Book Review of "Redeeming Love"

If you've ever wondered what relevance the Bible stories and scriptures have to us today, you will be reminded in characters in this book. Sometimes, creating fictional characters is the best way to demonstrate it. When the stories come a little to close to home, the picture becomes clearer.

In "Redeeming Love", written by Francine Rivers that is exactly what happens. The first few chapters were difficult to read because the picture is painted very clearly of the cruelty that humans are capable of placing on others. You don't have to have had those experiences to shutter and the thought of them.

The story is taken from the Biblical scriptures in Hosea. At first, I didn't know if I would be able to continued reading the book. I am very sensitive to those who are hurting. Even though they were fictional characters in a book, I felt helpless because I couldn't save them. It sounds funny, but that's how it is for me.

I stuck it through to the end. There was a happy ending. There were several life lessons. One is that each of us can be redeemed if we will accept it. Another was that if we will listen and obey God's voice, he will direct our path. The most difficult thought to understand is why God allows the helpless to be hurt. It is something we will never understand. What we can do is to be an extension of his love and help those who are hurting and trust him to be in control.

At the end of the book, the author included a personal note as to how God has worked in her life. Although each of us has different experiences, we have something to offer to another.

I believe it is alright to ask questions about why things happen. When we begin searching for the answers, we being the journey of finding God, ourselves and our purpose. Once we find our purpose, we can reach out to others.

If giving this book to a friend to read, I would tell them ahead of time what the story is about because the opening paints a very clear picture. Then, tell the friend to stick it through to the end.

Whatever your personal life experience has been, I wish you all the joy and happiness that can be. You are precious in God's sight. From one reader to another, God bless.

Author, Laura Schroeder, has experienced life change first hand. To join an online community of care, visit her website at http://lauramschroeder.com/. To contact Laura, email at laura@lauramschroeder.com. Please make any comments family friendly.

http://EzineArticles.com/6427338

Spiritual Fiction Books - A Review of "Crow Lake"

Crow Lake" by Mary Lawson is a #1 National Bestseller in Canada, and is also popular in seventeen other countries. I love it when someone recommends a book to me and it turns out to be somewhat spiritual and very enjoyable and easy to read. Although most wouldn't term this book as spiritual, there is an important lesson to be learned in that life doesn't always turn out the way that you plan. Tragedies and unforeseen twists ALWAYS present themselves in our lives. Mary Lawson tells the story of a family that originates in a remote Northern Ontario town, however it could have taken place in virtually any remote town anywhere.

When the main character, Kate Morrison, is only 7 years old, her parents are killed in a car accident. This leaves her, her 1 1/2 year old younger sister Bo, and her two older brothers, Luke who is 19 and Matt who is 17, on their own. Initially plans are made to allow Luke to attend university as planned prior to their parents' death, Matt to be sent to a relative in Eastern Canada and Kate and Bo to another relative. Although this isn't the ideal situation, with financial constraints and none of their relatives able to care for all four of them, this appears to be their only alternative.

As with any decision affecting an entire family, and especially one that is being forced on them fairly quickly, Matt and Luke decide that they will raise Kate and Bo. Luke forgoes his education to find whatever work that he can, and Matt works after school and weekends to provide as much income as possible. On top of their work responsibilities they also manage to look after Kate and Bo as best they can. Needless to say this situation is less than ideal, and the subsequent choices that they have to make and the events that follow provide a very real, believable tale that could happen to any family.

As the story unfolds, several things happen that manage to make the young Morrisons' lives interesting to say the least. Every time they seem to get things worked out, life jumps in and forces them to adjust and move on. Their lives are by no means easy, and as Kate grows older, she eventually moves away from Crow Lake to the "big city", leaving her siblings behind. Ms. Lawson uses this perspective of Kate's in the present day, telling the story of her life while dealing with the reality of a planned trip back to Crow Lake as an adult. Some of the plot twists are predictable, but no more so than if this had been a true story, and it certainly could be.

