How are you doing on your reading goals this year? This is my first year setting an actual reading goal, as you see in the image above. I'm reading and logging my finished books into the Goodreads app. So, I've been pretty busy this summer. ;) I'm curious. . . what is the largest number of books you've read in a year? Let me know in the comments. There have been so many fascinating books that have hit the list this year. From a True Crime book about the Mafia, to spiritually refreshing ones like Victim of Grace, to a historical fiction tale with time-traveling twists. Each read has been unique, and so fun to delve into! Starting #19 tonight! :) If you're curious about finding a new read, or a new author, check out the slide-show below. (These were some of the titles I read this year.)
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Happy Summer, friends! I haven’t posted on here in a while, so I thought I would do a post about what I’ve been up to lately. What I’m reading: Victim of Grace by Robin Jones Gunn. I’m more than halfway through this gold-mine of a book. It’s chock-full of truth, relatable struggles, and displays of God’s magnificent grace. Robin shares struggles she’s been through, and her stories tug deeply at the heart level. I’ve teared up multiple times and have been so amazed at God’s goodness, not only in Robin’s life, but in all of our lives. If you’re tempted to think of yourself as a victim of your circumstances, this book will teach you to look again—to gain the right perspective—and reveal to you that you are a victim of grace, God’s grace. Verses that Speak Since I’ve been reading Victim of Grace, I stumbled upon a verse in Joshua 23 that has really given me pause, and to ground myself in the truth God repeats here in His word. 14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. I had to stop and consider. . . do I really know this, in my heart and in my soul, that not one thing has failed that God has spoken concerning me and concerning His people? Do I know that I can take Him at His Word, and that whatever word He utters can be absolutely trusted? He has not failed ONCE. This theme also happened to go hand-in-hand with the sermon we just listened to this past Sunday. God gave Jesus to us for a witness, and the pastor was pointing out that Jesus is the only true witness. There are false witnesses in the world—the Bible does warn us of them. But Jesus is a faithful witness. The pastor also posed a simple question to the congregation. In light of this truth, then why don’t we believe Him, and take Him at His Word? This was just something lingering on my heart that I wanted to share with you. Writing Between work and other events, I have been lacking in this area. I haven’t written a story in over a year; just a smattering of random scenes in my head to keep exercising this writing muscle. I am, however, hoping (and praying) that I can get some writing time in during the summer months. A couple of writer friends had some encouraging words to say about the story I’m planning to polish and revise, in hopes of submitting it to a publisher somewhere. Prayers for this re-writing and editing stage would be appreciated! <3 Peter’s story Some of you may have read the snippets I posted on Instagram and Facebook, of a scene written from apostle Simon Peter’s point-of-view. I have really found a new niche in this area, combining my love of writing fiction, with biblical truth. For those of you who haven’t read it, here is a gift from my heart to yours. 😊 Flames danced and licked at the coals, drawing my attention once more. And I let the memory have its way with me, penetrating me with its darkness.
Art not thou also one of his disciples? Did not I see thee in the garden with him? I shivered, clenching my teeth as the thoughts pummeled me again. Why? Why? Why had I done it? The pain still felt so fresh, and it scraped my heart raw just thinking of it. There was no rooster to crow at me today. No bitter tears as I fled the palace grounds. No friend turning to look on me, knowing what I had done–before and after the fact. My eyes slid shut, head bowed. Who was I to have been the recipient of His mercy, especially after all I'd done to Him? Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? A swell of joy escaped my tight throat, my answer the same today as it was back then. "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee." I breathed the salty air in, peace descending over me. Feed my sheep. My command. My purpose. And this time, I was determined. I was not going to let Him down. By God's grace, I would not make the same mistake again. And then I heard the word again, a whisper echoing across time and eternity. Follow me. "To the ends of the earth, Lord." I murmured. Isn't that cover stunning? 😍
In This Moment was an epic adventure from page one! I went into this book blindly (this makes it SO much more enjoyable), and I was blown away by the plot twists and the secrets revealed. There were several moments where I gasped out loud, I was so surprised! Sometime last year, I remember browsing through one of the online book retailers and reading about this book. It sounded intriguing, involving time-traveling (or time crossing in this case), and a woman living in three different time periods. What’s the catch? Maggie only has until her 21st birthday to choose one world she’ll remain in for the rest of her life, while forfeiting her other two lives and all she holds dear in them. When I did more research into this book, it was a delight to find out that there was a book before In This Moment. And that is: When the Day Comes. (I never got around to posting about this AMAZING first book in the Timeless series.) If you love historical fiction, with elements of faith, romance, war, and intrigue, go pick up When the Day Comes first. . . and then snag this one as well. Note: These books should be read in order! Also, grab a box of tissues. These novels should come with tissue warnings. 😉 Thank you for writing this meaningful story, Gabrielle! The faith threads were especially encouraging, and relatable, and they tied in really well with all the other elements of the story. God has given you an amazing gift, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity He gave me to read your wonderful books. Can't wait for book three! 😀 A friend posted this graphic on Instagram, encouraging us to share 10 of the books that have framed our lives up to this point. I filled in all the blanks, sent it out into the social media world, and then I realized, Wait. Each book had a small paragraph of explanation, like a fragment of my heart, and I wanted to share with you today. (Note: There was no room to fit the paragraphs on Instagram. Can I say, #writerstruggles? Haha!) Alrightyy. . . let's begin! ;) 1. Kathleen's Enduring Faith by Tracy Leininger Craven. How old was I when I read this book? I don't remember, but what I do remember is that it terrified me for various reasons. It was set around the time of the Civil War, when the different races were being divided. I'm so glad I didn't know the Ku Klux Klan (mentioned in this book) was a real group till I was older. My younger self might have been scared to know they were real. . . This was the first time there was a death of a beloved character involved and it was SO SAD. 