Even if You Just Say Hello

Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 

As I scooted into the restaurant booth beside my granddaughter, Ella Cate, she noticed the band aid on my arm. With the sincerity of a four year old, she asked me what happened. I said, "I have a scratch that needs covered." She tilted her head, as if in thought, and replied, "Awww...I'll pray for you tonight, Grammy Penny." My heart melted, and I thanked the Lord that this little girl already knows about the power of prayer. This is one of many reasons Jesus told us to be like children. They don't complicate things. Instead if they've been taught about leaning on Jesus through prayer, they take it straight to him.

I am blessed with an amazing group of friends who pray for me and I for them. No matter what we share, we pray. Why? Because we know God's desire is that we bring our needs and praises to him. In all the letters the apostle Paul wrote in the Bible, he often tells the people he's praying for them. He either thanks God for their friendship or lifts up their needs. He also asks them to pray for him. Prayer is an important part of being in God's family. So why don't we pray more often? I could say: too many distractions, too much social media, too busy. But the truth may be that we just don't think to do it. We haven't trained our minds to go to God first. I want to challenge anyone reading this post to stop and talk to God. Right now. Even if you just say hello to him. Reacquaint yourself. Create a new habit. Pray.

God wants to hear from you because, he loves you.  

Children's Book Review: Rex's Winning Day written by Mary Neville, Illustrated by Francesca Cecioni

Book Description:

Last year's Annual Wiener Dog Race had been a disaster for Rex! But this year was going to be different. He would make sure of it.

Will Rex finally get his winning day?

My Review:
Rex's Winning Day is a delightful book. This little wiener dog just wants to have a perfect race, where everyone cheers and is happy. Drawn from the inspiration of Mary Neville's granddogs, she penned a fun story children will enjoy. Rex and Trixie's photos are even posted in the back of the book. The illustrations Francesca Cecioni created for the story are incredible. Colorful and filled with detail, she placed all manner of people and dogs at the race. I especially like the multi-colored storefronts in the background. I've had the privilege of knowing Francesca and watching her create her art. She's done a fantastic job drawing pictures that capture the fun and excitement of Rex's Winning Day.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Power of Prayer

Fiction Book Review: Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock

Book Description:

As a first-year law associate, Sydney Batson knows she will be updating her resume by New Year’s if she loses her current court case. So when her grandmother gets inexplicably ill while she’s in court, Sydney arranges for a cab to get her to the clinic.

The last thing cab driver Finn Parrish wants is to be saddled with a wheelchair-bound old lady with dementia. But because Miss Callie reminds him of his own mother, whom he failed miserably in her last days, he can’t say no when she keeps calling him for rides. 

Once a successful gourmet chef, Finn’s biggest concern now is making his rent, but half the time Callie doesn’t remember to pay him. And as she starts to feel better, she leads him on wild goose chases to find a Christmas date for her granddaughter.

When Finn meets Sydney, he’s quite sure that she’s never needed help finding a date. 

Does Miss Callie have an ulterior motive, or is this just a mission driven by delusions? He’s willing to do whatever he can to help fulfill Callie’s Christmas wish. He just never expected to be a vital part of it.

My Review:
I loved this amusing story of a grandmother's attempt to give her granddaughter the perfect Christmas. My heart went out to Sydney. Her life is a bit of a mess, but she's trying to do the best she can. Finn is drifting along when his days are taken over by Miss Callie. A comical yet heartwarming tale blooms from their predicaments and a grandmother's amazing love. In the midst of your holiday preparation, this story would provide the perfect break, or a great gift. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

God's Peace

Romans 5:1-2
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 

Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

What is the most peaceful thing you can think of? A baby sleeping in your arms. A stream flowing through a meadow on a summer day. A fresh layer of undisturbed snow in the woods. That perfect song that takes you to a place of rest and renewal.

