Current Read - Killing the Witches

I enjoy reading books about history, but that was not always the case.  Do you remember the type of books we were handed in class?  You know, a quick overview of dates, names, events and places? Yah - for me they were a super snooze fest and I groaned every time I heard the words "history books" or "history class".  So when I started homeschooling my children, I was concerned my attitude towards history would be a problem. Kids are smart and can pick up on those attitudes. Unit studies made me aware of "living history" and it changed my attitude towards history. Those books brought history to life. I went from hating history to loving it! My children had the same attitude and majored in history in college. 

With all that said, I am always searching for my next non-fiction read. I have heard MANY good things about Bill O'Reilly's series and decided to break down and purchase one of his books to see if it is as good as it was touted to be. I chose "Killing the Witches: The Horror of Salem, Massachusetts" which is the latest installment of his "Killing series". I had a hard time choosing which in the series to read first, but settled on this one, since it was the latest book and when I read the sample on Amazon, I thought it would be an interesting read. 

The book is well written and is easy and enjoyable to read. It has many footnotes (yes, I really do read them all!) and I have found them to be helpful. I enjoy the storytelling - giving personalities to those written about. Did you know that Myles Standish had a temper? I am going to dig more into that after I finish the book, but I found it quite interesting since I always imagined a Pilgrim to be very calm and even-tempered since they were so "religous". 

I am not very far into the book, but I wanted to post about how much I am enjoying it. I wish I had more time in the day to just sit down and read for an afternoon, but I won't really have time to do that until the weather turns cold. Then it will be the perfect time to curl up under an afghan with a hot cuppa and a good book to read. 

If the book or series interests you, make sure to visit Amazon and read the sample that is posted and look at Bill O'Reilly's other books. They all look fascinating!

Review: The Doctor From Hell by Genoveva Ortiz

The Doctor from Hell: 

The True Story of Harold Shipman One of Britain's Most Prolific Serial Killer With an Estimated 218 Victims 

Series: True Crime Explicit Vol 7 

Author: Genoveva Ortiz, True Crime 7

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: August 3, 2022

ISBN: 9798840508602

139 Pages

Blurb: 

If you were a patient of this prolific serial killer doctor, you’re lucky to be alive.

Meet Harold Shipman, a serial killer with a disturbing proclivity to murder a specific kind of patient. With an estimated 250 victims, there’s no doubt his kill count might be much, much higher. But what drove him to murder?

You’ll have to read on to find out.

But we’ll warn you now, this story might haunt your nightmares and leave you scared to go to your next checkup. When you learn the truth of Harold’s crimes, and what happened to him in the end, you’ll be stunned, dismayed, and no doubt left with the kinds of questions that have no easy answers. So buy this book and learn the twisted truth… if you dare.

My Thoughts:

This was both a page turner and a quick read for me. While reading this, I found I was looking back at my own medical visits and thinking of how vulnerable we are every time we have a procedure done or when we take a prescribed medication. This really made me shudder. I am totally astounded by the numbers of patients that died both in those that had evidence and could be proven and those that were probable. Unbelievable! 

Truly a must read for those that enjoy true crime or those that just want an interesting read about how a doctor can end up on the wrong side of his oath!

I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing. I was not required to post a positive review - but one of my honest opinion. 

Review: Secrets of Mound Gardening by Darryl Scott Whitham

Secrets of Mound Gardening:

Harnessing Nature for Healthier Fruits, Veggies, and Environment 

Author: Darryl Scott Whitham

Publisher: Moonscape Publishing

Pages: 154

Genre: How To, Gardening, Guides, Nature, Non-fiction

BLURB:

 

Discover the ancient magic of mound gardening and watch it work wonders in your garden!

Your garden is only as good as your technique. If water shortages, excess rainfall, lack of space, or a limited green thumb prevents you from growing the garden you want, a plant and planet-friendly solution could be the key to unlocking a landscape worth envying.

No matter your gardening goals or challenges, you can master this groundbreaking gardening secret learned from history and our best teacher: nature!

Secrets of Mound Gardening is your step-by-step training manual to a proven framework that will benefit your health and contribute to our environment. Have limited time? No green knowledge? No problem. Whether you're a novice or experienced gardener, devoted gardening instructor Darryl Whitham will teach you how to tune into the cycles of nature, reduce waste, and maximize your landscaping space through ancient mound gardening philosophy.

In this guide, you'll discover

• Easy, practical mound gardening techniques so you can start working with nature, rather than against it.
• A simple way to produce healthy fruits and vegetables without the hours of labor often needed by conventional gardening.
• How to enjoy less weeding, soil feeding, and overall work by as much as 80 percent.
• Lessons passed down from around the globe, including traditional Native American methods, Hugelkultur basics, and raised bed styles from Africa and the Americas.
• How to grow and harvest your own natural foods, organic produce, and herbs.
• Design your garden into a beautiful and functional work of permaculture art. Get Secrets of Mound Gardening to improve your garden and the world with wisdom from the ages.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Darryl Scott Whitham has been harvesting his gardening techniques for years. A successful IT systems administrator, author, trained horticulturist, and gardening instructor, Darryl provides simple and instructive methods on how the everyday gardener can become a microfarmer through the ancient art of mound gardening.

Making his home in the rolling hills of northern Virginia, where he also attended college, he combines his gardening with valuable perspectives on wide-ranging subjects—everything from protecting the genetic diversity of crops and conserving native habitats to preserving the environment and endangered species. His cutting-edge approach to permanent agriculture, permaculture, creates a beautiful and sustainable palette for gardening and our environment. An enthusiast for hiking and survival knowledge, Darryl hopes to reconnect people with their natural surroundings and the clever ways nature responds and adapts, starting in our own backyards!

WEBSITE

https://www.greengardensystems.com/index.html

MY THOUGHTS:  

Secrets of Mound Gardening is a book that I think every gardener should read. Beginner through experienced gardeners will find the book full of information and will learn something new. There are so many different techniques discussed with making mounds, how to construct, space and why to pick the mound you need for your situation and area.

I like how thoroughly the mounds are discussed and love the history that is behind the different types. The book also has hyperlinks so that you can research further. I spent a lot of time with these links and learned so much! 

Each chapter starts with a quote and I find this a wonderful addition to the book! Although Mr. Whitham focuses on mound gardening, he doesn't forget why one makes a mound and also discusses plantings, companion planting, growing and harvesting - basically using the mound. I've found this also helpful for any gardener.

If you are looking to start gardening, but don't have much growing area or you have a yard but don't have any way to till it, or maybe you are looking to improve upon what you are currently doing, then this book is for you. It holds so much information in the amount of pages that it has plus the hyperlinks and references will keep you busy long after you are finished reading. This book will be a useful and well used reference in your gardening library that I'm sure you will return to again and again.

I received a copy of this book through BookSirens. I was not required to post a positive review - but one of my honest opinion. 

