BOOK REVIEW - Sing For Me

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
When a good church girl starts singing in a jazz club and falls for the music—as well as a handsome African American man—she struggles to reconcile her childhood faith with her newfound passions.  Raised in the Danish Baptist Church, Rose Sorensen knows it’s wrong to sing worldly songs. But Rose still yearns for those she hears on the radio—“Cheek to Cheek,” “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”—and sings them when no one is around.  One day, Rose’s cousin takes her to Calliope’s, a jazz club, where she discovers an exciting world she never knew existed. Here, blacks and whites mingle, brought together by their shared love of music. And though Rose worries it’s wrong—her parents already have a stable husband in mind for her—she can’t stop thinking about the African American pianist of the Chess Men, Theo Chastain. When Rose returns to the jazz club, she is offered the role of singer for the Chess Men. The job would provide money to care for her sister, Sophy, who has cerebral palsy—but at what cost?  As Rose gets to know Theo, their fledgling relationship faces prejudices she never imagined. And as she struggles to balance the dream world of Calliope’s with her cold, hard reality, she also wrestles with God’s call for her life. Can she be a jazz singer? Or will her faith suffer because of her worldly ways?  Set in Depression-era Chicago and rich in historical detail, Sing for Me is a beautiful, evocative story about finding real, unflinching love and embracing—at all costs—your calling.

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: http://www.karenschreck.com/

MY REVIEW:
I confess that I am drawn to books by the cover art...horrible, I know.  While book shopping at Mardel, my eye was drawn to a low shelf and there packed amidst several possible reads was a beautiful art deco font showing the title of "Sing for Me".  As a long time fan of Ella Fitzgerald and Rosemary Clooney, it is no wonder my eyes spotted this cover.  I've had this dream of being a modern-day lounge singer since probably about my sophomore year in high-school.  (That was about the time I discovered Harry Connick, Jr, my second musician crush...sorry Rick Springfield).  As I have gotten older and lost most of my singing ability, I am okay with letting Jane Monheit and Diana Krall carry that honor.

Maybe it was the excitement of starting the book or the stress I am currently going through in my job, but I had a hard time getting into the story of the book.  It is well-written and seems to be true to the time period, so I am sure I was to blame for my slow beginning.  I enjoyed the characters and appreciated the different dilemmas each were going through, but I was anxious to get to the music and romance. When that began to develop and became forefront, my interest fortissimo-ed and I finished the last half of the book in about a day.  I loved how the author included lyrics from hymns and standards throughout the story.  I found myself singing them all as I read and that makes a great read for me!

There are two evils addressed in the book - prejudice and stubbornness - and both of these give a painful ache to my heart.  Judgement has to be the most hurtful behavior in the world as it leads to much worse.  The judgement given to me since early childhood has not been the color of my skin or the religion I practice, but any judgement is hurtful and leaves permanent scars on the soul.  If I could have one wish granted, it would be that people would think first to accept differences rather than to punish them.  Let us live a life lead by love!  After all, we as Christians, are called to be examples of Christ who was Himself the truest form of love.

As I was finishing this book, the tragedy in Charleston occurred and I found myself crying for the families of the victims and the community.  I was saddened that in 2015 the cruelty of skin-color prejudice is still prevalent in our country.  It breaks my heart and I can only imagine the sadness it brings Christ who loved each one of us enough to sacrifice Himself for our freedom.  Oh, how I pray, that somewhere over the rainbow we can finally overcome this obstacle.

BOOK REVIEW - How to Enjoy Reading Your Bible

BOOK DESCRIPTION & AUTHOR'S WEBSITE
Do you feel like you should read the Bible more?  This book will help you want to read it.  Keith Ferrin has been talking to churches for years about enjoying God's Word. Here he shares the most helpful ideas and habits you can start using today. You will find ten proven tips that are equally practical whether you are a longtime Bible student or simply exploring what this life-changing book is all about.  Aimed at deepening your relationship with God, these simple suggestions will help you focus more easily as you read, remember Scripture better, and most importantly, enjoy the Bible and its Author more than you ever dreamed possible.
http://keithferrin.com/

MY REVIEW

"You have not truly mastered any part of the Bible until that part of the Bible has mastered you" - Bob Shinrock.

 

I met Jesus in 1982, but I fell in love with Jesus in 2001 when I felt His calling and discovered my spiritual gift was teaching.  I am somewhat of a study nerd...I love the research of studying and then sharing what I learn with others.  This is most evident in regards to His Word.  I love the Bible and cannot get enough of His story.  This book will be a reference I keep on hand to gift others I meet who desire to know how to read the Bible with a "relational" approach.  It is that helpful and I wish I would of had it years ago!

