Saturday Review: The Hole in Our Gospel

The first time I heard about The Hole in Our Gospel was in a blog post by Pete Wilson when he went to India with Compassion. He said it rocked his world.

That scared me. And intrigued me.

So when the book became available for review, I jumped on it. And then put it off. For almost a year.

I’m not exaggerating this time. I took the book with me on vacation. Last June.

See, Pete wasn’t the only person I’d heard talk about this book. Written by Richard Stearns, the CEO of World Vision, the book’s subtitle is “What Does God Expect of Us? The Answer That Changed My Life and Might Just Change the World.”

Yikes. Does that not intimidate you??

Eleven months later, I’ve finally finished The Hole in Our Gospel. Actually, I finished it a while ago, but I’ve been letting it settle in my soul.

I’m still pretty unsettled, if you want to know the truth, but it’s time to review the book.

Richard Stearns begins The Hole in Our Gospel with his personal story. It’s an incredible one, and it blew me away. He was a very wealthy, very successful CEO of a corporation when God CALLED him to World Vision.

I don’t want to ruin the story by telling you the details. You really need to read it yourself! I’ll just tell you this: God is amazing, and Stearns’ story is an amazing testimony to that fact.

The middle part of the book contains fact after statistic after story, illustrating exactly how bad the poverty in our world is. One thing Stearns pointed out that I hadn’t realized (okay, he pointed out TONS of things I hadn’t realized, but this one struck me in particular): the deficit between the richest and the poorest people is HUGE. Ridiculously huge.

In the last part of the book, Stearns offers suggestions for addressing this problem, and what has stuck with me most was his encouragement to not get overwhelmed and apathetic.

Even though he spent many pages breaking the heart of his reader, he doesn’t want to stop there. He wants us to act. To actually – don’t be shocked – live like Jesus.

This book was challenging. It was eye-opening. It was HARD to read.

And I’m so glad I did.

I highly recommend reading The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns. But don’t be surprised if it changes your heart, too!

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I've lost that loving feeling.

No, not that loving feeling.

I mean my love of reading. And I wouldn’t say I’ve necessarily lost it yet. But it’s definitely not as fun as it used to be. Unfortunately, I know why.

The culprit? Too many book reviews. Too many books on my must-read list that are also on my must-review list. Too many books stacked next to my bed that don’t look quite as fun or interesting or moving now that they arrived in my mailbox. Too many books that do look fun or interesting or moving, but because they’re a “to-do” instead of a “wanna,” I just don’t feel like reading them.

Book reviews are sapping the enjoyment straight out of my reading these days.

It’s not that I don’t like the books I’ve read and reviewed. Once I've managed to start them, I've loved almost every one. I wouldn’t suggest them to you if I didn’t like them.

But they aren’t necessarily the books I would pick out for myself. And, as Chelley has heard me say more than she likes, I’ve got a towering stack of books that I have picked out for myself already waiting for me.

And because I’ve committed to review them, they come with a price. Sure, the books are free. Unless you count the expectation that I will, you know, read them, take notes and then post an honest, well-written review.

That’s a lot of pressure, you all.

I know that sounds crazy. But the way I normally read – super fast, sometimes [don’t judge me] even skipping the boring parts and for pure escapist pleasure – is not conducive to deep thoughts or insights.

Much as I enjoy free books – especially books that I wouldn’t necessarily have picked up myself or would have waited years to borrow from the library – I don’t think the “free” part of this deal is working out for me.

And that is why I’m going to stop doing book reviews.

[Insert dramatic music here, if you like that sort of thing.]

Okay, okay. I realize it’s not really an earth-shattering announcement. Unless you’re my mailman, and then you might be glad for fewer boxes to deliver.

I’m not saying I will never review another book. [Let's be honest: sharing my opinions is kind of what I do.] I’m just saying I’m not going to do any right now.

[Unless you count the book I’m reviewing tomorrow. But that’s the last one. For realz.]

So, what do you think?

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Does God have a Plan B for my life (and yours?)

I have a cedar chest that my parents got me when I was 12. It’s filled with old medals and photos and art projects. It’s also filled with notebooks and journals and one small diary with a lousy lock I’m not sure ever worked.

The diary was a gift in middle school, I think, and I scribbled my deepest thoughts all over it. (You know, because I assumed the lock worked.)

One entry is funny today (okay, let’s be honest, a lot of old diary entries are funny today!), because in it I wrote about the four possible scenarios I saw for my future (adult) life. I wrote about great romance and independence and big families and amazing careers.

Never once did I think that I would:

• Be laid off from the job I’d worked toward for several years
• Have such a scary pregnancy with my first child that I’m scared to have another one
• Step out in faith to help plant a church only to be devastated when it failed
• Acquire so much credit card debt that it would take consolidation and several years of huge payments to pay it off

And, of course, the list goes on. I’m not saying that to be negative. Of course I have a similar list of the wonderful things that have happened that I never dreamed – and it’s way longer, just so you know. But the life I’m living today is nowhere near the life I planned or expected or hoped for.

I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in that. And Pete Wilson has written a book about this very thing. Here’s a summary of his book, Plan B:

Learn how God often does His best work in our most hopeless situations.

What do you do when a shattered dream or an unmet expectation causes you to turn to Plan B? Pastor and author Pete Wilson uses real life stories of disappointments and tragedy along with biblical stories such as David, Joseph, and Ruth to help readers face their own overwhelming situations and through them to learn God is working to help them surrender their plans to receive His. He identifies our common responses to difficulties and offers hope, helping us to understand what God might be up to.

