"Where Have All the Church Members Gone?" (Thom S Rainer)

TITLE: Where Have All the Church Members Gone?How to Avoid the Five Traps That Silently Kill Churches
AUTHOR: Thom S. Rainer
PUBLISHER: Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Momentum, 2024, (144 pages).

This book is a fictional tale of a Church in crisis. The lead pastor, Oliver Wagner has been pastoring Connection Church for the past 8 years. Everything appears well from the outside but upon closer examination, there are more than meets the eye. People are still coming to Church but some have stopped coming. Some leaders faithfully serve albeit with different expectations of the direction of the Church. Along with those who work well alongside the pastor, some row in the opposite direction, opposing any pastoral initiatives at every turn. Pastor Wagner works well with some key individuals like Jorge Miranda, Emma Rockwell, Becky Garner, but not with people such as Ken Cassidy. With skillful storytelling, author Thom Rainer points out some common dysfunctions in that Church to help us reflect on our churches. Some of these "traps" that many fail to notice include:

• Members who stopped coming;
• Declining frequency of attendance;
• Attrition rates that are larger than recruitment numbers;
• Lack of foundational Bible teaching and Discipleship;
• Recognizing and Dealing with conflict;
• Having a low bar of expectations on members;
• Lacking an understanding of the importance of Church membership;
• Failing to evangelize or reach out;
• Churches that are too prone toward programs rather than discipleship;
• .....

"Praying with the Enemy" (Steven T. Collis)

TITLE: Praying with the Enemy
AUTHOR: Steven T. Collis
PUBLISHER: Salt Lake City, UT: Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2022, (384 pages).
 

Flying over North Korea with Napalm explosives. Near-death encounters with Chinese snipers and North Korean soldiers. Staying alive in terrible pits as a Prisoner of War. Missing in Action. Escaping. Challenge of faith in the midst of the horrors of war. Conflicting philosophies. Deceit. Military strategies, and more. Three countries involved in a devastating war that has divided families across the Korean Peninsula. Three different men from each country. These and many more form a pulsating action-packed novel filled with multiple twists and turns. The three protagonists in this novel are Captain Ward Millar (aka Ward), Kim Jae Pil (aka Jae Pil), and to a lesser extent, Lieutenant Kang. All of them are able to speak and communicate in English! The chapters begin by alternating their stories, beginning with Ward as a pilot flying over North Korea during the Korean War in 1951. When his plane crashed landed on enemy territory, though he managed to survive, he broke his ankles making it difficult to even escape. 

Jae Pil's story begins with him being drafted to serve in the Communist Army. His family were Christians. The communist party's ideals were constantly at odds with what he and his family believed. His family mission was to build a church and to enable people to worship properly without fear. Unfortunately, living in a land with a godless ideology makes their mission difficult. These constant struggles present Jae Pil with a dilemma to choose between his country or his faith; the Communist Party or God. Eventually, at great risks to his own life, he decides to do what he could to escape from the communists. That begins a gripping journey from a place he felt enslaved to his desired place of freedom. Alas! Even the land of South Korea is not kind to a defector from North Korea. 

"Feathers of Hope" (Sharon Garlough Brown)

TITLE: Feathers of Hope: A Novel
AUTHOR: Sharon Garlough Brown
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (384 pages).

Hope. This world needs hope more than ever. Not only is the world we live in constantly changing, but we too are also changing. As we age, our perspectives, our physical abilities, and our perceptions of our needs will be strangely different. One can either resist the change for as long as possible or embrace change as soon as one can. The former reclines in fear while the latter nudges forward in hope. What better way to describe these transitions through a novel that spells out the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of change. Centering around the lives of three women, this book offers readers many insights into life transitions, losses, and love. Like birds that molt gradually, eventually, one has to face up to a "dramatic shedding of the old." Recognizing how many people are creatures of habit and largely resistant to change, sometimes, we just need to learn to let go and let God, as the popular saying goes. Katherine Rhodes (aka Kit) has been serving as spiritual director of "New Hope Retreat Center." She has helped many people through many spiritual retreats, giving wise guidance as well as spiritual direction. As she prepares to transition to retirement, she makes a bold request for the board to look for a replacement with a dramatically different skill set in order to keep up with the times. This might seem easy to say but to surrender the comfort zones of one's past successes to another is another challenge altogether. Katherine was bold to ask for an "upgrade" from what she could offer. The board managed to find a promising candidate who checked all the boxes. Whether it checks Katherine's insecurities remains to be seen. Even as she prepares to do her last retreat, she has to deal with requests for more retreats by her. 

