My Next Read

 

During Wednesday night Bible study a couple of weeks ago Pastor White talked about a book that he had.  It belonged to his grandmother and was published in 1924 - 99 years ago!  My ears really perked up when he gave the title, "The Women of the Bible."  After church I mentioned to Pastor White that it sounded like an interesting book and last night he brought it for me to borrow!

I have studied many women in the Bible so I am looking forward to reading what was written about those I have studied.  I am also looking forward to finding new ones to study!

Prime Time!

After we returned home from Tennessee I decided I wanted to get a few more of my mother-in-law's books.  Many are available on Amazon (you can check them out here) but the ones I wanted were only available for Kindle.  I then headed over to Pentecostal Publishing House and found what I was looking for (you can check those out here.)

 

 

"Faith Fills An Empty Basket" is a follow-up book to "Faith Brings An Empty Basket."  Both are based on stories of the Faith Promise program and how God will take our commitment and multiply it.  Bro. Jack Leaman is known far and wide for his many years of Faith Promise services but he was also Dolly's classmate at ABI (Apostolic Bible Institute.)  This book was published in 2017 when Dolly was 80 years old.

She adapted stories from her two books about the DeMerchants (Flying Full Throttle and Still Flying Full Throttle) for children in "Pilot Bennie’s Amazing Amazon Adventures" and "More Amazon Adventures with Pilot Bennie."

This second book was published in 2020 - Dolly was 82 or 83 at the time!

This post may seem like an advertisement to buy Dolly's books, but it's not!  You won't be disappointed if you do buy them, but I just wanted to encourage all of us who over getting a little "older" to keep  living our lives with purpose.  We are not past our prime.  There is still so much to do.  Lessons to teach, songs to sing, souls to reach.

The Bible is full of examples of those made an impact when they were "well sticken in years" as Elisabeth and Zacharias, the parents of John the Baptist.  Anna the Prophetess was at least 84 when the baby Jesus was presented in the temple.  She "departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day."  Job lived 140 years after his trial and saw four generations of his family.  Abraham and Sarah were 100 and 90 when Isaac was born.  Caleb was 85 when he said, "Give me this mountain."

On and on the list goes.  Men and women who continued on even when others considered them past their prime.  Psalm 92:13-14 says, "Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.  They shall still bring forth fruit in old age."  Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible says, "They shall continue to grow in grace, and be fruitful to the end of their lives. It is a rare case to find a man in old age full of faith, love, and spiritual activity." John Gill's Exposition of the Bible says, "Being thus planted and watered, they shall not only bring forth the fruits of righteousness, but shall continue, and go on to do so, and even when they are grown old; contrary to all other trees, which, when old, cease bearing fruit; but so do not the righteous; grace is often in the greatest vigour when nature is decayed." John Wesley's Notes on the Bible says about this verse:  "Their last days shall be their best days, wherein they shall grow in grace, and increase in blessedness."

 

Our best days are still ahead of us!

Breaking the Law

Think about the last time you broke a rule (a big one, not just ripping the tags off your pillows).  Were you burned, or did things turn out for the best?

 

I have a problem with this prompt!  I don't like the assumption it implies.  It doesn't ask, "have you ever broken a big rule?"  The question assumes we all break laws.  I'll confess to driving too fast on occasion. My most recent ticket (I think about five years ago) was for being in the carpool lane on a freeway on-ramp.  Unfortunately, I didn't realize it was "carpool only" at the time - the meter came on just minutes before I got in that lane and there was no way for me to move out of it.  A costly mistake, but not one I did intentionally.

I wrote a post called "Jane Eyre and Temptation" back in 2011 that fits this topic:

 

Of course one of the most powerful scenes is when Jane and Mr. Rochester are to be married. The wedding is interrupted and we finally meet Mr. Rochester's lunatic wife. Mr. Rochester then tries to convince Jane to run away with him. Here are Jane's thoughts:

This was true: and while he spoke my very conscience and reason turned traitors against me, and charged me with crime in resisting him. They spoke almost as loud as Feeling: and that clamoured wildly. “Oh, comply!” it said. “Think of his misery; think of his danger—look at his state when left alone; remember his headlong nature; consider the recklessness following on despair—soothe him; save him; love him; tell him you love him and will be his. Who in the world cares for you? or who will be injured by what you do?”

Still indomitable was the reply—“I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man. I will hold to the principles received by me when I was sane, and not mad—as I am now. Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigour; stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth? They have a worth—so I have always believed; and if I cannot believe it now, it is because I am insane—quite insane: with my veins running fire, and my heart beating faster than I can count its throbs. Preconceived opinions, foregone determinations, are all I have at this hour to stand by: there I plant my foot.”

