Book Review: Safe House by Joshua Straub

FTC disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.


My husband and I are in classes to train us so we can either foster or adopt children. When Family Christian offered me a chance to review Safe House by Joshua Straub I was excited to read this book.

This book was a bit of a slow read for me.  I never, never, never dog ear a book.  This one had so much great information in it, that it was the exception to my rule.  This went along with what I have been learning in class, just in more detail.

Book Review: Called for Life by Kent and Amber Brantly

FTC disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.   All opinions are my own.  This post may contain affiliate links.


I think the whole world was watching when Kent Brantly stepped out of an ambulance to be admitted to Emory Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.  The headlines read that Ebola had reached American soil. Many people prayed for him, and many more were terrified about what it would mean to have someone in America with Ebola.  I'm not a prepper, but I decided to do my annual winter food shopping trip a little earlier than usual.  You never know.  I had been watching the situation in Africa unfold, and I didn't know might happen.

But behind the prayers, fear, and apprehension, there were people.  Two of those people were Kent and Amber Brantly.  Where there are people, there are stories -- true accounts of what they experienced.   This is the book I am sure they never dreamed of writing and wish they didn't have the story that is told in these pages.

Dr. Brantly was a medical missionary in Liberia.  I think that would have to be one of the toughest jobs in the best of times, and I read through this book and envisioned all the death and disease among the people he cared for, I wondered how he could go on.  I have heard that sometimes courage is just not giving up, and I have to say Dr. Brantly is one of the most courageous people I have ever encountered through the pages of a book.  Disease, death, fear of the foreigners who were trying to help, and not enough medical supplies -- or workers took their toll on everyone, but thankfully not all workers contracted Ebola.

The scene I remember most from this book is the workers at the hospital decided to remove the body of an Ebola victim while the body was still at its most contagious.  The reason was a relative of hers was in a bed near hers.  When Dr. Brantly states in the book he thought as he was doing it -- "This is the most dangerous thing I have ever done."  It shows his courage and compassion.  I can't imagine ever being in a room of Ebola patients, let alone moving a body when it was most likely to give others the infection -- for the mental well being of another dying person.

Amber Brantly was in the United States for a wedding when her husband contracted the disease.  Yet, her anguish of her husband likely dying on the other side of the world and her not being able to ever see him again, hold his hand, or even bury him.  The two accounts weave together to create an unforgettable book.

I can't say I enjoyed this book because of the subject matter, but I found it facinating.  I didn't want to put it down.  I highly recommend this!



You can purchase the book here:

Blog Tour: The Finishing School by Valerie Woerner

FTC disclosure:  I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I've always loved non-fiction books, especially those in the self-help and how to genre.  I have read hundreds of them, and when I heard there was a book by someone who also had my same passion for non-fiction, and she wrote a book about it, I was excited to read it.

Adoption Book Review: At Any Cost by Mike and Haley Jones

FTC disclaimer:  This post contains Affiliate Links.  I received a copy of the book for free from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A quick scroll through my Facebook feed shows numbers of smiling children.  However, there's quite a few who don't look like their parents.  Many of my friends have adopted, both from the United States and overseas.  I've celebrated on this side of the world when they would post that papers were signed and they were now the proud parents of a child they had prayed for, raised money to bring home, and most importantly loved before the child even knew the parents existed.

Book Review: 7 Secrets to an Awesome Marriage Review

FTC disclaimer:  I received an advanced reading copy of this book to facilitate my review.  This post does contain affiliate links.  All opinions are my own.

I've been married for about five weeks.  Some people are probably wondering why I feel qualified to review a book on marriage.  A fact that has surprised several friends recently is I am no stranger to reading books on marriage.  I heard a speaker in high school say we should read up on subjects that interest us and that are important to us.  I've always wanted to get married, so I started reading books on marriage at that time.  After all, your marriage is your most important human relationship.  I know a number of people would say that is incorrect and your most important human relationship should be your child.  I disagree, because I feel like a child will thrive more if he knows both parents love each other.

Why I wish Family Christian's Reading Program Existed 30 years ago!

FTC disclaimer:   This is a sponsored post by Family Christian.  It contains affiliate links.  All opinions are my own.

I always loved to read.  I always hated in first grade we had to circle all vowels and color all pictures on our worksheets every day before we could go to the reading nook and read.  There was this girl, who also shared my first name who was quicker at that, and she got to go to the reading corner more often.  I'd look on with envy as she was there with an open book when I had to color pictures.  To make matters even worse, she had a cooler last name than I did because it came before mine in the alphabet.  She got to read, and she was Jennifer "1".  Add in the fact that my last name was Short, there was no way I wanted to go by Jennifer 2 Short.

