May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
What it’s About:
Forensic pathologist Grace
Reilly has seen her share of unusual deaths in rural Missouri. But when she
begins to notice a curious pattern in autopsies of elderly residents whose
demise appears to be natural, she takes her concerns to Sheriff Nate Cox.
Nate is skeptical about the link Grace is seeing
between the deaths--and her suspicions of foul play. But her persistence is
compelling. Once she finally convinces him her theory is credible and they join
forces to investigate, danger follows. Because exposing the truth could destroy
several lives--including Grace's.
Queen of inspirational romantic suspense Irene
Hannon closes out her bestselling Triple Threat series with this gripping tale
of secrets revealed and romance sparked.
My Thoughts:
Irene Hannon has written another excellent suspense as she’s tied up her Tripple
Threat series. In Body of Evidence, youngest sister, Grace, has come
across the suspicious deaths of elderly people, and she’s determined to find
out the truth. Sheriff Cox is a kind-hearted and loyal officer, new to the job.
I love the sparks that fly between the two and the dynamic of Grace and her two
sisters. Warning: Grace is a forensic pathologist and there are autopsies
described, which are important to the story. As in any suspense, I’m trying to
figure out who is behind the threats. Hannon writes so well I didn’t figure it
out until the end. If you enjoy romantic suspense, you won’t want to miss this
one or books one and two in the Tripple Threat series. I received
a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are
completely my own.
Philippians 4:6-7
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.
Shopping for jeans raises my anxiety.
After a hot summer, I’m ready for the cool air of autumn.
With the change in temperature comes the need for new jeans, part of my
standard retirement uniform. I’ve worn out the ones I bought a few years ago, so
I gathered my courage (because I need that to try on pants) and went to the
store where I bought my last pair. The bins and racks oozed with denim, but
every pair I looked at either had pre-ripped holes (I’m too old for those) or
buttons instead of a zipper, again, too old. No classic jeans existed. As my
anxiety rose and my frustration with it, my daughter, who came to the store separate
from me, saw me and creeped up on me and scared the beejeebers out of me (of
course we laughed about it—later.)
The whole shopping experience made my anxiety go through the
ceiling. I vowed to wear my thread-bare jeans and forget shopping. Then Kohl’s
dinged my inbox with a 40% off coupon. Could I try one more time? Yes, I did,
and I came home with a pair of classic “mom” jeans and a cute Peanuts t-shirt. I’m
thankful that despite my anxiety, I tried one more time.
I laugh now about the ridiculousness of trying to find a
pair of jeans, but the anxiety I’ve dealt with throughout my life isn’t funny. The
truth is, being anxious leaves me exhausted. I’m so thankful Paul addresses it
in these verses. God understands. He reminds us to stop and pray, ponder on
thankfulness, and He’ll pour peace into our hearts and minds. Without doubt, I
know this to be true.
Full disclosure: I have a medical issue that causes anxiety
and with the help of medicine, I am much better. But I also know that without
God, I’d be in a heap of trouble. My go to is prayer, always. I’m so grateful I
can talk to God about everything, including a frustrating shopping trip. Philippians
4:6-7 is one of the verses I cling to—to get me through life.
Pray first, always.
My Thoughts:
I enjoy cozy mysteries, and this series has been a treat. Trina Potter wants to
help her niece get her rescue business up and running, but in the meantime,
someone is sabotaging Second Chance Ranch before they even get set up. I like
the idea of dog rescue and love the pups in this delightful mystery. There is a
thread of romance, but the kennel and the mystery take the limelight. If you
enjoy cozies, give Dog Days of Summer a read and make sure to read book 1, Off
the Chain. Book 3, Barking Up the Wrong Tree will be available January, 2023. I
received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review
are completely my own.
In the sleepy small town of Mapleview, Michigan, Christmas
is always something special. In this charming collection of romance novellas,
join three generations of Mapleview residents longing for love--and finding
it--on the most wonderful night of the year.
"Hopes and Fears" by Amanda Wen
Emma Trowbridge is determined to give her students the
Christmas pageant of a lifetime. The last person she expected, or wanted, to
encounter in her two-room classroom is her childhood rival, Frederick
Oberstein. He would rather be far away himself. He wants no part of cheer,
Christmas or otherwise. Can they learn to see each other in a new light--and
embrace a new season of hope and faith together?
"While Mortals Sleep" by Janyre Tromp
While World War II rages overseas, news reporter Eleanor
Sweers returns home to Mapleview to face the repercussions of the death of her
sister and her nightmare of Christmases past. But the homefront isn't as far
from the war as she thought: a bomb has landed in the middle of the U.S. Now Eleanor
and family friend Gideon Braum may have to choose between the scoop of a
lifetime and the love of a lifetime.
"The Wondrous Gift" by Deborah Raney
High school football coach Caleb Janssen and music teacher
Rachel Hamblin bond when they both lose their jobs at a Christian school. But
when they discover their plans for the future are mutually exclusive, the
fallout threatens to tear them apart.
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed reading this collection of holiday themed stories. Set in the town of
Mapleview, Michigan, three authors create stories from different generations of
towns folk. Amanda Wen’s story, set in the early days of the town’s settlement,
is a sweet tale of love and forgiveness. Janyre Tromp’s story, set during WW 2
involves intrigue and the most lovable male character, Gideon. Deborah Raney
captures modern day Mapleview in her romance of two teachers. I like that the
schoolhouse from Wen’s story appears in Raney’s. Each story is unique and thoroughly
enjoyable. From historical fiction, to mystery, to contemporary these authors
have delivered three engaging and wonderful stories. Add this to your Christmas
to be read pile. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions
expressed in this review are completely my own.
God sees the little things as big things, and the least as most important.
Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility
value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each
of you to the interests of the others.
What would the world look like if we truly valued people?
My granddaughter, Dylan, and her best friend, Emma, have played doubles tennis together for three years. The day I dropped Dylan off for her first practice, she was the only student who showed up. A few days later, more girls joined, and she had recruited Emma to play with her.
In the last three years, I’ve watched these young ladies grow in the game. They’ve improved their serves, thought through their strategies, and learned to slam the ball, when needed. Their prowess on the court has grown from uncertain to confident. And more importantly, they’ve learned to trust each other. They don’t play for themselves or try to steal the limelight. Instead, they encourage each other and value the other one’s skills. I love watching them because they play as a team, dependent on one another. As a matter of fact, their whole team cheers for and champions each other.
What would the church look like if we did that?
Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians to encourage them and to advise on how to live life together as believers. His writing emphasizes the opposite of the ‘me first’ mentality. Instead, he instructed the people of the church of Philippi to humble themselves as Jesus did when He lived life on earth.
Jesus humbled Himself to the point of being a servant to the people He met.
He didn’t bang His chest and command attention. Instead, He lifted people up
with His words, He washed the feet of the disciples, and He healed the broken
and wounded. Jesus, by example, taught how to love other people and placed
great value on everyone.
Be a team player and encourage each other.