For me a peaceful time is sitting in the living room with my husband on a quiet Saturday morning. Having my family gathered around me. Walking in the woods on a spring day. Watching the snow fall and glisten. Sitting under my favorite lighthouse and listening to the water strike the rocks. 

Peace on this earth seems harder to come by every day. With so much negative noise in the world, I find it difficult at times to come to a moment of calm. Yet knowing what I do about Jesus, I understand that peace is near.

When I chose to follow Jesus, I gained a serenity that is incomprehensible on this earth. Because of my relationship with him, I know the peace of God will guard my heart. His grace pours over me and offers hope. His Spirit dwells in me and comforts me. When I feel anxious, I know I can go to Jesus and seek his quiet reassurance. I love the verses in Philippians that remind me that God has a peace to pour over me that is beyond my comprehension. He has a peace that transcends understanding. The very peace he fills my heart with is the same one Jesus experienced when he died on the cross and rose again. Jesus knew God held his heart.

God's peace is a gift; given to anyone who chooses to follow Jesus.

Young Adult Fiction Review: The Bridge to Cutter Gap (Christy of Cutter Gap Book 1) by Catherine Marshall

Book Description:

The injured man lay limp and unconscious. A horrible feeling of guilt swept over Christy as she realized, "This happened because of me!"

Christy Huddleston's dream was to teach the poor mountain children. But she never imagined that the treacherous journey from Asheville into the heart of the Smoky Mountains would bring danger into the lives of one mountain family.

Join Christy as she crosses the bridge from the familiar world of city life to the strange, new world of Cutter Gap.

Based on Catherine Marshall's novel Christy—a New York Times bestseller—the Christy® of Cutter Gap series contains expanded adventures filled with romance, intrigue, and excitement. 

My Review:
I am so excited that Gilead Publishing's branch, Evergreen Farm, has created a series for young adults from the beautiful Catherine Marshall classic, Christy. I absolutely love the original text. Upon reading book one in the Christy of Cutter Gap series, I was not disappointed. This rendition of the beginning of Christy's story stayed true to the original. I highly recommend this series for twelve years old and up. Christy's story is one of integrity and growth. She's trying to follow God's lead as she learns to live in a very different culture than her own. I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fiction Review: Just Let Go by Courtney Walsh

Book Description:

For Quinn Collins, buying the flower shop in downtown Harbor Pointe fulfills a childhood dream, but also gives her the chance to stick it to her mom, who owned the store before skipping town twenty years ago and never looking back. Completing much-needed renovations, however, while also competing for a prestigious flower competition with her mother as the head judge, soon has Quinn in over her head. Not that she’d ever ask for help.

Luckily, she may not need to. Quinn’s father and his meddling friends find the perfect solution in notorious Olympic skier Grady Benson, who had only planned on passing through the old-fashioned lakeside town. But when a heated confrontation leads to property damage, helping Quinn as a community-service sentence seems like the quickest way out—and the best way to avoid more negative press.

Quinn finds Grady reckless and entitled; he thinks she’s uptight and too regimented. Yet as the two begin to hammer and saw, Quinn sees glimpses of the vulnerability behind the bravado, and Grady learns from her passion and determination, qualities he seems to have lost along the way. But when a well-intentioned omission has devastating consequences, Grady finds himself cast out of town—and Quinn’s life—possibly forever. Forced to face the hurt holding her back, Quinn must finally let go or risk missing out on the adventure of a lifetime.

My Review:
I like Just Let Go because the characters are flawed, just like me. Courtney Walsh has written a story about people who have lived life. They've failed, they've triumphed, but they've carried baggage. Heavy suitcases filled with burden. While one holds on to their faith, the other has let go and gone off the edge. This is a beautiful story of realization and redemption. A story of forgiveness in the most personal sense. I love Courtney's books, and this one is no exception. It is refreshing to read the story of people who demonstrate how the love of God brings hope. I purchased a Kindle copy from Amazon. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.