Review: Barred Justice by John Oliver Green

Barred Justice: A Memoir of Innocence and Deceit
by John Oliver Green
(Seacoast Press, ~ July 5, 2022)
Nonfiction/Memoir/Lawyers & Judges
paperback & ebook
432 pages with 28 Black and white photos and 5 appendices

John Oliver Green was a young corporate lawyer who had a bright future ahead of him. He seemed to be about as honest as one could get, but he, like many of us, had a friend or two that wasn't the most squeaky-clean. Unfortunately, that was Green's downfall.

John Green tells his story of how he ended up being failed by the justice system he was part of. He tells his experience in a very captivating style that keeps one engrossed through out. Was he innocent? Didn't he realize what would happen? That's for you to decide. Why did he do what he did? He kept his word to a friend and for many of us, we'd do the same. But then again, being a lawyer, you would have thought he'd been a little more educated in his decision. I guess that's part of what kept me reading. Knowing that with those circumstances, I, too, may have done the same thing for a friend.

I enjoyed the way Green told his story - he's good at holding one's interest and making you want to keep reading to what happens next. Sometimes there seemed to be a little too much information for me that may have bogged and slowed me down, but nothing to make me want to put the book aside. I wanted to know the outcome - more like I HAD to know the outcome. Do I believe he's innocent? You'll just have to read and draw your own conclusions. This is a well written book that will make you wonder and think about our justice system as well as question the author at times. 

Definitely worth the read!!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Patchwork: A Memoir of Love and Loss

Patchwork: A Memoir of Love and Loss
Author: Mary Jo Doig
Publisher: She Writes Press
Publish Date: October 23, 2018
Paperback: 344 pages
ISBN: 9781631524493

About the Book:

Tightly wrapped in a lifelong protective cocoon, Mary Jo has no idea how wounded she is until one starless night following the death of a relative, she has a flashback that opens a dark passageway back to her childhood and the horrific secrets buried deep inside her.

Like a needle stitching together a quilt, the memories she recovers reveal why she feels invisible, stupid, and different. Shattered by these revelations, overcome by depression, hopelessness, and a loss of trust in others, Mary Jo embarks on a healing journey through the underground of her life that ultimately leads to transformation.

My Thoughts:

When I first started reading this memoir, I felt like I was sitting in my living room with Mary Jo Doig and listening to her tell her story. I was captivated from the start and unlike many memoirs I have read, this one was truly interesting - like listening to your mother tell her life story. I picked my mother, because if she were alive, she would be almost the same age as the author.

Her story begins from childhood and this is told as she tells about her quilt that she has been working on. It's captivating and told so well - you feel an immediate connection with the author. As the story proceeds, one finds something is off, and as Mary Jo continues, you will find yourself holding your breath and possibly finding it so difficult to read, you'll have to set the book aside.

Mary Jo's journey to truth and healing is a powerful, powerful story. It will awaken feelings inside you and make you want to deal with those that had made her hit bottom and lose hope and trust. This woman is amazing and her story is well worth the read. Be warned it is difficult at times to get through and may even awaken old memories of friends and family members in your own past. Just know that when one hits bottom - there's only one way to go - UP - and that's what Mary Jo did.

Please note - This book contains abuse - sexual, mental and physical and may not be appropriate for younger audiences or those sensitive to this type of material.

About the Author:

Mary Jo Doig is a life-writing enthusiast who has been coaching women to tell their truth for twenty years. She is a book reviewer, editor, and facilitator of women’s writing circles and legacy workshops.

Her stories have been published in Inside and Out: Women’s Truths, Women’s Stories and Kitchen Table Stories. Mary Jo writes in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she treasures quilting, cooking healthy food, hiking with her rescue dogs, and spending time with family and friends.

Patchwork is her first book.

Visit Mary Jo at:
www.maryjodoig.com

I received an egalley of this book from the publicist. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Brother John: A Monk, a Pilgrim and the Purpose of Life

Brother John: A Monk, a Pilgrim and the Purpose of Life
Author: August Turak
Illustrator: Glenn Harrington
Publisher: Clovercroft Publishing
Publish Date: October 21, 2018
ISBN: 9781945507946
Hardcover: 48 pages

About the Book:

The Templeton Prize winning story of a magical encounter between the author and a Trappist monk. Brother John becomes our guide to the redemptive power of an authentically purposeful life.

Recipient of the prestigious Templeton Prize, Brother John is the true story of a meaningful encounter between a man going through a mid-life crisis, and an umbrella-wielding Trappist monk. This magical encounter on Christmas Eve eventually leads the author, and us all, to the redemptive power of an authentically purposeful life. Uplifting, deeply moving, and set in the magnificent Trappist monastery of Mepkin Abbey, Brother John is dramatically brought to life by over twenty full color paintings by Glenn Harrington, a multiple award-winning artist. Brother John's inspirational message takes place at Christmastime, and its inspirational message and rich illustrations are sure to bring the reader back again and again throughout the year.








My Thoughts:

What is the purpose of life? A simple question that has no simple answer - or does it and we just make it complicated?

This amazingly beautiful book focuses on the author's time spent at Mepkin Abby on Christmas Eve with the Trappist monks. His writing is meaningful with a message that is powerful and interesting. He focuses on one of the monks, Brother John, and uses him as an example of love, peace and grace. Brother John is the author's stepping stone to an answer to his most pondered question.

This is a book that you will need to read at a slower speed than a regular "story book" as there is so much to absorb with the author's observations and realizations. I personally had to go through this book a few times, as I was completely distracted by the GORGEOUS illustrations. This is a book that will be a part of my permanent library. Although it takes place on Christmas eve, the message and the beauty of the book will have you returning again and again and not just at Christmas time.

The one thing I did miss was the lack of a message about God and Jesus. It is somewhat implied but never really mentioned. For me, I found more credit to the monks than God and I'm not totally sure how I feel about that - especially if one that may not be a Christian were to pick up this book and read it from a secular point of view.

About the Author:

AUGUST TURAK is a successful entrepreneur and award-winning author who attributes much of his success to his 20-year stint as a frequent monastic guest of the Trappist monks of Mepkin Abbey. As a monastic guest, he lives and works alongside the monks sometimes for months at a time.

I received a copy of this book from FSB Media. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Gathering of Sisters Review

Gathering of Sisters: A Year With My Old Order Mennonite Family
Author: Darla Weaver
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Herald Press
ISBN-13: 978-1513803371

About the Book:

Spend a day with sisters.

Once a week Darla Weaver bundles her children into the buggy, hitches up her spirited mare, and drives six miles to the farm where she grew up. There she gathers with her four sisters and their children for a day with their mother. In Gathering of Sisters, Weaver writes about her horse-and-buggy Mennonite family and the weekly women s gatherings that keep them connected. On warm days, the children play and fish and build houses of hay in the barn. In the winter, everyone stays close to the woodstove, with puzzles and games and crocheting. No matter the weather, the Tuesday get-togethers of this Old Order Mennonite family keep them grounded and centered in their love for God and for each other,even when raising an occasional loving but knowing eyebrow at each other.

The rest of the week is full of laundry, and errands, and work that never ends. But Tuesdays is about being sisters, daughters, and mothers.

