Paying for Sex by David Holland

(NASHVILLE, Tennessee) -- What does it take for a Christian man or woman to be sexually holy in today's erotically charged culture? Author David Holland answers the question in his new book, "Paying for Sex: The Spiritual Implications of Your Sex Life and Mine” (Dutch House Publishing LTD).

Having been miraculously set free from an eighteen year addiction to pornography, as well as unhealthy relational attachments, Holland issues a transparently clear message: sex is not just a purely physical act; it is an act which radically affects the soul and the spirit of a person too. 

"If we are to be completely free from ungodly lifestyle choices, we need to accept the spiritual implications of sexual sin and seek the freedom that Christ alone brings,” says Holland. "Then we must build a life of healthy intimacy with God rather than unhealthy attachments to sexual partners or behaviors. If we choose not to do this, then we will find ourselves continually paying for sex. If we do choose to do this, we will enjoy the glorious freedom of the children of God. So why not pick up this book and take up this challenge?”

Readers will find Holland’s vulnerability and honesty encouraging and his commitment to Scripture inspiring.

Holland is the Director of Explicit Freedom, a ministry set up to help those struggling with sexual addiction find lasting breakthrough. He is also a freelance writer, broadcaster and blogger, and serves on the core leadership team of his local church in the center of London. 

“David Holland’s book ‘Paying for Sex’ reveals sex to be a truly a spiritual experience,” says Douglas Weiss, Ph.D., author of ‘Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity.’ “It is a powerful read for those wanting purity in their sexuality. The book takes you into the bedroom with God and invites him to express his pure desires to you whether you are single or married.”

Adds Rod Anderson, Host of GOD TV’s “Above it All:” “David Holland has written about a topic that took much courage and faith to produce; men’s struggle with their sexual urges. I doubt if there’s any man on planet earth who hasn’t had some of his same struggles, IF they’re honest. However our God always leads us into triumph, if we will listen to Him. David has made this an easily readable book which will eliminate much guilt from the men who read it, and help them to find their own personal victory in these and other areas.” 

“Paying for Sex” is available on all eBook platforms, and in paperback at Amazon.com. For more information, visit www.pfsbook.com and www.facebook.com/pfsbook.

Finding Spiritual Whitespace by Bonnie Gray - REVIEWED

About the Book:  
Move beyond Surviving to a Rejuvenating Place of Soul Rest
How many of us find ourselves running on empty with no time for rest, no time for ourselves, no time for God?  

Bonnie Gray knows what that's like. On the brink of fulfilling a lifelong dream, she saw her plans shatter into a journey through painful memories and anxiety. In her search for answers, she made an important discovery: we all need spiritual whitespace.

Whitespace. It's the space on a page left unmarked. Untouched. Whitespace makes art beautiful. It gives the eye a place to rest. Just like beautiful art, our souls need balance and beauty.      

With heartbreaking honesty, Bonnie guides you to discover a better story for yourself, one that feeds your soul and makes room for rest. Infused with biblical encouragement and thought-provoking prompts, this book shows us how to create space in the everyday for God, refreshment, and faith--right in the midst of our stress-frayed lives.

My Thoughts:

“But there comes a time when it takes more faith to fall apart with Jesus that to stay strong enough to stop it from happening.”  (p. 32)

Bonnie Gray was unable to stop the crippling effects  of PTSD.  It has been her journey through this disorder that has allowed her to discover how to truly rest in Christ.  Bonnie has written an almost painfully transparent view into her life’s journey as she heals from the trauma that triggered her debilitating panic attacks.  Through her journey she shares truths that God has led her to all along the way.  She shares Scripture, insights on events and counseling that has prompted her to look more deeply into God’s Word and her faith.  She draws readers close to God’s heart and encourages them to trust the Truth that is found in Christ alone.

Each chapter is broken up into sections that encourages the reader to pause and consider what you have read.   The chapters end with prompts for sharing, writing, discussion and prayer.  This gives this book endless possibilities!  You can use this as an individual study, a small group study, or, if applicable, use it with the guidance of a counselor.  This is a book that will create opportunities for growth and a more vibrant and intimate relationship with Christ.

I’ve highlighted this book to death!  I can highly recommend this for everyone.  I close with this thought from page 80: “Spiritual whitespace is a journey to discover the authentic you.”  AMEN!

