Friday, January 8, 2010

Dinosaurs for Kids by Ken Ham

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:


Dinosaurs for Kids

Master Books (October 15, 2009)

***Special thanks to Robert Parrish of New Leaf Press for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Ken Ham is the founder and executive director of Answers in Genesis in the USA and one of the most sought-after Christian speakers in North America. He is the author or co-author of many books and is heard daily on the radio program, “Answers...with Ken Ham,” on more than 300 stations worldwide. Ken is also featured in various videos including the series, “Answers in Genesis with Dr. Gary Parker,” and the 12-part series of 28-minute videos, “Answers...with Ken Ham.” Ken's teaching is clear, true to the Bible, engaging, and challenging. Many have found salvation and others have been encouraged and equipped to reach others with the gospel through Ken's ministry.


Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

Price: $14.99
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 64 pages
Publisher: Master Books (October 15, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0890515557
ISBN-13: 978-0890515556

MY THOUGHTS:
"While the Bible helps us to understand how and when dinosaurs lived, and even why they dies, the Bible doesn't give us highly descriptive details about each and every one. It gives us the big picture of history so we can develop a general understanding of these creatures. Then we can use observational science to help us fill in some of the details and increase our understanding - all the while knowing that nothing in real science can or will contradict God's Holy Word." (p.62)

No one says it better than Ken Ham himself!

Folks, this is a terrific truth-teaching tool for parents to use to teach their children God's Word and it truthfully illustrates how the world has twisted lies all around God's creation and called it evolution. If you want the best of the best teaching tools when guiding your child to the truth of God's Word...look no further! There is no clearer explanation of dinosaurs anywhere! This book is most excellent!

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Dinosaurs for Kids

by

Ken Ham, illustrated by Bill Looney


Dinosaurs can provide a great way to learn about history. You may already be familiar with some of these dinosaurs. These drawings show you what we think they may have looked like. Now, we don’t know for sure, of course, as we usually only find their bones as fossils (and most times, only a few of their bones). Artists use what bones have been found, knowledge about living animals, and some imagination to come up with drawings like these. See if you can pronounce these dinosaur names:


Dilophosaurus (die-LOF-o-SWAR-us), meaning “two-crested lizard.”
Styracosaurus (sty-RAK-o-SAWR-us), meaning “spiked lizard.”
Triceratops (tri-SER-a-tops), meaning “three-horned face.”
Megalosaurus (MEG-a-lo-SAWR-us), meaning “big lizard.”
Iguanodon (i-GWAHN-o-don), meaning “iguana tooth.”
Ceratosaurus (ser-ah-toe-SAWR-us), meaning “horned lizard.”
Deinonychus (die-NON-i-kus), meaning “terrible claws.”
Velociraptor (vee-LOHS-i-RAP-tor), meaning “swift robber.”
Ultrasaurus (UHL-tra-SAWR-us), was so nicknamed because of its enormous size.
Seismosaurus (SEIS-mo-SAWR-us), meaning “earthquake lizard.”


Did you know there are hundreds of dinosaur names? However, there were not hundreds of types of dinosaurs. There were a number of similar ones that should be grouped into categories known by what the Bible describes as “kinds.” Does that sound a little confusing? Well, this book will help to explain this and a lot of other things about dinosaurs you may not know.


(Pictures with names):

Dilophosaurus
Styracosaurus
Triceratops
Iguanodon
Ceratosaurus
Velociraptor
Ultrasaurus
Seismosaurus


Before we begin, I don’t want you to miss out on knowing what my very favorite dinosaur is! In fact, I think he deserves this whole page to himself! It is the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex (ti-RAN-oh-SAWR-us-rex), meaning “tyrant lizard king.” I’ll let you in on a secret – I love T-rex because I like his teeth! I use teeth to teach kids and parents some very interesting things about dinosaurs – things that you may not have heard or really understood before. But it is very important to understand the truth about dinosaurs!


FOUR FAST FACTS

T-rex fossils are found in Canada and the western United States.
The first documented T-rex fossil was discovered in 1902 by Barnum Brown.
Scientists think T-rex skeletons were made up of close to 200 bones.
T-rex had around 60 teeth, which ranged in size based on their placement in the jaw of the skull.


With a strong tail extended for balance, an adult T-rex could be a little over 40 feet in length, 12-13 feet tall at the hips, and weigh between 5 and 7 tons. T-rex’s jagged teeth could be up to 9 inches long, and like sharks, the T-rex was able to replace teeth when one was lost.

What’s in a name? Remember that the T-rex name means “tyrant lizard king.” But secular scientists are still wondering whether T-rexes were active hunters or clever scavengers, or a combination of both. However, creation scientists are able to explain the evidence in a different way using the biblical account of history, as we will soon learn.


FOUR FAST FACTS

The word “fossil” is from the Latin word meaning “dug up.” Scientists often make assumptions about dinosaurs based on a few fossilized bones, bone fragments, or other fossil remains, impressions, etc.
Only a few thousand dinosaur skeletons have been discovered.
The vast majority of fossils discovered are marine invertebrates (creatures that don’t have backbones like clams).


I’m sure you have lots of questions about dinosaurs. I believe I can answer many of those questions for you because dinosaurs are not a mystery at all. I know someone who was there when dinosaurs came into existence, and was also there when they seemed to disappear from the earth. In fact, this “someone” has written a book for us that gives a detailed account of the history of the universe. He tells us when the earth began, as well as when all the living creatures and the first humans appeared.

Now, you may be asking “Who is this someone you say was there to see the dinosaurs?” He is the Creator of all things. He knows everything because He is all powerful and has always been around. And this Creator had a book written for us to give us the details of how time began, and how the universe and all life came into existence. This book also tells us who we are, where we came from, and why we exist. It also gives us information on what is going to happen in the future! There is no other book like this on earth. It is unique, and it is called…the Bible.

When you understand the Bible, you will understand more about dinosaurs. The Bible helps us to answer questions about dinosaurs and about the world around us today.

Bigger. Among the most widely known type of dinosaurs, the sauropods (“lizard foot”) are some of the largest creatures to ever walk the earth. Many of these dinosaurs are known by only a few pieces of bone fragments, and debate continues on just which dinosaur was the largest ever. As discoveries continue, more will be known about these massive giants. Sauroposeidon (“earthquake god lizard”) was considered the largest dinosaur ever to live, until the discovery of Argentinosaurus (“silver lizard”). Though only a few bones of each creature have been found, many scientists estimate that Argentinosaurus was larger, though Sauroposeidon may have been taller.

Smaller. Compsognathus (“elegant jaw”) is among the smallest dinosaurs discovered. A little bigger than a chicken, this dinosaur weighed around 6 pounds. Some scientists have found smaller creatures, like Microraptors, which they try to use to prove dinosaurs were the evolutionary ancestor of birds – real science and the Bible disprove this idea. Archaeopteryx (“ancient wing”) is another example of a creature once thought to prove this link, but that idea has now been proven false.

Did you know that the Bible is really a collection of books written by people specially inspired by God, the Creator, to write down exactly what God wanted us to know? The Bible tells us more about who God is and why we can always trust Him to tell us the truth:

The God of the Bible is the true God: “But the LORD [is] the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King…” (Jeremiah 10:10).
The God of the Bible is infinite – He is all knowing, all powerful: “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.” (Psalm 147:5).
The God of the Bible lives forever – He lives in eternity – He had no beginning and has no end: “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever…” (1 Timothy 1:17).
The God of the Bible is the only true God – other gods people claim to have are false gods: “Therefore You are great, O LORD GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides…” (2 Samuel 7:22).
The God of the Bible is all wise and all knowing: “…in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3).
Wow! What an awesome God.


