Thousand Foot Krutch

Thousand Foot Krutch
I love this band. I listen to them daily. Even though we are looking at another camera, we all look like we're alert for it being a fan signing and it's 11:30 p.m. on a Friday.

25 June 2012

Author's "Flame of Resistance" debut novel excellent

Flame of Resistance by Tracy Groot centers on the French Resistance during World War II. The Resistance goes against the Germans in order to return France to the French and rid the country of the Germans.

When a downed American pilot becomes pivotal in a plot against the Germans, a prostitute forced into her profession by circumstance who's a patriot will also become a key part of the plan.

This is a modern retelling of the biblical story of Rahab.

The book is compelling, moving, and interestingly written. Readers will sympathize and emphasize with Brigitte and root for both. The leaders of the French Resistance are just as memorable. There a lot of plot twists as well. An excellent read and a different look at the second world war and the effects German occupation had on Europeans and the little flame of hope for freedom that burns inside all of humanity, seeking God and longing to be free of oppression.

Praying you have faith, hope, and love always,

Rachel

07 June 2012

The Scarlet Thread weaves two generations together

The Scarlet Thread shows the power of unity throughout the generations of the female members of a family.

A modern young woman in a struggling marriage discovers her ancestor's journal, an Oregon Trail pioneer in the 18th century. Her ancestor believes in God, and through reading about her experiences, Sierra starts to believe in God as well, which begins to change her life.

An ironic part is that Sierra is forced to move to Los Angeles, just like her ancestor Mary Katherine moved to California as well. A wonderful novel by my favorite novelist, Francine Rivers, The Scarlet Thread brought tears to my eyes. It's an enjoyable novel full of God's truth, a reminder of promises, and the restoration of broken relationships - to each other, to God, and to ourselves.

Praying you have faith, hope, and love always,

Rachel

The Last Disciple is a fast paced thriller set against Nero's reign

"The Last Disciple" is a fast-paced thriller set in the first century in Rome. It follows a multitude of characters, but these are characters who either personally or intersect with someone who has intersected with Vitas. Thus its leading character is most decisively Vitas, a powerful and respected Roman and a member of Emperor Nero's inner circle. Vitas falls in love with Sophia, a Jewish former slave who becomes a Christian, and marries her. That appears to be the climax of the first novel, along with Vitas amazing and seemingly unrealistic escape from the arena, prompting the next book.

But the most important theme of the book is the different perspective on the book of Revelation, the last book of what we now know as the New Testament. This perspective is different from other interpretations of Revelation, generally seen as the events of The Last Days before The End of the World and the Return of the Christ, when God will right all wrongs and completely destroy Satan and His influence on the world forever (which will happen in some way or another).

It also brings up good points - to modern readers the significance of seven hills or seven stars doesn't mean much, but in the ancient world it would have been symbols of divinity and kings. Imagining a slain Lamb would have been different to the Jews than to the Romans or even modern readers. And, since the events of the crucxification were in their memories and John had actually seen it, it adds even more relevance. I'm interested to see how he handles the rest of the text in the later novels. And the characters are certainly memorable, Nero with his insanity, Helius with his overtures of promiscuity and obsesession with physical appearance and his insecurity in his own power as Nero's right hand, the bruteness of Tigellinus, Chayim and his betrayal. The others, Sophia, Valeria, Maglorious, Quintus, Vitas, even Jonathan who exchanged his life for Vitas' and his family's, are all realistic. All in all, an engaging, invigorating read with a twist.

Praying you have faith, hope, and love always,

Rachel

03 June 2012

The Atonement Child: Redemption Story

Francine Rivers has always been one of my favorite writers, Christian or non-Christian.

The Atonement Child follows Dynah Carey, a young woman who was raped by a stranger and became pregnant. She rejects the morning after pill offered to her by her doctor. She doesn't believe it's possible that she could become pregnant. She does, and her fiancee, unable to cope with what happened and the possible scandal surrounding it if people don't believe she was raped, leaves her. That makes room for another young man, who has always been interested in Dynah, to possibly win her affections. A multitude of twists pepper the story, like her mother and grandmother's guilt over their own abortion stories. When Dynah refuses to abort her unborn child - not easily, of course - that is when her mother and grandmother's guilt and stories come out.

This is a beautiful story about the power of redemption. Our own redemption story can be found in it; Christ sacrificed everything to make sure we were saved, just like Dynah sacrificed everything in her life for her belief in life and Christ.

Rivers communicates a powerful truth: God never leaves us nor abandons us, despite trouble and horrors that come upon us. Good comes out of the bad that happens to us, according to Romans: "God works all things out for the good of those who love Him."

God worked in Dynah's lives and the lives of her doting family, and he works in and through the lives of those who love Him as well as well.

Praying you have faith, hope, and love always,

Rachel

01 June 2012

Review: 'Almost Amish'

"Almost Amish" is a how-to book on living the simpler life. It isn't a book that tells everyone to live like an Amish person, though, like one might think when reading the title. It gives advice on the joys of living more simply. The Amish live nearly without technology or any of the modern conveniences of life, yet they manage to be incredibly content. Nancy Sleeth has discovered how to live like the Amish - without actually being Amish. Instead of being plugged in all the time, surfing the Internet all the time, driving and texting all the time, we can start to cut some of it out of our lives - and limit other parts of it.

What I get out of it? When we trim that unfortunate parts of our lives out, we can start to make more time for our family, friends, and faith. We can grow closer to God and deepen our faith in a shallow world where too much activity has become the curse that drives us away from spending time with God.

Praying you have faith, hope, and love always,

Rachel