Book Review: Touching Heaven by Dr. Chauncey Crandall

John 14:2-3(NIV)

In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

This book has the potential to challenge
boundaries and break down the walls
of hopelessness.

Overview

How a doctor's glimpses of eternity confirmed everything he believed about God, suffering, life on earth, and what happens after death. 

Dr. Chauncey Crandall knows his patients well. When they are dying, he sits at the bedside with them and holds their hands. He prays with them. Sometimes he can feel what they feel and see what they see. At other times his patients have near-death experiences and "come back" with astonishing descriptions of the afterlife. In TOUCHING HEAVEN, Dr. Crandall reveals how what he has seen and heard has convinced him that God is real, that we are created for a divine purpose, that death is not the end, that we will see our departed loved ones again, and that we are closer to the next world than we think.

My Personal Review:

Touching Heaven by Dr. Chauncey Crandall is a very unique and thought provoking book.

https://chaunceycrandall.com/

Touching Heaven by Dr. Chauncey Crandall piqued my interest for many reasons. At the top of my list is that the author is a cardiologist. Dr. Crandall’s experience and background in medicine is impressive. The book states that, “He is chief of the cardiovascular transplant program at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens and is on staff at three medical centers.” Having worked for fifteen years as an RN, CCRN in a Cardiac
Intensive Care Unit myself, I am always drawn to the medical story, especially acute cardiac related events. There are many detailed stories within the book that chronicle the resuscitation procedures given to a dying patient. I was quickly immersed in the bedside care and high level of energy that fuels these life retrieving protocols. One particular narrative Dr. Crandall shares, where by the defibrillator did not fire when discharged, had me on the edge of my seat. That is a nightmare scenario for a code blue team!

 A close second on my list for reading this book is the idea that Touching Heaven intersects faith with facts. The collision of spiritual and physical will always make for an interesting read. I am a very logical, formulaic, algorithm sort of gal, so when I have an opportunity to be stretched outside of my comfort zone to a place that is intangible, I will never turn that opportunity down.  

Finally, I was drawn to this book simply because the author is courageously discussing heaven within the context of his personal experiences and observations. Given today’s culture, I feel this is a brave thing to do. I have much admiration for anyone who will take a stand on their convictions with such passion and unwavering resolve. I wanted to digest an evangelical physician’s perspective on healing, heaven, and our earthly purpose. I was not disappointed.  

Touching Heaven is a very personal story of life events in the author’s life. Dr. Crandall’s desire to share the importance of inviting Christ into every situation could not be missed. He effectively communicates the message that we do not need to wait to “go to heaven”, but rather the kingdom of God is wherever believers call upon the name of Christ. One of the most powerful statements in the book encompasses this idea. Dr. Crandall writes, “As we take up our spiritual authority, the situation we’re in switches from defeat and darkness and death to victory and light and life. This is the invisible but very real power of the kingdom of heaven.”

Dr. Crandall boldly interprets a large volume of scripture references throughout this book. His Biblical knowledge and application of God’s word within the pages of this work are inspiring. The unfathomable premature death of his son in the peak of his life, make the author’s testimony personal, credible, and urgent. Crandall’s transparency and willingness to share the painful grief, questions, and finally the assurance he found in Christ, provide enough content for an entire book all on its own!  

I read through the pages of Touching Heaven by Dr. Chauncey Crandall with an open mind, as well as a sensitive heart. I greatly appreciated all of the faith filled stories of healing that the author conveyed have taken place in a direct response to Jesus being “invited into your situation.” This is a beautiful and intriguing work. Crandall’s writing has the potential to challenge boundaries and tear down walls of hopelessness.

Thank you to Faith Words Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc for requesting my review and supplying me with a copy of Touching Heaven by Dr. Chauncey Crandall. I was not required to write a favorable assessment, but only to completely read this book and give my honest opinion.

Book Review: Hiding Places by Erin Healy

This book brings suspense and mystery
with each turn of the page!

        

Publisher's Description

The Harrison lodge is full of hiding places where young Kate can discover all the secrets no one wants her to know.

Eleven-year-old Kate keeps her knowledge to herself—one sister’s stash of marijuana, the other’s petty cash pilfering, her grandfather’s contraband candy bars. She protects her mother and Gran, too, screening out critical comments from the hotel suggestions box. But suddenly the stakes are raised; her grandfather’s best friend is murdered the day after Kate heard the two men arguing.

At the same time, far from the quiet mountain resort, a homeless man sees a robbery gone wrong . . . a gang member seeks revenge for the death of his son . . . and a boy chooses the worst time to wield spray paint on a store window. In a strange and spiraling sequence of events, their disparate worlds collide at Harrison Lodge.

Kate offers shelter to one of them, unaware of the terrible consequences to the family she loves. But people can hide in all kinds of ways, sometimes even in plain sight . . . and some secrets are just waiting to be exposed.

