Whispers in the Wind by Lauraine Snelling

About a year ago, I was able to review the first book in this new series by Lauraine Snelling.  So, I was pretty pleased to be able to get the second book in the series, Whispers in the Wind when it came out this year.   The story continues with Cassie trying to figure out how to fit into this little town called Argus in South Dakota, and how her life fits in with the Engstrom Family.   So many secrets were kept over the years and now both the Engstroms and Cassie are having to face them head on. 

I really enjoyed reading this second book in the series.  I thought the plot was well developed and really kept my attention.  This book filled in some more details of Cassie's life, but left things pretty open for the next book.  It was thoroughly enjoyable and I would highly recommend this series.

***I received this free book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

The High Calling Newsletter

Have you ever heard of TheHighCalling.org?  The High Calling is "...an online magazine and community founded on the belief that God cares about our daily work."(quoted from their website) The online magazine is a program by Foundations for Laity Renewal.

This online magazine has a newsletter that they send out weekly with a short audio message, and articles relating to work, life and God.  The articles are well written and provide encouragement for Christians in areas of life from the work place to family life at home and everything in between.  All of the articles have the common theme of living a life pleasing to the Lord.

So check out TheHighCalling.org if you're in need of some encouragement as you encounter all the various activities of life.  It may challenge you to live your life not for yourself, but for God.
You can also follow on Facebook here and Twitter here.


** I was asked to review this newsletter for Handlebar Publishing in exchange for a gift card.  All opinions are my own.

Elizabeth Ludwig’s “No Safe Harbor” Kindle Fire Giveaway and 12/6 Facebook Party!

I am part of the blog tour for Elizabeth Ludwig's New book No Safe Harbor.  I'll be posting my review of the book on December 4, 2012.  So make sure to come back and find out what I thought.  In the meantime, you can enter a great contest!!
 
Elizabeth Ludwig is celebrating her new book with a Kindle Fire Giveaway and connecting with readers at a Facebook Author Chat party on 12/6.

One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 5th. Winner will be announced at the "No Safe Harbor" Author Chat Facebook Party on 12/6. Connect with Elizabeth, get a sneak peek of the next book in the Edge of Freedom series, try your hand at the trivia contest, and win some great prizes—gift certificates, books and a Book Club Prize Pack (10 copies for your book club or small group)!

So grab your copy of No Safe Harbor and join Elizabeth on the evening of the December 6th for a chance to connect with her and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 6th!

21 Days to a More Organized Life by Crystal Paine

Crystal Paine author of the blog Moneysavingmom.com  has written an e-book about life discipline.  Who doesn't need help in this area?  There is always a place to grow and be more efficient in my life!  Crystal's book helps you to evaluate your life and how you can make things better where you continually fail.  There is usually one task we just loathe to do and Crystal walks you through a plan to get that dreaded task accomplished.  I like what she says in chapter 1, "But ultimately, whether or not I live a disciplined life depends solely upon me and the choices I make on a daily basis." (pg. 7)   There are no excuses when it comes to discipline.
Each chapter discusses a different area of discipline and then has a practical application section.  The chapter ends with the Mega Project Assignment.  This Mega Project is the one you have been putting off because of it's seems insurmountable.  But...when you break this project down in to 21 different steps, you can accomplish your task!
So, if you are looking for a little discipline in your life, read Crystal's new e-book!  It will help you get a huge jump start in the right direction.

You can order her book by clicking here.


** Crystal provided a free e-book in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Novel Crossings: A Website for Christian Fiction Lovers

Novel Crossing is a website for Christian fiction lovers. It's like Facebook meets Goodreads meets your favorite Christian fiction blogs...all in one place! Whether you're into romance, Amish fiction, mystery, action, sci-fi, historical fiction or any other genre...Novel Crossing is your new trusted source for ALL Christian fiction across ALL publishers!

Novel Crossing has it all...

• Stay in the Christian-fiction-know with the latest news and feature articles written by top fiction authors, industry professionals, and fiction aficionados.
  
• Find your next read (or avoid spending money on a crummy novel) with quick book overviews via 1-sentence reviews or a deeper look at books through full-blown reviews from fiction lovers like you.
  
• Get connected with a community where you can friend and follow fellow Novel Crossing members and keep track of new books or articles from your favorite authors.
  
• Stay organized with and keep track of the books you're reading, have read, or want to read.
  
• Don't miss a beat...get email updates when new books come out from your favorite authors or genres. 

So don't miss out and join the Christian fiction community at Novel Crossings today by clicking here.

Christ Our Mediator by C.J. Mahaney

Christ Our Mediator by C. J. Mahaney is an excellent book that discusses the impact of the cross and how that relates to Christ as the bridge between God and man.  There are 8 chapters in this book:

1. The Divine Order
2. The Divine Dilemma
3. The Divine Rescue
4. Staring into the Cup
5. Your Face in the Crowd
6. The Scream of the Damned
7. What God Understands
8. Assurance and Joy

Mahaney takes his readers on a journey beginning with the reason we need a Mediator in the first place.  He then explores the reality of what Christ went through to become that Mediator for all who would come to the Father.  He then ends with the assurance and joy that can come from having a cross-centered life.

This was the first book I have read by C. J. Mahaney and I really enjoyed it!  It was a quick, easy read that made me think.  I like books that leave me wanting to meditate on the truths that were discussed.   I think the chapter on Your Face in the Crowd really struck me.  I had thought about the cross and how Christ died for my sin, but I had not imagined myself in that crowd that crucified Him.  But I would of been there before coming to Him for salvation.  Mahaney says, "I identify most with the angry mob screaming, 'Crucify Him!'  That's who we should all identify with.  Because apart from God's grace, this is where we would all be standing, and we're only flattering ourselves to think otherwise." (Loc. 670 in e-book)  Another chapter I really liked was What God Understands.  Mahaney writes, "But I do know that in our time of deepest affliction, none of us find comfort by endlessly focusing on that suffering.  There's an element of mystery in all our suffering, and in this life we can't fully understand it, yet we face a subtle temptation to relive and review our suffering.  That's an exercise that will never bring rest and release.  What will bring rest and release is spending more time meditating on the cross and the God of the cross." (Loc. 822 in e-book) I often find myself re-hashing my suffering.  I meditate on that instead of the God of the cross.  I get stuck in the pit of my despair wallowing in the muck, joyless and depressed.  But David says that God will lift us up out of that miry pit and put our feet on a rock.  A right focus is critical when facing suffering in this life.  Finally in the last chapter, I really appreciated this thought, "And the inevitable result of preaching the gospel to yourself will be a pronounced joy, and infectious joy, a consistent joy." (Loc. 943 in e-book)   "So cultivate this joy...by continually meditating on the gospel.  Let the cross always be the treasure of your heart, your best and highest thought...and your passionate preoccupation." (Loc. 952 in e-book)  There is joy to be found in the cross!

Pick up C. J. Mahaney's book today and read it for yourself.  I highly recommend it.

**I received this free e-book from Blogging for Books program by Waterbrook Publishing Company in exchange for an honest review of this book.  All opinions are my own.