These items are being requested by the Library Committee and will be updated as we receive new requests and as items have been donated.
Please consider these items when you would like to make a donation to the Library.
1. Cash Donation - you may choose a book from the list below or we will choose one for you
2 . You may purchase the book anywhere you choose and then bring to the Library or to Debbie in the church office
3. If you have a gently read copy in your personal collection, you may donate that book
How Can I Make a Donation to the Library?
1. Cash Donation - you may choose a book from the list below or we will choose one for you
2 . You may purchase the book anywhere you choose and then bring to the Library or to Debbie in the church office
3. If you have a gently read copy in your personal collection, you may donate that book
Requested Books
With the ranch now under Slade’s careful eye, he will unearth more than he ever imagined as a devious plot of thievery, betrayal and murder threatens more than the well-being of the ranch, endangering the lives of those who hold it dear. With days dwindling until the rest of the Donovan clan arrive to the Lazy M ranch, Mariah and Slade must rise above the resentment of their fathers and see their true feelings before greed alters their futures forever.
A terrible darkness has fallen upon Jacob Weisz’s beloved Germany. The
Nazi regime, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, has surged to power
and now hold Germany by the throat. All non-Aryans—especially Jews like
Jacob and his family—are treated like dogs.
When tragedy strikes during one terrible night of violence, Jacob flees and joins rebel forces working to undermine the regime. But after a raid goes horribly wrong, Jacob finds himself in a living nightmare—trapped in a crowded, stinking car on the train to the Auschwitz death camp.
As World War II rages and Hitler begins implementing his “final solution” to systematically and ruthlessly exterminate the Jewish people, Jacob must rely on his wits and a God he’s not sure he believes in to somehow escape from Auschwitz and alert the world to the Nazi’s atrocities before Fascism overtakes all of Europe. The fate of millions hangs in the balance.
Retailers Choice Award winner, 2012
The world is on the brink of disaster, and the clock is ticking. Iran has just conducted its first atomic weapons test. Millions of Muslims around the world are convinced their messiah—known as the Twelfth Imam—has just arrived on earth. Israeli leaders fear Tehran, under the Twelfth Imam’s spell, will soon launch a nuclear attack that could bring about a second Holocaust and the annihilation of Israel. The White House fears Jerusalem will strike first, launching a preemptive attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities that could cause the entire Middle East to go up in flames, oil prices to skyrocket, and the global economy to collapse. With the stakes high and few viable options left, the president of the United States orders CIA operative David Shirazi and his team to track down and sabotage Iran’s nuclear warheads before Iran or Israel can launch a devastating first strike.
When Russia's richest oil baron is killed, Moscow suddenly teeters on
the verge of political chaos. Tehran races to complete its nuclear
arsenal. Washington finds herself dangerously divided from her European
allies. A new evil looms on the horizon. A dictator is rising in Russia.
Iran is feverishly building nuclear weapons. A new axis of evil is
emerging, led by Moscow and Tehran. And Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy, two
senior White House advisors, find themselves facing the most chilling
question of their lives: is the world rushing to the brink of an
apocalypse prophesied more than 2,500 years ago?
Bestselling author and international political expert Joel C. Rosenberg
tackles the question, Is America an empire in decline or a nation poised
for an historic renaissance?
America teeters on a precipice. In the midst of financial turmoil, political uncertainty, declining morality, the constant threat of natural disasters, and myriad other daunting challenges, many wonder what the future holds. Will history’s greatest democracy stage a miraculous comeback, returning to the forefront of the world’s economic and spiritual stage? Can America’s religious past be repeated today with a third Great Awakening? Or will the rise of China, Russia, and other nations, coupled with the US’s internal struggles, send her into a decline from which there can be no return?
Implosion helps readers understand the economic, social, and spiritual challenges facing the United States in the 21st century, through the lens of biblical prophecy.
Osama bin Laden is dead. Saddam's regime is buried. Baghdad lies in ruins. Now the eyes of the world are on Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy, two senior White House advisors, as they arrive in the Middle East to offer a historic Arab-Israeli peace plan and the American president's new vision of freedom and democracy. But in the shadows lie men whose hearts are filled with evil—men for whom the prospect of peace goes against everything they believe. And soon one terrifying scheme after another begins to unfold. As Jon and Erin face a battle for control of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and an Iraqi plan to rebuild ancient Babylon, they can't help but wonder: Are such signs evidence that they are living in the last days before the return of Christ?