Hear straight from Amish and Mennonite people themselves as they write about their daily lives and deeply rooted faith in the Plainspoken series from Herald Press. Each book includes A Day in the Life of the Author and the author s answers to FAQs about the Amish and Mennonites.

My Thoughts

Have you ever observed a family and wished you were part of it? The type of family where they are close, seem to do everything together and are happy - truly happy? This is how I felt as I read Gathering of Sisters. I so wanted to be a part of the gathering at Darla's mom's home. To feel a part of a family that is not only family, but are also friends. They share books, chores, creative ideas, gardening, flowers, etc. They are the epitome of love and reading this book made me greatly desire what they had. My family is gone - most have either died or moved away, so there is no one to share my later years with, the way I had always envisioned it. I believe this is the part of Amish/Mennonite life that is so attractive to us - where their society hasn't broken down the way ours has.

In Gathering of Sisters, Darla Weaver takes the reader into her childhood home and family and shares her life, feelings, relationships with her siblings, children, nieces, nephews and her mother. Her accounts are honest and she tells how she's not perfect, how she doesn't really love doing everything that we assume the Amish love to do or are superior at. She gives us the gift of making the members of the Old Order alive and real and not some fantasy from the Amish romances that have become so popular.

To say I loved this book is an understatement. It not only tells about Darla's time on Tuesdays with her siblings at her mother's house, but it also combines life with Godly messages and verses. She shares how things that happen in her life remind her about Bible verses as well as how things are incorporated in God plan. This is beautifully done and doesn't sound preachy or false - but most definitely from the heart.

Along with faith, the reader will find recipes for some of the dishes that are cooked, menus that they have and a nice question and answer at the end. This book follows a year of visits with the family and as it winds down to the month of December, there is a sadness that one knows this is the end of the visit with the family.

Make sure to add this to your reading list. It will not only warm you heart, but your soul. Highly recommended!!!

About the Author

Darla Weaver is a homemaker, gardener, writer, and Old Order Mennonite living in the hills of southern Ohio. She is the author of Water My Soul and Many Lighted Windows and has written for Family Life, Ladies' Journal, Young Companion, and other magazines for Amish and Old Order Mennonite groups. Before her three children were born she also taught school. Her hobbies are gardening and writing.

I received an egalley of this book from the NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible Tour

The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible: Over 40 Stories of God's Power and Presence
Author: Doris Wynbeek Rikkers
Illustrated by Fernando Juarez
Publisher: Zonderkids
ISBN-13: 978-0310749738
Hardcover: 312 pages


About the book:

The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible brings to life more than 40 Bible stories that help readers understand that God’s Spirit has been with us since the beginning of time and continues to be with us today. From the glory of creation through the powerful letters of Paul, God’s Spirit is living in his people. Old and New Testament stories such as Adam and Eve, Abraham, Joseph, the Baptism of Jesus, and Pentecost come alive with dramatic illustrations by Fernando Juarez and moving text by Doris Rikkers. With a cover that sparkles and shines with foil, this is a special storybook Bible that will appeal to both children and parents alike.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

If I settle on the far side of the sea,

Even there your hand will guide me,

Your right hand will hold me fast.

Psalm 139: 7–10

You can view a sample of The Spirit of God here

About the author and illustrator:

Doris Wynbeek Rikkers is a freelance writer and editor who has written many bestselling children’s books and Bibles. Although she loves the ocean, she lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, surrounded by her books, her flower gardens, and her family and friends.

Spanish artist Fernando Juarez illustrates children’s books and also works as an art supervisor at the Madrid studio Ilion Animation. The company produces 3D feature films for children. Fernando has three kids himself, and if he has any time left after work and family, you might catch him playing guitar in a rock band.

My Thoughts:

This book is beautifully illustrated and most definitely will grab your child's attention. I was taken by the artist's style and enjoyed looking at all the artwork throughout the book. Because of the artwork, I was sure I was going to love this Bible story book. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

My concern started with the first story: the creation. The author's first sentence states: "In the beginning, there was nothing but darkness ... and God." The first thing that popped into my head was, "Why would God live in darkness?" Darkness has always had a bad/evil connotation to it. This has a totally different feel to it than how my Bible starts out: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." (Gen. 1:1 KJV).

As the first chapter progressed on, I got the feeling the author does not believe the creation takes place in six days. " The seasons changed and seeds scattered and grew into plants." Then man was made." From what I take from this, man was made at least a year after to go through the life cycle of a plant.

I have other concerns as well - but won't go into them. It sounds quite picky - since this is only a child's book, but children are like sponges. They absorb so much more than we think they do. We need to feed them the correct information from the beginning. If that information doesn't exactly match what you believe, don't use it. If you do, you will only cause confusion later. Children learn and don't forget easily and so hard to correct later.

Although beautifully illustrated, this book is not something I'd use for my family.

Would you like to win your own copy of

The Spirit of God Illustrated Bible?

Win a children's book prize pack from Read with Audra!

The prize pack includes a copy of:

Spirit of God Illustrated Bible

Adventure Bible Book of Daring Deeds and Epic Creations

NIV Kids Visual Study Bible

Explorer's Bible Guide

Words to Love By

Love Letters from God

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I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

God's Design for Sexuality in a Changing Culture

God's Design for Sexuality in a Changing Culture
A 15 Video Series - approximately 30 minutes each along complete with a leader's guide and participant outline
From Harvest USA

About the Series:

Everyone outside the church is talking about sexual issues—gender identity, same-sex attraction, same-sex marriage—the world’s perspective on these issues has certainly changed over the last decade. So how do you answer questions about God’s design for sexuality for church members and their families? Is your church equipping your people to understand a biblical perspective on sexuality and form a gospel-based response to questions from both inside and outside the church? 

Harvest USA, an organization that has been thinking biblically and redemptively about these issues for decades, has now made available a video series that will help you wisely, kindly, and truthfully help your church to understand God’s biblical design for sexuality and give direction on how to speak the truth in love to the world around us. 

The seminar consists of fifteen 30-minute videos (suitable for use during Sunday school or in small group), downloadable leader guide, and participant outlines that address questions and topics about God’s design for sexuality including the following:

  - Why do we need to talk about sex?
  - Why do we struggle with our sexuality?
  - Is God’s design for sexuality still relevant today?
  - What does the Bible really say about homosexuality?
  - Can you change if you are gay?
  - How can a single person live out God’s design for their sexuality?
  - Understanding gender and transgender issues
  - Pornography
  - How to help the sexual struggler
  - Key steps for raising sexually healthy kids
  - Keeping your kids safe in an Internet world

Author

Harvest USA is a non-profit that has been ministering to individuals and families affected by sexual struggles since 1983. With over 100 years of combined direct ministry experience, Harvest USA staff also seek to equip the Church with their writing and teaching on biblical sexuality and how to help those who struggle sexually.