The Only One.

Only God is a witness to the entire history of the world, including the history of dinosaurs. During the creation week, God created dinosaurs and flying reptiles. Pterosaur (“winged lizard”) like this one, could have wing spans of 30 feet. Stegosaurus (“roof lizard”) is easy to recognize with two rows of large plates running along its arched back, and its multi-spiked tail. Corythosaurus (“helmet lizard”) is a great example of dinosaurs with bony crests on their heads. Scientists think these crests were used in making sounds.

Does any human being (including any scientist) know everything? Has any human being always existed? The answer to both questions is, of course, NO. However, who is the only one who knows everything? Who is the only one who has always been there? The answer to both of these questions is, “the Creator God of the Bible.”


True History!

I call the Bible “The History Book of the Universe.” This is because it is a book that tells us how time and the universe began. And in the very first book of the Bible, the Book of Genesis, we are given a detailed account of not only how God created everything to begin with, but also major events of history that happened after creation.

You might be saying, “Wait a minute, haven’t scientists already found out lots of things about dinosaurs – that they lived millions of years before people and that they lived during the dinosaur age 200 million to 65 million years ago, and then they became extinct?”

Well, not all scientists say that! And though the majority of people today might believe that dinosaurs lived millions of years ago, the majority are wrong on this. And more and more people are now finding out the truth because they listen to and understand God’s Word!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Sydney's DC Discovery by Jean Fischer (Camp Club Girls #2) - Link to Give Away!

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:


Sydney’s DC Discovery (Camp Club Girls #2)

Barbour Books (January 1, 2010)

***Special thanks to Jean Fischer of Barbour Books for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Jean Fischer has been writing for children for nearly three decades, and has served as an editor with Golden Books. She has written with Thomas Kinkade, John MacArthur, and “Adventures in Odyssey,” and is one of the authors for Barbour’s Camp Club Girls series. A nature lover, Jean lives in Racine, Wisconsin.

Visit the author's website.
Visit the Camp Club Girl's website.


Product Details:

List Price: $5.97
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books (January 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602602689
ISBN-13: 978-1602602687

My Thoughts:
I think I must be a bit off today....I just now realized the second book in the Camp Club Girls has a different author than the first! This does two things, introduces me to a new author, and continues the great adventures of some rather brilliant young ladies! Washington D.C., the Vietnam Memorial, an uncle with a war injury and a mysterious set of circumstances combine to make another interesting read for young ladies with a curiosity! This time there are only a couple of the girls "on site" in D.C., while the rest are connected via email, video phone, cell phones and a host of other gadgetry. I think young readers will be thoroughly entertained!

As an adult, I think this young set of girls are a bit more on the 007 level of technology than their age might indicate. I think the oldest one is only fourteen! Either way, they have access to some pretty advanced technology for such a young group, and if they were my kids, there would be a lot more parental supervision. But, young girls won't have those concerns, so don't let this deter you. If you are looking for a good, exciting, entertaining read for girls ages 8-13, look no further than the Camp Club Girls!

If you want to win a copy of the first two Camp Club Girls books, along with some neat "stuff" to go along with this theme, please enter a comment HERE to be entered to win!!

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


CHAPTER ONE


Splaaaashhh! Whoosh!

“Watch out!” someone called near Sydney’s ear.

But it was too late. The pent up explosion of the water landed square against Sydney’s back, knocking her to the ground.

Dazed, she rolled onto her back and looked up into the hot summer sky. The water swirled around her whole body. From a distance she heard happy shouting and water gushing onto the street.

A fireman’s face appeared above her. “Are you okay, little girl?”

Little girl? Little girl! I’m twelve years old! I’m not a little girl, Mister.

The indignation snapped Sydney out of her dazed condition. She looked up and saw that two firemen were now looking at her anxiously. Carefully they helped her to her feet.

“Are you okay, little girl?” She looked in the fireman’s face. He seemed so worried that her irritation melted.

Sydney looked down at her soaking gray tank top and shorts. “Yes, sir, I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you,” she added, remembering her manners.

Sydney Lincoln had been talking to one of her neighborhood friends. She hadn’t even noticed the firemen at the fire hydrant behind her. And she sure hadn’t realized she was in the direct line of the nozzle the men were releasing.

Still out of breath from the shock of the water, Sydney dropped onto the curb in front of her house. She tore off her running shoes and socks, and stuck her bare feet into the gutter. She watched as the water from the hydrant down the street shot into the air and out the nozzle. The neighborhood kids laughed and splashed in its flow.

As Sydney’s clothes began to dry in the torrid sun, the water rushed along the curb like a river. It streamed between Sydney’s toes and sent goose bumps creeping up to her knees.

Sydney lived in the middle of a row of brick houses. The two-story tall houses were connected so they looked like one long building. The only windows were in the front and the back. The houses were close to the street, and each had a narrow front porch with three steps leading to a tiny front yard and the sidewalk.

The screen door on Sydney’s house swung open, and her mom stepped outside. “Sydney, have you seen your Aunt Dee yet?” Her curly, black hair was pulled back with a blue band to keep it off of her face.

“No, Mom,” Sydney answered. “I ran past the Metro station looking for her, but she wasn’t there.”

“Well, when she gets here, you two come inside. Dinner’s ready.”

Sydney dipped her fingers into the water and splashed some onto her long, thin arms.

“Don’t you want to come in by the air conditioning?” Her mother fanned herself with a magazine. “Aren’t you hot in the sunshine?”

“No, mom,” Sydney answered. She didn’t think it was necessary to tell her mom about her little brush with the explosion of water.

The cell phone in the pocket of her pink shorts buzzed. Sydney took it out and found a text message from one of her best friends, Elizabeth Anderson. It said: Almost packed.

Sydney tapped a reply on her keypad: Can’t w8 til u get here.

Sydney and Elizabeth had met at Discovery Lake Camp, and although Elizabeth lived in Texas, they talked every day. Four other girls had been with Sydney and Elizabeth in Cabin 12B. They were Bailey Chang, Alexis Howell, McKenzie Phillips, and Kate Oliver. When camp ended, Kate set up a web site so the girls could stay in touch. It was password protected, so it was like their own secret cabin in cyberspace. They’d all bought web cams with baby-sitting money, chore payments, and allowances so they could see each other and talk online. The Camp Club Girls—as they liked to be called—made web cam calls, sent IMs, and frequently met in their own private chat rooms.

Sydney continued typing her message: Will pic u up @ d aport @ 4 2MORO.

“Sydney, I really wish you’d come inside.” Sydney’s mother crossed her arms.

“Okay, in a few minutes, Mother!” Sydney said, without looking up.

The screen door slammed shut.

This was the worst heat wave Washington D.C. had seen in twenty-five years. Everyone had air conditioners blasting. The energy load was way too much, and the night before, the power had gone out. Sydney hated being in total darkness. She was relieved that today seemed normal.

Pack shorts, she typed. Really hot here!

While she sat texting, Sydney heard the thump thump thump of music getting closer and closer. A green jeep raced around the corner, and the booming bass from its stereo echoed inside Sydney’s chest. In the passenger seat, Aunt Dee held on to her tan park ranger hat to keep it from flying off of her head. The jeep screeched to a halt in front of Sydney’s house, and her aunt hopped out.

“Thanks for the ride, Ben,” she yelled over the music. “See you tomorrow.”

The young driver waved and drove off.

Gotta go, Liz, Sydney wrote. Ant D’s home.

Sydney stood and wiped her feet on the grass. “You’re late again,” she said. “Mom’s mad.”