My Personal Review

Erin Healy writes supernatural suspense novels.

Hiding Places by Erin Healy is a fast paced suspense novel weaving a story of courage, devotion, love and hope. Another astonishing piece of work from this gifted author!

Hiding Places by Erin Healy combines the determination of a father to avenge his son's death, the battle of a struggling homeless man's inner turmoil to find belonging, and the strong willed determination of a young girl to do what families are supposed to do...protect one another.

I absolutely love this newly released book! Actually, that comes as no surprise, since Erin Healy is one of my favorite authors. However, there is good reason why she is on the top of my, "Christian Fiction Favorite Author" list. Her consistency is once again unveiled in her most recent publication of Hiding Places. If she isn't already there, Healy belongs on your "top Christian author" list too. Erin Healy Books always manage to successfully provide the top five things that are imperative in a Christian Fiction novel. Those five things are to: renew hope, entertain, inform, educate, and worship. Erin Healy delivers in every category with her latest book, Hiding Places.

The book begins with a level of apprehension and curiosity that only increases with each turn of the page. The characters are realistic and endearing, especially Great Grandma Pearl, who happens to be my beloved character, not only for her humor, but for her uncanny ability to understand the needs of her family and then respond to those needs in a beautiful way. The main character, Kate, is not without charm and likability as well, as she moves through the pages with simplicity and naivety. That leaves Charlie, Merridew, and Grandy, each with a lesson to teach the reader through their unique passions.

All of the characters represent a different age and unique stage of life. They come from varied levels of experience and the reader is fed some valuable information about gang mentality, life on the streets for a homeless person, struggles of an aging adult, what it's like to live life with regret for past decisions, and finally the gentle reminder of a child's perspective of our world. Hope is presented from several different angles and at various points throughout the book. As the story winds down, there is a feeling of inspiration to lead a life that takes into account how our actions will impact those around us.

Hiding Places by Erin Healy also includes discussion questions at the end of the book to assist the reader in gentle reflections about family and how we relate to one another. This book would be a fun choice for a "Book Club". Utilizing the questions provided would allow for deeper analysis of certain areas of the heart and it has the potential to unearth hidden hurts and thus bring them to the surface where they can be addressed. In conclusion, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good suspense novel, but be forewarned...there is a lot hidden beneath the surface! Enjoy!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson, a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc for this review copy of Hiding Places by Erin Healy provided through the BookLook Bloggers review program. I was not required to write a favorable review, but to simply to read the work in it's entirety. The opinions within this review are strictly my own.

Book Review: For The Love by Jen Hatmaker

This book will lighten your load and give
fresh meaning to the word, grace! 

For The Love~Fighting For Grace In A World Of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker

Best-selling author, Jen Hatmaker is convinced life can be lovely and fun and courageous and kind. She knows how the squeeze of this life can make us competitive and judgmental; how we can lose love for others and then for ourselves. She reveals how to:

Break free of guilt and shame by dismantling the unattainable Pinterest life.
Learn to engage our culture's controversial issues with a           grace-first approach.
Identify the tools you already have to develop real-life, all-in know-my-junk-but-love-me-anyway friendships.
Escape our impossible standards for parenting and marriage by accepting the standard of "mostly good."

In this raucous ride to freedom for modern women, Jen Hatmaker bares the refreshing wisdom, wry humor, no-nonsense faith, liberating insight, and fearless honesty that have made her beloved by women worldwide.

My Personal Review:

For The Love~FIGHTING for GRACE in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker is a wonderfully burden breaking book filled with sound truths about grace. 
For The Love by Jen Hatmaker takes a relaxed and transparent look at the elements of grace and the pressure we put on ourselves to live it out in a "perfect" way every day. This book gently reminds the reader that the focus of grace filled living should center around the love we share and reveal to one another through kindness practiced in our everyday living; It is more about resembling Christ through a relationship with Him rather than trying harder to be better within our own strength. 

Reading the book,  For The Love by Jen Hatmaker is similar to the feeling one gets from a cool breeze on a hot summer day! With each turn of the page, I could feel the air becoming lighter...crisper...easier to breathe. Jen's candor and honest transparency throughout her writing is so refreshing to me that I can hardly put her work down. Instead of  rushing through and trying to read faster, I found myself reading slower, so as to savor every word. Well done!

Jen Hatmaker will bring a smile to your face!

After digesting this most recent work from Jen Hatmaker, the reader will undoubtedly search their own heart for issues that have been hidden and not dealt with due to the fear of being judged by a harsh world. Jen brings to light that releasing these concerns to the Lord will break chains and set you free to demonstrate the goodness of God wherever you are planted. The humor in this book is plentiful. Is she a comedian in addition to her writing career? I literally could not stop laughing during many parts of this book. Her unstoppable ability to bring liberation to a soul bound in guilt, fear, and insecurity is a priceless gift.