My Thoughts:

My first reaction to this series is "WOW!" I wish I had had this available to me years ago. This series has addressed so many questions and concerns I've had throughout my lifetime. How much simpler things would have been to have understood God's Design for us - for me. I was raised with no instruction from the Church except when it came to pre-marital classes given by the Catholic church. It didn't cover much except for natural birth control and that was about all there was to the sexuality part.  When Mr. D and I were engaged, we had our counseling session with a Baptist minister and there was no mention of sex at all, just our salvation. So - my education was a book-set from my mother that explained sex and the views of my peers, romance novels, movies and music  - all world views and not Biblical.

I could never really put God together with sex, although he was the one that designed it! It took this course to really open my eyes and see things in a totally different light. It made things so clear - that we are designed to be made for our spouse and our spouse only. It would have been wonderful being taught this from a young age - how sex/sexuality is a gift from God and not something dirty, secretive or never to be spoke about with your Christian peers.

This series covers areas that Christians struggle with: pornography, same-sex attraction, gender identity, keeping our children safe in a world of technology, how to talk to your children about God's Design of Sex, etc. All of these aspects are important to go over for those that struggle as well as those that do not. No one is condemned for having these struggles, but instead are given guidance and support. For those that do not struggle, this series helps to understand and shows how to possibly give help or just a listening ear for those that may have a need.

This amazing series should be offered by every Church. There are so many struggling with the idea of a healthy sexuality in the Christian Church and this would definitely solve quite a few issues. How wonderful it would be to bring up the next generation of our children with the idea that sex is a God given gift to be treasured and excited about and not something that is associated with shame because God certainly can't fit in with "something like that"!

Don't think you have to be head of a Church or group to get this series. It would be a good addition to any Christian home - especially if you have questions, are struggling with things or have children that you'd like to teach how beautiful sex and sexuality is because it is God's Design for us.

I received a digital access of this course from Harvest USA. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Hope for Your Marriage - Review

Hope for Your Marriage: Experience God’s Greatest Desires for You and Your Spouse

Authors: Clayton and Ashlee Hurst with Joel Osteen
Publisher: Emanate Books (Thomas Nelson)
ISBN: 9780785216452
Paperback, 224 pages

About the Book:

Clayton and Ashlee Hurst share the principles and Scripture they have learned to lean on and preach at Lakewood Church. Foreword by Joel Osteen.

Are you willing to do whatever it takes to have the marriage you dreamed of? Interestingly, this is the question Clayton and Ashlee ask young couples before they get married and married couples in crisis. If they answer yes, then there is hope for the couple. If they are willing to commit to the hard work ahead, they have a very good shot.

Hope for Your Marriage is a book designed for couples who desire to have the best marriage possible. Every marriage has the potential to be incredible when God is at the center.

In Hope for Your Marriage, Clayton and Ashlee share personal stories on overcoming fairy-tale pitfalls; keeping Jesus at the center of your marriage; practicing healthy communication on sex, conflict, and forgiveness; declaring life over your marriage; and leaving a God-honoring legacy.

My Thoughts:

Although there are a few good points and pieces of advice in Hope for Your Marriage, I found is pretty much like any other book on marital advice. There is a bit of scripture quoted, but more personal with many stories of other couples and those couples are all counselors or in the ministry at Lakewood Church. I was hoping to find something that would be geared to couples who had been married for quite a period of time, but this seems more geared to those who are seeking marriage or have been married only a short period of time.

I will admit my thinking was swayed a bit when the authors used the illustration of male vs female brain as something of their own concoction instead of giving any reference to where it came from. It was almost word for word as it was presented by Mark Gungor more than 10 years ago on his DVD. Here is an excerpt of that DVD from YouTube that the authors used - especially the boxes and the nothing box:



I ended up wondering what else was not original and with the many discussions about Lakewood Church and Joel Osteen and how wonderful things are there, if it's not more of a plug for the Osteen empire and not so much for really helping couples.

Personally, I felt this book was not as scriptural as it should be, and more filled with "feelings" and human examples. Yes, stories from others" life experiences are great illustrations, but I wanted more about scripture and what the Bible says.

I received a copy of this ebook from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

ASIAN PICKLES: JAPAN by Karen Solomon

ASIAN PICKLES: JAPAN
Recipes for Japanese Sweet, Sour, Salty, Cured, and Fermented Tsukemono
Author: Karen Solomon
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
ISBN: 9781607744788
Pages: 54 Genre: Asian Cooking, Pickling

About the Book:

A DIY guide to making the salty, sweet, tangy, and sometimes spicy pickles of Japan, featuring 16 recipes for traditional tsukemono as well as new favorites with innovative ingredients and techniques.

For Asian food aficionados and preservers and picklers looking for new frontiers, the natural standout is Japan's diverse array of pickled products and innovative flavor pairings that wow the palate. In Asian Pickles: Japan, respected cookbook author and culinary project maven Karen Solomon introduces readers to the unique ingredients used in Japanese pickle-making, such as koji rice, fermented rice bran, shiso leaf, miso, soy sauce, and numerous other techniques beyond the basic vinegar brine. And for the novice pickler, Solomon also includes a vast array of quick pickles with easily-accessible ingredients. Featuring the most sought-after Japanese pickle recipes--including Pickled Ginger, Umeboshi, and more--plus beautiful photography, Asian Pickles: Japan will help you explore a new preserving horizon with fail-proof instructions and additional resources.

My Thoughts:

A delightful book filled with a nice conversational prose as well as some interesting Asian pickling recipes. There is one thing to be said about the recipes - they may not taste exactly like you might think. Japanese cooking and pickling is quite a bit different than American cooking, and the recipes show that. I tried a couple of the recipes and questioned how they turned out. We have a Chinese friend that said they were perfect and that they are supposed to taste just like I made them!

With that said, the recipes appear to be quite authentic. It also appears that some of these may be an acquired taste. If you like Asian cooking (real Asian - not the Americanized type) or you are an adventurous cook, then you may really enjoy this book!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Cultured Food for Life by Donna Schwenk

Cultured Food for Life
How to Make and Serve Delicious Probiotic Foods for Better Health and Wellness
Author: Donna Schwenk
Publisher: Hay House, Inc.
ISBN: 9781401942823
Paperback: 256 pages

About the Book:

Cultured Food for Life is a part of a new genre of cookbooks gaining popularity among a growing demographic of health and wellness aficionados. In this work, fermentation guru Donna Schwenk introduces readers to the healing properties of kefir, kombucha, cultured vegetables, sprouted flour, and sourdough. Fermentation has been used in food preparation for thousands of years, but in the past few decades it has moved from being a commonplace kitchen ritual to being something done only by a few health-conscious proponents. Most fermentation now is done at factories, whose processes strip away some of the abundant vitamins, minerals, and healthy bacteria that make this way of preparing foods so beneficial. But Donna Schwenk is working to bring this staple of food preparation back to readers by showing that these now-unfamiliar processes are actually easy and fun. And by doing this, she opens the door to a world of foods that can help rid readers of health problems including high blood pressure, diabetes, allergies, acne, hypertension, asthma, and irritable bowel syndrome. After telling the astonishing story of how she healed herself and her family with these probiotic foods, Schwenk walks readers, step by step, through the basic preparation techniques for kefir, kombucha, cultured vegetables, sprouted flour, and sourdough plus more than 120 recipes that use these foods to create dishes to please any palate. With recipes like Herbed Omelet with Kefir Hollandaise Sauce, Sprouted Ginger Scones with Peaches and Kefir Cream, Kefir Veggie Sprouted Pizza, Apple Sauerkraut, and Sprouted Brownies Kefir Cupcakes, along with inspirational stories from Donna’s family and friends, readers will enjoy a diet that’s as delicious as it is healthy.

