Is this the end for Gideon and Lonnie?

My Hope Is Found,the third book in Joanne Bischof's series The Cadence of Grace, did not disappoint. Continuing with the story of Gideon and Lonnie, a love triangle emerges in the Appalachian mountains which is not resolved until the end.

Picking up at the end of Though My Heart Is Torn, Gideon is heading back to his beloved Lonnie and Jacob. Unfortunately, several setbacks keep him from arriving at his destination quickly and even once he has arrived the paperwork indicating his freedom to marry Lonnie has not been completed. While Gideon is gone, Lonnie struggles to begin a new life for herself, her son Jacob, and young sister Addie. An eligible bachelor introduced in the previous book finds himself smitten with Lonnie and declares his intentions. When Gideon re-appears, the two young men find themselves both vying for Lonnie's hand and tangling with each other as well. Fortunately , Jedediah Bennett intervenes forcing them to resolve their differences.

Bischof does a good job of developing all three of characters in this triangle. Each one struggles with a variety of self-doubts and concerns over past choices and future decisions as they seek to both follow God and find everlasting love. Gideon in particular experiences difficulty resolving his feelings of love for Lonnie and his knowledge of the respectability and good name her other suitor would provide for his young family.

My Hope Is Found is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys gentle frontier romances. Libraries will definitely want to stock this series and the included reader's guide makes it perfect for book groups. I would highly recommend reading all three of these books in sequence as the story line develops in each book. I hope that Bischof continues this story. I would be interested in knowing what the future holds in store for Cassie and Toby as well as enjoying more tales of Lonnie and Gideon's sure to be growing family. Readers may learn more about this book and others in the series by listening to a podcast with author Joanne Bischof and by reading the first chapter of each title.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Blogging for Books (http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/). 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.”

When Coming Apart Puts You Back Together

Undone: When Coming Apart Puts You Back Together, as the title indicates, focuses on stripping ourselves of masks and facades, or literally becoming undone, in order to allow ourselves to be what God wants us to be. Laura Sumner Truax, pastor at Chicago's LaSalle Street Church, opens by sharing the experience when she became undone and continues with complete transparency. So often, regardless of how long someone has been a Christian, individuals have broken relationships and unfulfilled expectations, a list of "shoulds" that need to be completed in order to present the image of having life all together, hide behind a variety of masks, and fear having their true self discovered. By combining a variety of anecdotes from her own life, as well as from literature and movies, with insightful depictions from a variety of Bible characters, Truax encourages readers to remove these masks of being good and busy we use to deceive ourselves and others. She then reminds readers we do not have to earn God's love and it is okay to be ordinary rather than perfect. The first step of accepting ourselves as ordinary begins by acknowledging our reality and fears.

After laying this groundwork, Truax reminds readers to have a child-like trust that God is working for us. Each success is precipitated by a failure which urges us to begin again to love others and show God's love as a community of believers. This love begins with the small, daily choices we make to show God's love to others. Truax emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with a community of believers who will both encourage and sharpen you. Reflecting on Undone by Laura Sumner Truax, two items which stand out in my mind is her complete transparency and the skillful manner in which she interweaves a variety of Bible stories into this book. I particularly enjoyed her reminder that while we are all called to be activists, we "are not all called to meet all the needs and pray all the prayers, but we are called to meet and pray for some" (p. 189). We are all called to champion different issues and need not feel badly that we are not as passionate about some issues as other people. The larger Christian community needs and benefits from the multitude of prayers and concerns.

Undone has a great discussion guide making it ideal for use in a Sunday School class or small group for a weekly study or as a one time book club discussion. It is a book to be read slowly and to mull over the concepts rather than to gobble quickly. While the target audience seems to be college age and young professionals, any one who has ever wondered if this is all there is to life will benefit from reading this book. I hope to visit LaSalle Street Church on my next jaunt to Chicago.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from InterVarsity Press. 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.”

Sequel is better.

