Archive | December 2017

Fearless Faith by Joan Hufman

Dec28

An Enabling Book

Fearless Faith by Joan Huffman is a great little book that explores how to live out our faith in spite of our fears.

Knowing God means we should be able to live fruitful and fearless lives. We all have areas of our lives that cause us to fear. “Fear cripples us.” Joan Huffman examines various topics that make us fearful – giants, talents, brokenness, scars, etc – She gives pointers as to how we can overcome our fears by trusting in God. “My fear was great but God was greater.”

Each chapter opens with a Biblical passage and closes with questions designed for self examination, to enable us to live out our fearless faith.

A wonderful book. I will end with a quote that Joan Huffman included from Ernest Hemmingway that really says it all:

“Courage is grace under pressure.”

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Right In The Middle But Left Out by Jeffery Trees

Dec27

Evil Exists

Right In The Middle But Left Out by Jeffery Trees is a book about a little written about subject – incest and its effect on family members down the generations.

The cycle of sin needs to be broken. The past needs to be faced no matter how painful.

Jeffery Trees has written a firsthand account of what it is like to be married to a victim of incest. To be walking in the dark, stumbling around, trying to make sense of his newfound knowledge. “I leaned on Christ as the only source of my sanity.” What else can you do but turn to God?

There are raw emotions of pain, of hurt, of anger, of total disbelief – how could those meant to protect the innocent be so evil? It is natural to question even God’s goodness. “How could God allow it to happen?”

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The Proving by Beverly Lewis

Dec27

Many Blessings

The Proving by Beverly Lewis is a delightful contemporary Amish novel that I loved. Wonderfully descriptive, the reader ‘experiences’ a charming Amish B and B and the surrounding countryside.

The novel shows the hand of God on our lives. This is not always visible at first, but with hindsight we can see God working all things together for good.

Life is not all plain sailing. Rifts can split people apart. Hurt parties wallow, refusing to give up their anger and their hurt. So focused on their past, they risk ruining their future. Our hurts need to be given to God. “The wound isn’t beyond the scope of God’s grace.” We need to receive His healing.

Linked to this theme is that of forgiveness. We need to give out forgiveness before bitterness destroys us.

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Christmas At Carnton by Tamera Alexander

Dec22

A New Purpose

Christmas At Carnton by Tamera Alexander is the most delightful Christian historical read to kick off a brand new series. I cannot wait for the subsequent books.

Set in 1863 at the height of the American Civil War, Tamera Alexander has taken facts and woven them into fiction, making a wonderful heart warming story. War hurts everyone. No one is left unscathed. The war is fought in the home and on the battlefield. The men endure the fighting. The women endure the pain. Everyone suffers.

Not all scars are visible. Some are hidden but need to be faced and life adjusted accordingly.

The women were tough mentally. They fought to keep up morale, raising funds for the soldiers. Ladies aid groups were formed. It gave a focus for the women who had lost so much.

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