See how surrender helps us to receive God's plan Embrace the community of believers Reconcile a God of love with a life of tragedy and suffering Wilson points readers to the cross as not just the starting line but the centerpiece of our stories with God where we turn in our Plan B and find the undeniable relationship between crisis and true spiritual transformation.

Do you know Pete? Of course, I don’t mean, do you know him, know him. I mean, do you read his blog (Without Wax) or follow him on Twitter (@pwilson)? He’s the pastor of a large church in Nashville, and I started reading him (following him? stalking him?) a couple years ago.

When I heard that he was writing a book called, “Plan B,” I was so excited. I feel like my life is a whole lot of Plan B, and I couldn’t wait to hear what Pete had to say about God’s role in that.

Because apparently I’m not the only one who has asked God, “Why is this happening? Don’t you know that I had other plans? And THIS isn’t it?!”

I’ll be honest. In true “giving up on perfect” fashion, I haven’t finished reading the book yet. I’m a fast reader, but when I know a book is going to be important, I force myself to slow down and really concentrate on each chapter.

But even though I’m just about halfway through “Plan B,” I can tell you already: it is good. And it is going to make a difference in my life.

In the first couple of chapters, I thought, “This is fine. I enjoy Pete’s writing, and I suppose he has some good points in here.” But I was actually a little disappointed. (Poor Pete. I really had high expectations for his book!)

Then I got to Chapter Six. And he starts talking about God’s will.

I found myself re-reading several pages – not because I didn’t understand them the first time, but because what he was saying was so important (to me) that I wanted to make sure the words fully sank in.

And that wasn’t even enough. I dog-eared the page so I could go back later!

I have a feeling I’ll be dog-earing and highlighting a lot more pages as I move deeper into the book. Yes, I like Pete’s writing. He’s conversational and honest and funny. But more importantly, he’s sharing something that I need to hear, something God wants us to understand, and something he (Pete, not God) has learned through his own life experiences.

If any part of your life hasn’t turned out the way you thought it would or should, I recommend reading Plan B by Pete Wilson. You can learn more about the book on its website, www.planbbook.com, including this video.

Have you ever had to face a Plan B in your life?

Side note: Pete lives in Nashville, which has been slammed with crazy rains and flooding this last weekend. He's posted on his blog about ways people - both local and across the country - can help.

Disclosure: I received this book free as part of Thomas Nelson’s Booksneeze program.

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Science lab, mysteries and a book review

Eighth grade was the first year we had science lab. Not being particularly inclined toward the sciences (do not even get me started on College Chemistry), I only remember two things.

One, our teacher had pigs – in a jar. And two, I was paired up with Trevor. And I did not like Trevor. I don’t remember where those feelings came from, but I remember feeling them. Strongly.

However, while I couldn’t tell you for the life of me what pickled pigs have to do with, well, anything, I can tell you what I learned from Trevor.

One day in science lab, I noticed that Trevor had a book. That still strikes me as odd, but whatever. I thought it looked interesting, and he said it was. Then he actually loaned it to me. From the moment I opened up Sue Grafton’s H is for Homicide, I was hooked.

I’d always been an avid reader and a huge fan of series, but until then I’d stuck with young adult books. Important fiction like those epic novels written by R.L. Stine. But after reading the gritty, complicated mystery by Grafton, those simplistic books didn’t do it for me anymore.

Wouldn’t it be nice if I could end this random story by telling you that Trevor and I became the best of friends after that? Well, we didn’t. But I don’t remember carrying my torch of hatred onto high school, so maybe sharing that book did bridge somehow bridge a gap. Whatever that gap was in the first place.

Today I still love reading mysteries. My favorites are political thrillers, although I eat up the cop/detective stories, like James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series (yes, another series).

But sometimes the gore and worldliness gets to me. Jonathan Kellerman used to be one of my favorite authors, harking back to my days as a psychology major. But in the past few years, I haven’t been able to enjoy – or in the case of his last book, finish – his books because the situations and people he describes are just too awful.

That’s where good Christian mysteries come in. However, that phrase, “good Christian mysteries,” is more often an oxymoron than not. Which is why I was so excited to discover Diann Mills’ Call of Duty series.

[Yes, another series. I also buy multiples in different colors when I find a pair of shoes or pants I like.]

This series, like the O’Malley books from Dee Henderson – which I LOVED, features characters with real flaws and real problems. The dialogue is authentic, the mysteries can’t be solved in the fourth chapter, and the Christian part of the book doesn’t hit you over the head with preachiness. In short, Mills writes good Christian mysteries.

Here’s the summary for Sworn to Protect (Call of Duty Series, Book 2):

Border Patrol Agent Danika Morales has sworn to protect the southern borders of our nation, but that oath has cost her. Two years ago, her husband, Toby, was killed trying to help the very immigrants Danika was responsible for sending back to Mexico. His murder was never solved. But now, a recent string of attacks and arrests leads her to believe that someone in McAllen is profiting from sneaking undocumented immigrants into the country . . . and it may somehow be tied to Toby's death.

If you like mysteries but appreciate a smart, moving story more than CSI details of human horror, I highly recommend this book and this series.

Do you like mysteries? And what about [here comes the “whammy” question] Christian fiction? What are you reading right now?

Disclosure: This book was provided for review by the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, and this post includes Amazon affiliate links.

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Book Review & a Question

Sometimes I wish I’d been an English major. Partly so I knew more about writing and partly so, when I say that I’m a big reader and people ask me if I’ve read [fill in the blank with a classic that everyone but me has read], I could say yes.

But I wasn’t. So while I love writing and reading and remember most of the English terms essential to my daily life, such as “gerund” and “participle,” I don’t know how to describe a certain type of writing.