Authors: Mark Hall with Tim Luke
Title: Thrive: Digging Deep, Reaching Out
Publisher: Zondervan
“I’m a student pastor before I’m a singer,” writes Casting Crowns front man Mark Hall in Thrive, his fourth published work and a companion to his top band’s new record of the same name. Sure enough the book is even better than the album as it gives the youth minister more room to unpack his Bible-informed ideas about what growing in faith really involves. Aimed at teens, these thirty-three bite-sized chapters (six pages on average) can also speak to teachers and parents who might facilitate the reading.
Thrive builds upon the visual provided by Psalm 1:3, a verse describing the blessed man as being “like a tree planted by streams of water . . . In all that he does, he prospers.” With that, Hall introduces two key components of a vibrant Christian life that settles not for surface-level, daily grind survival but rather pursues a constant, fruit-bearing practice of internal and external spiritual checks and balances.
Section one—“Digging Deep”—urges young souls to “dig deep into the roots of our relationship with Jesus” to know who God really is and who we are as his followers. Hall is a good storyteller who breaks the ice with equal parts humor and transparency. His own accounts of identity crisis and academic struggle—here’s a GRAMMY-winning artist who failed the music major entrance exam— illustrate the salient point that “God’s dreams for us are bigger than our own.” Elsewhere, a recent ill-advised decision to watch a horror movie segues into a funny look at how Satan tries to redefine our beliefs.
Section two—“Reaching Out”—stresses the importance of branching into the world to show who we are in Christ and make God known to those who don’t yet follow him. Hall recounts a time when a youth group he served had mastered the “digging deep” concept but had completely forgotten about outwardly sharing what they were learning inside the Christian bubble. Throughout this book’s last half we are reminded to see others as Jesus does, to avoid making rash religious comments on social media (the world is watching), and, when sharing the gospel, to seek the right balance of grace, love, and truth.
Indeed, Thrive emphasizes balance at every turn. Christians who dig deep but don’t reach out in their faith won’t truly grow. Consider Mark Hall’s book a dependable resource to inspire a well-rooted, far-reaching growth spurt among students.
Raised in an Old Order
Mennonite community, Rachel Stoltzfus is a strong-willed single woman,
content living apart from mainstream society until whispers stir the
moment her belly swells with new life. Refusing to repent and name the
partner in her sin, Rachel feels the wrath of the religious sect as she
is shunned by those she loves most. She is eventually coerced into
leaving by her brother-in-law, the bishop.
But secrets run deep in this cloistered community, and the bishop is hiding some of his own, threatening his conscience and his very soul. When the life of Rachel’s baby is at stake, however, choices must be made that will bring the darkness to light, forever changing the lives of those who call Copper Creek home.
In Breathe, Odessa arrives at a famous sanitarium seeking a cure for the disease that killed her brothers. While Moira and Nic establish themselves in Colorado Springs society, Dessa inches her way back to health - and into love with a softspoken fellow patient, rancher Bryce McAllan. When she witnesses a murder in the very hospital where she is recuperating-and other patients begin to die, Dessa struggles to breathe again. She'd always expected to die young, but now that she has a reason to live, can she hold on to her fragile health to solve the mystery?
Stuart is given a one last chance to redeem his career: A make-or-break assignment covering the AIDS crisis in a small African country. It is here that Stuart meets Adanna, a young orphan fighting for survival in a community ravaged by tragedy and disease. But in the face of overwhelming odds, Adanna finds hope in a special dream, where she is visited by an illuminated man and given a precious gift.
Now, in a dark place that's a world away from home, Stuart will once again confront the harsh reality of a suffering people in a forgotten land. And as a chance encounter becomes divine providence, two very different people will find their lives forever changed.
Ten-year old Kaylee Wren doesn't speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the towering redwoods-in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary.
Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter's death, Sierra's control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself.
Brought together by Divine design, Kaylee and Sierra will discover together the healing mercy of the Word-Jesus Christ.
When it’s time to settle down with a book, there’s nothing quite so satisfying as a good mystery novel. With Truth Stained Lies, New York Times bestselling author Terri Blackstock has given us a very good mystery indeed. From the tense first chapter to the hope-filled epilogue, Blackstock’s crisp writing and realistic characters will keep readers glued to the page in breathless anticipation of what comes next. Bonus: all this excitement comes free of the profanity and steamy sex scenes that characterize many mainstream mysteries.