About the Author:

Bonnie Gray is the soulful writer behind faithbarista.com, serving up shots of faith for the daily grind. Her work is featured on DaySpring (in)courage and nationally syndicated on Crosswalk.com. After graduating from UCLA, Bonnie served as a missionary, ministry entrepreneur, and Silicon Valley high-tech professional. She lives in Northern California with her husband, Eric, and their two sons.

All My Belongings by Cynthia Ruchti - REVIEWED

About the book: 

A new life and a new identity can't protect Becca from a past that refuses to go away.

After spending years running from the shame her father put on her family, Jayne is determined not to let him steal her future in the same way he stole her childhood. Changing her name to Becca Morrow, she moves to California and settles into a new life and new job caring for ailing mother of handsome young businessman, Isaac Hughes.

But just as she's wondering if she and Isaac are headed for a relationship, Becca's patient passes away under unusual circumstances. Suddenly, her past catches up with her and the unnerving details of her heritage threaten to destroy all sense of home and all hope for love.

Even if she could clear her name, a phone call wraps a suffocating shroud around her heart. Her estranged father needs her help. But can Becca open her new life to the man who ruined her past?

My Thoughts:

“That’s the definition of faith, Becca.  Trusting no matter what.”  (p.210)

When Isaac Hughes spoke these words to Becca they were both clinging to faith.  Faith that their world would soon right itself.  Actually, the entirety of this story is filled with a deep longing for understanding in a lot of deep areas of the heart.  These characters are treading through some really deep water throughout the novel.  Unanswered questions, some questions answered but not in the way you hoped.  

This is a complex story that will take you on a very unexpected journey toward truth.

That journey is filled with many twists and turns.  It covers a wide scope of relationships in both Becca and Isaac’s life.  You get to know them both as they care for Isaac’s mother.  The tenderness of the care that Aurelia received will make you cry.  It is amazing how sweetly that is captured in the story.  And later in the book, as they care for another family member…wow!!  And in the midst of all of these precious relationships a dark mystery develops that tries the very fabric of their souls!

Cynthia Ruchti is a gifted writer, and her story is filled with strong, memorable characters.  The complexity of the plot is totally believable, and that’s what makes it so completely satisfying! Wow! This was not what I was expecting.  My heart is sad, happy and a bit wistful!  GREAT story! One I am happy to recommend!

You can purchase a copy HERE.

About the Author:

Cynthia Ruchti has more than three decades of radio broadcast experience with "Heartbeat of the Home" radio and currently serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers.

Daises are Forever by Liz Tolsma - REVIEWED

About the Novel:

Gisela must hold on to hope and love despite all odds in the midst of a war-torn country.

Gisela Cramer is an American living in eastern Germany with her cousin Ella Reinhardt. When the Red Army invades, they must leave their home to escape to safety in Berlin.

However, Ella is a nurse and refuses to leave, sending her young daughters with Gisela. During their journey, Gisela meets Mitch Edwards, an escaped British POW. She pretends she is his wife in order to preserve his safety among other Germans, especially one wounded German soldier, Kurt, who has suspicions about Mitch's identity. Kurt also has feelings for Gisela and tries to uncover the truth about her "marriage."

Their journey to Gisela's mother in Berlin is riddled with tragedy and hardship, but they strive to keep Ella's daughters safe so they can reunite with their mother. During the journey Gisela and Mitch begin to develop feelings for one another beyond friendship. They reach Berlin, but their struggles are far from over. Gisela and Mitch must learn to live for the day and find hope in the darkest of circumstances.

In this moving, historically accurate portrayal of WWII Germany, the characters learn that, even with destruction all around them, some things last forever.

Purchase you copy HERE.

My Thoughts:

“All around, women and children screamed.  They melded with the screams of her aunt and cousins.  Screams of the present , screams of the past.”  (p 36)

Gisela Cramer, escaping East Prussia as the Nazis invade.  One of thousands, probably millions of refugees fleeing before the invasion.  Mitch Edwards…fleeing a POW camp with his lifetime buddy, Xavier…desperate to survive, speaking whatever bits of language they can remember to disguise their British accents.  These lives collide in a living steam of bodies fleeing for their lives.  Daisies are Forever chronicles this journey.

This is a very well-written, accurate depiction of Europe as the Nazi party invaded.  The brutality of this time of survival, of fleeing, of desperation and heartache was real.  The relationships forged during this time were also real.  The hunger, the filth, the death….all of it real.  All of it realistically depicted in this beautiful story of hope, of faith, of God’s faithfulness.

