Book Review: Masquerade by Nancy Moser

From the Jacket…

1886. Charlotte Gleason embarks from England with conflicting emotions. She is headed for New York to marry one of America’s wealthiest heirs – a man she has never even met. When her doubts gain the upper hand, she swaps identities with her maid, Dora. But what begins as the whim of a spoiled rich girl becomes a test of survival beyond her blackest nightmare. For Dora, it’s the chance of a lifetime. She is thrust into a fairy tale amid ball gowns and lavish mansions, yet is tormented by the possibility of discovery – and humiliation. And what of the man who believes she is indeed his intended? Is this what her heart truly longs for?

While I usually enjoy a nice easy-read romance novel, I found that Masquerade by Nancy Moser left me wanting something more.  These two young women switch identities in an attempt to find love and adventure, but their youthful selfish outlook and somewhat shallow personalities made them difficult to like as characters.  Now, over time, they did grow in maturity through the circumstances they encountered and they were open to the direction and work of God in their hearts, yet I wish these areas would have been further explored in the story.  I particularly enjoyed a thread in the story where Charlotte Gleason is exposed to issues of poverty and social justice, and I found myself really being touched by this aspect of her journey, but I think I would have enjoyed it even more if this had been a larger focus, since it added depth and emotional impact.

As for the girls’ romantic endeavors, I think the historical setting makes the development of the relationships difficult to relate to, as courting and marriage were approached so differently in those days.  The important decisions about love and marriage seemed to happen based on emotion and infatuation, more than on God’s leading or on discovering a person’s heart over time.  Again, this is probably largely due to the culture of that era, but it made the romance portion of the story less enjoyable for me.  In the end, I think there were several ideas in this novel that were really good or had a lot of potential to be developed, and I still found the story entertaining to read, but I wouldn’t list it among my favorites.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available now at your favorite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Book Review: Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas

A friend of mine lent me their copy of Gary Thomas’s book Sacred Parenting several months ago and I finally finished it!  It didn’t take me this long to read because it was unenjoyable - on the contrary, it was so full of depth and rich words that I needed the extra time to chew on what he wrote.  In fact, now that I’m done, I think I’m going to read it again and perhaps write some further posts on how this book spoke to me personally on the subject of “How Raising Children Shapes Our Souls”.  Seriously, if you have ever thought that you might want to have children, if you are married and considering having kids, if you are currently pregnant, or if you already have children, I would absolutely and totally recommend this book!  In fact, go out and buy it right now – for real!  This book has really encouraged and challenged me as a mother and many of the author’s points struck home for me.  I’m now asking myself a lot of questions…

How is God making me holy through parenting?

Am I allowing my kids to experience challenges and pain for their own spiritual good?

How do I deal with mommy guilt and my failures as a parent?

Am I listening to the Holy Spirit for His guidance as I mother my kids?  How can I take advantage of the benefits of prayer as well as enter into my responsibility and calling to pray for my kids? 

Do I find great joy in parenting my kids?  How can I enter into greater levels of joy as a mom?

God, how do I deal with anger when my kids are driving me to the point of boiling, burning rage?

How can I look past the mundane, the puke and poop, the temper tantrums, and see the eternal glory and rewards on the other side?

How can I learn to embrace the challenges and trials of parenting, knowing that it is producing in me great perseverance? 

What truly matters in the things I give myself to daily?  What kind of spiritual inheritance am I leaving for my kids?

What characteristics, good and bad, am I reproducing in my kids?  What areas do I want to change so that my kids don’t have to suffer from the same character flaws that I do?

What am I willing to sacrifice for my children’s benefit?  And can I sacrifice these things joyfully, without holding it against them? 

Can I trust God with my children’s lives?  Can I trust God with their next breath, with their future, their destiny, and even the possibilty of my own death?

Wow.  I know that’s a lot.  There’s a lot to think about and pray about.  I can get a little overwhelmed at times, feeling like I am so inadequate as a mom and like there are SO many areas that God needs to work on in me, but in the end, I am left feeling encouraged that God knows exactly what He is doing and that He has designed my parenting journey perfectly, just for me!  My kids have been handpicked by God and lovingly placed into our family so that we can be made holy.  As the author says to close his book, “Being a parent is a sacred calling”.

Cottage Cheese Rolls

I recently gave you all the recipe to my favorite cookies, but Cottage Cheese Rolls are my favorite dessert of all time!  They are so amazingly delicious, that I’m pretty sure they will be served at the marriage supper of the Lamb!   Now, if like most people I share this recipe with, you think, “I don’t think I like the sound of cottage cheese in a dessert”, let me reassure you that you will never know there’s cottage cheese in it – trust me.