After her fiancé’s killer got away with murder, Cathy Cramer quit her job as a lawyer in the district attorney’s office to become an investigative blogger. Her new career allows her to dig into high-profile murder cases and speculate on the guilt or innocence of the accused. Her instincts are usually spot on . . . until the day she finds a note on her car’s windshield that threatens “it’s time you saw first-hand how speculation ruins lives” and writes it off as a prank. It’s not. Before the day is over Cathy’s own family will be embroiled in the kind of front-page-worthy murder investigation she normally covers on her blog.
Fortunately for Cathy, she can count on her late fiancé’s brother, Michael, for help. A disgraced cop turned struggling private eye, Michael considers Cathy’s family his own. As Cathy’s brother goes to jail spouting a story so ridiculous it has to be true, Michael teams up with Cathy and her sisters to clear their brother’s name and restore him to his grieving five-year-old son. The sisters—Juliet (a stay-at-home mom) and Holly (a hard-living cab driver with a secret)—both step out of their comfort zones to help put the family back together.
One of the best things about Truth Stained Lies is the absolute believability of all these characters. While Juliet is the next-door neighbor we all want, Holly is the wild child, and Cathy is the successful career woman, they’re not stereotypes. Additionally, each is dealing with the fallout from their minister father’s affair and the resulting broken home and broken church. Some ran to God in the crisis, others ran away, but the consequences are there for everyone in the family. Blackstock guides us through their spiritual journeys with a sure hand, making conversations about (and to) God feel authentic.
As with real life, the action doesn’t stop when the spiritual “stuff” happens. In fact, the action never stops at all. “I have a short attention span,” the author says, “so I have to have something happening on every page.” There’s never a dull moment in this thrilling story that starts with a violent death, runs headlong into a fast-paced investigation then races through poisoning, kidnapping, a manhunt and more. If the action ever slows for a minute the emotional turmoil bubbles up. In other words, readers will never be bored.
The ending is comfortably satisfying without wrapping things in too neat a bow. After all, this is just the first of Blackstock’s new “Moonlighters Series” so there’s plenty more drama to come. With any luck we’ll see the Cramer family again soon.
Officer
Brinna Caruso has built a reputation at the precinct as the cop to call
when a child goes missing. For Brinna, it’s personal because she was
once one of them. Brinna and her K-9 search and rescue dog, Hero, will
stop at nothing to find a missing child, no matter the stakes.
Detective Jack O’Reilly isn’t ready to return to his homicide duties, after losing his wife to a drunk driver. He’s on the downside of his career, and bent on revenge, when he’s assigned as Brinna’s partner. While on patrol, Jack struggles between his quest for personal justice and his responsibility to those around him, especially his partner.
Skeptical of Jack’s motives, Brinna isn’t sure she can rely on her new partner, whose reckless abandon endangers the safety of those around him. But when a man surfaces with an MO similar to the criminal who abducted Brinna twenty years earlier, Brinna and Jack must cast aside previous judgments and combine efforts to catch the kidnapper, and finally allow Brinna the peace stolen from her as a child.
Detective Jack O’Reilly isn’t ready to return to his homicide duties, after losing his wife to a drunk driver. He’s on the downside of his career, and bent on revenge, when he’s assigned as Brinna’s partner. While on patrol, Jack struggles between his quest for personal justice and his responsibility to those around him, especially his partner.
Skeptical of Jack’s motives, Brinna isn’t sure she can rely on her new partner, whose reckless abandon endangers the safety of those around him. But when a man surfaces with an MO similar to the criminal who abducted Brinna twenty years earlier, Brinna and Jack must cast aside previous judgments and combine efforts to catch the kidnapper, and finally allow Brinna the peace stolen from her as a child.
