Ooops. I got so busy with my job working on the Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference last week that I forgot all about Five Things Friday. The first time I remembered it was sitting in the morning session listen to the great Mike Brewer speak.
To make up for forgetting, this week I think we need at least two lists this week. And as I'm writing I'm also learning more about how the things we love are truly gifts from God given to reveal to each of us how very much He loves us. I'm just finishing up Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts, and going deeper and deeper into the idea of thanks for the gifts God so freely bestows.
What blessings come from counting our blessings! I challenge you to join me and Ann and so many others. Open your eyes, begin counting the gifts that God is giving to you.
Five Gifts
26. Serving the QCCWC, amazingly talented, giving people, getting to spend time and serve God's Scribes, Apostles of Ink, and other servants of The Most High. I’m overwhelmed that God would use me to be a part of this wonderful blessing. ( I think I just had the spirit of my new friend, Gail, overtake me!)
27. A new sister and friend in Dr. Gail Hayes, Lioness for the Lord & Daughter of the King.
28. The delicious smell of Amaretto coffee wafting through the house—yum.
29. The tree budding outside my bedroom window. We moved it last fall and didn’t kill it! Hooray!
30. The power of written words to move the heart and change lives.
And Five More Gifts
31. Bright orange tulips in my yard 32. Papa Goose fasting while guarding Mama Goose noshing.
33. Mama Goose sitting on her nest.
34. Glowing green buds bring life to dead red sticks.
If you enjoy writing but are afraid you might be"not good enough", this is the conference for you. If you’d like to know how to improve and promote your writing, this is the conference for you. If you need encouragement in your Christian walk as you learn how to better share your story of what God has done in your life, this is the conference for you. If you enjoy a bit of zany-ness and laughter alongside solid classes, seminars and messages, this is the conference for you. If you can stand to eat delicious meals alongside accessible professionals in the world of writing who are anxious to discover and encourage tomorrow's top writers, then this IS the conference for you. If you're looking for a conference with lots of big, snooty "names", blow-hards who only want to tell how great they are, mentors ready to tear you and your work apart, and impersonal, impractical teaching, where the games go on, this is NOT the conference for you.
The 8th annual Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference April 8-9 Eldridge, Iowa
Join us for two full days of continuing classes, breakout sessions, friendly faculty, hands-on learning and an experience you’ll never forget. In fact, it might change your life.
For more information or to register please visit our web site at http://www.qccwc.com ~
We're waiting to meet you and help you on your journey to writing success.
The first time I saw this quiz, sometime during the 70’s I thought it would be easy. My husband was a young youth pastor and we thought it would be fun to do at the youth group Christmas party in tiny Felton, California. That was before I actually took it. I must confess the first time I took it I didn’t do so well. I wouldn't have wanted to be graded on my answers that first time!
But it made me wonder--how much do we really know about the long ago Christmas night and how did we learn what we believe?
Through the years we have had a lot of fun giving this quiz out at various parties. It has inspired many cries of outrage and frustration as people who were sure they had the right answer found out differently. My middle school students got two years to try and still had trouble. Seems as many of our ideas about the birth of Jesus originate from imaginative Christmas carols as from the Bible.
Now it’s your turn. Answer the questions below to see if you really know as much about the birth of Christ as you think you do. Have fun and leave me a comment on how you do!