Jane Eyre was published in 1847, but those words about temptation I find relevant today. How often we humans try to rationalize our breaking of the God's laws. "Think of his misery." As if choosing to comfort Mr. Rochester would have been justification for breaking God's laws. "Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this..."

 

And for the record, the tags are still on our pillows...

Two Truths

During the month of January our church was in revival for three weeks.  Our evangelist, Bro. Bone, spoke about the demoniac of the Gadarenes found in Mark chapter 5 and Luke chapter 8.  This is a familiar story, but it also reminded me of a fictionalized account I read about six years ago.  I blogged about it here.

Since it had been so long, I decided to re-read the book and I'm so glad I did.  The book description says this: 

If there is a way into madness, logic says there is a way out. Logic says.

Tallis, a philosopher's servant, is sent to a Greek academy in Palestine only to discover that it has silently, ominously disappeared. No one will tell him what happened, but he learns what has become of four of its scholars. One was murdered. One committed suicide. One worships in the temple of Dionysus. And one is a madman.

There was a conversation about halfway into the book between Tallis and a slave named Samir.  They were talking about choices and fate.  Samir said this:

My tribe teaches this, that there are two truths.
The first truth:  You can choose.
The second truth:  You cannot choose for another.

I think the second truth is harder to take than the first.  We see people bound in sin and want to help them find deliverance.  But they have to choose.  We see people turn their backs on what is right and good and we want to bring them back, we can't choose for them.

I'm thankful for that first truth.  While I can't choose for another, I can choose to live a life that is pleasing to my Maker.  I can choose holiness, integrity, redemption, joy, grace and mercy. 

What happens around us is largely outside our control, 
but how we choose to react to it is inside our control. 
We can throw our hands up in defeat 
or we can choose to trust God for His solution.
- Mom's Bible

Repost: Shame, Shame, Shame

I stumbled on this old post this morning and wanted to repost it.  I've talked to several young mothers recently, moms living in that stage of constant chaos, just trying to keep their little ones fed and clothed.  Don't worry about that perfect life.  Live with love and the rest will take care of itself.

Through the years I have purchased the Sisterchicks series by Robin Jones Gunn. "Sisterchicks on the Loose," "Sisterchicks in Sombreros," "Sisterchicks do the Hula" and many others. They are fun reading, but usually have a little more to them than you would expect at first glance. The definition of a Sisterchick is : n.: a friend who shares the deepest wonders of your heart, loves you like a sister, and provides a reality check when you’re being a brat.


With our upcoming trip, I decided to reread "Sisterchicks in Gondolas." This book is about two sisters-in-law on a trip to Venice. I won't spoil it for you if you want to read it, but here's what the back cover says:

Jenna and Sue have been sisters-in-law for nearly thirty years but inseparable friends for only the last five. When Jenna is invited to a week’s stay at a fifteenth century restored palace on a quiet canal in Venice, Sue is her travel companion of choice. The catch? They must cook for a group that is staying at the palace for a retreat. It’s the first time Sue has been this far from home, and both women are coming out of a valley season of life where they operated each day in long shadows of fear. Entering into the lilting gondola-paced Italian lifestyle and discovering corners of Venice most tourists never see, they welcome a new time of refreshing. And over boiling pots of pasta, they dare each other to dream again.

During one heartfelt conversation, Sue apologizes to Jenna and Jenna utters three simple but profound words, "Shame OFF you."

I think women, especially moms, need that message. We can be so hard on ourselves. If our house isn't spotless, with magazine perfect meals on the table, not a single speck of dust in sight, we start feeling like failures. I've read blogs by young mothers who confess to all the things they aren't perfect at. I want to say, "Shame off you."

I'm not talking about being lazy and sitting around eating chocolate covered cherries all day while your children run around like hooligans and your husband searches for clean socks. I'm talking about the times when LIFE happens. A sick child takes precedence over a clean kitchen - I can't tell you how many times Mom stopped whatever she was doing to take care of Rod. A single phone call can change the course of your week. When you rush out the door to the hospital or funeral home, no one is looking under the bed for dust bunnies.

So the next time you're beating yourself up because of your shortcomings, take a lesson from Sue and Jenna. Later in the book, the phrase is repeated with another, "Shame off you and Grace on you." Extend the same grace to yourself that you willingly extend to others.

Treasured Times

Victory Tabernacle was blessed this weekend with a special guest - Elder Vaughn Morton.  He preached our Jubilee service (combined service with our three daughter churches) on Saturday and was with us in service on Sunday.  Les and I were also blessed to go to lunch with Pastor and Sister White and Elder Morton yesterday.

I've written many times about the impact Elder Morton has had on my life.  My pastor for 19 years and my boss for 10 of those years.  His preaching has inspired and convicted.  His teaching laid a foundation that I still rely on today.