Claiming Mariah
by Pam Hillman (Goodreads Author) 4.1 of 5
In light of her father’s death, Mariah Malone sends a letter that will forever alter the lives of her family. When Slade Donovan, strong willed and eager for vengeance, shows up on her front porch, Mariah is not ready to hear his truths: her father’s farm, the only home she’s ever known, was bought with stolen gold. With Slade ready to collect his father’s rightful claim and force Mariah and her family out on the streets, Mariah must turn to God for guidance. Though Mr. Frederick Cooper, a local landowner, promises to answer her financial woes if she agrees to be his bride, Mariah finds herself drawn instead to the angry young man demanding her home.With the ranch now under Slade’s careful eye, he will unearth more than he ever imagined as a devious plot of thievery, betrayal and murder threatens more than the well-being of the ranch, endangering the lives of those who hold it dear. With days dwindling until the rest of the Donovan clan arrive to the Lazy M ranch, Mariah and Slade must rise above the resentment of their fathers and see their true feelings before greed alters their futures forever.
A terrible darkness has fallen upon Jacob Weisz’s beloved Germany. The
Nazi regime, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, has surged to power
and now hold Germany by the throat. All non-Aryans—especially Jews like
Jacob and his family—are treated like dogs.When tragedy strikes during one terrible night of violence, Jacob flees and joins rebel forces working to undermine the regime. But after a raid goes horribly wrong, Jacob finds himself in a living nightmare—trapped in a crowded, stinking car on the train to the Auschwitz death camp.
As World War II rages and Hitler begins implementing his “final solution” to systematically and ruthlessly exterminate the Jewish people, Jacob must rely on his wits and a God he’s not sure he believes in to somehow escape from Auschwitz and alert the world to the Nazi’s atrocities before Fascism overtakes all of Europe. The fate of millions hangs in the balance.
Retailers Choice Award winner, 2012The world is on the brink of disaster, and the clock is ticking. Iran has just conducted its first atomic weapons test. Millions of Muslims around the world are convinced their messiah—known as the Twelfth Imam—has just arrived on earth. Israeli leaders fear Tehran, under the Twelfth Imam’s spell, will soon launch a nuclear attack that could bring about a second Holocaust and the annihilation of Israel. The White House fears Jerusalem will strike first, launching a preemptive attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities that could cause the entire Middle East to go up in flames, oil prices to skyrocket, and the global economy to collapse. With the stakes high and few viable options left, the president of the United States orders CIA operative David Shirazi and his team to track down and sabotage Iran’s nuclear warheads before Iran or Israel can launch a devastating first strike.
When Russia's richest oil baron is killed, Moscow suddenly teeters on
the verge of political chaos. Tehran races to complete its nuclear
arsenal. Washington finds herself dangerously divided from her European
allies. A new evil looms on the horizon. A dictator is rising in Russia.
Iran is feverishly building nuclear weapons. A new axis of evil is
emerging, led by Moscow and Tehran. And Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy, two
senior White House advisors, find themselves facing the most chilling
question of their lives: is the world rushing to the brink of an
apocalypse prophesied more than 2,500 years ago?Bestselling author and international political expert Joel C. Rosenberg
tackles the question, Is America an empire in decline or a nation poised
for an historic renaissance? America teeters on a precipice. In the midst of financial turmoil, political uncertainty, declining morality, the constant threat of natural disasters, and myriad other daunting challenges, many wonder what the future holds. Will history’s greatest democracy stage a miraculous comeback, returning to the forefront of the world’s economic and spiritual stage? Can America’s religious past be repeated today with a third Great Awakening? Or will the rise of China, Russia, and other nations, coupled with the US’s internal struggles, send her into a decline from which there can be no return?
Implosion helps readers understand the economic, social, and spiritual challenges facing the United States in the 21st century, through the lens of biblical prophecy.
Osama bin Laden is dead. Saddam's regime is buried. Baghdad lies in ruins. Now the eyes of the world are on Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy, two senior White House advisors, as they arrive in the Middle East to offer a historic Arab-Israeli peace plan and the American president's new vision of freedom and democracy. But in the shadows lie men whose hearts are filled with evil—men for whom the prospect of peace goes against everything they believe. And soon one terrifying scheme after another begins to unfold. As Jon and Erin face a battle for control of Jerusalem and the Holy Land and an Iraqi plan to rebuild ancient Babylon, they can't help but wonder: Are such signs evidence that they are living in the last days before the return of Christ?
