‘Dancing with My Father: How God Leads Us into a Life of Joy and Grace’ by Sally Clarkson – Book Review and Giveaway

Sally Clarkson is a popular speaker who has worked in various ministries for more than thirty years.  She and her husband, Clay, are the founders of Whole Heart Ministries, which equips and encourages Christian parents.  They live with their four children outside of Colorado Springs, CO.  Her blog is entitled ‘I Take Joy.’

 

Her latest book, ‘Dancing with My Father: How God Leads Us into a Life of Joy and Grace,’ suggests that we should let our soul dance with delight in God.  This is from the back cover of the book:

         

When trusted author and mentor Sally Clarkson noticed a lack of joy in her own life, she realized how easy it can be, especially for women with overloaded to-do lists, to feel weighted down by drudgery and disappointment.  But rather than slogging through her days, Sally wanted to know the delight of God’s presence.  She began prayerfully exploring how to cultivate deep-rooted joy even in the midst of difficult seasons.

 

I am involved in a women’s small group at church called Gracestoration, which looks at different aspects of grace.  So I am working on that area.  But there is a lack of joy in my life, too; there is less joy than the Lord would like me to have.  So I was anxious to learn what Sally discovered.

 

A turning point came for Sally when she was observing the joyful dance of a little boy at a park in Krakow, Poland:

 

I knew I stood at a crossroad that would determine what kind of a Christian I would be from this point forward: victorious, lighthearted and free – or downcast, weighed down, and wounded.  I realize that I didn’t want to cross the finish line of life gasping for spiritual breath, clenching my teeth as I wearily crossed into the presence of God.  Although I didn’t want to be a Pollyanna, pretending away sadness, pain and difficulty and denying the real grieving that comes with loss and disappointment, I did want to find the good in all things, to experience the reality of God’s joy anew right in the middle of my trials and stresses. (p. 7) 

 

Sally places special emphasis on Jesus as the source of joy:

 

In the past couple of years, I have realized that it is as I ponder Jesus – think about Him, study Him, read about Him, model Him – that my life becomes more fully what it is supposed to be in all areas.  Jesus is the ultimate portrait of living with joy.  But even more, I have sought to understand what it means to love Him with my whole heart, as He so desires.  If Jesus, the man anointed with oil of joy and gladness was about serving others to the point of laying down His life for them, then serving others and giving myself to the cause of Christ must be the place in which I will find joy. (p. 198)

 

Sally, in her postscript, states that we all have to make the choice from our heart, before God, to follow His Son and to live a life of joy and grace.  It is an easy choice, isn’t it?!  I appreciate that Sally made that journey, and shares her finding with us!

 

'Dancing with My Father' comes complete with discussion questions at the end of each chapter, which I intend to work through.  I think this book would work wonderfully well for a women’s small group.

 

Other titles by Mrs. Clarkson include ‘The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child's Heart for Eternity,’ The Ministry of Motherhood: Following Christ's Example in Reaching the Hearts of Our Children,'  and ‘The Mom Walk: Keeping in Step with God's Heart for Motherhood.’

This book was provided to me for review and giveaway purposes by Waterbrook Press.

______________________________________________________________________

I have a copy of this book that I would love to pass along to one of you! 

There are several ways to gain entry:

1) Leave a comment here on the blog, telling me about how you cultivate joy in your own life.  Please make sure to leave your email address in this format – sample[at]gmail[dot]com.

2) Follow me on Twitter; I will more than likely follow you back!  If you are already a Twitter follower, that counts, too!  Please leave an additional comment to that effect.

3) Follow me as a Google Friend on this blog; if you are already a Friend, that counts, too!  Please leave an additional comment to that effect.

4) Become my Facebook friend.  Please leave a comment to that effect.

5) Follow this blog as a NetWorked Blog Follower after you’ve become my Facebook friend.  Please leave a comment to that effect.

So there are five chances to enter!  Please limit one entry per option.

This give away is for U.S. residents only.  The deadline for entry is Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST.  A winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator on Sunday, March 14, 2010 and will be contacted via email.  The best to all of you!

‘Mother-Daughter Duet: Getting to the Relationship You Want with Your Adult Daughter’ by Cheri Fuller and Ali Plum – Book Review and Giveaway

‘Mother-Daughter Duet’ is written by a mother/daughter team.  Cheri Fuller is the mother; she is a best-selling award-winning author whose books have sold a total of one million copies.  Cheri is also a speaker at women’s conferences and frequently guests on national radio and television programs.