Though My Heart Is Torn by Joanne Bischof
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had previously read and reviewed Be Still My Soul which I had enjoyed so I was excited to find book two in this series. Be Still My Soul was good but Though My Heart Is Torn was "I can't put this down" good. Lonnie and Gideon have developed a warm, loving marriage only to have the life they have built torn apart. They both independently work on putting their broken lives back together and yearning to follow God as best they can. Very well written! The third book in The Cadence of Grace series, My Hope is Found, will be released on October 15. Watch for a review to be posted soon.

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Needing Some Inner Happy? Read Renewed

Some time ago I received a copy of Lucille Zimmerman's recent release Renewed: Finding Your Inner Happy in an Overwhelmed World. I was apparently very overwhelmed as it took quite a while for be to have the time to actually sit down and read this book. Once I was able to read it, I was very glad I did and I'm certain you will be too.

Lucille Zimmerman is a licensed counselor as well as a professor and sought after speaker. The wealth of her experiences comes through in her book Renewed. Her writing style is very personal, yet includes enough citations and a biblbligraphy for readers to know there is solid evidence behind her words of wisdom. While reading, I felt like Zimmerman understood the issues I and other women face but did not talk down or belittle us for dealing with them. She also avoids the dualistic debate between working moms and stay-at-home moms.

After an introduction discussing why self-care is important, Renewed delves into a different self care topic in each of the 14 chapters. While many of the types of self-care mentioned aren't new, Zimmerman reminds readers that they are important and worth the time needed to pursue them. I particularly enjoyed the examples and tips given at the end of each chapter which provide examples of how to put more of that specific type of self-care into your life. Feeling in need of a little solitude but needing some new ideas? Turn to page 79-80.

This book would be an excellent choice for a ladies' book group to read and discuss the entire book in one sitting or for a study group to read and discuss one chapter per week. A one chapter per week format would definitely encourage readers to put the strategies into practice. Counselors may find this a useful resource to have available as suggested reading for clients or as a reference for the great self-care suggestions. Recommended for women of all ages but particularly for younger women who are learning to balance multiple demands.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Abingdon Press. 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.”

Quiet: Life Changing Resource

When I first picked up the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain, I was hooked from the second sentence on the back cover referencing those “who innovate and create but dislike self-promotion” and thought to myself “I’m not alone in the world!” As I began reading the book, I found myself repeating this response frequently. Being a book lover, I typically abhor writing in books, but I found myself underlining and starring many important points Cain makes throughout this work. I can honestly say I loved this book and it has impacted me more than many other books I have read recently.

Cain begins by describing the temperaments of introversion and the “extroverted ideal.” While not putting down this ideal, she describes how the extroverted ideal and the culture of personality were not always seen as ideal and how society has shifted from valuing the characteristics of quieter introverts to the current emphasis on loud extroverts. For example, in today’s culture individuals who talk more are seem as leaders and are more likely to have their ideas accepted even if the idea isn’t that great. I imagine many introverts related to the examples of being passed over for jobs or promotions because they were quiet rather than loud. Cain researched Quiet very thoroughly and includes 271 endnotes. While including many examples and anecdotes, every concept is backed up by research as well.

Since receiving a copy of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain to review, I have heard references to this ground-breaking work in a variety of conference presentations and in conversation with others. Originally published in 2012 in hardback, the copy I received was published in 2013 as a paperback and includes a reader’s guide. Quiet is a book that needs to be read by teachers, leaders, professors, and anyone who interacts with others in any manner. After reading Quiet, introverts will understand themselves much better and realize they are not inferior or less of a person for being introverted. Extroverts will have a better understanding of their introverted colleagues and be better able to work with them.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Blogging for Books (http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/). 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.”

Murder Past Due by Miranda James

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I recently discovered the Cat in the Stacks mystery series.  I picked up book 3 first but was hooked from the first page and quickly read the others in the series.  I enjoyed the main character Charlie.  I loved how Diesel, his cat, is allowed to accompany him so many different places.  The characters are enjoyable and I love the southern charm.  A great series to read when you need something lighter that still makes you think.



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Miss Dimple Disappears by Mignon F. Ballard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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