Review: A Flickering Light

My wife and I have been fans of Jane Kirkpatrick for a couple years now, and we eagerly anticipate the new books as they come. A Flickering Light certainly lives up to Jane's reputation.

This story is about a young woman in the Midwest who dreams of being a photographer, despite the field being very male-dominated. She realizes her dream, but at the risk of her honor and his family.

I found myself fussing aloud at and about the characters, which never happens as I read a book. Of course, I knew that the characters were based on real people and only realized after I was done that Jessie was actually Jane's grandmother.

This story really draws you in and gets you involved with the characters, as is the case with all of Jane's stories. It will make an excellent addition to the Jane Kirkpatrick section of your personal library.



-----------------------------------------------
Summary:

Returning to her Midwest roots, award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick draws a page from her grandmother’s photo album to capture the interplay between shadow and light, temptation and faith that marks a woman’s pursuit of her dreams. She took exquisite photographs, but her heart was the true image exposed.

Fifteen-year-old Jessie Ann Gaebele loves nothing more than capturing a gorgeous Minnesota landscape when the sunlight casts its most mesmerizing shadows. So when F.J. Bauer hires her in 1907 to assist in his studio and darkroom, her dreams for a career in photography appear to find root in reality.

With the infamous hazards of the explosive powder used for lighting and the toxic darkroom chemicals, photography is considered a man’s profession. Yet Jessie shows remarkable talent in both the artistry and business of running a studio. She proves less skillful, however, at managing her growing attraction to the very married Mr. Bauer.

This luminous coming-of-age tale deftly exposes the intricate shadows that play across every dream worth pursuing—and the irresistible light that beckons the dreamer on.

--------------

Author Bio:

Jane Kirkpatrick is a best-selling, award-winning author whose previous historical novels include All Together in One Place and Christy Award finalist A Tendering in the Storm. An international keynote speaker, she has earned regional and national recognition for her stories based on the lives of actual people, including the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Hall of Fame. Jane is a Wisconsin native who since 1974 has lived in Eastern Oregon, where she and her husband, Jerry, ranch 160 rugged acres.

Review: Aurora

Wrap yourself in a fantastic journey, a remarkable commitment, and a spare and splendid story. Master storyteller Jane Kirkpatrick extols the beautiful treasures, unknown to a wider public, rediscovered in the Old Aurora Colony of Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley.

The people and legacy of Aurora, a utopian community founded in the mid-1800s, will stir your imagination, hopes, and dreams; and remind you that every life matters—that our lives are the stories other people read first.

~Featuring~

• Unique and treasured quilt pattern variations
• More than 100 photographs, many never-before published, from 1850 to today
• Cherished stories from Aurora descendants
• Rich images of fine crafts from the Aurora Colony and private collections
• An introduction by renowned American artist John Houser

Aurora is about the difference every ordinary life can make—and a beautiful celebration of a time and place in which people expressed their most cherished beliefs through the work of their imagination and hands.

Buy this book from Random House.

Sir Bentley

This is the first time I've read any of Chuck Black's books. I have to say, I'll likely be getting this whole series. The books seem aimed directly at the Middle School level, and as such were a very quick read for me.

Set in a fictional land in a vaguely medieval time, this book is allegory through and through. However, had I not been familiar with Scripture, the story would have been a wonderful teaching tool on the Book of Acts. As it stands, I wanted my Bible next to me as I was reading in order to catch all of the allegory.

The main character, Sir Bentley of Chessington, is alternately reminiscent of Simon Peter and Paul. The fact that he starts out as an elite Noble Knight (who stand for the Pharisees of New Testament times) lends the character even more of a Pauline tint. In his exploits, Bentley has a conversion experience, sees the true joy in the service of the King and Prince (God the Father and Jesus), and fights the minions of Lucius (Lucifer).

I recommend this series as a teacher and as a father, and I can't wait to read the rest!

--------------------------
This second installment in Chuck Black’s Knights of Arrethtrae series tells the tale of Sir Bentley, an honorable knight who abandons all to seek the truth of the Prince. Eirwyn, a mysterious young woman who brings food to the poor, teaches Bentley the power of compassion to overcome evil. Together, they save the people of Holbrook from poverty and despair.

Sir Bentley’s quest for the truth of the Prince finds him battling Shadow Warriors, a powerful lord, and a terrifying creature. Will greed destroy Holbrook? Or can Bentley and the mysterious Eirwyn restore prosperity to the kingdom through the compassion of the Prince? Intended for family read-alouds and Christian teens, this fantastic story will entertain and edify parents and kids alike.

To purchase this book, go to Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601421257

--------------------------------

Chuck Black, a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical communications engineer, is the author of eight novels, including the popular Kingdom series. He has received praise from parents across the country for his unique approach to telling biblical truths. His passion in life is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to love his wife, Andrea, and their six children. He lives with his family in North Dakota.

