Higher Hope - Robert Whitlow

This novel, set in Savannah, didn't have the hook I expected. Perhaps it's because this is Book Two in The Tides of Truth series. If I'd read Book One, Deeper Water, the characters might have grabbed my interest. I think I found myself somewhat invested in the story by Chapter Eight. The overuse of the word "was" annoyed me like a pesky fly buzzing around my head. And here's another published author who uses verbs as speaker attributes. When I'm not selling real estate, I work for a law firm. I found it hard to believe that this Christian girl, Tami, could find two Christian men (two SINGLE Christian men) working for the same firm. Most of the story seemed unrealistic to me, and the resolution in the end left me hanging in a fog of vagueness. I had no idea which of the two young men she chose, and really didn't care. Being a glass-is-half-full person, I always look for the sunshine that follows the rain. The one redeeming feature of Higher Hope is toward the end of the book when Sister Dabney explains what higher hope means: "It's hope that can't be destroyed by what happens on earth. Circumstances of life will challenge it, voices will deny it, but its walls can't be breached unless we open the gate." Absolutely true and an encouragement to me, personally. The realistic elements of the book are the subtle ways God intervenes for His purposes. God worked through the elderly lady with whom Tami lives and works as caregiver to show Tami He wants us to fellowship with Him, no matter our age or circumstances. He can heal us, as Tami saw when she visited a family friend in her home town. And He will defend His workers when we are persecuted, but it will always be in His time and His M.O. I would give this book two and a half stars. Others might enjoy it, but it didn't float my boat.

Chance Made Us Sisters - Hearts Made Us Friends

We had a wonderful time visiting with family recently. Thursday (5/28), we drove from Tampa (stopping at M&E's Donuts, our favorite donut shop in Crystal River-YUM!) to Birmingham, AL. We planned to spend the night with my sister Kathy and her family, then take the three-hour drive to Murfreesboro, TN to visit Tom's daughter and family for his granddaughter's high school graduation. *GASP* I'm married to a man who has an eighteen-year old grandchild!

When we arrived in B'ham, Kathy & David treated us to dinner at La Fiesta, a great Mexican restaurant. Of course, Kathy and I had one of our infamous giggle fits. Our husbands have learned to just roll their eyes and deal with it. We are pixies, and that's the way it is.

Friday, Kathy and I left the men to do "guy" stuff, while we ran some errands. She's planning a summer-long children's program for her church and needed some woodsy stuff for decorations. I donated stuffed animals that had been stored in plastic bags since our home renovation. They needed a new home and found one at Edgewood Presbyterian Church. We had lunch at Mrs. Klinger's Restaurant where we had the above picture taken. It's a German restaurant, and we always seem to wind up there for lunch on any given visit. Delicious food!

Friday afternoon, we headed for Murfreesboro and arrived in time for Natalie's spaghetti dinner. That started the food-fest for the weekend.

Saturday was party day for Rebecca, who would graduate on Monday, June 1. I didn't count, but it appeared more than fifty guests showed up for smoked pork (and chicken for me), and all the fixings. Everyone had a great time. Natalie is a wonderful hostess.

Sunday, Tom and I attended Franklin Road Baptist Church. Everyone was so friendly there and made us feel right at home.

Monday, we headed out in two cars to Opryland Mall in Nashville. The guys in one car, and the girls in another. Rebecca's graduation was held at Grand Ole Opry, so we spent the afternoon at the mall, shopping and eating. The graduation was impressive. About a hundred home-schooled students received their diplomas. On the way home, we took a wrong turn out of the Opryland Mall, and Natalie's friend said in her deep Tennessean accent, "Honey, we're just gonna take a tour." We found our way back to the interstate, where we came to a standstill. Road construction caused the traffic jam. Did we fret? Did we complain? No, Natalie popped a CD in the player, and we had a party in the van. A positive attitude keeps us young.

Tuesday morning, we headed back to Tampa. The drive through Chattanooga was most scenic, with all those mountains and the river that winds beside the highway. Unfortunately, M&E's Donuts was closed when we hit central Florida. Or maybe that was a good thing since I gained a few lbs. on this trip.

Tom and I are both blessed to have loving relationships with our respective families.

The Mill House by Paul McCusker

A sign of an excellent writer is when you turn that last page, only to want to go back to the first and start the book over again. Paul McCusker's novel, The Mill House, affected me that way. As I traveled through this story from 1940s England to modern day U.S.A. & England, the characters took me captive. Not a good thing since I'm supposed to read & review another novel published by Thomas Nelson now. I can't start the other novel, set in Savannah, Ga., because images of Lainey and Nicholas keep popping up in my head!