Visit Donna's website at: http://www.culturedfoodlife.com/

My Thoughts:

Donna's story is not unusual. Cultured foods have been around for centuries, but somewhere along the way, we have forgotten how important these foods are to us. As we continue down the road of prepared foods and fast foods, we are losing the most valuable asset we have - just good plain food. This is the key to both health and wellness and Donna shows the reader this.

Filled with some delicious recipes, the reader (no matter what type of diet one is on) will benefit by following Donna's suggestions, recipes, and simple eating habits. This way of eating certainly won't harm anyone and all it can do is help. If you have problems with any of the ailments that she describes or just want to eat better before you are affected, grab a copy of this book NOW. This book will lead you on a more healthy lifestyle without being drastic. Kefir and other foods are easy to make and not expensive at all. There's really nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain by reading this book!

Highly recommended!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Lucky Spool's Essential Guide to Modern Quilt Making

Lucky Spool's Essential Guide to Modern Quilt Making
From Color to Quilting: 10 Design Workshops by Your Favorite Teachers
Editors at Lucky Spool
Publisher: Lucky Spool Media
ISBN: 9781940655000
Paperback: 192 pages

About the Book:

Ten of the best known and most respected teachers in modern quilt making, many bestselling authors in their own right, share one of their most popular workshops with you. Each class is designed to help you improve your own composition and design choices whether you create your own patterns or want to follow one of the 16 patterns included. The final workshop is an inspirational gallery of 50 modern quilts that exemplify the tone, color work, and techniques found in modern quilt making today. This is the must-have collection of modern quilt making.

My Thoughts:

First, I must comment on the cover. I buy books when their covers impress me. Yes, I know I'm not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but I can't help it - I love covers. This cover is bland and boring to me, and if I saw it on the shelf I wouldn't have purchased it. That would have been my loss, as there is so much great information to be had here.

Let's look at the table of contents:

1. The Principles of Color
2. Working with Solids
3. Working with Prints
4. Improvisational Patchwork
5. The Alternate Grid
6. Circles and Curves
7. Paper Piecing
8. Large-Scale Piecing
9. Modern Quilting
10. A Study of Modern Quilts
Plus templates to make 16 quilts.

My largest downfall with quilting or really any project is color. I know what I like when I see it on covers, quilts, afghans, etc. but I have no talent when it comes to putting the colors together on my own. This book goes into detail about color and color theory and has a LOT of good information in it that helped me.

I also like the sections on Circles and Curves as well as Paper-Piecing. They are well done and helped me with some of my problems that I've had in the past when it comes to these techniques.

This is a book I will be purchasing the hard copy of to keep in my quilting library to reference over and over again. It's a great book and will help beginners as well as experienced quilters alike. Make sure to add this to your quilting library - you won't regret it.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Make Ahead Bread by Donna Currie

Make Ahead Bread
100 Recipes for Melt-in-Your-Mouth Fresh Bread Every Day
Donna Currie
The Taunton Press, Inc.
ISBN: 9781627103954
Paperback: 208 pages

About the Book:

Two Steps to Breaking Bread. Make Ahead Bread de-mystifies the bread-baking process with simple recipes and easy-to-follow steps for fresh-from-the-oven bread. Plus there's an entire chapter devoted to baking ingredients and equipment. Follow home baker Donna Currie's simple two-step process to baking delicious, fresh, yeast breads:

Step One – mix and knead the dough, then let it rest for 1-2 days while you enjoy life Step Two – bake.

Yes, it's that simple.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Breads. Your home will smell amazing while you bake any of the 100 recipes in Make Ahead Bread, including all of these:

Loaf Breads – Bacon, Tomato and Cheddar Loaf; Maple Sugar and Walnut Loaf Buns, Rolls, Breadsticks – Slider Buns; Cheesy Breadstick Twists Flatbreads – Chicago-style Pan Pizza; Semolina Focaccia Pastries – Breakfast Sausage Danish; Traditional Croissants, and more. Now, you're never too busy to bake bread! Yeast bread isn't complicated to make, but because it needs time to rise, it’s not always easy to fit it into time available - that’s until now. Make Ahead Bread gives inexperienced bakers and busy home cooks the information you need to make flavorful, freshly baked bread on a schedule that works for you.

Leftovers? Just in case you have any leftovers, this book also features many recipes for your extra bread like Almond Butter Bread Pudding; Artichoke, Olive and Tomato Strata; and Overnight French Toast. Plus recipes for scrumptious butters and spreads are included, such as: Chunky Apple and Cinnamon Spread and Chocolate Butter to name a few.

My Thoughts:

Refrigerating bread dough to allow for a slow rise is nothing new. It has been done for years - my mother did it and so did my grandmother.

I was excited to get a copy of this to review. I have tried this technique when I've been in a time crunch or when I want a nice delicate loaf. When I tried some of the recipes from this book, I was surprised to find they didn't always turn out the way I wanted. I had problems with the second rise, so sometimes I would just skip the first rise, knead the dough, form it and then put it in the fridge to have a slow rise. I did have success that way.

The recipes are yummy - but you may need to experiment on how to get these to raise the way you want them to.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Handbag Workshop by Anna M. Mazur

Handbag Workshop
Design and Sew the Perfect Bag
Author: Anna M. Mazur
Publisher: Taunton Press, Inc.
ISBN: 9781621137771
Paperback: 208 pages
Genre: Sewing, Crafts

About the Book:

From chic wristlets to functional carryalls (and everything in between), each project includes easy-to-follow instructions, pattern template, and detailed photos. All the sewing basics readers need are here, but the range of patterns, stylishness of the bags, and design instruction (so readers can build their perfect bag) are what sets this book above the rest.

A THREADS contributor and THREADS-reader favorite, Anna’s bags have been gracing the pages of the magazine since 2001. She is known for her clever designs and for her simple, clear instructions that yield amazingly sophisticated results.

My Thoughts:

Tauton Press usually does a nice job on printing and photographing books covering crafts, sewing, cooking, etc., however, I won't be able to really comment on the completeness or the quality of photographs for the "Handbag Workshop" since I received a digital copy from Netgalley. For me, that could make or break a great book, but sadly, my hands are tied on this aspect.

Those photos that I do see look quite good and the instructions seem complete enough, however, I did notice that the level for these bags is a bit more advanced than some I've seen in other books. This could be a good thing, but could also be a drawback for an over adventurous beginner. It wouldn't stop me though from recommending this book to anyone who wants to learn how a bag is constructed and sewn and the instructions are good enough to definitely try. Beginners should expect mistakes - it's a given when sewing and since these are more advanced patterns and explanations, it would be normal to have a few issues.  Don't let that stop you though. This is truly a great book and it's good enough that I want to add a finished paperback to my sewing library.