The recipe is SUPER simple:

1 1/2 cups cottage cheese (the wet kind – not dry)
1 cup margarine (softened)
2 cups flour
pinch of salt

1.  Blend together all ingredients. 
Form into a ball and chill dough overnight in a sealed container.  (This is so the dough isn’t so goopy and sticky & makes it easier to handle and roll out later)

2.  Divide into four parts.
Take one part at a time and roll dough into a circle on a lightly floured surface (about 10-12 inches in diameter).  Cut into 12 wedges and roll up each wedge (start with large end) to form croissant shape.

3.  Bake at 350F for approximately 20 minutes. 
Alternatively, you can freeze them and bake them at another time.  Personally, I find that I actually like them better when they’ve been frozen.  For some reason, when you make them fresh, they turn out a little differently.  You also don’t really need to thaw them out before baking for more than a few minutes.  I wouldn’t recommend placing them on the pan quite as closely as the picture depicts below (I had them this way for freezing), but they can be pretty close when baking, since they don’t get much bigger than their raw form.

4.  Frost with icing. 
Now, the icing is actually the part that makes these so good!  The rolls themselves are not sweet at all and really only transform into a dessert once the icing is added.  The icing happens to also be one of those things that I don’t have a recipe for and sort of just “wing it”.  It’s maybe roughly 2 teaspoons softened margarine (optional), about a cup of icing sugar, maybe 4 tablespoons of milk, and several dashes of cinnamon.  You can experiment with the amounts until you get something you’re happy with.

Mmmmmmm…I just ate those delicious manna from heaven pictured above.  They are best accompanied by a nice glass of cold milk!  You really should try them & then tell me what you think!

Book Review: Abigail by Jill Eileen Smith

I recently had the opportunity to review the book “Abigail” by Jill Eileen Smith, which is the second book in the series “The Wives of King David”.  This book follows the Biblical story of Abigail who was married to a foolish man named Nabal and became the third wife to David after Nabal died.  It begins at the time when David was fleeing for his life from King Saul and continues until he becomes King over both Judah and Israel, uniting the conflicting tribes, meanwhile acquiring four more wives in the process. Understandably, it centers around Abigail’s struggle with sharing the man she loves.

The first thing I really appreciated about this novel was Smith’s obvious effort to accurately portray the time period and the culture of the Israelites.  I felt like I was getting a closer, more intimate look into the lives of the characters and how this story could have potentially played out.  It is often difficult for us to imagine what it may have been like to live in that day and age, but I found myself intrigued and drawn in by Smith’s description of what it was like for David and Abigail in the difficult years of running and hiding, followed by the years of success and the fulfillment of God’s promise to David that he would be king. 

Another thing I enjoyed about this book was how Smith took the limited amount of detail that the Bible provides about Abigail and used her creativity to bring her to life.  This woman who was described as having wisdom, beauty, intelligence, discernment, and a heart after God became real and relatable as the story took us into her personal struggles and weaknesses as a woman who wrestled with being one wife of many.  Similarly, David who is so easy to put on a pedastal as a picture of perfection is revealed as having his own struggles with the burden of responsibility as the leader over a divided and disgruntled people, the difficulties of balancing his roles as a husband and father, along with his desire to pursue God wholeheartedly.

Smith succeeded in capturing my attention with her intriguing storytelling, yet I did find my interest waning towards the end as I waited for her to bring resolution to the story’s conflicts.  Also, since Abigail’s primary struggle was with jealousy of the other wives, the subject of which wife would succeed in gaining access to David’s bed became an overriding theme that I probably wish didn’t have to be so dominant.  It was perhaps unavoidable, since that was reality for them, and I believe Smith was tasteful in her writing about it, but it unfortunately made for a slightly less enjoyable read for me personally.

Overall though, I found this book to be well-written, challenging, and it definitely piqued my curiosity about the other books in Smith’s series on the wives of King David.

Book is courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller.

My Favorite Cookies

So, I’ve been wanting to post this recipe for quite some time because they are my absolute favorite cookies in the world and I feel that you are all greatly deprived if you have never had them!  Unfortunately for those with peanut allergies, you will have to remain sorrowfully deprived, but I will pray for your divine healing so that you can partake of their yummy goodness!

Chocolate Peanutbutter Chip Cookies

1 cup margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
2/3 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup peanut butter chips

1. Cream margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla together.
2. Mix dry ingredients and stir into sugar mixture.
3. Stir in peanut butter chips. Shape into balls and bake at 350F for 8-10 min.