I’ll get to that in a minute. (It will be the question I mentioned in my title, and no pressure, but I’m really counting on you all to answer it.)

Back in 1997, an unknown author published a little book called . . . [wait for it] . . . Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Remember when I mentioned not having read the books that everybody and their grandmother have read? Yeah . . . this would be one of them.

Much to my friend chelleybutton’s dismay. See, Chelley is a huge (HUGE!!) Harry Potter fan. And my lack of interest in her favorite book has been a point of slight contention between us for a while now.

She finally got me to read it, though – by giving me her copy of the book. (Don’t worry, Chelley, I know it’s just a loan!)

One night a few weeks ago, I’d finished my latest fluffy book, skimmed through my parenting magazines and didn’t feel like slogging through the serious Christian living book I’ve been nibbling on for months. So I picked up that colorful Harry Potter book and started reading.

Oh. My. Gosh. I loved it! I enjoyed fantasy books when I was younger, so this really was “my type” of book, even though I’d been protesting the exact opposite every time Chelley asked why I hadn’t read it yet. And it was so smart! And British. You know that automatically makes it better. I call it the Hugh Grant Effect.

I even found myself so absorbed in the story that one day at work, when our e-mail system temporarily crashed and I was inconvenienced trying to get a message to a co-worker in another part of the building, I actually found myself thinking, “I wish we had owls.”

Ha! I laughed so hard at myself and then, of course, told Chelley all about it. I knew she’d be thrilled that not only had I started reading her beloved book, but I was a teeny bit obsessed with it, too!

I finished it, and just in case someone else out there hasn’t read it yet either, I won’t give away anything about the ending. But I will say that I was surprised and realized I hadn’t given JK Rowling enough credit.

Chelley has loaned me copies of books 2-4 of the Harry Potter series, but I haven’t started the second book yet. I will, though. And while I’m pretty sure it won’t take me 13 years to get around to it, I told Chelley today that she may have a future fan in Annalyn. That kiddo loves picking the Harry Potter novels out of my three huge stacks of books and pretends to read them!

So here’s my question (were you wondering when I’d get around to that?): what do you call the kind of voice that Rowling uses in the book? That tone makes it clear that the story being told is a fantastical one, and it’s a little sardonic or amused. Like she knows what she’s telling us is ridiculous but it’s also wonderful, and she wants us to love it even if we’re laughing at it, too.

What is that?

One of my favorite fluffy writers, Kasey Michaels, writes a series about a female romance novelist whose main characters (a Regency heartthrob with a stuffy and semi-clueless butler-type sidekick) somehow come to life. The novelist realizes how crazy this is, but it’s happening anyway. And these silly (I know.) stories are told in the same type of tone that Harry Potter is.

So, what’s that called? Is there a technical term for it? Anyone? Bueller?

Feel free to mock me in the comments. Make fun of me for just now reading Harry Potter. Or wishing to be an English major. Or reading fluffy romance novels. Or admitting to reading fluffy romance novels.

Whatever. Just tell me if there’s a name for the type of voice or tone or SOMETHING that JK Rowling used to tell the Harry Potter story?!!

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Book Review & Giveaway: Hear No Evil

A couple weeks ago, I flew to Nashville. (I may have mentioned it a time or 12 . . . you know . . . for that conference? Yeah.)

While I love traveling and was excited to go to Blissdom, I was not excited to get on a plane. I just don’t enjoy flying. (And that was before the whole Southwest/fat people/PR disaster thing that has me completely paranoid about my next flight.)

However, this time was different. I arrived at the airport with more than enough time to spare (I was not about to relive my missed flight from August!), and settled into my seat at the gate. From there I moved into my very own row on the plane, and after collecting my two bags, I parked it near a window for about an hour.

And the whole time, I was reading. And possibly looking a little weird, because more than once, I found myself laughing out loud.

It’s not unusual for me to lose myself and all track of time in a good book. But it is unusual for me to be so caught up that FLYING doesn’t even phase me.

The book? Hear No Evil by Matthew Paul Turner.

A month or so ago, I read his memoir about growing up in a fundamental Christian home, Churched. It was good, but not quite as funny as I’d expected. (It was more eye-opening than anything, because honestly, I had no idea churches like the one he described still exist outside of movies and TV shows poking fun at Christians.)

Hear No Evil, on the other hand, did not disappoint in the humor department. If you’ve read Matthew Paul Turner’s blog (Side note: Can I call him Matt? Does he really go by the full name? What if I shorten it to MPT? I just don’t know…), you know he leans toward the sarcastic side of funny.

And if you read this blog, you know that’s my kind of funny.

Hear No Evil tells the story of MPT’s journey in the world of Christian music. From a teenager whose mom forbids him to buy an Amy Grant tape to a journalist interviewing Amy Grant herself, this story is funny yet touching, relatable yet surprising, an easy read yet somewhat thought-provoking.

Here’s the summary, but keep reading for the giveaway part:

A collection of wise, compelling, and often uproariously funny essays built around the experience of music as a transformational element in a moment of truth, Hear No Evil mines Matthew Paul Turner’s humorous memories of his evangelical youth and invites readers to groove along on his journey.

From attending forbidden contemporary Christian concerts to moving to “Music City” Nashville, Hear No Evil chronicles Turner’s “life soundtrack” which morphs seamlessly into the stories of people, places, and experiences that have taught the music-editor-turned-author some new things about God, forced him out of his comfort zone, and introduced him to a fresh view of grace along the way.

If you’ve ever had the opening bars of a song transport you back in time or remind you of a pivotal spiritual moment, Matthew Paul Turner’s honest—and frequently hilarious—musings will strike a chord. Straightforward and amusing, Hear No Evil is an exploration of a life of faith lived to a personal soundtrack.