"Of the Earth" (Kim Cousins)

TITLE:  Of the Earth

AUTHOR: Kim Cousins
PUBLISHER: Eugene, OR: Resource Publications, 2021, (224 pages).

War, Authority, Rebellion, Power, Control, Peacekeepers, End-times. People who run and those who run after others. Fall of America. Veterans fighting another war. Miracles. A New World. Animals that talk. Daring escapes. Biblical references. These and many more fill the pages of this captivating fiction that combines creative story-telling peppered with biblical truths. Right from the first page, this action-packed thriller will keep readers glued to the pages. There are incidents of heroism and sacrifice for the sake of the community. The good residents worked together and ensured adequate provisions for one another.  The enemies schemed to eradicate all resistance without mercy. The resistance remained faithful to the end. Amid the tension and the constant threats of attacks from the Peacemakers, many of the heroic characters maintained their faith in God, with the help of prayers from pastors, encouragement from believers, and good deeds that warm hearts. 
On top of the wars happening, then come the plagues that ravage the population. Every chapter contains references to biblical images showing us that this book is not merely fiction. It comes with stark reminders that the story in the book has biblical underpinnings that we all need to be aware of. Such as God's love for the world; miracles; hope for a better world to come; betrayals among family members; the mark of the beast; the casting out of demons; and several more. It is like seeing how God's Word comes alive through the events and conversations among the characters. 

This book is a thriller that could keep us at the edges of our seats. I applaud the author for her ability to weave so many characters together. It takes a clear vision of the entire storyline to develop each character without losing track of the main plot. Having the animal conversations in italics also help readers to distinguish between human and animal speak. I must admit that it takes a while to get used to this animal talk, but readers would get used to it quite quickly. The list of characters is a giveaway as to the many characters readers need to keep track of. This is one good clean Christian fiction that should make a good gift this Christmas.

Kim Cousins is a retired academic advisor from the University of Minnesota Crookston. She is the author of Rule Keepers (2020) in potatosoupjournal.com and Evolving Interactions in Higher Education Change (2011) in National Association of Student Affairs Professions. Kim lives on a farm in Tennessee with her husband, Woodie, and an amusing group of animals. Her family includes five children, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

Conrade

"Room of Marvels" (James Bryan Smith)

TITLE: Room of Marvels: A Story About Heaven that Heals the Heart
AUTHOR: James Bryan Smith
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020, (192 pages).

Presented through the eyes of Tim Hudson, the book begins with Tim going on a personal 5-day spiritual retreat in a secluded New England monastery. Tim is an established author. He shares with his spiritual director about the loss of his mother, his friend Wayne, and his young daughter Madison. He was at the point of losing his own faith in God despite previously writing books like "God's On Your Side." He describes the mundane daily activities like eating in silence; sitting in silence for hours in his room; pacing the floors; reading Scripture; eat, sleep; and dream. He asks questions about the efficacy of prayer. He seeks a personal voice from God. He tells of a dream about him even interacting with animals, seeing his barber friend Ernie, and various snippets of heaven. There Tim works through some theological struggles in his interactions. In heaven, he meets his old friend Wayne and continues with questions and curiosity about his life after death. These conversations reveal the deep friendship between Tim and Wayne. In heaven, Tim meets his great-grandmother, his mother, as well as his daughter. At his personal retreat, his spiritual mentor challenges him with snippets of spirituality gleaned through the wisdom of CS Lewis and Dallas Willard. He poses questions many of us would ask. Questions like:

"The Loss of a Grandparent to Covid-19" (Marion Donon)

TITLE: The loss of a grandparent to Covid-19, Gramps.: A short story to read to your children to help them through this difficult moment.
AUTHOR: Marion Donon
PUBLISHER: Give Me A Hug Collection, 2020, (21 pages).

