WORD up!

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Melody Carlson and the book: New York Debut (Carter House Girls) Zondervan (May 1, 2009) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Over the years, Melody Carlson has worn many hats, from pre-school teacher to youth counselor to political activist to senior editor. But most of all, she loves to write! Currently she freelances from her home. In the past ten years, she has published more than a hundred books for children, teens, and adults, with sales totaling more ...

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Cheri Blair and Steve Chalke and the book: Stop the Traffik: People Shouldn't Be Bought & Sold Lion UK (April 1, 2009) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cherie Blair is a human rights lawyer and campaigner on women's rights and empowerment, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and author of Speaking for Myself. Steve Chalke is UN.GIFT special advisor on human trafficking, and founder of Stop the Traffik. He is the author of sev...

I adore labyrinths! I think they are not only beautiful, but also serve to focus me when my thoughts are scrambled through the influence of circumstances. Many people walk through labyrinths praying or meditating on scripture. It is a calming exercise. The choice to draw one in my Bible was a no-brainer! I was reading Kristen Heitzmann’s book “The Edge of Recall,” a Christian suspense novel about a labyrinth architect while I was at a women’s retreat where there was a labyrinth (although I never saw it while I was there). When I returned home, I did some research on labyrinths and found a simple finger labyrinth that I printed and used to trace into my Notes pages. Now, whenever I want to walk a labyrinth, I open my Bible and let my fingers do the walking! Now if I could only talk my husband into building me my own labyrinth in our backyard…

First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Cheryl Wyatt and her publisher for sending me a copy of "Ready-Made Family" to review for them. I have always been grateful for this generosity, and I am improving at being consistent in taking the time to thank these wonderfully giving individuals in a public forum. I really appreciate your time, effort and expense in making a reviewer copy available to me. Cheryl Wyatt’s third effort in her encouraging and inspiring Wings of Refuge Series is a wonderful romance that deals with perseverance, faith, trust, and restoration of relationship. “Ready-Made Family” follows the relationship between Ben Dillinger, another Air Force pararescue jumper on Joel Montgomery’s elite rescue team stationed in Refuge, Illinois, and Amelia North, a wounded woman with no place to go and a young daughter to care for. It is absolutely beautiful to watch Amelia’s character blossom and bloom through this story. Her daughter, Reece, is a ...

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Amy Wallace and the book: Enduring Justice (Defenders of Hope Series #3) Multnomah Books (April 14, 2009) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amy Wallace is the author of Ransomed Dreams and Healing Promises, a homeschool mom, and self-confessed chocoholic. She is a graduate of the Gwinnett County Citizens Police Academy and a contributing author of several books including God Answers Moms’ Prayers and Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series: Dia...

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes. I felt a great sense of urgency to publish them rather than waiting until I had the time to pretty them up. Thank you and I pray that God blesses you through this material. Stacey Take a few minutes to savor Revelation Chapter 17. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations. 17:1 — the punishment of the great prostitute — see 17:16. Many waters — peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. See 17:15. See Jeremiah 51:13 (AMP) 17:2 — See Jeremiah 25:15-16 (AMP) 17:3 — scarlet beast with 7 heads and 10 horns — see 12:3 and 13:1-10 - red dragon. 17:4 — dressed in purple and scarlet — royal color and color of blood. Glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls — rich? golden cup — see Daniel 5:3. Also gold — golden head of statue in Daniel 2 = Babylon. See Jeremiah 51:7 (AMP) 17:4 – golden cup – see Daniel 5:3. Also gold – golden head of s...

First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Tom Doyle and his publisher for sending me a copy of "Breakthrough: The Return of Hope to the Middle East" to review for them. I have always been grateful for this generosity, and I am improving at being consistent in taking the time to thank these wonderfully giving individuals in a public forum. I really appreciate your time, effort and expense in making a reviewer copy available to me. I’ve been reading lots of books about the middle east and by people who are from the part of the world, lately. Perhaps this is because of looming terrorist threats or the continued war in Iraq or because I am watching the birthplace of humanity for any signs that would indicate that Jesus’ second coming is right around the corner. “Breakthrough: The Return of Hope to the Middle East” by Tom Doyle is one such book that I am reading. Doyle shares the explosion of Christianity that is taking place in the middle east, and has been ...

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Kamal Saleem and the book: The Blood of Lambs Howard Books (April 7, 2009) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kamal Saleem was born under another name into a large Sunni Muslim family in Lebanon. At age seven, he was recruited by the Muslim Brotherhood and immediately entered a Palestinian Liberation Organization terror training camp in Lebanon. After being involved in terror campaigns in Israel, Europe, Afghanistan, and Africa, and finally making radical ...

