women to chase the
Intentional life. She writes and speaks of God's renewal and restoration and
offers platters of hope to women in each season of life. Tish is also a
personal retreat guide and life coach in the Chicago area and moonlights as a
hospital chaplain. You might run into her walking by Lake Michigan, browsing
resale shops, or making up a new tradition. She blogs at hopeforthebest.org and
is also the author of "Rhythms of Renewal."</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Margie’s Comments:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ever since we first moved to Colorado a
little over 20 years ago, I’ve had the perfect place to go for my personal
retreats—our family cabin, a place I’ve been going to since I was a very little
girl. But even though I could have benefitted from them, I didn’t actually
start purposely taking them until about 15 years ago. By then my daughter was
in college and my son in high school. Both had summer jobs, and while I was
teaching school, summer was the perfect time to getaway. (Plus the cabin is a
little difficult to get to once the snow starts flying!) Then we moved away,
and my getaways didn’t happen, except on vacation, but then I was always with
my hubby. Not a bad thing, but he was always in the background. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>Then
in February this year we moved back to Colorado, and one of my first thoughts
was that I would be able to get in a personal retreat at the cabin once again.
However, with limited access to a vehicle (we have one between us, and mostly
hubby needs it for work), I haven’t had as many as I would like. Still, when I
saw Letitia Suk’s book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Getaway with God:
Everywoman’s Guide to Personal Retreat</i>, I knew I wanted to see what she
included in her personal retreats with God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>This
book is exactly what it says it will be: a guide to personal retreats, getaways
with God. She has great ideas of where to go on personal retreats from
bed-and-breakfasts to hotels to retreat centers. (One reason I like the cabin
so well—my phone gets little to no cell service at 9,000 ft. in the Rocky
Mountains! And while the cabin is near a very popular trailhead, it sits up the
mountain away from the road, and during the week very few people go by the
entrance to the cabins.) Also, she includes several ideas of what to include in
your retreat—journaling, reading, praying, taking walks/hikes, enjoying nature,
etc. Many of these things I’ve done. (Sometimes I’ve been so drained, all I do
is sit on the porch just soaking in the peace and quiet. Or I go down to the
stream and sit on a rock near the water and let the sounds rush over me. The
water is usually too cold for me to stick my feet in, except on the very
warmest of days and sitting in the sun!) Every time God meets me and I come
home with a renewed sense of purpose and a little better understanding of His
character. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If
you are feeling drained, overwhelmed, or ready to give up, I highly recommend a
getaway with God. Even if you’ve done personal retreats before, I still
recommend you get Leticia’s book for some great suggestions of how to conduct
and personalize your own retreat.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>NOTE: Make sure you sign up for the author giveaway. See the previous post for links.</b> </span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-71416188046018345152016-12-14T15:08:00.000-07:002016-12-14T15:08:32.721-07:00Letitia Suk’s ‘Getaway with God’ Travel Bag Giveaway<code><b>NOTE: I will being a review on this book tomorrow or Friday. </b></code><br />
<br />
<code><b>Do you need a day away from busyness and stress to
transform your life? Schedule a day and learn how to make the most of
your time of refreshment with Letitia Suk's new book, <a href="http://www.letitiasuk.com/getaway-with-god.html" target="_blank"><i>Getaway with
God</i></a>.</b> You’ll find detailed steps
for preparation, including descriptions of different kinds of retreats
and how to choose the best one for you, and you’ll learn ways to bring
the renewal you experience home with you. Practical appendixes identify
retreat centers nationwide and provide exercises and prayers to
kick-start your getaway with God.<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<b>Get ready for your own getaway with God by entering to win a travel bag set from Letitia.</b><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
</code><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<code><br /></code>