Recommended to those that want to learn handbag construction, sewers and those that are just curious about the process.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

The Amish Baking Cookbook by Georgia Varozza and Kathleen Kerr

The Amish Baking Cookbook
Plainly Delicious Recipes from Oven to Table
Authors: Georgia Varozza and Kathleen Kerr
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Spiral-bound: 272 pages
ISBN: 9780736955386

About the Book:

Building on the success of The Homestyle Amish Kitchen (more than 58,000 copies sold), Georgia Varozza partners with experienced baker Kathleen Kerr to give you a cookbook filled with the foods most associated with the Plain and simple life: baked goods. This delicious collection of more than three hundred classic baking recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, bars, and breads inspires you who love Amish fiction and are drawn to the Plain lifestyle to roll up your sleeves and start baking!

Whether you consider yourself a novice or a veteran in the kitchen, Georgia and Kathleen make it easy to make delicious baking recipes such as Amish Nut Balls and Brown Sugar Pie. Find the perfect recipe to prepare for that large weekend potluck, tonight’s intimate family dinner, or a fun activity with the kids.

My Thoughts:

Being blessed with living in Amish Country, the one thing I know to be a fact is that the Amish really know how to cook, and they do it well! "The Amish Baking Cookbook" is worth its weight in gold as it contains many of the delicious recipes I have found in my area. I was excited to find recipes for Blueberry Bagels, Brown Sugar Pie, Rhubarb Coffee Cake as well as many other delightful baked goodies.

Each recipe is easy to follow and everything I've tried has come out wonderfully delicious. Besides the recipes, there is a guide to ingredients and a section about the Amish and their beliefs.

No matter how many cookbooks you have, if you really enjoy delicious home cooking, you really have to add this to your collection. You won't be sorry you did!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Blue Ribbon Canning by Linda J. Amendt

Blue Ribbon Canning
Award-Winning Recipes
Author: Linda J. Amendt
Publisher: Taunton Press
Pub Date: Apr 28 2015
ISBN: 9781627107693
Paperback: 272 pages

About the Book:

Blue Ribbon Canning takes readers on a canning journey and celebrates two American traditions--preserved food and state fairs--with more than 140 prize-winning recipes for jams, preserves, pickles, vegetables, fruit, and more, plus tips and methods for making delicious--and safe--blue ribbon recipes at home.

My Thoughts:

When one hears mention of canning and preserving, for many it seems to have a connection with older women or someone's grandmother and days gone by. I have been told that canning is going out of style. Why should one work so hard to produce things that could be purchased in the store for close to the same cost to possibly even cheaper than it can be made?!

Blue Ribbon Canning answers that question with the delicious recipes that are provided in this gorgeous book. These are award winning recipes from fair and competition winners and will be winners on anyone's table! Believe me, there is nothing that comes close to the taste of home canned food and preserves. Remember when you thought no one cooks like Grandma? It's true. You can't get these great tasting foods from the grocery store. It just doesn't happen.

Perfect for the newbie as well as the seasoned canner, this beautifully photographed book will delight the eyes while making the mouth water as one tries to find the perfect recipe to start with. There are so many to choose from ranging from the everyday Strawberry Jam to some of the more unusual recipes like Eggplant Caponata and Georgia Peach and Basil Preserves.

The book is well written with clear and concise instructions. It has canning safety information and USDA recommendations and seems to have food safety well covered. I love the stories of the blue ribbon winners that have been included throughout the book and especially love the serving suggestions that are included with the recipes. It's nice knowing how to use these more unusual recipes once you've put them up. At the end of the book are secrets for canning for competition for those that want to "show off" their talents.

This is a wonderful book that would be a well-used addition to any canning library. Make sure to add it to your must haves - you won't be sorry that you did!!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight by Will Clower - Review

Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight
Author: Will Clower
Publisher: Rodale Books
ISBN:9781623361273

About the Book:

Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight is a game-changing look at the world’s most surprising (and luscious) health food: chocolate.

Based on new groundbreaking research and the amazing results of his clients, who have lost more than 100 pounds, nutritionist and neuroscientist Dr. Will Clower dispels the myth that chocolate is just a "junk food" by revealing how this succulent food contains healthy antioxidants that can actually help you lose weight.

All you have to do is take the Chocolate Challenge: an 8-week plan that reveals which type of chocolate is the healthiest and exactly how you should be eating it to maximize all of its surprising health benefits, including:

Weight loss of up to 20 pounds in 8 weeks

Reduced food cravings and appetite

Prevention and reversal of diabetes

Improved dental health

Significant improvement in blood pressure

Enhanced energy levels (up to 50%!)

Increased skin moisture and UV protection

And more!

With Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight, Dr. Clower is finally bringing his incredibly successful—and delicious—plan to chocolate lovers everywhere!

My Thoughts:

Since I decided to start eating better, I have been doing research on which foods will help and which will harm my body. One thing that I LOVE is chocolate, but I have been avoiding it because of the sugars that many candy bars contain. In my searches, I found that cocoa is an antioxidant, and is healthy for you, but how does one use it? I mean, chocolate and sugar have to go together, right?

When I discovered Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight, I HAD to read it. It had claims that I just couldn't fathom to be true, so my idea was to mark this one off as a hoax. Ahhhh, that was before I read and tried it. Since then, I've become a believer!

Yes, chocolate is an amazing food! It does help the body and raise metabolism. It is, in my book, a wonder-food! How can I say that? I've been using the book for more than 2 months now and I am so very pleased to report that I am losing weight (even over the holidays!) and I am NOT sacrificing, but instead taking care of my chocolate craving. When I went for my check-up, I was worried because the last time my blood pressure was higher than it should be and I was told we'd probably be looking at blood pressure meds next visit. Well, my BP was down to NORMAL!! And that's just the start.

My husband is diabetic, so he's limited - very limited. He decided to try chocolate for his diabetes and his last check-up was so good that they cut his meds in HALF and have said if it continues that he will be off meds soon!

Am I a believer? YOU BET! This book explains everything from the science behind chocolate to how much to use, etc. It's long and detailed, and very well written. Although there are times I felt that things were repeated more than I'd like, but overall, that is just a small irritant on my end.

This book is worth its weight in gold (in my opinion), but don't take my word for it. Get your hands on a copy and try it out. It will make a believer out of you - and make you more healthy. What do you have to lose?!

  I received a copy of this book from NetGalley courtesy of Rodale Books. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

The One Year Book of Amish Peace by Tricia Goyer

The One Year Book of Amish Peace
Author: Tricia Goyer
Publisher: Tyndale House
ISBN: 9781414379807
Genre: Christian/Devotional

About the Book:

In our instantly connected world, it’s surprisingly easy to lose our connection to God. This devotional taps Amish wisdom in order to help us draw closer to God and hear his voice. In The One Year® Book of Amish Peace, you’ll get a daily taste of Amish values and wisdom. Tricia Goyer shares her fascination with the Amish in a way that will inspire and encourage believers to carve out more time in each day to listen to God and experience his presence. This daily devotional contains interesting facts about the Amish, recipes, and information about the way the Amish handle money, rear their children, and center their lives on faith in God. You’ll be inspired to slow down and find ways to simplify so that you, too, can experience God in the ordinary.

