Christian Shelves

Happy Easter! Happy Resurrection Sunday! Christ is risen! What joy and delight we can have as believers, knowing that our Lord and Saviour has conquered death and made a way for us to have eternal life through His grace and boundless love. May you and your loved ones have a blessed Easter as we celebrate our risen Lord today ✝️ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” - Matthew 28:5-7 

I confess that one of the reasons I have been keen to get into the  Heroes of Freedom Ridge  series is because it contains three books by Liwen Y. Ho . What a delight to finally finish reading all of the books she has published so far!  Second Chance with the Hero  was a little bittersweet for that reason, as I now have to wait like everyone else for a new title after completing her backlist 😄 Book Synopsis Two high school sweethearts. One broken marriage. And an unexpected reunion that offers the perfect opportunity for redemption. Retired midwife Josephine Gilbert is all about her children and grandchildren these days. That’s why she’s moved back to Freedom to be close to her loved ones and to help with her daughter’s upcoming delivery. The last thing she expects is to fall ill and need emergency surgery. What’s worse, the person who offers to help with her recovery is none other than her ex-husband, the man who left her a single mom twenty years ago. Jack Gilbert...

The 40-Day Sugar Fast: Where Physical Detox Meets Spiritual Transformation by Wendy Speake is a book that caught my eye last year, so I'm glad that I saw some references to it earlier this year on Bookstagram as it prompted me to take up the challenge for Lent. I also used to think that 40 days elapsed between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday on the dot; however, I was able to finish this book a little early. I know we had an extra day from leap year, but how did I finish this book so soon? Did I miscount my days? 😅 Book Synopsis What would you be willing to give up to experience the presence of God in your life again? Many of us sign up for a physical detox program, thinking that if our bodies are healthier, then we're healthier. But a healthy body doesn't do us a lot of good if we are spiritually malnourished. Welcome to the 40-Day Sugar Fast, a fast that begins with us giving Jesus our sugar and ends with Jesus giving us more of himself--the only thing that can ever tru...

Happy release day to The Lady with the Dark Hair ! 🎨 Many thanks to  Revell Books  and  LibraryThing  for providing a complimentary copy of this book by Erin Bartels for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing. Book Synopsis Esther Markstrom and her artist mother have always been proud of their ancestor, painter Francisco Vella. They even run a small museum and gallery dedicated to raising awareness of his scandalously underappreciated work. But when Esther reconnects with her former art history professor, she finds her once-solid family history on shaky ground as questions arise about Vella's greatest work--a portrait entitled The Lady with the Dark Hair . In 1879, Catalan orphan-turned-fugitive Viviana Torrens has found sanctuary serving in the home of an aging artist in Southern France. It is in his studio that she meets Francisco Vella, a Gibraltarian merchant who sells artists' pigments. When her...

Do you find that when you come across one item you like that online algorithms jump all over that and think you need a hundred more of that item? In my case, it was a YouTube video that compared the uptick of physical media against the downfall of streaming. Pretty random topic, right? And yet, YouTube has been showing me video after video of every content creator I haven't heard of who are speaking to this now that I have watched one video. Though I'm slightly amused, it also reveals the problem of relying on digital content for browsing purposes. Yes, I might want to see items that are similar to what I like as the likelihood of enjoyment might be higher. At the same time, if I sought out a specific movie at a particular point in time, it doesn't necessarily mean that I will want to only watch that type of movie. While some platforms may be better than others at this, no wonder people end up doing an infinite scroll looking for options! I wonder if part of this comes down...

Whenever I hear about progressive Christianity and its implications on believers today, I can't help but think of the book, Why We're Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be) by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck, published 16 years ago. Even though this book is older, it still addresses foundational concerns with this overall movement. Although I can see why some Christians are grappling with better understanding their faith, I have definite concerns about the theological fidelity of this religious movement, which is not new and just sounds like a fancier version of what was considered emergent Christianity a few years ago. If the fruit of emergent Christianity is now the deconstruction of Christian faith, it should not be a surprise. It's not that I don't think questioning or even doubting should occur in the Christian faith. It's more that the line of questioning with the emergent Christian movement seems to be without end, purpose, or meaning. It comes across as askin...

Low fantasy Christian books might be a growing genre for me this year, especially if other books are as well-written as King of the Crown Imperials  is by Joanna Alonzo. This book has now set my expectations at a certain level, and I hope to find more similar titles! For anyone looking for a book to add to their Clearly Christian Readathon list this year, I would most heartily recommend this one, especially under the prompt of "excellence." I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Danger lurks everywhere. No one needs to know. She’s a beautiful diversion. Time to put on a show. A royal internship in the island country of Ancoria is the perfect way for Vivienne to end her year-long journey across the world. She gets more adventure than she bargains for when the internship requires her to pretend to be the prince's fiancée. With two spies missing and rumors of war spreading across the kingdo...