Here goes: 1. Joseph was from: a) Bethlehem b) Jerusalem c) Nazareth d) Egypt
2. Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem by a) Camel b) Donkey c) Walked d) We don't know
3. The innkeeper told Mary and Joseph... a) I have a stable you can use b) There is no room at the inn c) Both (a) and (b) d) None of the above
4. Which animals were present at Jesus' birth? a) Cows, sheep, goats b) Cows, donkeys, sheep c) Many barnyard animals d) None are mentioned
5. Who saw the star in the east? a) Shepherds b) Mary and Joseph c) The Wise Men d) Everyone
6. How many angels spoke to the shepherds? a) One b) Three c) A Multitude
7. What sign did the angels tell the shepherds to look for? a) A star over Bethlehem b) A baby that doesn't cry c) A baby in a stable d) A baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger
8. Did Baby Jesus cry?______________
9. What did the angels sing? a) Joy to the World b) Alleluia c) Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given d) Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will to men
10. How many wise men came to visit Jesus? ________
11. The wise men found Jesus in a a) manger b) stable c) house d) a good mood
12. The wise men stopped in Jerusalem a) To inform Herod about Jesus b) To find out where Jesus was c) To buy presents for Jesus
13. Who told Mary and Joseph to go to Bethlehem? a) The angel b) Mary's mother c) Herod d) Caesar Augustus
14. Joseph took baby Jesus to Egypt a) To show him the pyramids b) To be put in a basket in the river c) Because he dreamed of it d) To be taxed
15. Where do we find the Christmas story to check the answers to these questions? a) Matthew b) Mark c) Luke d) John e) All of the above f) Matthew and Luke g) Mark and John
Answers: 1(c), 2(d), 3(d), 4(d), 5(c), 6(a), 7(d), 8(Yes, like any other baby) 9(d), 10(we don't know), 11(c), 12 (b), 13(d), 14(c), 15(f)
Your score— 15 right—Arch Angel 12-14 right—A Shining Star 9-11 right-- Praising Shephard 4-8 right---Time to reread Luke 2 1-3 right—You’re making baby Jesus cry 0 right--Donkey
Thanks to Kathy Carlton Willis for the following information
"Bestselling Authors Join Forces Again Call-Ins Welcome
This book is now in its fifth year on the New York Times' bestseller list. It's sold more than five million copies and has been translated into 40+ languages. A feature film is in the works. The book? 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper and Cecil Murphey.
Piper will join Murphey on the new Toginet online radio show, Cec And Me on Tuesday, December 7th at 7 PM Central time, 8 PM Eastern. That's tonight! Tune in to learn how the authors connected—the birth of a multi-book project and their mutually-respected relationship.
Listeners are welcome to call in with questions or comments, with opportunities to win free books. Piper and Murphey offer comfort and wisdom from their vast source of life experience with heartache, pain and loss. These men live out the phrase, “I feel your pain.” This show is certain to deliver grace-filled strength.
More about The Cec And Me Show: Billed as a delightful, thoughtful, serious, and not so serious call-in show with Cecil (Cec) Murphey and Twila Belk, the show promises a blend of fun and a variety of topics, including tough issues such as cancer, caregiving, and sexual abuse, as well as lighter topics such as writing and Christmas miracles.
The far-reaching, refreshing, faith-based, shared conversation and call-in show offers:
An inside look at the “Man Behind the Words.” This patriarch in the publishing industry shares from his life of words—over 100 books and going strong.
Special guests who've been impacted by Cec in some way—people who in turn impact others—authors, speakers, pastors, ministry leaders and more.
A wide range of topics—tough issues, practical helps, encouragement, inspiration, hope, and some fun thrown in for good measure.
The opportunity to call in with your questions and comments.
About Cecil (Cec) Murphey Murphey is an international speaker and bestselling author who has written or co-written more than 100 books, including Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (with Dr. Ben Carson). His books have sold millions and have given hope and encouragement to countless people around the world. Many writers claim Murphey as their mentor or the father of their writing.
About Twila Belk Belk is a writer, inspirational speaker, and conference director who also works fulltime with Murphey as his manager and personal assistant. She serves as the show’s host. "
Check out this clip for more details of Cec And Me:
I'm so excited. My good friend Twila Belk has a new online radio show on Toginet.com! She and best-selling author Cecil Murphey will be on each Tuesday night at 8 PM, 7PM central LIVE. They'll be interviewing guests each week on a variety of subjects from the serious to the not-so-serious with honesty, candor and a healthy dose of humor.
This Tues (October 18th) will be an interview with Jonathan Friesen, author of the ALA award-winning book, Jerk, California. Jerk is the story of a high school senior named Sam who just happens to have Tourette's Syndrome. It is a subject Jonathan knows from the inside out as he, too, was diagnosed with TS at the age of 19. Tune in tomorrow night and hear this fascinating interview.
Some sins follow you your whole life. Mr. Cramer’s book, "Levi’s Will", is the story of an Amish teenager who makes a mistake and spends the rest of his life wondering if it is possible to atone for some sins.
Young Will runs away at 19, escaping the control of his father Levi, who even by Amish standards exceptionally strict with his children. Leaving behind a pregnant fiancée, Will rides the rails before joining the Army during WWII, always depending on the work ethic he learned at home to help him cope with life, never learning how to trust, and how to give what he was never given growing up.
From his Amish roots, through service in the military during WWII, marriage, work and life we follow the story of Will Mullet/McGruder as he seeks to work his way to atonement. He lives a life of secrets even from those nearest and dearest to him and in the end becomes a proverb of how the sins of the father do linger on, hurting their own sons.
