‘The Key to the Kingdom’ by Jeff Dixon – Book Review

I have been a fan of anything Disney-related for as long as I can remember. So when I read about a book called ‘The Key to the Kingdom’ by Jeff Dixon, I knew I had to read it!

Here is the synopsis of this interesting novel:

In this world, Disney trivia is no game…and the ancient key is the only way out.

Grayson Hawkes learns how imaginative and elaborate Walt Disney World is when he accepts an invitation that lands him in a world he never knew existed. Suddenly unraveling a perplexing puzzle and trying to solve a mysterious disappearance, Hawkes navigates through the kingdom where knowledge of seemingly unimportant Disney facts, and some divine help, are the only way he can discover the answers and get out.

Some of the lines between right and wrong begin to blur, and telling the difference between real and unreal becomes nearly impossible. Loyalty to faith, family, and friends are stretched to the extreme in a pulse quickening adventure through a magical place where dreams really do come true.

Here is the biography of this author:

Jeff Dixon was raised in Florida and has always been fascinated with the man Walt Disney and the theme park he created. Dixon feels that any guest who would take the time to look would discover a story that will never be completed. It is against this canvas that Dixon paints this mystery, adventure, and thriller. The epic drama carries the reader across the state of Florida to discover details that most people have missed. Each discovery and revelation will have the reader wondering if they are reading fact or fiction. In a quickening pace, the characters find themselves on a collision course with an unthinkable outcome! Fans of Walt Disney will love the history and tourists will find a travel guide that takes them on a trip most guests never get to take.

Jeff s a storyteller. Each week he researches ancient manuscripts and examines them for content, meaning, and understanding and describes his findings, using illustrations, to a crowd of listeners at Covenant Community Church in Central Florida. Some people might call this preaching (but that can sound so boring!).

Jeff brings an intensity and passion to communicating that incorporates his early years in Orlando, working at Disney World; his educational trek that landed him at Southwestern Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas; and the latitudinal and longitudinal journey ministering in churches trying to impact the world. Jeff loves living in the heart of Florida with his family, his friends, and his annual pass to Walt Disney World.

Here is the book trailer for this adventurous tome:

Key To The Kingdom Trailer from Marc Percy on Vimeo.

And here is Jeff answering some questions about his book:

Key to the Kingdom: Questions Received About the Story from Marc Percy on Vimeo.

The main character in this book, Dr. Grayson Hawkes, who is a pastor, has a long history of Disney love. Here we learn some background information, as well as a peek at the magical kingdom created by Walt Disney:

Growing up in Orlando and taking more trips to the Walt Disney World Resort than he could remember gave Hawk a familiarity with Disney property that would rival any expert’s. The Key to the Kingdom tour was meeting at the City Hall on Main Street, USA. In order to get there as fast as possible, Hawk decided to park at the Contemporary Hotel and walk across to the entrance of the Magic Kingdom. Pulling past the security stand at the Contemporary and heading toward the parking area, Hawk took a moment and looked at the futuristic building rising up in front of him. When the Magic Kingdom resort opened, the Contemporary was one of the two hotels that were part of the grand opening celebration. The monorail track that stretch from the Ticket and Transportation Center to the Main Gate passed through the Polynesian Resort Hotel and the Grand Floridian on one side of Bay Lake and through the interior of the Contemporary Resort on the other. Each time Hawk remembered the first time he rode on the monorail as a child it brought a smile to his face. It has almost taken his breath away as he looked out the window when the monorail moved from the outside of the hotel to the interior. It was a childhood memory that was burned into his young mind forever. (p. 29)

That passage transported me back to my first visit to Walt Disney World, when I was about ten years old. Riding on the monorail through the Contemporary Hotel and staying at the Polynesian Resort Hotel are two incredible childhood memories.

