Archive | April 2020

When My Mind Winds Up by Jennifer Ervig

Apr28

Powerful And Personable

When My Mind Winds Up: A Pull No Punches Approach To Anxiety by Jennifer Ervig is a powerful book looking at anxiety and how we can deal with it and hope to overcome it.

Each chapter is divided into introductory thoughts, Bible references, a narrative, questions to lead us to review ourselves and a section for notes. It is well laid out and accessible for all.

Jennifer Ervig tells us that anxiety is self-focused and therefore it helps if we can take our gaze off ourselves and put it onto others. “Anxiety is not about you. It’s an attack on you.” When anxiety attacks we need to root down into God, reminding ourselves of His word and His promises. If medicine is prescribed, it’s okay to take it. After all if you had a headache, you would take paracetamol.

It is important to be aware of what we feed our minds. “Whatever we plant in our… mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become reality.” We need to guard our minds and fix our eyes on Jesus. He is our hope and our anchor.

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Within Golden Bands by Norma Gail

Apr28

Joy Comes In The Morning

Within Golden Bands by Norma Gail is a marvellous contemporary Christian crime suspense. It is part of the A Home For My Heart series but can be read as a stand-alone. I would recommend reading book one first so you can get to know the characters and see their progression.

Wow, what an amazing read. As the suspense rose, so did my heart rate. The plotline is well thought out and executed. Revenge motivates some terrible crimes as a character is consumed.

 In contrast there is goodness and light as characters live out their faith in God. He “can’t steal our faith or destroy our spirits unless we permit it.” We cannot stop life happening to us but we can choose how we respond – in faith or fear.

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The Constant Soldier by William Ryan

Apr25

Powerful And Horrifying

The Constant Soldier by William Ryan is a powerful yet horrifying account of life on the outskirts of Auschwitz 1944- 1945.

The action is seen mainly through the eyes of a reluctant German soldier, who is not a Nazi. He suffered on the eastern front, returned home and now works in his own way to help aid five women prisoners. As a war hero, he is trusted. As a German soldier, he is viewed with suspicion. The reader sees his true nature as a brave soldier who is trying to right the wrongs.

At the time of the book, the Germans were in retreat from the east and the Russians were advancing. The Nazis fail to see defeat as an option, still believing in Hitler. The German army is in tatters, recruiting boys as young as twelve and old men.

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Tomorrow’s Shining Dream by Naomi Rawlings

Apr25

True Treasure

Tomorrow’s Shining Dream by Naomi Rawlings is a most delightful Christian historical novel. It is part of the Texas Promise series but can be read as a stand-alone.

I enjoyed meeting up with some familiar faces. Naomi Rawlings draws some wonderful, warm characters. The leading two had some charming verbal exchanges. The reader witnesses the chemistry bouncing off them. There were some highly amusing moments as the leading lady is accident prone.

The main themes were forgiveness, guilt and grace. We all make mistakes that we need to learn from and not drown in a sea of guilt. “God forgives… you don’t have to spend the rest of your life paying for one mistake.” God meant for us to live in freedom. When He says “forgiven”, we need to believe Him.

Likewise we must forgive others. To fail to do so merely shackles us to a moment in time. Who are we to think we can elevate ourselves above God’s word? He tells us to forgive and we must do it.

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