Book Review: Sarah's Choice by Rebecca St. James and Nancy Rue

Sarah’s Choice by Rebecca St. James and Nancy Rue is not only an entertaining novel, but moves beyond mere fictional enjoyment into the sensitive subject of a woman’s ability to chose life or death for her unborn child.

This is an excellent book about a
very sensitive subject!

Sarah’s Choice by Rebecca St. James and Nancy Rue is a thought provoking and compassionate look at one woman’s journey through the emotions of an unplanned pregnancy.  As the world of the main character, Sarah is unveiled; the reader gets a peek into her life both past, present and future.  She is a hardworking executive with lots of plans for corporate ladder advancement, all of which would be ruined in her mind if she is to become an unwed mother.  Her perspective on life and love are formulated by those in her immediate surroundings and she is beyond confusion as to what path she should take.

The book does an excellent job of placing the reader within Sarah’s mind and experiencing the anguish of a decision with such enormous implications.  If she chooses to keep the child, her ability to meet the goals she has established for her career will certainly be in jeopardy, not to mention the inability to pay off many mounting debts.  There is also an underlying fear that Sarah will not be a fit mother to the child due to her inexperience as a caretaker.  And, of course, there is also the father to consider.  Will he want the child and if so, what will his role be in all of it?  If Sarah chooses to have an abortion, she is uncertain that she will be able to live with that decision knowing that she has killed her unborn child. 

Ultimately, the conclusion of this book provides empowerment and a plan of action that will not only guide this particular decision, but will steer the course of a life forever.  After reading this novel, I have a much greater level of compassion for anyone facing the dilemma of an unplanned pregnancy, as well as a deeper level of understanding of the possible daily grief that one lives with if they have already chosen to abort their child.

The character development in this book is phenomenal!  There is humor, suspense, drama, and many extra surprises along the way.  This was an excellent book!  It is well worth your time to read it and to contemplate the staggering statistics on the rate of abortion in this country.  This novel truly sheds light on the sanctity of life.

Thank you to BookLook Bloggers and Thomas Nelson Publishing for this complimentary review copy of Sarah’s Choice by Rebecca St. James and Nancy Rue.  I was not required to give a favorable review.  The opinions within this review are my own.

 

Keep A Steady Gaze....God Is Always Up To Something Good

Psalm 119:83(MSG)
There's smoke in my eyes--they burn and water, but I keep a steady gaze on the instructions You post.


Hiding behind this tree, I had a rare chance to observe wildlife
and the beauty of God's creation today. 

 

 
 
 
                                             What a beautiful morning here in the Ozarks! 
We have an overgrown field complete with a pond and lots of thickets next to our house.  It provides a constant source of nature viewing pleasures.  Today, as I sat in our office staring out over the water where we often see wildlife sneaking out for a cool drink, I got a rare chance to see some new fawns interacting with her Mama!

I grabbed my camera and sprinted out to this hiding spot behind the tree and kept a very "steady gaze".  It definitely paid off to keep the camera in focus and not move a muscle!  I got to partake in some rare interactions between this doe and her new babies!  What a treat!   

She could hear me, however, she never could find me.

Mama knew I was there.  She kept looking for me, but never did spot me.  Each time the shutter clicked, I could see her freeze and listen, but my hiding place was secure.









Cleaning her little one and giving some words of wisdom.

Here she's stopping to clean the water off her sweetheart and perhaps whisper some motherly
advice about not going to far into the water. 

I think she sees me here, but doesn't seem to sense
that there is any danger, so she continues
her breakfast...as does her fawn.

I'm pretty sure that she saw me at this point, but barely breathing and holding my position steady, she went on to finish eating.  As you can see, I caught her fawn eating, too.  After this shot, I snuck away undetected to allow them to finish their morning drink! 








Most Wonderful Creator,
Thank you for this incredible gift today!  I know that I am surrounded by Your beauty...help me to keep a steady focus on You, so that I can forever see the world through Your lens.
In Christ's name,
Amen
 

Book Review: Arms Open Wide~A Call To Linger in the Savior's Presence by Sherri Gragg

Arms Open Wide by Sherri Gragg is a beautifully written devotional book that brings a greater depth of understanding to the gospels and a renewed sensitivity to the never ending love of Christ. 




A wonderful book that draws us to
of a loving Savior.

Arms Open Wide by Sherri Gragg is a tender devotional.  Each individual section of the book leads off with a scripture reading from the gospels and then flows seamlessly into a narrated dialogue from the perspective of a character found within that particular Bible story.  Each section ends with a transparent prayer that draws the reader further into a heart of worship to an approachable and loving Savior.  The author's ability to take nuggets of cultural research and transfer them onto the page for effortless interpretation is a unique gift.  There is a glossary of historical terms at the back of the book to be referenced as needed for a more complete understanding of the setting in which the events were occurring.  I found this list very helpful and enlightening.

The message of hope and freedom that can be found in a relationship with Jesus Christ was eloquently unveiled throughout the entirety of this book.  One specific section of reading that spoke directly to my heart was the story of Mary and Martha.  The author utilizes her extensive research into the treatment of women in this culture and time period and brilliantly connects the scriptures to the probable thoughts occurring within Martha's mind.  The conclusion is a much deeper comprehension of the Lord's desire that each of us come to Him for our fulfillment and not fall into the trap of allowing the world to define us.  Our potential is found in Him and our definition of who we are comes only from His defining grace upon our lives.  We are encouraged to sit at His feet and listen to the direction He has designed uniquely for each of us to follow.  

