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Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the book of Genesis. 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 Genesis Chapter 26. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations… 26:2 – The Lord appeared to Isaac as he appeared to Abraham. God told Isaac not to go to Egypt because of the famine. 26:6 – Isaac obeyed God. 26:7 – say you are my sister – like father, like son. See 12:13 and 20:12. 26:12 – Isaac was a farmer. 26:13 – Isaac was wealthy. 26:14 – Isaac also had many flocks. 26:15 – The Philistines became jealous of Isaac and his wealth and stopped up the wells to drive him away. 26:34 – Esau is 40. Isaac is 100 at this time. What attributes of God have you observed in your study today? How will this change your rel...

In the movie “Speed”, when Alan Ruck delivers the line, “I’ve already seen the airport,” the bus carrying the bomb returns to where his character’s tourist-ready feet first touched Los Angeles soil. He didn’t expect the adventure that would take him back to where he’d already been, and that cracked me up. Now, I’ve been on a similar journey…a divine misadventure…and I praise God that my face doesn’t look as disappointed as Alan’s did in the film. Don’t get me wrong, I had moments when I didn’t react all too positively to my plans being interrupted, but I did embrace the adventure…and I’m still laughing. It began as a daytrip to the Grand Canyon because my family has never seen it. Cooler loaded, gas tank filled, we left Las Vegas and headed toward Arizona. We cranked the tunes while looking for mountain sheep approaching Hoover Dam. The sight of the bridge that is being built there was incredible! What a wonder – and it will cut about 15 minutes from travel time winding through ...

“Black Hills Blessing” is a three-novel anthology by Mary Connealy that is a must read for every Mary Connealy fan! These three beautifully crafted romances all take place in the breathtaking setting of South Dakota. With strong leading women and rugged leading men to capture their hearts, these three short novels will make you laugh and tear up and thoroughly enjoy a few afternoons with one of the best western romance writers of our time! *****“Buffalo Gal” tells the tale of Allison “Buffy” Lange, who has come to Buffalo Commons to work and do research while she writes her doctoral dissertation. She is working toward a promised position at Yellowstone National Park and eventually a full-time position with buffalo. But her goals are interrupted by an irresponsible sister and a costly mishap that finds her buffalo destroying the neighbors’ ranches. One such neighbor is Wyatt Shaw, a widower who’s not looking for a new wife while he raises his young – and very energetic – twin boys....

Raven's Ladder by Jeffrey Overstreet Here is my review: First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Jeffrey Overstreet and his publisher for sending me a copy of "Raven's Ladder" 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. “Raven’s Ladder” by Jeffrey Overstreet is part three of The Auralia Thread fantasy series. It is a continuation of the story begun in “Auralia’s Colors” and sustained in “Cyndere’s Midnight”. There promises to be a fourth – and final – book in the series. My husband is the science fiction/fantasy fan in the family, so it didn’t surprise me that he grabbed this book to read it before I could really get my hands on it. Well, I’ve finally begun reading the continuing adventure of the people of Abascar as they flee their home because ...

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: Mark Matlock and the book: Real World Parents: Christian Parenting for Families Living in the Real World Zondervan/Youth Specialties (February 23, 2010) ***Special thanks to Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mark Matlock has been working with youth pastors, students, and parents for two decades. He speaks to hundreds of thousands of students around the world each year, and prese...

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: Katie Brazelton and the book: Live Big! 10 Life Coaching Tips for Living Large, Passionate Dreams Howard Books; Original edition (February 2, 2010) ***Special thanks to Blythe Daniel of The Blythe Daniel Agency, Inc. for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Katie Brazelton, Ph.D., M.Div., M.A., is a life coach and bestselling author. She is the founder of Life Purpose Coaching Centers International, which trains Christians wor...

Check Out my March 23rd post on this novel. Here is my review of this terrific romantic suspense novel: First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Robin Caroll and her publisher for sending me a copy of "Deliver Us From Evil" to review for them. I have always been grateful for this generosity, and I am trying to improve 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 am completely enthralled by Robin Caroll’s novel, “Deliver Us From Evil”. My initial attraction to the book description was a mention of the Great Smoky Mountains, a place I spent a bit of time exploring as a child. I looked forward to reliving some memories about the places I visited while in North Carolina and Tennessee. And, although the setting fills my mind with beauty, the underlying subject matter taints that beauty completely. The horri...

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the book of Genesis. 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 Genesis Chapter 25. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations… 25:1 – Abraham married again at age 137 (or older)! 25:2 – And he had at least six more children! Keturah bore several of the Arab nations. 25:6 – He sent his other sons out of the land that belonged to Isaac. 25:7 – Abraham died at 175 years old. God promised he would live a long life (see 15:15). Ishmael was 89 and Isaac was 75 at this time. Esau and Jacob would be 15. 25:9-10 – Isaac and Ishmael buried their father with Sarah. 25:13-16 – Ishmael had 12 sons as foretold in 17:20. 25:18 – lived in hostility… - see 16:12. 25:21 – What a man!!! He w...

