Reviews

It Was Out of Love
by James S. (Jim) Marr

A true story of the ultimate victory of God’s love and forgiveness over deception and death.

It Was Out of Love is the true story of the bizarre journey author James Marr began when he met his future wife. Before they were married, he made a decision to forgive her for deceiving him about who she really was.

After they were married, he encountered many inconsistencies in his wife’s story about her family and background. He chose to trust his wife. Then, after thirty years of marriage and only weeks before his wife went home to be with the Lord, Jim learned that there was much more to the original deception than he ever knew. Once again, with God’s help, he forgave his best friend and the love of his life for her deception. The story of their life together concludes with his wife’s poignant passing into heaven.

With compassion, humor, and intrigue, you will live these events as the author and his wife lived them. You will share in their victory over many challenges to their faith. It Was Out of Love will introduce you to a loving God of forgiveness—or if you already know God, this story will strengthen your faith. You will be encouraged to seek God’s will even in the midst of circumstances that seem overwhelming. ¹

This is a very well written, very easy to read and follow book. I enjoyed the story, especially the larger than life lesson of how God’s grace is extended to and through us and allows us to forgive what others may not so easily forgive.

It is incredible that this story isn’t fiction.  It is also incredible that one person was able to successfully carry on three decades of deception.  I won’t tell you the details of that deception, but will tell you that the love of God was evident in every aspect of Jim and Melissa’s marriage.  That Jim was able to forgive Melissa’s deception, and they were blessed with a good marriage otherwise, is creditable to God and God alone.

My rating:

On a scale of one to five, I give this book 2/5 stars: for it’s strong message of God’s grace, faith, forgiveness and love.

Buy It Was Out of Love.

Credits: ¹ Description by WinePress Books.

Disclosure: I received this book free from author James S. (Jim) Marr for the purpose of writing a review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”.

Almost Heaven
by Chris Fabry

Billy Allman is a hillbilly genius. People in Dogwood, West Virginia, say he was born with a second helping of brains and a gift for playing the mandolin but was cut short on social skills. Though he’d gladly give you the shirt off his back, they were right. Billy longs to use his life as an ode to God, a lyrical, beautiful bluegrass song played with a finely tuned heart. So with spare parts from a lifetime of collecting, he builds a radio station in his own home. People in town laugh. But Billy carries a brutal secret that keeps him from significance and purpose. Things always seem to go wrong for him. However small his life seems, from a different perspective Billy’s song reaches far beyond the hills and hollers he calls home. Malachi is an angel sent to observe Billy. Though it is not his dream assignment, Malachi follows the man and begins to see the bigger picture of how each painful step Billy takes is a note added to a beautiful symphony that will forever change the lives of those who hear it. ¹

I’m a lover of fiction books, most fiction books. This book, Almost Heaven, took fiction to a whole new level for me. Mixed with a bit of truth, this story grabbed me from the very beginning and had wanting to know what happened next. At first, I was a little confused as to who was doing the ‘talking’ because it jumped from the main character’s perspective to the angel Malachi’s perspective, but my confusion was quickly cleared up.

I soon found myself immersed in Billy’s life, and began thinking of him as a real live person rather than a character on paper. The events that shaped his life are so life-like I could see it unfolding vividly before me. At times I found I was angry at what seemed to be his stubbornness and at other times I praised his humility and heroics. Though his life, at times, was tragic, there was always a light at the end of the tunnel.

One of the things I liked most about this book was that parts of it were written in the perspective of the angel who was assigned to watch over Billy. It was a fresh new take on guardian angels and the battle of good and evil with the main elements of Truth included. There are lessons that can be taken from this fictional story and applied to everyday life for all of us!

I enjoyed this book so much, I literally couldn’t put it down and read it cover to cover in less than two days. (A major feat for this mother of four!) It is a must read for book lovers of any age– I wouldn’t hesitate to let my twelve year old read it!

My rating:

On a scale of one to five, I give this book five stars: because it is a wonderful story filled with hope and love and lessons that can be taken away and applied to our everyday lives. The characters are easy to believe and life-like and capture your interest within the first few minutes of reading.

Buy Almost Heaven

Credits: ¹ Summary from Tyndale House Publishers.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”.

Then Sings My Soul
by Robert Morgan

Stories of the most favorite and beloved seasonal hymns of faith.

Don’t look for a dry recounting of boring historical fact, the devotional-style stories in Then Sings My Soul show the emotion and drama behind the hymns of faith that have changed many lives throughout history. Designed to be personally reflective, these stories speak to the soul and add depth to a meaningful worship time with God through song.

Recounted are stories of the people whose faith led them to write these wonderful seasonal hymns and the people whose faith was affected by reading, hearing, and singing the songs.

Includes words and music to each hymn Special softcover, French flap cover design Ivory paper with brown ink Jagged edged paper, giving it a classic feel Complete with hymn index Use for devotionals, teaching illustrations, introductory remarks for song leaders and music ministers. ¹

I’m a music lover so this book was great for me. I recognized most of the hymns and love that the origin of each is included. (Which is the reason I wanted this book to begin with.) It was amazing to see that some of the songs I remember from childhood date as far back as the 7th century BC, and that most of my favorites are nearly 300 years old! Most interesting, to me, was how each song came to be written in the first place.

And it’s not just about hymns; there are several very popular songs included such as “America the Beautiful,” “The Star Spangled Banner,” and more. I love knowing the origin of the songs that I learned as a child, and that my children have learned. I especially love that each song was inspired by Scripture even though so many today don’t acknowledge their link to God at all.

