More great books

Things Worth Remembering by Jackina Stark
Kendy and daughter Maisey have a great relationship until Maisey turns 13. Maisey spends the next 10 years always having friends with her as a buffer in the relationship with her mother. The past hurts finally come to light just days before Maisey’s wedding. The ending of the book is perfect but the sadness of all the wasted time overshadows everything. This is great book for mothers and daughters to read. Life is too short to miss out on such important relationships. I received this book free from Bethany House.

A Surrendered Heart by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller
I could not put this book down, loved to see what would happen next. Amanda contracts cholera working as a doctor’s assistant. She recovers only to be put in an even worse situation! This is an amazing story of sacrifice on the part of a daughter for her family. Amanda is willing to marry a much older man to save her father and family from financial ruin. The ending is perfect, justice is served and Amanda is thoroughly rewarded for her willingness to surrender everything for her family. I received this book free from Bethany House.


Levi’s Will by W. Dale Cramer
This book is a rare look into the life and beliefs of an Amish family. Will decides to leave his Amish religion, pregnant girlfriend, and family to begin a new life on his own. Although he is able to break free from his past, he still desires his father’s blessing on his life. Will ends up being just like his father in creating a distant and cold relationship with one of his own sons. Will must reconcile his past and his present to be able to walk in peace for his future. He realizes that God accepts and forgive him even if other people aren’t able to do the same. I received this book free from Bethany House.


God Made Your Body by Jim Burns. Great foundational book for preschoolers. Beautiful pictures and very age appropriate language. I received this book free from Bethany House.


How God Makes Babies by Jim Burns. Great book for the curious early elementary school aged child. I like how it shows the size of a growing baby in comparison to food items (one month = cheerio, six months = coconut). My son and daughter loved the book and we had great conversations surrounding it. I received this book free from Bethany House.

What's He Really Thinking?

What's He Really Thinking by Paula Rhinehart takes women through the psyche of a man and helps us understand what he's thinking. Becoming a "relational genius" with men is a challenge for any woman. Rinehart covered topics such as: what men do, why men hurt, how men change, expectations, respect, conflict, getting through, and intimacy. The conversational tone and real life scenarios provided insight while the references to other books on the same topic gave credibility to what Rinehart said. Rinehart's book gives women a good place to start along with continuing resources including a relational genius guide along with questions to answer personally with each chapter.

Fearless

Fearless by Max Lucado. Fearless covers the subject of fear from every possible angle. It makes you realize how much of your life's energy is consumed by the fear at any given moment. Each chapter will draw you in as you read about a different area of fear artfully described. Max Lucado doesn't just leave you aware of your fears, he works you through them. There is hope of living truly fearless, not that you won't have times that fear comes to you but you will learn to choose not to stay in fear. The story of Peter walking in the water is carefully and beautifully woven in the the whole book. My favorite quote is "feed your fears, and your faith will starve. Feed your faith, and your fears will."

Words Unspoken introduces you a variety of characters whose lives are unknowingly interwoven. Lissa's mother death in a tragic accident which Lissa hold herself responsible for and is trapped in fear of ever driving again appears to be the main story. But as more characters are introduced we realize the story is a much about is Ev McAllister the driving instructor who works Lissa through her fears of not just driving but of life itself. The book has twists and turns and an ending you would never expect. A great book for summer vacation.

Sometimes a Light Surprises is an interesting story of a man, Ben Buckley, who has spent 20 years filling his life with meaningless trivia and routine after his wife is murdered. Things began to change when he hires a young lady named Kelly. He begins to see that his wife's faith which he resented starting to make sense. She gives him the key and courage to rebuild his broken life and broken relationships. The meaning of the title is beautifully revealed at the end of the book.