Monday, June 22, 2015

Review of How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird

Sometimes as I sit thinking about people and life in general, the number of unsaved people in the world really overwhelms me. I attend church regularly and serve where I'm needed - at church. However besides praying, I have vague ideas of what I can do to reach people but no concrete ideas of where to start. Amy Lively's new book How to Love Your Neoghbor Without Being Weird is an excellent resource on where and how to start right in my and your own neighborhood. 

Ms. Lively starts out with her own testimony and then follows in each chapter with examples from her own life about how she got to know and reached out to her own neighbors. She discusses the generally narrow definition of neighbor and how the definition we cling to doesn't begin to encompass the broad scope of true neighborhood.  She provides passages from Scripture that reinforce the points that she is emphasizing. 

Ultimately, she states that a person has to get to know their neighbor. To know your neighbors means to know more than their names, you have to be willing learn about their own cultures and beliefs while showing them that you want to learn these things about them. It is in getting to know your neighbors that you will learn how to introduce them to Christ. 

Ms. Lively ends each chapter with practical and deep questions to help you apply what you've read to your life.  She talks about the hinderances and fears that keep us from using our spiritual gifts to serve our neighbors. I found this book to be very helpful in gaining insight into how to reach my neighbors.  The examples and scriptures given in the book where what I needed to help formulate a plan for reaching my own neighbors without being to weird. I'd recommend this book to any Christian who wants to learn the best ways to reach out and share the gospel in their own part of the world. 

*I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. My opinions are my own.*

   









Monday, June 1, 2015

A Worthy Pursuit is worth your time!

Karen Witemeyer is an author who quickly became a favorite of mine with her multidimensional characters and charming storylines.  If I had to choose a favorite from her books, there would be several at the top of the list. Among those books would be A Worthy Pursuit. 

Charlotte is a former headmistress who is willing to do what she has to to protect the children in her care, especially Lily.  Lilly's grandfather will do anything to get her back, including hiring the best bounty hunter in the state of Texas: Stone Hammond.  Stone soon finds out that what he thinks he's looking for is not
what he discovers. 

Karen Witemeyer amazes me with her storylines each time.  She creates characters that are believable and relatable to the reader. Her characters are so deep and multidimensional, it's easy for the reader to get snagged by the story. I know this is the goal of every writer, however few manage to do it as well as Karen Witemeyer. 

A Worthy Pursuit kept me enthralled. After reading the prologue, I was hooked. I started reading in the early evening and did not finish until around 2 AM. It has the right mixture of romance, adventure, depth, and humor for a great read.  Woven throughout is the theme of trusting in God's faithfulness. It's refreshing to be reading a book for pleasure and also be reminds of spiritual truths I need to apply to my own life. 

If you've read books by Karen Witemeyer in the past and loved them, read this book. If you've read her books and didn't love them, read this book. If you've never read her books, read this book. I promise: you won't be disappointed. 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. My opinions are my own.*




A Worthy Pursuit is worth your time!

Karen Witemeyer is an author who quickly became a favorite of mine with her multidimensional characters and charming storylines.  If I had to choose a favorite from her books, there would be several at the top of the list. Among those books would be A Worthy Pursuit. 

Charlotte is a former headmistress who is willing to do what she has to to protect the children in her care, especially Lily.  Lilly's grandfather will do anything to get her back, including hiring the best bounty hunter in the state of Texas: Stone Hammond.  Stone soon finds out that what he thinks he's looking for is not
what he discovers. 

Karen Witemeyer amazes me with her storylines each time.  She creates characters that are believable and relatable to the reader. Her characters are so deep and multidimensional, it's easy for the reader to get snagged by the story. I know this is the goal of every writer, however few manage to do it as well as Karen Witemeyer. 

A Worthy Pursuit kept me enthralled. After reading the prologue, I was hooked. I started reading in the early evening and did not finish until around 2 AM. It has the right mixture of romance, adventure, depth, and humor for a great read.  Woven throughout is the theme of trusting in God's faithfulness. It's refreshing to be reading a book for pleasure and also be reminds of spiritual truths I need to apply to my own life. 

If you've read books by Karen Witemeyer in the past and loved them, read this book. If you've read her books and didn't love them, read this book. If you've never read her books, read this book. I promise: you won't be disappointed. 

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. My opinions are my own.*