Who's The New Kid by Heidi Bond Book Review

FTC disclaimer:   I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions are my own.  Many of my blog posts also contain affiliate links.

So why did a newlywed of less than three weeks and someone who is not a mom sign up for a blog tour of  book written by a mom who helped her child fight obesity?  It's obvious that I am not reading this to try and help my child -- but the subject interested me.  I was the one in school who was overweight.  I remember one time a teacher said we could write our nicknames on our papers we turned in.  Mine was handed back with "Use your real name."  Evidently, it was acceptable to use "Bubba" but not "Short, Fat, and Ugly".  As an adult, I now see why my teacher said that, but at the time I thought, "That's just my name."

Called to be Amish by Marlene Miller Book Review

FTC disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

I realize I went to an unconventional high school.  There were 16 of us in grades 1-12.  A small Christian school at the beginning of the Christian schooling movement, we were unique.  Mine was the first graduating class.  We were located right in the middle of an Amish community.

We didn't have any Amish students attending our school, but I can remember buying carrots from the lady with the buggy parked in her garage.  There's nothing like a carrot harvested that day.  It was not unusual for another Amish lady to stop by to use the phone in our one room schoolhouse.  

Max Lucado: Let the Journey Begin

FTC disclaimer:  I am a Family Christian blogger and received this book and an appreciation certificate to facilitate my review and for hosting a giveaway.  Post does contain affiliate links.  All opinions are my own.

Let the Journey Begin: Finding God's Best For Your Life a great little hardcover gift book, perfect for graduation.  It is more of encouragement as to what the future holds.   While it would be great for the graduate, I think it would make a nice gift to a newlywed couple with a gift card to Family Christian tucked inside.   Why do I say that?  As I was reading this book, I was reminded what my fiance recently asked me.  We are getting in 20 days, and between wedding planning and renovating the house I inherited from my mother, we have had little to no free time.   I think back to the days when we would play a board game, watch a DVD, or participate in other hobbies.  We haven't had time to do anything other than wedding prep and house remodeling.  Add in the fact we each have been sick in the last month and we both work, time has been at a minimum.

Pants? No Chance! Book review and Giveaway! Ends 4/21

FTC disclaimer:  Many of my posts contain affiliate links where I receive a small commission of your purchase price for you starting your shopping here at no extra charge to you.  I won a copy of this book in a giveaway, and received no compensation for running this giveaway.





I love books!   I especially love children's books.   In fact, I love children's books so much that when I was a senior in college, I needed an elective.  I decided to take children's literature so I could get college credit for reading children's books.   We did have to study about what made a children's book quality literature, but I loved spending so much time in the children's section of the local library.  A few of the books we were required to read were ones I already owned even though they were published after I was a child.

I also love entering giveaways online.  I recently saw a giveaway for the book Lulupop Pants! No Chance! and entered.  I won, and when the book arrived, I settled in to read it.  I was instantly charmed by the delightful illustrations.

As I started reading, I realized this book had absolutely every trait of a good children's book according to my children's literature professor.  Plus it is one of the most fun books I have come across in a long time.

Lulupop never wants to wear pants -- she always wants to wear dresses.  This is a great book with repetition with difference which we learned was very important as children love to anticipate what is coming next.  The same thing happens every day for a week.  Lulupop's mother brings her some type of pants.  I loved how each day it was different -- leggings, jeans, overalls, etc.  The days of the week are mentioned in order as well, starting with Monday.  Each day Lulupop says "Pants!  No chance!"   (I love how she created a sing song way of saying no.  I love rhyme.)  Then Lulupop says something so silly and crazy that she would love to do instead of wearing pants.   While I don't have children, I know this is something I would have giggled at to no end when I was a child.  

This is a book that teaches consequences of our actions.  Sometimes it's best to wear pants, sometimes it's best to wear a dress.  Lulupop has a week of things that aren't as fun as they could have been if she had worn pants.  

The end of the book Lulupop comes up with a solution and even creates her own word.  I loved that because I was always creating my own words when I was little.

I have to say Susan Layni hit the bullseye with with book.   Often when I win a giveaway for a book, I will then pass it on to my library.  This book, however, has been added to my personal collection and I hope to share it with many little girls over the years.  My only complaint?  Where was Susan Lanyi when I was a preschooler?  I can tell you now that this would have been my favorite book!