8-)

Paul does such an excellent job of weaving the details of the story that I felt like I was unwinding a ball of yarn. Cecil Murphy described this form of writing in a recent workshop I attended. Glad to find an example of that style so soon to cement it in my mind.

Let me explain how I came to have this treasure of a book. I wanted to donate Christian romance novels to the teens at a farm for wayward girls. As I searched stores, looking for publishers such as Zondervan, Harvest House, Tyndale, and Thomas Nelson, I came across The Mill House. I opened it and read the first paragraph of the prologue.

"Oh wow," I said to myself, "I'm not giving this one away!" I had to find out why an elderly lady would sit on a log in the pouring rain-wearing her nightgown, robe, and slippers, clutching shards of stained glass from a bombed-out church in her hands. Without giving away the ending, let me just say that pondering on the "what-ifs" of life will undoubtedly send us spiraling into the pit of despair. We must remember what the apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:12-14: Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I'm glad I kept this book for myself. The Mill House also provided a good historical perspective of that time period. Now that I've finished it, I plan to loan it to my friend May, a Liverpuddlian who spent her childhood in an English orphan home during WWII.

As much as I enjoyed this book, I know it would never pass our FWA critique group. Paul uses speaker attributes other than "said" or "asked." A big no-no according to our faciliator. Other authors have instructed the same thing. "Don't be afraid of the word 'said.'" He also uses those pesky "ly" adverbs I've been told to remove from my novel. And--GASP!--he uses a prologue. I happen to like them, even though other writers debate whether or not we should use them. My mentors have told me that, since I have one in Obedient Heart, the first chapter should carry the tension of the prologue forward. I've seen prologues in other novels (Firestorm by Jeannette Windle comes to mind) that have nothing to do with Chapter One, and they work well. But I do digress. Yes...I'd like a little cheese with my whine. 8-(

Whatever FWA no-nos Paul McCusker did in his novel, The Mill House, they aren't worth arguing about. It's a good story, well-told and well-written from start to finish. Drop whatever you're doing right now and buy this book. Or borrow my copy...but you'll have to wait in line.

And if you happen to visit Great Britain, say hello to Lainey, Nicholas, Elaine, and Adam for me!

LAUS DEO

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

REVELATION: THE FINAL PHASE OF CHRIST’S REDEMPTIVE PROGRAM Andy Woods, Ph.D. candidate, attorney, theologian and author, once again blessed us with his teaching. In two short hours on Sunday, April 19, 2009, Andy gave us an overview of the Book of Revelation. “Revelation? In two hours?” you might ask. Yep. And if anyone can do it, Andy Woods can (and did). His seminary thesis was used for a chapter in End Times Controversy. The Second Coming Under Attack, and he contributed to The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy. His credentials speak for themselves—and with authority. An important note on this mystifying book is that it is not the revelation of the Apostle John. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle John . The passage in Daniel 9:27 is the basement of this world’s future, and Revelation is the ceiling. John adds more detail to Daniel’s structure. The Chain of Communication is from God the Father to Christ to the angel to John to the book to the pastor to the listener. This isn’t like the game of gossip where the comment whispered by the first person becomes radically different by the time the last person recites it. These words have been carefully and painstakingly written down. In this overview, Andy gave us the structure, in my opinion, of a three-act play: § Act I: The Things Which You (John) Have Seen (Chapter 1) § Act II: The Things Which Are (Chapters 2-3) § Act III: The Things Which Will Take Place After These Things (Chapters 4-22) The first act begins with the prologue in Chapter One that offers the blessing to us who hear this prophecy and heed its admonitions. Then John, being held captive on Patmos for preaching the Word, is compelled to write what he sees. The purpose is to offer comfort to the oppressed churches in Asia Minor and to stimulate them to practice holiness through future reminders of Gods’ conquest and punishment of evil. The message is Christ’s ultimate victory over evil. Act II opens in Chapters Two and Three with praising and rebuking the seven churches. Smyrna and Philadelphia were the only two not to receive rebukes because they were under persecution at the time of the writing. Laodicea was the only church to receive no praise because they had locked Jesus Christ out of their fellowship. (Like many churches today that offer a “feel good” doctrine.) Rev. 3:20 is not an evangelical premise to invite Jesus into your heart. He is knocking at the door of the church that has forgotten who He is and what He has done for them. And Act III represents the entire tribulation period in Chapters Four through the end of the book. The first half of the tribulation sees the Seals and Trumpets judgments, and the Bowl judgments are spread throughout the last half. Grasping the judgments has been the most difficult for me when I attempt a study of this book. Are they concurrent or disconnected? Andy teaches they are telescopic, with chronological progressions that start and stop, perhaps like labor pains (again my assessment) with five non-chronological parenthetical insertions between the sixth and seventh of each. I’ll call them breathers. (Many who have given birth will attest to the need for a breather between labor pains.) Here’s a diagram that helped me: Seals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Trumpets 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bowls 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Sorry, the diagram won't work in this format. :-(

