Daring to Hope - Finding God's Goodness in the Broken and Beautiful by Katie Davis Majors

When Katie Davis Majors, founder or Amazima Ministries, moved to Uganda she did not know what challenges and heartaches she would encounter. After adopting 13 children, her life was busy and full. In spite of all of her responsibilities, that did not stop her from opening her home to those in need. She cared for people dying of AIDs, those, struggling with addiction, and those who were orphaned. She did not do this at a distance, but many times caring for individuals in her own home.

In the midst of  all this tragedy and heartache, she asked the questions, "Is  God really good? "Does He really love us?" In the pages of this book you will find how Katie struggled with her questions and the answers she discovered through the pages of Scripture. Above all she found that her hope in God will never leave her disappointed.

Her struggles and sorrows may be different from the average person, but the questions remain the same. Katie's story will encourage readers to be reminded of the gifts of joy in the midst of sorrow.
Her honesty and transparency is evident in the pages of this book and I highly recommend it.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Calm, Cool and Connected by Arlene jPellicane

This is a great little book for anyone who feels overwhelmed with staying connected using technology. The author gives you 5 digital habits for a more balanced life. You don't need to throw away your smart phone, but instead set some common sense boundaries. These five habits are: Hold down the off button; Always put people first; Brush daily: live with a clean conscience; I will go online with a purpose; and Take a hike. This practical book will help anyone seeking to declutter their lives in using social media and technology.

I received this book from Moody Publishers for this honest review.

The Yes Effect by Luis Bush with Darcy Wiley

This book is a collection of inspiring stories about people who said yes to God. Some involved taking big risks and being in uncomfortable situations to follow God's lead. The author, Luis Bush, is the originator of the 10/40 Window concept and reflects on his experiences in watching God move through the "Yes" of His people. This is an encouragement to all Christians to say "Yes" to God wherever they are and make a difference in the lives of those around them or in distant lands. It was be a great book to read in a small group setting to discuss how to live a life involved in making a difference in others' lives.

I received this book from Moody Publishers for this honest review.   

Many Sparrows by Lori Benton

The year is 1774 and the Ohio-Kentucky border is the location for this work of historical fiction. Despite rising tensions between the white settlers and the Indians, Philip Inglesby packs up his family including a four year old son, Jacob, and his pregnant wife, Clare, and heads west. When their wagon breaks down, Philip goes back for help leaving Clare and Jacob alone. When Philip doesn't return, Clare begins to go into labor and is off in the woods to avoid waking Jacob. When she returns, she finds Jacob missing and assumes he was kidnapped.

Jeremiah Ring comes along and assists Clare in delivering her baby and leads her to the Shawnee people to help her find Jacob. As she lives among the Shawnee people waiting for her son to be given back to her from the
 Indian widow to whom he was given, she learns a great deal about being still and trusting God in the midst of this situation.

I found this a very interesting book about this time period. The characters were well developed and I found myself sympathetic to both the Indians and white settlers as they each sought revenge for the wrongs the other side committed.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

The Great Quake by Henry Fountain

Natural disasters are greatly in the news today with the recent hurricanes wrecking havoc in Florida and Texas. However, my guess is not a lot of people were aware of the biggest earthquake which occurred in North America on March 27, 1964 in Alaska. This quake devastated the southern part of the state and more than 130 people were killed. The author not only describes the actual event from the perspective of witnesses to the quake, but details the investigations of geologists following the devastation.

As a result of these investigations following this magnitude 9.2 earthquake, geologist George Plafker confirmed the previously controversial theory of plate tectonics. This book is a thorough description of the work of geology and the aftermath of earthquakes It is well researched  and well written.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.