I loved this book so much I contacted the author and offered to do a giveaway for one copy of Pants! No chance!  This giveaway ends April 21, 2015.  It is open to the USA and Canada.  One entry per person per day.

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It's POSSIBLE to change the world Review and giveaway

FTC disclosure:  I received a copy of the book Possible in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I also received an appreciation certificate from Family Christian for hosting this giveaway.  This post contains an affiliate link to Family Christian.  This post is merely telling some of my experiences in helping with Nuru International.  Family Christian, Stephan Bauman, are in no way connected to Nuru International, although it's a great organization and I thought it appropriate to share about this organization.

When I was in college, we used to sit around and dream of changing the world.  I think a lot of college students do, but some friends of mine started a non-profit that has been amazing with results and as a result I feel I have a part in changing the world.   Because of this when Family Christian offered the opportunity to review Possible  by Stephan Bauman who is president and CEO of World Relief, I was excited because I know changing the world is possible.   I do it every time I list an item for sale online.  No, not impossible but Possible.

When I first received this book I couldn't wait to start reading it.  I knew that my friends had a new and innovative way to help include people in their fight against extreme poverty.  I wanted to read more of what they knew that I didn't.  This is a great book for anyone who wants to change the world, if you are on the front lines or if you work behind the scenes.  Just be warned, you will come away from this book knowing it can be done, and the "It will never work" excuse will no longer fly!  I also received a copy of Imagine What is Possible which is sold both as single copies or as 10 packs.  This booklet sums up the book in one short reading.  This is great for church groups to start finding their vision!

One of the things I liked about this book was the author mentioned different times that bloggers have a huge influence in our world.  We can help spread the word about causes and rally support.  I love how he emphasizes we find our talent and use it!  If we aren't talented in public speaking, that's not how we will likely change the world.  I'm good at social media, getting people involved in ideas, and spreading the word about causes.  I have a friend who uses her talents of crafts to raise money for missions and donate blankets and sweaters to newborns in need. She also crochets sleeping mats for the homeless. I have a talent of finding bargains, so it's not uncommon for me to walk away from a garage sale with a bag of yarn I got for almost nothing to give her to use in her projects.  Unusual ways of changing the world but it is giving to others.  Another lady I know loves using coupons and donates items she purchased almost free to her local food bank.  

In Possible, Bauman talked about finding our passion and sticking with it.  In another book I read recently, it said how we are all the church and if we have a passion, we shouldn't just say to our local church, "We need to do this thing that is my passion."  We are all the church, so we should follow our passion and ask the Church for help if needed.

I have two dear friends from college who have found their passion in adopting special needs children from Asia.  Sometimes special needs can be something as small as a cosmetic surgery. My friends have taken six children into their hearts and home.  My heart has been breaking for them because they were told their daughter Ami had epilepsy, but that's not what is wrong with her.  She actually has a very rare disease and is needing a major surgery that will leave her physically handicapped just so she can have quality of life.  She doesn't weigh enough at the moment for surgery.  Please pray for Ami.  She is so loved, and she is so seriously ill, even though she doesn't look it in this photo.

Ami and her mother.  Photo courtesy of Marjorie S.

Finding your passion makes world changing POSSIBLE.  You might not be able to change the entire world but you can change a corner of it.  Ami's life has been changed because of a couple who see the need for finding orphans a family.  Marjorie also helps others navigate through the adoption process.  

 Another passion of mine is a local public school.  I truly believe in education even though I don't currently have children.  After a big project I did to help out the school, I was quoted in the paper about helping others, "Everyone can do something."  A lot of those "somethings" add up.  Just find what you can do and anything is POSSIBLE!

A chemist, a magician, and a developer all walk into a meeting bringing different skills, but but wearing one common t-shirt.  If you can't read it, it says, "This t-shirt will not end extreme poverty, but you can with Nuru".   Each time I list something for sale online, I usually donate 10% of the amount to a charity, often times Nuru.  I have mentioned Nuru in an interview I have done about how I donate from auction sales.  I give, and I spread the word.  I might not be able to be on the ground in Africa making a difference, but this is how I make a difference from West Virginia.

Photo courtesy Billy Williams of Nuru International

What do my donations and spreading awareness make POSSIBLE?  A farmer has more maize than his family needs and he can sell some for a profit.   The lady in the photo is making her first deposit in a banking system and was so excited she was able to save some money that she asked for her photo to be taken.

