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Merri’s Christmas Mission

February 6, 2023 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

6 Feb

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Merri's Christmas Mission by Chautona Havig

Title: Merri’s Christmas Mission
Author: Chautona Havig
Major Themes: Christmas, Romance, Family, Gifts
Synopsis: Out of a job, but determined to give her children the best Christmas possible, Merri sets herself the almost impossible task of making this their greatest Christmas yet…on a shoestring budget.

I often like to have a Kindle book going while I’m reading something in paperback, so that when I have moments I want to read, but can’t have a physical book with me, I’ll still have something to scratch my reading itch. One of my most recent picks for this spot was Merri’s Christmas Mission. I knew I wanted to get to it sometime, and I figured it probably wouldn’t be too thrilling or gripping, which meant I would still prefer reading the physical book above this one. Well, I was right…and wrong. I did my best to hold out, although eventually Havig’s superb story writing skills drew me in and held me hostage until I finished! The print book still isn’t finished (granted, it was Gulliver’s Travels, so I’m giving myself grace there!), but I’m not sorry I finished this when I did.

After feeling like she missed out on Christmas all of her childhood, Merri is determined to make Christmas the best holiday possible for her three children. She’s managed very well…up until this year, when she’s jobless, scrambling to make ends meet, and then has the added pressure of coming up with the multitudes of presents for each child that she’s tried to do each year. In her search for anything that might help her make her children’s Christmas better, she runs across Barney, the man who leads the local homeless shelter. Both of them are making entries on a pool table giveaway, him on the behalf of the mission, and her for her children. Despite her swearing off all men—for good, this time—when Barney offers to help, should Merri accept his proposition?

The part of Merri’s Christmas Mission that I didn’t expect was just how humorous this story would be! I fell in love with Merri’s children, and some of the stunts they got up to made me laugh out loud. That doesn’t happen much with any book, so even for that fact itself, I appreciated the story! Merri’s determination to provide for her children—not just physically and emotionally, but in memories and experiences—was beautiful to see. Though this is just a short read, it was a beautiful one. I’d love to read it again one day!

I was given a review copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

WARNING: Sworn is used in ch. 5. Several times, characters hug or hold hands. Merri’s three children all have different fathers, none of whom she married, and that is mentioned several times. Sex is mentioned in ch. 14. Goodness is used in ch. 19, and there’s a kiss near the end of the chapter.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
Book Depository: Paperback

Keywords: Books for Women · Chautona Havig · Christian Fiction · Christmas · Family · Gifts · North America · Romance

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Passion & Purpose

February 3, 2023 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

3 Feb

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Passion & Purpose cover

Title: Passion & Purpose
Author: Susan Martins Miller
Series: Men of Valor
Major Themes: Jim Elliot, Elisabeth Elliot, Auca, Waodani, Ecuador, Missionaries
Synopsis: What effect would Jim Elliot’s single-minded devotion to God have on him and others?

It has been a long time since I have read anything about the five young men who were speared to death in the jungle of Ecuador by the Auca Indians. I’m sure I have read a biography of Jim Elliot, but I can’t think right now what book it might have been. Passion & Purpose caught my eye recently, and I’m glad I chose to read it. 

Jim grew up as part of a Plymouth Brethren family in Oregon. From a very young age, he was methodical and structured, and by the time he was six years old, he knew that he belonged to the Lord. This methodical, structured single-mindedness followed him through the rest of his life. He went to college in Wheaton, Illinois, where he focused all his attention on making himself ready, mentally and physically, for the mission field. His passion was to serve God—and nothing else was to get in his way. When he found himself attracted to Betty Howard, and that she was attracted to him, he made sure that she knew he would only marry her if he came to the conclusion that God wanted them together. What a long time it was until he knew for sure! As anyone who is familiar with modern mission work knows, Jim married Elisabeth (Betty) and they worked together on the mission field in the jungle for a few years, climaxing with the mission to the Auca Indians. 

I can’t say I learned any new facts from Passion & Purpose. I did find it fascinating to see how Jim learned to find more balance in his life, as he learned more about God and His will. However, for a book that includes the word “passion” in the title, there is not a lot of passion in the writing! This book is a good overview of a life lived for God, but not a gripping account.

I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

No warnings!