This is a story about the importance of family, of independence, of hard work and most of all love and forgiveness. Mr Cramer examines the relationships of fathers and sons bridging three generations.
If you like stories set in the Amish culture you will enjoy this one. Told from the masculine point of view it reveals the struggles Will faces seeking to reconcile the best of his Amish upbringing with the modern culture in which he has chosen to stay.
Intriguing, creative, unique, mysterious, fantastic, "The Shack" meets "Back to the Future". These are a few of the ideas that roamed through my head while reading the thoroughly entertaining novel “Rooms” by James L. Rubart.
A cryptic letter arrives giving Micah Taylor a beach-front mansion from a relative he never knew. Micah Taylor is the man every woman wants and every man would like to be. Successful, good-looking, and smart enough to build a million dollar business and still remain a nice guy. As bright as Micah’s future looks, he’s not a man without a past and in getting to where he is today, he may’ve lost some of the best parts of himself.
Even though the house located in the place of the greatest tragedy of his life, Micah decides to check it out. What he gets is way more than what he sees. A house whose footprint changes daily, sometimes hourly? As far as real estate goes, this house is a dream built exactly to his tastes. Or maybe it’s a nightmare because with each new room Micah finds a new set of questions buzzing in his mind, disturbing his sleep, questioning his existence.
Along the way Micah meets his new BFF and a lovely straight-shooting young lady who seems to good to be true at times. But the one thing they all have in common is their search for the Pearl of great price.
“Rooms” is an unusual book. It is a fantasy with a big heart, a journey with twists and turns, missteps and surprises. Yet through it all is an undeniable feeling of God’s love, protection and care for His children. I love that! In the end I found myself asking the same questions as Micah, seeking the same truth and freedom and knowing it is worth the trip. It's a book I'll remember for a long, long time and I like that.
I depart from my year-long review of Christian fiction today to share a great devotional book I've just finished reading. It turned out to be one of those books that just speaks to your heart exactly what you need to hear each day, and of course I had to share that!
Don Piper is man who lives with pain. But he doesn’t wallow in it. In 1989, he was pronounced dead by EMTs for 90 minutes in a car accident. After returning to life, he spent months in the hospital recovering from his injuries and still today lives with the resulting pain from the accident.
I also live with pain. Due to arthritis, physical pain is a given in my daily life. I’m also terribly sensitive to the normal big-time pain killers (such as Vicodin) so I pretty much refuse to take them.
I’ve often asked God about the “why” of pain, of being unable to walk even a mile a day I used to, the ability to work out at the gym. Then I picked up “Daily Devotions Inspired by 90 Minutes in Heaven” by Don Piper and Cecil Murphey.
Reading the devotions in this book has renewed my faith in God’s providence and reminded me that I’m not alone in my suffering. Just knowing there are other believers fighting the same battles, trusting and persevering and looking forward to heaven for our complete healing is a fantastic blessing and comfort.
Don and Cec write for people not saints. The devotions are full of personal stories; lessons learned the hard way and inspiring scriptures on every page. I especially loved the prayers at the end of each devotion. These moments with God expressed the desire of my heart beautifully.
If you are a person who sometimes wonders about what God is doing in your life, if you’re going a rough patch or even if you’re just wondering about heaven and what God has in store, this would be a wonderful 90 day journey for you to take. The end will leave you comforted, peaceful and closer to heaven and to the Lord.
I did not write my post today. It is used by permission and is the amazing true story of how God used a page from a novel to reach the heart of a man broken over the murder of his family. Even more heart wrenching is the fact that it is the true story of a man, Terry Caffey, who lost his wife, 2 sons, and his house - all at the hands of his teenage daughter.
The story of this horrific crime and the struggle of a father to forgive the unthinkable is available in the new book Terror By Night by Terry Caffey (the father) and James Pence.
James Pence, the author of the novel and of this article, is one of the keynote speakers for the 2010 Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference, April 9-10 in Eldridge, Iowa. For more information about the conference, check out our website http://www.qccwc.com
How One Ripped Page Changed a Life By James Pence
Recently, I heard an amazing story of how God used my novel, Blind Sight, to turn someone's life around. After hearing this story, even if I never sell another book, I'll feel fulfilled as a writer.
At about 3 a.m. on March 1st of last year, two young men broke into Terry Caffey's home in Emory, Texas. They shot Terry and killed his wife, Penney, and then went upstairs and murdered the Caffey's two young sons, Bubba and Tyler. They then set fire to the house and left the family for dead. Although he had been shot twelve times, Terry escaped through the bathroom window and crawled three hundred yards to a neighbor's house. To make matters worse, Terry's daughter Erin was implicated in the crime. Overnight, Terry Caffey lost his entire family.