Photos courtesy Billy Williams of Nuru International

Just like Stephan Bauman says in his book, let's find our cause, raise awareness, and change the world because it truly is possible.  If I can help change the world, you can too!  Find your passion.  Hone your skills, and let's see lasting change!

Needless to say, I highly recommend the book Possible.  This is great for every college student who is dreaming great dreams.  I recommend it to pastors, mission boards, those interested in the poor. Basically, if you care about people, I would say you should probably read this book.

Believe it or not, this was a book review sponsored by Family Christian.  They are a fantastic go to place for all your needs, it doesn't matter if you are having a VBS at your church or the jungle on a mission trip, they have the supplies you would need to make changing your world POSSIBLE.    They want to give one reader of this post a $10 Appreciation certificate to Family Christian.  This giveaway is open to the USA only and ends April 9.  Winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning e-mail or another winner will be chosen.

Enter in the widget below!  :)

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From Good to Grace and Giveaway (ends 3/29)

Most of my posts contain affiliate links where I get a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you when you purchase something through a link.  Thank you for starting your shopping here at Books, Bargains, Blessings.  I received a free copy of this book from Family Christian in order to do a fair and honest review.  I also received an appreciation certificate for hosting the giveaway.


From Good to Grace: Letting Go of the Goodness Gospel appealed to me.  I was the classic good girl in high school and college.  In fact, I once made a checklist of all the "Good Christian Things" I could think of and would see how good of a Christian I was each week.  Going to Sunday School?  That got a point.  Memorizing a Book of the Bible?  Another point.  Choir Practice?  It was on there, too, even though I can't sing at all.  I lost points if I didn't write a missionary, pray through my entire prayer list, and another 27 other things that would tell me at the end of the week if I passed or failed at being a Christian.   Needless to say I never was able to live up to my expectations, and I failed.

I was hoping to love this book.  I wanted to rave about how wonderful it was.  Yet, I can only say it was good.  There were two chapters that stood out as  excellent (Receiving His Freedom and Love Shows).  This book is good, but I think I have been a bit too well read on grace over the years for this to be something outstanding to me.  Still, I would highly recommend it for a women's Sunday School class, Bible study or book club.  My boyfriend tells me I am intense about my faith, and because of that and being the voracious reader I am, I have read countless books on this topic.  Yet, it was still a good reminder that being good doesn't equal grace.

It is rare that I agree with everything in a book, and the one problem I had with this one was where she told someone, "I know exactly how you feel."   Because each person is different, they will view each situation uniquely.  I've always felt that a more loving way to say basically the same thing is say, "I have felt. . ." and then say how you interpret the person is feeling.

I did like that this is nearly a Bible study book but the author uses many personal examples of how she has given or received grace.  She's married to a pastor, a church planter, no less, and has an autistic son.  I would say she has a lot of experience giving and receiving grace.  She also dispels the myth that if we are good enough, we will be blessed by God.  That was a very popular teaching among my friends for a long time. I no longer buy into it.  Life happens.  Accidents happen.  If being good meant a perfect and prosperous life, then the Pharisees  (either ancient or modern day) wouldn't have a care in the world.  This book helps remind us of the truth of what good doesn't accomplish and what grace does.

From now until March 31  Family Christian is having a special sale, 25% off your entire online purchase of regularly priced items.  Just use coupon code MARCH25.  This is the perfect time to purchase this book or another item that Family Christian sells.

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Do Over by Jon Acuff & $25 Family Christian Giveaway (Ends 3/16)

FTC disclaimer:   I received an advance reading copy of this book for review purposes and an appreciation certificate for hosting a giveaway.  All opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for starting your shopping here at Books, Bargains, Blessings.


I work at home.  I haven't had  an outside the home job since I was in college.  So why did I read Do Over?  Simple, I have to constantly reinvent myself so I don't have to have a 9-5 job.  Some days, though, I feel like that would be a blessing.  My boyfriend works eight hours and he's done.  There are days I work from the moment I wake until I fall asleep.  I like taking overnight trips once every month or two so I have time where I don't feel like I should be doing anything except stuff I enjoy. Someone asked me about my job this week and added the demeaning word "just" in front of it. (Not the time to say that when I worked 14 hours straight one day recently.) When I started this journey soon after graduating college, a church secretary told me there was more to life than selling stuff online.  That's exactly why I chose this journey.  In the seventeen years since I graduated, I have been able to travel to over a dozen countries, take care of my mother when she was ill and needed someone.  Even being able to drop everything to move into a hotel for a week to be near her ICU room.  Yes, there are days that I envy my fiance, but I also realize that I am living what many women consider to be a dream.  So how did the book Do Over help me?   It showed me where I'm doing it right and where I need to improve.