Elder Morton preached a message last night that I have heard countless times.  He told me he preached it before becoming pastor in Fresno, so I'm sure I heard it for the first time before I was 10.  It is one that has helped me so many times.  As soon as he read his text I told Les the title, "Forgive Yourself."  This beautiful concept is one that we all need to learn and embrace.  A victorious Christian life happens when we really understand the forgiveness of God and the power of the blood.

The key verse is 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  We just have to do one thing and God does four!  When we confess our sins, God:

1. is faithful
2. is just
3. forgives our sins
4. cleanses us from all unrighteousness

It's the best four to one exchange around.  There's nothing more for us to do.  We don't have to pay any penance.  Where many people go wrong is when they go back to the cemetery of their past.  We will never forget all our sins, but we can know they when they are forgiven God has forgotten them.  Since He forgives us, we need to forgive ourselves.  We closed the book on the past last night.

After service, Elder Morton had his book "The Road Called Life," available.  Pastor White asked me to sell them.  While I was sitting on the pew with the books, Elder Morton sat and visited for a while.  He also gave me a beautiful new pocket knife, because "every lady ought to have a pocket knife!"

I'm so thankful for this special man in my life.  A hug, an "I love you," and "I'll see you in the rapture," and he was off to his next destination!

I'm Really Curious

I am a reader.  My morning starts with daily Bible reading, but I also read books of all types. I've blogged about many books through the years - from Evicting Jezebel to Long Way Gone to Two Are Better and Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen.  I like books that make me think.  I like non fiction like Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy and missionary stories like Box 44, Monrovia.  I also enjoy historical or Biblical fiction like Isle of Shadows and the A.D. Chronicles.  I've read classics such as The Count of Monte Cristo and Jane Eyre.

Sometimes I just want to read for pleasure.  I'll pick up a freebie for my Kindle with no plans of expanding my brain!  I started one such read Sunday afternoon.  It started with a scene I have read many times before:  the bride walking down the aisle, her father giving her away, and the groom bolting from the room.  I've read many variations of this scene - from the bride climbing out the window of the bridal dressing room to the groom not showing up at the church.  Sometimes the story ends with the couple finally getting married, other times they marry someone else.

As I read the scene I stopped and asked Les, "Have you ever seen this happen in real life?"  We both agreed that we had not.  I've known people who got engaged and called it off, but I have never actually arrived for the ceremony to find that one of the key players decided not to show up.  I attended my first wedding (my Dad's youngest sister) when I was about two and have been to numerous weddings since, but I've never seen either party left standing at the altar.

So, I'm really curious.  Have you ever seen this happen?  Do you know anyone who on the day of their wedding just couldn't go through with it?  This is not a scientific poll, I'm just really curious!  Feel free to share the story but change the names to protect the innocent (and guilty!)

Reading Material

How do you pick what blogs or books to read? What’s the one thing that will get you to pick up a book or click on a link every single time?

I have always enjoyed reading, but I am careful about what I read. On a day like today, when every news headline is screaming about the terror that occurred in Las Vegas last night, it's hard to read the details.  I want to stay informed about our world, but some days are harder to read about than others.

When it comes to books and blogs, I want them to pass the Philippians 4:8 test:  "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."   I've chosen not to read some books or blogs, some after just a paragraph, because I want my mind to be filled with good things.

I had a pleasant surprise this afternoon when I walked out to the mailbox.  New reading material!  I know I will enjoy every single page because I know the author:

This brought a huge smile to my face on a day that had felt very heavy.

I feel privileged to be on the mailing list for this book.  I assume that if you are at West Coast Conference in Fresno next month these will be available for purchase.  I have only read the back cover, but I know it will be worth purchasing!

No Fair {Repost: If Only I Were God}

Tell us about something you think is terribly unfair — and explain how you would rectify it.

There are many things in life that are terribly unfair but when I started working on this post I remembered something I wrote along this lines several years ago.  I looked for a particular quote, then decided I just needed to re-post the entire thing.  So here it is, "If Only I Were God."

I recently read "I'll Watch the Moon" by Ann Tatlock.  It was an amazing read!  Here is the book description:

When polio stalked Minnesota in 1948, fear was every mother’s constant companion. Young Nova Tierney and her older brother, Dewey, live a mostly idyllic life despite sharing living space with a motley assortment of tenants at the boarding house run by their Aunt Dortha and mother, Catherine. Dewey, nicknamed “Galileo” for his love of astronomy, dreams of some day walking on the moon, and he and Nova spend many happy hours looking at the night sky together in their backyard. When Dewey is hospitalized with polio, Nova promises to watch the moon for him (thus the title) until he is well. But will he recover? In her bitterness over a childhood secret, her late husband’s infidelity and her son’s desperate illness, his mother turns her back on God. “Sometimes, I wonder how we all go on living,” she muses. Hope begins to return when she strikes up a friendship with boarder and Auschwitz survivor Josef Karski.

