Suggested Devotionals for 2018

Daily Devotionals are one way to help a person start or end their day close to God. Here are several that I recommend. Each one will have a Click here opportunity to read about them and most of them you will be able to read the first chapter on line to become acquainted with it.

The Devotional Clear Word-by Jack Blanco click here

ADULT- Words to Live-By by Jack Blanco click here

Evening – Christ Triumphant by Ellen G White click here

Boxed set- This is a nice boxed set of the above two titles which makes for a nice gift set to give to anyone including yourself—click here

Women- Notes of Joy, written by Women for Women edited by Carolyn Rathbun Sutton click here

Young Adult- Calling by Troy Fitzgerald click here 

Teen- God Space by Tompaul Wheeler click here

Junior/Early-teen- What If by Bradley Booth  click here

Primary- Talking With God by Sueli de Oliveira and Marta Irokawa click here

Preschool- My Time With Jesus by Lopes, Figueiredo and Macedo click here

2018 is another year to draw closer to God- Devotionals can be a great help in that.

Christmas in My Heart #26: A Review

Wow- Joe Wheeler has done it again with #26 of his collections of Christmas Stories!

For 26 years Joe Wheeler has published volume after volume of Christmas stories and in each one of those years, leading to being named “America’s Keeper of the Story” by James Dobson, Founder of Focus on the Family. Wheeler’s latest in this splendid series has just been published and is available.

Every year my wife and I look forward to the new volume coming out and normally we would have read it at least 2 or 3 times before the end of the year (the new volume is usually available in early Fall). We also like to go back and reread many of the stories in the older volumes.

This new volume has as usual one story written by Joe Wheeler and the rest of the book comprises stories which he and his wife have gleaned from thousands of Christmas stories that they have collected through the years.

These old-fashioned Christmas stories are spiritually based, heart-tugging stories which incorporate values worth living by, and remind us of the divine reason for the Christmas season.

Click here to read the first chapter in this latest volume of Christmas in My Heart and for more information about this book.

Fire Road: A Review

Fire Road, the autobiography of Kim Phuc Phan Thi, is one of the most fascinating stories I have read.

This is the story of the Napalm Girl’s Journey through the Horrors of War to Faith, Forgiveness and Peace.

Kim was 9 years old-and lived in South Vietnam when the Vietnam war was raging, more than 4 decades ago. Her excruciating pain was exposed in a photo that made headlines around the world. Only now (in 2017) is she fully revealing the depth of her scarring-to both body and soul.

In a moment forever captured, an iconic image that has come to define the horror and violence of the Vietnam War:  Nine-year-old Kim running in agony moments after napalm bombs fell from the sky, bringing hellish fire that burned away her clothing and seared deep into her skin.

Left for dead in a hospital morgue, Kim miraculously survived- but her journey toward healing was only beginning. When the napalm bombs dropped, everything Kim knew and relied on exploded along with them: her beloved home and village, her country’s freedom, as well as her childhood innocence and happiness. Kim’s coming years would be marked by agonizing treatments for her burns, incessant physical pain throughout her body, and being handled for political propaganda.

Kim survived the pain of her body ablaze, but how could she possibly survive the pain of her devastated soul?

Fire Road is a story of both unrelenting horror and unexpected hope, a harrowing tale of life changed in an instant. In this stunning first-hand account of struggling to find answers in a world that only seemed to bring anguish, Kim ultimately discovers strength in Someone who had suffered Himself, transforming her tragedy into an unshakable faith.

Look for this book in your favorite book store or order online from Amazon.com  or click here

Loving Luther: A Review

In this extremely fascinating Novel Allison Pittman tells the story of Katharina von Bora who became the wife of Martin Luther and is being celebrated in 2017 in commemoration of 500 years since he nailed his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg Church door in Germany. This sparked the Protestant Reformation.

In the dark of night, Katharina von Bora says the bravest good-bye a six year old can muster and walks away as the heavy convent gate closes behind her.

Though the cold walls offer no comfort, Katharina soon finds herself calling the convent her home.God, her Father. She takes her vows—a choice more practical than pious, but, in time, a seed of discontent is planted by the smuggled writings of a rebellious, excommunicated priest named Martin Luther. The message: That Katharina is subject to God, and no one else. Could the Lord truly desire more for her than this life of servitude?

In her first true step of faith, Katharina leaves the only life she has ever known. But the freedom she has craved comes with a price, and she finds she has traded one life of isolation for another. Without the security of the convent walls, or a family of her own, Katharina must trust in both the God who saved her and the man who paved a way for rescue. Luther’s friends are quick to offer shelter, but Katharina longs for all Luther has promised: a home, a husband, perhaps even a chance to fall in love.

Look for this brand new book at your favorite book store .

Click here for more information.

Martin Luther, A Man for His time: A Review

Few movements have altered the course of history more than the Protestant Reformation, which historians mark its beginning with the life and ministry of Martin Luther. In 1517 he nailed his now famous 95 Theses on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany, sparking the greatest religious upheaval the world has ever seen.

In response to the prevailing spiritual abuses of the church, he fearlessly championed two grand truths: the Bible is the only rule of faith and practice and Christ is the only way of salvation.

This 32-page, easy to read booklet tells the story of this bold Reformer. A man whose life and legacy was inspired by the words from the apostle Paul: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” who goes on to add “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17, NKJV).

For more information on this booklet click here

A Great Song: A Review

A biography of Herbert Blomstedt, world-renowned conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. The author is Ursula Weigert. http://www.adventistbookcenter.com/a-great-song.html

This is the story of a boy who fell madly in love with classical music at the age of twelve, practicing enthusiastically- first his violin and later the organ. It’s the chronicle of a young man who, instead of following his father’s wish that he becomes a Seventh-day Adventist pastor, opted to study music.

The passion and love of music from that early stage of his life led this young musician to becoming a conductor in the world’s leading symphony orchestras. The book tells the story of this maestro who has served the field of classical music with humility, integrity, kindness, and an encyclopedic knowledge of the classical music repertoire.

In sum, the book is the celebration of a world-class conductor who is also an exceptional person, loved and respected by concertgoers and musicians worldwide.

What’s even more interesting is the fact this is an ongoing story as Blomstedt is far from done in his music achievement, even as he has just turned 90 years old. If you Google his name, you’ll find he has an extraordinary line up of upcoming concerts.

To read the first chapter of this amazing book click, click here

How to Enjoy Your Life and Your Job: A Review

This book by bestselling author Dale Carnegie has been in print for a number of years.  I just finished rereading it this week and I do highly recommend it.

The book contains selections from “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.”

Some of the great thoughts elaborated on in this book are:

Find yourself and be yourself: Remember there is no one else on earth like you.

Four working habits that will help prevent fatigue and worry.

What makes you tired and what you can do about it.

How to banish the boredom that produces fatigue, worry and resentment.

Count your blessings-not your troubles.

Do the very best you can; and then put up your old umbrella and keep the rain of criticism from running down the back of your neck.

Become genuinely interested in people.

Make the other person feel important- and do it sincerely.

Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say, “You’re wrong.”

Begin in a friendly way.

Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.

Appeal to the nobler motives.

Tell about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.

Let the other person save face.

I really enjoyed this book. The isbn is 978-0-671-70826-9. This is a pocket book published by Simon and Schuster and you can purchase this book in fine book stores or on line from Amazon.com