I’M GIVING AWAY ONE COPY OF THIS BOOK. Leave a comment for a chance to win. Leave a separate comment if you subscribe to this blog for a second chance to win. And leave a separate comment if you follow me on Twitter for a third chance to win. And leave yet another separate comment if you’ve joined my Facebook page for a fourth chance to win. I'll draw a name (a.k.a. use Random.org) on Sunday.

That’s a lot of chances. I’m just sayin’.

Does your life have a soundtrack? Tell us in the comments (all the many, many comments) what song – or songs! – would be on your soundtrack o’life.

Disclosure: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

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Saturday Review: The Familiar Stranger

When I got the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance’s monthly list of books available for review, I wasn’t sure any of them looked like something I’d pick up off the library shelf. But I went ahead and requested one.

Not because I need another book on my to-read list. But because I am trying to broaden my reading tastes. (Yes, Chelley, that means I will – someday soon, I promise – read Harry Potter.)

So when The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry arrived in the mail, I wasn’t exactly jumping up and down. [Although, let’s be honest, it would take a whole lot of something special to get this girl off the ground.]

The main reason I hesitated to read this novel was my suspicion that it would be sad. Real sad. And I was right. Berry’s book certainly has its share of sad – and then some.

But that’s not the end of the story. Thankfully, the story is one of redemption and second chances and a whole host of other not-sad things.

The reason I picked up the book in the first place – aside from my nearing deadline for writing a review – was actually one of the endorsements on the back from another author whose blog about writing fiction I subscribe to.

Christina Berry is a woman who really understands how men think.
The Familiar Stranger had me from the very first sentence,
and it kept me flipping pages right through to the end.
It’s a terrific debut novel and I’ll be watching eagerly for her next one.
~ Randy Ingermanson, Christy award-winning author of Oxygen

I have to agree with Randy. The author did a great job (as far as I can tell) of getting inside not only the female protagonist’s mind, but also the man in the story, too. And she doesn’t pull any punches. Don’t expect to fall in love with the main character’s husband in those first few pages, but do expect to be hooked!

For a few days, I read this in every spare second. Even toward the end, when I was pretty sure I knew what would happen, I just kept reading. (And, for the record, I was mostly right, thanks to my vast consumption of stories in all mediums. Still, Grey’s Anatomy has nothing on this complicated story!)

Here’s the summary, and you can read more about the author on her website.

Craig Littleton's decision to end his marriage would shock his wife, Denise . . . if she knew what he was up to. When an accident lands Craig in the ICU, with fuzzy memories of his own life and plans, Denise rushes to his side, ready to care for him.

They embark on a quest to help Craig remember who he is and, in the process, they discover dark secrets. An affair? An emptied bank account? A hidden identity? An illegitimate child?

But what will she do when she realizes he's not the man she thought he was? Is this trauma a blessing in disguise, a chance for a fresh start? Or will his secrets destroy the life they built together?

Have you read any [unexpectedly] good books lately?

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It’s a Wonderful (Imperfect) Life

I’ve always been what you might call particular. Or, if you’re so inclined, persnickety. I prefer to say I’m exact or, you know, a fan of things being correct.

Whatever you call it, this characteristic has served me well when it comes to my understanding and use of the English language.

Yes, you know it. I’m one of those. I’m a card-carrying member of The Grammar Police. I’m a spelling bee lover. I’m a nerd.

That’s why becoming a professional proofreader was just about the most sensible job change I’ve ever made. (And let me just remind you I have made more than a few job changes in my life.)

So it’s a bit ironic that it was at this very job that I discovered what has become my favorite quote:

The thing that is really hard, and really amazing,
is giving up on being perfect
and beginning the work of becoming yourself.

What? But my job is based on being perfect! If I’m not perfect, then we’re all in trouble!

Um, no. Not really. It turns out that missing a typo on an ad for dog food does not, in fact, cause the world to stop turning.

Allegedly Apparently, nobody really expects me to be perfect.

What a relief! And, honestly, what a struggle. It’s hard for me to accept less than the best, even from – no, especially from – myself. It turns out I’m not alone in this struggle.

Joan C. Webb, a recovering workaholic and perfectionist, has written several books on this very topic, including her newest, It’s a Wonderful (Imperfect) Life. This devotional is a collection of daily reminders that God wants and longs to relieve women from living in a continually overwhelmed state. By reducing our unrealistic expectations, we can find the difference between “trying too hard to make it all just right” (mental chase for flawlessness, which is impossible) and “partnering with God for excellence” (enjoying quality in balance, which is not only possible, but reasonable).

Today, I have the opportunity to share with you one of the devotions from Joan’s book.

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Mark of a Perfect Perfectionist

To all perfection I see a limit. – Psalm 119:96

For months I meticulously planned for a state-wide writing seminar. I wrote confirmation letters, signed contracts, made phones calls and took notes. Schedules and menus were verified, deposits made, and attendance counts submitted.

I arrived at the hall on the designated morning to discover the speaker and board members standing on the sidewalk in the cold. All doors were locked. A security guard drove by, felt sorry for us and let us in. Once inside, we found no podium, microphone or breakfast setup. I made some phone calls and a half an hour later learned that the mix-up was due to someone's faulty alarm clock. He would take a shower, get dressed and come set-up for us. Obviously, this would happen past our starting time.

We had no control over these circumstances, but we had a choice: We could ignore reality (remember, that’s the mark of a perfect perfectionist!) and force through our perfectly planned agenda, consequently experiencing mounting stress, or we could smile, be flexible and bypass the frustration.