I didn't know much about the polio epidemic, being born after the vaccine, but it was one of the most dreaded childhood diseases of the 20th century.  People who were finally getting their lives back after WW II, were now facing a dreaded disease.  While Dewey is in the hospital, his mother has many conversations with Josef.  She questions how he can go on believing and trusting in God when his entire family was destroyed during the war and he spent years in a concentration camp.  Josef tells her a story that he heard while in Auschwitz.  He questioned if God had turned His back on him.  A Jewish rabbi shared this story with him:

A Jewish rabbi was standing high on a hill with a couple of his students, looking down at the town where his school was. Suddenly a group of Cossacks on horseback attacked the town. As he saw many of his students, along with the men, women, and children of the town being slaughtered, the rabbi looked up to heaven and said, "Oh, if only I were God." One of his students said with astonishment,"But, Master, if you were God, what would you do differently?" To which the rabbi replied, "If I were God I would do nothing differently. If I were God, I would understand."

We often hear people say, "If I were God, I would..."  or "How can a God of love allow such?"  But we are not God.  We can never fully understand His ways.  Josef concluded his story to Catherine with this:

There is so much of suffering that I will never even begin to understand. But I am content in believing that I don't have to understand why the story unravels the way it does so long as I know that in the end everything will be all right.

I've been thinking about my brother Rod a lot lately.  Really missing him!  I could spend the rest of my life saying, "if only I were God..."  But in the end, everything really did turn out all right for Rod.  He left this life, with all its pain and sorrow, and received a crown of life.  If I were God, why would I change that?

Repost: Book Review ~ Evicting Jezebel

Pastor White briefly mentioned Jezebel during his Bible study on Wednesday night.  I was reminded of this post, originally posted on September 6, 2013.

I downloaded a free book for my Kindle the other day ~ "Evicting Jezebel: The Rising Trend of Aggressive Women."  The book description says this:

Jezebel may float like a butterfly but she stings like a bee!

Case studies are starting to emerge that women and teen girls are becoming more assertive, aggressive and violent. In biblical history, these were all of the tactics and techniques of the queen Jezebel. The contrast of the new creation of the butterfly, Jezebel stings anyone who threatens her ability to control and manipulate others.

Evicting Jezebel sheds light on the alarming trend in aggressive women in our families, communities and churches and searches the Bible for answers by comparing the traits and technique of boxing to the traits and techniques of Jezebel. It also gets to the root so that you can serve her with an eviction notice.

It's only 70 pages, so this was a very quick read, but gave me much to think about. I'm sure I'll be going back and re-reading much of it. Just a few of the highlights:

Chapter 1: Our Decay by the Decade
This is a review of how our society, especially women, has changed since the Sexual Revolution. Television programming has introduced a new breed of women - those who became the head of household while dads stayed home. The women were dominant and assertive. Thirty years after the sexual revolution, Sex & the City made airwaves. Four women who regularly met at bars and talked endlessly about men. The women were successful in their careers, but broken in their personal lives. Of course there are also Desperate Housewives and cougars, women who prey on younger men.

Chapter 2: Who Was She? The Ancient Jezebel
Jezebel's name translated in Hebrew is "without cohabitation; an island" which literally means that she will not live in one accord with anyone. She was a master manipulator who surrounded herself with enablers. She despised men of strength and anointing, they weren't easily manipulated or intimidated.

Chapter 3: Who is She? The Modern Jezebel
The modern day Jezebel is the exact same spirit of the ancient queen of Israel, using the same tactics. This is a comparison of the two Jezebels:



Chapter 4: She Floats like a Butterfly, Stings like a Bee
This chapter is devoted to different types of boxing techniques that Jezebel uses to manipulate those around her. The Jab, the Cross, the Hook, and the Uppercut.  Of course her hits are usually verbal, not physical. She also uses False Innocence, the Blame Game, Victim Mentality, Deflection and Escape. 

Chapter 7: Jezebel in Men.
The goal of the spirit of Jezebel is control, which is found in men when they use strength and violence to obtain control and domination. This is most often seen in domestic violence, rape, and human trafficking.

The Jezebel spirit is found in relationships, friendships, and in the workplace. It is dangerous and destructive.  Jezebel is all about herself.  A godly woman will build up and nurture those around her.  The Biblical example of the contrast of the Jezebel spirit is Ruth:



The Jezebel spirit is found in the home, in the community and even in the church. The only answer is to evict that spirit. Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters," so if the Jezebel spirit is found in someone's heart, His Spirit is not.

The fruit of the Jezebel spirit is found in Proverbs 6:16-19: "These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."