Authors: Mark Hall with Tim Luke
Title: Thrive: Digging Deep, Reaching Out
Publisher: Zondervan
“I’m a student pastor before I’m a singer,” writes Casting Crowns front man Mark Hall in Thrive, his fourth published work and a companion to his top band’s new record of the same name. Sure enough the book is even better than the album as it gives the youth minister more room to unpack his Bible-informed ideas about what growing in faith really involves. Aimed at teens, these thirty-three bite-sized chapters (six pages on average) can also speak to teachers and parents who might facilitate the reading.
Thrive builds upon the visual provided by Psalm 1:3, a verse describing the blessed man as being “like a tree planted by streams of water . . . In all that he does, he prospers.” With that, Hall introduces two key components of a vibrant Christian life that settles not for surface-level, daily grind survival but rather pursues a constant, fruit-bearing practice of internal and external spiritual checks and balances.
Section one—“Digging Deep”—urges young souls to “dig deep into the roots of our relationship with Jesus” to know who God really is and who we are as his followers. Hall is a good storyteller who breaks the ice with equal parts humor and transparency. His own accounts of identity crisis and academic struggle—here’s a GRAMMY-winning artist who failed the music major entrance exam— illustrate the salient point that “God’s dreams for us are bigger than our own.” Elsewhere, a recent ill-advised decision to watch a horror movie segues into a funny look at how Satan tries to redefine our beliefs.
Section two—“Reaching Out”—stresses the importance of branching into the world to show who we are in Christ and make God known to those who don’t yet follow him. Hall recounts a time when a youth group he served had mastered the “digging deep” concept but had completely forgotten about outwardly sharing what they were learning inside the Christian bubble. Throughout this book’s last half we are reminded to see others as Jesus does, to avoid making rash religious comments on social media (the world is watching), and, when sharing the gospel, to seek the right balance of grace, love, and truth.
Indeed, Thrive emphasizes balance at every turn. Christians who dig deep but don’t reach out in their faith won’t truly grow. Consider Mark Hall’s book a dependable resource to inspire a well-rooted, far-reaching growth spurt among students.
Allison Kavanagh is moving into a beautiful log house in the mountains;
a home that once belonged to her great aunt. The house is wonderful;
the reason Allison is moving there is not. After years of struggling
through a difficult marriage
Allison gave her husband an ultimatum. She was certain she’d heard from
God and He would use her tough love stand to heal her marriage.
Apparently she heard wrong; the divorce is now final and it’s time for
Allison to start a new life alone.
Aunt Emma had been a strong, independent woman who didn’t need a man to
make a success of her life. Maybe living in her old home would help
Allison learn to be more like her feisty relative. But when Allison
finds Emma’s stash of old photos and diaries in the attic, she learns
there was more to Emma’s story than she ever suspected . . . and the two
of them were more alike than she thought.
Allison and Emma’s journeys are woven together throughout A Promise Kept.
Hatcher cleverly keeps the stories going at slightly different speeds; a
complete parallel would have been much too predictable. Each is so
engaging that even while caught up in Allison’s story part of my mind
was wondering about Emma and vice versa. Either story would have been
nice enough on its own and completely in line with what we’ve come to
expect from typical Christian fiction. Hatcher is better than that. By
combining the stories of two intriguing women into one, she’s given us a
novel that is significantly better than nice.
Allison’s memories show us the kind of woman Emma became but that’s a
far cry from where she started. Meanwhile Allison’s ending is a mystery:
Will she meet a nice man at the church in town and go on to find
happiness in a new relationship? Or does God have something else in
mind? Both women have to learn to trust God with their futures to grow
into the women He created them to be. It’s not easy; God answers prayers
in His own time and in His own way. How do you believe when it looks
like God isn’t keeping his promise? These questions and more will keep
readers turning pages until the final, satisfying end.
Along the way there are a number of valuable life lessons (I wanted to take notes—how often does that
happen in a novel?) all imparted through the story in an organic,
non-sappy way. As Allison takes faltering steps toward a post-divorce
recovery readers—divorced or not—will benefit from the reminder that God
hates divorce, not the divorced.
Eventually Allison and Emma will have to see themselves and their
circumstances as they are, not as they wish they were. That’s an
interesting perspective for a work of fiction and a powerful message.
It’s just one of many features that elevates A Promise Kept far above the usual sweet little Christian story. Read it—you’ll be glad you did.