This is a fictional story of a conversation between a mother and her son, who has just lost his grandfather. Written at the start of the pandemic, it was meant to support those going through emotional grief and physical strain, especially those affected directly by Covid-19. Due to time constraints, pictures and illustrations were pulled in order to facilitate a quick completion of the book. As the author says, the book is not about grief or bereavement. It is written like a story to reach out to children and parents on how best to talk about Covid-19 and the meaning of death and dying. 

It is never easy to talk to kids about "adult" topics such as death and dying. They are too young to understand what it means to leave this world. At the same time, death could impact anybody at any time. If we wait until it is too late, we would have missed out teaching moments or precious opportunities to show children early that life is not all play and fun. Life is hard and the earlier we prepare ourselves for it, the better. Covid-19 has impacted all parts of society. From the daily news updates about the pandemic to the continued wide media coverage about the coronavirus statistics, children in this generation would have heard of all these terms. Even if we try to avoid letting them know, they might be curious enough to ask and then to wonder about how it impacts them and their families. One of the best tried-and-tested methods is to use the power of stories. This way to communications help us be honest with our own feelings in an indirect manner. Stories give us words to share our thoughts and feelings in a non-threatening manner. They enable readers, and in this case, parents and their children to be on the same page as they openly discuss and talk about the meaning of loss. Some of the questions include:

• Why couldn't I go and see him in the hospital, Mommy?
• Why was the coffin already closed?
• Do you miss him?
• Mommy, why are you crying?
• Was he afraid?
• Where do you think he is now?
• Am I going to die too, Mommy?
• ....

The questions could have been more, but the way the author puts it makes it simple enough for parents to raise additional questions with their children and easy enough for children to follow along. Parents would think: "Hey, I could do that too!" Children would be free to ask their own set of questions as well. As I ponder on this book, I am glad that someone has written something to address children and how the prolonged coronavirus pandemic would impact them one way or another, sooner or later, directly or indirectly.

A former actress and director, with a masters in clinical psychology, Marion Donon now devotes her energy to children’s literature, while raising two small children of her own. She divides her time between France and the United States. 

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Marion Donon and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Where Courage Calls" (Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan)

TITLE: Where Courage Calls: A When Calls the Heart Novel
AUTHOR: Janette Oke and Laurel Oke Logan
PUBLISHER: Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2014, (336 pages).

For every Jewish boy, there is the coming out of age ritual called the Bar Mitzvah. For girls, it is their Bat Mitzvah in which at age 12, she becomes responsible for her own life. In various countries, the issuing of a driving license or the legal age for employment is a way to signify the coming out of age of that individual. Others see military conscription as a way to turn a child into an adult man. Bestselling author and significant contributor to the Christian book industry Janette Oke has done it again with her daughter as a co-author. It is about a compelling story of a girl called Beth Thatcher who had come out of age from a wealthy and comfortable home of her parents toward an unknown rugged wild, wild West. The seeds of her call to courageous living begin early when someone told her that we often rely on things we want to remember instead of remembering the things that actually were. Yet, that is what Beth continues to do in comfortable Toronto society where she lives constantly basking in the wealth of her family. Until an opportunity knocks on her door to pursue a teaching position in Coal Valley where the unknowns there easily overwhelm her memories of the knowns back home. She encounters the need for courage beginning with that single major decision to go.

With courage as a central theme, Oke weaves many other twists and turns that the protagonist had to go through. Beth struggles with a need to be independent and yet reminisces on her life of dependence on a life of luxury. Right from the start, there is the shock of losing her belongings. Then there is the scary experience of traveling to a place that is so remote. Beth soon realizes that losing possessions is one thing, losing loved ones is another, judging from how the mining town had just experienced a tragedy of a mining accident. This hits home and hard when Beth reads in the essays submitted  to her, about the students' description of how the loss of their dads had affected them personally. Then there is the emotional tug of war between two men, both potential suitors. Yet, there are upsides to this seemingly challenging venture. There is the beauty of Coal Valley, the mountains, the fields, the lush greens, and the natural rivers. There is the Church that she worships in which has given her a semblance of familiarity. Then there is her growing love for her own children, while by virture of one mining disaster, had been ushered into sudden adulthood. With each pleasant encounter, there is a desire to learn more. With each unpleasant event, there is a tendency to retreat. Chief of them all is the constant urging to spring back from the unknown strange environment toward a known environment. As her first school year comes to a close, will she continue in Coal Valley or will she return to comfortable Torontonian society?

