Thursday, June 25, 2015

Book Review: Miracles From Heaven: A little Girl, Her Journey To Heaven, And Her Amazing Story Of Healing by Christy Beam

They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out it's roots by the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes; it's leaves are always green. Jeremiah 17:8 


This book is a faith builder!! Five Stars!

In a remarkable true story of faith and blessings, a mother tells of her sickly young daughter, how she survived a dangerous accident, her visit to Heaven and the inexplicable disappearance of the symptoms of her chronic disease.

Annabel Beam spent most of her childhood in and out of hospitals with a rare and incurable digestive disorder that prevented her from ever living a normal, healthy life. One sunny day when she was able to go outside and play with her sisters, she fell three stories headfirst inside an old, hollowed-out tree, a fall that may well have caused death or paralysis. Implausibly, she survived without a scratch. While unconscious inside the tree, with rescue workers struggling to get to her, she visited heaven. After being released from the hospital, she defied science and was inexplicably cured of her chronic ailment.
MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN will change how we look at the world around us and reinforce our belief in God and the afterlife.
My Personal Review

Annabel Beam
Miracles From Heaven by Christy Beam is a captivating story of faith, family, and the tangible glory of God revealed through a miraculous and touching story of hope and healing.

Miracles From Heaven by Christy Beam is one of those books that you don't want to put down until the last page has been consumed! The author, Christy Beam, manages to smoothly volley back and forth between the action of the day and events from their past, as she chronicles the detailed struggles of their life with their sweet daughter who was suffering the effects from a dreadfully painful and dangerous intestinal disorder. Christy skillfully pens a fascinating journal of their family's life prior to a horrific accident that ultimately ends in the healing of their daughter. As I read this, I couldn't stop inserting myself into the picture, thus producing intense feelings of compassion toward this sweet family and a deep level of introspection with regard to their experiences. 

Christy Beam 
Miracles From Heaven will challenge the reader to think beyond what is tangible. It will force you to look at the facts of their story and decide for yourself how to interpret them. Whether you are skeptical about heaven and an afterlife or not, you will find yourself mesmerized by the interactions and authenticity of this family. Every father and mother should read this book for the mere positive parental interactions alone! What a gracious and loving home!

And then of course, there is the accident itself, as the drama unfolds and Beam skillfully describes the event with enough detail that the reader actually feels like they are right there. My heartbeat picked up and I could feel my palms getting sweaty. How will they get this sweet little girl out of the tree? Will she truly be okay? What injuries will she have incurred? Although we know the outcome from the start, the events leading up to the accident and the interactions between the sisters, parents, extended family, health care workers, and rescuers are what push this book over the top and into the "excellent" range!! 

This is such a great book filled with inspiration, faith, commitment, sacrifice and love. Not only did I enjoy it, but I can't think of anyone, young or old who would not be changed after reading it! 

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Book Review: The Promises She Keeps by Erin Healy

A captivating read!

It's her destiny to die young. The man who loves her can't live with that.
Promise, a talented young singer with a terminal illness, is counting on fame to keep her memory alive after she dies. Porta is an aging sorceress and art collector in search of immortality.
When Promise inexplicably survives a series of freak accidents, Porta believes that she may hold the key to eternal life.
Enter Chase, an autistic artist who falls in love with Promise and fascinates her with his mysterious visions and drawings.
Soon, all are plunged into a confrontation over the mystery and the cost of something even greater than eternal life . . . eternal love.


My Personal Review:

The Promises She Keeps by Erin Healy is a beautifully written novel filled with suspense, courage, and intrigue.

The Promises She Keeps by Erin Healy is another incredible work! As with all of the novels I have read from this author thus far, this book manages to unravel a compassionate and mysterious story line in tandem with factual information that is applicable to our society. Through Erin's creative mind, she provides the reader with an in-depth look into the life of both a person suffering with cystic fibrosis and the challenges of living and relating to a person with Autism.

Erin Healy's sensitive writing and delicate handling of the challenges a person living with Autism deal with on daily basis sheds light into the diagnosis in a candid way. In addition, the main character suffers with a disabling diagnosis of cystic fibrosis and Healy also brings information to the reader about the reality of this illness. 

How author, Erin Healy manages to combine a believable fiction thriller with authentic characters living with modern day problems never ceases to amaze me. The Promises She Keeps merges hope, love, and perseverance all into one fast lane. It gracefully touches the fragile issue of our own mortality. This piece stirred within my soul a reflection of a purpose for life reaching far beyond myself; it revealed a focus to serve others and bring them the gift of connection through a simple smile and a kind word. I'm confident you will enjoy this read!

Monday, June 15, 2015

Run by Kayla Morris

If Your revelation hadn't delighted me so, I would have given up when the hard times came. Psalm 119:92(MSG)

From the "Voices From the Middle 9" comes this poem by a young lady with whom I have had the privilege to watch grow from a tiny baby into the beautiful and intelligent young lady that she is today. We will need to watch for more works from Kayla Morris in the future; At a mere fourteen, she is a promising author!

I'm excited to be posting this poem on my blog, as it is Kayla's first publication! It speaks to my "running" heart, and I hope you too will enjoy it's depth. We must never give up in our endeavor to stand for what we believe in. I was so blessed to read this and I hope you will find meaning in it as well. I want to thank Kayla for allowing me to post this on my blog.


RUN 
by Kayla Morris

She knows how to run
But not how to take a stand
RUN by Kayla Morris
Running is all she does
As she runs longer and faster
She feels as though the fears are fading
Fears recede
Emotions dull
Excitement becomes real
She runs with the fears in her pockets
The depression under her soles
She feels as though her fears can never catch her
But as her running slows
Fears build like stone
Emotions grow like fire
Excitement reduces to a bare nothing
She wears the pain on her face and in her words
That's why she took a stand
That's why she stopped running
She has no pain, she has no fear
Now she knows not how to run
But how to take a stand