The Fall And Rise Of The Amir Sisters by Nadiya Hussain

Jan15

Loves And Losses

The Fall And Rise Of The Amir Sisters by Nadiya Hussain is a contemporary novel that will make you smile and make you cry. It is a splendid tale about the relationships between four grown up sisters. There are complex needs to be balanced. With comprehensive descriptions, the reader feels like a fly on the wall listening to their conversations.

Life can be hard. We all need a supportive family who will pull you through the tough times. Lives in transition create new dynamics.

The sisters share good natured banter. They support each other through life’s ups and downs. We make our plans but sometimes they are derailed in the worst way possible.

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I Am Zion by John Eckhardt

Jan13

Shout To The North And The South

I Am Zion by John Eckhardt is a powerful book packed full of godly advice and scripture to help us draw closer to God.

Zion is the place where God chooses to dwell. We want to be Zion people who have God dwelling in them. John Eckhardt tells us that Zion people have wisdom, understanding and revelation.

“We must develop a heart that desires what God desires.” Our goal is not to be like other people, our goal is to be like Jesus. We want to have a heart that beats in tune with His. We are citizens of heaven, called to walk in this world but not to be of the world. We must live with our eyes and hearts fixed on Jesus.

John Eckhardt explains that Babylon was seen as captivity whereas Zion was seen as freedom, giving sacrificially and with worship and praise in their hearts.

The book shows what a Zion church looks like. It is not a building. It is a heart that passionately pursues God through prayer, worship, giving and glory. A Zion church is a church that desires to go deeper, is multi-generational and a source of life, being led by the Spirit.

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Holocaust: The Nazi’s Wartime Jewish Atrocities by Stephen Wynn

Jan13

May We Never Forget

Holocaust: The Nazi’s Wartime Jewish Atrocities by Stephen Wynn is a comprehensive pocket book of the leading events, camps and figures in the worst crime against humanity. It is horrific reading but we need to know what happened in memory of the innocents who perished.

Stephen Wynn has clearly done significant research as there were figures I had heard of and those I hadn’t. Many of the perpetrators were captured, tried and executed but some were not. A leading figure, Dr Mengele escaped justice.

There were also leading Jewish figures mentioned including the most famous of all, Anne Frank.

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A Midwinter Promise by Lulu Taylor

Jan13

Be Kind

A Midwinter Promise by Lulu Taylor is an epic contemporary novel that consumes from the start. The reader glimpses the end from the beginning and the questions arise.

The novel surrounds a family with action set in the present day and from 1980 moving forwards. Running parallel to the main story are the lives of Prince Charles and the very beautiful Princess Diana. A feeling of dread built in my heart as that fateful day in August 1997 approached. It was a time frozen in history. One of those momentous days where you remember exactly what you were doing and how you felt when you heard the dreadful news. This element of the story helps to make the whole novel feel personal and adds realism as we care about the lives of the characters.

There are the difficult themes of depression, self-harm, mental illness and suicidal thoughts. All are sensitively portrayed and the reader feels empathy for the character.

Guilt weighs heavy. If it is not dealt with, it is a millstone that will drag us down.

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