<code><a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/aae5" target="_blank"><img alt="getaway-with-god-400" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-20149" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/getaway-with-god-400.png" height="300" width="400" /></a> </code></div>
<code>
<br />
<br /><br />
<b>One grand prize winner will receive:</b><br />
<br /><br />
<ul><br />
<li>A copy of <i>Getaway with God</i></li>
<br />
<li>A Vera Bradley XL Duffel Travel Bag</li>
<br />
<li>A Vera Bradley Cosmetic Trio</li>
<br />
</ul>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/aae5" target="_blank"><img alt="getaway-with-god-collage" class="aligncenter size-large
wp-image-20151" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/getaway-with-god-collage-470x768.png" height="768" width="470" /></a> </div>
<br />
<br /><br />
<b>Enter today by clicking the icon below, but
hurry! The giveaway ends on
December 16.</b> The winner will be
announced December 19 on <a href="http://litfusegroup.com/category/blog" target="_blank"><b>the Litfuse blog</b></a>.<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/aae5" target="_blank"><img alt="getaway-with-god-enterbanner" class="aligncenter size-full
wp-image-20152" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/getaway-with-god-enterbanner.png" height="100" width="400" /></a></div>
</code>Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-52518781114116679772016-11-29T20:04:00.000-07:002016-11-29T20:04:27.476-07:00The Remnant by Monte Wolverton
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvjRUUGlGRDtNWJSkzdLmk9k-lC9d-kcF-twsR68LwPoL85XB-Jk5keTfsiygwP44cAFNCigpd_45l9zX4vHDyeg1X-fn2SO8HtVTtXLW0-Grwp0lLX-oKOiqwIuv2n-8kLTAw-OKxeyT/s1600/RemnantCover.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKvjRUUGlGRDtNWJSkzdLmk9k-lC9d-kcF-twsR68LwPoL85XB-Jk5keTfsiygwP44cAFNCigpd_45l9zX4vHDyeg1X-fn2SO8HtVTtXLW0-Grwp0lLX-oKOiqwIuv2n-8kLTAw-OKxeyT/s200/RemnantCover.jpeg" width="131" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Book:</b></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Times;">The Remnant</span></em> (Plain Truth
Ministries, August 2016)<br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Times;">In the year 2069 the Apocalypse came
and went, but Jesus didn’t show up, as some expected. </span></strong><br />
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Instead, a cataclysmic war, natural disasters and pandemics eradicated 90
percent of earth’s population. Now, in 2131, a totalitarian government rules
the world from the majestic, opulent capitol of Carthage, Tunisia. Blamed for
igniting the war, religion and religious books are banned. Citizens who will
not renounce their religion are sent to work camps.<br />
<br />
Grant Cochrin, imprisoned in a bleak petroleum camp in what was once North
Dakota, leads his family and friends to escape and embark on a long, dangerous
quest for a Christian community. Their resource in this journey? A cherished page
torn from the now banished Bible—a remnant of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount handed
down from Grant’s grandparents.<br />
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What if there were an Apocalypse and Jesus didn’t return? What if the
survivors found themselves living in a world ruled by a totalitarian government,
where religion is forbidden and all religious texts have been destroyed?<br />
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In <em><span style="font-family: Times;">The Remnant</span></em>,
award-winning author Monte Wolverton tells the tale of a band of concentration
camp escapees who trek through the lawless American wilderness on a quest for
authentic Christianity, only to come face to face with an unthinkable dilemma. <em><span style="font-family: Times;">The Remnant</span></em> is a fast-paced story
punctuated with dry satire, memorable characters and hard questions about
religious institutions.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.ptm.org/uni/resources/order/form_remnant.php" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;"><span style="mso-field-code: " HYPERLINK \0022https\:\/\/www\.ptm\.org\/uni\/resources\/order\/form_remnant\.php\0022 \\t \0022_blank\0022 ";"><span class="MsoHyperlink">Learn more and purchase a copy.</span></span></span></strong></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXuWNTeWXsuB1yNS5iyV1ScszFU9wXhwJaDLZbX-VMFm20kIRPBpl-7q4H4vqS61oyiVz-Z4zJ0iy1vz6jTBW6K2rrATr-MK2_pIKdp-XO4tR3Cqpo7FDj6EX4gvc9hsBc5jkfkoQQ1B4/s1600/MWolverton-408.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXuWNTeWXsuB1yNS5iyV1ScszFU9wXhwJaDLZbX-VMFm20kIRPBpl-7q4H4vqS61oyiVz-Z4zJ0iy1vz6jTBW6K2rrATr-MK2_pIKdp-XO4tR3Cqpo7FDj6EX4gvc9hsBc5jkfkoQQ1B4/s200/MWolverton-408.jpeg" width="159" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">About the Author:</b></div>