“I know,” Aunt Dee apologized. “There was trouble at the Wall.” She took off her ranger hat and perched it on Sydney’s head. Aunt Dee always blamed her lateness on her job at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. Sydney didn’t understand how she could be so enthusiastic about a long, black wall with a bunch of names carved onto it.

“So what was the trouble?” Sydney wondered.

“I’ll tell you at dinner,” said Aunt Dee. She linked her arm through Sydney’s. “It’s hot out here, girlfriend. Let’s go inside.”

By the time Sydney washed and sat at her place at the table, Mom and Aunt Dee were already eating. Sydney had learned at camp to pray before every meal. So, she bowed her head and said out loud, “Dear Lord, Make us truly grateful for this meal and for all the blessings of this day.” She noticed that her mom and Aunt Dee stopped eating and bowed their heads, too. “And please keep Dad safe,” she said. Sydney always added a blessing for her dad who was serving in the military overseas.

“Amen!” Mom and Aunt Dee chimed.

Sydney poured iced tea into her tall glass and scooped pasta salad onto her plate. “So, what happened at the Wall?” she asked, reaching for a piece of French bread.

“Someone spray painted the sidewalk last night,” Aunt Dee replied. “Graffiti.”

Sydney’s mom got that look on her face—the one where her forehead turned into wrinkled plastic wrap. “You mean vandalism,” she said. “I think it’s just terrible what kids do these days—”

“How do you know it was kids?” Sydney interrupted. Her mouth was full of creamy macaroni. “Kids aren’t the only ones who do bad stuff.”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” said Aunt Dee.

“Most times it is,” her mom argued. “Just look around our neighborhood,” She waved her hand toward the kitchen window. “Vandalism everywhere! Who do you think did all that? Not the adults. The kids don’t care about our community. Do they care that this neighborhood used to be a military camp to help slaves that escaped from the South? No! They just want to mess up the nice things that good folks worked so hard to build.” Sydney’s mother sighed and took a long drink of her iced tea.

Mrs. Lincoln worked at the local historical society, and she was very protective of the neighborhood and its landmarks. She liked to talk about how, in the old days, kids had manners and didn’t do anything wrong. Sydney hated it that her mom blamed everything on the kids in the neighborhood.

“There are good kids, too,” Sydney argued. “You don’t see my friends and me running around spray painting everything. Give us some credit!” She looked at her plate and pushed the rest of her pasta salad into a neat little pile. “We care what happens.”

“We don’t know who did it,” said Aunt Dee, trying to stop the argument. “Someone painted GO 64 in front of panel 30W—in orange paint. Ben and some other volunteers scrubbed it this morning. They’ll work on it again tonight when the air cools off some. They’re having a hard time cleaning it. Pass the bread, please.”

“What does GO 64 mean?” Sydney asked, handing her the basket of bread.

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Aunt Dee answered. “We’re wondering if the number 64 is a clue to who did it. Ben said that in some rap music, 64 means a 1964 Chevrolet Impala. Another volunteer plays chess and said 64 is the number of squares on a chessboard. We don’t know what it means.”

“Maybe it’s Interstate 64,” Sydney’s mom suggested. “There’s construction on that freeway and plenty of orange construction cones. Maybe the orange paint is to protest all that.”

“But if it’s about the freeway, or a car, or a chessboard, why would they complain by painting graffiti at the Vietnam Wall? Besides, Interstate 64 is in Virginia,” Aunt Dee said.

“Yes, but there’s some military bases out that way,” Mother said. Then she added, “It’s probably just kids.”

The air conditioning kicked in again, and a cool draft shot from the air vent making the kitchen curtains flutter.

“The Wall’s lighted at night,” Sydney said. “And the Park Police keep an eye on all the monuments. So, why didn’t anyone see who did it?”

“The lights were out,” Aunt Dee reminded her. “The whole city went dark for a while, and the Park Police were busy with that. That’s when it happened, I’m sure. Anyway, it’s a mess, and we have to clean it up fast. The TV stations are already making a big deal out of it.” She dipped her knife into the butter container and slathered butter onto her French bread. “I had such an awful day at work. Everybody blamed everyone else for letting it happen. Like we would let it happen! People don’t know how hard the Park Service works—“

“May I be excused,” Sydney asked, swallowing her last bite of pasta.

“You may,” her mother answered.

Sydney put her dishes into the dishwasher. Then she went upstairs to her room.

The computer on Sydney’s desk was on, and her screensaver cast an eerie blue glow on her yellow bedroom walls. Syd’s bedroom had no windows, so it was always dark. That was the trouble with living in a row house. If your room was in the middle of the house, you had no windows. She flipped the switch on her desk light and tapped the spacebar on the computer. The monitor lit up, and Sydney noticed that McKenzie Phillips was online. She sent her an IM: Talk to me?

The phone icon on the computer screen jiggled back and forth. Sydney clicked on it, and McKenzie’s freckled face appeared. She was sitting at the work island in her family’s kitchen. “What’s up?” she asked.

Sydney turned on her web cam. “Not much,” she said. “I just finished dinner.”

“Me, too,” McKenzie replied. “Well, almost.” She held a slice of cheese pizza in front of her face so Sydney could see it. “We ate early because Dad and Evan have to drive some cattle to pasture. Then they want to practice for the rodeo this weekend.” She pointed to the blue baseball cap on her head. Its yellow letters said: Sulfur Springs Rodeo.

“I didn’t want to hang out downstairs,” Sydney told her. “Someone spray painted graffiti by the Vietnam Wall last night, and Mom blamed it on kids again.”

McKenzie took a bite out of her pizza. “I saw it on the news. Why did she blame it on kids? I mean, anyone could have done it.”

“She blames everything on kids,” Sydney answered. “I think it’s because a lot of the kids around here get into trouble. I try to tell her that we’re not all like that, but she doesn’t listen. Lately she doesn’t listen to anything I say.”

“My mom’s like that, too,” McKenzie said. “Nothing I do is ever right.” Her face lit up. “Hey, the news said it was orange paint, right?”

“Yeah,” Sydney said, fidgeting with her cornrows. “Orange graffiti that said GO 64. So what?”

“So, maybe it’s some crazy nutcase with Agent Orange.”

“Agent who?” Sydney asked.

“Agent Orange!” said McKenzie. “Agent Orange was a chemical they used in Vietnam. I read about it in school. It made some Vietnam soldiers really sick and some even died. So maybe it wasn’t a kid who wrote it. Maybe it’s a guy who got Agent Orange, who’s mad at the government, and wants to get even. By the way, I can’t see you well.”

“You think too much,” Sydney answered. She pulled her desk light closer to her computer and bent it toward her face. “They’re trying to figure out what GO 64 means. My aunt and mom think it could be about some sort of car, or highway, or maybe even a chessboard—“

“A chessboard!” McKenzie screeched. “A person who plays chess won’t spray paint a national monument.”

“I know,” Sydney said. “Some gang member probably wrote it. Anyhow, I don’t care. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“I can see you fine now,” McKenzie said, changing the subject. “So, when is Elizabeth coming?”

“She and her Uncle Dan are flying in from Texas tomorrow,” Sydney answered. “Aunt Dee and I are going pick them up at the airport at four. We’ll take her uncle to his hotel, and then Elizabeth will come here to stay with us.”

“Can Elizabeth’s Uncle Dan get around all by himself?” McKenzie asked. She twisted a strand of her shoulder-length hair around her fingers. “I mean, he’s in a wheelchair and everything.”

“As far as I know, he can,” Sydney answered. “Elizabeth said he plays wheelchair basketball and competes in wheelchair races, so I suppose he gets around just fine by himself. I’m sure once he gets to the hotel, his Vietnam buddies will help him out if he needs help.”