This small volume has appeared on a number of Christian reviewers' accounts in the last while, so I was glad to find Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney at a used bookstore recently. Book Synopsis When you pray, does it ever feel like you’re just saying the same old things about the same old things? Offering us the encouragement and the practical advice we’re all looking for, Donald S. Whitney, best-selling author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life , outlines an easy-to-grasp method that has the power to transform our prayer life: praying the words of Scripture. Simple, yet profound, Praying the Bible will prove invaluable as you seek to commune with your heavenly Father in prayer each and every day. Source:  Amazon Book Thoughts This short book didn't take long to read through and if you take the mindset of someone who is new to praying or seeing the Psalms as a book to be prayed, this is a helpful resource as it is lays out the steps in a practical manner. T...

It's been fun to see characters from the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series reappear in later books, especially when written by the same author. Faith in the Hero almost acts as a sequel to Friends with the Hero , although it's not necessary to read one before the other. However, if you do get to read both, it's an even more charming experience! Book Synopsis A man with six small children and a wife who walked out. A woman who lost everything and has no place left to go. With the ink barely dry on his divorce papers, Chris Tooley isn’t sure what God has in store for him, but he knows he needs help with his kids. So, on the recommendation of a friend, he hires a nanny. Gretchen Mavis invested everything in her day care business and lost it all when the building burned down and the landlord had no insurance. She’s willing to take any job she can get. Even one out in the middle of nowhere that includes six energetic kids, two even more energetic dogs and a herd of milk goats – w...

I'm not sure why this thought came into my mind during church, but it's something I've been wondering about since then. Specifically, I've been trying to recall when I last saw characters in Christian fiction being described as godly, notably for the heroine. While I understand that godliness may be implied or that I may have even unknowingly glossed over this word while reading, I was thinking about what it means to have a main character who is more known for their godliness than for their beauty or intelligence. That's not to say that any of these attributes are mutually exclusive, but I'm questioning whether the appearance of godliness might be more elusive than I realize (or on the flip side, am I completely missing this when it is prevalent?). I recognize that there is usually a tension between making a character both relatable and yet aspirational. If a character is too aspirational, then I can see readers having a hard time connecting with them as the ch...

When I asked readers to help me choose a Christian historical fiction book to read last fall, The Cairo Curse by Pepper Basham won. It took me a little longer to pick it up, but I'm glad that I had the opportunity to discover what happens with Freddie and Grace as they embark on their honeymoon. For those mentioning that this book looked adventurous, they were correct! Book Synopsis Clue meets Indiana Jones with a fiction-loving twist only Grace Percy can provide. Newlyweds Lord and Lady Astley have already experienced their fair-share of suspense, but when a honeymoon trip takes a detour to the mystical land of Egypt, not even Grace with her fiction-loving mind is prepared for the dangers in store. From an assortment of untrustworthy adventure-seekers to a newly discovered tomb with a murderous secret, Frederick and Grace must lean on each other to navigate their dangerous surroundings. As the suspects mount in an antiquities’ heist of ancient proportions, will Frederick and Grac...

Pilgrimage  by  Lynn Austin  is a book that I've been meaning to get into for years; however, I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to read it now as I'm going through the Bible chronologically. This book has been such a good accompaniment to go through as I've been reading the Word. Many thanks to Bethany House Publishers and LibraryThing for providing a complimentary physical copy of Pilgrimage by Lynn Austin for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Thoughts content is also posted on LibraryThing . Book Synopsis We all encounter times when our spirit feels dry, when doubt looms. The opportunity to tour Israel came at a good time. For months, my life has been a mindless plodding through necessary routine, as monotonous as an all-night shift on an assembly line. Life gets that way sometimes, when nothing specific is wrong but the world around us seems drained of color. Even my weekly worship experiences and daily quiet times with God have felt...

I'm two-thirds of the way through the  Heroes of Freedom Ridge  series! It's not that I'm anxious to complete them, but more so that I want to enjoy as many stories about this wonderful town as I can. Liwen Y. Ho's dedication in  Romanced by the Hero  is perfect for this sentiment: "For everyone who wishes Freedom, Colorado was a real place." Book Synopsis Two broken hearts. One lonely Christmas. And a love dare that changes everything for two new friends. As Head of Security at Freedom Lodge, MacGyver Spark is used to protecting people. Since losing his fiancée in a car accident, he’s gotten good at protecting his heart as well. Determined to focus on his health and recovery, he’s kept himself busy with work and AA meetings and also far, far away from the opposite sex. He was content with living the life of a bachelor, until his cousin asked him to play tour guide for a gorgeous female friend. Romance book blogger Amy McCormick isn’t one to wallow in self-pit...

