Plain Paradise by Beth Wiseman

Seventeen years ago, Josephine gave up her baby to an Amish couple at the urging of her family. Now, having been diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor, she longs to find the daughter she has never know before it is too late.

Linda, as her Amish parents named her, is seventeen years old and promised to her true love Stephen Ebersol, the bishops grandson. Her life is turned upside down when she learns that she was adopted as a baby. When her birth mother arrives at her family's farm, she is drawn to the world she has never known. Will she stay true to the convictions she has held since childhood, or will she change her path?

I have read several books in the Amish genre, and this one was quite different from the normal. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. While this was the forth in the Daughters of Promise series, I didn't feel a bit lost having not read the first three novels, and there were just enough allusions to some of the characters and their stories to make me want to read the rest of the novels.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Plain Paradise - Review Coming soon

The Flowering Cross by Beth Ryan

The Flowering Cross is the story of a six-year old Katie and her neighbor "Mean Old Jack" who after discovering the true meaning of the Cross is transformed by God's love into Papa Jack. Jack was known by all the neighborhood for his ill temper rather than his beautiful flowers. Katie and her family show him God's love by treating him with love and kindness in all situations. They take him soup when he is sick, help him in his yard, and Katie continually shares her bright smile with him. Eventually Katie and her family are welcome visitors. Katie invites Papa Jack to church on several occasions, but he always declines, until this Easter. While at church, Papa Jack finally realizes how much Jesus loves him, and that realization transforms his life.

I really liked this book, as did my six-year old daughter. The illustrations were well done. My favorite part was the Faith Imprints sprinkled through out the book. These Faith Imprints are cues for parents to share Scripture with their children giving parents a good teaching opportunity with this entertaining book. I would definitely recommend this book to others and will be sharing it with my friends and family.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God - Sheila Walsh

In this book, Sheila Walsh shares about her lifelong battle trust and the choices she made to follow where God was leading. After a life changing event, she only wanted things to get back to "normal" however she found that trusting God meant that things would not be as they were before and that God is not there to get us out of our difficulties, but to get us through them. Sheila draws examples not only from her own life, but from the Bible as she introduces us to ten people who were also transformed by a trusting encounter with Christ.

This is not the type of book I would usually read, but I have enjoyed it. So many times we feel like we are the only ones going through trials in this life. Sheila shows us not only through her own story, but the stories of those in the Bible, that we all have to endure difficulties in this life. Our decision to put our faith in God to help us through those difficulties makes all the difference in how we handle those difficult times. I liked the story Sheila shared about being on a playground swing as a child. As long as her sister, whom she trusted wholeheartedly was pushing the swing, she enjoyed every minute of the ride no matter how high she was swinging, however when the neighborhood bully started pushing the swing, she no longer felt safe and cried until her sister made him stop. The only difference was trust.

I also liked the fact that there is a Bible study included in the book. It provides some in depth questions as well as a discussion guide, which would make this book an excellent resource for a small group. I would definitely recommend this book to others who might be dealing with a lack of faith, or those who just need to have their faith strengthened.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Snow Day

We have had sleet all day, so needless to say the kids are out of school. They have had a blast sledding down the hill with the neighborhood kids.