We chose to laugh and start the seminar late. The situation confirmed to me again that trying to be a perfect person in an imperfect world is impossible. It also showed me something else: I can change. And that’s no small miracle! Thank you, Lord.

Lord, there are obvious limits to all my perfect planning.
Help me learn to be flexible and adjust to changing circumstances.

Make It Personal: What happened to you this week that you had absolutely no control over? What did you like or not like about how you handled it?

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This post is part of a blog tour traveling the Internet over the next several days. The next devotional will be posted on A Future Pastor’s Wife on Monday, and you can see all the posts on Joan’s site.

How do you deal with less-than-perfect situations you have no control over?

What happens when a "what if" comes true?

A few years ago, before I had even the desire to have a child, my mom said to me, “I’m worried that you are afraid to have a baby, because you’ve known so many people who have had trouble.”

I was so annoyed. Just because I knew a couple people who’d had difficulty starting families didn’t mean anything.

I mean, sure, there was my cousin who spent weeks on bedrest and my other cousin who went through years of fertility treatments in order to have children. Then there were my friends who’d had miscarriages and the girl I knew who almost bled to death during delivery. And, of course, there was my mom herself who lost a baby before I was born.

Okay, so maybe I did know a lot of people who’d had traumatic pregnancies and deliveries. And to top it off with the years I spent working around children with leukemia? Having a child was sounding pretty scary!

And, yeah, it is.

Mark gets so annoyed with me when I tell him all the possible ways Annalyn can get hurt. Or sick. Or . . . you know . . . worse.

But then I remind him that he’s not the one bombarded with information. I am! From magazines to books to blogs to friends, I’m constantly hearing stories and warnings and nightmares.

And I can’t help but think . . . what if? What if the worst thing possible happened?

Mary DeMuth’s Defiance Texas Trilogy asks those same questions, and in A Slow Burn, the second book, Emory Chance’s “what if” nightmare has come true.

I read Daisy Chain, the first of the series, earlier this year. It was a hard book to read, an emotional punch in the gut more than once, but I’ve been looking forward to reading more of the story in the second book. Sometimes you just have to know what happens, even if you are covering your eyes the whole time you peer into the story.

A Slow Burn has finally been released, and you can read the first chapter online (and get hooked yourself).

Here’s a blurb about the book:

She touched Daisy’s shoulder. So cold. So hard. So unlike Daisy.

Yet so much like herself it made Emory shudder.

Burying her grief, Emory Chance is determined to find her daughter Daisy’s murderer—a man she saw in a flicker of a vision. But when the investigation hits every dead end, her despair escalates. As questions surrounding Daisy’s death continue to mount, Emory’s safety is shattered by the pursuit of a stranger, and she can’t shake the sickening fear that her own choices contributed to Daisy’s disappearance. Will she ever experience the peace her heart longs for?

The second book in the Defiance, Texas Trilogy, this suspenseful novel is about courageous love, the burden of regret, and bonds that never break. It is about the beauty and the pain of telling the truth. Most of all, it is about the power of forgiveness and what remains when shame no longer holds us captive.

“She can’t shake the sickening fear that her own choices contributed to Daisy’s disappearance.” I think this is the part that rocks me. Because I can only imagine – even though I don’t want to – how I’d feel if something happened to my own daughter. How I’d deal with that. How I’d face myself. How I’d live with myself – live with what happened, no matter what had happened – after that.

And the beauty of A Slow Burn is that it doesn’t just stop after answering the terrible question, “What if the worst thing possible happened?” It also answers the question of how you can go on living after it does.

How do you get over the “what ifs”?

Too Many Choices, Not Enough Life?

In 2004, I read an article in Newsweek that rang so true and moved me so much that I tore it out and kept that piece of slick paper in a file folder for five years. Written by a young woman my age, I Can Do Anything, So How Do I Choose? hit home. When the author said, "[W]e are now discovering the difficulty of deciding just what makes us happy in a world of innumerable options," I knew exactly what she meant.

After all, I'm the girl who changed her major four times in four years. And in the less than 10 years since I graduated, I haven't just had several different jobs, I've had several different this-is-it-I've-found-my-true-calling-and-I-will-do-this-forever career paths.

So when Thomas Nelson Publishing offered the chance to read Marcus Buckingham's latest book, called Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently, I jumped on it.

Especially when I found out the book - and Buckingham's philosophy - involved a personality test. I do love answering multiple choice quizzes to find out how weird awesome I am.

Before I tell you what I learned in this book, go take the quiz. Go on. I'll wait. Take the Strong Life Test.

So, what are your roles? I'm an Influencer and a Motivator. I'm still waiting for the definitive answer of what exactly that means, what I should be when I grow up, what will finally make me feel strong, successful, fulfilled.

But even though it didn't give me the exact answer I'm looking for, reading Find Your Strongest Life has given me a few more tools for getting to that answer.

Buckingham worked for Gallup Organization and has years of experience figuring out what makes people tick. And one trend he noticed in that time is that women, as a whole, are not happy and successful. He says that we're paralyzed by too many choices.

Not that he's implying women should have fewer options. Instead, he believes women need to learn how to better go about making our choices, how to deal with all the options we have. He suggests thinking back - over the last week, into your childhood, whatever it takes - to find the moments when you feel your strongest. And those are the moments we should, he says, catch and cradle. And then use in our primary and secondary roles (from the Strong Life Test) to create a full an fulfilling life.

No juggling. No talk of balance. Can you believe that?

It sounds a little crazy, not what we're used to hearing. But you know what? I think he might be on to something. (And, for the record, dozens of women who participated in an Oprah workshop with Buckingham seem to agree.)