When reading Do Over be prepared and have lots and lots of index cards on hand.  Yeah, he's one of "those" authors.

A rabbi, a magician and a cowboy are all invited to a wedding.   That may sound like a joke, but I'll let you know if there is a punchline after May.  I'm in the middle of addressing wedding invitations.  It has felt like a never ending process because there's a lot of people invited.  I have invested in relationships and the guest list shows that.  I know if I ever need something in Hebrew translated, I have someone who I can ask.  If I ever have a cowboying question, I have a resource.  (although I kind of doubt I ever will, because I didn't know there were real cowboys until I met my friend Jake.)  As I read the first part of Do Over I was patting myself on my back and thinking, "Yes!  I excel at this!" Who of us doesn't want to have an area where we think we rock?  So many of our opportunities in life are created from connections.  They are vital to a Do Over.  (A side note on making connections, Jon Acuff, if you are reading this, you are invited to the wedding as well!)

I once was talking to a friend and she commented on how she was looking forward to a job where she could use her skills.  I asked her, "What are your skills?"  She replied, "You know, Jenn, I'm not sure."  The second part of this book talks about skills.  Think you don't have skills? You do because you know that thing that everyone asks you to do?  That thing you do as a favor for someone and tell them "Don't tell anyone I did this for you because I don't want to have tons of people asking me".  That's one of your biggest skills.  But there are skills you need that you need to develop.  I remember over a dozen years ago a friend telling me I should start a blog.   I never had heard the term "blog" before.  Had I started when he suggested it, I might be one of the most well known bloggers on the Internet.  I'm still learning.  I've tried to surround myself with other bloggers.  I posted to someone in a group recently that I wanted to be like her when I grew up.  It's a cute way of saying, "I admire you and I know you're better at this than I am, but I'm going to develop my talents so I can be like you in my own way."  So there was the un-fun part of that section of this book.  I have to work on things I'm not good at.   I'm doing that.  Another pat on the back from myself.  Am I doing it as much as I should be?  Let's move along.

The third section is about character.  This, like the other sections, encompasses a lot.  Everything from generosity to empathy to when you use your cell phone.  In this book there is a story of how a boss lost a good employee because of a decision to try and make some money on some football tickets. It hurt him in the end to lose this employee, and being generous and selling them for the issue price instead of the going rate on the internet would have been more worth it to him in the long run.  I loved his advice about how it's not always known what you are doing on technology at a meeting, and if possible use paper.  You might SAY you are taking notes, but you could just as easily be on Facebook or watching a cute cat video.

The final section of this book is hustle.  This is where I'm usually lacking the most.  I might enjoy shopping for items to sell online, but actually getting those listed is something I don't like doing.  No job is ever all fun, you just have to do the unfun parts.  Hustle is putting your neck out there and trying for opportunities that may or may not open up for you.  It is realizing that your dream transforms differently the more you work at it.  When I was in 3rd grade, there was a big emphasis on what we wanted to be when we grew up and our teacher started exposing us to things that would help us in our career.  If I had said what I was going to be doing 30 years later, I would have been told to quit daydreaming.   Selling items internationally from the privacy of my home?  Working in pajamas if I want to?  Reviewing books on a website.  (Think to 1983.  What's a website?  You can't send anything to Russia.  How will you ever attract customers?  You're going to sell enough potato chips to pay for a week of fitness camp?  That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard, especially when you are selling them to individuals across the country!)  Been there, done that, sold the snacks.

We can't see the future.  Even for those of us in work at home jobs, we need to be sure that we are keeping up with the times.  We may not need a complete overhaul, but I recommend the book Do Over to encourage you to keep up with your skills and use them to your advantage.  Plus this is an enjoyable read.  (I've never before laughed out loud while reading a career book.)  Of course, if you want to change careers, I believe this book is vital to that.)

For the giveaway, Family Christian has offered one of my readers a $25 Family Christian appreciation certificate.  Open to 18 and older, USA only.  Winner has 48 hours to respond to winning e-mail or another winner may be chosen.  You can use this to purchase Do Over or another book by Jon Acuff or anything else that Family Christian sells.