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, 12 – 15, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Book Depository: Paperback

Keywords: 1950-2000 · 20th Century · Auca · Biographies · Books for Men · Ecuador · Elisabeth Elliot · Family Friendly · Jim Elliot · Men of Valor · Mission Work · Missionaries · North America · South America · Susan Martins Miller · US History · US History 1900-1950 · Waodani

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Whose Egg is That?

February 1, 2023 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

1 Feb

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Whose Egg is That? cover

Title: Whose Egg is That?
Author: Darrin Lunde
Major Themes: Eggs, Birds, Reptiles, Animals, Science
Synopsis: Beautiful pictures and sparse text introduce a variety of types of eggs to young children in the format of a guessing game.

Some books I read to my little children are just plain fun. I received an ecopy of Whose Egg is That? and had it on my iPad. While we were at a camp meeting last week, I read this book to my 7- and 3-year-old daughters one evening to help them relax with the familiar activity of reading together. The next day when I put my little girl down for a nap, she wanted me to read it to her again, and then she wanted to read it herself! She did her best to memorize the text so she could “read” it to me. Both of them loved guessing what each egg was!

Seven very different types of eggs are described in this book. First is a two-page spread with a picture of the egg, the question, “Whose egg is that?” and one sentence of information about it. Then, you turn to another two-page spread which gives the answer to the question and another sentence or two about it. Several of the eggs, of course, belong to birds, but almost half are those of other creatures. At the end of the book is a two-page spread of fun facts about eggs in general. I found these quite interesting; there were some facts I didn’t know!

Whose Egg is That? is a delightful way to learn a little bit about science. This is a perfect book for two- and three-year-olds who love repetition and interactive books. The text is simple but informative, and the pictures are beautiful. Any young animal lover will enjoy this book.

I received a review copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

No warnings!

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 3 – 4, 5 – 8
Reading Independently—Ages 5 – 6, 7 – 9

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Kindle | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
Book Depository: Hardcover

Keywords: Animals · Birds · Darrin Lunde · Eggs · Picture Books · Reptiles · Science · Whose is THAT? series

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Lifting up the Downcast

January 30, 2023 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

30 Jan

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

Lifting up the Downcast by Patrick Sookhdeo

Title: Lifting up the Downcast
Author: Patrick Sookhdeo
Major Themes: Devotionals, Hope, Encouragement
Synopsis: A short book of encouragement, pulling from the Bible and great writers of old to remind us that we are never alone.

I have a friend who has a habit of collecting encouraging books, quotations, and so forth—longer or shorter doesn’t matter, but when she comes across one that particularly blesses her, she’ll get some extra copies and share them with people. She’s a blessing and inspiration to me, and one of the books she gave me recently was Lifting up the Downcast. I didn’t think a lot of it—beyond the fact that she found something worthwhile in the pages, it didn’t look like the sort of book that would necessarily appeal to me. But I thanked her and put it on my shelf, and when I was trying to decide what to focus on reading next a few weeks ago, I pulled it out and decided to give it a try.

For starters, it wasn’t nearly as long as I thought it would be! Seven short chapters make up this volume, and all center around God. As you progress through the book, you read about fear, anxiety, trusting God, death, comfort, and the joy of the Lord. Each topic is one that I’ve often pondered on, but the simple, beautiful way Sookhdeo brings out his points—always with a higher view of the Lord in mind—made me slow down and ponder the message more than I expected I would. The presentation has a certain grace about it; each topic was chosen with care, and though parts can tend to step on your toes a little, everything is shared with a gentleness that I admire. Throughout the pages, there are many scripture references to follow, if you care to dig deeper on any one topic. Sookhdeo also brings in many examples from history, often in the form of old hymns, which I loved. Some of the backstories of the hymn writers shared here were fascinating and encouraging in and of themselves!

Written for those struggling to find hope in a chaotic world, I found Lifting up the Downcast a refreshing read. It’s a reminder that God is present with us, that He does have an ultimate plan for our lives, and that He ultimately does have better things in store for those of us that love Him! If you’re struggling in your faith today, find a copy of this book and take the time to read it. It was a blessing to me, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if I find myself picking it up again to read sometime in the future! It’s a goodie!

No warnings!

Age levels:

Listening Level— Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Keywords: Christian Living · Christian Non-Fiction · Devotionals · Faith · Family Friendly · Hope · Hymns · Trust · Trusting God

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A Voice in the Wind

January 27, 2023 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

27 Jan

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers

Title: A Voice in the Wind
Author: Francine Rivers
Series: Mark of the Lion, book 1
Major Themes: Ancient Israel, Ancient Rome, Early Christians
Synopsis: When Hadassah, a young Christian Jewess, is bought to be the slave of a Roman family, can she keep her faith while serving in the pagan culture around her?