In contrast, the Fruit of His Spirit is found in Galatians 5:22-23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

I didn't mean to write such a lengthy review, but I do highly recommend this book (currently $2.99 on Amazon for Kindle.)  There were more than the usual amount of grammatical errors (missing commas, sentences that didn't make sense, etc.) but it was worth it to keep reading. 

Children Learn What They Live

I recently finished a collection of three books by Charles Martin - "When Crickets Cry," "Chasing Fireflies," and "Wrapped in Rain."  I wrote about one of his other books, Long Way Gone, here.  He is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine.  His descriptions of people and places are colorful.  His stories have humor, but there is always an underlying deeper theme in each of them.

"Chasing Fireflies" and "Wrapped in Rain" both contain characters who were abused as children.  Parts of these stories were difficult to read.  The author doesn't sugar coat and while his books contain hope, they are also very thought provoking.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about my own upbringing.  I am so blessed.  Correction I received as a child was appropriate.  We were never abused in our home - physically, verbally, or emotionally.  So much of who I am is because of how I was raised.

I know there are people who come from wonderful homes that leave it all behind for a life of recklessness.  There are also those who overcome against great ideas.  But more often than not, children learn what they live.  Pastor White mentioned this poem not long ago in a message.  I quickly remembered it hanging at Grandma Luella's house when I was a child.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D. 

What lessons are the children in your life learning today?

Book Review: Long Way Gone

I recently finished "Long Way Gone" by Charles Martin.  This is the first time I have ready anything by Mr. Martin and the book was outstanding!  The description from Amazon.com says:

“No matter where you go, no matter whether you succeed or fail, stand or fall, no gone is too far gone. You can always come home.”

At the age of eighteen, musician and songwriter Cooper O’Connor took everything his father held dear and drove 1,200 miles from home to Nashville, his life riding on a six-string guitar and the bold wager that he had talent. But his wager soon proved foolish.

Five years after losing everything, he falls in love with Daley Cross, an angelic voice in need of a song. But just as he realizes his love for Daley, Cooper faces a tragedy that threatens his life as well as his career. With nowhere else to go, he returns home to the remote Colorado mountains, searching for answers about his father and his faith.

When Daley shows up on his street corner twenty years later, he wonders if it’s too late to tell her the truth about his past—and if he is ready to face it himself.

A radical retelling of the prodigal son story, Long Way Gone takes us from tent revivals to the Ryman Auditorium to the tender relationship between a broken man and the father who never stopped calling him home.

This was more than just a retelling of the prodigal son.  The story was beautiful, heartbreaking, humorous and joyful.  The descriptions Mr. Martin uses are so good.  His writing style was very enjoyable.  I finished the book on Sunday and continue to think about it.  Along with the telling of Cooper's story there is a lot about music that I found insightful as well, which will be a post for another day.

We all have prodigals in our lives.  Sons, daughters, friends, family members.  People we went to camp with, prayed with, sat next to in Sunday school or sang in the choir with.  They need to know that they can come home.  Many kicked us on their way out, but they need to know that they have a safe place to return to.

We can't see the road the prodigal has traveled.  We might see them from time to time, but we can't see their hearts.  Maybe we haven't seen them in decades, but we need to keep looking down the road for their return.

Maybe it's you that is the prodigal.  You left with your head held high and dreams that couldn't be squashed.  Maybe you're still living high.  But there's a piece of you that wants to come home.  A song you hear on the wind calling you back.  Please come home.

Cooper's father said it best, "No matter where you go, no matter whether you succeed or  fail, stand or fall, no gone is too far gone. You can always come home.”  The road back won't be easy, dear prodigal, but please know you can always come home.  Unfortunately not everyone will wait with open arms, some haven't recovered from the pain you inflicted.  But there is a Father watching the road and looking for you.

If you've been praying for a prodigal, I encourage you to keep praying.  They may be making their way home even now.  No gone is too far gone.

Two Are Better: Midlife Newlyweds Bicycle Coast to Coast (Book Review)

I just finished a very interesting book.  Two Are Better: Midlife Newlyweds Bicycle Coast to Coast by Tim and Debbie Bishop.  Part of the description from Amazon:

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to marry for the first time after your peers have already become grandparents? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to bicycle across America? As if each weren’t adventure enough, what if you combined the two? Some might consider this a recipe for disaster, but Tim and Debbie Bishop thought otherwise. At age 52, the couple finally found in each other that special someone they’d been searching for years to marry. In only ten weeks, they moved from marriage proposal and wedding, to Tim’s “retirement” and relocation, to embarking on their cycling adventure.

Les and his brother, Lance, have talked for years about cycling across America.  It's definitely on their bucket list, so I thought this would be an interesting read.  The fact that Tim and Debbie were Christians who at age 52 were getting married for the first time made the story even more interesting!