The One Year® Book of Amish Peace (Sampler)

My Thoughts:

This devotional is one of the best that I've seen in a long time. Tricia Goyer captures the essence of the Amish and transfers it into a wonderful devotional that can be used over and over again since it is not dated with days or year. Unfortunately there is no entry for leap-year and some of the holidays may not match up correctly, but they can easily be compensated for. Personally, I will be using it again and again.

Each entry starts out with a Bible verse (many translations are used), a devotion that has an example of Amish life and how to apply it to our own lives, a fact about the Amish on the sidebar, and ends with a prayer. Also included are a few recipes and a section called "Endnotes" that contains both websites and information for further reading and study.

This is a lovely devotional that not only gives us a peek at the Amish way of life but uses them as an example to become a more "peaceful" person. The entries are realistic and very much true to the Amish belief and lifestyle. I can say this from experience as one of my closest friends is Amish and I see her (as well as her family) in many of the entries.

This devotional comes highly recommended and would be a delight to anyone that enjoys learning about the Amish or just wants a more peaceful way of life. The One Year Book of Amish Peace would also make a thoughtful and delightful gift this holiday season. What a wonderful way to start the new year!


About the Author

Tricia Goyer has written more than thirty-five books, including both novels that delight and entertain readers and non- fiction titles that offer encouragement and hope. She has also published more than 500 articles in national publications such as Guideposts,Thriving Family, Proverbs 31, and HomeLife Magazine.

Goyer’s fiction and non-fiction books have won awards from the American Christian Fiction Writers and Mt. Hermon Writers’ Conference. She is also a two-time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee.

Tricia has authored several books on family and parenting, as well as co-written with Max Lucado and Robin Jones Gunn. She collaborated with Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges for Lead Your Family Like Jesus, published by Focus on the Family/Tyndale.

I received a preview copy from NetGalley and a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a favorable review, but instead one that reflects my own opinion.

Four Blood Moons by John Hagee

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

John Hagee

and the book:

Four Blood Moons

Worthy Publishing (October 8, 2013)

***Special thanks to Leeanna Case for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

John Hagee is the author of four New York Times bestsellers, as well as Jerusalem Countdown, which itself has sold over 1 million copies. He is the founder and senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, a nondenominational evangelical church with more than 20,000 active members, as well as the founder and president of John Hagee Ministries, which telecasts his radio and television teachings throughout America and in 249 nations worldwide. Hagee is also the founder and national chairman of Christians United for Israel, a grassroots national association with over one million members to date.
http://worthypublishing.com/books/Four-Blood-Moons/


Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

 Inspired by NASA projections and recorded history, Pastor John Hagee reveals direct connections between four upcoming blood-moon eclipses and what they portend for Israel and all of humankind.

Over the last 500 years, blood-red moons have fallen on the first day of Passover three separate times. These occurrences were connected to some of the most significant days in Jewish history: 1492 (the final year of the Spanish Inquisition when Jews were expelled from Spain), 1948 (statehood for Israel and the War of Independence) and 1967 (the Six-Day War). Every heavenly body is controlled by the unseen hand of God, which signals coming events to humanity. There are no solar or lunar accidents. The next series of four blood moons occurs at Passover and Sukkot in 2014 and 2015. In this riveting book, Hagee explores what these blood moons mean and why Christians must understand these signs and what they bode both for Israel and the world.

Joel 2 and Acts 2 both state: "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness [eclipse] and the moon into blood [eclipse] before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes."

Product Details:
List Price: $14.99
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Worthy Publishing (October 8, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1617952141
ISBN-13: 978-1617952142

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Signs in the Heavens




There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars. . . . Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.
—Luke 21:25, 27–28




As the jet plane gracefully circled over the majestic beauty of Puget Sound, I looked out of the window at the tall and perfectly shaped spruce trees that surrounded a series of glis- tening lakes. Along the shoreline stood elegant homes with boat ramps and fishing docks extending from beautifully








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manicured lawns. It was the American paradise that is the gorgeous state of Washington.
The wheels of the jet touched down on the runway with their familiar screech, which is always music to my ears. Every safe landing is a great landing!
The jet rolled to a stop. I unbuckled my seat belt, climbed down the steps, and was refreshingly jolted by the cool breeze on my face. I knew then we were far from the sweltering Texas heat! I began to focus on the reason I was here and what I was to say to the thousands that were gathering for the statewide Night to Honor Israel rally that evening.
Six years earlier, on February 6, 2006, I had invited four hundred of America’s foremost evangelical leaders to join me at Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, to form a na- tional organization called Christians United for Israel. The purpose of our organization is to bring Christians and Jews together in an atmosphere of mutual respect and brotherly love, in order to emphasize that what we have in common is far greater than the differences we have allowed to separate us over the centuries.
If you are not currently a member of Christians United for Israel and desire to stand with Israel and the Jewish people, I strongly encourage you to join us today by going to CUFI.org.
King David said, “You will arise and have compassion on
Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come” (Psalm 102:13 niv). . . . The appointed time is now!




4








Signs in the Heavens




why Should we Support iSrael?
If we are to correctly understand heavenly signs and wonders, it’s imperative we grasp the full scope of Scripture and history. The following are five biblical reasons why Christians should be grateful to, and show support for, the nation of Israel and the Jewish people:




1. god proMiSeS to BleSS thoSe who BleSS iSrael “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you” (Genesis 12:3). This is God’s pledge to Abraham and the Jewish people for all generations to come. God has promised to bless nations, churches, and individuals who do practical acts of kindness to bless Israel and the Jewish people.
Biblical evidence of God’s promised blessing is found in Luke 7, where a Roman centurion who had a sick servant wanted the Rabbi from Nazareth to come into his home and heal his servant. Jesus was an observant Jew; yet He would have to break the laws of Moses to enter the house of a Gen- tile, who was considered unclean.
The centurion—commander of a hundred soldiers—sent the Jewish elders to intercept Jesus. The elders begged Jesus earnestly, saying that the Roman centurion request was de- serving of Jesus’ healing, “for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue” (Luke 7:5).
Jesus healed the sick servant because a Gentile had




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performed a practical act of kindness to bless Israel and the
Jewish people.
The Bible further supports God’s blessing on those who bless Israel with the evidence of Cornelius. Why were Cor- nelius and his household the first Gentiles to hear the gospel and to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? The answer is found in Acts 10:22, which describes Cornelius the centurion as “a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews.”
God performed a miracle to motivate the apostle Peter to go to the house of this unclean Gentile. Peter had a vision of a sheet (a prayer shawl) filled with unclean animals (Gentiles), and God commanded him not to call unclean what God had pronounced as clean (Acts 10:9–16). Peter obeyed the mes- sage of the vision and went, against religious tradition, to the house of a Gentile to present the gospel.
When Peter shared the gospel with the household of Cor- nelius, they all received salvation and were filled with the Holy Spirit, and then Peter commanded them to be baptized in wa- ter (Acts 10:44–48).
The Holy Spirit was poured out on Cornelius and his household because a Gentile did practical acts of kindness to bless the Jewish people, and true to His promise, God blessed him beyond measure.
I can testify personally that there is no human explana-
tion for the unprecedented blessing of God on Cornerstone




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Signs in the Heavens




Church and John Hagee Ministries other than the fact that more than thirty years ago we decided to show practical acts of kindness for Israel and the Jewish people. Since that time, God has opened the windows of heaven and blessed us be- yond measure.
God’s promise is a fact: “I will bless those who bless you.”