I’ve heard of Rivers’ books for years but never read any for myself until I decided to try A Voice in the Wind. Mom has been reading her Sons of Encouragement series aloud to us as part of my sibling’s history (isn’t it great when historical fiction can be used to teach history?), and I was quite impressed by those books. With them, she sticks closely to the Biblical account, and what isn’t in the Bible is quite plausible. Seeing that, I wanted to know what some of her other novels were like—and this one seemed like an easy choice. I haven’t read much based around this time in Roman history—Pontius Pilate and Twice Freed being the two exceptions I can think of at the moment—so I was curious what she would do with Rome around the time of the fall of Jerusalem. Combined with my interest in the fall of Jerusalem as a historical event, I knew I’d find at least some things to intrigue me in this story!

Hadassah, a young Christian girl with Jewish roots, just happens to be in Jerusalem when the siege ends and Titus’ men start ransacking the city. When her parents, brother, and sister all die before they escape the city, she’s the only one left—and, shipped off to Rome, all she knows is that slavery and pain await her. Her faith was already slipping before; why would God choose to let her live, instead of leaving one of her siblings, whose faith was stronger than hers? When she arrives in Rome, she becomes a handmaid to a Roman aristocrat’s daughter, and while she loves the young woman, she’s revolted by what she sees around her. Struggling to know how and when to share her faith, and realizing she’s falling in love with a man she cannot marry, she must rely on God for guidance and protection.

I knew about the sin that filled Rome back then—some of the references in Pontius Pilate told me about that, and I’ve also learned from other sources. But seeing it here made me realize just how much the ancient Romans needed Jesus—and what a challenge the Christians had to try to steer clear of that sin while still reaching out to those around them. It was a dangerous world for them; if you were suspected of being Christian, almost anyone could test your loyalty to the emperor—and if you refused to burn incense in his honor, you would be sent to the arena to your death. Seeing it through the eyes of a frightened young girl was quite a challenge to me. I could identify with her, and yet watching her make the right choices—even when it broke her heart to do so—reinforced my faith in the Lord.

A Voice in the Wind is a striking example of the two choices we all have in life: Following our own will (and earning a heap of trouble for our efforts!), or following Christ. Both ways are hard, but one is infinitely harder than the other in the long run.

As far as the story itself, it was well done. Even though there were numerous mentions of sin—not unlike what we have today, honestly, although it may have been more overt back then—I never felt like I had to scrub my eyes after reading this book. Rivers seems to have a line she’ll go to, and no further, and I appreciated that. The characters were gripping, and, for some at least, heart-wrenching. And the way the book ended…to avoid spoilers, I’ll just say I was quite challenged by what happened. It was much more touching than I could have expected. In all, an excellent read, highly recommended!

WARNING: Rome’s sinful culture is referenced a lot of times. People having had past or ongoing affairs are frequently mentioned through the book (several times a man has a prostitute sent to him, or a woman offers herself to a man, phrases like “sleeping with” or “making love to” are used, but never more description than that anywhere in the book). People try seducing each other frequently (generally very veiled remarks). People often remove their clothing to incite others’ lust (most often mentioned about the gladiators at the arena; no more description than here). Homosexuality is referenced multiple times. What went on at the arena is mentioned several times, often with people hurt or killed. “By the gods” or similar expressions appear in nearly every chapter of the book. Erotic paintings or nude statues are mentioned multiple times. Lying and disobedience to parents happen multiple times. Bulimia is mentioned in ch. 19, and drinking is a common occurrence throughout the story. There are pagan ceremonies and drinking blood in ch. 2, 13, and 32. Fighting and people being killed happens in ch. 2, 7, 10, 13, 17, 21, 24, 32, and 37. There are kisses and/or touching in ch. 4, 7, 9, 17, 18, 25, 27, 28, 31, and 35. A woman has an abortion in ch. 20 (described to some extent). A man is killed by premeditated poisoning in ch. 26. A woman decides to let her newborn son die in ch. 35.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audio CD
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
Book Depository: Paperback

Keywords: Ancient Times · Asia · Christian Fiction · Christian History · Early Christians · Early Church · Europe · Faith · Francine Rivers · Historical Fiction · Israel · Mark of the Lion series · Middle East · Persecution · Romance · Rome

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