From Barnes & Noble
Bookseller ReviewsWhen University of Tennessee graduate Peyton Manning signed his first N.F.L. contract, he received $11.6 million. Not for his first year of playing; for signing. The entire package earned him an indelible nickname: "The Fifty Million Dollar Quarterback." that only a few decades ago, Joe Namath was called "The $400,000 Quarterback" lends some sense of how times have changed. But unlike the Jets' legendary Broadway Joe, Peyton Manning seems intent on remaining out of tabloid spreads. His seriousness is understandable: He is part of a football-tossing dynasty. His father, Archie Manning, was an All American, an All Pro quarterback, a N.F.L. M.V.P. and the most popular New Orleans Saint in history. This family self-portrait provides up close and personal evidence of the changes and the continuities in football. (P.S. Peyton's younger brother, Eli, is preparing for his final high school gridiron season. Guess what position he plays?)Publishers Weekly -
The Manning family--Archie (All-American star quarterback who played for Ole Miss and later for the New Orleans Saints); his wife, Olivia (Archie's college sweetheart and homecoming queen); their sons Cooper (whose career ended with a diagnosis of spinal stenosis), Peyton (a former star quarterback for Tennessee whose determination has led the Indianapolis Colts to an incredible turnaround) and Eli (the even-tempered starting quarterback at Ole Miss)--has enjoyed a life of success and love based on faith, family and football. Archie and Olivia Manning raised their sons with the philosophy that "it's the right thing to do, so do the right thing." The result, which Archie and Peyton capture so clearly, is a tribute to the values Americans hold in high regard: work hard, stand up for what you believe in, treat each person with respect and be grateful for what you have and for what you have achieved. With the assistance of Underwood (Death of an American Game), the narrative seamlessly flows from Archie's voice to Peyton's as they discuss everything from the meaning of football and Archie's career ups and downs to raising three sons and the game they all play. Besides the celebrations, the Mannings also comment on life in the South ("The stereotyping is repulsive... both ways. All black men aren't noble, all white men aren't swine") and the flip side of fans' fervent partisanship (for example, the slew of hateful letters and calls Archie received when Peyton turned down Ole Miss). Whether or not one is a fan of the gridiron game, the Mannings' book makes for a terrific read about an all-American family. (Sept.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|Library Journal
This is an honest, insightful autobiography of a father and son who both reached the pinnacle of professional football. Peyton is currently the quarterback of the National Football League's (NFL) Indianapolis Colts, while Archie is a retired NFL pivot. This candid, no-holds-barred book begins in Drew, MI, during the 1950s where football was simply a game boys played to have fun, not a means to an end. The story chronicles two generations of a highly motivated football family through the good times and bad. Written with the assistance of sportswriter Underwood, this book will entertain gridiron fans.Raised in an Old Order
Mennonite community, Rachel Stoltzfus is a strong-willed single woman,
content living apart from mainstream society until whispers stir the
moment her belly swells with new life. Refusing to repent and name the
partner in her sin, Rachel feels the wrath of the religious sect as she
is shunned by those she loves most. She is eventually coerced into
leaving by her brother-in-law, the bishop.But secrets run deep in this cloistered community, and the bishop is hiding some of his own, threatening his conscience and his very soul. When the life of Rachel’s baby is at stake, however, choices must be made that will bring the darkness to light, forever changing the lives of those who call Copper Creek home.
