Peter: The Man Who Went On An Adventure With Jesus by Robby Roberson

 

From The Back Cover:

Peter: The Man Who Went On An Adventure With Jesus is a biographical study of the life of the apostle Peter, including each New Testament even where we encounter him. It is the story of his life from his first exposure to Jesus Christ until the last New Testament scene involving him. His life is so raw and real that it is applicable to all and has  lasting lessons for our own adventure with Jesus.

My Review:

I have often heard that Peter had foot in mouth disease! I can so relate to that! How many times have I stuck my foot in my mouth? But just like Peter our Lord forgives us, reproves us gently and builds us up to be better human beings and more like Him. This study of Peter's life is relatable, applicable and inspiring. There were several passages that touched my heart. Chapter two(The Day I Had A Sinking Feeling) really touched my heart several times and I had some favorite parts underlined:

"there are two kinds of storms: storms of correction, when God disciplines us, and storms of perfection when God helps us grow." "So remember (Peter would say), you can be right in the center of the will of God and the seas of life can really get rough!" 

Also in Chapter 2:

"You may be on the sea and you may be in a storm, but the Lord Jesus is in heaven praying for you(Heb. 7:25)! Be encouraged to endure. Be encouraged to do His will!"

Those are just a few passages that touched me. So many gems used from Peter's life to inspire us and to encourage us to not give up and to keep going on and growing in Jesus. 

If you desire a closer walk with the Lord be sure to grab this book and study about a man who walked with Jesus. He definitely had an adventure with the Creator and we can too!

In Honor's Defense by Karen Witemeyer

 When Damaris Baxter’s brother passes away Damaris heads to Texas to care for her 15 year old nephew. Hoping that she and Nathaniel can have the same relationship they once shared years ago Damaris is not prepared for the rebellion and anger that Nathaniel presents to her. When their neighbor hires Luke Davenport, one of the infamous Hanger’s Horsemen, to find out who is rustling his cattle the first suspect is Nathaniel because of all of the mischief he has caused. When Luke meets the rustlers and is left for dead he is taken to Nathaniel and Damaris’s home to be cared for. Can Luke, Nathaniel and Damaris prove that someone killed her brother and is now out to kill them before it is too late?

I love the Horsemen! I love both Damaris and Luke, they make a great couple. I loved that Damaris came across as invisible and quiet but yet had the backbone and stubbornness to love Nathaniel and stand up for him. I loved the mystery and danger surrounding Damaris’s brothers death. It made the story exciting and kept my interest. It was also fun to catch up with the other horsemen. A sweet and exciting read that as always satisfied and entertained and above all left me ready for more books by this author!

Nerves of Steele by Susan Sleeman

 

Peyton is getting ready to go on vacation when she gets a call from one of her clients. His jewelry business has just been broken into and over a million dollars in diamonds have been stolen. Peyton knows she has to go investigate because the Steele family business is on the line with this client. Grant Logan wants the job as the store’s security manager. The robbery is a nightmare for him as he has just moved his daughter to the area and needs this job. Owner Alex Armstead has informed both Peyton and Grant that they will be working together to find out who the thief is and if they don’t find the diamonds then neither of them will be employed by him. Before Alex can explain some of his actions he is involved in an accident that puts him in the hospital in a coma. Can Grant and Peyton figure out who has the diamonds and who may be threatening the Armstead family? But most of all can Grant and Peyton work together to solve the crime with the obvious attraction they are feeling towards each other every time they are in the same room? 

I’m absolutely loving the Steele Guardians series! Nerves of Steele definitely didn’t disappoint in the excitement/suspense department. I loved the characters as well. Grant is kind and patient and definitely a loving father to his daughter. I liked Peyton’s epiphany’s that she had about where she saw her life going and her ability to adjust her expectations after struggling it out with the Lord. Author Susan Sleeman knows how to make the spiritual “ah ha” moments that speak to the characters hearts, personal and touching to the readers hearts as well. An exciting book that keeps the reader turning the pages with expectation and excitement!