I haven't quite sorted through all the things that I read in this book. But it's making me think. A lot.

As for the book itself, I loved that Buckingham used lots of real-life examples of women who have made choices and found their strong lives. I could have done without all the background and build-up in the first half of the book, but I've written enough research papers to understand why he structured it that way.

If you want to live a strong life and aren't quite there yet, check out Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently.

Are you living a strong life? Yes or no, I'd love to hear about it!

Can you imagine a life without fear?

Five years ago, I coordinated an eight-week fundraising campaign, including the semi-formal, catered dinner and auction that capped it off. A project that had previously raised around $100,000 to help fight cancer had grown to raise nearly $275,000. I name that campaign as one of the top two accomplishments of my entire life.

At the close of that final event, the script I’d written called for someone to walk up on stage, take the microphone and announce the final total we had raised. After working my tail off for months and pouring my heart and soul into the whole thing, I was – what I call understandably – pretty darned proud of our success.

So you can imagine how excited I was to hop up on stage and announce what we’d done.

But before I could do just that, my manager speed-walked through the room and stomped up the stairs to make the announcement – and, presumably, take credit for what had been accomplished.

Immediately, my eyes welled with tears. I think I even turned away, not able to watch what I perceived to be an incredible injustice. In less than one minute, I went from a completely confident professional practically vibrating with excitement to a shaking, angry, devastated girl who just wanted to hide in the bathroom.

What on earth? What happened in that moment?

As I stood there with my curled hair and made-up eyes, in the beautiful ballroom packed with generous guests, I was overcome by fear. I was afraid that all my work would go unnoticed. I was afraid that nobody would realize who was truly responsible for the campaign’s success. I was afraid that nothing I did really mattered.

I was afraid of being insignificant.

It turns out I’m not the only one afraid of insignificance. At least, I think I must not be, because Max Lucado addresses that very topic first in his latest book, Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear.

We’re all afraid of something. For me, the list includes trains, bugs that sting, losing someone else I love in a car accident, something bad happening to my daughter, my husband dying and not living up to my potential. And that’s just the Cliff Notes version.

With Fearless, Lucado asks us to imagine a life without fear. Addressing 12 types of fears, including insignificance, violence, change, poverty, death and being unforgivable, Lucado uses Scripture to illustrate just how God can eliminate each of those fears and ends with a chapter about the one legitimate fear: the fear of the Lord.

Written with light self-deprecating humor and a casual, friendly tone, Fearless is an easy, encouraging and sometimes even entertaining read. On the other hand, Lucado’s quiet confidence backed by solid Scripture references allows the book to carry more weight, more substance than any oversimplified reminder that God is in control and everything will be all right.

I kept waiting to be disappointed by this book. You might find this shocking, but before “Fearless,” I hadn’t read any books by Max Lucado. I own books by Max Lucado, but I hadn’t read any. [Sorry, Mr. Lucado.]

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Some Christian books glaze over the hard questions, skimming the surface of real life and offering pleasant platitudes to ease our pain and dispel our fears.

Lucado didn’t get off that easily. Sure, I finished a couple chapters and wished I’d gotten more answers. But not because Lucado ignored the fact that sometimes bad things do happen – even to those with enormous faith. No, he fully acknowledges that fact of life.

I guess part of me was just hoping this book would provide a step-by-step, money-back guaranteed list of instructions on how to get rid of every fear. In 30 days or less, of course.

With or without an infomercial-style solution, Fearless is a good book. It was a quick and easy read, but it also offers the possibility for more with a 37-page discussion guide that can be used by individuals or groups. I read some of the book’s chapters in-depth, but I skimmed others. And I think using a guide like this one would be helpful.

Are you wondering how my big fancy event ended? Well, I was blessed to have amazing friends at that job, and one of those women saw what was happening. And before I could allow those tears to spill down my cheeks and completely shrink into myself, she grabbed my arm and pulled me up to the stage.

I took the microphone. I made the announcement. The crowd clapped. And then I cried.

Since then I’ve realized that applause and microphones and spotlights don’t make me significant. Only God does that. But it’s still something I struggle with every single day. And I’m thankful for Lucado’s reminder in Fearless: “Courage is always a possibility.”

What are you afraid of?

Book Review: Tour de Force by Elizabeth White

*This review is part of The Blog Tour Spot.*

You know how at the end of every dance movie, there’s a big emotional dance scene where everything just falls into place?

Well, at the end of Tour de Force by Elizabeth White, there’s a . . . oh no, you aren’t going to trick me like that. I’m not going to tell you what happens at the end!

I will tell you that the book has dancing in it. Dancing that I appreciate so much more because of my love of So You Think You Can Dance. Dancing that has a whole new element because of the main characters’, well, character.

I’d read books by Elizabeth White before and thought they were pretty cute. Not too fluffy and pretty fun reads. Tour de Force was about the same, and even featured characters mentioned in previous books or related to characters from previous books.

(Although I’m not about to admit how far into the book I was before I realized that. It had been a couple years since I read one of White’s novels. And I read a lot of books, okay?! How can I remember every single character? . . . Okay, so I was more than halfway through the book when it hit me.)

I did feel that Tour de Force was a bit heavier, somewhat deeper than the other books by White. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I enjoyed reading about dance, and seriously, having watched so much dance on TV and in movies over the past few years really fueled my imagination and colored my perspective on the story.

The dialogue had a few clunky spots. One that stood out in particular was when a character used the word “eldest.” I’ve just never heard anyone say that in real life. Then again, I think the character who said that was British, so it’s possible that the British say it all the time. I wouldn’t really know. (Unless I heard it from Nigel Lythgoe, who is British and a dancer, which makes this random SYTYCD reference oh-so relevant.)

