Moving Forward, A Review

Moving Forward by Everett L Worthington Jr. is a book about forgiveness. How to forgive yourself.  I’ve been reading it, page by page, all summer. I was looking for ways to identify with his story, to help my husband, with a tragic suicide death.  Maybe because I’m a woman, I have a hard time identifying with him at all. Over analyze? Over Clinical? Self Forgiveness of Self – is too much for me. This seems to be a very in depth step by step transparent journey to how he forgave himself after the tragedy in his own life.  Maybe since I don’t battle with personal forgiveness it didn’t strike a cord with me. I’m choosing to post  my review, half way/ 3/4 way through the book and move on.  Ha. Or rather Move Forward.

I received this book for free from Bloggingforbooks.org.

Sweet Scent of Justice–Debbie Wilson

From the first paragraph, I was drawn in. Which surprised me because I found this book when Debbie Wilson contacted me a while ago to review a book she wrote about her story. I said yes, wanting to hear it, but not with full confidence of thinking it was going to be a great non fiction novel.

The story is written in first person. From Debbie’s perspective. It is gripping. Each page leaves you wanting to flip to the next.  What happened? Will they ever know? And as I read this story that goes through many years, my heart started to break with Debbie and her family. Feeling her pain. I was hearing the story in a day, the heart breaking one that she lived her life with.

Without giving the ending away – We have had two instances where resolution came in the exact same manner as her story this week. Two criminals that had done something to our family, and their capture was just like the Sweet Scent of Justice.

Looking for a wonderful read? Are you nervous about many of the books out right now? This one will pull you in, race with adrenaline, bring you on the edge of your seat to scream unfair, yell at the family to get it together, cry on their shoulders and rally to justice together. It’s a good ride. I could see this becoming a film in the future.

Thank you Debbie for sharing your story with wonderful words and transparency. Thank you for sharing your story with me.

 

Twenty-two years had passed since Kathy, a sophomore in college and a girl dedicated to living for her God, was brutally killed in her small college town. Twenty-two years of silent holidays and hidden family portraits kept the painful past under control, until Debbie Wilson ascended into the attic of her parents home on a secret quest to uncover the truth of her sister's unsolved murder and bring her killer to justice. Wilson could never have imagined how the triumphs and trials of her pursuit would force her to test her faith in God, belief in justice, and duty to forgive. Sweet Scent of Justice is a true crime memoir by a sister who experienced the miraculous ways God works in the lives of His children when they need His guidance the most. It offers hope and encouragement for those experiencing trials and tribulations in their lives. Wilson's personal tragedy strengthened her faith and belief in Christ, and it will strengthen yours too. Debbie Wilson

Disclaimer – I received a free PDF of this book to read on my Kindle in exchange for a review on this blog.

How Do You Do It? Is Your Answer Faith?

I just closed the last page of the book – The Fourth Fisherman.

First off – since this is a review – before I get into the meat of it – in a world that is cutting corners, publishing cheap books, and pushing towards $.99 e-books, This book is Fantastic. Hard bound with a wonderful finish. Cloth Binding. Thick Linen Pages.  Beautiful Jacket with a description that pulls one in. Gripping the book – it feels like a treasure. Like you should also use the nicer tea cup, use a prettier quilt, nibble better licorice. What you’ll find though, as you grip the pages, is that you are reading a journal, of a personal story, one I invite you to read.

I will let you know that from the first page, the book pulled me in. Don’t start this on a Monday Morning when you have laundry and school work. Save it for when you’ll have the whole day  and the wee hours of the night to finish it.  He once told his story in a church 45 minutes before first service, ended an hour after church was out, and had to come back for 2 hours on another session to finish.  That’s what it will feel like.  He’s telling this insane story. He leaves room at the end to tell how the story developed into the pages you are reading, and the toil and faith it took to get to this point – And that is all of the story I can give you.  I have to let you have your own ride, into this story of lives that will make you ponder if it is fiction or non fiction. It made the media and governments and citizens declare that it was false.  You’ll be hard pressed to believe it – but you will.

I was on page 135 before I needed a book mark – only to take a break to do some mom things.  On page 186 – I had my first post it note –

“For many, the fishermen’s experience is beyond any realm of understanding, and because it doesn’t fit into a compartment we can fathom, we question what is true. When you haven’t experienced the miraculous, it’s hard to get your arms around it. We are pretty wired to the ordinary. That’s sad, because it leads us to dismiss the remarkable, the triumphant, the extraordinary, the supernatural. Those are compartments many of us don’t have. As a result, we dprive ourselves of these dimensions to life.”

My second post it note is in the Epilogue –

“The realization that there was a finite amount of time left for them set in. That happens when death stares at your every day. Making every moment count becomes a lifestyle.”

Joe Kissack told this story many times before writing the book.  People tried to convince him he was The Fourth Fisherman – but he didn’t want the story to be about him. 

As I write this blog – this year – I feel more compelled to bring in more of our faith journey with you. Not just how we learn, the unbelievable environment we live in, or how crazy my boys will be in front of the camera.  When people ask – How do you homeschool high school? I want to say  - Because I have Faith and my Bible.

