Great Suspense

Indelible by Kristen Heitzmann is a suspenseful read in which finding a “good” stopping place is almost impossible.  Being a teacher, I wasn’t quite clear of the meaning of the word “indelible,” so I looked it up.  According to Webster, it means something that cannot be removed or washed away and is lasting.  Natalie has dealt with eidetic (similar to photographic memory) images since childhood.  She doesn’t just “see” people, she sees their innermost being and it sometimes overwhelms her to the point of temporary blindness.  To deal with her gift/curse, she sculpts to get the pictures out of her head.  These sculptures are not put on display, but acts as a type of release for her.  When her nephew is rescued from the mouth of a mountain lion by Trevor, the wilderness outfitter next door to her gallery, Natalie becomes the one person who may be able put the pieces together in order to figure out who is behind the bizarre and disturbing pictures of children in danger being sent to Trevor.  I love good suspense stories, but appreciated this one even more because of the depth of characters and how Heitzmann used excerpts from Milton’s Paradise Lost to let the reader glimpse into a mind waging the battle between good and evil.  Being introduced to several characters sometimes gets confusing, but in Indelible you are given enough information about the characters and see them interact so they become familiar and have you looking forward to another book in which one of them might be the main character. Although Indelible is the second book in a series, it is a great stand alone read.
I received Indelible by Kristen Heitzmann for free from Multnomah Publishing in exchange for my review.

Spiritual Abundance Through Abiding

   I hesitated to start this book because I thought I already was familiar enough with the vine and branches illustration.  While at a conference, I won a tour of a vineyard, so I thought, “Are you trying to tell me something, Lord?”  Before reading this book I knew a vineyard grew grapes and produced wine.  I was aware of the illustration Jesus used in John 15, but never really thought much about it aside from the branches needing the vine to survive and thrive.  Secrets of the Vine for Women by Darlene Marie Wilkinson provides an understanding of the levels of fruitfulness of the Christian walk and the way to truly abide in Christ.  Using portions of a fictional story of a vinedresser’s daughter and her visit to her father’s vineyard, Wilkinson draws the parallels between the development of a vineyard with the development of fruit in a believer’s life.  The book is an easy read, but I would suggest it be taken a chapter at a time in order to let the truths revealed in each page take root in your life.  There is a study guide provided that lends itself to both individual and group study.  The book discusses fruit, more fruit,and much fruit (There is a difference!); pruning and its benefits; and abiding deeply.  In practical terms, Wilkinson explains these “secrets” so each can be lived out daily to have a more intimate walk with Christ.  There is a chart that summarizes the three seasons in God’s vineyard.  This book would appeal to the woman just beginning her faith journey as well as the woman who has traveled with Christ for years and desires to walk closer to Him daily.
   I received thsi book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

A Strong Woman vs. A Woman of Strength

   So, it's summer and I've been doing a lot more reading.  Last week I finished the book Disaster Status by Candace Calvert.  It's a medical drama-type fiction book.  The main character is a nurse who has a very strong personality and likes to be in charge.  She has a hard time letting anyone else do anything and tends to sometime be a little overprotective of her family.  She's a Christian, but has a hard time really letting God be God and take care of things.  Yes, she sounds a little like me...everything except the nurse part.
   At one point in the book, she discovers a gift her grandmother has for her.  It is a framed copy of a poem called "A Woman of Strength."  I looked for this particular version, but didn't find it as it was written in the book, so I copied it from the book.  It didn't give an author.  I thought it was worth sharing:

     A strong woman works out everyday...but a woman of strength kneels to pray, keeping her soul in shape.
     A strong woman isn't afraid of anything...but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear.
     A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her...yet a woman of strength gives her best to everyone.
     A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same for tomorrow...A woman of strength realizes life's mistakes, thanking God for the blessings as she capitalizes on them.
     A strong woman walks head first with no doubt in her mind...but a woman of strength knows God will catcher her when she falls.
     A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face...but a woman of strength wears grace.
     A strong woman has faith that for the journey she'll have enough...but a woman of strength knows it's in the journey she will become strong.

   After reading that, I have one more line to add:

     A strong woman asks, "What would Jesus do?" and does it...but a woman of strength asks, "What would Jesus do?" and before she does it asks, "How would Jesus do it?"

Feel free to add more in the comments section!