A month or so later, Terry went back to his property. The remains of the house had been bulldozed and little was left. Torn with grief, Terry was contemplating suicide. Unable to understand why God had taken his family and allowed him to survive, Terry cried out to God, "Why did you take my family? Why didn't you take me, too? I don't understand."
As he stood there, Terry noticed a burned scrap of paper standing up against the trunk of a nearby tree. He went over and picked it up. The paper was part of a page from my novel, Blind Sight. The edges of the page were scorched and it was difficult to read. But the words were like a direct message to Terry from God.
Here's the portion of text that Terry found:
[The viewpoint character in these paragraphs is Thomas Kent, a man who lost his wife and children in an automobile accident that he survived. In this scene, Thomas is praying.]
"I couldn't understand why You would take my family and leave me behind to struggle along without them. And I guess I still don't totally understand that part of it. But I do believe that You're sovereign; You're in control."
Justine's voice reverberated through his thoughts: Maybe God knew we needed you. "And I know that You've brought Justine and those children into my life. And they need me. Lord, You could have taken my life that day, but You spared it. And You've gone on sparing it. It doesn't matter what happens to me now, but if I can help them, please let me do it."
Thomas closed the drapes and stood alone in the dark room. For the first time in two years, he was at peace with God and with himself. He knew what he had to do. Justine and her children would be safe, even if he had to die to make sure of it.
Those paragraphs turned Terry's life around. He found the strength to go on, and is now sharing his testimony in churches around the country. When he speaks, he brings the page from my novel, now preserved in a frame, and shows it to the congregation.
Because the page was only partially preserved, Terry didn't know what book it had come from until a few weeks ago. He spoke one Sunday morning at Greenville Bible Church, and my daughter, Charlene, was present in the congregation. [She and Terry's daughter, Erin, are good friends.] Charlene and Terry both had lunch at pastor Jim Corbet's house, and Terry told them that he'd love to find out which book the page had come from. The pastor and his wife had both read Blind Sight and they thought they recognized the passage. Charlene agreed that it sounded like it had come from my novel. Pastor Corbet took his copy of Blind Sight down and they eventually found the page.
That same afternoon, Terry called and shared the story with me. Tears streamed down my face as I listened to a story that is nothing short of a miracle of God's providence. Not only had the house burned, but the site had been long since cleaned up and the debris bulldozed and hauled off. What little material was left had been exposed to the weather for at least a month. And out of a nearly 400-page book, the only scrap that remained was a brief passage where a man who had lost a wife and two children came to grips with the sovereign goodness of God, submitted to His will, and decided to move forward.
That scrap of paper lay there against a tree trunk as if waiting for Terry Caffey: a man who had lost his wife and two sons, a man who was in deep despair and who was contemplating suicide, a man who desperately needed to come to grips with the sovereign goodness and mercy of God.
Needless to say, I am deeply humbled to have been the one who wrote the words that God chose to use. What an incredible, awesome God we serve!
--Is that amazing or what?
James H. Pence is the founder of Tuppence Creative Ministries, an outreach that encourages excellence in the arts for the glory of God. In addition to being the author of six books, James is a performance chalk artist and vocalist.
James H. Pence is a full-time professional writer and editor living near Dallas, Texas. James is a multi-talented writer who has been published in both fiction and nonfiction. His publishers include Tyndale House, Kregel, and Osborne/McGraw-Hill. James holds a master’s degree in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in creative writing and journalism from Dallas Theological Seminary. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from Dallas Bible College. James is also a vocalist and gospel chalk artist, and he regularly uses his talents to share the gospel in prisons.
James is the author of Blind Sight, a gripping novel about mind-control cults and coauthor (along with Terry Caffey) of the new book: Terror by Night: The True Story of the Brutal Texas Murder that Destroyed a Family, Restored One Man’s Faith, and Shocked a Nation.
I love watching the cardinals and other birds eating each day, right outside me office window. I recently bought some new bird seed called "Cardinal's Choice" and dining at the Cardinal Cafe in my backyard has been standing room only. I tell you the customers are really flocking in to try my little Michelin five star hot spot on these cold winter mornings. And the only squawking has been over the choice seating at the one table I have.
This morning I opened the door for "breakfast service" and there in the fresh snow were tiny little bird tracks leading right up to my back door as if to say "Hey, where's breakfast? I'm hungry." It was obvious the early bird had been there and not finding any unfrozen worms or fresh seed had hopped up see what the problem was.