McKenzie reached for a gallon milk container on the kitchen counter. She poured herself a glass. “Well, at least you and Elizabeth don’t have to hang around with him the whole time. He’ll be busy with his reunion stuff, right?”

“Right,” Sydney agreed. “We’ll see him Monday at the Vietnam Wall. Aunt Dee wants to give him the tour, and she thinks that Elizabeth and I should be there. Otherwise, we’re on our own.” Sydney heard strange sounds coming from her computer speakers. “Is that mooing?” she asked.

“Can you hear it?” said McKenzie. “That’s Olivia, our old milk cow. About this time every day, she wanders up to the kitchen window and talks to us. I’ll move the camera, and you can see her.”

McKenzie’s face disappeared from the screen. Sydney watched her friend’s bare feet move across the kitchen floor as she carried the web cam to the window. Then a big, black-and-white cow head appeared. Olivia stood chewing her cud and looking at Sydney with huge, brown eyes.

“Earth to Mac! Earth to Mac!” Sydney called into her computer’s microphone. “Come back Mac!”

Sydney watched McKenzie’s bare feet walk back to the computer. Then her face showed up on the screen.

“Isn’t Olivia awesome?” she said. “You really should come to Montana, Syd. We have tons of animals. I know you’d love it, and we could ride horses and hike, just like we did at camp.”

“Maybe I will some day,” Sydney replied. “But, right now, I’m signing off. I want to clean up my room before Elizabeth gets here from Texas. All of my junk is piled on the other bed. If I don’t move it she won’t have a place to sleep.”

“Okay then,” McKenzie said. “I’ll sign off, too—and eat more pizza.” She picked up the gooey slice from her plate and took another bite. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“See ya,” Sydney answered, switching off her web cam.

Everything in her room looked neat except for the other twin bed. It was hardly ever used, so that was where Sydney stored most of her stuff. It held boxes filled with colorful papers and art materials, magazines, piles of clothes, posters she planned to put up in her room. Sydney had so much stuff stored there that she didn’t know what to do with it all. Under my bed, I guess, she thought.

Before long, the bed was cleaned. Sydney changed the sheets. Then she went to her closet and pulled out a new black and tan bedspread that matched her own. She threw it on top of the bed and tucked it neatly around the pillow.

“Sydney?” Aunt Dee stood in the doorway. She held a long, white envelope. “This came for you.”

The letter was from Elizabeth. Sydney tore open the flap and found a note taped to an information sheet.


Uncle Dan wanted me to send you this so your mom can keep track of him. Just in case of an emergency. It’s his reunion schedule.


Sydney Lincoln read the heading on the sheet of paper. It said, “Annual Reunion—64th Transportation Company, Vietnam.”


Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Camp Club Girls & the Mystery at Discovery Lake - GIVE AWAY!

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:


Camp Club Girls & the Mystery at Discovery Lake

Barbour Books (January 1, 2010)

***Special thanks to Angie Brillhart of Barbour Books for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Renae Brumbaugh lives in Texas with her pastor husband, two noisy children, and two dogs. She's authored four books in Barbour’s Camp Club Girls’ series, and Morning Coffee with James (Chalice Press), and has contributed to several anthologies. Her humor column and articles have appeared in publications across the country.

Visit the Camp Club Girl's website.
Visit the author's website.

Product Details:

List Price: $5.97
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books (January 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602602670
ISBN-13: 978-1602602670

MY THOUGHTS:

Camp Club Girls and the Mystery at Discovery Lake is as precious as I’d hoped it would be! Renae Brumbaugh has created a terrific setting for mystery to unfold as she introduces readers from age 8-14 to a great group of girls spending two weeks at church camp! The girls come from various parts of the U.S., and they quickly form strong bonds of friendship as mysterious circumstances begin to unfold around them. They are not only dealing with the quirks and social challenges of this very awkward, in-between stage of development, but they are working together to uncover a long-standing mystery!


The entire adventure unfolds amid the competition, challenges and summer activities of a church camp. The scene with the lizard…oh, so familiar! I still laugh when I think of a camper I once spent a week with discovering one of these lovely creatures! Lifelong memories begin to form for this group of campers – dubbed the Camp Club Girls – and by the time the book ends, it is obvious that another adventure awaits at least part of the group in Washington D.C.! Along the way they discover important social and spiritual lessons that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. This is a terrific series for young girls!


I have a neat goody bag of items to give away, and I will also include my gently used copy of this and the Washington D.C. adventure books! Leave a comment on this post to be entered to win!



AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Chapter One



“Shhhhhhh!” Sydney told Bailey. “What was that noise?”

“What noise?” asked Bailey.

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” commanded her new friend.

The two listened with all their focused energy. Then, there it was. Footsteps. Large, heavy footsteps.

The girls stood in terrified uncertainty.

Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrkkkkk!

Sydney gasped as the eerie shriek filled the air.

Yahahoho ho ho!

Bailey trembled uncontrollably as the crazy, unworldly laugh followed.

“Run!” Sydney screamed. The two dashed as fast as their legs could carry them, back toward the camp. Sydney stopped twice, waiting for Bailey’s shorter legs to catch up.

#

Fourteen-year-old Elizabeth sat in the middle of the dusty road, trying to cram her underwear back into her suitcase before anyone saw. I thought wheels were supposed to make a suitcase easier, she thought. Instead, the rolling blue luggage had tipped over three times before it finally popped open, leaving her belongings strewn in the street.

Suddenly, she was nearly barreled over by two girls running frantically. “Run for your life!” the smaller one cried. “It’s after us!”

“Whoa, calm down,” Elizabeth focused on the terrified girls.

The taller one panted. “Something’s back there!”

Elizabeth looked toward the golf course but saw nothing. She noticed that the smaller girl seemed to struggle for air, and her protective instincts took over. “Calm down. You’ll be okay.”

“Need. . .inhaler,” gasped the girl.

Elizabeth sprang into action, digging through the girl’s backpack until she found a small blue inhaler. Then she helped hold it steady while the slight girl gasped in the medication. The taller girl kept looking toward the miniature golf course they’d just left. “Sorry,” the small girl whispered. “I’m supposed to keep that in my pocket, but I got so excited I forgot.”

“I’m Elizabeth. Why don’t you tell me what happened.”

“I’m Bailey,” said the short, dark-haired girl. “Bailey Chang.”

“And I’m Sydney Lincoln,” said the tall, dark-skinned girl with beaded braids. “We were at the golf course, and. . .and. . .”

“And something came after us!” exclaimed Bailey.

Elizabeth looked skeptical as she tucked a strand of long blond hair into the clip at the base of her neck.

“Is this your first year here? This is my third year here, and the most dangerous thing I’ve seen is a skunk.”

The girls giggled but didn’t look convinced. “Come with us. We’ll show you.” Bailey pulled Elizabeth back toward the golf course.

“I thought you were afraid of whatever it was! Why do you want to go back there?” Elizabeth asked.

The young girl stood to her full height. “Because I am going to be a professional golfer. And I’m not going to let whatever that was bully me. I plan to practice my golf strokes while I’m here.”

“Will you tell me exactly what happened?” Elizabeth asked Sydney.

Sydney looked each girl in the eye and spoke slowly. “Something or someone is in the woods by the golf course. And it wasn’t a friendly.” She paused for dramatic effect. “And. . .it came after us.”

#

Kate Oliver leaned back on her bed and smiled. Yes! I got the bed by the window! she thought. Hopefully, I’ll be able to get good reception for my laptop and cell phone. She tucked a strand of blond hair behind her ear. It was too short to stay there, and just long enough to drive her crazy.