The first 3 of 11 chapters talks about Tim and Debbie's courtship.  They were both praying for a godly spouse and had been for many years.  They actually met through an internet dating site seven years before they were married.  They built a friendship that would eventually become something more. They were married on June 19, 2010 and on July 3rd started pedaling their way from Oregon to Maine!  They found a church to attend every Sunday while they were on the road and met new friends along the way.

I know some of my readers are singles who are waiting for God's timing.  Tim and Debbie's story will encourage you that waiting is right!  Yes, there were years of loneliness, there were other relationships and broken engagements, but when it all came together for them it was beautiful!  And if you like adventure, this is a great read to add to your list.

Book Review: Happy Wives Club

The first book I read in 2017 was Happy Wives Club: One Woman's Worldwide Search for the Secrets of a Great Marriage. The description was longer than most and I knew I wanted to find out more...

Fawn Weaver was a happily married woman running a successful business—and then something happened. Maybe it was divorce rate reports on the evening news, The Real Housewives of Orange County, or any daytime talk show where husbands and wives dramatically reveal their betrayals. Everywhere she looked, Fawn saw negative portrayals of marriage dominating the airwaves and dooming everyone to failure.

Looking at Keith, the love of her life, she knew that wasn’t true. She was determined to find and connect with women just like her—happy and optimistic about marriage, deeply in love with her spouse, and committed to building a strong marriage that stands the test of time.

On a whim, she started the blog HappyWivesClub.com and sent the link to 5 friends. What started as a casual invitation to five women exploded into an international online club with over 1,000,000 members in more than 110 countries. Happy Wives Club is Fawn’s journey across the world to meet new friends and discover what makes their marriages great. Join her on this exciting, exotic trip across six continents and through more than eighteen cities. Walk the streets of Mauritius, the historic ruins in Italy, and the vistas of New Zealand and Australia. Go from Cape Town to London, Manila to Buenos Aires, Winnipeg to Zagreb.

Along the way, you will meet everyday women whose marriage secrets span cultures. You will hear their stories, witness their love, and be inspired by the proof that happy, healthy marriages do exist—and yours can be one of them!

It turns out great marriages are all around us—when we look for them. Go on a trip with Fawn and learn the best marriage secrets the world has to offer.

I cannot say enough good about this book!  There were funny stories, serious stories, and inspirational stories, but over and over there were stories of happy wives and happy husbands.

I'm pretty sure I read some from each chapter to Les.  "This is us!"  "Oh, listen to this..."  Did I need this book to confirm that I have a happy marriage?  Of course not!  But it was wonderful to read about happy marriages around the world.

I loved Fawn's descriptions of the countries she visited.  She lives in Southern California and started her journey driving to San Diego, a drive I have done many times.  Her day in Rome was especially interesting since it was one of the few places on her journey that Les and I have visited.

You can read the first few chapters online here.  Chapter Four "When Windows Become Walls" deals with the dangers of friendships with the opposite sex in marriage.  Walls and windows are important.  A happy marriage doesn't happen without working at protecting it.

At the end of the book Fawn lists Twelve Secrets of a Great Marriage.  I won't give it all away here, but first on the list:  Respect.  Each item is important to a happy marriage, but "No Plan B" is critical.

I highly recommend this book!  If you are a happy wife you will enjoy reading how other happy wives have found that happiness.  If you are struggling to be a happy wife, I think you will find help.  If you are hoping to someday be a wife, this book is filled with tips for your someday happily ever after!

I am glad to be part of the Happy Wives Club!

Recommended Reading: Isle of Shadows and So Shines the Night

About a month before our trip to Europe I purchased a new book for my Kindle - "Isle of Shadows" by Tracy Higley.  This is one in a series of stand alone novels about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  The story took place on the Grecian island of Rhodes whose heroine was from Ancient Delos.   Part of the description from Amazon:

Enslaved in a World of Money and Power, Tessa Dares to be Free.
Raised as courtesan to wealthy and powerful men, Tessa of Delos serves at the whim of her current patron, the politician Glaucus. After ten years with him, Tessa has abandoned all desire for freedom or love, choosing instead to lock her heart away.
But when Glaucus meets a violent death in his own home, Tessa grasps at a fragile hope. Only she knows of his death. If she can keep it a secret long enough, she can escape.
Tessa throws herself on the mercy of the Greek god Helios, but finds instead unlikely allies in Nikos, a Greek slave, and Simeon, Glaucus's Jewish head servant. As Simeon introduces her to a God unlike any she has ever known and Nikos begins to stir feelings she had thought long dead, Tessa fights to keep her heart protected.