The family tensions, disagreements, conflicts and dynamics are presented very truthfully and are easily identifiable to anyone who has had a family member and experienced a crisis of any sort. There is an incredible sense of community portrayed, and the small town aspect of life is showcased through the incredible amount of support that the Morrison children receive. Although technically left on their own, their neighbours are constantly looking out for them, and help always seems to show up when they need it. Their initial plans come no where near to how they thought they would turn out, but that happens to most of us if we are really honest about it.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a little different than the spiritual fiction books I normally read, however I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read a book just for the sake of a good story. You can immerse yourself in the circumstances, choices and lessons that are to be learned, yet you can also read it simply to enjoy a good book. I chose to look at it from both perspectives and I was not disappointed. Although the author currently lives in England, she was born and raised in Canada and has done a great job with this novel. I hope that you will enjoy it as well.

Laughter and love,
Rick Fess

"Crow Lake" Mary Lawson
Vintage Canada/Random House of Canada http://www.NewFaceofFiction.com

And if you would like to know more about me and my upcoming book "Is There More?", please visit http://www.spiritualfictionbooks.com/ to access my weekly blog. I regularly review books on spirituality and self-improvement, particularly spiritual fiction books. You can also contact me through the website if you have any questions or comments. Thank you for your interest.

Laughter and love,
Rick Fess

http://EzineArticles.com/6413740

Do You Believe That Heaven Is for Real? - A Spiritual Book Review

Is Heaven For Real? The title of this book is a statement. The first sentence of my review is a question, and I will explain why. I try to focus on spiritual fiction books, however I seem to be drawn to books that give definitive answers on religious and heavenly subjects that are almost impossible to prove. I understand and accept that people are entitled to their opinion and to tell their story. The difficulty arises when there seem to be so many stories and opinions holding themselves out as the truth. "Heaven is for Real" is quite similar to the books "The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven" and "My Time In Heaven". I would ask that you read and decide for yourself.

"Heaven is for Real" is the #1 New York Times Bestseller telling the story of Colton Burpo, a young boy who suffered a burst appendix which was undiagnosed for several days. Once he was diagnosed, he was rushed into emergency surgery and fortunately was operated on successfully. It was while under anesthesia that Colton experienced many miraculous incidences and saw several things that would ultimately convince him, his parents and others that "Heaven is for Real".

A few months after his surgery, Colton reveals to his parents out of the blue that while he was in the hospital having his surgery "That's where the angels sang to me". They had not coached him or asked him any specific questions about the surgery itself, they had simply asked him if he remembered the hospital. To their credit, they do not push the issue, and let it go for the time being until they can discuss it without Colton present.

Without trying to pressure Colton to reveal too much from their questions, his parents Todd and Sonja broach the subject of Colton's experiences slowly. They have first-hand knowledge of what Colton has been taught about The Bible, and the things that he tells them are amazingly similar to what is in The Bible. As they progress, he tells them about sitting in the lap of Jesus, notices the "markers" (nail marks) on his hands, seeing angels, meeting John the Baptist and describing how each were clothed. Towards the end of the book, he also indicates what Jesus looks like from a drawing that was done by another girl who had had a similar experience. This girl was older and an excellent artist - she was able to draw an amazing portrait which Colton pointed out as a picture of the Jesus he met.

I am compelled to inform you that Colton's father is a pastor with extensive knowledge of The Bible. He can (and does) relate every experience told to him by Colton to a passage in The Bible. These are quoted throughout the book, yet he is adamant that there is no way Colton could have known how to describe these things. There are other things Colton explains that happened in the hospital away from where he was having surgery while he was under anesthetic. Unless these were related to him after the fact, there was no way he could have known of these things. One involving his father was intensely personal and private, and I can't imagine that his father had told anyone else. The details are related to you in the book, with no other explanation other than that "Heaven is for Real".

I would recommend that you read "Heaven is for Real" and I would particularly recommend that you compare it to the two other books mentioned above or to others that are similar. I don't profess to have ever met anyone personally who has been to heaven and back, however there seem to be quite a few books being written about the experience. Whether or not Colton Burpo's experience was real or not is probably known only for certain to him and those he met in Heaven. In my opinion, something happened that made a small boy survive under circumstances where his chances were very slim. I wish Colton all the best, and hope that the next time he meets Jesus, "Heaven IS for Real".