Ferrin has written a wonderful reference for new and long-time readers of the Bible.  I enjoyed the personal way in which the book was written.  It was as if he were sitting with you at Starbucks sharing with you his 10 tips for having a better time "hanging out" with God.  With his one-on-one writing style, it was easy to become motivated to put the tips to use.  The tips are practical in that they are lined out in a good format and they are easy to understand.  This practicality made the book extremely motivating.  It feels as if he were your Bible Reading Coach and reminding you that it can be so much fun.

"How to Enjoy Reading Your Bible" has truly encouraged me and I look forward to working through the challenges he presents at the end of the book.  Even though my time with the Bible is frequent, I do see that I can sometimes fall into the "informational" reading approach.  It is so easy to find yourself there in a dutiful feeling instead of a desiring feeling.  My heart so desires time in the arms of my Redeemer and getting to know Him more deeply.  The book has also refueled my love for sharing the Bible with others and I have asked my Pastor to possibly facilitate a Small Group to put these useful tips in the hands of my fellow church members.

I was provided this book for free as an Advanced Reader Copy by Bethany House, a division of Baker House Publishing, for my honest review.

BOOK REVIEW- Until the Harvest

BOOK DESCRIPTION & AUTHOR'S WEBSITE
When family tragedy derails Henry Phillips's college studies, he's left unmoored and feeling abandoned. The only things that can tamp down his grief are the family farm, his fiddle, and an unexpected friendship with sweet but unusual preteen Mayfair Hoffman. Unfortunately, Mayfair's older sister, Margaret, despite her spray of freckles and cute, turned-up nose, has a completely different effect. His grandmother's helper, she's always around, ready to push his buttons, and it seems at first that she doesn't care about his troubles. Henry soon realizes, though, that Margaret's facing her own struggles. Mayfair's health and unique gift sit at the heart of those worries. Henry and Margaret soon find themselves relying on each other as potential tragedy collides with growing hope in a warm story of family bonds and the surprising ways healing finds us all.  http://sarahloudinthomas.com/

MY REVIEW
Personally, this was a very inspiring book to read. I chose to read it because it was set in the Appalachians and I have liked other books set in this area of the country. However, this book was SO much better due to the spiritual message that flowed through the story. It was an engaging read as I finished the book in only 1 day (I was home recovering from surgery, so pain was my only distraction).

I thought the book was a sweet love story. At first, the main love story seemed to be Henry and Margaret, two people trying to find their place in the world with the fear of an unknown future. Who doesn't love a story of two somewhat lost people being brought together by God?  I can relate to both of the characters, but more so with Margaret and her struggling belief in God's love for her.   The book suggested that maybe she couldn't really love until she better understood how much God loves her.  As I became more involved in the story, the TRUE love story seemed to be between God and all the interesting characters. He was very active in all their lives.  God's love shined so bright through His precious vessel, Mayfair (Margaret's younger sister). My eyes filled with tears when Beulah looked at Mayfair and said "I don't need to look into your eyes to feel your love".  My deepest desire is to offer this much love, kindness, and "peace of mind" to those I come into contact with in this life.

There were a few other insights I pulled from the story that I would like to share because I think they are sometimes forgotten in our lives today.  The first is the value of the wise elders in our lives.  In the story, all the older characters were full of wisdom that they so freely gave to the Henry and Margaret.  I cannot tell you the amount of wisdom I have learned from my grandparents and church members - they are such a blessing to my life.  The second is the value of the love we offer through our talents and gifts.  There is a focus on the healing that Mayfair offered her community, but I also enjoyed the telling of how Perla stretched food through hard times and I truly feel that Margaret showed love to Beulah and Emily by cleaning their homes as they were no longer able to themselves.  We all have something we do really well that we can use to serve those around us.

What a story! "Until the Harvest' was a sweet read and is well written by Sarah Loudin Thomas. I am very grateful to Bethany House, a division of Baker House Publishing Group, who provided me with the book for my honest review.

JOURNAL - Scripture Journaling!

Journaling has been such a blessing to my spiritual life - especially in the way I read and understand the Bible.  As an audiovisual learner and an obsessive list-maker, using these study skills in my journaling has really opened my eyes to things I have missed in His Word.  The Inductive Study Method created by Precepts has also played a huge role in my understanding of the Bible.  I find it uses a lot of investigative journalism methods that I learned in school and helps to keep me focused as I study.  Honestly, I have a mind that wanders when I try to study - learning to block out the distractions is not something I have mastered.  Whatever your study skills were in school, you should give them a try with your Bible study.  You may be surprised at the impact as well!

READ - Coffee Book Tag

I stumbled on this tag watching Booktube videos and thought it looked like fun.  Hope you enjoy my picks and let me know if you liked or disliked any of them.

JOURNAL & BOOK REVIEW - The Butterfly and the Violin

After church today, I felt the pull to work in my art journal.  I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to get some paint on my fingers.  As I sat down at my art table, I turned on one of my favorite Pandora stations, Classical for the Soul, and the violin strings became my muse for the afternoon.