I think what I love most about this author's work is the way her "spicy" personality comes across in her masterpieces. She describes "spicy people" as those who "love obnoxious humor, sarcasm, and the tendency to be very, very loud." She goes on to explain that spicy folks have "enormous feelings, which makes us a passionate, emotional bunch. Our permanent default setting is exclamation marks. We don't really 'do gentle.' We don't actually know what that means." 

For The Love brings out this free spirited sense of abandon and translates to the reader in a comedic way. However, don't mistake Jen's fun spirited delivery with a watered down message, because her case for Christ and her consistent message that we need to reach out to a hurting world in truth and love are vehemently clear. Her insistence that God should not be our "American God Narrative", 'filtered through a middle class, white, advantage denominational lens' sets the stage for one of the most profound statements in the entire book, which is: "Theology is either true everywhere or it isn't true anywhere." Powerful, thought provoking, and true! 

For the Love  by Jen Hatmaker is a treat to read! It will be released on August 18, 2015. This book definitely has the potential to set a warm heart on fire...a captive soul free... a confused mind straight...and perhaps even change a grumpy countenance to a bright and happy one.  

Thank you to Thomas Nelson a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc for this complimentary review copy of For The Love by Jen Hatmaker provided through NetGalley. I received this book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions within this review are my own.

Book Review: A Sparrow In Terezin by Kristy Cambron

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection through one survivor’s story of hope in the darkest days of a war-torn world.

This book is incredibly realistic!
Put it on your reading list today.
  

Present Day—With the grand opening of her new art gallery and a fairy–tale wedding just around the corner, Sera James feels like she’s stumbled into a charmed life—until a brutal legal battle against fiancé William Hanover threatens to destroy their future before it even begins.

Now, after an eleventh-hour wedding ceremony and a callous arrest, William faces a decade in prison for a crime he never committed, and Sera must battle the scathing accusations that threaten her family and any hope for a future with the man she loves.

1942—Kája Makovsky narrowly escaped Nazi-occupied Prague in 1939 and was forced to leave behind her half-Jewish family. Now a reporter for The Daily Telegraph in England, Kája discovers the terror has followed her across the Channel in the shadowy form of the London Blitz. When she learns Jews are being exterminated by the thousands on the continent, she has no choice but to return to her mother city, risking her life to smuggle her family to freedom and peace.

Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains them and fight to protect all they hold dear–even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

MY PERSONAL REVIEW:

A Sparrow In Terezin by Kristy Cambron is a heartbreaking, yet hope filled book of love and courage written for the reader who is not only interested in being entertained, but simultaneously informed to historical events that took place during World War II. 

Masterful writing!

A Sparrow In Terezin by Kristy Cambron captures the happenings that took place within the boundaries of the Nazi established Jewish internment camp of Terezin during World War II. Terezin was a town in Northwestern Czechoslovakia and history records that Jews were brought by the thousands to this city for the purpose of falsely promoting a model "Jewish settlement" of sorts and thereby utilizing it to show the world how well the Jewish nation was being treated by the Nazis. This in fact was a lie. The town in actuality served as a transit camp run by the SS for the Jews who were en route for extermination to other death camps. The city was an overcrowded ghetto filled with underfed, mostly elderly and young Jewish people who were suffering from rampant illness and poor living conditions.

Kristy Cambron logically interlaces the lives of the two main characters, Kaja and Sera between current time and 1942. As each woman faces the most intense trial of her life, they each uncover an inner strength and peace. The story utilizes meticulous narration as the two intertwined lives eventually comprehend that the source of their strength is Christ living within them. The gospel presentation is subtle, but unmistakably clear. The continual foundation of family commitment and unwavering selflessness that are consistently communicated in this book, are inspiring and commendable. The inhumanity revealed within A Sparrow In Terezin as depicted through the horrendous events occurring in the city during the war are clearly appalling and paralyzing, however, the countering bravery, trust, resilience, hope and faith that each character represents, manage to restore a sense of confidence in humankind that is undeniable. 

I was enlightened to some of the atrocities that occurred during this time period and I am grateful for a deeper understanding of the intense suffering that took place. I was truly touched by the reading of this book. I found the descriptions of the children within the city walls to be hauntingly realistic. A Sparrow In Terezin was painful to read in some parts, but the exchange for knowledge was worth the injurious emotions. I'm thankful for the education and I walk away from this masterpiece with a desire to be "a teacher of hope". 

Thank you to Thomas Nelson, a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc for this review copy of A Sparrow In Terezin by Kristy Cambron. A copy of this book was provided to me through the BookLook Bloggers program in exchange for a complete read and an honest opinion of this work.

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!