Monday, June 20, 2011

When Sparrows Fall

I am so happy to be reviewing Meg Moseley's debut novel! How exciting for her to be a newly published author. Here's what I found out about this gal:

*She has homeschooled for more than 20 years!
*She enjoys reading and traveling.
*She likes to take motorcycle rides with her husband.

So we have two of the three in common. I have never homeschooled a day in my life. If you met my 3 boys, you would know why. I am definitely not teacher material!

This novel is a story about a widow and her children who are trying to escape from the grips of a very controlling church. After her husband's death the main character, Miranda, decides it is time to make a clean break from the church she attended with her husband. She must also come to grips with a secret she and her husband had been keeping for years. The hero of the story is her former husband's half brother who comes in to rescue Miranda and her children. As the story unfolds, Miranda must embrace her past, the truth, and the grace of God which is sometimes difficult to do, even in the best of circumstances. This story of healing and love will become an example to many!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

The Waiting Place

This is the first book I have read by Eileen Button. After reading this, I want to hang out with this gal. I love her style of writing. I love her honesty. I love how it feels like she's speaking to me. I love her heart for God. I love her faith. and her trust. and her vulnerability. I could go on and on, seriously.

This book has 22 chapters. My plan was to read one a day. But after the first three days, I had to read more! So I think it took me 5 days to finish the entire book. After finishing her book, I had to check out her website (of course!).

Here's what the website says about Eileen:

Eileen Button is an author, columnist, runner (well, sometimes), adjunct professor, mama, and committed java junkie. She believes in the goodness of God, the power of laughter, the inspiration of words, and the beauty of life.

Her essays have been published in Newsweek, Christianity Today's Gifted for Leadership, Holy Bible: Mosaic, and other online and print publications.

Eileen takes delight in stumbling on the miraculous in ordinary spaces - the repose of a child, the miracle of a garden, the face of a stranger. Through writing and speaking she encourages others to truly live and make room for the sacred.
This book is an everyday reminder that God has a plan and sometimes while we wait for His plan to unfold, it is hard. We want instant gratification. We want life to be easy and to go our way. We feel entitled to the good life. But that is not the case! In this world we will have troubles, trials, sadness, pain, and hard times. Sometimes all we can do (in the words of Eileen) is "hunker down, pray harder, and listen more keenly......and hold tightly to the belief that something good is yet to come". We know God is always good and we are always loved. And that is enough!

*I received a copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for my review. The views are solely mine*