Ali Plum, Cheri’s daughter, is a writer, songwriter, wife, and mother to Noah and Luke.  She’s recorded background vocals for popular musicians, and ‘Mother-Daughter Duet’ is her debut title.

Ali and Cheri, who have a blog with the same name as the book, explain their reason for writing this book:

Looking into the past to process what has happened in our relationship is the hardest thing either of us has ever done.  But we were willing to go there because we know what it’s like to come out of the struggle and conflict to relate as equals and adult friends and how enormously satisfying that is.  Because of our experience, we want to provide hope for discouraged moms who think their daughters are too far gone, or for the mom who simply doesn’t understand her daughter or just longs for a closer, more connected relationship. (p. 6)

I had a wonderful relationship with my mother as I reached adulthood; adolescence was another story!  She went home to be with the Lord on Christmas Eve, 2004.  I look forward to our reunion in heaven!

Being that my mother is no longer on this planet, and the only daughter I have is an English Cocker Spaniel, Shelby (!), I was not sure how much I would glean from this book.  However, I found it to be helpful for relationships apart from the mother/daughter relationship.  I am a women’s small group leader at church, and I appreciated the information on Generational Differences found in chapter 2, in particular. 

Chapter 13 is entitled ‘The Power of Forgiveness.’  One paragraph that dealt with leaving the past behind really resonated with me:

Up to that point, Mom couldn’t seem to let herself off the hook.  She even took responsibility for things that had really been my responsibility or failures.  I, in turn, mirrored her tendency toward shame and lack of forgiveness of self.  I most wanted her to acknowledge her own worth and to claim it with confidence instead of staying stuck in a mode of self-criticism or perfectionism.  (p. 196)

Another important subject that is discussed is fear:

…..we need to face the fact that our fear is not faith; it is not demonstrating faith in God.  We need to let go of our fear.   But sometimes this kind of letting go is the most excruciating thing a mother can do when she’s very concerned about her daughter…. (p. 114)

These ladies are not afraid to tackle difficult subjects either.  They write about addictions, struggling in a crisis, postpartum depression, etc…

This book includes discussion questions for each chapter, so this book could work for a small group study.  I think it would be neat if mothers and daughters came together to work through the questions, and learn more about each other!

Overall, although I came in reading 'Mother- Daughter Duet' thinking it may not necessarily be helpful in my personal situation, I was pleasantly surprised that that was not the case.  Human relationships are human relationships, so good advice in one case can be applied in other cases.  Cheri and Ali seem to have a wonderful relationship with each other, and I appreciate how they share what they have learned with others!


This book was provided to me by Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for review and giveaway purposes.
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I have two copies of this book that I would love to pass along to two of you! 

There are several ways to gain entry:

1) Leave a comment here on the blog, telling me about your relationship with your mother and/or daughter.  Please make sure to leave your email address in this format – sample[at]gmail[dot]com.

2) Follow me on Twitter; I will more than likely follow you back!  If you are already a Twitter follower, that counts, too!  Please leave an additional comment to that effect.

3) Follow me as a Google Friend on this blog; if you are already a Friend, that counts, too!  Please leave an additional comment to that effect.

4) Become my Facebook friend.  Please leave a comment to that effect.

5) Follow this blog as a NetWorked Blog Follower after you’ve become my Facebook friend.  Please leave a comment to that effect.

So there are five chances to enter!  Please limit one entry per option.

This give away is for U.S. residents only.  The deadline for entry is Friday, March 12, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST.  A winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator on Saturday, March 13, 2010 and will be contacted via email.  The best to all of you!

Winner of 'All Things Hidden' by Tricia Goyer is.....

Hi Friends!  The winner of Tricia Goyer's 'All Things Hidden,' as chosen by the Random Number Generator,  is (drum roll please!)....

Judy Lynn!

Congratulations, Judy Lynn!  I will be making contact with you via email today!

Thanks to everyone who entered!  Please come by often; there will be more book reviews and giveaways to come - plus whatever else strikes my fancy!

'Allegheny Hopes' by Janice A. Thompson - Book Review

Janice Thompson is the prolific author of many books.  The first book that I have read  is ‘Swinging on a Star’ in the ‘Weddings by Bella’ series.  I found it to be lighthearted and fun!