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Becoming a Spiritually Healthy Family by Michelle Anthony

FTC disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Have you ever read a book that parts just don't seem to apply to you?  Have you ever read a book that you feel like the author is speaking right to you?  This is one of those books.  In a very creative style of addressing parenting style, Michelle Anthony speaks to nearly every type of parent.  This book has a twist, though.  Instead of telling you to change, she gives suggestions on how to give yourself and your fears to the Lord so that you will eventually change as your trust in Him grows.

As a single (but soon to be married) person, this book interested me because if I can start working on my imperfections now, I won't be Super Mom someday, but I will hopefully have worked on some issues that will allow my children to be raised in a healthier spiritual environment.  (I say healthier because I'll never be perfect.)

Oh, but perfection is something that I always have strived for.  I remember when I was in high school I had a chart that I could check off and see how good of a Christian I was that week.  I thought of that as I was reading the chapter "Beyond Good Behavior and chore Charts".   I had the good behavior, but unfortunately those around me hadn't encouraged me in faith formation, but left me drowning in moral education.  There's a difference, and the approach could mean your child staying with your faith or abandoning it once they are on their own.

Runaway Radical Book Review

FTC disclaimer: I received an advance reader's copy of this book from Family Christian in order to do a review as well as compensation for running a giveaway.

The index card in my hand felt so obvious.  I folded it so no one saw I still had it as the buckets went down the row to collect these cards from other students.  I was at a conference and nearly everyone filled out a card saying they pledged one year of their life to full time Christian work.  I didn't know if I could do that.  Rather than lie and sign my name to something, I didn't return it.  I still have that card, unfilled out, and stuck in the Bible I took to that conference.  It's stayed in there for seventeen years as a reminder.  First a reminder of guilt.  Now a reminder of I'm free to be a Christian without the promises and works.

In Runaway Radical, Jonathan Hollingsworth reminded me so much of myself at his age.  I recently tweeted to him that his book showed me where I went wrong in college.  Yet, in some ways, like the author, I'm still trying to get it right.  I grew up in a legalistic church.  No movies.  No dancing.  I became legalistic in relationships with men and gave up dating for God's standard.  Yet, the husband I felt God was going to lead to me didn't appear.  (As I write this, I am 41 and getting ready to be married for the first time.  What would it have done to my faith at age 20 to know I would have to wait another two decades for marriage?)  Over time, I began to see the rules as legalism.  I began to shed the don't, but in the process, I picked up the "do"s.  Go on mission trips.  Care for the least of these.  I remember feeling called by God to go on a missions trip in college.  I remember a few nights before I left I got on my knees to beg God to consider I was willing to do that for Him, and wouldn't it please be enough, did I really have to go?   I had to.  And it was a very difficult time.  These are the missions trips you don't hear about in church.  I had a lot of financial support.  I returned and spoke in churches of the good parts of the trip, the difficulties swept under the rug.  This is why this book resonated so much with me.

One of the lines in the book says something to the effect of he learned to be sold out and extreme for Christ, but what about teaching us to be average Christians?  I'm sorry to say, I'm still learning that.  I'm twice the age of the author, but I'm still figuring out it's okay to be a normal person and a Christian.  It doesn't make us any less of one if we have jobs where we work for secular employers.  It might FEEL wrong, but I learned years ago that we are to serve God where we are going, not go and serve.  Yet, I still heard little about that.  Go. What if we stay?  Not all missions organizations are the same.  Some, like the author of Runaway Radical, would be better if we stayed away from them rather than partnering with them.  Not everyone is cut out to be an overseas missionary.   You could be allergic to a key ingredient in food of a certain country.  What happens when you feel God calling you to something and you fail?  Does it mean He failed you?  Did you not hear Him?  This book wrestles with these questions and more.

I can't tell you how highly I recommend this book.  It is one of the books that I believe will stand the test of time and become a classic, and hopefully even required reading for future missionaries.  God does call some people.  I have several friends who are foreign missionaries.  But make sure the "Go" is from God and not from guilt because we as Americans have so much and there are millions in this world without the luxuries that we have because we were born into this country.  

Before you go, read this book.

Book Review: Girl At the End of the World

FTC disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  This post does contain affiliate links.

Girl at the End of the World: My Escape from Fundamentalism in Search of Faith with a Future

Preaching to the crowds at nine years old was part of Elizabeth Esther's childhood.  As this book opens, that's where we find her, telling people they might die and face the judgment.  Added is the tip that if no one is paying attention shout the name of "The Lord Jesus Christ".  Already this book had me hooked.  After all, who wouldn't be curious about the life of a childhood street preacher?