2. we are coMManded to pray for the peace of JeruSaleM
Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is not a request—it’s a command! “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may they prosper who love you” (Psalm 122:6).
From God’s perspective, Jerusalem is the center of the uni- verse. Jerusalem is the city David conquered from the Jebusi- tes three thousand years ago, and it became the capital of Isra- el forever. May it always be the eternal and undivided capital of Israel, and may peace be within her walls and prosperity within her palaces (Psalm 122:7).
Jerusalem is where Abraham offered Isaac on Mount Mo- riah. Jerusalem is where Jeremiah and Isaiah penned prin- ciples of righteousness that became the moral compass for Western civilization. And outside of its gates Jesus Christ, the Son of David, was crucified for the sins of the world.
According to biblical prophecy, Jerusalem is the past, present, and future of the world! From this city, Jesus will rule
planet earth with a rod of iron, and of His kingdom there shall




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be no end (Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1:33).
When you pray for Jerusalem, you are praying for world peace. History proves that when there is peace in Jerusalem, there is peace in the world. When there is war in Jerusalem, the blood flows on planet earth. The universe revolves around Jerusalem. I quote my friend Dr. Graham Lacey, “As long as there is Jerusalem there is God; and as long as there is God there is Jerusalem.”




3. we are coMManded to Be watchMen on the
wallS of iSrael
God commands us through the prophet Isaiah to be watch- men on the walls of Jerusalem (62:6). We are commanded by God, through the prophet Isaiah, to speak up and defend Is- rael and the Jewish people when they are slandered, attacked by their enemies, and are subjected to any callous act of anti- Semitism. Isaiah writes:




For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest. . . .
I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent.


(62:1, 6)












8








Signs in the Heavens




4. we are coMManded to MiniSter to iSrael in
Material thingS
Another biblical reason we support Israel is given by the apostle Paul: “For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things [the Jewish people], their duty [the Gentiles] is also to minister to them [the Jewish people] in material things” (Romans 15:27).
What are the “spiritual things” Paul is referring to?




• The Jewish people have given to us the written Word of God.
• The Jewish people have given to us the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• The Jewish people have given to us the Old Testament prophets: Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habak- kuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
• The Jewish people have given to us the first family of Christianity: Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Take Jesus out of Christianity and there is no Christianity.
• The Jewish people have given to us the twelve disciples and the apostle Paul.


Consider the monumental contribution given to us by the seed of Abraham. For this reason Jesus said in John 4:22, “For salvation is of the Jews.”




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If you take away the Jewish contribution to Christianity, there would be no Christianity. Judaism does not need Chris- tianity to explain its existence; Christianity, however, cannot explain its existence without Judaism.
When I refer to Christianity I am referencing the teach- ings of Christ, which were based on the principles of Juda- ism—not the deeds of polluted historic Christianity.
Historic Christianity has left an evil legacy. It is responsible for the Crusades, in which Jewish people from Europe to Je- rusalem were slaughtered in seven major pogroms (crusades). The first crusade was declared by Pope Urban II in 1095. The Crusaders were rapists and thieves, forgiven in advance by the reigning pope for any sins they might commit while on their holy campaign to liberate Jerusalem from the “infidels.”
Not one Christian in a hundred today can answer the ques- tion: “How is it that Christianity, born through the teachings of a Jewish rabbi named Jesus of Nazareth, could three hundred years later kill Jews in the name of God?”
There is a dramatic difference between historic Christian- ity and the teachings of Jesus Christ. I publicly state that I am not a follower of historic Christianity; I am a follower of Jesus Christ!




5. JeSuS entreated the church to Support iSrael We should support Israel and the Jewish people because it was Jesus’ final request to His church. Jesus said in Matthew 25:40:




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Signs in the Heavens




Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren [the Jewish people], you did it to Me.




Jesus never called the Gentiles His brethren until after the cross. Before the cross we were, as described by the apostle Paul, outside the covenants of Israel, without God and with- out hope, of all men most miserable (Ephesians 2:12; 1 Cor- inthians 15:19).
Gentile Christians can look at the day of the cross and shout for joy. It was there we were grafted into the original olive tree (Romans 11:17). It was there our sins were forgiven, buried in the deepest sea, never to be remembered anymore (Jeremiah 31:34). It was there that our sicknesses and diseas- es were removed and we received divine health, for “by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
It was at the cross that Jesus took our poverty and gave to us the riches of Abraham. We who were “not a people” (1 Pe- ter 2:10) were adopted and became “kings and priests to His God” (Revelation 1:6), “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthi- ans 5:20), and have been taken from rags to royalty through the precious blood of the virgin-born, “the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). The curse of death, hell, and the grave was broken, and we were given eternal life; hallelujah for the cross!
God’s Gentile assignment toward the Jewish people is to
show them what they have not seen from historic Christianity




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#bloodmoons




in two thousand years—the pure and unconditional love of
God!




Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works [practical acts of kindness] and glo- rify your Father in heaven.


(Matthew 5:16)




Jesus said, “I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me” (Matthew
25:35–36).
Jesus makes it very clear that it’s not what you feel about the Jewish people that is the acid test, for Jesus didn’t say, “I was hungry and you felt sorry for Me; I was thirsty and you felt concern for Me; I was a stranger and you felt pity for Me.” I often hear pastors, evangelists, and Christians say, “I really like Israel” or “I like the Jewish people.” Jesus couldn’t care less what you like or don’t like; He’s looking for action. What will you do? What practical acts of kindness have you or your church done to demonstrate your love for Israel as mentioned in Matthew
25:40? What action have you taken to support Israel?
Stop talking about what you feel . . . and start taking action by showing practical acts of kindness toward God’s chosen people. Simply put, “Don’t tell me you love me. Show me!”




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My Thoughts:

I have never had any exposure to John Hagee, so since it sounded like a fascinating topic, I thought I would join the tour and request his new book. My huge mistake. You see, it appears Hagee does not rightly divide the Word of Truth (2 Ti 2:15) nor does he stay with any one Bible version, so it makes it so very, very easy to make his theories sound scriptural. I mean, hey, it came out of the Bible, right?!! This book doesn't hold Truth for me.

I cannot endorse "Four Blood Moons  because of the above reasons.