Bam! The cabin’s outer door slammed, and Kate heard voices. Pushing her black-framed glasses up on her nose, she sat up. Two girls entered the room, giggling and talking.

“I can’t believe I’m finally here! This is so cool. And look at this cute little dorm room! It’s just like the cabin in The Parent Trap! Oh, hello!” The fun-looking brunette with piercing blue eyes greeted Kate. “I’m Alex Howell. Alexis, really, but nobody calls me that except my mother. I am so excited! This will be the best two weeks ever!”

Kate smiled and reached to shake the girl’s hand. “Kate Oliver,” she said. “Welcome to cabin 12B.” She looked at the other girl.

The girl’s freckles matched her curly auburn hair, and she offered a friendly smile. “Hi there. I’m McKenzie Phillips.”

#

The two girls looked at Elizabeth stubbornly, as if needing to prove their story to her. Hearing another bus pull up, Elizabeth remembered her belongings, which were still lying in the middle of the road.

“I’ll tell you what. You help me get this awful suitcase to cabin 12B, and then I’ll walk to the golf course with you. Deal?”

Bailey’s mouth dropped open, and Sydney’s eyes widened.

“You’re in cabin 12B?” asked Sydney.

“That’s our cabin!” exclaimed Bailey.

Now it was Elizabeth’s turn to be surprised. “You’re kidding! Wow. It is a small world. Okay, roomies, help me hide my underwear before the entire camp sees, and we’ll be on our way.”

The girls gathered the strewn articles of clothing. Bailey held up one particular article of clothing and giggled. “Tinkerbell? Seriously, you have Tinkerbell on your . . .”

Elizabeth snatched the unmentionables from Bailey, crammed them in her suitcase, and snapped it shut. “Not another word, shorty!” Elizabeth scolded, but with a twinkle in her eye. The three girls chattered all the way to cabin 12B. As they approached the cabin, the two younger girls pulled their luggage out from behind some bushes.

“We sat together on the bus from the airport, and we both wanted to see the golf course before we did anything else. So we stowed our suitcases here until we got back,” explained Sydney.

Elizabeth laughed. With these two as roommates, this year’s camp experience would be far from dull.

The girls entered the cabin and located room B to the right. Three girls were already there, smiling and laughing.

“Hello, I’m Elizabeth. I guess we’ll be roommates!” She tossed her things on the lower bunk closest to the door, and Sydney placed her things on the bunk above that. Bailey took the top bunk next to Sydney. After an awkward pause, McKenzie stepped forward.

“I’m McKenzie Phillips,” she said. “I’m thirteen, and I’m from White Sulphur Springs, Montana.”

Alex bounced forward. “I’m Alexis Howell, Alex for short. I’m twelve, and I’m from Sacramento.”

“Sydney. Twelve. Washington, D.C.”

“Oh, that is so cool. Do you know the president?” asked Bailey, and everyone laughed. “I’m Bailey Chang. I’m nine, and I’m from Peoria, Illinois. And just so you’ll all know, I plan to be the next Tiger Woods. I’ll be glad to sign autographs, if you want. They’ll be worth money some day.”

Elizabeth stepped forward. “I’ll take one, Bailey. I’ll sell it and use the money for college. I’m Elizabeth Anderson, fourteen, from Amarillo, Texas.”

“Well, I guess that leaves me,” said Kate. “Kate Oliver, eleven, Philadelphia.”

Alexis jumped up and down. “Oh, this will be so much fun! Kate brought her laptop with her. I have the coolest roommates ever!”

Everyone’s attention turned to Kate’s bed, which was covered with a laptop and several small gadgets. “What is all that stuff?” asked Sydney. The girls gathered around Kate’s bed and watched her pull items out of a black backpack.

“It’s like a magician’s bag. It has no bottom,” mused McKenzie.

Kate laughed. “My dad teaches robotics at Penn State, so he’s always bringing home little devices to test out. Some of them are really helpful. Some of them are just fun to play with.”

One by one, she pulled the oddly shaped gadgets out of her bag, describing the functions of each.

“This is my cell phone. It can take pictures and short video clips, has a GPS tracker, a satellite map, Internet access, a motion sensor, a voice recorder, and about a zillion other things!” Aiming it at the others, she said, “Say cheese!”

The other girls leaned together and smiled. “Cheeeeeeeeeeeeese!”

Kate saved the picture, then passed the phone to the others and dug through her backpack again. “This digital recorder can record conversations up to thirty feet away.”

Sydney squinted her eyes. “You’re kidding! That thing is the size of a contact lens! Let me see!” Kate handed her the recorder and kept digging.

“This is a reader,” she continued, holding up a small penlike device.

“A what?” asked McKenzie.

“A reader. You run it across words on a page, and it records them to memory. Like a small scanner.”

“That is so cool! I had no idea stuff like this existed!” McKenzie examined the reader.

“Here, I have my Bible. Will you show us how the reader works?” Elizabeth grabbed a worn Bible from her bag and handed it to Kate.

“Sure. You turn it on by pressing this button, and. . .” She ran the pen over a page in Psalms.

Elizabeth giggled. “I’ve heard of hiding God’s Word in your heart, but never in your pen!”

The gadget girl suddenly stopped her display to announce, “Hey, I’m starved. Is anybody else hungry?”

“It’s almost dinnertime,” announced Elizabeth. “But first, we have some business to take care of at the golf course.”

The girls listened as Sydney and Bailey described their experience.

“Whoa, cool!” exclaimed Alex. “We have a mystery on our hands! Why don’t we go right now and check it out?”

“Why don’t we eat first?” called out Kate. “Starving girl here, remember?” The others laughed at the petite girl whose stomach was growling loudly.

Since it was almost dinnertime, the group decided to head to the dining hall first. Bailey led the way, taking over as tour guide.

“Wait for me,” called Alex. “I need to grab my lip gloss!” She shoved strawberry Lip Smackers into her pocket.

The group wandered through the camp, with Bailey pointing out different sites. Suddenly, she stopped. “Well, guys, I hate to tell you this. . .but I have no idea how to get to the dining hall from here.”

“It’s this way,” stated Elizabeth. “You’ll get your bearings. My first year here, it took me the whole time before I could find my way around. But I get lost in a closet.”

McKenzie spoke up. “Come on, girls, let’s go. Remember, Kate’s about to starve. We wouldn’t want her to waste away to nothing.”

Everyone laughed at Kate, who pretended to be nearly fainting. “I need sustenance, and I need it now!”

The group arrived at the dining hall with seven minutes to spare. They stood near the front of the line, and Elizabeth said, “Get ready for a long meal. The camp director will explain all the camp rules, introduce the counselors, and tell us more than we want to know about Camp Discovery Lake.”

“Terrific.” Bailey sighed. “I wanted to visit the golf course before dark.”

“Don’t worry,” said Alex. “After the story you and Sydney told, I think we all want to find out what’s down there.”

“Really?” Bailey said. “You’ll all come?”

“You bet!” said McKenzie. “The girls of cabin 12B stick together!”

#

The sun was dipping behind the horizon by the time the girls left the dining hall.

“Hooray! We can finally go to the golf course!” Bailey called.

“We’d better hurry. It’s getting dark,” said Elizabeth.

“Yeah, and after the story you and Sydney told, I certainly don’t want to be there after dark,” added Kate.

The girls scurried while chattering about the different camp activities they wanted to try. Before they knew it, the sun was gone and they could barely see the road. “Why is the golf course so far away from the main camp?” asked Alex nervously.

Sydney laughed. “So nobody will get hit on the head with a stray golf ball!”