The judgment may be at hand, so the church she grew up in made absolutely sure that everyone was ready for Revelation to be played out at any moment.  Setting up secret hiding places was normal.  As well as, in later years, learning how wearing a thong was a sin because God would see it.  After all, girls should be modest.  But hopefully by that time, the children would have had all the sin spanked out of them and they would be following what was taught.

Or not.  When Elizabeth Esther goes to high school, which is a public school after years in her church school, she discovers boys.  And defiles herself before marriage by doing the shameful act of kissing her secret boyfriend.  After all, dating isn't allowed, only courtship.  Even her clothes in sizes too big for modesty sake  doesn't keep the boys -- or friends -- away.  It is in high school she decides she wants to go to college -- to escape.  Of course, this idea doesn't fly with her dad, who as in most patriarchal systems, calls the shots for his household. 

She does escape, obviously, or she wouldn't have told the tale.  While I didn't grow up in a church this abusive, several things echoed true for me.   I remember thinking as a child I needed to find a hiding place to store a Bible because we were taught as small children at church that the Russians were coming and they were going to kill all Christians and destroy all Bibles, so that is why we needed to memorize Scripture.  (I didn't realize that if we were dead, it wouldn't have mattered how much we had memorized.)

This is an excellent book for those who have come out of any type of abusive church situation.  Learning to think for yourself after a situation like that is not just difficult, but frightening.  There's always the "What If They Are Right?" question stuck in the back of your brain wondering if you are the one who is wrong and not them.   It's also a fascinating read for anyone who wants to see what the insides of a cult are like.   It is a book that you can't put down.  It's a tale of survival, hope, and escape.  She learned to think for herself and no longer be brainwashed.

I loved Girl At The End of The World.

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Read part of the book here:

Book Review: Say Goodbye to Survival Mode

FTC disclaimer:  I was provided a book by the publisher for review purposes.  All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. 


Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life by Crystal Paine

I was captivated with just the title of the book Say Goodbye to Survival Mode.  After all, what woman feels she has enough time to do everything she wants to do?  It doesn’t matter if you are single, married, young, or old, this book will apply to you.  What Chrystal Paine does is outline nine steps to help you get rid of the haired, rushed feeling you often have and learn to live in a more peaceful environment.  It won’t happen overnight, and it’s not a super-easy quick fix, (after all, chances are you got yourself into this situation by saying yes one too many times!) but it is do-able to have a bit more simplistic life — even if that “simplistic” life includes lots of business trips or a large number of children!

She gives baby steps to achieve these goals, yet doesn’t talk down to the reader as I’ve seen some books do.  Instead, the author can sympathize with you.  She once was overly stressed and learned how to manage it one step at a time — one sticky note at a time, and one load of laundry at a time.

Two chapters I really enjoyed were “When you Feel Like a Failure”.  I don’t know about others, but when I feel like a failure that’s when I want to throw in the towel and just say “That’s enough, I quit” but then I just get right back on the ‘treadmill’ that was causing me so much stress in the first place.  I work at home and recently my mother was asking me about a time I decided to quit my job.  It lasted three months.  I didn’t make any major changes until recently in that, and the stress continued just as it had been.  Now I have a new sales technique, new way of dealing with customers, and it’s a much happier experience for me — but usually I just continue doing what got me so stressed in the first place!

Another chapter I enjoyed was “You Can Make a Difference”.  The author runs the popular blog, Money Saving Mom.  She talks about how she was able to give out of her abundance she had gotten free with coupons.  I’ve always tried to be a giving person.  There were times when I was a teenager we could barely afford necessities but because of my coupons, I was able to give to others (and just like her in one place in the story, there were even times I would have missed on social occasions if I wouldn’t have been able to take food in place of paying an amount for cost of snacks!)  The author reminds us that while we may have busy, almost out of control lives, there are always people worse off than we are. 

This book is a fantastic read.  It is like a chat with the author, and I highly recommend it if you are stressed and want more peace in your life!

You can read a free preview below and purchase the book at Amazon.

Book Review: At the Heart of the Gospel

FTC disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.

At the Heart of the Gospel: Reclaiming the Body for the New Evangelization

In  At the Heart of the Gospel, author Christopher West takes deep theology and makes it accessible to those of us who aren’t scholars!  I appreciate his writing style as he explains things thoroughly without talking down to the readers.  He has dedicated himself to studying Pope John Paul II’s writing “Theology of The Body” and in this book, West explains how that work relates to the New Evangelization. 