I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Max Lucado and his publisher for sending me a copy of "You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be" to review for them. I have always been grateful for this generosity, and I am trying to improve 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. “You Can Be Everything God Wants You To Be” is a beautiful gift book with the most charming cover! And it certainly doesn’t hurt that Max Lucado’s name is on the cover as the author of this small volume packed with Biblical wisdom and what has come to be “uncommon sense” in this day and age. This insightful non-fiction work is comprised of excerpts from Lucado’s book “Cure For The Common Life”, and is the perfect size to throw into a briefcase or purse for a little jolt of encouragement precisely when you need it. The focus is on living with...

Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval--even marry a man she doesn't love. Lt. Walter Novak--fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women--takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas. Walt and Allie meet at a wedding and their love of music draws them together, prompting them to begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt's muddy bomber base in England and Allie's mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together. But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart? A Distant Melody is the first book in the WINGS OF GLORY series, which follows the three Novak brothers, B-17 bomber pilots with the US Eighth Air Force stationed in England during World War II. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sarah Sundin is an on-call hospital pharmacist and holds a BS in chemistry from UCLA and a doctorate in pharmacy from UC San Fra...

Q & A with Diarmaid MacCulloch, Host of A History of Christianity Q: A History of Christianity corrects several misconceptions regarding Christianity’s past and traditions, beginning with the earliest days of the fledgling religion. How does the true history of Christianity’s origins differ from the version most of us know? A: Today, Christianity is seen as a Western faith. Indeed, many in the Muslim world would see Western lifestyles as Christian lifestyles. But Christianity is not by origin a Western religion. Its beginnings are in the Middle East, where there still exist churches which have been Eastern since the earliest Christian era. For centuries, Christianity flourished in the East, and indeed, at one point, it was poised to triumph in Asia, maybe even in China. The headquarters of Christianity might well have been Baghdad rather than Rome, and if that had happened, Western Christianity would have been very different. The story of the first Christianity tells us the Christi...

Eagerly Awaited Conclusion in Bestselling “Heroes of Quantico” Series: The danger is real, but can she convince the FBI her story is true? Irene Hannon ’s bestselling Heroes of Quantico series has gripped readers with what reviewers have praised as “extraordinary writing, vivid scenes, and a surprise ending….a not-to-be-missed reading experience.” In Harm’s Way is the final book of the series, where FBI special agent Nick Bradley is confronted by Rachel Sutton: Nick has seen his share of kooks during his fifteen years with the Bureau. But Rachel is an enigma. She seems normal when she shows up at the FBI office in St. Louis--until she produces a tattered Raggedy Ann doll she found and tells him she thinks something is wrong because of a strange feeling of terror it gives her when she touches it. Nick dismisses her, only to stumble across a link between the doll and an abducted child, setting in motion a chain of events that uncovers startling connections—and puts Rachel's life on ...

Faith. Everybody lives by it—even skeptics and atheists! That’s right. Everyone you know trusts something they believe in but can’t prove or know absolutely. They take it on faith. And if you want to talk to your friends about your faith, it helps to understand what they believe and how they got there. Because badgering people to change their minds just doesn’t work. Based on Mark Mittelberg’s book Choosing Your Faith, the Faith Path workbook and DVD set builds on Mittelberg’s sensible, evenhanded approach to evangelism. Inside you’ll meet six fascinating people who looked at the world in six different ways before they embraced faith in Christ. Very likely you’ll recognize people you know—and you may even recognize yourself. Work through Faith Path and you will: • Understand people who approach life differently from you • Recognize the danger of paths that lead away from Christ • Deepen your own faith in Christ and reinforce your reasons for believing • Gain confidence in talking about...

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the book of Genesis. 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 Genesis Chapter 24. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations… 24:1 – In this chapter, Abraham is symbolic of God the Father, Isaac symbolizes Christ the Son, the servant symbolizes the Holy Spirit, and Rebekah represents the bride of Christ. Isaac is almost 40. He is 37 in 23:1. 24:2 – chief servant – some scholars think this is Eliezer of Damascus. See Genesis 15:2. Eliezer means “comforter” which makes his symbolism of the Holy Spirit in this story even cooler. “put your had under my thigh” – “In ancient times an oath taker rested his hand on the most vital part of a man’s body as a pledge of allegiance.”...

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: Laurette Willis and the book: Power PraiseMoves™ DVD December 1, 2009 ***Special thanks to David P. Bartlett - Print & Internet Publicist - Harvest House Publishers for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Laurette Willis, the founder of PraiseMoves®, is a Women’s Fitness Specialist and certified personal trainer, as well as a popular keynote speaker and an award-winning actor and playwright. She has produced the videos Pr...