The Lord Is My Shepherd (The Psalm 23 Mysteries #1) Debbie Viguié
Cindy s church is getting ready to celebrate Easter, and Jeremiah s Temple is preparing for Passover when Cindy literally stumbles over the body of an unknown man lying dead in the sanctuary. The church was locked, and a bloody cross necklace on the floor seems to be the only clue. The killer is likely a member of the congregation, but there are hints that similar deaths have happened in the past. Are Cindy and Jeremiah dealing with a serial killer? They have to unravel the clues before Easter Sunday arrives and more people die. Cindy and Jeremiah come from two different worlds, even though they work right next door to each other. Cindy is a strong Christian who lives a normal but somewhat dull life, working as a church secretary. Jeremiah is a Reformed rabbi with a mysterious past full of danger and excitement. But one eventful Easter/Passover week, the two find themselves working together to solve a murder and stop a serial killer from striking again. Solving the mystery should put an end to their alliance, but the church secretary and the rabbi quickly find themselves enmeshed in another mystery. Soon the two form a friendly alliance and friendship, exploring personal history and faith and growing closer with each passing adventure. Despite their differences Cindy and Jeremiah find a lot of common ground.Breathe: A Novel of Colorado (The Homeward Trilogy #1)
Lisa Tawn Bergren (Goodreads Author) 3.9 of 5 stars · rating details · 806 ratings · 93 reviews
Devastated by the loss of four sons to tuberculosis and his wife in childbirth, a Philadelphia patriarch sends his three living children west in 1883 to make a new life in the clean mountain air of Colorado Springs. Odessa is struggling to survive consumption; Moira is beautiful and dangerously headstrong; and pugnacious Dominic is charged with establishing a new arm of the family business a business he doesn't want. Readers will love The Homeward Trilogy, in which the St. Clair siblings struggle to follow where the heavenly Father leads them.In Breathe, Odessa arrives at a famous sanitarium seeking a cure for the disease that killed her brothers. While Moira and Nic establish themselves in Colorado Springs society, Dessa inches her way back to health - and into love with a softspoken fellow patient, rancher Bryce McAllan. When she witnesses a murder in the very hospital where she is recuperating-and other patients begin to die, Dessa struggles to breathe again. She'd always expected to die young, but now that she has a reason to live, can she hold on to her fragile health to solve the mystery?
Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World (On the Edge of the World #1)
by
Tom Davis
Stuart Daniels has hit
bottom. Once a celebrated and award-winning photojournalist, he is
reeling from debt, a broken marriage, and crippling depression. The
source of Stuart's grief is his most famous photo, a snapshot of
brutality in the dangerous Congo. A haunting image that indicts him as a
passive witness to gross injustice.Stuart is given a one last chance to redeem his career: A make-or-break assignment covering the AIDS crisis in a small African country. It is here that Stuart meets Adanna, a young orphan fighting for survival in a community ravaged by tragedy and disease. But in the face of overwhelming odds, Adanna finds hope in a special dream, where she is visited by an illuminated man and given a precious gift.
Now, in a dark place that's a world away from home, Stuart will once again confront the harsh reality of a suffering people in a forgotten land. And as a chance encounter becomes divine providence, two very different people will find their lives forever changed.
Words
"I collect words. I keep them in a box in my mind. I'd like to keep them in a real box, something pretty, maybe a shoe box covered with flowered wrapping paper. Whenever I wanted, I'd open the box and pick up the papers, reading and feeling the words all at once. Then I could hide the box. But the words are safer in my mind. There, he can't take them."Ten-year old Kaylee Wren doesn't speak. Not since her drug-addled mother walked away, leaving her in a remote cabin nestled in the towering redwoods-in the care of a man who is as dangerous as he is evil. With silence her only refuge, Kaylee collects words she might never speak from the only memento her mother left behind: a dictionary.
Sierra Dawn is thirty-four, an artist, and alone. She has allowed the shame of her past to silence her present hopes and chooses to bury her pain by trying to control her circumstances. But on the twelfth anniversary of her daughter's death, Sierra's control begins to crumble as the God of her childhood woos her back to Himself.
Brought together by Divine design, Kaylee and Sierra will discover together the healing mercy of the Word-Jesus Christ.
In
this riveting and highly anticipated new hardcover, BRIDGE TO HAVEN,
Francine Rivers whisks readers back to the glitz and glamour of golden
age Hollywood to explore the exhilarating pull of temptation.
||— She’s burned every bridge to get exactly what she thought she wanted . . . now all she wants is a way back home. —||
This new novel will be available (in English) worldwide in spring 2014 and can be preordered now on some retailer sites.
||— She’s burned every bridge to get exactly what she thought she wanted . . . now all she wants is a way back home. —||
This new novel will be available (in English) worldwide in spring 2014 and can be preordered now on some retailer sites.
When it’s time to settle down with a book, there’s nothing quite so satisfying as a good mystery novel. With Truth Stained Lies, New York Times bestselling author Terri Blackstock has given us a very good mystery indeed. From the tense first chapter to the hope-filled epilogue, Blackstock’s crisp writing and realistic characters will keep readers glued to the page in breathless anticipation of what comes next. Bonus: all this excitement comes free of the profanity and steamy sex scenes that characterize many mainstream mysteries.