Some readers may find the resolution of the story a bit far-fetched, but I believe the author is trying to stretch our faith and open our minds a bit. What happens to each of the characters, I think, is quite possible and certainly a bit thought-provoking.

Or maybe it’s just an overly simple solution to a sticky story arc. You can decide for yourself, but for me, I liked Tour de Force. Here’s the summary:

Gillian Kincade is a soloist with Ballet New York, a sought-after guest artist, and a committed Christian. Though she may be an anomaly in the world of dance, Gilly believes her devotion to God isn’t compromised by following her dreams. Then she meets Jacob Ferrar.

Jacob is the brilliant young artistic director of the Birmingham Ballet Theatre and a born-again Christian. When he offers Gillian the lead in his latest ballet she accepts, knowing it won’t necessarily further her career, but it will touch her soul.

On the chaotic road to opening night, Gilly and Jacob develop a deep professional respect for each other and begin to fall in love. Then their brilliant first performance is destroyed by a terrible accident, and suddenly both must face an uncertain future. Together, they dance the fine line between personal vision and God’s will, listening for the guidance of the Father’s heart.

Do you like dance movies? What about Christian fiction? Tell me what you’re reading and/or watching this summer!

Saturday Review: Sunset Beach by Trish Perry

Sonny Miller is tired of not knowing who she is. Soon she’ll begin graduate school to earn her masters in Psychology. But how can she counsel future clients about their identities when she isn’t even sure about her own? To that end she has cooked up a little meeting at a certain beach house in San Diego.

Sonny’s mother, classical soprano Teresa Miller, isn’t aware she’s about to be reunited at the beach house with her sister, Melanie Hines, after 25 years of estrangement. And Sonny isn’t aware her mother has invited a surprise guest of her own. Russian adoptee, Irina Petrova, finds herself dragged along on a trip so tumultuous she summons her handsome concert violinist brother for moral support.

The four women converge on the funky little beach house in San Diego, each with her own disappointments and hopes about family, identity, and love. For Sonny, the trip reveals all she expected and more than she ever dreamed.

When I signed up to review Sunset Beach by Trish Perry, I was excited because I’d read two other books by her and loved them. I remember laughing out loud more than once while reading them. And you know how I like the funny.

When I received the book in the mail, I started wondering if it would be as good. After all, the cover art may not be worse than Perry’s earlier books, but it was certainly different. And not really my style, to be honest.

Then I started reading the book. And I noticed that the author was using multiple points of view (POV), a writing style that I’ve been learning about in my never-ending (seriously, who knew I had so much to learn?) research into the world of writing, editing and publishing.

And I decided I didn’t like multiple POVs.

But I kept plugging along, partly because I’d signed up to read the book and couldn’t back out on that commitment, partly because I’m weird that way and just can’t stop reading a book in the middle.

I’m so glad I kept reading. Eventually, I realized that the only reason I was stuck on the different points of view was because I was seeing the story from the perspective of three different women – whereas the books I normally read focus on a man and a woman. (Yes, I like romance. Sue me.) Once I got that figured out, I felt much more comfortable.

Plus, I decided that I’m nowhere near an editing expert yet, so I’d better leave the point of view critiquing to the experts.

To sum up my long story, I liked Sunset Beach. I think certain Iowan friends – and those who love them – would like it because despite the duplicitous premise of the book’s plot, the characters were actually upfront and forthright with each other. At least, more so than characters are in most books in this genre.

If you’d like to get your own copy of Sunset Beach by Trish Perry, you’re in luck. It came out last month, and you can get it at your local Amazon store. (Just kidding. I know Amazon isn’t local. Ha!)

And in case you’d like to read other books by Trish Perry – funny ones with sweet stories – check out Too Good to Be True and The Guy I’m Not Dating.

Now, because I’m a giver, here are a few questions answered by Ms. Trish Perry herself. (And for more information about Trish, visit her website!)

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Well, hands down, I’d have to be able to teleport. Frankly, I’d travel a lot more if it weren’t for airports! I would have chosen the superpower of flying, but who wants to carry all that luggage in the air? If I could teleport, I could have my luggage in my circle of teleportability (you have heard of those, yes?), and it would teleport with me, free of luggage searches and additional-baggage fees.

What has God been teaching you lately?

I’ve been blown away by how clearly He forgives my weaknesses. Things have occurred in my life over the past 18 months for which (right or wrong) I carried a burden of guilt. You know, that feeling of “how did I contribute to this mess?” Yet He has blessed me so abundantly in the midst of my feelings of conviction, that He amazes me daily with His obvious love. The blessings keep me humbly aware of how much I need Him. And they instill in me such a strong desire to serve Him and to follow His guidance and will.

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

I love writing dialogue. What a control freak’s dream, to have control over what everyone says, including the antagonist. If only life were that easy, LOL! But truly, sometimes a scene simply shapes itself right before my eyes when the characters are engaged in dialogue. I don’t know quite what will be expressed sometimes, and I love it when it flows even faster than I seem to be able to think it.

When you write do you generally know where you’re headed or are you sometimes as surprised as your characters about the way things end?

There is always surprise, no matter how well I plan out a book’s progress. I was just talking with my editor about that the other day, the fact that the initial summary I write might change a bit as events unfold around my protagonist. I think that’s happened with every book I’ve written. I typically write a summary, which tells me generally where the story will go, and then I write a sentence or two per chapter idea, and then I start hammering away on Chapter One. As I write actual chapters, the events between “Once upon a time” and “The End” evolve in more significant ways than I expected in the first place. It’s an exciting process!

