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Showing posts from January, 2017

Is The Bible Good For Women

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Is The Bible Good For Women? That's a provocative question, especially in today's day and age, and one that Wendy Alsup sets out to explore in her new book, Is The Bible Good For Women?: Seeking Clarity and Confidence Through a Jesus-Centered Understanding of Scripture. I appreciated that Wendy is not just a Christian and a former church teacher/deacon, but she's also a mom and math teacher. I appreciated her logical mind and approach to the topic. The back cover says: "Is it possible to embrace the inherent dignity of womanhood while still cherishing the Bible? Many, both inside and outside the church, are concerned that an orthodox understanding of the Bible is threatening and even harmful to women. After all, the Bible has a number of passages regarding women that are deeply troubling and hard to read. But is that assessment accurate? In this fascinating look at God's work of redemption from Creation to today, Wendy Alsup explores questions such as: * How

A Moonbow Night

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I'll be honest: I initially selected the book A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz because the cover was stunningly beautiful and the title was pretty and intriguing. I'd never read a book by Laura Frantz before, and the historical time period this book is set in (1170s Kentucky frontier) is not a genre I generally read/have ever read before. the back cover says: " In an uncertain time, she faces a choice that will change her life forever After fleeing Virginia, Temperance Tucker and her family established an inn along the Shawnee River. It's a welcome way station for settlers and frontiersmen traveling through the wild Cumberland region of Kentucke - men like Sion Morgan, a Virginia surveyor who arrives at the inn with his crew, looking for an experienced guide. Though he balks when Tempe is appointed to lead his team through the wilderness, it isn't long before Sion must admit that her abilities may outmatch his own. But can the tenuous tie they are forming sur

After The Cheering Stops

I am so, so glad that I decided to read After The Cheering Stops by Cyndy Feasel. I wasn't sure what to expect from the book, and I'm not really into football at all (although I was a cheerleader when I was younger), but I decided to take a chance and read it anyway because it sounded so interesting. I've heard quite a bit in the news lately about CTE and its effects on football players (and sports players in general) and it's something that interests me. This book was a chance to get a unique inside look at what really happens to football players when they develop the debilitating brain disease. The back cover says: "Former NFL wife Cyndy Feasel tells the tragic story of her family’s journey into chaos and darkness resulting from the damage her husband suffered due to football-related concussions and head trauma—and the faith that saved her. “If I’d only known what I loved the most would end up killing me and taking away everything I loved, I would have never

Reclaiming Hope

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I was a little hesitant to read and review Michael Wear's new book, Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House about the Future of Faith in America - I wasn't sure what to expect. After all, I'm a lifetime Republican and have trouble understanding how people can support candidates who are rabidly in favor of such divisive issues as abortion, gay marriage, Planned Parenthood funding, and more. I can get behind helping the poor and expanding social services, including healthcare, but have trouble getting over the murder of thousands upon thousands of unborn children. So I figured I'd look at another point of view and read a book by a Christian who actually worked for President Obama in the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The back cover says: ""An important and extremely timely book...Get it, read it, and talk to others about it." --Timothy Keller, author of Reason for God "A warm, engaging read of the author

Because You're Mine

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I was attracted to Because You're Mine by Colleen Coble for two reasons (okay, three): the cover (it's stunning, attractive, and bold); the fact that the main character's name is Alannah (I have a 9 year old daughter named Alannah); and the fact that it's a suspense novel, my favorite book genre. The back cover reads: "Alanna has been plagued by tragedy. So it should come as no surprise that in the beauty that surrounds Charleston, all is not as it seems. When her husband is killed by a car bomb while their band is on tour in Charleston, Alanna doesn’t know where to turn. Her father-in-law is threatening to take custody of the baby she carries, but the one thing she knows for sure is that she can’t lose the last piece of Liam she has left. Their manager offers her a marriage of convenience to gain her U.S. citizenship and allow her to escape her father-in-law’s control. It seems like the perfect solution . . . but her doubts begin almost as soon as she arriv

31 Verses To Write On Your Heart

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Liz Curtis Higgs is back with a new book, 31 Verses To Write On Your Heart. 31 Verses is a small hardcover book that is designed to be used as a 31-day study through 31 important verses that Liz hand-picked as essential to memorize and meditate on. I was attracted to this book initially by its absolutely beautiful cover. I'm always a sucker for a book with a gorgeous and inviting cover! The cover immediately made me feel calm and soothed and want to pick up the book. The back cover reads: "Let His Truth Find a Home in Your Heart Here are the words of hope you’re looking for when your faith needs a boost or a friend needs encouragement. Chosen by more than a thousand women as their favorite verses in the Bible, each one is worth learning, worth sharing, worth remembering, You’ll find verses you already know and love: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Others may be less familiar but are no less powerful: “Fear of man will prove to be

What Falls From The Sky

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I was so excited to read Esther Emery's book, What Falls From The Sky: How I Disconnected from the Internet and Reconnected with the God Who Made the Clouds. I have a love/hate relationship with technology, social media, and the internet. I struggle with balancing screen time with real life time, but I use the internet so much less than many people I know. I see the people around me constantly on their phones and it's one of my biggest pet peeves. The back cover says: "Esther Emery was a successful playwright and theater director, wife and mother, and loving it all - until, suddenly, she wasn’t. When a personal and professional crisis of spectacular extent leaves her reeling, Esther is left empty, alone in her marriage, and grasping for identity that does not define itself by busyness and a breakneck pace of life. Something had to be done. What Falls from the Sky is Esther’s fiercely honest, piercingly poetic account of a year without Internet - 365 days away from the