Earlier this month I read "The Butterfly and the Violin" by Kristy Cambron.  The book takes place in both WW2 and today.  The plot revolves around the story of Austria's Sweetheart, a young violinist named Adele Von Bron.  Together with her boyfriend, Vladamir, they risk their lives to help Jews escape from Vienna and she finds herself a prisoner in Auschwitz.  It was a hard book for me to read because the descriptions of camp life seemed so real.  For me, it was similar to reading "Night" by Elie Weisel because you JUST CAN'T take anymore, but then you NEED to know the outcome.  The story set in today's New York is about Sera James, a New York art dealer, who has a sentimental attachment with a painting of our heroine Adele.  Sera finds herself in California with a gentleman, William, who owns a copy of the painting and they team up to search for the original.  In the book you get to experience two love stories both connected to the painting of a beautiful survivor who found her strength in God to produce creativity in a time of adversity.  Many a tear fell as the book came to a close - well, truthfully, I sobbed.

I tried to capture the idea of the book as my art journal page.  Please meet my vision of Adele in about the middle of her stay at Auschwitz- before she shaved her head, but well enough into her look of starvation.  The book says she had beautiful blond hair and I can't remember if her eye color was mentioned.  I knew I wanted her eyes to draw you in and I hope I was able to carry that off.  Although the butterfly was a brooch in the story,  I added this as a necklace pendant.  I used the idea of her tattoo as a way to date my page.  Since the search for the painting was key to the plot, I put a bold black frame around my image of Adele.  I really felt like "creativity in adversity" was being placed on my heart as I read the book, so I added this as text on my page.  As somebody who has her fair share of adversity, I know the impact creativity plays in healing.  It has been my salve many a time!

BOOK REVIEW - Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe

BOOK DESCRIPTION

What if you could ask God anything? What would you ask? And how would He answer?  Chelsea Chambers is on her own. After a public split from her NFL superstar husband, Chelsea takes a bold step out of the limelight and behind the counter of the Higher Grounds Café, an old-fashioned coffee shop in dire need of reinvention. But when her courage, expert planning, and out-of-this-world cupcakes fail to pay the bills, this newly single mom finds herself desperate for help. Better yet, a miracle.  Then a curious stranger lands at Chelsea’s door, and with him, an even more curious string of events. Soon, customers are flocking to the Higher Grounds Café, and not just for the cupcakes and cappuccino. They’ve come for the internet connection to the divine. Now the café has become the go-to place for people in search of answers to life’s biggest questions. When a catastrophe strikes and her ex comes calling, Chelsea begins to wonder if the whole universe is conspiring against her quest to make it on her own. After a shocking discovery opens her eyes to the unseen world around her, Chelsea finds the courage to ask God a question of her own. Heaven answers in a most unexpected way.
Author's Website:  http://maxlucado.christianbook.com/miracle-at-the-higher-grounds-cafe/max-lucado/9780718000882/pd/000882/1529702503?event=MLDTS01

MY REVIEW
Although I am not a coffee-drinker, I was close to trying a mochachino as I read the newest book by Max Lucado.  The book started out a little slow for me, but I perked up when the God Blog modem was installed at the cafe.  The questions being asked by the customers and the answers they received from God were interesting to read and warmed my heart.  The responses reminded me of the Jesus Calling devotions in which scripture is written as a brief note from God.

The variety of relationships seemed to be the theme of this book - there were strong, bold relationships and light, sweet relationships.  The story revolves around the bittersweet, failing marriage of Chelsea and Sawyer.  I am probably the odd reader out because I enjoyed the maturing character of Sawyer.  I respected his desire to salvage his marriage and family.  He knew he had horribly wronged Chelsea yet he sought her forgiveness and tried to regain her love in a humble way.  The fact that he previously played for the Dallas Cowboys had only a small part in this.  Overarching these relationships was the relationship of God and His people.  With the God Blog we see His amazing love and throughout the story you cannot help but see His sovereignty in each of their lives.  My favorite character would be Manny - our "geeky" angel who I'd love to see fighting the Dark Side with his light saber.  

There is a battle brewing in the spiritual world and the book gives you glimpses of demons succumbing to the Heavenly angels.  (They don't need a light saber:))    At one point an angel said he had been delayed and that reminded me of Daniel 10 when the angel was delayed and left Micheal fighting in the spiritual realm.  I easily forget what all could be going on in the unseen by my human eyes.  I am humbled that God finds me worth fighting for.  

Miracles abounded at this beloved cafe and each was such a joy to read.  God is SO good!  For days I thought about the 1 question I would ask the God Blog.  Are You proud of me? Am I serving as You desire?  Why have I dealt with so much pain in my life?  Then came conviction and the remembrance of the TRUE MIRACLE - we don't need a God Blog, we have direct access.  We can ask God infinite questions and, like the cafe-goers, we can expect an answer.  It won't always be a written blog comment, but God knows how He can talk to His children.  Whether it be via music or nature or exercise, He will speak.  Are you listening?