Monte Wolverton is an award-winning author and syndicated editorial
cartoonist. He is associate editor of CWR magazine. He is an ordained minister
and holds a MA from Goddard College in Vermont. Along with his wife Kaye, he
makes his home in southwest Washington State.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Margie’s Comments:</b></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Remnant </i>is a true dystopian
novel, a future world that is generally worse than the one we currently live
in. Yet we can learn much of how to live in our world now by reading dystopian
novels. And I found that to be true in reading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Remnant</i>. If this type of fiction appeals to you, you’ll enjoy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Remnant</i>. Journey with Grant and his
group of escapees from a detention camp in Minot, South Dakota, as they search
of a community of Christians they can identify with. The only thing I didn’t
like about the book is the cliffhanger with which the author ends the book. We
have to wait until 2018 to read the sequel in order to find out what
happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Or you can join the Facebook
group page at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1086563071463095/" target="_blank">The Remnant<strong>—</strong>CWRpress</a>.)<br />
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Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-6101479062291327432016-10-28T15:21:00.000-06:002016-10-28T15:21:37.153-06:00Cold-Case Christianity for Kids by J. Warner Wallace and Susie Wallace
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Q64nqGjxWLg2oGrfGli_OEQrvHjRtaDdMfrcndR5KQBbJ-CFR7sQVxSLcyH9dAkCfgDmxEKqkyoZsI9M0tSm4V7U57Mlbb2fele14UXSt2-VXbxJ_Wvl4QlcGH2zCY4cPIRDEhLsH57w/s1600/Cold-Case-Christianity-for-Kids-HI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Q64nqGjxWLg2oGrfGli_OEQrvHjRtaDdMfrcndR5KQBbJ-CFR7sQVxSLcyH9dAkCfgDmxEKqkyoZsI9M0tSm4V7U57Mlbb2fele14UXSt2-VXbxJ_Wvl4QlcGH2zCY4cPIRDEhLsH57w/s200/Cold-Case-Christianity-for-Kids-HI.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
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<em><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">About the Book:</span></b></em><br />
<br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times;">Cold-Case Christianity for Kids</span></em>
(David C. Cook, October 2016)<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Times;">Between the ages of 8 and 12, kids
often start to wonder if Christianity is true. </span></strong><br />
<br />
In <em><span style="font-family: Times;">Cold-Case Christianity for Kids</span></em>,
detective J. Warner Wallace draws readers into the thrill of high-stakes
investigation by showing them how to think rather than telling them what to
think. In this children’s companion to the bestselling <em><span style="font-family: Times;">Cold-Case Christianity</span></em>, detective Wallace
gets kids excited about testing witnesses, examining the evidence, and
investigating the case for Christianity. Includes author illustrations and
links to <a href="http://www.coldcasechristianityforkids.com/">a website</a> where
kids can download activities, fill in case notes, and earn a certificate of
merit.<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://www.coldcasechristianityforkids.com/get-the-book/">Learn more and
purchase a copy.</a></span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwhAjw2YLAtMe4O3RWiWgm1j99dZObK0O75RgVfA0pVHdxYleZJojtwCH1NZ97OLbAz8rK2FIMtDb1ULj9h6qEFjLpwwg0X308OP13b7YdgjXjpezPLTWaokQzb2m6YVy0auAXbt6ySke/s1600/JWSWallace-403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwhAjw2YLAtMe4O3RWiWgm1j99dZObK0O75RgVfA0pVHdxYleZJojtwCH1NZ97OLbAz8rK2FIMtDb1ULj9h6qEFjLpwwg0X308OP13b7YdgjXjpezPLTWaokQzb2m6YVy0auAXbt6ySke/s1600/JWSWallace-403.jpg" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> About the Authors:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">J. Warner and Susie Wallace have been
training young people in the church setting for over a decade. J. Warner is a
cold-case homicide detective who has been featured on Dateline, FOX News, Court
TV and other crime-related television shows. A former atheist, he is the author
of Cold-Case Christianity: God’s Crime Scene and Forensic Faith. He has a
master’s degree in theology and is the founder of ColdCaseChristianity.com.