One thing I learned about Disney World that I found to be extremely intriguing was Pal Mickey; I had heretofore been unfamiliar with this incredible invention:

…The design of Pal Mickey began in the year 2000 as Imagineers began to flirt with ways that wireless devices could be used to enhance the guest experience in the theme parks. This technology would allow the guest to receive practical and helpful information but also allow the Imagineers to communicate some of the rich stories and details that were such an important part of the design of each unique park. Throughout the Walt Disney World Resort hundreds of hidden infrared transmitters emit information to the toy. The end result is a transponder network designed to keep the Pal Mickey constantly receiving and able to dispense information. The computer system that runs the emitters as well as the computing power inside the doll itself is one that builds and stacks the information so it becomes a genuine interactive experience. (p. 69)

Unfortunately, this technology is no longer active inside the Resort, although Pal Mickey does figure prominently in this book.

Fortunately, Dr. Hawkes shares his faith in the midst of his great adventure. Here is a conversation between him and tour guide Kiran:

“I believe I have been called to follow Jesus. So I live my life based on trying my best to be a God follower. If I am serious about doing that, I have to trust the things that happen fit into God’s plan.”

“And that leaves no room for luck?”

“I guess not. Whatever happens good or bad, I remind myself God is in charge, and because He is in charge, I don’t spend a lot of time asking why. Instead I focus on what I should do or how I should react.” (p. 180)

This book makes me want to book a trip back to Walt Disney World TODAY! The last time I was down there was in January, 2009, when my husband Fred and I participated in the Walt Disney World Marathon (we passed through Epcot, the Animal Kingdom, the Magic Kingdom, and the Disney-MGM Studios). Unfortunately, after crossing the finish line, I had an extreme case of blisters on my heels (picture the skin of a shar pei pup; that’s what my heels looked like!), so wasn’t able to enjoy the Magic Kingdom after we completed the marathon. I greatly look forward to my next visit there!

'The Key to the Kingdom' is a natural for Disney fans! Mr. Dixon takes us behind the scenes, including a peek at the Utilidors, the nine acre network of tunnels underneath Disney World, where Disney characters can travel to their destinations, unseen by the general public, thereby keeping the magical mystique intact. I had heard about this secret aspect of Disney World, but had never ‘seen’ it the way I did in ‘The Key to the Kingdom.’

You can order this book here.

This book was published by Deep River Books and provided by Bring It On! Communications for review purposes. 

The Winner of 'A Word to the End Time Church' is....

The Random Number Generator has chosen a winner of 'A Word to the End Time Church' by Georgie Newman. That person is....


MarthaE


Congratulations, Martha! I will be emailing you to get your contact information. I pray you'll be blessed by this book!


To those of you who would like to read this book, you can order here.


Thanks again to Arielle from Bring It On! Communications for providing the book for giveaway!


And thanks to everyone who entered. Please keep visiting, as there will be more reviews and giveaways to come!

‘A Word to the End Times Church’ by Georgie Newman – Book Review and Giveaway

No one knows the day or the hour that Jesus will return to earth, but I am always interested in learning what others think about the topic, and how they interpret what will happen. In ‘A Word to the End Time Church,’ Georgie Newman shares her thoughts after being a Christ follower for over 30 years.

Here is the synopsis of this intriguing book:

Consider this a warning – A Word to the End Time Church – to those yet to establish a relationship with Jesus Christ needing to sincerely consider the claims of the Gospel. It is a warning of false prophets, lukewarm living, depending on an easy-believism gospel and relinquishing our responsibility by following a particular teaching.

Consider this a challenge – to Christians everywhere to check where they stand before the Lord and what they need to do for themselves and other so they do not miss out on the first resurrection.

Consider this a sounding alarm – that we need to prepare for our future based on correctly dividing the Word of God for ourselves, not depending on others interpretation – and an opportunity to prepare for the end to come, no matter what the timing is.

Consider the cost – Our future will be determined by our decisions on this earth, so we need to wake up, take responsibility for what we believe and prepare to endure no matter the cost.

As a collective the human race is rushing towards a culmination of a time that will seal their futures – forever.

Here is the biography of this author:

Georgie Newman lives in Australia and is a mother of three. She has been a part of her church using her unique teaching gifts in youth groups and ladies ministries as well as varying age small groups. As a prayer warrior, she has regularly brought prophetic words to her church and feels God called her in 1990 to “Prepare the Bride” for His return.

