The Sound of Sleigh Bells

Cindy Woodsmall brings us a new winner in her tales of Amish life, The Sound of Sleigh Bells.

Beth Hertzler hides the truth in her heart about a tragedy involving her former fiancee. Walling off all who try to enter and bring healing during her extended mourning period, she cannot let go of the past. As a buyer for her aunt Lizzy's store, she takes a trip to an Amish community in another state where she is intrigued by an intricate carving which seems to touch the pain she bears. Through the intervention of her aunt, she begins a correspondence with the gifted carver, Jonah. His letters in return begin to draw her out of her shell, as he reveals some of the lessons he's learned through a tragedy in his own life.

Close knit family, community, forgiveness, and love combine to weave a soothing tale of redemption and hope. I found The Sound of Sleigh Bells an enjoyable and quick read.


Hardbound from WaterBrook Press.
I have one copy to give away.

Extraordinary

Ready for a stimulating, thought provoking book? Then grab a copy of Extraordinary by John Bevere.

Bevere is convinced we were all "meant for more" and he spends page after page citing and explaining Scripture to prove his point. God gives us the goods to live above the norm and accomplish remarkable feats. Whether we do so or not depends upon the disposition of our hearts.

Because we love God, we naturally want to please Him. What better way is there to do so than to appropriate the grace we've been given? How do we that? Through deep and abiding faith. Extraordinary contains a wealth of word pictures drawn by Bevere to illustrate his points. I especially liked his "pipeline of faith." A river of God's grace runs by our heart field. In our heart field there are sections called "Forgiveness of Sin", "Healing", "Living Holy", etc. The believer can tap into that river of grace by using his "pipeline of faith" to empower forgiveness of sin, but shut off holiness, healing, etc. because he never bothers to run a "pipeline of faith" to those sections. (pg. 152-153)

Bevere's explanation of body, soul and spirit is also one of the best I have seen. It gives new light to Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."


Extraordinary



New from WaterBrook Press.
I have one copy to give away.

For more about John Bevere: www.messengerinternational.org

If God is Good...

I don't want to put it down, but I have to. I am only a tenth of the way through. There is just so much my brain can absorb and digest at one time!

Randy Alcorn has written a thought-provoking treatise, tackling the age old question: "If God is good, why is there suffering and evil?" He challenges us to see spiritually the big picture of who God is and what He is doing in the world.

A few gems gleaned so far from If God is Good...

• "Believing God exists is not the same as trusting the God who exists." (pg. 12)
• "...most evangelical churches have failed to teach people to think biblically about the realities of evil and suffering." (pg. 14)
• God did not say trusting in Him would ward off all evil and suffering (pg. 38)
• "We shouldn't wait until suffering comes to start learning about how to face it any more than we should wait until we fall into the water to start learning how to scuba dive." (pg. 39)

Alcorn shares stories from people who have been through deeply painful circumstances, including himself, yet whose faith in God has grown deeper and richer. He quotes from many non-Christian sources and Christian writers, and loads his writing chock full of Scripture to continually point the reader to the God who holds all of us in His hand.

I would recommend If God is Good... Be prepared to be challenged.

2009, hardbound from Multnomah.

You Were Born for This

Bruce Wilkinson, whom you may recall authored The Prayer of Jabez, has penned a new book, You Were Born for This. In it, he lays out a handbook of sorts, using seven "keys" presented to Christians for encountering and delivering miracles to those in need.

I am not sure I really liked this book as it almost seemed at times that God is put in a box, and we need to know these keys in order to unlock the box for God to work in the lives of others. In fact, Wilkinson speaks much of people "partnering" with God in order to make miracles happen. I guess it was the term I didn't like, as "partner" seems too much like being on an equal footing with God whereas I view myself as His servant. I thought referring to heaven as "Mission Control" whereby God is planning what miracles should occur and who should be the one to bring them about, kind of a cocky attitude, but it did get across the author's point that God wants to use people to reach others in their time of need.

You Were Born for This is written to suggest readers open their spiritual eyes and spiritual ears and be more aware of God-nudges; you know, those times when a thought unexpectedly drops into your mind to speak to or do something for another person and you are not quite sure why. In Wilkinson's eyes, our response is determined by the amount of our faith, and we can either limit or release God to act.

2009 hardback from Multnomah.
see: http://bit.ly/wGT7l
I have one copy to give away.