Really-Truly Stories: A Review

The author Gwendolyn Lampshire Hayden first published this series of stories in ten books in the 1940s and 1950s. They have more recently been published with all the original stories but in a set of 5 quality paperback books.

Many of the stories in these books remind me of the Little House on the Prairie story books by author Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Many of the stories included in these books are of children and their families, including one in which the author belonged and their life in Oregon.  There is also included the story of one family traveling by covered wagon from California to Oregon.

These thrilling adventure stories about real children will entertain readers of all ages. Through these stories come lessons that touch on obedience, trust, diligence, unselfishness, bravery, and friendship. Suitable for beginning readers and bedtime stories, and full of stirring and hair-raising exploits, these exciting tales are sure to be read and loved by a new generation of readers. From floating logging camps in the Northwest to Wonderful George, the amazing librarian of Harney Valley, each story is told in the author’s unique voice and is sure to captivate readers everywhere.

I enjoyed reading these stories soon after they were originally published and I really enjoyed reading these stories in the more recent printing. I highly recommend these wonderful Really-Truly Stories. To learn more about this exciting set of story books please click here.

The Miracle of Conversion: A Review

The Miracle of Conversion by the late, Morris Venden, popular author and speaker, digs into what conversion really is and how one receives this miracle.

The English verb convert has lost most of its spiritual sense.

Toy trucks convert from normal looking ones to “monster trucks” and back again. Converters help us use our electrical appliances overseas. We convert meters to yards, English pounds to US dollars, and vice versa. It’s easy to convert things. But for people-even fifth- or sixth-generation Adventists-spiritual conversion requires the miracle of the Holy Spirit and a true relationship with God.

The necessity of conversion is for the good, the bad, and the indifferent. Without it, the good are not good enough, the bad are too bad to be changed, and the indifferent cannot be awakened. What Jesus preached and offered, life is echoing-with increased emphasis: “Ye must be born again.”

Pastor Morris Venden’s insights into righteousness by faith have shaped recent generations of Adventists. As a result, we have become a more secure, kind, and sympathetic people. His books, parables, and sermons have won many to Christ. In this book, he draws on the writings of others, as well as his own, to explain what conversion is and is not for those “born into” the faith.

Morris Venden states that conversion is the most neglected topic in the Christian church.  And that it is also the most important topic. Venden did some inquiry and found that there were no books from the Adventist publishing houses on this subject and decided it was time to write one. While there were no complete books in print on the subject available from the Adventist publishing houses there was material to draw together to make this book. This book is an anthology of the best material he could find on this important topic.

I found this book helpful and definitely thought provoking and recommend that you read the book. For more information on this book and to order it click here.

The Healing Quilt: A Review

This is the third in the Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club series by Wanda Brunstetter.

The first in the series is entitled Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club. The second is entitled The Tattered Quilt.

Emma and her husband Lamar who are from Indiana have decided to spend the winter in Florida. The cold Indiana winters are difficult for Lamar.

They are able to purchase a small home in the Pinecraft community. And after a few weeks Emma decides to teach a quilting class as she and Lamar have done previously in Indiana.

Wounded and hurting people have a knack for finding their way to Emma’s classes for some quilting therapy: Jennifer, a pregnant new mom; Mike, a charter boat owner; Erika, a wheelchair-bound teen; Kim, a waitress, Noreen, a newly retired widow; and BJ, an artist facing illness. God will use Emma and Lamar on each of their journeys toward healing frayed hearts.

And when Jan Sweet visits from Indiana, a romantic twist is unexpectedly added to the class dynamics.

If you enjoy a good story and how the interaction around a shared objective (in this case quilting) can offer a wonderful opportunity for people to heal from their hurts, you will like this story. The author ties this story in with the previous in this series, so I recommend reading all three of them in order. However, one could enjoy any one of them as a stand-alone read.

The ISBN for The Healing Quilt is: 978-1-61626-087-3. Check with your favorite book store or check with an online venue such as Amazon.com.

Modern Parables-Stories That Make Spiritual Truths Come Alive: A Review

Modern Parables is one of the more than thirty books which best-selling author Morris Venden wrote about Jesus.