Georgie became a Christian over 30 years ago after a supernatural encounter with the Lord and since then her walk has been full of amazing experiences. She has been called to be a mouthpiece and is an integral part of the church. She has often laughed and wondered if her intensive training over the years is just to sound the triangle at the end of the symphony! If so, take note of what she has written.

I love how Georgie opens her book – with a Note to her Readers:

My prayer for you as you embark on reading this book is that your heart will be quickened by what you read, that your soul will be inspired to equip yourself and others, and that the result will be the total immersion of your spirit in Jesus’ presence and the living Word. Only then will you be nourished to the point of saturation and be able to endure the times ahead.

If you wish to run through fire unscathed, you need to saturate yourself in water so there is not one combustible strand the fire can utilize. So too in our lives. When hard times come, especially in the end times, we need to saturate ourselves with the Word and the Spirit so there is not one strand of weakness the enemy can use to bring us down. My prayer is that you will recognize the urgency of equipping yourself by studying the Word, living victoriously, and steadfastly enduring, no matter how the future plays out.

The First Section of the book is entitled ‘How Well Do You Know Him?’ it is important that we accept the free gift of salvation, which came at such a high cost to Jesus. Ms. Newman explains that there are many perks we receive as a result:

The perks of joining this kingdom are too numerous to mention, but listed below are seven foundational benefits:

1.   Escaping the eternal consequences of all that you have even said, thought, and done that was wrong

2.   A relationship with the living God

3.   Peace

4.   God’s Holy Spirit indwelling you, strengthening, guiding, and comforting you

5.   A purpose and destiny for your life

6.   Ensuring your future destination to a place designed for you

7.   Looking forward to a glorious future, free from fear, sickness, sadness, and death (p. 1)

There are many reasons why people don’t accept salvation. The first one mentioned is the belief that people have that God doesn’t exist:

Some people are satisfied with their lives and God is not on their agenda. These people would probably think it was ridiculous not to have a retirement scheme but fail to see the importance of preparing for their eternal “retirement.”

People who believe God doesn’t exist usually have a closed attitude to the possibility that they may be wrong. So to examine the claims of the gospel is unusual. They may have intellectually investigated the question of whether God exists, but He can only be revealed supernaturally by faith as people genuinely search for the truth. (p. 3)

One of the most important topics in the Christian faith in my life is that of grace. Georgie mentions it often in the book; here is one example:

The only way to succeed in this kingdom is by humbly walking in the narrow way, which is only possible by grace. Otherwise, after entering the kingdom, we will not endure or be able to live victoriously.

No matter how mature we may become, we will wrestle with sin as long as we live on this earth, so we need to continually draw on God’s grace. When we do sin, it is important to keep short accounts, asking and accepting God’s forgiveness, which He pours out by His grace. (p. 17)

One of the most valuable chapters in this book is entitled ‘How You Can Hear God Speaking to You.’ Two of the main ways are through the Word of God – the Bible – and through the Holy Spirit. Georgie does make an important point:

The Lord communicates with us in myriad ways. He does not always a write a spectacular message as he did on the wall during Belshazzar’s feast in Daniel 5:1-31. There are far more common ways we can expect to hear from Him.

It is important to be expectant and receptive to hearing the Lord in whatever way He chooses to speak to us. We must not limit God. (pp. 33-34)

Here is what the Bible does for us:

The Bible reveals the nature of God and explains how He wants to relate to humankind. It provides wisdom for us to know how to communicate with the Creator of the universe and provides a blueprint for how we can live a victorious life. It supplies us with the foundation of truth and a yardstick to gauge whether we are hearing correctly.

The Bible is God’s unfailing Word to us. If you believe the Lord is telling you something that goes against what the Bible teaches, don’t act on it.

God speaks to us and teaches us through Scripture. We need to ensure that what we understand the Bible is saying is correct by looking for supporting Scriptures. Scripture that is important to help establish foundational theology will be confirmed by many Bible references. (p. 34)

The second section of this book is entitled ‘Are You Ready?’ Georgie explains that we need to take the steps to be prepared:

This section will help you assess whether you are prepared for one of the greatest events ever to take place in the history of the world.

Building in earthquake areas are constructed with stability in mind. So too in our lives, it is wise to ensure that we are building on solid ground, with materials that are structurally sound.