If you can refrain from eating half of the cookie dough on it’s own, this should yield around 3 dozen cookies.

What I’m Reading…

So, I have a really bad habit of starting a book, but then not finishing it and moving on to another book.  I kind of like having several books on the go at the same time, but I really need to actually finish them!  I thought I would tell you all what I’m currently reading and then maybe that’ll motivate me to keep at it and perhaps write some reviews on these books to let you know what I thought of them.

Mourning for the Bridegroom – Dana Candler
I just finished this book and it was really good!  It has definitely challenged me in how much I claim to love Jesus, since one measure of a person’s love is how much they miss you when you’re gone.  So how much do I truly miss and long for Jesus in his absence from the earth?

Spiritual Authority – Watchman Nee
So far, this book is totally kicking me in the butt.  It’s all about how submitting to and honoring authority is directly connected to submitting to and honoring God, who is the Ultimate Authority and has set all authority in place.

Sacred Parenting – Gary Thomas
So far I think this book would be great for anyone considering having children, as it tells you about how God uses parenting to form and shape our character.  I’m really enjoying it and there are definitely things that are touching my heart and that I can totally identify with.

Hosting the Holy Spirit – Ché Ahn (General Editor) and 11 other authors
I’ve had this book on my shelf for years and had never even really looked at it. But when a spiritual awakening came to the International House of Prayer, I decided it would be a good idea to discover how I can personally position my heart to host a move of the Holy Spirit. 

Once I manage to finish these books, here are some more on my shelf, waiting to be read next!

1. The First Judgment – Wendy Alec
2. The Culture of the Kingdom – Billy Humphrey
3. Book of Revelation Study Guide – notes by Mike Bickle
4. Until He Comes – Billy Humphrey
5. Babylon – Peter Herder with Benji Nolot

What books are you reading or would you like to read?

Book Review: Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

I recently had the opportunity (through BookSneeze.com) to review the book “Love & Respect” by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, and coincidentally was also able to watch the 5 Disc Conference DVD set at the same time. My husband and I started reading the book together, but then found it much easier and less time-consuming to watch the DVDs. I finished reading the book on my own and found it interesting to then compare the book with the DVDs.

First of all, the book and DVDs introduce couples to the idea of “unconditional love and respect” from the verse Ephesians 5:33 which says, “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” As Eggerichs expanded on this idea, I was totally convicted by the Holy Spirit in areas where I had not been showing my husband the respect that he needs as a man. It was a new revelation to see how God had created and designed my husband to need this respect in a completely unique way from the way He created me to need love. This was followed by some fantastic teaching on how we can make our spouse feel loved/respected and the different ways we communicate and interpret our worlds based on our unique pink/blue lenses. It was really great to discover that we have different needs and that we’re not wrong to feel the way we do – we’re just different!

My eyes were opened to see the ways I was being disrespectful to my husband and it equipped me with ideas on how I can really build him up and be the helpmate God intended me to be through my respectful behavior towards him. On the other hand, I have also already been reaping the benefits of increased acts of love from my husband, which is certainly a bonus! We are both recognizing more quickly when we have gotten on the “Crazy Cycle”, as Eggerichs calls it, and how to work through those conflicts and get on the “Energizing Cycle”. (You can read the book for yourself to find out what those are all about!) We were also both really pleased with how the teaching series ended with focusing on the importance of making Jesus the focus and center of this message, since ultimately, the way we love and respect our spouse is directly related to our love and reverence for Christ.

I would absolutely recommend this book and/or DVD series to any engaged, married, separated, or divorced couple who wants to either build a great foundation for starting their marriage, improve upon a good marriage, or repair a badly damaged marriage. (I also know some single people who’ve really enjoyed this teaching, so it seems I could recommend it to just about everyone!) The many testimonies from couples that Eggerichs shares are proof that getting this revelation of what the Bible says about unconditional love and respect can radically change our marriages for the better! And while my husband and I found areas where we do not fit the typical mold of how most men and women communicate or react, we were still able to discover how to apply the principles to our relationship and the conversations we had while watching the DVDs were probably the highlight of it all!

As for the comparison between the book and the DVD series, I would say that I enjoyed the DVD series more because Eggerichs is a dynamic and humorous communicator in a way that doesn’t come through quite as well in the written form. But I am also really glad I have the book, because it allows me to go back easily to reference points I want to review. The content between them is virtually identical, but I’d say there’s more detail in the book as well, which you may benefit from if you’ve only seen the DVDs. For more info, you can also visit their website at www.loveandrespect.com.