Susie has a master’s degree in speech pathology and co-writes (and edits) all
the kids books in this series. J. Warner and Susie have four children and live
in southern California.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Margie’s Comments: </span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cold-Case Christianity for Kids</span></i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> is an interesting approach by the authors to teach older school-age
children how to investigate and think through difficult questions about
Christianity, the Bible, Jesus, and God. Each chapter takes the reader into
more investigation techniques and to the interactive website,
<a href="http://coldcasechristianityforkids.com/">ColdCaseChristianityforKids.com</a>, for more activities and a certificate of merit
when they complete the “training.” The book is full of illustrations and
graphics and includes extra investigations in sidebars to encourage the readers
to search out answers to their questions for themselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My children are grown, and my
grandchildren are still very young, but I will share this copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cold-Case Christianity for Kids</i> with my
son, a church camp director, and others on our church staff who work with
children. If you have children or grandchildren who would benefit from this
book, I highly recommend it. We need young people to learn to think through
these questions of faith so that when they are faced with opposition (and they
will be!) they are equipped to “give an answer of the hope” that lies within
them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I was given a copy of the book from the
publishers in exchange for an honest review.</span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-82852046367612531942016-10-28T14:39:00.001-06:002016-10-28T14:39:45.409-06:00J. Warner Wallace and Susie Wallace’s ‘Cold-Case Christianity for Kids’ Blog Tour and Giveaway<code><b>At the crucial age between 8 and 12, many kids
begin to wonder if Christianity and the Bible are true. Help your kids
become truth-seeking detectives with the help of J. Warner and
Susie Wallace's <a href="http://www.coldcasechristianityforkids.com/get-the-book/" target="_blank"><i>Cold-Case Christianity for
Kids</i></a>.</b> Detective Wallace gets kids
excited about testing witnesses, examining the evidence, and
investigating the case for Christianity. The book includes author
illustrations and links to <b><a href="http://www.coldcasechristianityforkids.com/">a
website</a></b> where kids can download
activities, fill in case notes, and earn a certificate of merit.<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<b>Encourage your kids to investigate the case for
Christianity by entering to win a faith examination kit and a
copy of J. Warner and Susie's new book.</b><br />
<br /><br />
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<code><br /></code>
<code><a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/a708" target="_blank"><img alt="cold-case-christianity-400" class="aligncenter size-full
wp-image-19895" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/cold-case-christianity-400.png" height="300" width="400" /></a> </code></div>
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<b>One grand prize winner will receive:</b><br />
<br /><br />
<ul><br />
<li>A copy of <i>Cold-Case Christianity for Kids</i></li>
<br />
<li>A <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TSUGXKE/ref=fs_ods_fs_tab_fd" target="_blank">Kindle Fire</a> so your kids can visit
the <a href="http://www.coldcasechristianityforkids.com/" target="_blank"><i>Cold-Case Christianity for Kids</i>
website</a> and explore its many activities</li>
<br />
<li>A shock-proof, kid-friendly, convertible <a href="https://www.amazon.com/AVAWO-Kids-Case-Fire-2015/dp/B016UDW9AE/" target="_blank">Kindle Fire case</a> (your kids' choice of
color)</li>
<br />
</ul>
<br />
<b>Enter today by clicking the icon below, but
hurry! The giveaway ends on
November 4.</b> The winner will be
announced November 7 on <a href="http://litfusegroup.com/category/blog" target="_blank"><b>the Litfuse
blog</b></a>.<br />
<br /><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://promosimple.com/ps/a708" target="_blank"><img alt="cold-case-christianity-enterbanner" class="aligncenter size-full
wp-image-19897" src="http://litfusegroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/cold-case-christianity-enterbanner.png" height="100" width="400" /></a></div>
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</code>Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7962357240389526818.post-33875338052111741622016-10-19T15:28:00.000-06:002016-10-19T15:28:46.357-06:00Union with Christ by Rankin Wilbourne
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSWCAaoTyotJNk3Fm0LQblTZMcG5InRm7iJnfTnZ4oGLpOwCvdX6yIx_FT2NGzIi564MOTm-vq9-6gC1Fx00GZgWQ5_Ra2FjrZXKjICSsiSU2-c7MnnNED74_sc1RUnc-ZLp7so7ETJWS/s1600/Union-with-Christ-HI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSWCAaoTyotJNk3Fm0LQblTZMcG5InRm7iJnfTnZ4oGLpOwCvdX6yIx_FT2NGzIi564MOTm-vq9-6gC1Fx00GZgWQ5_Ra2FjrZXKjICSsiSU2-c7MnnNED74_sc1RUnc-ZLp7so7ETJWS/s320/Union-with-Christ-HI.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<em><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">About
the Book:</span></b></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Union