If you have a documented method for studying the Bible on your own, you will be consistent in your study. Also, as long as you have your Bible, a notebook and a pen or pencil, you’ve got everything you need to have a serious one-on-One with the Lord! You don’t always have to use a study guide developed by someone else. There are several methods of personal Bible study suggested on the internet and in books and magazines if you need suggestions. Here is a basic method I use. Approach the Word first with prayer - ask the Lord to reveal His truth to you and give you practical application for what He wants you to learn. You may want to take a few minutes to ask Him to reveal to you any sins you need to confess so that you will not encounter obstructions in your study time. I’m taking this a step further right now and asking that He will use our study time together to equip me to share the gospel with others. Choose a passage – I’m not a big supporter of opening the Bible to random p...

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Mel Starr and the book: The Unquiet Bones Monarch Books (November 4, 2008) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mel Starr was born and grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He graduated from Spring Arbor High School in 1960, and Greenville College (Illinois) in 1964. He received a MA in history from Western Michigan University in 1970. He taught history in Michigan public schools for thirty-nine years, thirty-five of those in Portage, MI, where he retired in 2003 ...

Blaggard's Moon by George Bryan Polivka Here is my review of this wonderful high seas adventure: First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to George Bryan Polivka and his publisher for sending me a copy of "Blaggard's Moon" to review for them. I have always been grateful for this generosity, but haven’t been very consistent in taking the time to thank them in a public forum. I really appreciate your time, effort and expense in making a reviewer copy available to me. George Polivka’s “Blaggard’s Moon” is a truly wonderful book. The author of “The Legend of the Firefish” does not disappoint in this tale of incredible fantasy novel of piracy, intrigue and adventure on the high seas! This novel is the perfect place to start reading as it is the prequel to the Trophy Case Trilogy which consists of “The Legend Of The Firefish”, “The Hand That Bears The Sword”, and “The Battle For Vast Dominion”. This is a wonderful novel about choices and consequences sea...

Arbor Day is April 24th, 2009. In honor of the celebration, here is a related Ice Breaker for your small group. This idea requires quite a bit of preparation, but can be modified to put together quickly. Set up an artificial tree at your group meeting. Place a leaf on each branch of the tree that contains the name (and perhaps a photo and/or prayer request) of one of the ladies in your group. Before leaving the meeting, each woman takes a leaf from the tree and prays for that woman during the week. At the next meeting, enjoy a time of fellowship where everyone can share who they were praying for and how God has moved in their lives.

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes. I felt a great sense of urgency to publish them rather than waiting until I had the time to pretty them up. Thank you and I pray that God blesses you through this material. Stacey Take a few minutes to savor Revelation Chapter 16. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations. 16:1 — See Psalms 69:24; Isaiah 66:6 (AMP) — ???; the sound of the Lord repaying His enemies is heard from the temple. 16:2-9 — compare 1St 4 bowls to 1St 4 trumpets in 8:7-12. More intense pain and destruction, now. 16:2 — 1st bowl — ugly and painful sores — compare to 6th Egyptian plague (Exodus 9:9-11) and Job 2:7-8, 13. See Exodus 9:10-11; Deuteronomy 28:35 (AMP) 16:3 — 2nd bowl — blood like a dead man — thick, viscous, yuck! Jesus' blood is life. This blood is death! 16:4 — 3rd bowl — springs and rivers become blood. See Exodus 7:17-21 (AMP) 16:6 — See Psalms...

Here is my review of this wonderful Christian Romantic Suspense novel: “Against All Odds” by Irene Hannon is an incredible read. This masterpiece of Christian fiction employs intrigue, romance, suspense, politics, communication and basic Christianity with finesse and skill. The meticulously laid out terrorist-political plot of this intricate tale of suspense grabs the reader’s attention and holds it hostage while the beautifully developed romance between protector and charge blossoms. And the reverse is also true. The romance fan hangs on every word of this unfolding political drama. Hannon has a smooth writing style that is both intelligent and emotional. Her talent for bringing the reader through the various sub-plots of this story of the protection of a dignitary’s daughter from a terrorist threat appeals to the romance reader, the suspense booklover, and the political thriller fan. I will absolutely read this novel again…and again…

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book! You never know when I might play a wild card on you! Today's Wild Card author is: Brian Zahnd and the book: What To Do On the Worst Day of Your Life Christian Life (March 3, 2009) ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Brian Zahnd is the founder and senior pastor of Word of Life Church , a congregation in St. Joseph, Missouri. He and his wife, Peri, have three sons. Visit the author's website . Product Details: List Price: $14.99 Hardcover: 160 pages Publisher: Christian Life (March 3, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 1599797267 ISBN...