Suddenly, a voice called out from the woods.

“Who? Who? Who?”

“What was that?” whispered Bailey.

“Who?” came the voice again.

McKenzie giggled. “You city girls don’t know much about the country, do you? That was an owl!”

The others burst into laughter as the voice called again, “Who?”

“I’m Sydney! Who are you?” Sydney shouted, and the laughter continued.

“It sure does get dark here, doesn’t it?” said Kate. “It never gets this dark in the city.”

“Are we close to the golf course?” asked Alex.

“It doesn’t seem nearly as far in the daytime,” Elizabeth told her.

They continued, each trying to seem brave. The trees that had seemed friendly and protecting in the daytime now loomed like angry giants. The girls’ steps became slower and slower as they struggled to see where they were stepping.

Finally, Kate stopped and looked at the sky through the trees. “Look, everybody! It’s the Big Dipper!” The other five girls looked to where she pointed.

“Wow, the sky is beautiful. It’s so dark, and the stars are so bright,” whispered Sydney.

“The stars are never this bright in Sacramento,” Alex commented. “The city lights are brighter. Hey, this reminds me of an episode of Charlie’s Angels, where the Angels’ car broke down in the middle of nowhere, and they had to use the stars to find their way home.”

The girls were so focused on the sky that they didn’t notice the image moving toward them. Kate was the first to lower her eyes, and she blinked in confusion. Adjusting her eyeglasses, she whispered, “Uh, guys?”

The girls continued pointing out the brightest stars.

Kate tried to make her voice louder, but terror kept it to a soft squeak. “G–g–guys?” The image moved closer, but still, no one heard her. Finally, Kate grabbed Sydney’s sleeve. “Wh–wh–what is that?” she squeaked.

Sydney looked. “Oh, my word! What in the world is that?”

The girls saw a white stripe in the road, moving slowly, steadily toward them. They were frozen, until Elizabeth yelled, “Skunk!”

Camp Discovery Lake resounded with shrieks and squeals as the girls ran back toward the cabins. McKenzie led the way with Alex close on her heels.

The girls didn’t slow down until they had burst through the door of cabin 12B. Falling onto the beds, they panted, then soon began giggling.

“Can you believe it? A skunk! We were scared of a little bitty skunk!” howled McKenzie.

“I don’t know about you, McKenzie, but I wasn’t about to smell like Pepe Le Pew out there!” retorted Alex, and the girls laughed even harder.

“Hey, Sydney, is that what scared you today? Some forest creature?”

Sydney and Bailey stopped giggling and looked at one another. “No,” they replied.

“Whatever we heard was not small,” said Bailey. “And it wasn’t friendly.”

“And it definitely came after us,” added Sydney.

Love Finds you in Holiday Florida by Sandra D. Bricker


Holiday, Florida is my second location for the Love Finds You series, and once again I was thoroughly entertained! This time, Sandra Bricker is the author of the tale, and she takes a thoughtful and tender look at a relationship that occurs in the lives of a widow and widower after more than twenty-five years of marriage.


Cassie Constantine and Richard Dillon have both experienced the unexpected loss of their spouses, and now they face very uncertain futures. When Cassie leaves her home in Boston to spend Christmas in Florida preparing her vacation home for sale, she is enthusiastically welcomed by her neighbors. One new neighbor, Richard Dillon, suddenly seems to be taking up more and more of Cassie’s time, and suddenly she discovering new ways of moving into the future that are uniquely her own.


The tentative but certain attraction that begins to build between Cassie and Richard is tenderly established and allows room for a lifetime of memories and family relationships to remain and flourish. The ending leaves the reader poised in a place of eager anticipation rather than tying things into a predictable package, and that leaves me hopeful that we’ll see this crowd again some day! I thought this was a very appropriate ending to a tender romance set amid a time of life when establishing new relationships is not easy to do.


I’m not quite to this pre-retirement stage of life, but my own extended family is the results of my dad losing his first wife in a very unexpected way. Because of my own observations of love and loss in real life, I thought Sandra did an excellent job of creating a believable and honest look into the lives of two people re-discovering some very precious truths about friendship, love and relationship. I recommend Love Finds You in Holiday Florida



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sandra D. Bricker has been publishing in both the Christian and general market for years with novels for women and teens, magazine articles and short stories. With 8 novels in print and 5 more slated for publication through 2010, Sandie has carved out a niche for herself as an author of laugh-out-loud comedy for the inspirational market. Sandie was an entertainment publicist in Hollywood for 15+ years and currently works a "day job" as an editor.

Visit Sandra's website to learn more about her books!




Monday, January 4, 2010

Faith that Works: A topical study of the book of James by Anne Fortenberry - brief review

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:


Faith that Works: A Topical Study on the Book of James

Hannibal Books (July 7, 2009)

***Special thanks to Jennifer Nelson at Hannibal Books PR for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Anne Fortenberry was born in the southern U.S. and lived in Gulfport, MS, during her childhood. She has served for the past 10 years as a Southern Baptist missionary. She has also been a university lecturer and division chair, a health-care consultant, and registered nurse. She holds a doctor of nursing science degree from the Louisiana State University Medical Center School of Nursing, a master of science from the University of Southern Mississippi, and a bachelor of science from Mississippi College. She and her husband, Archie, are parents of three grown children.

Listen to her interview HERE.

Product Details:

List Price: $15.95
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Hannibal Books (July 7, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934749494
ISBN-13: 978-1934749494

MY THOUGHTS:
This 9-week study of the book of James takes an in-depth look at the many ways faith transforms our lives and the resulting actions that follow that change. Ann Fortenberry teaches with an humble, Christ-centered spirit as she leads her students on a daily exploration of these five chapters of God's Word. Each week teaches about a defining characteristic of faith's transforming work in the believer's life, and includes topics like controlling the tongue, wisdom, humility and trust in God. Each daily study is saturated with Scripture references that include the entirety of God's Word, and also includes many specific and thought-provoking questions to aide in the understanding of this short but profound book of the Bible.

This can be used effectively as either a group or individual study.

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Faith That Works: A Topical Study on the Book of James

By Anne Fortenberry


WEEK 1: TESTS OF FAITH

Day 1-- When Troubles Come

Day 2 -- A Doubtful Mind

Day 3 -- Responding to Temptations

Day 4 -- Listen Twice, Speak Once

Day 5 -- CHARACTERISTICS OF FAITH, Characteristic 1: Faith Obeys the Word



This week initiates the beginning of our daily Bible Study on the Book of James. We are in for some pretty heavy material even this first week, so make sure you are prayed up, have God’s Word open, and are ready to proceed with some real introspection. As you see, chapter one covers a wide variety of topics; however, some topics will be discussed in more detail as we progress through the chapters. Just looking over the topics makes me either cringe or laugh because I have ‘been there and done that.’ As believers, we know that our Heavenly Father walks with us wherever we go and we have the assurance that things always work out for our good as painful as some things might be. By the way, a sense of humor really helps to get us through most anything. Reckon I’ve rambled enough. So pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea, get into your favorite study chair, and let’s begin. I am so happy that you are in this study with me as we explore His truths together.




Day 1 -- When Troubles Come



Today’s Focus: James 1:2-4, 12; Matthew 8:25-27; 9:35-38;

1 Peter 1:6-7; 4:12-16; 5:10; Psalms 3:3-5; 56:3: 66:10-12

In our introductory session together we established that James was the half brother of Jesus and that this book was one of the earliest letters written, possibly even preceding the four gospels. We also know that after Stephen was martyred, persecution increased scattering the Jewish believers throughout the Roman World. Consequently, because these believers did not have the support of the established church, they were besieged with problems testing their faith; evidently they had succumbed to impatience, bitterness, materialism, disunity and spiritual apathy. Hmmm, sounds like today, doesn’t it? Anyway, James, a prominent leader of the early church, felt the responsibility to warn as well as encourage these believers in their faith struggles. Wow…don’t we need the same warnings and encouragement today? I know I do!

