Archive | March 2017

The Reliant by Dr Patrick Johnston

Love Never Fails

The Reliant by Dr Patrick Johnston is a YA futuristic Christian adventure. It has an apocalyptic setting where looting, shooting and general lawlessness are the order of the day. The novel has many Christian themes and messages to relay to the reader.

There is the theme of thankfulness. “Let’s focus not on what we have lost, but on all we have to be thankful for.” Too often in life we focus on the negative when we should be thanking God for our many blessings.

The faithfulness of God is shown within the story. Throughout our lives, God walks alongside us. He often bears the brunt of our pain and anger. “Why God? Why did You let this happen?”. God never leaves us. We need to trust Him at all times and “choose to believe that God is good.”

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Waiting For Butterflies by Karen Sargent

Love Never Dies

Waiting For Butterflies  by Karen Sargent is a most beautiful contemporary Christian novel about a love that never dies. It is a study of grief so beautifully written that the words will penetrate your very soul.

Waiting For Butterflies is a work of fiction showing death is not the end. You cannot kill love. Everyone handles grief differently and needs to work through their grief to find a new type of ‘normal.’ The family in the novel was “trying to find our way back to normal.” There was anger and emptiness to work through as best as one could. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. There is only immense pain.

Guilt is a normal part of grieving, There is always something left unsaid or something we wish we’d done differently. Regrets figure too and the pain of never having chance to say goodbye.

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Mission Of A Lifetime by Priscilla J Krahn

Be The You God Created You To Be

Mission Of A Lifetime by Priscilla J Krahn is a Christian adventure for YA but is suitable for any age as I am considerably older. Set in the Columbian jungle, the reader experiences the brutal conditions forced upon some of the characters.

There are many godly themes including spreading the Gospel message. If we do not tell others, how will they know? Living a missionary life is not just for the Columbian jungle, your mission field is right where you are.

There is also the theme of love. Not just human love but the love of God who sent Jesus to die for us all. “Whenever I feel like doubting God’s love, I just think about the cross.” The cross puts everything into perspective.

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Such A Tease by Chautona Havig

Amateur Sleuthing At Its Best

Such A Tease by Chautona Havig is a Christian historical mystery. It is the second book in the Meddlin’ Madeline series but can be read as a stand-alone.

I very much enjoyed Such A Tease. It was an amusing read as the main character attempted to turn amateur sleuth. Very much reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, Chautona Havig’s Madeline investigated crimes with an air of innocence. Her light heartedness, whilst being a deep thinker and problem solver was endearing. Madeline was a very modern woman for her time. She was independent and refused to be confined to a woman’s role of the time.

I loved the way Chautona Havig included what characters were thinking. It enabled the reader to really get to know them all.

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