This novel adds to an already impressive list of inspirational fiction by Janette Oke. Within it are themes of compassion, love, danger, courage, faith, uncertainty, romance, relationships, and basic humanity lived out. Most importantly, readers are invited to feel the tensions experienced by Beth Thatcher, and to subtly ask the question: "If I were Beth, what would I have done?" This question itself can turn this fictional story very much into our own moments of real-life biographies.

Janette Oke's long list of inspirational fiction books can be found here.

Rating:

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"The Turning" (Davis Bunn)

TITLE: The Turning
AUTHOR: Davis Bunn
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014, (304 pages).

It was an epic modern day battle between Goliath and David. On one side was the huge entertainment titan owned by Barry Mundrose. Splashing millions of dollars on glitzy advertising, top professionals in media, marketing, and publicity, the Mundrose group regularly called the shots in the entertainment industry. The buildings and offices were posh. The presenters were slick. The salespeople were persuasive. It was an unforgiving environment to people who failed to meet expectations. Enters Trent Cooper, a young up and coming executive, who seemed to be able to wow the top brass with bold propositions of the next big thing. Soon, the Goliath of the entertainment industry was attempting to conquer the world with their message: "Hope is Dead."

On the other side was a rag-tag group of individuals who heard a call.  Five different individuals who met in very strange circumstances soon found themselves against a common enemy. Led by John Jacobs, with the help of Ruth Barrett of Barrett Ministries, they took on the seemingly impossible task, facing the Goliath that appeared set to run them down and even kill them. Meekly but courageously, they offer a counter message: "Hope is Alive!"

The Turning is a thriller with several twists and turns. Written with spliced in scenes from different places, Bunn manages to keep the reader curious for the next turn of events with each ultimatum issued by the powers. Each page turn leads to higher stakes from both sides until the day where both clash face to face.

This is an exciting book that is full of suspense and mystery. Bunn does a great job in describing the lifestyles of the powerful and famous, and also contrast them with the ordinary folks just trying to make ends meet. Underneath all the stories, I sense the author's desire to remind us that spiritual warfare is real. There is an entertainment world out there that is trying to silence religion and Christianity. It reminds me of the apostle Paul's warning in Ephesians 6 to put on the armour of God, to point our guns not at flesh and blood, but powers and principalities of the world. I appreciate the author's conscious effort to refrain from adding spiced up sex, something so typical of suspense novels and thriller movies. There are many scenes in which it could have made for lustful reading but I am glad that Bunn did not take that route so often taken by Hollywood folks. If I have a critique, it will be too many characters that are left under-developed in the plot. Perhaps, lesser number of characters with a deeper focus on the key people will make the reading easier to link together.

That said, I am happy to recommend this book for good wholesome entertainment and reading.

Other Resources

• Book website
• Youtube trailer of the upcoming movie here
• Bible study resources here

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Moody Publishers and Edify Media in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"A Stubborn Sweetness and Other Stories for the Christmas Season" (Katherine Paterson)

TITLE: A Stubborn Sweetness and Other Stories for the Christmas Season
AUTHOR: Katherine Paterson
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013, (185 pages).

This book is a collection of 15 Christmas stories to whet our literary appetite over the Christmas season. Although the title is based on the last story of the book, each story is designed to stand on its own merit. There is the story of a strange visitor selling Christmas greens, who was invited in for a cup of coffee, and asked for Mozart to be played. There is the interaction between a 65-year old grandmother with a little boy on a door to door mission for a Church project. There is even a story from Communist China, where a passage from Isaiah provides consolation amid a Cultural Revolution. Over and over, stories abound with strangers meeting strangers; family touching family; and friends; and stories of believers in other parts of the world struggling even with the most basic things like food and shelter. The story of a Japanese pastor meeting a young Korean child is a mixture of hardship living, evangelism, and letting Scriptures guide away one's fear and turn it to faith.

