Saving My Assassin by Virginia Prodan

Wow!  It's not often that I read a true story that truly captivates me from cover to cover.  Often there are parts that are too detailed or contain boring background information...not so with this memoir.  Virginia's story gives us a glimpse into what it was like to live in Communist Romania, when freedom of religion was merely a front.  She not only declared her faith, but as an attorney openly fought for the rights of other Christians, putting the life of her and her family in danger.  This is a truly courageous tale in which the evidence of God's intervention is difficult to deny.

History is not my subject.  I would never read a book on Communism, but I do enjoy learning about history when it comes packaged like this!  Nicolae Ceausescu was the president of Communist Romania from 1965-1989.  It was during this time period that Virginia Prodan was raised to be a good citizen and obey her leader.  However, after becoming a Christian, she realized that God had a purpose for her life - to fight for the truth.  I learned a lot about what life was like in a place where religious freedom didn't exist.  We take this freedom for granted here in America.  Learning about the dangers and injustices of that time help me to appreciate the government and protected rights that we enjoy in this country.

I was also inspired by Virginia's faith.  I doubt if I were in the same situation that I could continue to risk the safety of my children, especially after being abducted, beaten, and threatened.  Through prayer, Virginia learned how to pray for and love her captors.  Once while in custody, she reasoned "they are here by human appointment, but I am here by divine appointment.  Maybe I am here so they may see Christ in me."  We all find ourselves in unpleasant circumstances from time to time, although usually not as dire.  Even so, what if we could all ask ourselves that same question....what if I am here so that others can see Christ in me?  That's a game changer.

I highly recommend this book both as a captivating story to read out by the pool this summer, and as a way to learn a bit of history and more fully appreciate our freedom in America.  Be inspired by how Virginia Prodan saves her assassin and changes the lives of so many.



*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

(Un)qualified by Steven Furtick

I'll let you know up front that I'm a fan of Steven Furtick.  He writes and speaks in a way that connects with me.  This book originated from an event in his life in which a well-known preacher called him "unqualified."  As he searched and wrestled with the truth of this claim, the content of this book began to take shape.  What do we do with our weaknesses and struggles...those things that make us unqualified for what we've been called to do?

I will admit that the first third of the book seemed a bit drawn out to me.  Steven introduces the idea about the "third words" that we call ourselves (I am _____).  These first 5 chapters are all basically explaining some errors in the way we think about ourselves.  I found myself thinking "I get it...let's move on..."  If you feel the same way, rest assured that the book does pick up the pace.

The main benefit of this book is that it gives a good dose of perspective in how to view our weaknesses.  We learn from the story of Jacob in the Bible that God can't bless who we pretend to be.  We need to embrace who we are, letting God's strength be seen through our weakness - while at the same time allowing God to grow and change us during the journey.  Steven writes that "often our greatest influence is birthed in our deepest suffering and brokenness."  Being real and authentic is what helps us to connect with others.  Weaknesses also remind us to turn to God and trust him instead of relying solely on ourselves.  If you frequently get discouraged about your apparent lack of growth or qualifications, I encourage you to read this book to reset your thinking.  We are all broken to some degree, but God can still use us just where we are.

In conclusion, Pastor Steven is honest and real about his own brokenness and gives some solid advice and perspective to those who also get discouraged with their own struggles.  I don't think that the book flows as well as some of his previous ones, but it's definitely worth your time to read.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

Pressing Pause - A Devotional for Moms

The title of this devotional for moms really jumped out at me...Pressing Pause.  Isn't that what we all want to do from time to time?  Pause the noise, the chaos, the arguing, the constant activity, and take a quiet moment to reset.  This book contains 100 short devotionals that can help to reset our perspectives and focus on what's truly important.

Each devotional is 2 pages long and contains a key verse, short prayer, some questions for thought, and a few lines to jot down a response.  It is a good length for the busy mom, even if you only have 5 to 10 minutes to "press pause".

One of my favorite readings so far was entitled "We Have To or We Get To?".  The key verse was Colossians 3:23-24 which says Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord.  You serve the Lord Christ.  Sometimes as moms we get into the "poor me" mentality track.  Here's an excerpt from the reading that can help to reset that mindset....

"I don't have to clean my house.  I get to clean my house - because I have a place to call my own, while many are homeless or displaced.  And I'm serving the Lord Jesus as I clean.

I don't have to fill out this team permission slip.  I get to fill it out - because my child is healthy enough for physical activity.  And I'm serving the Lord Jesus as I write.

I don't have to drive to get groceries.  I get to do this errand - because we have enough money to purchase provisions and we own a car, so I don't have to walk.  And I'm serving the Lord Jesus as I shop.

We don't have to.  We get to.  And thanks be to God that we do."

This book would make a great gift for any Mom, especially one with young kids at home.  I was very impressed with the beautiful hard back cover.  It has a nice feel, with reflective lettering and design.  There is also a purple ribbon bookmark attached.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

The Rising by Ryan D'Agostino

The Rising tells the story of Dr. William Petit, who suffered the tragedy of having his home broken into and his wife and daughters murdered.  Many who hear about this event may wonder as I did,,"How does someone get through such a horrible loss?"  That question prompted me to select this book.  However, it was not quite what I had expected.  If I had not agreed to review the book in its entirety, the writing style would have led me to stop reading after a few chapters...