James does not waste any time and immediately after his greeting in verse one, he delves into the topic of experiencing trials. The Greek word for trials is peirasmos pronounced pi-ras-mos and means adversity, troubles, experiences of evil, and putting to proof by experiment. It is interesting to me that trials can be viewed as an experiment which in actuality is an assessment of who we are and how we hold up under the stress of troubles. Hmmm, does that mean trials build our character? Of course it does. Let’s see what God’s Word says...

♥ Read Psalms 66:10-12. In reflecting back over some trials or troubles you have experienced, how did you feel when it was all over and you moved on? _____________

______________________________________________________________________

According to Psalms, when we experience trials, we are purified like silver melted in a crucible. Trials test our faith, build our character, and give us an opportunity for growth. Maybe we should consider trials to be a gift from God because after the experience we are better people. But, sometimes when we go through trials, we feel really abandoned. You know dear friend, so did King David. However, when David felt abandoned he always told God about it. What do you have in common with King David? How do you differ? Do you tell God what you really think and feel? Do you truly recognize who is listening to your prayers? If you open your heart and are totally honest with your Heavenly Father, your understanding of Him will grow. Read further…

♥ Read Psalms 3:3-5. What assurance can you gain from these verses? ___________

______________________________________________________________________

David firmly believed God protected him when he slept and when he was awake. He had the assurance when everything went wrong, God was there for him. David knew God was his shield, and he could overcome all fears by trusting in God for protection. What about you? When troubles come, can you trust God for protection? Can you say, “What time I am afraid I will trust in thee” (Psalms 56:3)? If not, why not? Let’s see what Jesus does…

♥ Read Matthew 8:25-27. What did the disciples witness in these verses? __________

______________________________________________________________________

Wow…Jesus even controls the forces of nature. Folks, do you realize who Jesus really is? Do you comprehend who God really is? Do you realize that He can control the storms that you encounter in your life? Whether your storms are from nature or from the troubles you face, He has the power to control them. Jesus is willing to help, but first we must ask! That means we must pray first for His help. Hope and confidence in our Heavenly Father far outweigh our fears and troubles. Believe it or not, trials will make us stronger and prepare us for the future. What makes the difference? Do I really have to be joyful in my troubles?

♥ Read James 1:2. When you read this verse, how did you respond?______________ ______________________________________________________________________

Note that James does not say ‘if’ trials or troubles come, instead he says, ‘when’ trials or troubles come to let them be an opportunity for joy. Also, notice that he uses the plural not the singular form for troubles which is an indication that we will experience not just one trial but perhaps several as we walk through our life. Now I have to admit, I did not always understand what it meant to be joyful when troubles come. Through the years, I have come to realize that it is not necessary for me to pretend to be happy about facing pain. However, it is important to have a positive outlook when trials come and to consider it an opportunity for joy because of what can be produced in my life.

♥ Let’s compare James 1:2-4 with 1 Peter 1:6-7. As you read these verses, what major similarities and differences can you identify in these verses?

________________________________ ___________________________________

________________________________ ___________________________________

________________________________ ___________________________________

Both James and Peter tell us that our faith will be tested and to consider it joy when that happens as it will make us strong. However, James says it is for our endurance to have a chance to grow which will make our character strong and ready for anything. The Greek word for endurance is hupomone pronounced hoop-om-on-ay and means cheerful waiting, patience, withstanding, and persevering. Peter says trials will make us strong and purify us like gold which will bring us praise, glory, and honor when Jesus comes. In the refining process of gold the impurities are burned away making the gold beautiful and shiny. So whether it is for endurance or purification, trials will definitely affect our lives.

As you know, we will face trials when we let our light shine into the darkness. Thus we should accept troubles as part of the refining process that burns away our impurities and prepares us to meet Jesus. Trials teach us patience and help us grow into the kind of people God wants to use for His glory. However, we have a choice, don’t we? We can turn tough times or trials into opportunities for learning perseverance and that will help us grow into godly people; or we can grumble, criticize, and feel sorry for ourselves. Whatever our choice, trials will come. If you think about it, they are a lot easier to handle if we turn them over to our Heavenly Father and allow Him to walk with us through them. What is your choice?

♥ Think of a situation where you have been unpleasant and complained about your troubles? What was the result? ___________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

♥ Now think of a time when you have been joyful in your troubles? What was the result? _____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

♥ Did you notice any difference in the way you responded in the above situations? ____ ♥ What made you results different? _________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Sometimes we do not know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. Can we still be kind to folks that mistreat us? What about people who are prejudiced against us, or lie about us, or treat us unjustly? I believe with all my heart that God wants to mature each of us. So, instead of complaining about our struggles, let’s see them as opportunities for growth. Let’s thank Him for His promise to walk with us and carry us in His arms through the rough times. Let’s ask Him to help solve our problems and to give us the strength to endure them. Then, wait, be patient, and believe He will help.

♥ Read James 1:12. What does God promise to do if people patiently endure testing? ______________________________________________________________________

God promises not only to bless us but to give us the crown of life, our reward of eternal life…WOW, we will be there in heaven with the living God forever! Peter tells us not to be surprised at the trials we are going through. Instead, be happy because these trials make us partners with Jesus in His suffering. Just think, afterward we will have the joy of sharing His glory when it is displayed to the entire world. Peter further tells us to be happy when we are insulted for being Christians as there is NO shame involved in His name. He also tells us the Holy Spirit will come upon us (1Peter 4:12-16 NLT).

One of my favorite verses is 1 Peter 5:10 which reads, “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (NAS). Now what do these four words mean?

♥ Think about it…how would you define the following words?

Perfect _______________________________________________________________

Confirm_______________________________________________________________

Strengthen_____________________________________________________________

Establish______________________________________________________________

To me this verse is God’s promise to us when we suffer trials or troubles. The God of all creation, our Heavenly Father, promises to restore us completely, to support us unconditionally, to give us His power, and to place us on a permanent foundation. WOW! Isn’t that awesome? Keep in mind and be encouraged because our greatest lessons in life come out of the pain we experience. Why? Rick Warren has said that troubles make us focus more on God, build our character, draw us closer to others in fellowship, provide us with a ministry, and give us a testimony to share. But, as believers, we have a greater responsibility…

♥ Read Matthew 9:35-38. What did Jesus encounter in every place he went? ________

______________________________________________________________________

Every where Jesus traveled He encountered people with problems so great they did not know where to go for help. Thus, He told His disciples He needed workers who would know how to deal with the problems of other people. Folks, that’s you and me! Do you realize that every trial you endure will help you to comfort another person who is dealing with a similar problem? As believers, we are commissioned to help others with their troubles, to comfort them, show them the way, encourage them, and give them hope.

When troubles come, how have you decided to react? A faith that works considers it all joy when trials are encountered because we know the testing of our faith produces endurance. We may not be ‘happy’ that a trial has occurred, but we can certainly be joyful in knowing that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, will be with us through all of our trials and troubles. We have a choice. What’s your choice? Let’s count it all joy!