😭 2. The Secret in the Old Attic by Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew Mysteries #21) When asked about reading, I can't leave out Nancy Drew books! These stories were a big part of my childhood, as I devoured book after book, sometimes one in a day. This one in particular, had a scene SOOO scary that I didn't want to read it at night. I remember talking to my cousin about it, too, and how it was "creepy." 😂 I was old enough, at this point, to enjoy reading about the things girls like to talk about (aka: ROMANCE, BOYS, ETC) and this was the turning point in my reading. . . when I realized that there was a whole genre that existed for just that purpose. Besides, the "romance" in these books was. . . I wouldn't even call it juvenile. 😂🤣 3. The Preacher's Daughter by Beverly Lewis. (Amish) Isn't that cover STUNNING? I thought so, at 10 maybe 11 years old, the day I saw them sitting on my Mom's bedside table. As soon as I got permission to read them, I dove in and thus began my love for Amish fiction. It was fascinating, learning about the group of people who drive buggies, don't use electricity, and have 3-hour sermons preached to them every other Sunday. In part, reading Beverly Lewis' books, was what spurred me on to write stories of my own at 12 years old. And can you guess what genre I started writing in? 😉 4. A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller (Nonfiction) This was a powerful book, that gave life to the analogy of the shepherd/sheep relationship and how it relates to our walk with Jesus. SO, so good! I've read it twice, and this is one of the non-fiction books that stands out in my mind. 5. Marcia Schuyler by Grace Livingston Hill (Christian Romance) Sorry, I don't have a picture of this book. I read this one twice, and it is a memorable read. Several scenes stick out vividly. . . ones that are giving me inspiration for my own stories. ;) 6. The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White (Historical) Up till this point (2019), I had never cracked open a historical fiction book because of that scary word, "historical." Was this just going to be another boring history lesson, like the ones I had to sit through during my school years? NO way! This was my first taste of historical fiction, intertwined with romance (OF COURSE 😂) and I fell in love. Reading about history this way is much more fun, and even entertaining! I am happy to say that at least seventy-five percent of the books I read now, are historical fiction. 7. A Rumored Fortune by Joanna Davidson Politano (Historical) Time to confess: I was a little skeptical about this one. I won this book, and another of Joanna's, through a contest on social media and she was a new-to-me author. When I saw a review from the author of the previous book, I gained some confidence and started this one. And I'm so thankful I did. A crack inside this book will give you a mystery, and a theme that is well grounded in truth and full of faith threads. It was the first time the spiritual themes had been more noticeable, and I devoured this one! Joanna's books aren't "preachy" either, at least to me. I enjoy it when authors tie in scripture that goes along with the plot. :) For instance, the main character's father owned a vineyard, and the spiritual theme was along the lines of the Vine and the branches. Very memorable! 8. Yours is the Night by Amanda Dykes (Historical) Does this book look familiar? I posted about it two years ago, and I still can't say enough great things about this story. It was breathtaking, and brilliantly executed. A story of darkness, a fight for the light, of hope, and so much more. I remember closing it, and just sitting there thinking: Wow! It was a powerful depiction of war, but also of the hope and the life that can spring from it, as hard as that is to imagine sometimes. 9. Shadow by Kara Swanson (YA Fantasy) Cue the pixie dust and be prepared to fly to a side of Neverland you've never known before. This Peter Pan retelling was incredible. I'd heard so many great things about the duology, and a couple years after book one released, I snagged this one as well. This was darker than I ever could have expected, and yet, it's in the darkness that we can see the light the best. It was a book I needed to read, and a lesson I needed to be reminded of. To chase those shadows away, and to fight them with the Light. My first taste of a YA fantasy book, and a re-telling no less! So great! 10. The Cross in the Experience of our Lord by R.A. Finlayson (Nonfiction)
Another powerful book right here, friends! Before reading this, I didn't realize the different stages and variations in the words of Isaiah 53:5 had a deeper meaning. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." The most powerful demonstration of Jesus' love for us is when He died on the cross, when we were still His enemies and pitted against Him. And we have hope now, a great hope, because He rose again! Hallelujah! Thanks for sticking around! I hope you enjoyed this timeline of books that have shaped and impacted my life. Now it's your turn! Tell me any number of books that have impacted your life in a powerful way. I look forward to hearing about some of them. "In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah." Psalm 44:8
What great things have you accomplished in your lifetime? What gifts and talents do you possess and seek to use for the greater good? Let me tell you about where you got them and Who gave them to you. But first, let me tell you a historical account. There was a nation whose forefathers boasted of great works done in their day. Works such as: having a heathen nation cast out of their own land, and this new nation being planted there, as a replacement. The thing was, they didn't gain this land on their own. It didn't become their possession because of how well they wielded a sword, or how strong their arm was. No, these forefathers did not take the route we often do, boasting in ourselves and of all that WE accomplished. They boasted in another, in God Almighty, by whose right hand and holy arm they received this Promised Land. (Read more about Israel in Psalm 44:1-8) Now, back to our gifts and talents. I guess my point is this: all of our "smarts", gifts, and strengths exist within us because God gave them to us. He created us with these talents, to use for His purposes. What do we do with this knowledge? Let's strive to follow the example of Israel's forefathers and boast in the One who gave us not only our talents, but life, grace, mercy, and so much more. Truly, without Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5b) Boast in God, friends. :) |
AuthorHi! I'm Carolyn, a writer seeking to glorify God with my words. Archives
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