The author, Katherine Paterson is an award winning book, The Bridge to Terabithia, shares these stories that were written by her but read aloud by her husband, Rev Dr John Paterson at Christmas Eve services over the years. Written over a period of 40 years, the stories have been published at various places and is now conveniently packed in one book.

In contrast to the familiar Christmas daze, the shopping craze, and the traffic maze we encounter in a busy December holiday month, this book of Christmas stories shows us that Christmas is way more than Santa Claus, reindeers, caroling, or Church activities. It is about expectation, peace, hope, joy, faith, and the power of simple human love. We see how mercy is extended. We note how generosity if offered without being asked. We see how churches remain key places of gathering, even when retailers try to attract people to shop until they drop. Some stories looks back at the nativity scene while other stories look at the nature of human relationships and their interactions. Most significant of all, is the fact that stories come alive not because of gifts but because of the giving and receiving; the human element above the materialism and consumerism; the place of faith amid a climate of fear.  More importantly, the stories reflect ordinary lives in such a way that readers can jump in and say: "Hey! I can identify with that."

When this happens, one knows that the book is already a worthwhile read.


Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.


conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Westminster John Knox Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Pilgrimage" (Lynn Austin)

TITLE: Pilgrimage: My Journey to a Deeper Faith in the Land Where Jesus Walked
AUTHOR: Lynn Austin
PUBLISHER: Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2013, (240 pages).

Spiritual dryness is not something that is easily avoided. It comes in many forms. It can be boredom about the daily routines of life. It can be the staleness one feels about the weekly worship services. It can also be the increasing sense of restlessness about what the spiritual life actually mean and whether there is more than simply going through the spiritual disciplines. For many of us, a popular project is to take either a long sabbatical or a short retreat. For Lynn Austin, she decides to take a pilgrimage to and through the Holy Land where Jesus walked. Sharing many of the spiritual dryness sentiments described earlier, bestselling author Austin packed her bags to tour Jordan, Israel, various cities in the Middle East as well as the Wilderness of Zin.

With her keen sense of observation and her grasp of the Old and New Testament, she interleaves her sights and experiences of her travels with insights and perceptions of the ancient biblical times. Having done that, she then puts together lessons that touch her and reinvigorated her life and her faith. As she hikes through the wilderness of Zin, she experiences first hand the elements that the Israelites felt when they were struggling through their 40 years of wilderness. She becomes more sympathetic of the real struggles the people felt at that time. It reminds me of our tendency to become armchair critics of the Israelites without actually empathizing with their conditions. The call to faith is actually more challenging than we often think. Even the sight of shepherds leading sheep to graze on dry terrain and rough paths is a reality check against any simplistic picture of shepherds in the ancient times having large green pastures for sheep. Austin also relates the Israelites' crossing of an "unimpressive" looking Jordan River as a milestone to mark the end of their wanderings. It can also be a milestone for our Christian beginnings. Interestingly, despite the sight of the heavily armed security personnel and the sight of weapons, the paranoia and vigilance actually made the visitors feel safer.

Austin spends quite a bit of reflection on Jerusalem, a most important city among the three major religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Observing the nature of the walls that keep enemies out, Austin sees how futile it is to depend on the wall for security as history had shown that it is God, not the walls who has the power to save the city. Even her tour through the Pool of Siloam provides her lots of fodder for spiritual thoughts, about abundant water of life, about free flowing spring waters of life, and its spiritual implications. Of special significance is the Holy Week trek where Austin's tour group traces the days and places Jesus walked, leading up to the crucifixion. She closes her reflections with the Sabbath keeping, learning directly from the people there what it means to live leisurely and more humanly.

So What?

