Book Review: I Still Believe by Jeremy Camp

I am lucky to be a part of a program with Tyndale House Publishers to review books...because of this program, I was able to receive a free copy of Jeremy Camp's "I Still Believe". 

I am so impressed with the true simplicity of the way this is written.  It is the first time I have really read a memoir that I felt you could tell was written by the author - the story of his coming to and falling away from Jesus...to falling in love and marrying his first wife Melissa - to the triumph and tragedy of her life and the loss of her four months into their marriage...to the power that a true testimony can be for future lives...to finding love again and not just any love, but one that understands and has so much love for the relationship he had with Melissa....this was a book that I had to read in one sitting because putting it down was not an option.

I love worship music and I love music that is filled with lyrics that reach into my soul and bring me back to Him.  To read the story of Jeremy Camp's conversion, calling and tragedy that turned ashes into beauty was beautiful....it gripped me, touched me and showed me that in the worst times, in the darkest times, when it feels like nothing make sense, listening for Him and following His requests can bring about amazing things, beautiful healing and start a revival in the hearts of many...

This was a beautiful memoir of a time of trial...the grace of God and His Mercies, flowed from the pages...it moved me, it made me think about the power of His love and I would recommend this book to anyone.

You can check it out here: http://www.jeremycamp.com/IStillBelieve

Book Review: To Honor and Trust by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller

I am grateful to Bethany House for the program that allows me to receive free books for reading enjoyment and to review.  This book is the third in a series and I have not read the previous two.

Like other books I have read by Peterson and Miller, I found this one to be a beautiful story of His love, grace, redemption and showing how He moves and works in lives. From a broken heart to a healed heart, from broken relationships, to ones that become richer and more full, this story takes you through the phases of hardship to full circle moments that teach us about the power of prayer, the importance of honesty and remembering that it is not up to us to understand His plan for us or in the lives of our loved ones, but to accept them and encourage with love and support.  

Callie and Wes are both searching and seeking for their life paths, healing from broken pasts and trying to find their way through the circumstances that are handed to them.  

The book was moving and spoke truth, gave life and helped remind me just how much He works, moves and is present in our lives. 

Book Review: Though Mountains Fall By: Dale Cramer

Thanks to Bethany House for another great book! I received this free e-book through their review program. Dale Cramer is a new author to me. I love when I get a chance to read a new book from a beloved author but I am just as excited to read one from a new author.

This book follows an Amish community and family through their time in Mexico trying to build a new community there. It shows the trials of the culture, the time period and the lifestyle they have to learn to deal with and understand. It is a story that really show how is love and forgiveness can surpass any religion or tradition and bring people separated by rules back together through loss and change. it shows how love and lessons move from parent to child and how lovingly we capture the teachings of those who we surround our lives with.

I felt this book stood well in its time period, place, culture and really gripped my heart as we watched one character grow to understand His love and grace and then lose it and a father come to a place of knowing what the true love of God is. I look forward to reading more of Cramer's books and letting the love of God work in me through the beauty of his writing.

Book Review: The Breath of Dawn by Kristen Heitzmann

I was once again lucky to be chosen by Bethany House to receive a free copy of this book for review.  I have read many of Kristen Heitzmann's books and truly enjoy her writing and the way that she weaves Him into her books.  

This book was such a wonderful story - weaving the lives of two people and their past hurts, hurdles, trials and turning it into a beautiful story of grace, redemption, love, hope and acceptance.  Morgan and Quinn both have individual hurdles that must be overcome and end up doing this in an unexpected way, together.  The way that she makes them connect and realize how much they need each other at first it is thought to be for a solution but comes quickly to be for everything life has. God is woven into this story in such interesting ways, from the way that He can be used for good and evil and how evil never wins, but leaves consequences....I was kept on my toes and ended up finishing the book in one sitting.  

I love when I read something and see how people can twist and turn something so beautiful into something bad and how even in scheming and wrongdoing, God always shows that He is in control and no matter how hard evil tries to grab a foothold and sometimes even succeeds, the foothold is not successful for long and He shows up in mighty and powerful ways.  

Book Review: "All Things New" by Lynn Austin

Again, I was lucky to be picked by Bethany House to receive a free book by an author that I already enjoy. 

Josphine, her sister and her mother return to their Virgina plantation after the war between the North and South.  Her father and one brother lost their lives in the war and her other brother comes home completely bitter and broken.  Their home is just a shell of what is was and only one couple has chosen to stay on as employees after their freedom has finally been won.  Josphine finds herself in a broken relationship with God, struggling to finally find herself and place in this new life without what used to be and battling with family and a community who still believes that slavery is what is right.  Through an unexpecited relationship, Josphine begins to find her place, her heart and her relationship with Him....

I loved this book, and found myself constantly wiping away tears....there is nothing more beautiful that people finding spiritual freedom, but when their actual freedom is given, the struggle to find their place and realize just who they are --- this book is an absolute treasure of learning, loving and understanding what just one community was like after the war was over....I see His love and handiwork in so many different situations, struggles and it is beautiful to see where people realize that the mindset they always had, was not what was really right....Lynn Austin has a wonderful accuracy in the historical aspects of the time, the feelings and just what really happens when a family divides.  

A book review: "A Hidden Truth" by Judith Miller

I am an avid reader and love all types of books. I am a Judith Miller fan so I was excited to try a new book of hers. When presented a way to review books through Bethany House publishing, I jumped. I was quick enough to be be part of the group to receive a free copy and was excited to receive the book.

The main characters Karlina and Dovie are both at crossroads in their lives. One is doing a job that is not common for a girl to do in her culture/community of the Amana Colony. The other is coming to visit to learn more of her late mother who was originally from this same Colony and trying to understand more of the mom who passed away to soon.

I was caught and intrigued quickly with in the first chapter because I think Judith Miller is incredibly historically accurate in all her books and I was excited to learn about a new culture/community. The trials and crossroads the main and other characters of the book show a deep honesty that in all different walks and times of life, we all have similar struggles...the gentleness of the way she showed Jesus and His lessons was beautiful. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants to be touched in the ways that He works, who enjoys learning about other ways and time periods of life and who just wants to enjoy a wonderful read by a truly gifted author.

Tyndale Rewards

I am excited that I have recently found another way to earn free books.  Through a friend, I was given a way to link up with Bethany to possibly review books for them and will be posting my review soon as I just received my first book to review from them!

Tyndale also has an amazing rewards program and you can earn free books by reviewing books that they publish as well!!! Check it out at www.TyndaleRewards.com 

For those who love to read as much as I do, this is a great way to earn points towards free books and who doesn't love a free books!!!

If you desire to sign up with them, please use this link to help me earn extra points - http://www.tyndalerewards.com/signup/?pc=kwrp-jqzk-8p86-j2qy

Happy Reading :)