If you love novels set in the 1940’s, WWII era, Daisies are Forever in a novel not to be missed.  This will touch your heart.  Break your heart.  Give you hope.  It is a beautiful tribute to the heroes of our past, and should give strength to future generations.

About the Author:

New York Times best-selling author Liz Tolsma is the author of Daisies are Forever, Snow on the Tulips, and the contributing author of A Log Cabin Christmas. When not busy putting words to paper, Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and children, all adopted internationally.

Until I Found You by Victoria Bylin - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Until I Found You Bethany House Publishers (May 6, 2014) by Victoria Bylin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: A word from the Author:

This may sound crazy, but I was driven to write romance by giant bugs and killer rabbits. I just couldn't take it anymore. My husband and two sons would be camped in front of the television watching a movie about spiders the size of bowling balls, and I'd be wondering when the handsome scientist would get around to kissing the spunky woman with the bug spray. When it didn't happen, I decided to write my own happy endings--without the giant bugs...

Known for her realistic, likable characters and vivid writing, Victoria Bylin writes both western and contemporary inspirational romance. Her books have finaled in the ACFW Carol Awards, the Rita Awards and RT Magazine’s Reviewers’ Choice Awards. She and her husband currently live in Lexington, Kentucky and have two grown sons.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Finding each other was only the beginning . . .

When Kate Darby swerves off a mountain road to avoid hitting a California condor, she ends up trapped in her car, teetering on the edge of a cliff. Terrified, she breathes a prayer that changes her life.

It's Nick Sheridan who comes to Kate's rescue. Nick is handsome and confident, and he seems to develop a habit of rescuing her, but Kate is in town only until her grandmother recuperates from a stroke. She's not planning to get involved with one of the locals.

Nick is a reformed veteran of life in the fast lane, a new Christian, and a travel writer. When he sees a car dangling on the edge of a cliff, the daredevil in him jumps into action. He doesn't expect to be swept off his feet by the car's occupant. He's made a vow--no dating for a year--but keeping that vow is going to be a lot more difficult now that he's met Kate Darby. . . .


My Thoughts:

 “…she couldn’t reconcile emotional pain with a loving God, or fear with faith.  It just didn’t make sense, and no one could explain it to her.”  (p. 252)’

 “Faith. It all came down to believing that God was who He said He was, and that He could be trusted even when the earthly circumstances seemed grim.”  (p. 323)

Two very different perspectives.  Two lives on an intersecting path.  A God who loves them both and is calling them to Himself. 

Until I Found You is a spiritual journey to understanding a relationship with God wrapped in a contemporary romance.  Kate and Nick are at very different places on that journey when their lives intersect.  It all begins with a prayer that Leona Darby prays for her niece.  Unaware of God’s  sovereign hand at work, Kate’s life takes several unexpected u-turns.  As a matter of fact, Nick’s life is also experiencing  a series of hair-pin turns much like the one that introduces these two characters.

The title carries many layers of meaning, and all of it comes into full clarity by the time you reach the final pages.  Victoria Bylin is a new author to me, and I was pleased with the well-developed characters, the richness of their lives and the way they are all intertwined  over the course of the story.  You will come to care deeply about all of the people in this story.  You will cry. You will get frustrated. You will get angry and a little scared at times.  It is worth the journey!  Enjoy!!

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Until I Found You, go HERE.

Kim Dexter is ‘Reaching’ for Heaven with Upcoming Worship-Infused Solo Album

(NASHVILLE, Tennessee) -- Singer-songwriter Kim Dexter (formerly of Mayfair Laundry) is back with a brand new studio album, “Reaching,” in stores everywhere on June 10th via Elevate Entertainment and Syntax Creative. The worship-infused project is the follow-up to Dexter’s debut solo album, “So This Is It,” which spawned international radio airplay, extensive touring and television appearances. 

Produced by Jerad Atherton, “Reaching” was recorded at Hollywood’s legendary EastWest Studios (Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra) with an all-star cast of players that includes bassist Jonathan Ahrens (Jason Mraz, Jewel), drummer Aaron Sterling (Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer), and Dexter on keys. The album also includes a duet with fellow artist Jason Dunn (former Hawk Nelson frontman) on “Our Souls Cry Out.”