This book is written in 3rd person and reads like a documentary.  It was almost like hearing an episode of 60 Minutes in my head...only much longer.  It had a very impersonal feel to it.  The amount of details given regarding family background and the trials were extensive.  For someone who knows the family or wants to know everything about the case, this feature might be great - but it was more than I needed to know.  The pictures included within the text did add a nice touch.

As I said earlier, my main motivation for reading this book was to understand how someone could cope with such a tragedy.  This theme was touched on a little, but was not the focus of the story.  The Rising did not speak much about the importance of faith in healing.  Instead it's focus was on the impact that community support can have on a family.  This was my favorite part of the story.  It was uplifting to hear about the kindness and generosity that people can offer...even strangers.  Bill received nearly 25,000 pieces of mail, many containing money.  He received so much money that he created a charitable foundation in memory of his girls.  This foundation gave him something to focus on and was able to bless others.  The evil done by the murderers was contrasted by this idea that many people are good.  We just need to recognize that goodness.

Even though I did not care for the way this story was written, it is a story worth hearing.  It testifies to the fact that life goes on and can even be good after an unimaginable tragedy.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

Risen by Angela Hunt

I have just finished reading this novel, but have not seen the recently released movie.  The story revolves around the death and resurrection of Jesus, as seen through the eyes of a Roman Tribune.  For those familiar with the Bible, the events in this story will be predictable.  It's for this reason that I say the book is just "ok".  I would have liked more character development.

The book introduces two main fictional characters into the familiar story of the resurrection; Clavius (a Roman Tribune) and Rachel (a Jewish widow).  The story-telling switches frequently between these two characters.  Since I consider their interaction and differing perspectives to be one of the highlights of the story, I was very surprised to read in the Author's Note that the character of Rachel was completely cut from the movie!  The bulk of the story centers around Clavius searching for the body of Jesus and interviewing his followers for information.  The author did a fairly good job of representing the Biblical characters in a matter consistent with the Scriptures.

Some of the vocabulary used in this book is specific to that time period in Roman history, and can be a bit difficult to decipher.  I would have liked to see more explanation given in the text, or a glossary of terms in the back of the book.

In summary, if you already know the details of the resurrection, this story won't be new, but it will be told in a different way.  If reading the book or seeing the movie gets people thinking about and investigating the truth of this claim - I say that's a good thing :)

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Here is a trailer for the movie...

Walk to Beautiful by Jimmy Wayne

I had never heard of Jimmy Wayne before picking up this book, but now that I know his story, I doubt I will ever forget.  This is an auto-biography of a boy who went through unbelievable hardship as a child, was transformed by the love of an elderly couple, ascended to country music stardom, and then risked it all to help raise awareness for foster kids.  Most people blame their past for making them bitter.  Jimmy chose a better path and allowed his experiences to make him better.  It is a beautiful story.

Warning: you may want to keep a box of tissues nearby!  It really was heartbreaking to hear the details of Jimmy's childhood.  I can't even fathom a child having to go through even a few of the events Jimmy had to endure, much less all of them.  As a substitute teacher, I think his story has increased my compassion for students.  I may wonder now about that student who has bad hygiene and comes in with dirty clothes.  What time of home life does he have?  How can I be an instrument of kindness?  I desire for God to use me in some way to help change someones life like the couple changed Jimmy's life.  Maybe some day He will.

The section of the book concerning Jimmy's music career was interesting, but sometimes too detailed for my interests.  I'm sure people in the music industry will get more out of it.  The thing I loved is that he rose from poverty and was living his dream, but his music career was not the most important thing - he remembered where he came from and dedicated himself to making a difference.  This is a lesson we could all learn from.

The photos in the middle of the book add a nice touch, allowing us to share in some of Jimmy's treasured memories.  This book will touch your heart and inspire you.  As Jimmy wrote "it's not where you've been, but it's where you're goin'; it's not who you were in the past, but it's who you are today - that's what really matters."

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

I've included a video for those of you not familiar with his music:

Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World by Kristen Welch

Reading this book has been similar to simply talking to another mom about the struggles and joys of raising children in this generation.  There is no judgment or strict rules to follow - just a conversation about perspectives and strategies for teaching our kids, and ourselves, how to be grateful. 

I like that Kristen spends a lot of time helping parents develop a healthy mindset.  She points out that gratefulness is often learned by example.  She also reminds us that "often our kids don't need more stuff or more freedom; they just need more of us."  This journey begins with parents recognizing that we need to develop a healthy perspective - one that goes against the flow of today's culture.

There are many stories shared on these pages, both of parenting successes and of failures that can be learned from.   I felt encouraged and affirmed in some areas of parenting, and also got some new ideas I can implement in the future!  Hearing about the failures was helpful too because it reminds me that we're all in the struggle together.  I like that at the end of each chapter there is a Going Against the Flow section which highlights key points for parents and provides a few practical age appropriate suggestions for toddlers/preschoolers, elementary, and tween/teens. 

There are discussion questions included at the end of the book.  I think this would be a great book for a small group of mothers to read and discuss together.  This calling of motherhood is no easy task, but reading books like this one can help give a little encouragement and wisdom for the journey.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Publishers in exchange for an honest review.