A Blue So Dark by Holly Schindler

 

The story opens with Aura, her mom and dad and her best friend Janny on a trip to Florida. Everything was supposed to be perfect, but for Aura the beach was a disappointment with undertones of foreboding lurking in the wings. 

Fast forward 5 years and Aura’s life seems to be falling apart. Her father has left the family, Aura’s best friend has her own issues and slowly Aura’s mom is sinking into schizophrenia. Aura feels like she is sinking, but has promised her mom “no drugs” and not to tell anyone. 

The rest of the story is Aura trying to help her mother through her episode hoping that she will come out of it. The thing that scares Aura the most though is how much is she like her mother, is this her fate as well? 

Oh, I’m telling you, author Holly Schindler knows how to pack all the feels into her stories! There was so much here! I wanted to shake Aura and tell her to GET HELP! I wanted to shake her mother and tell her to GET HELP! I wanted to shake both Aura and Janny and tell them to get their act together and listen to each other. Mental illness is such a hard thing to deal with. Add the fact that Aura is only 15 and having to make adult decisions, it was a train wreck waiting to happen. The subject matter is heavy, this is definitely not a light and fluffy read. But the story was engrossing and kept me reading and rooting for Aura and hoping, like she did, that someone would come alongside her and help her. Again, all the feels! A book I very much recommend.

The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy

 

This is a short story by Leo Tolstoy. Ivan Ilych is a man who has lived pretty much for himself. Every decision he has ever made has been about how it affects him. It’s really a sad tale about how much Ivan Ilych has invested in himself and not others. He eventually realizes that he is dying and it comes to him that nobody really cares. His life was unremarkable and so is his death. 

This is another book mentioned in the book On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior. It is found under the chapter of Love. Which I find ironic because as far as I could see Ivan Ilych didn’t love anyone and nobody loved him. In fact his wife despised him! It was really a sad tale, but it does cause the reader to become introspective and think about their own life and how they have used their life to affect others around them. 

Nana The Great Comes To Visit by Lisa Tawn Bergren

 

Whether you are a Nana, Grandma, Grammy or whatever your grandchildren call you, this is a fun book to read to them. I wish that I was as fun as this Nana! I love the fun things that Nana does when she comes and visits her grandchildren. She's pretty creative. I also love the illustrations. They are cute and depict the activities in the story perfectly. A fun story and picture book for your young grandchildren and you to enjoy! 

Check out this fun activity kit with free downloadables: https://www.godgaveusbooks.com/kids-activities

You can also. purchase the book from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nana-Great-Comes-Visit-Bergren/dp/0593232887/ref=sr_1_1?crid=16IVN5VCXC9CP&keywords=nana+the+great+comes+to+visit&qid=1647971294&s=books&sprefix=nana+the+great+comes+to+visit%2Cstripbooks%2C76&sr=1-1

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

 

This is a class y'all. But whew is it offensive! The n-word is very prominent in the story and it was a slap in the face every time I saw it. I know, the era in which this was written that was totally acceptable. Reading it in a more "enlightened" time period causes me to shake my head. I definitely would not have read this book out loud to my children! Ack! Anyway, I could go into all of the racist stuff and all of the what's acceptable now vs. then but you all know it. As far as the story goes, meh, not my favorite. Huck is a mess and then bring Tom Sawyer into the story and whoa! Huck seemed to have an ounce of common sense about him, and a sense of right and wrong, but Tom Sawyer? Holy moly was he a mess. I guess you could say he lived in his own little fantasy world and it seems to have been left unchecked so his imagination has run amok! The whole helping Jim escape plan had me scratching my head going whaaaaattttt???? Anyway, if you like to read classics then go for it, but it definitely wasn't my cup of tea.

This book was a recommendation out of the book On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior. It was under the Courage chapter.