Picture (if you'll indulge me) the #1 of the Trumpets falling directly below the #7 of the Seals, then the #1 of the Bowls falling directly below the #7 of the Trumpets. Andy compared the “breathers” to a hiking trip. You’ll always pause at some point on your journey to look back at where you’ve been and forward to where you have yet to go. These insertions are strategically placed between the sixth and seventh judgments, which then usher in the first of the next series of seven. Another prophetic statement we often miss is in the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus states Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. God will instill His will on earth. Revelation 4 depicts God’s role in creation. He has the authority to “recycle” it because He created it. And isn’t it interesting that He begins the destruction with plant life, which was the first living entity He created in Genesis? I regret that this is as far as my note taking could go. I ran out of paper in my little notebook. But no need to fret! You can either purchase a CD of the lesson at Bayside Community Church, or listen to it online at www.baysidecommunitychurch.net/resources.html. May God continue to bless you as you study His word!

Review: Rachel's Tears - Thomas Nelson Publishers

Rachel’s Tears by Beth Nimmo (mother) and Darrell Scott (father) with the help of Steve Rabey Mr. Scott and Mrs. Nimmo were honest in their description of their daughter. It would’ve been easy to set her on a pedestal, as we often do when we lose a loved one. Rachel truly showed the love of Christ in her relationships with others, especially those less fortunate than she. But these parents revealed Rachel’s intermittent struggles with her faith, along with her love for others. The parents showed an enormous amount of Christian love themselves in their forgiving spirit and prayers for the Klebold and Harris families. Few people can understand that the families of the perpetrators lost their sons twice; once when the boys committed the crimes, and again when they killed themselves. I was equally impressed by the insight of these parents into the cause of the crimes. While the news media, along with federal and local legislators, pointed their fingers to guns, the NRA and the 2nd Amendment, Beth and Darrell both knew the truth. Guns don’t kill people—people kill people. Whether it’s easy or difficult to buy weapons is not the issue. It’s the motive behind the purchase. Darrel’s poem on page159 says it all. Our society began the downward spiral of immorality and hatred when the legislators outlawed God. They are so quick to point the accusing finger at the symptom instead of the cause. The Columbine bloodbath is firmly rooted in the absence of Judeo-Christian teaching. This tragedy is another unexpected consequence of Madeline Murray O’Hare’s efforts to remove God from all aspects of this country’s public places. Few people realize that there is no mention of separation of church and state in the U.S. Constitution. As such, this rhetoric has gone unchallenged for decades. And tragedies like the Columbine shootings continue to plague our society. Cruelty and hatred come naturally to children. We are all born self-centered and have to be taught the Golden Rule. Someone must show us at an early age the acronym of JOY (Jesus, Others, Yourself), which is Rachel’s middle name. The back cover refers to Rachel Joy Scott as a typical teenager, but through these pages I see her as an atypical teenager. It is a sad commentary for our country that a teenager who loves the Lord and chooses purity over popularity is not typical. Rachel’s Tears is well worth the read, especially if one has suffered the tragic loss of a child. I plan to donate my copy to a home for at-risk girls where Rachel’s parents can continue to reach others with their daughter’s Christian love.

