• Oct. 12, 2009
When God Writes Your Love Story

If you are a Christian and you a)are single, b)are friends with someone who is single, c)have children who are single, or d)might someday know someone who is single; you really must read this book!

I have to thank my friend Debrah for loaning this book to me!  It is an amazingly forthright, easy and enjoyable to read book about trusting God for the love of your life.  It is written by Eric and Leslie Ludy who both had decided to "let God have the pen" and write their love story.

This is a book I wish someone had given me.  For too long we have accepted the lie that God cares nothing more about our romantic relationships than that we follow a few rules; don't have sex outside of marriage, and once you get married, stay that way.  But God, the author of ALL CREATION, the passionate LOVER OF OUR SOULS, want to author our love story as well. 

Eric and Leslie say it better than I could so, go get the book!  Seriously!  You will not regret it.  This one could change your life or the life of someone you love!

Shannon

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• Jan. 22, 2009
Currently Reading

Thanks to a generous loan from my friend Debrah, I am currently reading "A Chance To Die, The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael," by Elisabeth Elliot.

I must confess that I was at first afraid that I would not like the book.  It's 379 pages long.  Not that I am daunted by thick books, on the contrary, I have read books this length in 1 - 2 days before.  It was just the 'non-fiction' 379 pages that concerned me!    Now, again, I don't want to give the wrong impression, there are many non-fiction books I love, I guess I have just gotten hold of some really dry biographies before. 

I should have known better, this book is after all, written by Elisabeth Elliot, whom I have read and loved before.  This is a fascinating look at the life of an extraordinary woman.  I highly encourage you to read it.

Shannon

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• Oct. 19, 2008
Currently Reading

I am currently reading A Tale Of Two Sons by John MacArthur.  I highly encourage reading this book.  It is an indepth look into the parable of the Prodigal Son.  It will take you right into the circle of Jesus' listeners so that you can understand better how this story would have affected the hearers.  Because of that you can better understand how the story should affect you.  It is one of the best teachings on this parable I have read.

Shannon

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• Aug. 11, 2008
This Little Church Stayed Home

I finally finished This Little Church Stayed Home by Gary E. Gilley.  It was just as good as the first book, This Little Church Went To Market.  It is a strong encouragement to churches to 'stay home' with the true message of the gospel instead of seeking after every 'wind of change' that blows through the evangelical scene.

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• Jul. 10, 2008
Family Driven Faith Update

I have posted about this book before but I finally finished reading it and I wanted to give a fuller review.

Vodie Baucham will challenge you in this book.  It is not for someone who is looking for just a light, inspirational book on how to have a godly family.  This book will make you take a hard look at everything you do and what the Bible says about it.  And that is the key thing.  Vodie does not just give you his opinion about how to raise a family, he take you straight to the word and leaves you to wrestle with the truth of the word.

I have read many books that left me saying, "Yes, Amen, I agree with that."  But few have made me think and ponder like this one did.  I encourage you to read it, but I warn you, you will be challenged.  He tackles everything from parenting, activities, education, church, family worship; You name it, it is addressed.  And it is addressed with scripture.  You will not be able to walk away from this book saying, "Well, those are his opinions", you will have to face what the word of God says about each issue.  So read it, but be prepared.

Shannon

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• Jul. 8, 2008
Currently Reading

I am currently reading Gary Gilley's book, "This Little Church Went to Market".  The subtitle pretty well sums up the book, 'Is the modern church reaching out or selling out?'

Gilley takes a hard look at the 'market driven church' movement and what it is doing to the gospel.  It is a great (and short) read that will have you thinking.

Shannon

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• Jun. 6, 2008
Family Driven Faith

I am currently reading a book by Vodie Bocham entitled Family Driven Faith.

I am not finished with it yet but I really wanted to let people know about this book.  It is a fantastic call to rise up to the biblical call of being a family.  We have relegated our faith to the periphery of our lives and yet we expect that when our kids are grown and leave home they will be solid men and women of God.  Vodie Bocham steps all over the toes of things we allow to take pre-eminence in our lives above God and His word.