Upon receiving this book, I was very impressed with the cover design by Milkglass Creative.  In addition to the outstanding cover, the thick smooth paper quality of each individual page adds a richness to the experience that I would be remiss not to mention. 

I found this book, Arms Open Wide by Sherri Gragg, to be a wonderfully deep work of truth paired with an honest heart of creativity.  It truly does beckon the reader to linger and ponder the richness of the living God and respond to the loving redemptive care of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishing for this review copy of Arms Open Wide by Sherri Gragg through the BookLook Bloggers program.  The opinions expressed within this review are my own.  I was not required to provide a positive review, but chose to do so of my own accord.
 

Book Review: How To Really Love Your Teen (The Acclamined Bestseller--Revised and Updated)

How to Really Love Your Teen by D. Ross Campbell, M.D. is a quick and practical read filled with timely and immediately applicable wisdom!  If you are a parent, grandparent, youth leader or anyone who has the privilege to impact the life of a teen, you have got to get your hands on a copy of this book!



Excellent and practical book!

This is my third time through reading this incredible book.  I purchased it back when my son was a youngster getting ready to go into his teen years, and now that I have another child entering this, sometimes precarious stage of life, I grabbed it for another read and ended up reading it through twice. 

Although, I am sad to report that the author of this book, has sense passed away in a tragic climbing accident, it must be of great comfort to his family to know that he has left a legacy that is still touching families all over the world today.  This short read (142 pages cover to cover) was originally published in 1981 and updated in 2003, however, before you dismiss it to be outdated, be aware that it is filled with valuable insights and appropriately organized nuggets of truth that will make your relationship with your teen stronger than ever!

This book succinctly outlines a plan to understand and relate better to your teen, no matter what your current relationship with them might be.  The author encourages us each to evaluate our own role modeling and tweak and adjust where needed.  The mere reminder that our youth in the teenage phase are actually "children" in transition and need to be treated with much care and attention was enough for me to give this book a five star rating.  The author exhorts us to put our lives in order, physically, morally, and spiritually because our children are learning from us everyday whether we are aware of it or not, so we had better be a positive influence!  The book then supplies the tools to begin a road to confident and calm teenage parenting! 

How To Really Love Your Teen by D. Ross Campbell was an excellent book and well worth your time to read! 

Emergency Preparedness National Day of Action~It doesn't take much time to BE PPREPARED

Psalm 119:82 (MSG)
My eyes grow heavy watching for some sign of Your promise;  how long must I wait for Your comfort?

Storm clouds on the horizon.

Today is Emergency Preparedness National Day of Action.  It is a "FEMA-sponsored nationwide community based campaign to increase our emergency preparedness and resiliency" as quoted from the FEMA website.  I think the point is to study the geographical area in which you live, and prepare for the most logical scenario for a possible emergency.  I, personally, cannot manage to think about the large scale emergencies, such as, earthquakes and terrorist attacks, so I focus on the smaller more "manageable" emergencies.  In this area of the Midwest, of course, one thinks immediately of tornadoes and ice storms.  With the recent tornado outbreak, it is certainly fresh on my mind. 

We have a basement in our home, so I use our closet under the stairs as a shelter since it has a concrete wall on one side and is a small room.  The area fits all the "criteria" that I researched to make certain it was "the best" room for this function.  I have set it up according to the FEMA recommendations.  If you come with me inside the room, you will find:  water bottles, peanut butter, flash lights, blankets, pillows, weather radio, storm map, hammer, (supposed to be an axe...need to get one of those), change of clothes, first aid kit, a few good books (a given for any time you might be sitting with nothing to do, but not on FEMA's list...gasp)...etc.  It is not air tight, so it doesn't really provide shelter from an air born terrorist attack, and it's in the basement, so it's not a good quake protection zone...as I would want to be standing outside in the field for that one...but I digress. 

Storm Shelter

I think the point is this....I can't possibly prepare for every tragic scenario, but, I can surely focus on this one, sense it is truly a common threat that we are frequently faced with here in Missouri.  So, I took some time today and cleaned out my "shelter".  I changed out the batteries in all of the flashlights and storage box, which I might add had not been done in a LONG time apparently, based upon the many exploded batteries I found!  Interestingly, the brand Rayovac was the culprit.  All the Duracell and Heavy Duty were fine...a post for another day...perhaps...maybe even a commercial...lol.  I replaced old water and snacks and made sure the radio was in working condition.  I shook out the blankets and pillows and rearranged the mattress.  That was easy...push that "easy button" here.  Now I am all "prepared".  How about you?  Are you prepared for whatever might come your way?  It didn't take me very long...and now I can rest assured knowing that I've done what I can do.  It's a nice feeling.

Today's Bible verse is a reminder to me that I need to be ever "watchful" and prepared to do my part to protect the life that He has given me and to guard my children's lives.  And to answer the question of the Psalmist about "how long must we wait for His comfort".....we don't have to wait at all for His comfort!  He is right here.....waiting for us!  We need only go to Him and He will wrap us in His comforting arms.

Father,
Thank you for the ability to provide protection to my family from storms.  I know that You hold us in the palm of Your mighty right hand.  May Your plans and promises always be fulfilled in our lives, so that Your name will be glorified!
Amen