As I looked at those tiny tracks and pictured such a frail creature approaching my ginormous door to get his needs met, into my head popped a picture of ME, approaching the throne of our almighty God.
Here I go, tiny, impotent, frail, but up I boldly hop on my skinny little bird legs and before the God of all Creation start twittering about my needs and when they're going to be met and what the problem is. How my loving Father must smile at my chirping and shake His head at my squawking, knowing all the time the good plans He has for me for a Hope and a Future.
Thank you Lord for lessons and reminders in small things, for patiently reassuring us in Your word of Your constant care and love. Thank You for the wonders of creation and for speaking to my heart from it's simply awesome/awesomely simple beauty.
Luke 12:24 (NLT) Look at the birds. They don’t need to plan or harvest or put food in barns because God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to Him than any birds.
God sees the little sparrow fall, It meets His tender view; If God so loves the little birds, I know He loves me, too.
He loves me, too, He loves me, too, I know He loves me, too; Because He loves the little things, I know He loves me, too.
He paints the lily of the field, Perfumes each lily bell; If He so loves the little flow’rs, I know He loves me well.
God made the little birds and flow’rs, And all things large and small; He’ll not forget his little ones, I know He loves them all.
“I wrote, she wrote, we all wrote”. We also learned and laughed, talked and listened to great authors (some bestsellers), took notes and got critiqued. And then we ate and “coffee talked” and made some great life-long friends, all at the Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference.
It's been a lot of fun writing about wonderful books this year, but it's a lot more fun to see positive comments about your own writing. Just imagine a big cardboard box arriving at the door. You open it up and see the cover of your very first published book. If that is a dream of yours, then read on, my friend.
If you’re looking for insight into the publishing industry, have questions about getting published or marketing your finished work, or just need some plain old-fashioned encouragement on your writing journey, QCCWC is the conference for you. From all over the country authors and participants gather to share ideas, to spend time together finding and giving help and encouragement in a conference unique because of its heart. Over and over again we've received feedback from people sharing comments like: "There's a different Spirit at this conference". "I didn't know the authors and teachers would be so accessible." "I can't wait to try out what I've learned." "Thank you for such a wonderful conference!" We hope you'll take time to come and see for yourself the difference two short days can make in your writing and in your life.
From the website: "The Quad-Cities Christian Writers' Conference is pleased to announce that some of the best writing instructors in the nation will join us in 2010 for two full days of breakout sessions, continuing sessions, keynote talks, one-on-one appointments, and inspiration.
In order to make an impact with your writing, it's important to LEARN THE CRAFT. That's what the Quad-Cities Christian Writers' Conference is all about. You won't find publishers, agents, and editors in attendance, but you will experience the care and coaching of a professional, knowledgeable staff. Our faculty will answer your questions, guide you, teach you, and show you how you can use your writing to change the world one word at a time."
Join us April 9-10 in Eldridge, Iowa. It could be your first step toward the thrill of seeing your work in print. For more information or to register go to http://www.qccwc.com/
I'll be looking for you!
The special early-bird rate for registrations postmarked or electronically submitted on or before Saturday, February 20!
"'Yada Yada' to perceive, understand, acquire knowledge, know and discern." What a perfect name for a prayer group! When Jodi Baxter makes the decision to go with her boss to the Chicago Women's Conference, she has no idea the changes God has planned for her life.
"What do an ex-con, a former drug addict, a real estate broker, a foreign college student and a married mother of two have in common?" asks the back cover. But when this group of women, plus a few more, randomly winds up in the same prayer group, God starts connecting hearts in ways only He could. If you're a woman, you know what I'm talking about. One minute you're thinking you have nothing in common with that older woman sitting across the room and the next minute you realize you're sisters under the skin. It's this feeling that Neta Johnson does so well that makes "Yada, Yada" such a special book.
I wrote previously about a book in which I had trouble identifying with the main character. In this story, I was with Jodi from page one. As I became involved in the Yadas, I fell easily into longing for a closer walk with God, more vibrant praising, and especially a more powerful and positive prayer life. When you read the prayers of the Yada Yada sisters, you'll want to jump up, shout "Glory" and try a few of them yourself--at least I know did. I can honestly say this book has made a positive impact on my prayer life and I'm praising God for it. What could be better than being entertained and learning to walk closer to God at the same time? This is exactly the kind of book I was hoping to discover on my journey of "The Year of Reading Dangerously"
Full of good humor and compelling characters, along with some surprising twists and turns, this is one prayer meeting you don't want to miss.