with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God</span></em><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> (David C. Cook, July 2016)</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nothing
is more basic or central to knowing and enjoying God than </span></strong><em><b><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Union with Christ</span></b></em><strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.</span></strong><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Have you
ever had difficulty connecting what you know to be true about God with how you
feel or how you live each day? Have you ever longed to change but just felt
stuck?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Bible
makes a stunning claim: God has provided a way for your life to be united to
Christ’s. What does that mean? Is it really possible for me, now? What would it
look like?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In <em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Union with Christ</span></em>, Rankin Wilbourne makes union with
Christ accessible and beautiful, for you. <em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Union with
Christ</span></em> is not an abstract idea. It is a powerful reality. And
recovering a sense of your union with Christ can change everything for you,
like finally putting on a pair of desperately needed glasses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Discover how
coming to see your life through the lens of union with Christ can help bridge
that gap between your head and your heart, between your belief and your
experience. <em><span style="font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Union with Christ</span></em> is what we most
need in order to know and enjoy God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.rankinw.com/"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Learn
more and purchase a copy.</span></strong></a></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">About the Author:</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQ4FDgPqnpg_tlcHA7K4rxDPmWtsS2g1YWRf0u65_JLe0Lr-bUUfa7cz_rUMQ2O865YSQubjYltZ89XpfTC-X51i9Nr3JLC5t-NsW22GLaqFSMWVp5qimEJDq0OcMr4pVFo5VwCq4Bxa1/s1600/RWilbourne-398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQ4FDgPqnpg_tlcHA7K4rxDPmWtsS2g1YWRf0u65_JLe0Lr-bUUfa7cz_rUMQ2O865YSQubjYltZ89XpfTC-X51i9Nr3JLC5t-NsW22GLaqFSMWVp5qimEJDq0OcMr4pVFo5VwCq4Bxa1/s200/RWilbourne-398.jpg" width="132" /></a><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Rankin
Wilbourne grew up in Louisiana and was educated at the University of
Mississippi and Princeton Theological Seminary. He is now the senior pastor of
Pacific Crossroads Church in Los Angeles. As a former commercial banker, Rankin
understands the "gap" between the gospel preached on Sunday and the
world people face on Monday. Leading a thriving church in a city driven by
stories, he's concerned with drawing connections between what we believe and
how we live. Rankin and his wife, Morgen, reside in Los Angeles with their
three children.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Margie’s Comments:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
simple title of this book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Union with
Christ</i>, reflects the simplicity of the truth that Jesus Christ came to
earth “to seek and to save that which was lost.” But salvation in Jesus Christ
alone involves our active participation. And the author, Rankin Wilbourne, does
a masterful job of explaining and encouraging his readers to dig deeper into
God’s Word to find the answers to the “gap” that exists as believers attempt to
reconcile what they hear in church on Sunday and the pressures of the world the
rest of the week (or as soon as they walk out the door of their churches into
the “real” world). </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
topic of learning to abide in Christ (John 15) or union with Christ has been
one that I’ve pondered for most of my adult life. In reading this book for
review (but also for my own study and growth), I realized how thankful I am for
the church we have been a part of sixteen out of the last twenty years. If it
hadn’t been for the teaching of the pastors and other staff members on justification
and progressive sanctification, I probably wouldn’t have as good a grasp on
this topic as I do. Oh, I’m far from perfect, but it has long been my prayer to
realize the truth of Paul’s desire stated in Philippians 3:8–14. Even before we
moved to Colorado twenty years ago, the Lord brought me through various
circumstances, and yes, trials, in order to see how this union with Christ
could be accomplished. And for those experiences I am grateful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
author establishes the historical position of the church on this topic of union
with Christ before showing us the need of individual believers to have a
balance between God’s amazing grace (that doesn’t give license to do whatever
we please) and obedience to God’s commands in His Word in order to achieve the
joy and peace that is ours when we are in true union with Christ. This is a
full-length book that (at least for me) takes time to read it thoroughly in
order to understand and comprehend and apply the truths of Scripture, but it is
well worth every minute spent in doing so. I highly recommend <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy
God </i>by Rankin Wilbourne.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
Marjorie Vawterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12891691423146562031noreply@blogger.com0