Monday, October 31, 2011


A Sound among the Trees by Susan Meissner

 Ghosts, superstitions, and a character close to calling up the dead were a surprising theme in this book.  The characters were so caught up in the past and thinking about the spiritual world that their normal lives were disrupted and they spent their time dwelling on the unknown.  This part of the book seemed to go on and on and I was waiting for one of them to turn to the Lord and His word but it never happened. This would have made the book worth reading to me.

 However, when letters from the Civil War are found, we are allowed to read them.  Again, I felt the letters went on and on and did not develop this woman into a more mature person from the suffering and turmoil of war.  The love portrayed for a man she met as a child was again dwelled upon and the character never goes to God’s Word for direction.  The latter part of the book was more of a page turner and caught my interest but I was also disappointed.  Although we know the most messed up character did indeed find God, there are no details so we are left hanging.

It’s ironic I’m doing this review on Halloween.  Even though the house wasn’t haunted, it had that reputation and the house itself seemed to affect everyone who entered.  I would have preferred that God would be invited to dwell there and He could do an extreme makeover that would have awed us and shown us His glory and power.

Susan Meissner is one of my favorite authors.  I am sorry to give a bad review but this book was not one of my favorite.

I received this book free from Waterbrook/Multnomah in exchange for this review.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Broken lives ....... we need one another

  • He came to my door with a longing in his eyes.  Sadness & pain.  Wondering what to do. Needing some to listen.  A broken marriage.  Fixing it seems impossible.

  • She sat crying at my table.  Divorce had never seemed an option, but here it was and she had to deal with it even though she would rather sweep it under a rug.

  • The prodigal daughter - a mom opens up and longs for time to reverse and for God to intervene.

  • The prodigal son - rebellion - and a tiny life appears from reckless choices.  A father devestated and grieving, crying out to God in desperation.

  • Accusations and interpretations.  Wounded by the power of words.  Unforgiveness reigning.  Will we allow the Savior in?  How do we live in this world when we all say we love Christ yet we tear one another down? 

People around us need us to share their burdens, to listen, to love them, to pray with them.

Beneath the surface of our lives is brokenness ........
Only Christ can put the pieces back together. And sometimes HE uses a weak, simple, uneducated woman like me.

What an amazing privledge it is to be a vessel for Him.


  







Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Changes

I'm a first born.  I've always loved being alone.  I used to love when my parents & siblings would go for an evening and I would get to stay home all by myself.  And I'm a Mary -- a women who loves to sit at the feet of Jesus.  These two combined could keep my in my prayer chair for hours.  And the last 2 - 3 years, God has taught me that I am a prayer warrior and an intercessor.  I love praying for others and sending prayers, His word, and devotions to those He has connected me with. But in April of this year I was praying for changes.  The Lord sent me to Idaho to Real Life Church to a discipleship training and then the nudges and kicks to get up and get out of my comfort zone starting coming.

As I was questioning not living closer to my church where I felt a longing to be more involved the Lord reminded me I do not live there (I'm 50 miles away).  I prayed "Show me what else I should change and do to serve you Lord.  Sometimes I think I"m wasting time.  Let nothing hinder my cooperation with You."

After that prayer, I picked up a devotional that said, "we have no right to decide where we should be placed... God engineers everything wherever He places us & we should POUR OUT our lives in wholehearted devotion."

The next day I went into town to help my friend pack up her house.  I was prompted to call two friends... (I did). 

My hubby goes into town for breakfast & coffee every morning.  I never did.  So the Lord kicked me (it seemed like it) and told me to go to town 2 mornings a week.  I did and I do.  I'm forming new relationships.  I prayed to love others unconditionally and that if I was judging others, it would be turned into crazy love for Jesus.

Since then - it's been a wild & crazy summer.  It's been challenging and stretching.

  • My son graduated from college.  We had a grad party with too much food but we ate together.
  • We evaculated our friends and family from their houses - twice.
  • We watched as their houses were flooded.  We cried, we prayed. 
  • My niece & nephew came to stay for a few days We washed clothes and ate together.
  • My cousin & hubby came to stay for a few days. They stayed for 2 months & they washed their clothes & we ate together.
  • My aunt & uncle came to stay for a new days. They washed their clothes & we ate together.
  • We hosted a family & friends picnic.  We ate together.
  • Met the parents of my Indian daughter who were visiting from India.
  • Went to a beautiful lake home for a ministry retreat.  Refreshing, reviving.... we were served and we prayed and praised and ate together.
  • We reunited with cousins at at family reunion.  We ate together.
  • My cousin from Florida stayed with us.  He baked up a storm. We ate it!
  • My cousin from California stayed with us for a week.  We laughed, ate, and washed clothes.
  • Grandchild #10 was born.  Went to meet him.
  • My daughter, son-in-law and 5 grandkids came to stay for a week .  The house was full and wonderful.  And yes, we  ate, and washed clothes.
  • My daughter & 3 grandkids came to stay - moving day was postponed and my son-in-law started a new job.  The house was full and wonderful.  And we ate and washed clothes.
  • I went to stay with the daughter above on moving day.  I washed clothes & played hard with the kids as she unpacked.
  • Grandchild #11 was born and I went to stay for a week.  I washed clothes, played hard, made meals & held a week old baby in my arms. 
Intertwined into each day is God's presence and power. God has shown me intercession does not have to be done with my alone in my prayer chair. It is way of life.  Praying for each one in the midst of them, when I'm living life, when I'm working, when I"m playing, when I"m serving. 

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Chocolate Truffles & Life


The Chocolate Diaries  by Karen Scalf Linamen

Reading this book is like visiting a good friend.  When you arrive she is happy to see you .  She knows you really well and you do not talk about the weather or gossip about a neighbor.  She listens and you know she loves you.  You can be goofy and kick your shoes off and let your hair down and just laugh and she laughs with you.  She knows when to just sit and let you vent, and then gently leads you to words that give life from the Word of God.  You can cry and not feel ashamed and you know that even if she doesn’t completely understand, she will still be your friend.  And if that’s not enough, she brings out the dark chocolate truffles and lets you indulge.
 

This book just got better and better.  At first I wasn’t sure if I was relating to the author but then a friend would visit and I would read a chapter to her and she could  thoroughly relate.  Other times I was promoted to send a quote from the book to a friend that encouraged them.  I’m sure I’ll use this book time and time again to share with women (and men) who are going through the rocky roads of life like depression, divorce, sickness, children rebelling, or appliances breaking.  The stories shared are real yet shared with a passion for life that is more of need.  My favorite quote in the book is “when you’re flat on your back, keep looking up.  You’re looking in the right direction”. This book will encourage you and challenge you to do just that.
 
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Words that seem to jump...

Encouraging Quotes:

"We rarely have any idea how significant the seemingly insignificant things we do end up being."   ("Finding Glory in the Thorns" by Lisa & Larry Jamieson

God "works in ways we can't predict.  He can use even our inconveniences to bring honor to His name".  ("Our Daily Bread" by Dave Branon)"


Words that touched my Heart:

"Everyone cries at the Christ Hike" by Emma B. (referring to a live hike showing the persecution & death of Christ on the Cross)

"This morning I feel so blessed. I am so thankful for my family! And God is a great, great God."  (Text message, Ashley T.)

"I love you, and Jesus loves you."  (Pastor Tim, with tears in his eyes, in his final sermon in Butte)