After her fiancé’s killer got away with murder, Cathy Cramer quit her job as a lawyer in the district attorney’s office to become an investigative blogger. Her new career allows her to dig into high-profile murder cases and speculate on the guilt or innocence of the accused. Her instincts are usually spot on . . . until the day she finds a note on her car’s windshield that threatens “it’s time you saw first-hand how speculation ruins lives” and writes it off as a prank. It’s not. Before the day is over Cathy’s own family will be embroiled in the kind of front-page-worthy murder investigation she normally covers on her blog.
Fortunately for Cathy, she can count on her late fiancé’s brother, Michael, for help. A disgraced cop turned struggling private eye, Michael considers Cathy’s family his own. As Cathy’s brother goes to jail spouting a story so ridiculous it has to be true, Michael teams up with Cathy and her sisters to clear their brother’s name and restore him to his grieving five-year-old son. The sisters—Juliet (a stay-at-home mom) and Holly (a hard-living cab driver with a secret)—both step out of their comfort zones to help put the family back together.
One of the best things about Truth Stained Lies is the absolute believability of all these characters. While Juliet is the next-door neighbor we all want, Holly is the wild child, and Cathy is the successful career woman, they’re not stereotypes. Additionally, each is dealing with the fallout from their minister father’s affair and the resulting broken home and broken church. Some ran to God in the crisis, others ran away, but the consequences are there for everyone in the family. Blackstock guides us through their spiritual journeys with a sure hand, making conversations about (and to) God feel authentic.
As with real life, the action doesn’t stop when the spiritual “stuff” happens. In fact, the action never stops at all. “I have a short attention span,” the author says, “so I have to have something happening on every page.” There’s never a dull moment in this thrilling story that starts with a violent death, runs headlong into a fast-paced investigation then races through poisoning, kidnapping, a manhunt and more. If the action ever slows for a minute the emotional turmoil bubbles up. In other words, readers will never be bored.
The ending is comfortably satisfying without wrapping things in too neat a bow. After all, this is just the first of Blackstock’s new “Moonlighters Series” so there’s plenty more drama to come. With any luck we’ll see the Cramer family again soon.
For twenty years, Gregory Boyle has run Homeboy Industries, a gang-intervention program located in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, the gang capital of the world. In Tattoos on the Heart, he distills his experience working in the ghetto into a breathtaking series of parables inspired by faith.
Arranged by theme and filled with sparkling humor and glowing generosity, these essays offer a stirring look at how full our lives could be if we could find the joy in loving others and in being loved unconditionally. From giant, tattooed Cesar, shopping at JCPenney fresh out of prison, we learn how to feel worthy of God's love. From ten-year-old Lula we learn the importance of being known and acknowledged. From Pedro we understand the kind of patience necessary to rescue someone from the darkness. In each chapter we benefit from Boyle’s gentle, hard-earned wisdom.
These essays about universal kinship and redemption are moving examples of the power of unconditional love and the importance of fighting despair. Gorgeous and uplifting, Tattoos on the Heart reminds us that no life is less valuable than another.Arranged by theme and filled with sparkling humor and glowing generosity, these essays offer a stirring look at how full our lives could be if we could find the joy in loving others and in being loved unconditionally. From giant, tattooed Cesar, shopping at JCPenney fresh out of prison, we learn how to feel worthy of God's love. From ten-year-old Lula we learn the importance of being known and acknowledged. From Pedro we understand the kind of patience necessary to rescue someone from the darkness. In each chapter we benefit from Boyle’s gentle, hard-earned wisdom.
The family moved into their own home, and just like the rest of America, had to adjust to war-caused austerity. It wasn't easy for young Jacob. He discovered that although he occasionally brought out the best in people, he was more likely to bring out the worst. All he wanted was his freedom-freedom to ride his bike, get a job shoveling snow, and even build a boat for his father, despite his father's misgivings.
Kids Don't Build Boats follows young Jacob from a precocious child to a troubled teen. The church was always in the background, as Christ loved Jacob, despite his misbehavior. Jacob was lucky to have an everlasting friend through his tumultuous times, and like Noah with the ark, Jacob found a purpose and eventual peace.
The early 1940s weren't easy years for America or the world at large. Jacob was just a young boy in New Hampshire when World War II broke out. His father was sent away to fight faceless monsters, while Jacob and his remaining family moved in with his grandparents. It was easy living with his grandparents, despite his mother's worry that something might happen to Jacob's father. One day, though,Jacob's father came home.
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