Morris Venden in his preaching and writing often used parables some which he wrote and some which he borrowed from others. In the Foreword to this book Morris Venden writes:

If Jesus were in town today, He would probably be telling stories--stories about freeways and airplanes and shopping malls, maybe even television. And then we’d remember His stories and their deeper meanings every time we were around these places and things.

Everybody loves a story. Maybe that’s one reason boys and girls loved to be around Jesus. And there are plenty of boys and girls around today…all the way up to age 90!

This book puts together a collection of my favorite modern parables. Some I have written. Some are identified by author. Others have been given to me by individuals who asked for no recognition. These have been adapted and reworked through the years. But all are stories that people have asked for whenever I have used them to illustrate deeper truth. Perhaps they will capture your interest too.

Give it a try-and enjoy!

One of my favorites in this book is entitled, Swimming to Hawaii.  For this parable Hawaii equates with perfection or obedience so everyone in the town of Remnant are taught to swim at an early age because surely you need to get to Hawaii. However no one ever makes it to Hawaii. After much time has come by people realize that swimming is not going to ever get you there. Various options were considered until finally someone comes up with the idea of taking the plane whose Pilot is Jesus.

Then came news of a third option. It sounded weird. It bypassed the beach entirely. The third option stated that you get acquainted with the Pilot of the airplane. You place yourself in His hands and depend on Him to get you to Hawaii. And when you get on board the plane, with the Pilot in control, all you have to do is rest-it’s His business to get you to Hawaii

I recommend you check out more information about this book by clicking here and then order a book and  read all of these parables.

Never Without an Intercessor-The Good News About the Judgement: A Review

This is one of the more than 30 books about Jesus which Morris Venden wrote. He was a highly sought after speaker, both nationally and internationally. He was known as a master of the art of preaching and was a strong advocate of both justification and sanctification by faith alone.

There are 13 chapters in this book and each chapter is prefaced with the verse Hebrews 7:25

Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

All thirteen chapters of this book deal with righteousness by faith from Jesus alone. One chapter is specifically titled Never Without an Intercessor and brings out that throughout eternity there is a work of intercession that Jesus will do for us, that throughout eternity the power to live a perfect righteous life will still come from Jesus.

I like the illustration that Morris Venden uses. He says:

I wonder how many of you are into vacuum cleaners? I have been associated with vacuum cleaners most of my life. It goes back to my childhood, when it was one of my duties to do the vacuuming on Friday afternoons. This included taking the attachments off, putting on the upholstery parts, and doing all the upholstery-everything. Sometimes, when my mother wasn’t looking, I’d play around with it a little bit—you know, try sucking my cheeks out. I tried vacuuming my eyebrows one time. That wasn’t too smart. I did it on my hair, and I didn’t know how much I’d regret that one. But there was one thing that was pretty clear. It was that when you go down the hall and you try to do one more room on the same plug-in, and the plug comes out of the wall, you have a power problem. You’ve got to be connected to the power, if you’re going to get the job done.

Morris Venden goes on to declare that just as the vacuum cleaner will not vacuum without being plugged into the electrical outlet so we will not function properly in our spiritual lives without being connected to the power source of Jesus.

I recommend this book and encourage you to click here to learn more about  this book and  for information on ordering it.

Gifted Hands: A Review

Gifted Hands, Ben Carson’s autobiography is a good and inspiring read. I have just reread it again. It was originally published in 1990 and I have an autographed edition that Dr Carson autographed for me shortly after the book was published.

Through the years when I worked at the Potomac Book store we were delighted to have Dr. Carson for a number of book signings.

Gifted hands tells of his growing up in a single parent home. It tells of his going from being at the bottom of his class in school to the top of his class in school after his mother put him and his brother on restricted TV viewing and a definite book reading regimen which included making book reports on the books. His mother who had a third grade education and worked several jobs to keep food on the table was a tremendous inspiration to Dr Carson. In fact, he dedicated this book to his mother who Dr Carson said she “sacrificed her life to make certain that my brother and I got a head start.”

It is exciting to read of many of his accomplishments as described in Gifted Hands:

At the age of 33 he became director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland

His participation in the historic separation of the Binder Twins immediately brought him international recognition.