For many believers, it is not a question of whether there will be such lethargy but WHEN the spiritual dryness will occur. When that happens, how then does one deal with it? The popular biblical fiction writer has written a non-fiction book that traces her own spiritual pilgrimage and has given readers a window into her thoughts and her spiritual experiences. Just following her journey is like a mini-tour of the Holy Land without having to leave our homes. For those of us who are unable to journey to the Holy Land, this book is a good glimpse through the eyes of Austin. For those of us who experience spiritual dryness, we can visualize that the ancient pilgrims and Old Testament people are in a more challenging positions. For those of us needing a re-invigoration of spiritual vitality, this book brings us back to visualizing the ancient times and to imagining how we would have responded if we can transport ourselves back in time. The pilgrimage has given Austin a breath of spiritual freshness, and to excite her to start a new journey in her spiritual pilgrimage outside the Holy Land. There are three reasons why I like this book.

Firstly, it is a mini-tour guide of the Holy Land. It works like a literary video camera that traces the various landmarks and biblical places. For one who has never stepped foot on Israel, I appreciate the descriptions of the various sites that I have grown so familiar through reading the Bible, but have not seen the place for myself. It gives me a better appreciation of the Bible. For instance, when she was describing her tour of Jerusalem, I find myself grasping on her descriptions to try to paint a picture of what it actually looks like.

Secondly, I appreciate the way Austin links the places she saw with the biblical parallel of what had happened many years ago in the same place. It is one thing to read about the wall. It is yet another to be reminded how the wall had meant to the biblical characters of old.

Thirdly, the spiritual lessons Austin had learnt are powerfully conveyed in the book. Whether it is hunger or thirst; rough terrains or tough territories; towers, walls, or temples, Austin is able to reflect upon the most ordinary things with some extraordinary applications. For example, she reflects on the engineering wonders and the impressive projects King Herod had commissioned during his reign, and how his once prosperous city now had disappeared into the ruins of today. Earthquakes and the natural elements had devastated these symbols of human arrogance.

If you are able to, nothing beats the experience of seeing the Holy Land firsthand. If not, reading this book may very well be a helpful alternative.

Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Chasing Hope" (Kathryn Cushman)

TITLE: Chasing Hope
AUTHOR: Kathyrn Cushman
PUBLISHER: Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2013, (320 pages).

Two unlikely friends. Two persons traveling on different paths of lives. Two different directions to choose. This novel weaves in the lives of Sabrina Rice and Brandy Philip, both talented runners but from different backgrounds.

Selected for her University's track team, about to win a scholarship, landing an internship with the biggest PR firms in the country, and deeply in love with the love of her life, Sabrina Rice's future looks bright and promising until a devastating illness rocked her perfect life and threatened to send everything she had ever hoped for into shreds. Her problem with rheumatoid arthritis not only forced her to quit running, but led to a hospitalization and many frustrating trials with different medications. Her fungal infection was potentially life threatening too. Add to this is her anxiety over decisions that she had to make with regards to her future and her calling.

On the other hand, Brandy Philip seemed to have come from another world. Her dad died when she was a baby. Her mum imprisoned for drug offenses. With only her grandma as her closest relation, Brandy had to convince the judge why she should not be sent to a juvenile home. In fact, the first time Rice saw her was Brandy running away from some security officers!

Brandy's saving grace was her running talent, more particularly, Rice's willingness to coach and to guide her so that she can meet the strict requirements to avoid been sent to juvenile home.   As two lives come together, the coach-trainee relationship slowly turns into a warm and touching friendship that spreads to bless the lives of other people.

I love sports stories and this book is no different. Cushman has that ability to string many different lives together in such a powerful and entertaining manner. The title "Chasing Hope" had me grasping for clues on exactly what kind of a hope Cushman is talking about. Is it about the hope of Sabrina Rice achieving all of her dreams? Or is it the hope of Brandy Philip making a life out of nothing? Or is it about God's call for both of them to do something significant? Actually, these questions only scrape the surface of this very thoughtful and perceptive novel. Thoughtful in the sense that the characters all fit in well to carry the emotional ups and downs of each character. Perceptive in the way that helps readers empathize with the many common hopes in life and how when placed in the hands of God, the hopes are fulfilled in the most surprising and inexplicable way. The thing I like about this book is that the hope Cushman is talking about is not just limited to the wonderful conclusion of the whole novel. Cushman peppers the 48 chapters to remind us once again that as God speaks into the most ordinary circumstances, all it takes is an extraordinary inspiration and we learn to see hope rising amid the ashes of any despair.