If you have a music lover in your family, or even a friend who would appreciate a book such as this (or a music minister), I recommend adding this book to you list for the upcoming season of giving. Not only will you be giving a great gift, you will be giving a great blessing as well! (On the downside, I don’t see one who doesn’t like music or hymns enjoying or appreciating this book.)

My rating:

On a scale of one to five, I give this book three stars: It is a great book for those who love music and hymns, and are interested in the origins of some of the most popular (and favorite) hymns we all know and love!

Buy Then Sings My Soul

Credits: ¹ Summary from Booksneeze.com/Thomas Nelson.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”.

The Grace of God
By Andy Stanley

Learn how God’s grace can and will transform you.

None of us deserve what God offers, a life free from sin and hope for a glorious future, but unbelievably it’s ours for the taking. Why? Because of God’s grace. The unmerited favor, the lavish love and kindness he pours out on us, and has, since Creation.

But if it’s so available then why do we live a grace-less life? Why are our churches filled with disillusioned Christians, weary of religion’s demands, struggling with personal defeat because of issues or behaviors?

Join pastor Andy Stanley as he traces grace through the Old and New Testament, observing God’s grace at work in the lives of some of the best, and worst, characters. He also uses personal stories from his own life to reveal how grace is not a natural response but is the most essential one. Together these stories unravel the mystery of grace and tell of its transforming power to set us free. ¹

I have to first tell you, I haven’t finished reading the entire book yet; but, it is such an incredibly good read that I wanted to share it with you now! (I read every chance I get, which is every quiet moment in a house full of kids. I simply do not want to put this one down!) Andy Stanley takes you on a journey through the stories in the Bible, beginning with creation, and shows you that God’s grace has always abounded in every situation since the beginning.

This book is written in such a way that you will find yourself relating to every story, every situation, and every subject. It is encouraging, reaffirming, reassuring, and life-changing. You will weep as the words strike a chord in your own heart and rejoice as you realize that grace is a product of God’s deep and everlasting love for all His children. You will learn that as He extends his grace to you, so should you extend grace to your neighbor. You will see the very nature of God spilled out onto every page; how His grace extends so far beyond our own reach and limited depth perception. You will see that He is a graceful and merciful God; the message is abundantly clear and unmistakable.

I highly recommend putting this book at the very top of your must-read list. Even though I haven’t yet finish it, I know that I have been blessed by the reading and will continue to be blessed as I absorb each word all the way to the end. In fact, I can’t wait to dive into it again today!

My rating:

On a scale of one to five, I give this book a resounding (double) five: I haven’t even finished it yet and already I want to share it with everyone I know. The lessons I have learned in the first eight chapters alone have me seeing God’s grace in places I’d never thought to look and understanding God’s nature in a way I’d never imagined! This book is a must read!

Buy The Grace of God

Credits: ¹ Summary from Booksneeze.com/Thomas Nelson.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”.

Really Woolly Bible Stories
By DaySpring (Bonnie Rickner Jensen)

Favorite Bible stories presented with the beloved Really Woolly art style help little children discover that God is faithful and true and that Jesus, The Good Shepherd, loves them.

This case-bound padded board book from the Really Woolly® brand by DaySpring® makes it easy to share important stories from God’s Word with little children, while teaching them about God’s shepherd-like love for them. Bible stories include Creation, Noah, Abraham, Moses, the Ten Commandments, Joseph, Samson, Daniel, David and Goliath, Jonah, Jesus’ Birth, Jesus Loves the Little Children, Jesus Feeds 5,000, Jesus the Good Samaritan, Jesus Walks on Water, Jesus’ Death & Resurrection, The Great Commission. Little ones will love the charming Really Woolly® illustrations. ¹

I was afraid when I first requested this book that my little one, being five years old, wouldn’t like it because its design is geared for a younger audience. I couldn’t have been more wrong. He didn’t even notice the thickness of the pages or the padded cover. He really liked the size of the book because it is easy for him to carry around, and lightweight too.

When I sat down to read to him, he wasn’t as interested, at first, in hearing the stories as I’d hoped.  However, once we got a couple pages in, his attention shifted from trying to hurry me through to actually paying close attention to the words and he even laughed at some of the rhymes.  He loved the illustrations– especially Joseph’s bright coat, the stars in the sky that Abraham gazed at, and the giant whale that swallowed Jonah whole! He quickly claimed the book as his and his only! He loved it so much, he wanted to take it to school (kindergarten) to show his teacher and friends!

Not only did my little one enjoy it, but I enjoyed it as well.  And much to my surprise, my twelve year old daughter joined us once it caught her attention.  She, too, loved the book!  She thought it was “neat” how each story was written as poetry, and even said it really makes the Biblical accounts much easier to remember.

This is a great book for kids of all ages, and a great way to introduce Biblical truths in an easy to understand fashion!  If you have little ones in your home; grands, nieces, nephews, or even the child of a friend or church member, this book would make an excellent gift for any occasion!  (It would also make a great addition to those Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes!)

My rating:

On a scale of one to five, I give this book five gigantic stars:  I think it’s fairly obvious my reasons for giving this book a five-star rating.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading it to my children and am excited to share it with the children of my church as well!

Buy Really Woolly Bible Stories

Credits: ¹ Summary from Booksneeze.com/Thomas Nelson.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”.