Warning:  Do not read this book unless you are ready to be covicted.

Shannon

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• Apr. 19, 2008
Home schooling book recommendation

I have just finished reading "Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe" by Todd Wilson.   After going to a workshop of his at a convention this past weekend I immediately went and bought the book along with 4 others of his!  They are "The Official Book of Homeschool Cartoons" Vol. 1-3   and "Help!  I Am Married To A Homeschooling Mom!" 

Let me just say that if you are a homeschooling mom you simply must read the Lies book.  Then you must re-read it a couple more times!  It is that good and that encouraging!  And the fact that it is short and quick to read makes the reading possible.  And for your husband, the Help book is just as good.  In fact why don't you just check out Todd's website and get your husband signed up for his weekly e-mail for dad's while you are at it.  You will be glad you did. 

Shannon 

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• Mar. 4, 2008
A great book

I just finished reading the book, Men are like waffles, Women are like spaghetti.  It was a fantastic book about, as the subtitle says, understanding and delighting in the differences between us.

I can not recommend it highly enough, wether you have been married for many years or you are just starting out this is a fantastic resource.  I heard the authors on Focus on The Family and loved the program so much that I immediately bought the book.  This will probably become a wedding shower gift staple with me.  I loved it that much.  If you know anyone who is getting married soon this would make a great gift.  You can get it on amazon.com or I am sure that you can still get it through the Focus on the Family website as well.

Happy reading!

Shannon

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• Jan. 9, 2008
Stepping Heavenward

I am currently re-reading Elizabeth Prentiss' book "Stepping Heavenward".  If I could entreat all Christian women (wether single or married, young or old) to read one book outside their bible it would be this one. 

Sometimes we tend to get so caught up in the day to day that we think the day to day is just a struggle to be overcome.   But the day to day is the journey.  If we live as though the day to day is simply to be overcome we miss so many valuable things along the way.  I am trying to learn that.  Trying to see that everything that comes to me each day wether good or bad is a gift from God to make me in the person he wants me to be.  If the gift is something pleasant, praise the Lord, he is great in his mercies.  If the gift is something hard, trust the Lord, he knows exactly what I need and he is developing in me something that I lack.

I would like to share something from the book that ties in with this thought.  The book is a series of journal entries.  In this portion of the book the main character has just been through a time of intense grief after losing her 5 year old son Ernest.  She has just met with a friend that she has not seen in some time.  Here is a quote from the book,

"I met today and old friend...She asked so many questions about my little Ernest that I had to tell her the whole story of his precious life, sickness and death.  I forced myself to do this without any great demand on her sympathies.  My reward for the constraint I thus put upon myself was the abrupt question: 'Haven't you grown stoical?'  I felt the angry blood rush thorugh my veins as it has not done in a long time.  My pride was wounded to the quick, and those cruel, unjust words still rankle in my heart.  This is not as it should be.  I am constantly praying that my pride may be humbled; and then when it is attacked, I shrink from the pain the blow causes and am angry with the hand that inflicts it.  It is just so with two or three unkind things (my friend) has said to me.  I can't help brooding over them and feeling stung with their injustice even while making the most desperate struggle to rise above and forget them.  It is well for our fellow creatures that God forgives them when we fail to do it, and I can easily fancy that (my friend) is at this moment dearer in His sight than I am who have taken fire at a chance word.  And I can see now, what I wonder I did not see at the time, that God was dealing very kindly and wisely with me when He made (my friend) overlook my good qualities...and call out all my bad ones, since the ax was thus laid at the root of self-love.  And it is plain that self-love cannot die without a fearful struggle."

I can't remember the last time that I looked upon someone's unkind remark to me as a gift from God to put an end to my pride and make me more like Christ.  But I am sure that it is so.  May God help me to view all of life through this lens.

Shannon

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