an Invisibile Thread

an Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski

A very incredible true story of one woman's act of kindness and how it started a friendship that save a young man's life, got him on the right road, and has lasted 30 years. Here is an interview on the Today show with the author, Laura and Maurice. Click here. 

This was a remarkable story and shows how one person can make a difference. Often times I think we are so busy living our lives and going about getting all the things on our to-do list done - we forget that God has put us here and has asked us to love our neighbors. Neighbor isn't just our literal neighbor next door but our fellow human beings that we run into each and every day. By taking just a few minutes out of her day Laura changed the course of a young man's life. This was a very good story. Really enjoyed it. You can find out more on her website: click here

Reunion book review

Reunion by Lauraine Snelling. This was a good book and well written. I enjoyed it. This is a story about the Sorenson family. They are a very tight family --- as a matter of fact the brother and sister (both married with children of their own) live several house away from each other. One of the daughters ends up pregnant while in high school. This is quite a shock as it is against what they believe. The father is a Pastor and yet immediately the story line takes the ugly turn of having the characters start thinking that wouldn't abortion be easier and get them all out of a difficult, tight spot. Eventually the girl who is pregnant decides it is not just a bunch of cells but a baby and she can't / won't have an abortion. The part I think is not okay is that the author has the Pastor and the Pastor's wife both thinking abortion might be a way out. They go there first - instead of thinking of all the other possible solutions. Honestly this is not a Pastor that I would respect - the minute the going gets tough he puts aside his beliefs and starts thinking what would be easy for him. The Pastors I know are dedicated to their faith and put that first --- even knowing that often makes the road harder. They would have started exploring the options first and abortion would not have entered their mind as a way out. While the characters come to a faith based conclusion - it is sad to see they didn't start there and started with the worldly view - and even explored that option. 

The Guardian by Robbie Cheuvront and Erik Reed

The authors of this book are Pastors at The Journey Church in Lebanon, Tennessee. Here is a link to their website: click here 

The book is based on scripture from Revelations chapter 10 - the book takes the idea of the scroll that was given to John and then comes up with a fictional story. In Revelations an angel gives John a little scroll and he is to eat it. In the book, since the scroll is sour to his stomach, he then throws it up. The 'guardian' is someone that is a descendent of John that has been charged with protection of the scroll. Others think the scroll has power and seek to obtain it to have that power. The guardian is to prevent the scroll from falling into the wrong or evil hands. 

This was a very good book and while it has many basis in scripture it is clearly fictional. The authors come up with an end times scenario and clearly no one but God really knows when the end times are and what that will truly look like. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very well written. I think many times we don't think about or realize how Satan is truly at work in this world and that some people have intentionally or many rather unintentionally have given themselves over to his control. 

They have a second book out and I can't wait to read it. 

Book Review - The Founders' Key

The Founders' Key by Larry P. Arnn

The Divine and Natural Connection Between the Declaration and the Constitution and What we Risk by Losing It.

I liked alot of his points. He speaks to the growth of government and how much of our government is outside the control of congress and therefore outside the ability for it to be reigned in easily. Many of the agencies get their funding from other ways beyond congressional budgeting - again that makes them difficult to control and reign in. He defines the 'Progressive Movement' that is the direct cause of the growth of government and the disregard of the constitution. He compares and contrasts the differences between a progressive / socialistic government and a constitutional government. He states that "although it will take time to recover constitutional government, a start can be made now, and significant results can be achieved soon." I have to say I am not as optimistic that this is even possible. We have had years of progressive teaching in schools to the point where the younger generations have been so ingrained to believe that the constitution is bad that I do not have has much optimism that we can have any sort of results. He states that "we have to recover the meaning of certain principles and we have to recover the methods of constitutional rule as they are exemplified by the best practices from our past." So with the current culture, with progressivism being taught in the schools - how can we recover the meaning of certain principles? They are no longer being taught. And while it is wonderful to say we need to start with educating the public - I am not sure that isn't pie in the sky type of talk. Is it even possible anymore after the years of indoctrination. 

I very much enjoyed the book but I am not sure he really gets to a good, concrete plan as to how to turn it around. I think his book does a great job of identifying the problems though. Maybe that is half the battle - just getting people to see the problem.

A complementary copy of the book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Cross Roads by Wm. Paul Young

I very much enjoyed this book but one needs to remember this is a 'fictional' book. This book would be a great book for our book club as there is just a lot to talk about. As with the Shack, there are parts where Christians will differ on whether or not it is acceptable to portray God in that light. For example, in Cross Roads, the Holy Spirit appears in the form of a Native American woman. God appears in the form of a little girl. Jesus appears as an adult male. They do appear together and separately in these forms. (Lots to discuss with that - isn't there?!) Part of what Young mentions in Cross Roads is that God can appear in any form and it is only our human minds that limit Him to what we think He should be. And I do 'get' that but I have to say that it does push the boundaries for me. Again, remembering it is fictional, it doesn't get my shackles up as a book that is declaring itself to be an authority on God's word and using these types of interpretations. 

The book was very good and I enjoyed it. (spoiler alert) I have to say that while I think the ending is entirely appropriate I was hoping / wishing for God to intervene and save both of them. God could do that - God is a God of miracles. Still, He did grant one miracle. And the ending isn't really sad as you know that the other one ends up with Jesus. Still, part of me wanted the double miracle. 

The story itself is about a self made millionaire named Tony. He is very eccentric and also has pushed everyone including God out of his life. He ends up in a coma essentially dying of a brain tumor. He is in the state of in between - not dead but not really alive. He meets up with Jesus and he is given the chance to change his beliefs on the existence of God and Jesus. Ultimately he is given the chance to through prayer save just one person from dying. He asks several times if he can save himself, of course. The book centers on his change of heart that brings him closer to Jesus and farther away from being that ego-centric person he had been most of his life. 

The Bridge book review

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury.  I really loved this book. This would be a great book for a book club - I wish she would have included discussion questions at the end. 

The Bridge is a book store - but it is also a metaphor for the thing that connects us - a bridge to connect yesterday and tomorrow. A bridge to connect people to each other. The book is about second chances - about lost love and finding their way back to each other. This book is about the demonstrating that God is in control even when we can't see His amazing hand at work. And this book reminds us that things are not always as they seem --- and to ask questions when something seems odd or off. We, often times, judge others by assumptions we make - and those assumptions might not be true - so ask the question. Stop being afraid of the answer and ask the questions --- because we might just be pleasantly surprised at what we find out. 

This book is a must read - it has a predictable ending. Still, it is an enjoyable story - well written. 

A Winter Dream by Richard Paul Evans

A wonderful book - a modern day take on the story of Joseph - from the bible. The main character's name is also Joseph. It is a book that speaks to how the failings of the parents affects the children's behavior and how they act toward each other. The Dad shows great favoritism to Joseph and it creates jealous that grows and festers into something ugly in the other siblings hearts. We all strive to be loved by our parents and when it is apparent that one is loved way more - it leaves doubts in the other siblings minds as to whether they are loved at all. To get attention they need to then out do the 'loved' sibling or get that sibling out of the way - out of the limelight. It is so sad when parents can't see that they are giving preferential treatment and how this makes their children feel about themselves. 

A very delightful story. Well written.