I'm not a huge proponent of personality tests or assessments, although I've had to undergo plenty of them for school and in the workplace. They can be limiting at best, and don't always account for changes in people's lives. A few of them even have dubious origins, which is why I've steered clear of them.  However, in a few of the ministries I've served with, I've been asked to take the Sacred Pathways inventory (also known as spiritual pathways on other websites) from Gary Thomas to determine how I best connect with God. I'm not necessarily advocating this book as I don't typically subscribe to this type of thinking, but I find it interesting that when I take a look at the options provided, I can easily see which one I gravitate toward without having to go through a questionnaire. The nine pathways that Thomas explores include: Nature Enthusiastic Worship Learning Tradition Asceticism Sensation Caregiving Social Justice Quiet Prayer While I'm f...

I admit that outside of work, I don't usually celebrate holidays like this*, but I thought I'd share this picture of the Elisabeth Elliot Prayer Chapel that I took some time ago. It feels like within the last while, there has been a greater resurgence of interest in Elisabeth Elliot , which is marvelous. I've been familiar with her works for a few decades now, especially as a former missionary (she was often a case study for us to read!) and more so as one of my dearest mentors was connected with her. Elisabeth's life and writing remain inspirational, and I'm encouraged to see how she has been a blessing for many today. What an enduring legacy she leaves behind. I've read some of her books over the years and am delighted to be reading Let Me Be a Woman again in a buddy read this month. If anyone is interested in Elisabeth's books, Lia Ross Reads has just put together a helpful author spotlight post. Please check it out for some reading ideas! *I'm not ...

I've been seeing The Cryptographer's Dilemma appear on Bookstagram ever since it launched and I'm glad that I finally had the opportunity to read it. I admit that it also moved up my TBR pile a little after discovering that Jillian Lancour is Johnnie Alexander 's daughter. Since I've really enjoyed Jillian's content, I knew I would be in for a treat (especially since I'm such a fan of espionage books!). Book Synopsis A Code Developer Uncovers a Japanese Spy Ring Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes―the heroines of WWII. FBI cryptographer Eloise Marshall is grieving the death of her brother, who died during the attack on Pearl Harbor, when she is assigned to investigate a seemingly innocent letter about dolls.  Agent Phillip Clayton is ready to enlist and head oversees when asked to work one more FBI job. A case of coded defense coordinates related to dolls should be easy, but not so when the Japanese Consul...

I was so excited to learn about Five Little Dumplings: The Real Easter Story  by Kelsey Chen, a new-to-me Chinese Christian author, just in time for Easter. Thank you, Liwen Y. Ho , for introducing me to the Five Little Dumplings! It's such a treat to read children's books again and to recall all that I learnt from my library days about what goes into a well-written book for younger readers. This book definitely checks those boxes 😊 Book Synopsis Get EGGcited! The Five Little Dumplings are off to a new adventure - they're off to church on a beautiful Easter Sunday and there is going to be an Easter Egg Hunt! Grab your Easter basket and get ready for an Easter adventure with the Five Little Dumplings! Come with us to hunt for eggs at church today. We will learn the colors of the rainbow." Hooray! There are 10 eggs to find, all with different colors and designs We will learn about Jesus along the way Now grab your basket and shout, "Hooray!" Play seek and find...

The next book in the  Heroes of Freedom Ridge  series is Persuaded by the Hero  by Elle E. Kay and it's a delightful story about second chances and redemption. Book Synopsis His decision changed their lives. Her decision will decide their future. Bryce hasn’t laid eyes on Sabrina in three years despite visiting Freedom Ridge every Christmas. Not that he could blame her for avoiding him. He left town in a hurry and without a backward glance. He isn’t the same irresponsible kid from back then—the Army changed him. But convincing her to trust him again will be a challenge. Avoiding the man she’d once loved every Christmas season was one thing, but now he's back. And he's her boss. Sabrina isn’t prepared to work for Bryce. Their story might have derailed three years earlier, but her humiliation feels fresh. Had God rescued her only to throw her back into the mouth of a hungry lion? They soon discover time apart didn’t dim their chemistry and long for buried feelings rise to t...

I've had it on my heart for a little while to express just how much I appreciate Christian authors and all that they are doing to encourage, inspire, and bless their readers. I can't imagine the amount of work and time it takes to carefully craft words together in not only a captivating manner but more importantly, in a way that is God-honouring. I'm in awe of how many authors juggle writing amidst other responsibilities in life and yet possess the passion and drive to keep adding to their word counts because of what God has laid on their hearts. I'm also grateful for the creativity involved in how authors continue to interact with their readers. Honestly, I'm astounded by how much easier it is to connect with authors now. When I was in elementary school, one of my favourite things to do was to send authors handwritten letters by way of the publishing house address sometimes included in books. Amazingly, I had a few write back! I used to think of authors as pen pals...