WORD up!

Here is my review of this insightful and entertaining read: First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Elizabeth Brown and her publisher for sending me a copy of "Working Successfully with Screwed Up People" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me. Are you ready to change the stress level at your office? Elizabeth Brown’s “Working Successfully with Screwed-Up People” is an entertaining and educational look at the people you encounter in your workplace – and in your mirror! This self-help book is an absolute must read for anyone who wants to see a change in their work relationships. The author plainly says that it only takes one person to change a relationship, and that person can be you! This book is not just entertaining and informative. There are many helps throughout the volume that the reader can use to truly improve their work li...

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: Darrel Nelson and the book: The Anniversary Waltz Realms (May 15, 2012) ***Special thanks to Althea Thompson Publicity Coordinator, Charisma House Charisma Media for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Darrel Nelson is a graduate of the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, with bachelor’s degrees in English and education. He is a schoolteacher by profession, with thirty-three years of teaching experience, and curre...

Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson 9/27/09 Dear Linda and Eva, I owe you both an apology. A couple of years ago, I reviewed a book you co-wrote rather harshly. Last night, Matthew 18:15-17 convicted me that I handled the situation badly. And I am sorry. Scripture tells us that, if we have an issue with a brother, we should go to him first to rectify it. I didn’t do that. I expressed my opinion in a public forum rather than in private. Doing so could definitely have brought harm to both of you and I apologize for my irresponsible handling of the situation. I should have written to you with my concerns and opened a dialogue. I cannot go back and undo what I did. I can only ask your forgiveness and pray that Jesus will repair any damage that I’ve done. I can also take this lesson and resolve not to behave so carelessly in the future. I have requested that my hurtful review be removed from commercial websites, but would like to ask your permission to keep the review on m...

Chairein! (Ky Rain) Homework : Brokenness is a beautiful thing. And I had a major breakthrough as a result of my homework this week! On day one, Beth conducted a nine-question interview based on James 4:1-3 that really got to me. Honest answers forced me to confront and connect issues in my belief system and that confrontation blessed my socks off! I am a better woman for having answered those questions with thoughtfulness and expectation. I even wrote down the questions in my prayer journal so I can use them again when I feel spiritually clogged. Thank you, Beth! After day three, James 4:7 continues to be one of my favorite verses of Scripture and has planted itself a bit more deeply in my heart. Melissa’s Articles : I never considered what Bible verses make me truly uncomfortable. In Melissa’s article “Perfection, Part One”, she shares an encounter with a friend who cited his least favorite verse: Matthew 5:48, which, we come to find out, has a link to James 1:4! The perf...

Here is my review of this wonderful novel: First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Lorna Seilstad and her publisher for sending me a copy of "The Ride of Her Life" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me. Lorna Seilstad beautifully tells the story of widow and single mom, Lilly Hart in her latest novel, “The Ride of Her Life”. Working as a cook at a Lake Manawa Resort lunch counter was not where Lilly thought she would be. But she is determined to carve out a life for herself and her son without the meddlesome “assistance” of her former in-laws. Another thing Lily didn’t expect was that Nick Perrin would find a way through the defenses she’d built and take up residence in her heart. These aren’t the only challenges to this relationship. Nick designs and builds roller coasters, so Lilly knows that he won’t put down permanent roots i...

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: Kevin Gerald and the book: Mind Monsters Charisma House (May 1, 2012) ***Special thanks to Althea Thompson | Publicity Coordinator, Charisma House | Charisma Media for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kevin Gerald is the founder and lead pastor of Champions Centre in Tacoma and Bellevue, Washington, one of the largest congregations in the Pacific Northwest. Thousands are exposed to Kevin’s practical Bible teaching through h...

Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the book of Ephesians. 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 and encourages you through this material. Stay strong. Grow in your faith in Christ. Live in the Spirit. Encourage each other. Pray. Jesus is coming… Stacey Take a few minutes to pray and savor chapter 5 of the book of Ephesians. Read it with the thought in mind that this is Paul’s instruction to new Gentile converts in Ephesus. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations… Chapter 5 – May 24, 2005 5 – I matter to God! 5:1 – be imitators of God. 5:2 – walk in love as Christ did. 5:11 – expose darkness. 5:17 – understand God’s will. We must show love. We must be light. We must be wise. Our marriages are symbolic of Christ’s relationship with the church. 5:22 – submit –...

First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Kathleen Morgan and her publisher for sending me a copy of "A Love Forbidden" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me. Kathleen Morgan’s “A Love Forbidden” is the touching story of Shiloh Wainright and Jesse Blackwater, childhood friends who lost track of each other when Jesse left the Wainright ranch. The two are reunited nine years later when Shiloh accepts a position with an Indian Agency as a teacher to the Ute children in the area. Jesse knows that tensions are high in the community, and when he sees Shiloh, he can think of nothing but getting her to safety. This beautiful love story is set in the majestic Rockies in the 1800s. The incredible backdrop lends itself to the imagination of the difficulty of life for both whites and Indians at that time. This novel gave me a new apprecia...

Chairein! (Ky Rain) Homework : This week’s homework tackled many tough subjects such as works and belief, teaching and its responsibilities, the tongue and true wisdom. These lessons made me examine my own life and ministry. I am always blown away when the Lord gives me a practical exam right before He teaches me a lesson. And that’s what He did this week. He allowed me to trip over my own bubble-headed pride and then dusted me off and poured healing into my wounds. Hallelujah! Melissa’s Articles : This week’s articles are thought-provoking, as usual. “The Unity & Diversity Dance” discusses the cohesiveness of the Scriptures and introduces Martin Luther’s disdain for the book of James. In contrast to Luther’s view, the divine inspiration of the Bible is eloquently embraced by Professor Frank Thielman. The diversity of the four Gospel accounts and the unity of their message is beautifully showcased and offers food for thought on the subject matter as it pertains to Scriptu...

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: Aaron Sharp and the book: I Didn’t Sign Up for This!: Navigating Life’s Detours Discovery House Publishers (April 1, 2012) ***Special thanks to Susan Otis, Creative Resources for sending me a review copy.*** ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Aaron Sharp lives in Little Elm, Texas, with his wife, Elaina, and their son, Micah. He is a Master of Theology graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, and is currently employed in the Information Technology depa...