“’Reaching’ is more of a worship project than anything I have done in the past, yet is still revealing of what God has been doing in my life,” says Dexter. “I perform a lot of concerts, lead worship at a lot of churches and also sing and speak at women’s conferences and retreats, so this album really has songs for all of those communities. I sing of God's unbelievable grace and mercy, which He continually pours out on us, and His daily salvation, knowing everything that touches my life has to first pass through the hands of God. Whatever I’m experiencing He's allowed and He will use it for my best. When we let go of everything, we can live in true freedom.”

Dexter’s first major foray into artistry came in the late ‘90s when she fronted Christian rock band Mayfair Laundry, who toured nationally opening for the likes of Switchfoot, Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day. Dexter subsequently found success as a songwriter, penning tracks for Bryan Duncan, Nicole C. Mullen, Avalon’s Jody McBrayer, and multiple missions organizations. She also wrote the theme song for the immensely popular children’s series, “Bibleman.”

These days, Dexter resides in Orange County, California with her husband Paul (a Grammy-nominated producer, musician and fellow member of Mayfair Laundry) and their children Maggie and Hudson. The whole family frequently loads up the tour bus to experience adventures on the road together, while Kim shares her deeply personal songs and stories of survival, perseverance, courage and healing at various concert venues, churches, women’s conferences and retreats. 

“My life is a story of miraculous grace, personally, within my marriage, and also with new creative opportunities,” says Dexter. “God has been there the whole time and I am a testimony that He can truly do anything.”

The root for Dexter’s inspirational well runs deep in various directions, first and foremost, with her love for Jesus and her family. Musically, her vast pool of muses includes faith-based powerhouses like Keith Green and Gungor, alongside mainstream favorites like Sarah McLachlan, The Fray and Ingrid Michaelson. Add in some of life’s simplest pleasures, like laughing with her children, green juice drinks and a long work out, coupled with wanting to stir the souls of audiences or address the enormity of suffering in the world, and Dexter emotes authenticity and inspiration at every turn.

“God is always pursuing us, reaching through darkness, loss, and human frailty to the depths of our hearts,” she says. “In response to this kind of love, I am reaching for more of Jesus and for the highest call He has placed on my life. I always lean on what it says in Philippians 3:13: ‘But one thing I do: Forgetting the past and reaching forward to what lies ahead’...”

A Stitch and a Prayer by Eva Gibson - REVIEWED

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Stitch and A Prayer Abingdon Press (May 20, 2014) by Eva Gibson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

(No image available) Eva Gibson is the author of twenty books, including A Stitch and a Prayer, the latest release in the Quilts of Love series from Abingdon Fiction. She currently teaches Writing Your Life Story classes for Portland Community College and is an active member of Oregon Christian Writers. She has lived most of her life on the family farm in Wilsonville, Oregon, which is the setting for her novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After her fiancé returns from the Klondike gold rush in 1897, Florence Harms sets about building a new life in her new marriage—even though the lingering effects of illness have left her weak and vulnerable. She and her young husband, Will, work tirelessly to clear the land around their Northwest cabin, content with their modest life. But then a stranger comes knocking and Florence suddenly senses a restlessness in Will’s spirit that she had never seen before. When he leaves her with only a note that tells her he will return before their baby’s birth, she is devastated, and the illness that stiffened her joints returns. Counting the days until Will walks back through her door, Florence busies herself with a Tree of Life quilt displaying a map of the farm they call home. Doubts claw at her heart as Florence struggles to believe Will’s promise to return to her. Will her labor of love—and faith in God—sustain her as she waits to see her beloved once again?

My Thoughts:

“Blessed.  I and the man I’m about to wed have been blessed.” (p. 20)

Little did Florence know the significance of Aunt Amelia’s blessing.  She and Will would have to weather many trial and tribulations as they started married life together.  Most were just the normal trials that accompanied life in the late 1800’s. Wilsonville, Oregon was a rugged western town, and when couples married they truly lived out “for better for worse.”  A lot of hard work, patience and raw faith was required to stay the course of marriages in such rugged circumstances.

Florence had already undergone some significant changes prior to her wedding day.  The realization of life’s most important relationships and joys came through very painful physical illness for Florence.  She and Will had already faced many people’s worst fear and survived.  They had no idea that they would have to fight again and again to protect the love that had become vital to their hearts.  They never dreamed they would have to go to such extreme measures to defend what they knew to be true.

A Stitch and a Prayer is a beautiful edition to the Quilts of Love series.  The story takes the reader back in time in a way that makes you feel the emotional and physical obstacles faced by the cast of characters as they sought to survive and thrive in this harsh territory.  

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Stitch and A Prayer, go HERE.