For Couples Only

For Couples Only Box Set:
Since their debut, these revolutionary guides have sold well over a million copies, been translated into fifteen languages, and sparked much fascinating water-cooler conversation around the country. Now together in the For Couples Only boxed set, these books provide the perfect resource to help you understand what you never knew about the woman or man in your life.

Each volume is based on input from more than a thousand members of the opposite sex—including an unprecedented nationwide survey and hundreds of personal interviews. This innovative approach yields candid and surprising answers about everything you don’t “get” about your significant other—even what that person deeply wishes you knew. It also produces simple but groundbreaking awareness of how you can best love and support the one who is most important to you. [Part of me wanted to make this paragraph past tense—yielded and produced—because of the first paragraph, but that took away some of the immediacy of what the books offer. I’ll leave that up to you.]

So whether you are newly dating or have been married fifty years, get ready to know each other in a whole new way. The adventure is just beginning!

Author Bio:
Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn hold graduate degrees from Harvard University and are popular national speakers, authors, and entrepreneurs. They are also active church members and the parents of two young children, and they enjoy every minute of living life at warp speed.

Love as a Way of Life: Devotional

Last year we reviewed the book Love as a Way of Life. Now, the devotional is ready to go.

Love As A Way Of Life Devotional

In his book Love As a Way of Life, best-selling author Gary Chapman shows readers how to cultivate a new lifestyle built around the seven characteristics of authentic love. Now in a companion devotional, he provides ninety inspirational readings to help Christians consistently live out the characteristics of love in every relationship.

Each devotional entry showcases biblical truths that guide a life of love, offering fresh insight and practical guidance in how to make love a lasting habit. Over the course of three months, readers will learn to follow God’s lead as they practice the characteristics of a loving person: kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty.

The Love As a Way of Life Devotional makes an ideal gift for the holidays or for any special occasion. Couples, parents, new graduates, and anyone celebrating a milestone in life will welcome this inspiring daily guide to richer, more satisfying relationships.


Author Bio:
Dr. Gary Chapman is the author of twenty-six books, including the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. His daily radio program, A Love Language Minute, is broadcast on more than 100 stations nationwide. Dr. Chapman, a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Wheaton College, Wake-Forest University, and Southwestern Seminary, serves on a church staff in North Carolina.

Review: I Do Again

With their professional success and adorable twin daughters, Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs looked like the perfect couple. But their polished facade concealed a widening chasm between two people unable to connect on an intimate, soul-deep level.

After years of frustration, Cheryl’s desire for emotional fulfillment led to an affair and, finally, divorce. Yet, incredibly, seven years later, Jeff and Cheryl once again stood at the altar, promising to “love, honor, and cherish” one another. A new and vibrant love had risen out of the ashes of this family’s pain.

I Do Again details the fascinating real-life story of a couple whose relationship seemed shattered beyond all hope until a spiritual awakening led them to reconsider their definitions of “happily ever after.” A riveting account of the power of prayer and redemption, this remarkable book offers renewed hope for even the most troubled marriages—and reveals why the rewards of restoration are well worth the wait.


Author Bio:
Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs are the founders of Hope Matters Marriage Ministries, and for the past several years they have shared their incredible story of a marriage restored with audiences across the nation. Jeff is an account manager with OshKosh B’Gosh, and Cheryl has served as director of the Frisco, Texas, office of the Center for Christian Counseling. They live in Dallas, Texas with their two college-age daughters.

Romanced by Evil?

In a world full of evil, Christians must make decisions about morality on a daily basis.

Some decisions against evil are easy. We choose not to murder, or steal, or commit sexual sin. But other decisions may not--on the surface--require a moral battle to be won. We make these decisions when we choose what to watch, which video game to buy, which book to read, and even what words come out of our mouths.

I can almost hear the moans: But there’s nothing wrong with what I watch! It’s just a movie! My friends read it! I know it’s all fake…

But is it?

Violent video games, movies and books are easy to identify. The odds are that nearly everyone at CCS has, at one time or another, watched an act of violence. Be it on TV--ever watch the news?--or in a movie, or in a video game. TV shows, movies and video games are graphic representations of violence. What is the graphic representation based on?

Reality.

“Evil is deceptive…” (Jess, age 14)

The big question: Which is more evil?

“…a big scary monster with five inch canines, and deep red eyes, and sharp claws, and long legs and arms.” (Allan, age 15) OR the evil that poses as “an angel of light.”

In Isaiah 5:20 the prophet explains, “Those…who turn darkness into light and light into darkness, who turn bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter…” are as good as dead.

Wow. That’s a bit harsh isn’t it? But, it is the Bible, and God tells it like it is.

Look around your world. Do you see any instances where evil has been disguised as good? Has anything that was once considered evil been “prettied up” until it appeals? Any examples of something from the dark being recreated, renamed, or rewritten into the light?

“Evil can look like something that is [innocent]…fun or pleasing. Evil…attempts to draw you away from God.” John (age 14)

Think about your choices. Do you have the discernment to, “Stay away from every form of evil”? (1 Thessalonians 5:22)