We can check our foundation by questioning what beliefs we hold, and why. Personally studying the Bible’s teachings can be likened to using material that has proven to stand the test of time. Taking someone else’s word that an interpretation is correct, without personally checking its validity, is like using nonstructural timber in the framework of a building.

Being personally responsible for what we believe strengthens us to mature. Maturity and wisdom will safeguard us from presumption, wrong teaching, enemy attacks, and times of wavering. We will rely on faith rather than fear. (p. 73)

Being a marathoner, I enjoyed Chapter 12, ‘How Are You Running the Race?’:

As a spectator we may admire a marathon runner and aspire to be like him as we see him run in the public arena, receiving the adulation of the crowd. But how often do we consider the supreme sacrifice these runners pay to attain the status that qualifies them to run in these elite races, winning worldwide recognition and attaining coveted trophies?

We know there is a pain barrier that marathon runners need to run through to finish a race. But do we really think about how bad that would be? Do you realize that many athletes train to the point of vomiting?

Running well the Christian race will win us a prize worth far more than any earthly reward. Yet as soon as we experience the first twinge of pain, many of us draw back. Marathon runners shun pain and distractions,  because the most important things to them is to win.

Is winning the most important thing in your life? Just as marathon runners are single minded in their endeavors to win, so too must we be. We need self-discipline, not only to train but to endure. A passion not to be distracted or double minded. A willingness to suffer the pain no matter the cost. (pp. 81-82)

One point on which Ms. Newman and I differ is addressed in Chapter 13, ‘Is It True: Once Saved Always Saved?’ I happen to believe that nothing can take away our salvation once we accept that free gift. Georgie disagrees. I do agree with her summary of the chapter:

No matter what the subject, do not build on sand by accepting someone else’s opinion, embracing a church fad, or emotively accepting doctrine with only a couple of Scripture references to support it. Use wisdom to confirm whether what you believe is indeed truth, especially doctrine that can affect your eternal destiny or your daily walk. Through challenging our beliefs can be difficult, it is far better to do so than to be misled. Let each of us rise up and take on the responsibility of studying the Word for ourselves. (p. 92)

I loved her invitation in Chapter 24:

Do you want to accept this offer that is too good to refuse? If so, are you willing to admit that you are not perfect, to change any attitudes and behaviors that are self-centered or damaging to yourself and others, and be born again, becoming a new creation in Christ? Are you prepared to commit 100 percent, no turning back? If so, ask Jesus to forgive you for all the things you have said and thought and done that have been wrong and ask Him to cleanse you completely. Acknowledge Him as your Lord and Savior and invite Him into your heart. (p. 147)

I found this book to be informative to the new believer and a strong reminder for the long-time Christ follower. I thank Georgie for sharing her wisdom with the readers of this book.  

This book was published by VMI Publishers, and provided by Bring It On! Communications for review and giveaway purposes.

You can order this book here.

_____________________________________

I have one copy of this book to pass along; thanks to Arielle at Bring It On! Communications for generously providing this copy! 

There are several ways to gain entry:           

1) Leave a comment here on the blog, giving me your thoughts on how you feel you need to be prepared for Jesus’ Return. Please make sure to leave your email address in this format – sample[at]gmail[dot]com. 

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So there are numerous chances to enter and therefore win! Please limit one entry per option (except for the Twitter option), and don’t forget to include your email address, or, sad to say, the Random Number Generator will have to choose a different winner.

This giveaway is for U.S. residents only. The deadline for entry is Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 11:59 p.m. EST. One winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator on Friday, March 4, 2011 and will be contacted via email. The best to all of you - and thanks for reading!

Another Book Winner - of 'Apocalypse 2012' - Is....

The Random Number Generator has chosen the latest book winner here - for John Claey's 'Apocalypse 2012: The Ticking of the End Time Clock.' That blessed person is....


Anne Payne


Congratulations, Anne! I will be in touch today to get your mailing address.


To those of you who'd like to order your own copy, I would appreciate if you'd order from this link! Thanks!


Thanks to Arielle at Bring It On! Communications for providing the review and giveaway copies!


Please stay tuned for more reviews and giveaways!