I started reading this a couple days after we visited Ancient Delos and enjoyed the story very much.  It was easy to picture the statues, homes, meeting places and markets.  This story takes place in 227 B.C. during the 400 silent years of the Jewish nation so there were no Biblical stories to relate it to, although there were Jews trying to live according to the Law.

When I saw that another book in this series was based in Ephesus I knew I had to get it!  Part of the description for "So Shines the Night" from Amazon:

In a city teetering at the brink of anarchy, Daria finds hope among people of The Way.
She escaped a past of danger and found respite in beautiful Ephesus, a trading center on the Aegean coast, serving as tutor to Lucas, the wealthy merchant who rescued her.
But the darkness she fled has caught up with her.
The high priests of Artemis once controlled the city, but a group of sorcerers are gaining power. And a strange group who call themselves followers of The Way further threaten the equilibrium. As Daria investigates Lucas's exploits into the darker side of the city, her life is endangered, and she takes refuge in the strange group of believers. She's drawn to Paul and his friends, even as she wrestles with their teachings.

I finished reading "So Shines the Night" last week and it was fascinating!  This story was written from events founds in Acts chapter 19. I went to my post about the Ruins of Ephesus more than once to look at a picture of something we had seen - the Marble Road, the Great Theater, the State Agora, even the brothel.  The author stayed very true to the story of Paul, the seven sons of Sceva, Demetrius the silversmith, and many others.  The fictional characters did not take away from the story at all.  I enjoyed this story even more than Isle of Shadows because I could picture every place in the book and the characters from the Bible just came to life.

Tracy Higley has written three more stories so far about the ancient wonders - Pyramid of Secrets about Moses and Pharoah, Garden of Madness about Nebuchadnezzar, and Keeper of the Flame about Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt.  These are now all on my wish list!  There are other books she has written as well that look interesting.  In fact, as I was writing this post I found "Star of Wonder" on Amazon for free today!  This is the first in a series about the journey of the wise men.  The complete 3 book series "Incense Road" is available for $4.99.  I recommend downloading the free book today to get a taste of Tracy Higley's writing.

Do you enjoy Biblical or historical fiction?

June 16th ~ Storytime (Photo a Day)

We have one of the cutest little storybooks in our house.  "The Napping House" by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood. We were first introduced to this story by our niece, Hannah.  I think she was about 3 when she "read" this story to us.

It starts out with a snoring granny "on a cozy bed in a napping house, where everyone is sleeping..."  Each page adds another sleeper - a dreaming child, a dozing dog, a snoozing cat, a slumbering mouse... on a cozy bed in a napping house, where everyone is sleeping...

The final addition is a flea... Can it be?  a wakeful flea...  a wakeful flea that wreaks havoc in the napping house...  waking each member up!

And finally granny breaks the bed...  in the napping house, where no one now is sleeping!

It's perfect for storytime and kids of all ages will love it!

Book Review: Run to Overcome

 I recently read "Run to Overcome: The Inspiring Story of an American Champion's Long-Distance Quest to Achieve a Big Dream," by Meb Keflezighi, winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon.  For you non-runners, please don't tune out yet!

"Mebrahtom “Meb” Keflezighi and his family came to the United States after fleeing their native country of Eritrea to escape a violent war with Ethiopia. His unexpected athletic and academic successes earned him a full scholarship to UCLA, where he won four NCAA titles in one year and earned his BA in communication studies with a specialization in business. Meb is an Olympic silver medalist (Athens 2004) and a three-time national champion in cross country running (2001, 2002, and 2009). He came back from an injury to win the 2009 New York City Marathon, setting a personal best time of 2:09:15."(source)

What sets Meb apart from many other runners is his deep Christian faith.  It is as deep in him as his running and comes through clearly in the entire book.  The entire Keflezighi family understands overcoming.  Living in war torn Eritrea his parents had a strong belief in a mighty God that enabled them to maintain their faith against all odds.  In 1981, while Meb's mother was expecting their sixth child, his father left Adi Beyani to walk 225 miles west to the Sudan border.  The journey took seven days with dangers that included soldiers, animals such as snakes and tigers, and robbers!

In 1983, Meb's father made it to Italy and began working to bring his entire family.  Describing his father, Meb said, "My father has one way of doing things - the right way, with constant, all-out effort.  He doesn't believe in shortcuts."  It wasn't until May 8, 1986 that the family was reunited - nearly five years!  The family finally arrived in San Diego in October, 1987. There are many chapters filled with Meb's running experiences, but always mixed with a strong faith and family ties.

Each chapter ends with two tips - a Runner's Tip and an Overcomer's Tip.  From Chapter 2: Out of Eritrea:

Runner's Tip
If you're eager to improve, be careful about making too many changes or changes that are too severe.  Be careful about adding mileage and increasing speed.  Too much too soon usually leads to injury.  Think gradual, not drastic.  Think long term, not immediate.