Book Review: "Fearless" by Max Lucado

When I saw the opportunity at www.BookSneeze.com to review Max Lucado’s new book “Fearless” (being released today), I immediately knew I wanted to read what he had to say on this topic of overcoming fear. I have always enjoyed Lucado’s writing, and as someone who struggles daily with fear and anxiety, I really anticipated gaining some new insight and revelation on this subject and I was not disappointed! This book addresses many of the types of fears that we encounter in our lives, drawing from the stories in the New Testament where Jesus was addressing the fear and anxiety he saw in the people around him. It was encouraging to be reminded that Jesus really does care about the things we dread and get anxious about and that He is concerned about delivering us from those fears.

Of the list of fears that people often face, the ones that struck home with me were the fear of disappointing God, the fear of not having enough (time, money, intelligence, acceptance, health, etc.) and the fear of worst-case scenarios. And while each chapter held meaningful pieces of Biblical advice on how to counteract these fears, I found that I enjoyed the last chapter most of all, “The One Healthy Terror”, which spoke on the fear of the Lord. After reading about all the areas where the enemy seeks to strike our hearts with fear, I really appreciated how Lucado reminded us that there is really only One that we should fear – and that is the One who holds our very life in His hands! I was reminded that it is vital to my battle against fear to have an accurate view of God and to see Jesus for the awesomely terrifying and powerful God-man that He is! To quote Lucado…

“As awe of Jesus expands, fears of life diminish. A big God translates into big courage. A small view of God generates no courage. A limp, puny, fireless Jesus has no power over [your fears]…Stare long and longingly at the Bonfire, the Holy One, the Highest One, the Only One. As you do, all your fears, save the fear of Christ himself, will melt…” (pg. 169, 170)

I found “Fearless” to be challenging, inspiring, and thought-provoking. Lucado’s imaginative storytelling and insight into the Scripture makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read and I would recommend this book to anyone, without hesitation. After reading this book, I intend to go over the numerous portions where God was putting his finger on things in my own heart and allow Him to speak to me even more and lead me into greater levels of victory over fear!

Book Review: God's Little Princess Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh

When I saw the opportunity at www.BookSneeze.com to review the children’s book, ”God’s Little Princess Devotional Bible” by Sheila Walsh, I just couldn’t help but jump at it, knowing that I have a little princess on the way!  Even though she will not be able to read this Bible with me for several years, I’m glad I got it, because there are some great ideas in this book!  Written for girls ages 4 to 7, this book takes short Bible passages in an easy-to-understand translation, accompanied by fun and cute illustrations, and then uses multiple methods to help your little princess to understand the lessons found in them and how she can apply them to her own life and walk with God. I personally loved the “Beauty Secrets” which helped associate the way we beautify our outward appearance with the ways we beautify our inner hearts – like using lipstick as a reminder to watch the words we speak.  I also thought the “Take a Bow” sections were great, as they give you ideas for dress-up and role-playing that gets your daughter involved with the story and also has questions to ask her to help her learn from the story.  The activity pages also have some fun ideas for applying the message of the scripture through a game or craft.  I really look forward to using this Bible with my daughter!  After having read through it though, I realized that it’s not something you’d want to use as a devotional before bed, but more likely as a Bible-focused activity during the day, since many of the plays and activities would require more time, effort and planning on the front end.  Overall, I was impressed with the positive, Biblical messages and think it does a great job at teaching our princesses about how God wants to instruct them and form them into beautiful women, both inside and outside – not the spoiled, selfish princesses who demand their own way, but the ones who are gracious, kind, giving, caring, serving, and meek.  I would definitely recommend it!

Book Review: Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl

I received a copy of Face of Betrayal from www.BookSneeze.com, which is a fiction suspense novel about 3 women from different spheres of influence in the media, the courts, and the FBI who are brought together on the case of a missing 17-year old Senate page. Using their talents and positions, they cooperate to try and find the young girl before its too late, while finding themselves in danger as they grow closer to discovering the truth.

While I found the book to be successful in building the suspense and drama of the plot, keeping you guessing until the very end, I was disappointed by several elements of the story. I found it difficult to get connected with the characters in the story, since it felt like there were three main characters that I was trying to follow all at once. Secondly, the theme of the story seemed to be about the many forms of sexual harassment, abuse, rape, pornography, etc. which I agree are important issues to address, yet which felt too sensationalized to be tasteful. I didn’t find the story to be inspiring or encouraging to my faith, as this was a weak element of the novel, and can’t say that I would recommend this book to anybody.

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