The latest book from Mrs. Thompson that I had the opportunity to read is ‘Allegheny Hopes.’  ‘Allegheny Hopes’ is a collection of romantic Christian fiction stories.  I found this to be a unique concept – three stories in one book, with the common element being that all three of the stories are set in the state of Pennsylvania.  And the other common element is that the main character in each story is learning to come to terms with mistakes in their past, and being able to move forward from there.

Janice, in her introduction, states:

“You will notice that each story has a prologue set in the past and then the first chapter jumps to the present.  Perhaps you can relate.  I pray that, in reading these stories, you will let the Lord release you from the sin/pain in your past.  May you, through the freedom He offers through His Son, step boldly into the future.  And may you, like these characters, know what it means to have a mountaintop experience – one as magnificent as the Alleghenies themselves!”

The first story, entitled ‘Red Like Crimson,’ is based in Philadelphia and highlights the story of Adrianne Russo, who works as a curator at the Franklin Institute.  Adrienne had grown up in a Christian home.  During her college years, she had engaged in conduct to which she thought there was no forgiveness.  Eight years later, she is still struggling with that choice.  God brought Christopher Bradley, the love of her life, to the museum one day.  During an event at her church, her pastor discussed the subject of forgiveness:

Adrianne listened intently, thankful for the Lord’s reminder that she could not only put the past behind her, but that He would remember it no more.

“How do we receive this forgiveness?” Pastor Monahan asked.  “When you come to the Lord, truly repentant, and put your trust in the work done on the cross, your sins are washed away.  Erased.  Doesn’t matter how big.  Doesn’t matter how bad.  The blood of Jesus was – and is – sufficient to wash away any trace or stain of sin.” (p. 70)

Another lesson that I appreciated in this story is that we are called to the mission field – and that our pasture is our mission field; we don’t have to go to a foreign country to do the work of the Kingdom.  Every day should be a day that we are led by the Holy Spirit to speak truth.

The second story, ‘White as Snow,’ is set in Pittsburgh.  There are three primary characters in this story – Brianna Nichols, her ‘Gran-Gran’ Abbey Nichols, and Brady Campbell, the new quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Brianna had been hurt and let down in life, and she was very protective of her heart, which actually kept her from experiencing joy in life.  God moved in this story by placing Brady in the duplex adjoining Brianna and Abbey.  Over time, healing took place on many fronts in all of their lives.

The third story, ‘Out of the Blue,’ is initially set in Paradise, Pennsylvania, in Lancaster County, the heart of Amish country.  I particularly enjoyed this section of the book, as I am a big admirer of the Amish culture.  I visited that area of Pennsylvania as a child, and have visited other Amish communities in Indiana and Ohio; I appreciate their peaceful and forgiving nature.

The main character in this story, Katie Walken, had decided to become an ‘Englisher,’ the name Amish people call the rest of us!  Twelve years after the time of the prologue, she is living in Doylestown, PA, (north of Philadelphia) living the busy life of a realtor.  One day in the office, she encountered her former Amish suitor, Karl Borg, who’d also left the Amish world and was now an attorney.   

This particular story is a great introduction to the Amish lifestyle.  Janice discusses many of their customs, including rumspringa, their funeral traditions, shunning, etc…

I enjoyed this book a great deal.  Mrs. Thompson writes with a light and entertaining touch, while at the same time focusing on important spiritual themes.  I particularly appreciated that she focused on the forgiveness and redemption that comes to us when we accept Jesus as our savior.  His crimson blood makes our sin as white as snow.  I am still in the process of accepting that He has completed the work already – on the cross.  He wants us to forgive ourselves as He has already forgiven us.  I think many Christians are still in process of accepting that, and I appreciate how Janice wants us to receive the freedom that comes in Christ.  I would highly recommend this book to those of you who enjoy romantic fiction – and particularly those of you who are still struggling with accepting forgiveness of self.

This book was generously provided to me by the author.

'Screen Play: A Novel' by Chris Coppernoll - Book Review

I had heard lots of raves about Chris Coppernoll and his latest novel, ‘Screen Play: A Novel.’  So I was excited about the opportunity to read it.