I don’t hare a lot about my family-  mostly, my hubby’s job has mentioned they don’t want to show up in Social Media. So his name isn’t mentioned.  I see a lot of my hubby in Joe. The hurt.  The relationship with his father. Just this morning, hubby was praying about a hard situation at work. We received an e-mail from a past youth pastor. I read it to him. It was urging us to remember that we are to please God and not Man. That our humbleness will be our guide instead of pride. (You may read it here.) I  identified with Joe’s wife, Carmen.  Joe being the kite, and Carmen holding the string on the ground.  Joe dealing with his ‘stuff’ the only way he knew how and Carmen taking charge of the home and children. It’s hard to relate here – without you having read the book – but the dynamic really spoke to me. Page 211:

“I see desperate hope in the eyes of women who have remained strong for so long that they have forgotten what it’s like to breathe a sigh of relief from it all. I want them to know that God rescues men and brings them back.”

After hearing this crazy story of transformation- redemption – faith – hope – strength – humility – my favorite pages were 208-2011 – hearing a few more personal paragraphs about the people. After turning that last page, I just clung to the book and let the tears fall just a little bit.

I confess, looking into high school – looking into the what ifs for the boys’ futures – wondering daily about employment and transportation and bill money – I have to give it to the Lord. I walk today – by faith and my bible. Claiming what I can do right now, what I have right now, what I know to be true – right. now.  And give the rest to God.  Oh how I want to talk about this story to you – but you’ll have to flip each page on your own – and then call me.

 

 

• Book Website
• Video
• Follow Joe on Twitter
• More Info
• Read Chapter One
• Author Bio

 

 

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books  / WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for reading it and sharing it with you. I am SO glad I did.

Covenant Child–Terri Blackstock, a Review

 

Amanda’s heart broke as she watched them drive her beloved twins away. She resolved to hope . . . and to fight for them to her last breath.

Kara and Lizzie are heiresses to one of the largest fortunes in the country. But when their father dies suddenly, the toddlers are ripped from the arms of Amanda, their loving stepmother, and given to their maternal grandparents, who only want the children’s fortune for themselves.

While even the stipend their guardians get for supporting them is squandered, the children are left to raise themselves. Kara and Lizzie grow up believing they are worthless . . . until the day when they learn the truth.

I really enjoyed this book – I was pulled in by the other reviews – and then hooked on the first page. It is one of those books that I read while stirring pasta, at red lights, and put off laundry to get through. A very quick one day read.  I loved hearing the story  of Amanda meeting the girl’s father. Of their sweet short lived childhood, and of their separation. After falling in love with the characters, it was painful to read of their growing up years. Seeing the choices the girls made, and what they went through – how they would choose harm instead of safety. But as this is a story about covenant, I can see their path in my life so many times, when I’ve chosen the easy, what seemed easy to me, instead of what I thought was hard, just to find out my own perception was wrong, This is an inspiring story to the last page. It is raw. These girls go down some dark paths on their way to redemption and trust and forgiveness. It would depend on the teen  - and their path – if I would recommend it to an older teen. I think it will tug at any heart who has spent their young twenties running from the Lord – or running from a loving family – It’s a great story – all the way around. Well Done Terri!

The Devil in Pew Number Seven, Rebecca Nichols Alonzo

List Price: 14.99
ISBN: 978-1-4143-2659-7
Trim Size: 5 1/2 x 8 1/4
Binding:  Softcover
Release:  August 2010 

2011 Retailers Choice Award winner!
Rebecca never felt safe as a child. In 1969, her father, Robert Nichols, moved to Sellerstown, North Carolina, to serve as a pastor. There he found a small community eager to welcome him—with one exception. Glaring at him from pew number seven was a man obsessed with controlling the church. Determined to get rid of anyone who stood in his way, he unleashed a plan of terror that was more devastating and violent than the Nichols family could have ever imagined. Refusing to be driven away by acts of intimidation, Rebecca’s father stood his ground until one night when an armed man walked into the family’s kitchen . . . And Rebecca’s life was shattered. If anyone had a reason to harbor hatred and seek personal revenge, it would be Rebecca. Yet The Devil in Pew Number Seven tells a different story. It is the amazing true saga of relentless persecution, one family’s faith and courage in the face of it, and a daughter whose parents taught her the power of forgiveness.

From Angie:

Although I sped through the last 3/4’s of the book on the edge of my seat, the first 1/4 was a little bit hard to jump into. However, it is necessary.  To listen to the author recount the vivid details of her childhood – riveting! It is hard to imagine that this is a Non Fiction book! It is hard to write a review, without giving details of the book away! I will say – the restoration of forgiveness – what she went through – her heart in telling the story-  it is definitely a must read.  You can sort of tell the part of the book where she, as a writer, really kicks it up a notch and the words must have just been flowing. From the summary above, I’m not sure I was breathing from the moment the man stepped into the kitchen, until the last page. I have so many questions. I finished just before leaving for church on Sunday – but I wanted to stay – to find Rebecca’s number to call her, to talk to SOMEONE who has read this book!

Life is Hard, but God is Good.  You’ll definitely be repeating that after this book. You might look at how you stand, ready to Give Yourself, even when others are saying you’re being taken. I am encouraged to stand, speak and give just a bit more each day. Thank you to Rebecca’s Parents.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.