I enjoyed this book very much.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.


conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Angels in the Fire" (Dann Stadler)

TITLE: Angels in the Fire: The Dramatic True Story of an Impossible Rescue
AUTHOR: Dann Stadler
PUBLISHER: Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2013, (208 pages).

Are there angels walking among us? For the Stadler family, the answer is a resounding YES! In fact, there are many yeses. Dann Stadler, husband and father of a Wisconsin family reveals how his faith in God was renewed over and over again, despite the most traumatic circumstances. It all began with a fatal crash. A drunk driver accidentally made a U-turn back on a one-way six lane highway. At 70 miles per hour against the flow of traffic, the car eventually crashed into the vehicle driven by Dann, with his wife Tracey as passenger. The drunk driver died instantly. The Stadlers survived but with multiple life-threatening injuries. Miraculously, they got pulled out from the burning carnage by an angel that passersby saw but could not trace. The miracles do not just end there. There was the presence of God-fearing Christians who happen to stop their cars on the highway in order to render assistance. There were hospital staff who gave their best medical assistance. Surviving the crash and the aftermath was even more miraculous.  Dann confesses from hindsight that "Life is a collective set of events, decisions, and circumstances that propel us where we are at any given moment in time." Though their lives were shattered from that one vehicle crash, it was God who used angels to help piece themselves back one by one. Tom, their dad became surrogate parent to their daughter Meghan. Physically, they started to heal, albeit with much pain and several surgeries. One of their biggest blessings are the people who had gone the extra mile to help them. This book is a testimony of how God had sustained them and encouraged them in the light of terrible happenings.

This book has taken the Stadlers many years to write. The accident occurred in September 1989. The book is published only in 2013. Along the way, the author shared about the many incidences of how angels have protected them.  In fact, angels do not just whisper or do things quietly. Tracey even shared about a moment where she heard a shout, which led to an escape from two men stalking her; or how their car narrowly missed a deer. Amid the many bad news coming off the press, this book is a welcome relief to provide us a few glimpses of hope, that God still works and walks among us today. God can turn the most traumatic and difficult circumstances around, using people in our midst not just to aid our physical recovery, but also give much hope, faith, and joy. With great confidence, Dann states:

"Keep your eyes and ears open at all times - watch and listen with a faithful heart. God is with you always and working wonders and miracles, for you alone, on an almost daily basis. Be ready and open to his works and He will reveal himself in ways great and small." (200)

If you are feeling down and out, discouraged or disillusioned, this book can shine a ray of hope to remind you that God is still walking among us, and if necessary, He will use angels to reach out to us. Watch for God.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Bethany House Publishers without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Magnificent Malevolence" (Derek Wilson)

TITLE: Magnificent Malevolence
AUTHOR: Derek Wilson
PUBLISHER: Oxford, England: Lion Fiction plc, 2013, (240 pages).

This book continues the tradition of CS Lewis's "Screwtape Letters," where the perspective of life comes from the devil and his evil followers. While there are similarities, there are differences that make this book unique. The chief character is Crumblewit, the equivalent to Wormwood in Lewis's work. Wilson has also expanded the coverage and applied it to historical milestones and eras from 1942 to the present. The task of Crumblewit is to destroy the spiritual life of mankind. With each change of eras, as the contexts change, so does the methods and strategies used by Crumblewit to dissuade, deceive, distract, and demoralize man from pursuing their true God.