What would you say to someone who wants to become a published author?

Give the endeavor to God first. And daily. When doubts arise (and they will), you must be able to fall back on the knowledge that your efforts are for Him. And know that He will never show you the way by crushing your efforts with rejection and desolation. If He wants you to do something other than writing, He’ll lovingly draw you to that other endeavor.
That said, take all the practical steps to learn the craft and the business. Read (both how-to’s and novels), write, network, and submit. Over and over again.

Where did you get the idea for the book?

The setting (the funky little house on Mission Beach) and time frame (one or two weeks’ time) were already established for me by my publisher. All of the books in The Beach House series fall within those parameters. But the characters and their stories formulated over time. First I dreamed up Sonny—a young woman who had lived her entire life devoid of details about her family background, thanks to her secretive mother. Sonny had reached a point where she wanted to take control of her own life. Her mother was the barrier to that, so Sonny needed to both go around her mother and barrel headlong towards her. The hidden details about Sonny’s past arose as I created each new character. Even though my own family is close and forthcoming about our family history, there have always been fuzzy areas about which I’ve wanted to know more. I imagined how difficult it would be if your entire family history were fuzzy. I know I’d be compelled to act as Sonny did.

What are the major themes of the book?

My books always end up having a broad overall theme of the importance of seeking God’s guidance in everything. That’s never been deliberate—that’s just the way my stories work out. But for Sunset Beach, the most important theme entails our personal identities and how we determine them. Upon whom, or what, do we base our beliefs about who we are, what we’re worth, what our purpose in life is? A subtheme in the book has to do with the struggle to approach romance and passion appropriately. I think that’s a tough one for every single person I know, and it brings us right back to that whole seeking-God’s-guidance-in-everything theme.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

First, I hope they’ll find the book entertaining. I want them to enjoy Sonny’s journey and the way her discoveries uncover secrets and feelings for the people around her. I hope they’ll be amused, but only when I mean them to be! On a grander scale, I hope readers will be touched by the whole issue of personal identity and how God factors into that. I never want to write a preachy book—but I certainly enjoy hearing when my books are inspiring. My prayer before every book I write is that God will give me the story someone somewhere needs to read in order to feel more of what He wants them to feel. Then I leave it up to Him.

Disclosure: I received my copy of this book free from the publisher, as part of a project with The Blog Tour Spot. However, for whatever it’s worth, I would have read it anyway, since I’ve read this author before and liked her. (Of course, I would have checked it out from the library, so I suppose that doesn’t really help the publisher anyway.)

Book Review: The Noticer by Andy Andrews

"Orange Beach, Alabama, is a simple town filled with simple people. But they all have their share of problems – marriages teetering on the brink of divorce, young adults giving up on life, business people on the verge of bankruptcy, and many of the other obstacles that life seems to dish out to the masses.

"Fortunately, when things look the darkest, a mysterious old man named Jones has a miraculous way of showing up. Communicating what he calls “a little perspective,” Jones explains that he has been given a gift of noticing things that others miss. In his simple interactions, Jones speaks to that part in everyone that is yearning to understand why things happen and what they can do about it."

According to the book’s description, The Noticer is “based on a remarkable true story.” It blends fiction, allegory and inspiration to share several basic truths about life that often get overlooked or forgotten in the daily grind of living in this world.

As a reader, I’m not 100% sure which part of the book is true and which part is fiction. The author, Andy Andrews, writes as if it’s all true, as if he encountered Jones and has lived an extraordinary life because of the perspective – the advice – Jones gave him. Really, whether it’s true or not doesn’t really matter. Because the wisdom that Jones – the man or the character – shares is true, life-changing and perspective-giving.

The Noticer tells of Jones’ visit to Orange Beach and the people he visits. Always showing up at the most appropriate time, the old man points out different ways of looking at situations, changing not just a person’s outlook but also the direction of his or her life. He meets with the Wayward, the Lover Lost, the Worrier, the Lustful Youth, the Workaholic and the Useless.

And they hear what he has to say. And they understand. And their lives are changed.

This video shares a bit more about the book. Don't worry - "full length" is less than 4 minutes.



Thankfully, I don’t have all the problems the folks in this book do. But I could identify with some of them. The most poignant insight that Jones shared – for me – was what he shared with an old woman who believed she’d outlived her usefulness:

“If you are breathing, you are still alive. If you are alive, then you are still here, physically, on this planet. If you are still here, then you have not completed what you were put on earth to do. If you have not completed what you were put on earth to do . . . that means your very purpose has not yet been fulfilled. If your purpose has not yet been fulfilled, then the most important part of your life has not yet been lived. And if the most important part of your life has not been lived . . . then there is proof of hope for more.”

That’s a good word, right there.

Starting tomorrow, April 28, you can buy The Noticer by Andy Andrews and read more of Jones’ insights and get a little perspective of your own.

I tend to believe I’m a pretty good Noticer myself, able to see what’s really going on in a person’s situation and look at it from a different, healthier, more productive perspective. And then there’s my own life – I’m not so good at getting perspective on that.

What about you? Are you good at getting a healthy, accurate perspective on your own life? Or do you find it easier to be wise when it comes to other people’s lives? And . . . has there been a Jones in your life? Has anyone ever helped you notice details and directions in your life that you might otherwise have missed?

This week, I’m going to talk about the Noticers in my life. You can do it, too. Check out The Noticer Project, and join the movement to notice the most influential people in your life. It can be public – your blog, Facebook, etc. – or private, whatever works for you. There’s no need to wait for a wedding, graduation or even a funeral to notice them. No need to wait to be tagged for this meme.

Just start noticing your Noticers.