Here is the book trailer for ‘Screen Play: A Novel’:

This book tells the story of Harper Gray, an actress who was selected to be an understudy on Broadway to a very famous actress by the play’s director, who was a former college mate at Northwestern University in Chicago.  In the previous year, she struggled mightily, both personally and professionally, and was introduced to Jesus Christ by a lovely lady named Bella.  I was fascinated by the fact that Chris, a man, wrote this novel in the first person point of view.  As a female myself, I did not detect any incongruities in Chris’s style.  Harper is a lady, through and through!

It was truly miraculous to see how Harper’s life changed when she placed her faith in Jesus.  She continued to lean on Him (and His Holy Spirit) for guidance and direction, and her life became more and more full of His blessings.

A neat element of the story is how the characters, although they lived in New York City, the most populous city in the United States (and highly ranked in the world), they relied on the internet (i.e., online dating services, texting, etc…) to make connections with other people.  The title is a clever play on words for the interplay online and the occupation of the title character.

The storyline in this book was fast-paced and exciting.  I have never visited NYC, but was able to catch the pulse of the city.  And I was thrilled to see how a new believer, as Harper was, so easily and readily shared her faith, particularly in an industry like show business, which often berates and ridicules Christ-followers.

There are many twists and turns in this book.  It is textured and rich, and very realistic, yet at the same times provides a heartwarming story of God’s redemption and care for all of us.  I highly recommend this strong – and sweet – book. 

Chris is the author of several books, including ‘Providence: Once Upon A Second Chance’ and ‘A Beautiful Fall: A Novel.’  I was so charmed by the clever writing and heartfelt message of ‘Screen Play,’ I am eager to catch up on Chris’s previous novels.

In addition to being an author, he is also the founder of Soul2Soul, a syndicated radio program airing on 800 outlets in 20 countries. Chris holds a Masters degree from Rockbridge Seminary and is deeply in love with his wife, novelist Christa Parrish (as stated on his website).  

This book was published by David C. Cook and provided to me by the B & B Media Group, Inc. for review purposes.

'Saved by Her Enemy: An Iraqi Woman's Journey From the Heart of War to the Heartland of America' by Don Teague and Rafraf Barrak - Book Review

If you have been a viewer of network news over the past decade, you are more than likely familiar with the reporting of Don Teague.  He is currently a correspondent for CBS News, and appears regularly on the ‘CBS Evening News with Katie Couric,’ ‘The Early Show,’ and ‘Sunday Morning’; prior to that network, he was employed by NBC, and appeared regularly on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams (and Mr. Williams’ predecessor, Tom Brokaw), the 'Today' Show, and NBC’s cable news network, MSNBC.

Don Teague is the coauthor, with Rafraf Barrak, of the new release, 'Saved by Her Enemy: An Iraqi’s Woman’s Journey From the Heart of War to the Heartland of America.’  This interesting book tells the amazing story of Ms. Barrak, who was born in Baghdad, Iraq.  She was the fifth child in a family that would grow to ten children.  Rafraf’s interesting first name was bestowed upon her by her father.  He found the word in the Koran; she would be named after one of Allah’s promises – the paradise to come.  She was a student at Baghdad University until the time that the university had to be shut down (due to the war), then was employed by NBC as a translator.  Mr. Teague worked with her when he was assigned as a war correspondent there in 2004.  Ms. Barrak was raised as a Muslim, although she did have a rebellious streak (don't we all?!).

Rafraf and Don developed a strong bond after they survived a bomb attack at a school in Baghdad on February 16, 2004.  One of the bombs detonated; the one nearest them had a faulty detonator – sparing their lives.

Mr. Teague interprets the events of that day this way:

“I supposed it could have been luck, but to me the incident at the school had God’s fingerprints all over it.  I believe he can and does intervene in human events.  I don’t pretend to understand his timing or his ways, but I believe God allows some things for a purpose.     

                   But what purpose? I thought to myself.”  (p. 174)

As time went on, and Mr. Teague returned to the United States, the Iraqis who worked in concert with Americans were in danger on a more and more regular basis; it was a matter of vengeance to the insurgents.  Don promised Rafraf that he would do what he could do to help Rafraf gain entry into the United States.  She ultimately did arrive in the United States, and was welcomed into the Teague home as a member of their family by Don and his wife Kiki and their daughters, Rachael and Madison.  They truly exemplified the love of Christ to this young Muslim woman who had been indoctrinated by the Iraqi culture to think of Americans as being evil and vengeful toward her people.