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Your Thoughts:

Questions

Comments

Prayer Requests

Prayer Answers

Day 2 -- A Doubtful Mind

Today’s Focus: James 1:5-8; Mark 11:23-24; Genesis 3:1-6;

Matthew 11:4-6; 14:28-31; 21:21-22

What does it mean to have a doubtful mind? The Greek work for

doubting is diakrino pronounced dee-ak-ree-no and means to

withdraw from, to hesitate, or to separate thoroughly. In today’s

language it may mean to be ‘wishy washy’ or to have a lack of faith. So what does faith mean? The Greek word for faith is pistis pronounced pis’-tis and means assurance, belief, persuasion, and/or system of religious truth. Obviously, these two words form a dichotomy and have opposite meanings. With these definitions in mind, let’s see what James says to the scattered Jewish believers.

♥ Read James 1:5-8. After reading these verses, can you relate to the analogy used to describe a doubtful mind? Please give an example.____________________________

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In verse six, James uses the analogy that a doubtful mind is as unsettled as the waves of the sea driven and tossed about by the wind. Can you picture that in your mind? Close your eyes for a moment and try to picture yourself standing in the water on a beach and waves from the sea are splashing against your body. How are you feeling? Are you rocking to and fro from the force? Are you loosing your balance? Are you feeling any apprehension? What do the waves look like to you? Are they gigantic or small in nature? Well, if you have as vivid of an imagination as I do, I’m not getting into that water if the waves are really big…in fact, I prefer to stand on the shore and watch instead of being in the middle of them. Ouch! If we are believers, are we supposed to watch from a distance and not get our feet wet? Hmmm, is that what a doubtful mind is like?

A doubtful mind is not completely convinced that God’s way is the best way. This type of mind treats God’s Word like any ordinary piece of advice. Instead of obeying all of God’s Word, this type of mind retains the option to disobey if it doesn’t agree. It vacillates between following God’s way and the desires of their own heart. Doubt has left this person as unsettled as the waves of the sea. James says that this type of person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord because they waver back and forth in everything they do. Who or what causes doubt?

♥ Read Genesis 3:1-6. Who or what caused Eve’s doubt? ______________________

♥ In what way can you relate to Eve? ________________________________________

From these verses we know it was Satan that caused Eve to have doubts about God’s goodness. He made Eve forget all that God had given her; instead, he made her focus on the one thing she was not supposed to have. Isn’t that how we also get into trouble? Rather than counting God’s blessings, we focus on what we do not have. Read further…

♥ Read Matthew 11:4-6. How did Jesus handle John’s doubt? ___________________

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As John sat in prison doubts began to plague him as to whether Jesus was really the Messiah. Jesus answered John’s doubts by pointing to the evidence… His miracles, healings, and preaching. Folks, sometimes we can only see and understand from our own human perspective rather than God’s perspective. If our doubts lead to questions and those questions lead to answers, then doubt has done some good. Questioning can help sort out our beliefs and strengthen our faith. However, questioning can make us vulnerable as doubt can cause us to sin; which harms faith. Satan knows that once we begin to question, it is easier to make us do what he wants. Actually we can let doubt deepen our faith or divide it. But, be careful my friend, as a divided mind only causes problems. We cannot be self-centered and God-centered at the same time.

♥ Read Mark 11:23-24. What two things are required if we have faith? ________________________________ ________________________________

Several times in scripture we hear Jesus say, “O you of little faith.” Those words make me feel so sad because we know that all things are possible with God. Dear precious folks, if we have the faith He requires of us, then we must really believe and not doubt in our hearts. WOW…He says we can pray for anything, and if we believe, we will have it. I could go on and on about prayer, but James covers it at length during our last week of study. Just know prayer is truly one of my favorite topics as my life is a testimony to the power of prayer.

You probably have read the story many times of Jesus walking on the water, but let’s focus for a minute on Peter (Matthew 14:22-33). Remember Peter’s reaction when he saw Jesus coming…Let’s discuss what happened:

♥ Read Matthew 14:28-31 and answer the following questions:

♥ What did Peter desire to do?_____________________________________________

♥ What happened to Peter when he was able to carry out his desire? ______________

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♥ What did Jesus say to Peter in this situation? ______________________________

♥ Think about these verses, have you ever gotten ‘out of the boat’ to take a step of faith? Explain.__________________________________________________________

Bible scholars have often criticized Peter and given him a hard time because he doubted. But we must give Peter credit for the fact that he was the only disciple who actually got out of the boat. Oh, we can speculate as to why Peter wanted to walk on the water in the first place. We can also see that when Peter allowed fear to overcome him, he began to sink and Jesus rebuked him for doubting Him…but, who did Peter call on when he began to sink? And who immediately reached out and grabbed him? Think about it!

How decisive are you? Do you rely on God? Do you totally trust Him? Or, are you straddling the fence? Do your actions reflect your words? Are you letting doubt deepen your faith or destroy it? Are you depending on the Holy Spirit for guidance? Are you seeking mature Christian companions? Are you reading and studying God’s Word? To have a faith that works and removes doubts, we must do these things!

At one time or the other, we will all have doubts, especially if we focus on the waves that difficult circumstances produce around us, and then we too may sink. However, if we maintain our faith when situations are difficult and focus on the power of Jesus instead of our own inadequacies, we may soar like the eagle. Jesus said “I assure you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea,’ and it will happen” (Matthew 21:21-22). WOW… Go away doubt, I want faith! What about you?

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Through his devices of doubt, distrust, discouragement, and deception, Satan tries at every turn to prevent or steal your harvest and keep you from reaching greater fruitfulness. Bruce Wilkinson

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The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen - reviewed



“With trembling hands, she wrote the name and direction. Creating a connection with loops of mere ink that might one day form a noose.” (p. 206)


Julie Klassen’s, The Silent Governess, begins with Olivia Keene on the run for her life. Olivia is fleeing uncertain and unpleasant circumstances to be sure, but the ensuing events prove even more dire, and she finds herself in the service of Lord Edward Bradley struck mute by a promise…or is it a secret? As the story unfolds, it becomes evident that secrets abound at Brightwell Court, and the threads of the story weave a tightly bound veil of circumstances that are held together by both fear and greed. I was ensnared from the beginning and found each revelation revealed in a very natural and logical fashion without robbing any of the suspense from the tale. If you are a fan of well researched historical fiction, you are in for a treat indeed!


The Silent Governess reveals a great deal about the aristocracy and the distinct class structure that exists amid English society. Yet love, greed, jealousy and other depraved human conditions don’t recognize this structure and what you wind up with is a very tangled mass of human relationships that need to understand the freedom that comes from truth and grace. The characters of this story are very realistically created and represent many struggles common to all of us regardless of time and station. The silence that binds many of the Brightwell family binds many of lower class as well, because no one wants to be held accountable for their deeds.


The real beauty in this story is revealed as one by one each character is brought face to face with their role in the tangled web of deceit and secrecy. As truth frees one and then another, the reader enjoys watching as God transforms and redeems much of what has been lost to them all. Perhaps things could have been different and less difficult for all of them had they not remained so very silent about the truth. However, the Lord uses that silence to teach and refine lives as only He can, and the end results is both satisfying and beautiful.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie Klassen is a fiction editor with a background in advertising. She has worked in Christian publishing for more than twelve years, in both marketing and editorial capacities. Julie is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She enjoys travel, research, books, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends.

Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information, visit www.julieklassen.com


Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year!! 2010 is here!


2010 is here, and thus begins another year of blogging, book reviews, author interviews and all kinds of excitement! I'll begin a couple of new ventures this year, one of which includes doing the featured author interviews for Christian Fiction Online Magazine! I hope you will stop by and get to know some of your favorite authors!

There are TONS of great books releasing this year, so please stop by often. There will be give-aways and lots of fun here in my Window, and I'm looking forward to an exciting and fulfilling new year!