The Power of Prayer

Fiction Book Review: Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock

Book Description:

As a first-year law associate, Sydney Batson knows she will be updating her resume by New Year’s if she loses her current court case. So when her grandmother gets inexplicably ill while she’s in court, Sydney arranges for a cab to get her to the clinic.

The last thing cab driver Finn Parrish wants is to be saddled with a wheelchair-bound old lady with dementia. But because Miss Callie reminds him of his own mother, whom he failed miserably in her last days, he can’t say no when she keeps calling him for rides. 

Once a successful gourmet chef, Finn’s biggest concern now is making his rent, but half the time Callie doesn’t remember to pay him. And as she starts to feel better, she leads him on wild goose chases to find a Christmas date for her granddaughter.

When Finn meets Sydney, he’s quite sure that she’s never needed help finding a date. 

Does Miss Callie have an ulterior motive, or is this just a mission driven by delusions? He’s willing to do whatever he can to help fulfill Callie’s Christmas wish. He just never expected to be a vital part of it.

My Review:
I loved this amusing story of a grandmother's attempt to give her granddaughter the perfect Christmas. My heart went out to Sydney. Her life is a bit of a mess, but she's trying to do the best she can. Finn is drifting along when his days are taken over by Miss Callie. A comical yet heartwarming tale blooms from their predicaments and a grandmother's amazing love. In the midst of your holiday preparation, this story would provide the perfect break, or a great gift. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

God's Peace

Romans 5:1-2
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 

Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

What is the most peaceful thing you can think of? A baby sleeping in your arms. A stream flowing through a meadow on a summer day. A fresh layer of undisturbed snow in the woods. That perfect song that takes you to a place of rest and renewal.

For me a peaceful time is sitting in the living room with my husband on a quiet Saturday morning. Having my family gathered around me. Walking in the woods on a spring day. Watching the snow fall and glisten. Sitting under my favorite lighthouse and listening to the water strike the rocks. 

Peace on this earth seems harder to come by every day. With so much negative noise in the world, I find it difficult at times to come to a moment of calm. Yet knowing what I do about Jesus, I understand that peace is near.

When I chose to follow Jesus, I gained a serenity that is incomprehensible on this earth. Because of my relationship with him, I know the peace of God will guard my heart. His grace pours over me and offers hope. His Spirit dwells in me and comforts me. When I feel anxious, I know I can go to Jesus and seek his quiet reassurance. I love the verses in Philippians that remind me that God has a peace to pour over me that is beyond my comprehension. He has a peace that transcends understanding. The very peace he fills my heart with is the same one Jesus experienced when he died on the cross and rose again. Jesus knew God held his heart.

God's peace is a gift; given to anyone who chooses to follow Jesus.

Young Adult Fiction Review: The Bridge to Cutter Gap (Christy of Cutter Gap Book 1) by Catherine Marshall

Book Description:

The injured man lay limp and unconscious. A horrible feeling of guilt swept over Christy as she realized, "This happened because of me!"

Christy Huddleston's dream was to teach the poor mountain children. But she never imagined that the treacherous journey from Asheville into the heart of the Smoky Mountains would bring danger into the lives of one mountain family.

Join Christy as she crosses the bridge from the familiar world of city life to the strange, new world of Cutter Gap.

Based on Catherine Marshall's novel Christy—a New York Times bestseller—the Christy® of Cutter Gap series contains expanded adventures filled with romance, intrigue, and excitement. 

My Review:
I am so excited that Gilead Publishing's branch, Evergreen Farm, has created a series for young adults from the beautiful Catherine Marshall classic, Christy. I absolutely love the original text. Upon reading book one in the Christy of Cutter Gap series, I was not disappointed. This rendition of the beginning of Christy's story stayed true to the original. I highly recommend this series for twelve years old and up. Christy's story is one of integrity and growth. She's trying to follow God's lead as she learns to live in a very different culture than her own. I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fiction Review: Just Let Go by Courtney Walsh

Book Description:

For Quinn Collins, buying the flower shop in downtown Harbor Pointe fulfills a childhood dream, but also gives her the chance to stick it to her mom, who owned the store before skipping town twenty years ago and never looking back. Completing much-needed renovations, however, while also competing for a prestigious flower competition with her mother as the head judge, soon has Quinn in over her head. Not that she’d ever ask for help.

Luckily, she may not need to. Quinn’s father and his meddling friends find the perfect solution in notorious Olympic skier Grady Benson, who had only planned on passing through the old-fashioned lakeside town. But when a heated confrontation leads to property damage, helping Quinn as a community-service sentence seems like the quickest way out—and the best way to avoid more negative press.

Quinn finds Grady reckless and entitled; he thinks she’s uptight and too regimented. Yet as the two begin to hammer and saw, Quinn sees glimpses of the vulnerability behind the bravado, and Grady learns from her passion and determination, qualities he seems to have lost along the way. But when a well-intentioned omission has devastating consequences, Grady finds himself cast out of town—and Quinn’s life—possibly forever. Forced to face the hurt holding her back, Quinn must finally let go or risk missing out on the adventure of a lifetime.

My Review:
I like Just Let Go because the characters are flawed, just like me. Courtney Walsh has written a story about people who have lived life. They've failed, they've triumphed, but they've carried baggage. Heavy suitcases filled with burden. While one holds on to their faith, the other has let go and gone off the edge. This is a beautiful story of realization and redemption. A story of forgiveness in the most personal sense. I love Courtney's books, and this one is no exception. It is refreshing to read the story of people who demonstrate how the love of God brings hope. I purchased a Kindle copy from Amazon. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Peace-

I Believe

1 Corinthians 13:11-12
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Under the tall maple trees in the grass as soft as silk, I gathered sticks, fallen tree bark, and leaves. I huddled under the trees and built tiny structures from my found treasures. I was sure, at seven years old, that the fairies who fluttered among the snapdragons and poppies, needed a home. Sometimes in the early morning, I'd run out to see if these beautiful winged creatures slept under the tree bark. I never saw them, but I did discover a fairy ring (mushrooms dancing in a circle) on occasion. You see when I was a child, I believed that fairies and trolls and all manner of make believe  existed. As an adult, I know now that those were great stories of my imagination.

Now when I sit under a maple tree or touch the silky soft grass, I thank the great Creator of all things. I praise God who is the way, the truth, and the life. With every part of my being, I believe that Jesus came to this earth and suffered and died for me. I believe he rose from the dead and offers new life for anyone who will follow him. When I was 14, I accepted Jesus as my Savior. I was baptized and started living my life for him. I'm 61 now, and I've had my share of difficulty and grief. I've sinned and been forgiven. I've experienced great joy and many blessings. Through it all, Jesus held my hand. He poured his love and grace over me.

I believe in God as my Father, Jesus as my Savior, and the Holy Spirit as my guide. As an adult, I put away my childhood imaginings and embraced the truth of the Bible. Jesus offers forgiveness, grace, and eternal life to all who choose to believe. He is the hope for this weary world.