I found this book to be very well-written; it had a conversation tone to it.  The parts which were written by Mr. Teague were in the first person; the sections written about Ms. Barrak were written in the third person.  I came away from this book admiring both of these people.  Don and his family lived out their faith, and Rafraf displayed an intelligence and confidence that were beyond expectation when you consider her background.     

One paragraph that is particular poignant to me is this:

“We [Don and his wife, Kiki] both believe what we do on earth matters, but what’s most important is what happens next.  Where does your soul go?  For us the answer is accepting Jesus.  He is the way to God and he paid a price we could never afford.  He loved us so much that he came down to walk with us, show us love and mercy and demonstrated through the cross that he had victory over death and that he wanted us to be with him forever in heaven.  All we had to do was believe and accept the gift.” (p. 279)

I was amazed and intrigued by 'Saved by Her Enemy' for several reasons.  For one thing, I was so happy to see that Don Teague, with his high profile, is so open about his faith in Jesus Christ.  It is heartwarming to me that, in this postmodern age, he is willing to share his faith in such a public forum as this book.  And I am grateful that Rafraf discovered the ultimate truth and love and salvation of Jesus Christ; His Holy Spirit met her right where she was!  If we never have the opportunity to meet on this earth, I look forward to rejoicing with them in heaven!  And I will continue to pray that they will be blessed in their endeavors to share their story.  

This book was provided to me by Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., for review purposes.

'Deliver Us From Evil' by Robin Caroll - Book Review

I always like to learn about the life of the author of the books I read.  I have been following Robin Caroll on Twitter and Facebook for a while; one gets a pretty accurate (albeit not complete) portrait of people that way.  I also took a peek at her website (www.robincaroll.com).  On the top right hand corner is Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  That verse has special significance for me, being an ambassador to the Christian ministry geared to elite athletes, Team 413.  So I was very excited about the prospect of reading her latest novel, ‘Deliver Us From Evil’!

I love book trailers; the one for ‘Deliver Us From Evil’ is particularly well done:

The main character in the novel is Brannon Callahan, a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot based in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  I absolutely love that part of the country, so that is another reason for loving this novel!  And I did!

The story revolves around a very difficult topic – child trafficking.  Thai children are the victims of this particular ring.  Brannon’s mission is to rescue a donor heart and get it to its recipient, the main witness in the case against the child traffickers.  Another helicopter carrying U.S. Marshall Roark Holland and the donor heart had gone down in a severe snow storm.  The first half of the novel covers Brannon and her partner Lincoln’s attempt to recover the survivors of the crash and the donor heart. 

Robin’s writing brought to my awareness an actual organization called the Coalition to Fight Against Child Exploitation (FACE), a non-governmental organization (NGO) which was founded in 1995 to monitor the legal/justice mechanism in Thailand.  And the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime launched the Blue Heart Campaign in 2008 to raise awareness of the issue.  I appreciate the fact that organizations of this kind exist, and that Mrs. Caroll brought it to the attention of her readers.

Brannon and Lincoln are both strong Christ-followers, and they make Him a part of their everyday lives.  On a regular basis, they quiz each other on Bible verses.  One of them will quote one, and the other will have to recite the ‘address’ of the verse.  I thought that was a unique way to introduce scripture in a non-fiction work.  Their back-and-forth had an impact on U.S. Marshall Holland, whose faith had been shaken by a tragic event in a previous case.  He was reminded that the Lord is with us always and is always in pursuit in His gentlemanly manner.

Here is a passage in which Roark makes that very point:

Roark chose to ignore the praying comment Demott had spit out so second naturedly.  He was accustomed to his boss’s religious statements and normally ignored them.  But after being around Brannon and Lincoln, the comments seemed to jump out and smack him between the eyes.  Was somebody trying to make a point?  Was there a message he was supposed to get? (p. 168)

I found this story to be very engaging – both in its many action sequences and in its human interactions.  Mrs. Caroll does a wonderful job in bringing her readers right into the action.  In fact, I think this book would make a thrilling movie!

Robin is the author of eight previous books, including ‘Bayou Justice’ and ‘Blackmail.’  The next novel in her portfolio is called ‘Fear No Evil.’  It will feature Brannon’s partner, Lincoln Vailes, who will be relocated to become a police officer in a small bayou town.  That compelling story will be available on August 1, 2010.  I look forward to continue to follow the characters in this novel – and hope Brannon and Roark show up again!

This book was provided to me by B&H Fiction for review purposes.