"Heaven is for Real"
Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent

Thomas Nelson
http://www.thomasnelson.com

And if you would like to know more about me and my upcoming book "Is There More?", please visit http://www.spiritualfictionbooks.com/ to access my weekly blog. I regularly review books on spirituality and self-improvement, particularly spiritual fiction books. You can also contact me through the website if you have any questions or comments. Thank you for your interest.

Laughter and love,
Rick Fess

http://EzineArticles.com/6396258

Spirituality - A Review of "Angels in the ER"

There are angels among us, and "Angels in the ER" by Dr. Robert D. Lesslie, MD caught my eye because I still believe in angels. I knew the "ER" meant Emergency Room because I have been there more than once. I thought that this would be a book about people leaving their bodies after being clinically dead on the operating table, or hovering outside an ambulance while they are on the way to witness their own resurrection. Thank God (mine, maybe not yours), this book is about real people. Doctors, nurses, emergency personnel, and the rest of us who visit hospitals as patients and as visitors. Spiritual fiction? I'm not sure...

The author is a doctor who works at an emergency hospital in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He has seen the incredible things that people can endure and the experiences that they can survive first hand. He knows that certain people will step up and exhibit their true tendencies in an emergency situation. Others will stand down and show theirs as well. There are times when you will not know what will happen next. Those are the times that "angels" appear in the form of humans, and they are usually not accompanied by flashes of lightning and rolls of thunder - in fact, this practically never happens anymore.

Dr. Lesslie has years of experience and can easily verify the cases that he writes about. Can he verify EVERYTHING that happens? No. Some of these occurrences will be considered spiritual and purely fictional. As a doctor he can provide the case histories, the names of the people and the dates that they occurred, although they are rarely given in his book. Should you choose to be skeptical you will have to contact him personally for more detailed information, and even then he is probably restricted from giving this information out to the general public.

I chose to read this book because of the title and because it was written by a doctor. I still put my trust in doctors, and I have read too many books by so-called "religious experts" who have disappointed me with their writing. Dr. Lesslie provides a very readable book broken down into short stories about things that he and others have experienced in an emergency room. Some have happy endings, some are very sad and some are actually disgusting in the way that people act today. The stories with the true "angels" are inspiring and this is a book that I will keep on my shelf.

Dr. Robert Lesslie has spent over 25 years as a doctor in his general practice and as an ER doctor. In this book (he has written others as well) he patiently guides you through some of his more memorable experiences with patients, other ER personnel and their families. Each story can be read on it's own and each chapter begins with a verse of scripture that is related to the tale being told. Although the scripture verses are purely for reference, I found it inspiring to go back to the beginning of each chapter to see how that particular verse could be applied to the story he had just related. The doctor's knowledge, spirituality and personal values are revealed - this is not just a book about the trials and tribulations of an ER staff.

Although not every story ends up with every patient being miraculously saved, those that are saved are usually grateful. The patient who manages to leave WITH the fake X-rays he brought with him (?) and WITHOUT his expected shot of Demerol and a prescription for either Tylox, Percocet or Oxycontin will absolutely make you cringe. This chapter titled "You're On My last Nerve" will give you some idea of the lengths people will go to to feed their addictions. It is scary just to read about it.

There are not only angels in the ER, they are in the lives of each one of us. Some show up and make themselves known to us everyday in their quiet, subtle way. The mechanic who fixed your car, the person who held a door for you, the lady who poured your coffee, the man who cleared away your table, the people you live with. Countless others are right beside us, day in and day out with never a word of thanks or acknowledgement sent their way. Still others will leave us and we will never know or appreciate how much they have helped - ever.

Today just might be a good day to thank one or two of them, and don't wait for them to go first...

"Angels in the ER" is a book that is going to stay on my shelf. The title alone constantly reminds me that there ARE angels hERe, and evERywhERe...

Laughter and Love,

Rick Fess

"Angels in the ER" Dr. Robert D. Lesslie, MD
Harvest House Publishers http://www.harvesthousepublishers.com

And if you would like to know more about me and my upcoming book "Is There More?", please visit http://www.spiritualfictionbooks.com/ to access my weekly blog. I regularly review books on spirituality and self-improvement, particularly spiritual fiction books. You can also contact me through the website if you have any questions or comments. Thank you for your interest.

Laughter and love,
Rick Fess

http://EzineArticles.com/6426886