Overcomer's Tip
Learn everything you can in the classroom.  Then go out into the world and learn even more.

While Meb has had incredible success as a runner, he has also had some very difficult times filled with injuries and the loss of fellow marathoner, a close friend, to cardiac arrest.  He doesn't make excuses or blame others when things don't go as planned - he just comes back stronger.  The final tip, after his Boston Marathon Win:

Runner's Tip
Dig deep and run for a greater cause.

Overcomer's Tip
No matter how young or old you are, you can always set and achieve new goals.  Never give up.

Book Review: Sisters of Lazarus

I recently read "Sisters of Lazarus - Beauty Unveiled" by Paula K. Parker.  I've written twice about Martha this year (here and here), so I was curious what this fictionalized account would have to say.  The book description said this:

Martha and Mary, the two sisters of Lazarus, couldn't be more different.

Martha, the elder, is plain and self-conscious; Mary, the younger, is beautiful. One sees her value only in serving, while the other believes her outward appearance is her only asset. Their worlds are turned upside down when Lazarus offers hospitality to an intriguing new teacher named Jesus

The author gave some very interesting insight to the customs of the day.  She added family members (an uncle in particular) that gave the story a different dimension.  She also included Nicodemus and Simon the leper, making them friends of the family.

I really struggled with how much emphasis was placed on Martha and Mary's outward appearance.   Why couldn't the hard working sister also have been beautiful?  Why couldn't it have been the plain sister who sat at Jesus' feet?  We don't know what the sisters looked like, but they could have been very similar in appearance.  I think the story would have been more interesting if outward appearance played a smaller role (or no role at all.)   The character of Mary, one so focused on her outward beauty, didn't line up with the Mary I've read about in the Bible.  There was no transformation from the selfish girl to the one who sat at His feet.  The sisters bickered constantly - I find it hard to imagine this was a home Jesus would have visited on a regular basis.

This book got very high reviews but it was disappointing to me. We live in a society that is overly focused on outward appearance when it's really what is on the inside that counts.  I think the author tried to weave that into the story, but it just wasn't enough for me!

The Books That Should Be Written

Happy 154th day of the year!  I know what day it is because I am still currently caught up with my Bible reading.  It is the first thing I read in the morning, before the news and blogs and emails derail me.  I am currently in 2 Samuel, still working through Psalms and Proverbs and yesterday I finished the book of John with this verse:

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Think about what Jesus has done in your life.  Everyday He is beside you.  Everyday protecting, guiding, blessing.  If each of us got up in the morning and simply wrote, "Jesus gave me another day to live," with a world population of over 7 billion, by the end of our days the book would be full and the world itself truly could not contain the books!

I don't want to take His grace and mercy for granted.  "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." Lamentation 3:22-23.  Every morning!

I may not write a book, but I want to life to reflect what Jesus has done for me!

Book Review: Madman

I recently read "Madman" by Tracy Groot.  The book description says this:

If there is a way into madness, logic says there is a way out. Logic says.

Tallis, a philosopher's servant, is sent to a Greek academy in Palestine only to discover that it has silently, ominously disappeared. No one will tell him what happened, but he learns what has become of four of its scholars. One was murdered. One committed suicide. One worships in the temple of Dionysus. And one is a madman.

This is a fictionalized story of the demoniac of the Gadarenes found in Mark chapter 5 and Luke chapter 8.  I'm not always a fan of Biblical fiction.  The author will sometimes take a turn I don't care for, but that was not the case with this book. I felt I learned much about the worship of false gods, sacrificing children to them, and many of the philosophies which were common in that day. 

Even though I knew Who was going to come on the scene, it was still an excellent read.  The man, Kardus, sat with his back to the Sea of Galilee, voices screaming in his head, breaking chains and screaming in the night.  Those who tried to bind him with chains, his family members and friends who suffered because of him.  The scholars who were sure that if there is a way into madness, logic says there is a way out, not knowing that the madness was caused by evil spirits and no amount of logic could change it.  Then Jesus simply spoke and Kardus was set free, publishing in Decapolis, "how great things Jesus had done for him."

I have not blogged about the "Kardus" I met in Hawaii.  I had numerous encounters with him while out running in the morning or walking in the afternoon.  He would start yelling and cursing at me, spewing vileness.  Once it was across six lanes of very busy traffic, but when I softly said "Jesus" he stopped.  The last time I saw him he just stared at me and said, "Pentecostal."  Oh yes, the spirits that live in him know Who lives inside me.  He may have even been raised in this truth, but spirits now hold him bound. Satan may try to intimidate us, but he cannot stop the name.

There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
There is power in the name of Jesus
To break every chain
Break every chain
Break every chain!