P.S. Although I had hoped not to reread any author until the year was over, I confess I've already begun the second book (Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down)--I just couldn't resist!
Haven't blogged about the "Year of Reading Gloriously" lately but I'm still on track and have finished a couple of books, am into a third. As the holidays approach I've been super busy letting everyone know about "Christmas Miracles" a new book written and compiled by Cecil Murphy and Marley Gibson and others (including my friend and boss Twila Belk). Please check it out at http://www.christmasmiracles2009.blogspot.com/. There is also a fan page if you're on Facebook.
A good friend recommended Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson to me last summer and I finished it in early October. From the back cover:
"Heather Curridge is coming unhinged. And people are starting to notice. What's wrong with a woman who has everything--a mansion on a lake, a loving son, a heart-surgeon husband, and soapstone countertops--yet still feels miserable inside? Yet when Heather spends the summer with two ancient Quaker sisters and a crusty nun in a downtown homeless shelter, she suddenly finds herself at a crossroads."
This pretty much sums it up. I had a really difficult time relating to Heather. In the book she says, "Every year I think there must be more to life, and every year, despite a new car or a trip to a new land, new milestones and triumphs in my son's life, or a redone deck, a pool, a spa, or entertainment system, I take stock and think once again, I was made for more than this. But I love my stuff." Hmmm. I am not a person who is preoccupied with buying things and I had some real problems even imagining Heather's affluent life-style.
But I could certainly identify with her struggle to do what God wanted her to do instead of going her own way. God calls Heather so far out of her comfort zone in such an unmistakable voice it's hard to ignore Yet she actually waffles until the night she has a kangaroo (!) hop across the road in front of her SUV. Talk about God getting your attention.
This book has memorable characters, true to (yuppie) life struggles and even some action sequences although it's best quality is the call it gives to Christians get out of our safe little small groups and insulated lives and begin to serve, as Jesus did, the "least of these".
There was one bit of "action" near the end that truly disappointed me. After spending the entire book encouraging women to go to the poorer parts of town, to the halfway houses and homeless shelters, an incident occurs that I would assume might be a major source of undoing all the good that had come before. I don't want to include a spoiler, but let me share an experience of my own to shed some light on why I wish the author "hadn't gone there".
For a number of years I played in a conservative church's all ladies handbell choir. On occasion we were asked to play for a men's minimum security prison. Each time it was a struggle for some of the husbands to allow their wives to go into what they perceived as a dangerous situation. In the end, we all went (and if I remember correctly a couple of husbands went the first time) and got our socks blessed off by the loving attitude and appreciation of the inmates. After the first time, you couldn't have stopped any of the ladies from going and no one felt the least bit threatened.
I know I'm somewhat unusual in that I'm that crazy Christian that sometimes picks up hitchhikers, gives homeless men caught stealing my "stuff" a sandwich and some clothes, and doesn't think twice about worrying I'll get hurt if I go serve at a homeless shelter. So I was saddened to see that issue come up in this book.
But basically this story will challenge you to step out where God is calling you and put aside whatever is keeping you from taking that step towards real and meaningful service to the kingdom. Give it a try.
"Sometimes you have to go a little bit crazy to find the life you were meant to live."
I have been a naughty, naughty Blogger. I did read "Atonement Child" by Francine Rivers. I found it to be riveting story that wasn't afraid to tackle some of the heartache and politically incorrect topics in our country today. But I forgot to write my review until 1-4-2010 so I'm going to post-date it to make it easier to find. Forgive me.
What happens when you are trying your best to live for God and the unthinkable occurs?
A crime against a young woman, an unintended pregnancy, a wavering fiancé all have been done before, but Ms. Rivers breathes into her characters such life that you feel you would know them if you met them on the street (one of my favorite things in a novel).
This book contains a lot of good information as well as an excellant story. It may seem, at times a bit preachy, but the subject matter is certainly worth it. I'm glad she was able to share so much in such an unjudgemental and graceful manner.
If you have never read Rivers, this would be a great book to start with. I highly recommend it!
And as long as I'm at it, I think I'll start a new rating system. Since cardinals (that's right, the bright red birds) make me happy whenever I see them I think I'll have to give Atonement Child a 4 (out of 5) Cardinal rating.
That translates to "Read it--you'll be glad you did"
32. Papa Goose fasting while guarding Mama Goose noshing. 
n buds bring life to dead red sticks. 