• 1942-1944: Crumblewit describes how his career as a tempter begins, albeit humbly in a sack, with anonymity as a way to go undercover in the business of tempting the unsuspecting humans.
• 1944-1948: the strategy is to manipulate a preacher by the name of Little Bratt to be busy about the less important things, and for political leaders to be engaged in controversy and politics of land and power.
• 1949-1956: Crumblewit works on a strategy of taking Christian truths and distort them. He influences a Dr Xavier Oliphant mentally bully all others to submission, and to keep all debates at an intellectual level, away from anything resembling the gospel. 
• 1956-1958: Infiltration is the strategy preferred over confrontation. This is also the period of the ecumenical movement in which lots of efforts and resources are put to unite the Christian Church. The tactic is to maneuver unwitting spies and agents into the Church. Rise of the social gospel.
• 1958-1960: Against the tide of unity movements, the devil works on disunity from the inside, and turn leaders toward peripheral issues rather than the core gospel. They mislead people to render authority and allegiance to institutionalized authority. They deceive churches from depending on the Bible as the sole authority. They create dissent through inflighting, disdain, and isolates Christians into their various camps.
• 1961-1967: With the growth of movements like the charismatic movement, Crumblewit has to change strategies.
• 1968-1975: Using temptations of busyness, focus on miraculous works, and all kinds of distractions, Crumblewit and his team seek to separate the Church people from God, the true source of Power.
• 1975-1985: With the Cuban missile crisis as a political backdrop, three new strategies are adopted to stem the tide of the Christian growth. First is to exploit the political ideal of freedom, and cause people to promote sexual promiscuity and immorality. Second, promote consumerism and acquisitions as a way of life. Third, instill some loyalty to a warped sense of democracy.
• 1986-1988: With the rise and pervasiveness of technology. Crumblewit adapts his strategies accordingly. Substitute church going with tele-evangelism. Promote programs that distort life. Make people believe in fictional tales. Infuse secular philosophies into music and the arts.
• 1989-1995: With widening rich-poor divide,  misinformation and individualism are worked through.
• 1996-2000: Continue the focus on meaningless things, like dropping AD/BC conventions, making people more judgmental, giving Bible fundamentalists a bad reputation.
• 2001-Present: Greed and other methods continue to be used to stumble the Christians.

Wilson is well aware of the historical movements from WWII to the present and adopts the book accordingly with a keen understanding of what works and what does not work when it comes to stumbling the Church. Written with some sarcasm of the modern Church as well as hints of what the Church has done well, there are some common lessons that one can learn from.

First, the power and place of prayer continues to be the key strategy Christians use against the wiles and deceptions of the devil. Time and again, whenever the people of God pray, the devils are unable to gain much headway or foothold into the Church or Christian communities. Prayer blurs the radar screen of Crumblewit and his associates. Second, with each changing era and cultural changes, the enemy adapts accordingly. It reminds us how quick and adept the evil one is when it comes to developing new tricks to instill old ideas. The times may change. The strategies may vary, but the objective to halt the kingdom of God remains the same. Third, evil is real. Often the way the enemy tries to hit the Christian communities is not from the outside, but very much from the inside. That is why disunity and the seeds of discord are often used by the devil.

Derek Wilson is a popular historian, and is able to harness this strength very well here. In a book like this, he has managed to inject some humour in an otherwise serious matter. Readers will find this book filled with insightful observations about the ups and downs of the Christian Church through the years from 1942 to the present. It is hoped that by learning from the past, one will learn to be wise about the present and the future. One more thing. If there is one thing readers can take home from this book, it is this. Temptation is real, and it often comes to a place near you, even inside you.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.


conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Kregel Publications without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Book Review: "A Promise of Forever Love"

TITLE: A PROMISE OF FOREVER LOVE
AUTHOR: Vanessa Miller
PUBLISHER: New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 2011, (144 pages)

This is a novel of love being given a second chance. Beginning with the key characters like Pastor Yvonne Milner, and co-pastor Thomas Reed, the novel highlights the role of grace during a time of disgrace, hope during moments of despair, and love that meanders through the ups and downs of various relationships. In all of these, there is a strong recognition that because God has given the human race a second chance, we all need to give one another a second chance.

Author Vanessa Miller weaves a beautiful story of love being given a second chance. Yvonne and Reed, who have both lost their spouses were given a second chance at love. Yvonne's rebellious daughter, Tia, got a second chance to redeem her life, despite her unwed pregnancy. Even Tia's shotgun marriage which failes to take place as schedule was given a second chance. The same also applies to Toya, whose romance with Marvel Williams took a sinister turn for the worse. She too got her second chance.

The twists and turns in the story make this book a compelling read. The surprises keeps the reader interested. Though this is a Christian novel, the shared themes of forgiveness, grace, love, courage, and many meaningful themes are applicable to all. Non-Christians should not feel too left out.

Good story.

Ratings: 4 of 5

conrade