Archive | February 2016

A Chance At Love by TK Chapin

Feb10

Getting To Know God

A Chance at loveA Chance At Love by TK Chapin is a contemporary Christian romance.

Kyle is just nineteen years old when he spots eighteen year old Emily whilst delivering pizza to a church group. Kyle feels a connection. The novel explores this young love with all its highs and lows

The theme of finding the love of God is also explored within the novel. Kyle has felt dissatisfied with his life. Something is missing. “There’s got to be more to life than this.” He is looking for something or someone to fulfil him but says “I don’t like to believe in things I can’t see.” Kyle is like a lot of people. However, people believe in things they can’t see all the time, such as the wind. We cannot see it, but we can see its effects in the trees blowing and we can feel it. God is like the wind. We cannot see Him but we can see how He effects people and we can feel His power.

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A River Too Deep by Sydney Tooman Betts

Feb8

A Family Bond

A River Too DeepA River Too Deep by Sydney Betts is a powerful Christian historical adventure romance novel set in 1817. It is a truly compulsive read and a real gem. It is a fictional masterpiece.

There are numerous themes but the overriding one is trust in God. As the novel opens, Alcy is fleeing from Henry, saying “there were only two things I knew for sure – God held me in the palm of His hand, and none of this had taken Him by surprise.” Time and again throughout the novel, Alcy puts her trust in God. As He proves His faithfulness so Alcy’s faith grows and so does that of the people around her. “What is truly valuable cannot be purchased and that real security comes only from God.” Alcy, at just seventeen has learnt what some of us miss in a lifetime.

Much of the novel takes place in a native American camp. It is here that Eyes Like Water (formerly Alcy) shares the Bible. The people had been waiting for someone to tell them about the Creator and they were hungry to hear about Him. As Quiet Woman says “now I know the Creator rather than know about Him.” The novel deepened the people’s faith and it has the power to deepen the reader’s faith. Sydney Betts presents the biblical truths in a very matter of fact way. To follow what God says makes perfect sense, so why don’t we? Each chapter ends with a portion of scripture. The novel is not ‘preachy’ but speaks directly to the reader’s soul.

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Just Show Up by Kara Tippetts and Jill Lynn Buteyn

Feb7

The Importance of Family, Friends and God

Just Show UpJust Show Up by Kara Tippetts and Jill Lynn Buteyn is a beautiful book of friendship and community, laughter and tears, life and death. The book is mainly written by Jill but Kara writes two pages at the end of each chapter. There are also two questions at the end of each chapter designed to make the reader think. It is a bitter sweet book but it is a work of great beauty.

This is Kara’s second book. She is a young mum of four fighting cancer. She needs her friends around her to help with the mundane day to day things. Jill writes about how important it is, just to turn up and be there for your friend. Do not wait until you feel qualified to help or you will never do it. “God uses those of us who aren’t qualified so that He is glorified. And when we show up, we are blessed.” In our weakness we become strong by leaning on God.

The focus of Just Show Up is God. Kara in spite of her suffering still believes in the goodness of God. Many times she says “suffering is not the absence of God’s goodness.” Too many people question the goodness of God in hard times but God is good. He walks alongside us in our hardships.

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Beyond The Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

Feb6

A Sense of Belonging

Beyond the silenceBeyond The Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse is a Christian romantic thriller set in the fictional town of Angels Falls in the 1890’s. Some books take a while to get into – not this one, I was hooked from the very first page.

Jimmy witnesses his mother’s murder and fears to speak again after being threatened by the murderer. His father Woody is arrested but then released as there is no evidence against him.

The novel opens two years later as Lillian has accepted a job as Jimmy’s nanny, several states away from where she lives with her grandfather. Lillian’s grandfather is a bitter man who threatens to cut Lillian out of his life forever if she leaves.

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