And surgery after surgery, he saved the life of a child that others thought were hopeless.

I would encourage you to get a copy of this book which is still in print after nearly 30 years, if you have not already gotten one, and read this book and be inspired and share it with  others to read, especially young people.

For more information about this book click here.

The Tattered Quilt: A Review

The Tattered Quilt is a sequel to The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club, both books penned by the best- selling author Wanda Brunstetter.

It is an interesting story of a quilting class taught by Emma, which gave her and her husband Lamar the opportunity to develop friends with various individuals in the process of teaching them how to quilt.

Selma is a belittling busy body. Terry is a rugged roofer who just wants a casual date with a pretty classmate. Blaine loses a bet and has to join the class, where he soon finds himself in friendly competition with Terry. Anna’s mother signs her up in a desperate attempt to keep Anna from leaving the Amish faith. Carmen holds tightly to bitterness while hiding her secret motives for taking the class. And Cheryl has a broken, mistrusting heart that needs just as much mending as the tattered quilt she brings.

Members of this new patchwork group find friendship, faith, healing, and restoration while gathered around their quilts, under the Father’s guiding hands-for only He can take what’s ragged and shabby from the lives of His children and turn it into beauty for His glory.

My wife and I have been enjoying this series of books and I encourage you to check at your local book store or online at Amazon and get a copy. Reading stories like this is a great way to be inspired and entertained.  The ISBN for this book is 978-1-61626-086-6.

Daring to Ask for More: A Review

Daring to Ask for More-Divine Keys for Answered Prayer by Melody Mason is an ideal book on prayer.

The book is inspiring and perhaps a bit challenging realizing how most of us have not really realized the tremendous opportunity God offers us to have a much deeper relationship with Him through prayer.

In the preface, Melody tells this story about Alexander the Great.

Besides being a great conqueror, Alexander was also a compassionate ruler. Every year he set aside one day that he called “compassionate day.”

As the story goes, on this special day of the year, he randomly selected people across his kingdom whom he allowed to come and make special requests. They could ask for whatever they wanted or needed. And he would grant their requests.  Most people asked for food, clothes, money for medicine, and so on. However one year, there was a man who dared to ask for more! Speaking through the king’s spokesman, this man shared his request.

“Can you please tell the king that I want a large palace? And I want…” But before he could continue, the king’s spokesman interrupted him with irritation. “What impertinence! Don’t you see all these people asking for food and medicine? How dare you to think that you can ask the king for a palace.”

But the man continued earnestly, “I want the palace to include a large banquet hall where I can host a celebration, because I have lots of friends. And I want the palace to be well furnished, and I want a special meal prepared.” But the spokesman stopped him again, as he was getting even more angry.

“I will not ask the king for this! This is the most outrageous thing I have ever heard!”

At this point, King Alexander saw the commotion, “What does the man desire?” he inquired of the spokesman.

The story continues. The spokesman reluctantly told the king what the man was requesting and King Alexander turned toward the petitioner and enthusiastically said “Request granted!”

Then the king explained THIS MAN is the first man that has made me really feel like a king for he is the first one to ask for something that only I can grant.

Melody uses this to illustrate how that God wants us to ask for things that only He can provide.

I would like to encourage you to click here for more information about this book and to read the first chapter on line for free.

Christwise Discipleship Guide: A Review

This is a new updated Guide for leading young people to a relationship with Christ. The author is Troy Fitzgerald, who is the young-adult pastor at the Walla Walla University Church.

A Leader’s Guide is also available which covers all 4 levels; Primary, Junior, Teen, and Youth. There are individual Guide books for each participant, separately for the various levels.

One thing I especially like about this Guide is use of stories to illustrate the different lessons. I like the following quote by Eugene Peterson which is included in the section entitled Background on Religious Education.

We live in a world impoverished of story. Words in our culture are a form of currency used mostly to provide information. By the time we have completed our assigned years in the classroom, we have far more information than we will ever be able to put to use…There is no discovery, no relationship, no personal attentiveness in them (words). For that we need story and storytellers.

I believe these Discipleship Guides will be helpful to many Leaders and students.

You can read the first chapter from the Leader’s Guide on line by clicking here.