A Grand read

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Book that will Make you see How blessed we are!


This was my read for this week.

I did a bit of  studying about the author http://ncronline.org/authors/john-l-allen-jr
Some of his stories were great but I was disappointed  that his theology was wrong as he put a lot of emphases on Mary.http://www.imagecatholicbooks.com/author/51240/john-l-allen-jr/

I cried while reading this book as I thought how grand my life was!

While I like some of the information in this book, there is a near incessant repetition of phrases or propositions. It is good to see  what  brothers and sisters in many parts of the world experience. We need to pray for our siblings in Christ, and also themselves because such persecution may not be too far away for us.
The author, John Allen Jr., is a senior news correspondence and has many connections around the world to gain access that others may not have. . As a result he will talk about bigger picture systematic persecution as well as more personal stories. These stories are not pretty and they can be difficult to read. For instance, in the introduction he talks about the Me’eter military camp and prison in Eritrea that is pretty horrifying to consider. Not a book for kids but the mature adult.

Due to the number of narratives it often feels disjointed. While they all follow a similar theme they aren’t connected by characters. . The reader can feel overwhelmed at times. At others confused as he will make mistakes in how he communicates this material. There are paragraphs in which he shifts from one event to another when there is no specific connection between the events except what all of them have in common. Not a book to be read all at once .

I find that he does not distinguish between faiths very well. It is also quite lengthy and not easy to finish. But I did find myself praying at many times. And it will open your eyes to what many endure for the sake of Christ.  It was a good read but not one I would read again!

The blurb below  made me want to read this book! Thne read chapter one at http://www.imagecatholicbooks.com/sneak-peek-the-global-war-on-christians-by-john-allen-jr/

From Iraq and Egypt to Sudan and Nigeria, from Indonesia to the Indian subcontinent, Christians in the early 21st century are the world's most persecuted religious group. According to the secular International Society for Human Rights, 80 percent of violations of religious freedom in the world today are directed against Christians. In effect, our era is witnessing the rise of a new generation of martyrs. Underlying the global war on Christians is the demographic reality that more than two-thirds of the world's 2.3 billion Christians now live outside the West, often as a beleaguered minority up against a hostile majority-- whether it's Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East and parts of Africa and Asia, Hindu radicalism in India, or state-imposed atheism in China and North Korea. In Europe and North America, Christians face political and legal challenges to religious freedom. Allen exposes the deadly threats and offers investigative insight into what is and can be done to stop these atrocities.

“This book is about the most dramatic religion story of the early 21st century, yet one that most people in the West have little idea is even happening: The global war on Christians,” writes John Allen. “We’re not talking about a metaphorical ‘war on religion’ in Europe and the United States, fought on symbolic terrain such as whether it’s okay to erect a nativity set on the courthouse steps, but a rising tide of legal oppression, social harassment and direct physical violence, with Christians as its leading victims. However counter-intuitive it may seem in light of popular stereotypes of Christianity as a powerful and sometimes oppressive social force, Christians today indisputably form the most persecuted religious body on the planet, and too often its new martyrs suffer in silence.”

This book looks to shatter that silence.




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Monday, January 20, 2014

Life changing book!

Life in Christ! by Jeremy Walker!
This book grabbed my attention because Lawson reviewed it and I respect him! This was a wonderful read which I am happy  to share  with my readers of my blog, Google plus and Amazon.
The theological precision was marvelous and I was touched deeply  by the truths on each page.
It was hard for me to put  it down and i read it every chance I could get,
Now I am going to use it a Bible study for myself.
In the opening chapter Jeremy hits right upon some truths of why we need Christ " We do not  begin life  as a believe in God."
This book humbled me as I saw God's gospel goodness,  This just not just full of the authors ideas but verses were scattered as well as quotes from other men  on every page!
Indeed this book teaches the doctrine  of the scriptures, how  one must  be born of God and he must draw us to him.
I was broken down at such a loving saviors mercy  towards sinners and I even cried ( yes that's how much this book moved me) especially as I read " there hangs  the bleeding dying  lamb..."
One night I stayed up hours to finish and my faith was deepened.
By the first chapter I knew this  one was the  book I would recommend to all I knew.  This is one book everyone should read this  year!


" We must cry to God who gives grace, to the humble.. Leave  the saving  to a sovereign  and merciful God."
Each chapter  has questions  which I recommend using in your  "quiet time."and then it would be perfect for a women's Bible study or used at family devotions.
I could go on and on about this book but most of all I hope it affects me in a lasting way.
For if one is in Christ he is a new being.  See how life is when  one is united  in Christ.
"The spirit gives a new heart which turns to Christ  in faith."
I loved the down to earth examples of every day people in chapter two as they hit hoe.  
" We rise to newness of life  in Him- ought we to be rid  of our grace and clothed and set free to live as God intends. Unsearchable  riches in Christ are not to be kept hidden.  
For " electing love, a love which chose us when  there was nothing  in us worth choosing.  it is a love vast as the ocean, loving kindness is full flood."
This book must be shared with all.


Please purchase book from Reformation  Heritage books.
This  book was sent to me by Cross Focused Reviews and all  statements are my own!

Monday, January 13, 2014

A good read !!!!

Call of a Coward Hardcover by Marcia Moston This was a wonderful read! So often I feel like the author, I promise God something but do not think he really wants me too do it. She saw that promising God she would follow Him wherever He lead was that she just might have to go. This book showed me I must give up for Christ now! An honest and encouraging story of an extraordinary God working in the life of ordinary people. I felt like I was stepping into her life and walking with her in all her ups and downs!If you're considering this book but are fearful it's just another dry missionary story, think again! In Call of a Coward, Marcia Moston shares her story as a reluctant witness with vivid detail and engaging storytelling. It was like reading a novel and falling in love with its characters. I wanted to know what happened next, how it happened, and how they handled it. An entertaining, uplifting, true tale of strength in the face of fear. Call of a Coward was a story of someone who's struggles I could completely identify with, and when I finished I saw how God moves in his own way but always walks by our side. She was called to go to a Mayan village in Guatemala, Marcia Moston had to wonder if she was crazy! We need more people like that in the world . Those who obey Gods call right away! She followed God where ever he lead trusting him all the way! Written with humor and insight, Call of a Coward is a good read. I felt like this was a letter to me from a dear friend. "Obedience is not for the faint of heart. We are ll faint with out Christ! I felt like this trip was me taking it and not some one else. I could almost taste and see the land After this I got very excited and could not stop reading about others who served in lands around the world and dreaming big! I read this book in a day! Then read it again. Then gave it to a friend as a gift to bless her in her life This book showed me that we must serve God . Do read and you will then pray for God to use you daily! A little about the author Although I hold degrees from the University of Vermont and Trinity Theological seminary, most of what I've learned has been by the proverbial seat of my pants. I've taught English in a Christian high school, worked with orphans in a Mayan village in Guatemala, led mission teams throughout Central America, delivered Yellowbooks, stuffed vending machines, and lived in everything from tepees to parsonages. I love to share the stories of what a very real God can do with the smallest of our offerings. My debut nonfiction, Call of a Coward: The God of Moses and the Middle-Class Housewife, is the winner of the 2010 Women of Faith writing contest. http://www.booksneeze.com/ let me review this for free. all my own thoughts ! I could go on an on but that would give it away!