Babylon - The Bookends Of Our Culture

The Professional Women’s Bible Study I attend every Friday morning is presently studying an overview of Genesis, using the Christianity 101 Series by Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz. We recently completed the lesson, “God Intervenes When Humans Scheme,” in Chapter Six, in which the authors describe “The Tower of Power.” How timely that theologian Andy Woods should come to Bayside Community Church on Sunday, March 15, 2009, to teach us about Babylon in Prophecy. In his words, Babylon is a freight train barreling through the Bible. Genesis 11:1-9 describes the first worldwide rebellion against God in the land of Shinar, which is Mesopotamia (between the rivers). Babylon keeps popping up throughout the Scriptures in the writings of the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, and the apostle John in Revelation. We will come full circle in Revelation 17-18, as Babylon is, once again, the location for another universal rebellion against God. The rebellion of Babylon in Genesis 11 caused the spread of that sinful attitude throughout the cultures. It is evident today in the mystical teaching that we are God. The Holy Spirit of God dwells within the believer at the time of salvation, but that doesn’t make us God. The creature can never be the Creator. Isaiah Chapters 13 and 14 reveal the great Day of the Lord, with cosmic disturbances, global judgment, final desolation (worse than Sodom and Gomorrah) of Babylon, followed by universal peace, and then Israel is regenerated spiritually. Some say that Babylon has already suffered that fate, since the city is no longer on the map. Indeed, the prophecy of Isaiah 21:1-10 was fulfilled in Daniel 5. Babylon fell to the Persians without a battle. History shows no destruction occurred. Cyrus took Babylon by rerouting the Tigris River and was able to invade the city without taking a single life or tearing down any walls. Babylon survived intact. (The Truth Behind Left Behind – Hitchcock/Ice and The Nations in Prophecy, 63-64 – Walvoord.) But the prophecy of Jeremiah, Chapters 50-51 is a futuristic prediction…ditto for Isaiah 13-14. Zechariah 5:5-11 mirrors the prophecy in Revelation 17, which describes the woman (wickedness), ephah (commerce), house (temple), and the location of the future desolation (Shinar). Both books emphasize commerce and worship of a false deity. One area of confusion is Revelation 17:5 …and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” The word mystery in this context means a new truth revealed. Some scholars believe it refers to Jerusalem, Rome, or a religious system. But since none of these can be the “Mother” of Harlots, then it can only refer to Babylon. It’s the only thing that has been around since the days of the Tower. Let’s take a quick look at the emphasis on commerce. The oil industry now controls all the markets. Where is most of the oil? In the Land of Shinar, which is present day Iraq. Babylon represents the two bookends of this world’s history. The history of human culture began there and will end there. But, as believers…we won’t be around to see it.

And that’s the good news!

"Kiss" by Dekker & Healy

This posting for Kiss by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy is delayed due to computer transitions. I won’t have to re-read the novel to refresh my memory because the story is still clear in my mind. When I had to set the book down for some silly reason, like to sleep or go to work, the plight of the protagonist stayed with me. In my local Word Weavers group we use the sandwich method for our critiques:

• Encourage
• Critique
• Praise

I’d like to use that technique as I discuss this novel with you.

The first thing that impressed me on a marketing level was the number of “hooks” the authors presented. On the cover, we read, “She steals more than your heart.” (Interesting) On the back cover: “Let me tell you all I know for sure. My name. Shauna.” (Intriguing) At the bottom of the back cover: “A New Kind of Suspense from Dekker and Healy—Where Heart Pounding meets Heart Warming.” (Inviting) I hadn’t heard of Ted Dekker or Erin Healy before I saw this novel. Any one of the “hooks” would’ve caused me to buy it, along with the synopsis on the back. Having each one build on the other created a sense of necessity within me. I NEEDED to read this book!

The only drawback I found was the lack of tags. I realize in some scenes the reader isn’t supposed to know who’s speaking…yet. They’re carefully placed mines to ratchet up the suspense. I’ve seen this technique in The Terror Alliance by Jack Hunter (1980 – an oldie, but goodie). But the scenes where I had to stop reading, go back to the beginning of the dialogue and mentally note: Wayne, Shauna, Wayne, Shauna…, broke the flow and annoyed me. Not enough to make me put the book down, though. The well-told story kept me coming back for more. As Shauna recuperates from her auto accident injuries, the reader is pulled alongside her in the schemes and plots against her. Can one woman really endure all of the trauma she suffers? Yet she finds a ray of hope in a housekeeper and a news reporter hidden away in a small town. This is one book that is not easy to put down. Even when I couldn’t get back to it right away (What do you mean “What’s for supper?” I’m trying to read.) Shauna’s dilemma haunted me. Who could she trust? All the way to the end, I found myself wanting to buckle my seatbelt…even though I always read in bed! I don’t want to give away the ending, but will say the truest “hook” of all was: Where Heart Pounding meets Heart Warming.

So…step away from your computer right now

and go buy this book!