Coffee the World and Jesus but not Necessarily in that Order by Ron DiMiglio - REVIEWED

About the Book:

Life lessons and almost irreverent musings from twenty-five years in the global coffee industry

When many Christians take a long, hard look at the lives of the spiritual elite in America, they want to shout, "I don't want to be like that!" Ron DeMiglio knows how they feel and he's not afraid to do the shouting—even when those shouts are sometimes directed at himself.

Coffee, the World, and Jesus is a collection of mildly contrarian musings from this international coffee businessman who happens to love Jesus. In these humorous vignettes about the relational, flawed, unwavering faith Ron clings to, readers will find glimmers of their own daily struggles to reflect Christ in a fallen world. For the religiously cautious, the disillusioned, and jaded followers of Christianity, this is a refreshing look at how God reveals Himself to be so much bigger than politics, dogmas, or western influences.

Ron's sidesplitting series of stories about how he found his spiritual groove smack-dab in the middle of his God-breathed, coffee-scented uniqueness will appeal to readers looking for a quick bite of spiritual growth with their next latte.

My Thoughts:

“I was made in God’s image.  I was not asked to make God into the image of my knowledge, politics, heritage, or cultural familiarity.”  (p. 122)

Ron DiMiglio may be a coffee connoisseur who has traveled the globe building an international coffee brand, but he has a faith that is as raw and real as the coffee beans he roasts and drinks.  To read his book is very much like the dark, hearty brew he sells – it lures you in with words that are bold and enticing.  He shares his life experiences through the lens of his personal relationship with Christ, but also through a solid foundation of who he is in Christ.

I felt as though I’d been sitting in a coffee shop with a close friend as I read DiMiglio’s book. I would get totally engrossed in the story he was relating to me and WHAM! Truth would smack me in the heart and I’d pause and say (sometimes out loud), “Wow! That was good!”  His insights gained through his experiences in the coffee industry place a magnifying glass on the day to day reality of living life as we were created to do – in the image of our Creator, uniquely designed to show His reflection to the world.

I think this book is going to speak clearly to a generation desperate to hear a realistic daily dose of faith.  My 24-year-old son actually read this before I did and enthusiastically encouraged me to give a copy to his brother.  He even read many chapters aloud to me on a road trip, and kept exclaiming over every  chapter and how he was encouraged to walk out his own faith journey in practical ways.

This is a unique book, and I think God will use it to create a hunger for a deeper relationship with Christ – especially in a generation that is already walking away from Christ in massive numbers.  I highly recommend this book!  It will challenge and encourage you in surprising ways! 

About the Author:

Ron DeMiglio is the former president and owner of Eko Brands, LLC. The past twenty-five years of his life have centered around coffee as he traveled around the world. Coffee, the World, and Jesus, but Not Necessarily in That Order, is his first book.

Secrets by Jonathan Daugherty - Reveiwed

About the Book:

Everyone has a secret or two, a part of their life they would rather not share with the rest of the world.

But for Jonathan Daugherty, his secret was so life-altering and relationship-ending that he fought to keep it hidden at all costs. And it did cost him. His secret kept him from contentment, peace, and the possibility of being known and loved for who he truly is. That's what any secret addiction can do-but in particular a sex addiction.

After his wife finally discovered his secret, their marriage appeared to be over. In Secrets, Jonathan honestly and courageously shares his story of addiction to pornography and how he lost everything to it.

But that's not how the story ends. While Jonathan struggled, someone else was at work-his heavenly Father. At the lowest possible moment of his life, God stepped in and brought him hope and healing. This is a story of both loss and redemption that gives hope to anyone who has ever experienced the power and struggle of addiction and its life-destroying effects.

Addiction doesn't have the final say over Jonathan's life or in his marriage. The God who finds the lost, heals the sick, and brings life from death has the last, victorious word.

-A courageous, honest and open account of life as a sex addict and how sex addiction destroys marriages.
-A life-affirming and personal story of recovery and redemption that will inspire readers.
-Offers hope to all who struggle with pornography and sex addiction.
-Each chapter includes a "Living in the Light" section designed to equip and help readers find freedom from addiction.
-Suitable as a study for support groups of addicts and those who care about them.

My Thoughts:

“But by keeping secrets our lives tend to drift off course.  We hide our flaws and overly accentuate our strengths, believing this will enhance our lives and relationships.”   - Daugherty

This statement, found at the beginning of Jonathan Daugherty’s book, Secrets, encapsulates the darkness that couches sexual addiction.  Secrets ARE deadly, and sexual addiction is one of the deadliest tools in the enemy’s arsenal right now. 

I chose to review this book because sexual addiction ended 20+ years of marriage in my life.  I wanted to read this book and rip it to shreds, because I simply couldn’t believe a man could be healed from this terrible addiction.  So, Secrets proved to be as healing to me as it is certain to be to anyone fighting this particular battle.  It was as if God pulled back the curtain to show me that healing is possible and what the end-result can look like when someone chooses to walk the path toward healing and deliverance.

I will admit there were some passages in this book that were very painful to read.  However, at the end of each chapter, there are questions that, although meant to be considered by the one struggling with addiction, proved to be challenging and enlightening to me as well.  No matter which side of the relationship you fall on, if you have encountered this addiction in any way, there is healing to be found in the pages of this book.

AND, there is a ministry called Be Broken associated with Jonathan Daugherty, and I’ve contacted them as well. They minister to both the men struggling and their wives.  This is the real deal – the total package – this is a place of healing and hope!!  I am grateful to God for this book and Praise God for all of the lives that are going to be forever transformed through the pages of this book!