I’ve heard in my own theology classes in college about the Gnostics who believed the body was bad and spiritual things were good.  One of the things that West points out in this book is if we believe that, then what is life without the body?  It is death.   This reminded me of the many times in college that I’d be in a “feminar” (a seminar for girls) and we’d be told beauty isn’t important, it’s only what is inside that counts.  I realize that not everyone is a model, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and ask most men, and they would tell you their wife is beautiful.   We can survive in a world without beauty, but that’s often what it is, survival and not thriving. 

One chapter I especially enjoyed was “The Narrow Gate Between Idolatry and Iconoclasm”.  We can make anything into an idol be it beauty, food, other things that relate to our physical bodies, or something more abstract such as a hobby, or even veneration of saints.  But do we need to go so far as to do away with things rather than keep them in check?  Most likely not.  If you have ever tried to lose a few pounds, to do it in a healthy manner, you still have to eat.  So to have a healthy relationship with anything, it must be in moderation. 

I also very much appreciated West tackling the tough topic of “The Great Analogy of Spousal Love”.  Have you ever read through the Song of Solomon?  That is an erotic book of the Bible!  The high school I graduated from decided they were going to read through the Bible, one chapter a day, and being super conservative, I wondered what they would do when they came to that book if they continued that plan!  Like Pope Benedict XVI said “The Prophets describe God’s passion for his people using boldly erotic images.”  (page 103)

I enjoyed this book, not as much as a previous book by the same author, but it’s still a good, solid book that makes Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body not only accessible but practical.   I highly recommend this book.

FTC disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I only recommend books I enjoy.

You can purchase this book here:

Book Review: The Church Unlocking the Secrets to the Places Catholic Call Home by Cardinal Wuerl

FTC disclosure:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.  This post contains affiliate links.

What is the church like that you attend?  Is there a cross up front?  Is it a crucifix?  A tapestry of The Last Supper?  A stained glass dove?  I’ve been in churches that had one  of these at the front, but in a Catholic Church it will be a crucifix.  Do you know why?  It is because “The cross with the image of Christ crucified is a reminder of Christ’s paschal mystery.  It draws us into our suffering when united with the passion and death of Christ leads to redemption.”  (Page 105).  I had always wondered about why Catholics display a crucifix instead of an empty cross, and now I know.

While reading Cardinal Donald Wuerl’s latest book “The Church:  Unlocking the Secrets to the Places Catholics Call Home”, I felt like I was being guided by a man I consider a mentor of my faith though we have never met.  It felt like he was showing me every bit of a Catholic Church, from the artwork to the baptismal font.  He explains in detail why things are the way they are.  Did you know that baptismal fonts are often eight sided?  That’s something you can read about in this book.

The 5 Money Personalities : Speaking the Same Love and Money Language Book Review

FTC disclaimer:  I received this book in order to do a review.  All opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.


In The Five Money Personalities: Speaking the Same Love and Money Language, Scott and Bethany Palmer -- also known as "The Money Couple" -- discuss the traits that each person may have that can affect the relationships of those around them.  When about half of marriages end in divorce, and money is the number one issue that couples argue about, I believe this is a very important book for everyone to read.  I’m single, but it helped me understand others who don’t have my money personality.

One of the things they discuss in this book is how to handle it if you have married someone with an opposite personality.  Or what if your secondary money personality trait is opposite of your main one!  That can actually be quite common, and leave that person fretting about decisions.

One of the neat things is they have resources on their website to compliment the book.  It was no surprise to me when I took the quiz that my primary personality was “saver”.  I remember as a child my grandparents giving me a jar full of coins for my birthday thinking I’d use them to play video games.  Instead I took them to the bank and deposited the nearly $40 in change in my savings account.  My secondary trait is “security seeker”.  This is something that took a long conversation with someone recently when he was asking why debt bothered me.  Don’t know how to start a conversation like that? It’s needed and this book has advice on how to broach the tough topics of how your spouse wastes money in your eyes. 

Also included in the book is an appendix of how to survive live with someone with that other money personality (or even your own!)  If you’re a spender you might need to reign yourself in come birthdays or Christmas, but the saver might need a little help spending their hard earned money on other people.

I highly recommend this book to everyone.  It gives a lot of insight to why we handle money the way we do, and I believe if read and the principles in it were applied, it could save a lot of marriages.

You can purchase this book at Amazon.