Archive for April, 2016


‘Drift’ By Sharon Carter Rodgers/ Review by Kim S-J

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April 26, 2016

Most people reach a point in their lives where they are looking for meaning or for their purpose in life.  They make statements like, ‘I’m going to find myself’.  They may feel lost without a purpose in this world.  I’m not sure what the author, Sharon Carter Rodger, wanted to express but she has managed to breathe hope and faith into the characters in this book, as well as the readers of this book. (Psalm 13:1) ‘O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?’  This passage in the Bible describes the first half of this book, not the overall story but the hidden significance of the story.  The hunt begins for the hope, destiny and a name.  This story reveals that the power of caring  and loving enough can reveal your own purpose, propel you into your own future.  I find a sweet romance in the fact that it all begins with a promise.  The realization came later on for me, when I read this short declaration.  “Lovers are lunatics.” (page 74)

Both of the characters do not know their real names and one of them has given up on knowing who they are.  What would you choose to know if you had one choice, your name or your destiny?  Is one more important than the other?  Could knowing one, reveal the other?  Those who are marked by God, by His Spirit, learn to help others to know that God sees them, and they are not lost.  We reveal all this as we drift in and out of people’s lives.

Kim S-J

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‘Left To Tell’ By Immaculee Ilibagiza & Steve Erwin /Review by Kim S-J

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You’ve never heard a story from the Rwandan Holocaust like this.  This is a retelling of Imaculee Illibagezza’s struggles.  What makes this story so unique is the fact that while you are being told of her horrifying flight from her enemies, you are also being told of her inner connection with her God, and how it increases to the point where she begins to see in the spirit realm, receiving encouragement and instructions from God.  Her relationship between her and her God goes from being at HIs hand to being at His face.  Imaculee’s private room housed her religious statues and prayer books.  When she had to flee for her life, she left them behind.  She had to rely on what she had memorized to give her comfort.  As her situation grew darker, she needed more than comfort, she needed strategy.  Imaculee cried out desperately, without form or patterned prayer.  She quoted scriptures, checked her heart for hatred and bitterness, and pleaded with God to be hidden from her spiritual enemy and his devices.

In reading this book I escaped my ordinary, mundane prayer life, my prayer books, religious positions and moved to my heart.  I checked my heart for what would hinder my prayers.  The book was exciting.  Imaculle’s story opened my eyes to things that I could have only imagined without any real form of reality.

The craft of writing is not what attracts you to this work.  The story alone is so shocking that you can get away with not having moving sentences and shocking characters.  I must admit that without the testimony it would be another story from that time period that you may choose not to read because of the shocking content.  The testimony between these traumatic events is life changing.  I would recommend this book especially for those who want to know what Christianity looks like in the fire, on the battlefield, in action.  If you’ve spent your life surrounded by prayer books, and can barely see the fading light of faith in the distance, this …story, will bring your faith back to life.

Kim S-J

 

 

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‘Burn’, by Ted DeKker/Review by Kim S-J

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As different as fire and ice, they are.  Two distinctly different young ladies, Janeal and Katy, captures the affection of a young man, Robert, who loves them both equally, for different reasons.  One of the young ladies, Janeal, wanted to leave her family’s way of life.  “She toyed daily, hourly, with the idea of leaving this place.”

One day, Jeneal has the answer to fulfilling her hopes and dreams handed to her by the devil himself.  Jeneal runs the risk of betraying all of her love ones.  I’ve seen this before, you get to a place in your life where there’s something that you want so badly, that the devil himself could show up, and his offer might be hard to refuse.  I watched as Jeneal weighed all she had to gain, and tried to protect all that she  knew she could lose.  It was an offer she couldn’t, or wouldn’t refuse.  Decisions brought changes to Jeneal’s character as she learned the highest form of her new craft. Your eyes will open wide if you see your reflection in her character.

A tragedy takes place in her community and all of her love ones are suspected to be dead.   When Jeneal discovers another survivor, the possibility of her betrayals being known, brings her out of hiding.  Is she filled with regret or happy with the life she has built?  Does Robert still love her?  Has she out smarted the devil?  Each survivor ‘burns’ in their own way to find answers and wholeness.

Warnings whisper from these pages and upon locating your own personal memory, it exposes the infidel hiding within.  What?  You’re not ready for it to be you?  Well, that’s what the story is for. Perhaps you can sketch down a note as a warning for your future self.

If you’ve ever wondered if you could outsmart the devil, what beauty from within looks like, or what bitterness can do to your life?  Take your time with these characters.  What, who, are you willing to burn to get what you want?  I appreciate this story.  It was so entertaining that it exposed my true feelings without me knowing it. Yes! You should read this book.

Kim S-J

 

 

 

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‘Imanuel’s Veins’, by Ted DeKker/Review by Kim S-J

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April 25, 2016

Oh my goodness!  Okay, let me just quote the man, Ted Dekker, himself.  “This Story Is For Everyone But Not Everyone Is For This Story.”  Once again, Ted DeKker places a parable before you and challenges you to discover more about yourself and the true meaning of life.  There is so much transformation taking place in this novel that it keeps you on your toes.  You can feel pulled in two different directions.  Will you hold out for everlasting, passionate love, or boiling hot lust?  Both passions get in your head.  You are wrestling with the possibility of deception and is the deception worth it.

What ever attracts you, whatever draws you, you may find yourself walking the majestic halls of the castle to find — your lover.  In your search, there will be many opportunities to be pulled away.  You will find out what you are made of and what your relationship is made of, when the sirens call your name.

Two very handsome and very different men are sent to protect two beautiful princesses and their mother.  Before they could actually get there, the more sober warrior receives a warning from heaven, delivered by a dried up, old man.  Evil wants to challenge him.

As freaky as the old man looks with his crow, and as distant as the information sounds, you and the main character store it in the back of your mind, like a haunting memory.  What happens next are the things that book clubs are made of .  Who would you love?  Why?  What would you do to save your love?  Is it worth it?

Kim S-J

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