About the Author:

Jonathan Daugherty is the founder of Be Broken Ministries, and founder of Gateway to Freedom workshop for men. He also hosts the weekly radio broadcast, Pure Sex Radio, and is in demand nationally as a speaker on sexual purity and men s issues. He has appeared on multiple radio and television media, both local and national. He has authored "Grace-Based Recovery," "The 4 Pillars of Purity," and other works. Jonathan lives with his wife and three children in San Antonio, Texas.

Find out more about Jonathan at http://www.jonathandaugherty.com.

Season of Heartbreak by Mark Gregory Karris - REVIEWED

About the Book:
After a devastating breakup, many people--Christians included--are left heartbroken, lonely, confused, even devoid of hope. The grief of losing a romantic partner is often similar to that experienced after the death of a loved one. Yet, too often, friends, family, and the church see these breakups as trivial events.

As a therapist, Mark Karris sees the devastation in the wake of this loss every day. He knows that the pain isn't inconsequential. He also knows that insights and principles are not enough to help heal the shattered hearts of those who are grieving. Moving past platitudes and into action, Season of Heartbreak pulls from a variety of spiritual practices:
Contemplative prayer
Journaling
Weeping
Self-compassion
Being loved by others
Forgiveness
An original four-step transformational practice


Readers can learn to progress gracefully through the journey of heartbreak, and will pick up the emotional equipment to confront and move through loss in other areas of their life to come.

My Thoughts:

“God desires that you be confident and free to shout from the rooftops – whether to your ex, to your circumstances, or to your own inner critic – the truth of Genesis 50:20: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”  (p. 206) 

Mark Gregory Karris writes from a healed place.  He has walked through heartache and learned how to trust God with his heart despite what circumstances tell his heart.  This sounds pretty simple, right?  Something that a lot of other people have written about.  I think what sets Karris’ book apart is that throughout this book he pauses to identify the difficulty of the journey through the season of heartbreak.  He recognizes that it takes time.  He acknowledges the hard work required to move through heartbreak to healing.  He does this in a way that feels personal and makes the reader feel as though they are listening to the heart of a dear friend.

                                                                                                                  

Unlike many authors, Karris talks about the choice to remain single in light of the freedom to pursue God without any of the hindrances presented by relationships.  That is honest.  He chose to marry, and wrote from his place of brokenness – more than seven years past his season of heartbreak.  It takes time to heal, but you can trust God with your healing.  We must be as faithful to pursue His heart as He is to pursue ours!

I chose to read this book, because my season of heartbreak came at the end of 23 years of marriage.  In some ways, I’m still healing.  But I can say without hesitation that Karris’ book brings healing.  He trusts God’s word and His promises to the exclusion of his circumstances.  I am happy to recommend this book to anyone walking through a season of heartbreak – whatever the source of the heartbreak.  There is healing to be found in the pages of this book.

About the Author:

Mark Gregory Karris is a family advocacy and support specialist for the United States Navy. He is also an ordained pastor, licensed marriage and family therapist, and worship leader. He and his wife live in Yokosuka, Japan. Visit him at markgregorykarris.com.

Dark Deception by Nancy Mehl - REVEIEWED

About the Book:
Kate O'Brien's quiet life in small-town Shelter Cove, Arkansas is shaken when her past suddenly comes roaring back to life. Four years ago, she and her twin sister were attacked by an elusive serial killer. Only Kate survived, and she's been in witness protection ever since.

When new evidence arises to suggest the convicted man wasn't the murderer, she's subpoenaed to testify in the new trial. Afraid to go back into that world, Kate only agrees if Tony DeLuca, the deputy Marshal who protected her during the original trial, escorts her to St. Louis. 

Tony readily takes on the assignment; Kate's beauty and inner strength made more of an impression on him than he expected. But when Kate's safety is threatened, Tony must race against the clock to keep her alive and put this ugly case to rest before anyone else gets killed.

My Thoughts:

“Playing dead was harder than she could have ever imagined. “  (p. 7)

From the opening line of Nancy Mehl’s latest book, Dark Deception, to the closing line…

“It was time to get back to business as usual.”  (p. 305)

The reader has embarked on quite the thrill ride!  Suffice it to say that Mehl gives a new definition to the word deception in this novel!!  Good grief!!  I guess serial killers possess an unusual type of brilliance, because the Blue Eyed Killer puts so many layers between himself and his victims that at some point, you almost find yourself needed to open your own case file to keep up with the ever-changing twists and turns!

I am certain that Kate O’Brien will spend the rest of her life seeing a good psychiatrist on a regular basis before she will be able to function as a healthy adult in society again.  She has seen and experienced and lost so much in a short amount of time, that she will remain emotionally fragile for the foreseeable future. (despite the fact that she has the heart of one U.S. marshal in her back pocket) 

Suffice it to say, this was an intense read.  If you enjoy legal/police thrillers, don’t wait another moment to dive into this series!  You will be completely swept away and thoroughly entertained!  The characters are well developed and very likable – with believable flaws as well as strengths.  There is a good balance between all of the arms of law enforcement represented, and the end result is believable.  This is an excellent read and one I am happy to recommend!

About the Author:

Nancy Mehl (www.nancymehl.com) is the author of twenty-seven books, including the Road to Kingdom, Finding Sanctuary, and Defenders of Justice series. She received the ACFW Mystery Book of the Year Award in 2009. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their Puggle, Watson. She is part of The Suspense Sisters: www.suspensesisters.blogspot.com, along with several other popular suspense authors. She is also very active on Facebook.