Parables of Pigs Review

About The Book:

 Do you have the "right" qualifications to serve as a missionary? How do  you know you're hearing "the call," anyway? In this collection of missionary biographies and modern-day parables, you'll learn that your
skills, experience, and past don't really matter - only your obedience to a God who knows exactly how, when, and where He can use you to pour out His love to hungry souls. A young marriage destroyed by military  service. A man given over to drugs and alcohol, taunted by the Enemy and rescued by a forgotten Savior. Restored to life and love, then called to serve. "Portrait of a Walk in Faith." A childhood lost to violence, innocence ripped away. Transformed from cutting her body to sharing God's inestimable love with fatherless children around the world. "Portrait of a Broken Heart."  Two financially disastrous injuries. On the verge of losing their home. Surely God was calling the wrong family at the wrong time to help build an orphanage. "Portrait of a  Builder." "The path to missions isn't what you imagine." "The stories that Jackie has written and collected will make you smile, cause  you to reflect, and hopefully inspire you to find your place in God's story. Through them, Jackie encourages us to play an active role in the divine narrative of bringing glory to God among the nations. Her modern-day parables illustrate how our own lives can be interwoven with the grander story of God's love and pursuit of His creation.""-Omar Garcia, Missions Pastor at Kingsland Baptist Church, Katy, TX

My Review:

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be a missionary? Well Parables of PIGS goes in detail of each missions life. Telling you what they are struggling with and what they want from life. Some include:

•     A young marriage destroyed by military service. A man given over to drugs and alcohol, taunted by the Enemy and rescued by the forgotten Savior. Restored to life and love, then called to serve. Portrait of a Walk in Faith.

•     A childhood lost to violence, innocence ripped away. Transformed from cutting her body to sharing God's inestimable love with fatherless children around the world. Portrait of a Broken Heart.

•     Two financially disastrous injuries. On the verge of losing their home. Surely God was calling the wrong family at the wrong time to help build an orphanage. Portrait of a Builder.

I really enjoyed the Parable of the Wedding Ring. This parable tells of the power of prayer. Of which all Christians should know of. The author is on a plane headed to Miami when her seating companion started to look for something. So asked him what was wrong and if she could help. He told her, he lost his wedding band, and continued frantically searching. The asked the flight attendant to help as she came to tell they needed to be seated. She told them she would announce to later on the loud speaker, but after an hour she soon forgot. As the hour went by the author sat there praying for the man, praying he would find the ring. The author seating companion soon started looking again, this time their seating companion beside the window asks them whats going on. As they tell her, she recalls a woman she bumped into earlier had found a ring on their plane. The man begins begging her to go find the woman and ask her for the ring. As the woman gets up, the author continues praying. The woman arrives with the ring and presents it to the man. The author goes and tells you of how this goes with the bible verse: Mark 9:23-24.

About The Author:

 Jacqueline (Jackie) Sayles was born in Bristol England in April, 1946. She was awarded a full major scholarship to attend the Arts Educational Trust where she studied Dance, Drama and English Literature. She enjoyed  a successful career in London's West End theatre before marrying and having a family. Jackie moved to West Palm Beach, Florida with her family in 1981, and started a very successful career in Real Estate. Later, having moved to Tampa, Florida, she opened a lovely Tea Room and Christian Book Store called Miracles & Maggies Tea Room. Presently, Jackie is serving as a Missionary and fundraiser for City of Hope Orphanage in Honduras.

Three Months in Florence Review

 

About The Book:
 Lena Wallace was supposed to go to Italy on her honeymoon. That was sixteen years ago. Instead, she settles for cooking Spaghetti Bolognese for her two children while her husband, Alex, is on yet another business trip to Florence without her. Lena deals with his absences in the same stoic way she deals with all her responsibilities. And then comes the call that changes everything—the one from Alex’s Italian mistress. Stunned and heartsick, Lena flies to Florence to confront Alex. The city is every bit as beautiful as she imagined, from its glittering fountains and cafes to the golden sunsets over rolling hills. But the further she goes to salvage her marriage, the less Lena recognizes herself—or the husband she’s trying to win back. Instead, she’s catching glimpses of the person she once hoped to be and the life and family she truly wants. Most of all, she’s wondering if the real journey is only just beginning…
My Review:
Lena met her husband Alex back in college about 16 years ago. The minute she laid eyes on him she knew he was the one, the one she was going to marry. Their relationship develops more and more, soon they are married. They were so in love, they planned to go to Italy for their honeymoon. But that was then and this is now, Lena is stuck at home once again with their two kids while her husband is in Florence. When she receives a package of a dozen roses and a note that says I'm Sorry, she gets a little upset. He was suppose to come that day, so Lena takes it upon her self to Skype him. Expecting Alex to answer, Lena was quite drawn back to see a beautiful Italian woman, named Alexandria, answer. After a few questions, Lena finds out that Alexandria is no less than Alex's mistress. So Lena packs up and heads out to Florence, to confront Alex.


About The Author:
MARY CARTER is a freelance writer and novelist. The Pub Across the Pond, is her fifth novel with Kensington. It is also available as an audiobook through Blackstone Audio. In July of 2012 it will be the pick of the month for the Barnes and Noble online book club. Her other works include: My Sister's Voice, Sunnyside Blues, She'll Take It, and Accidentally Engaged. In addition to her novels she has written two novellas: A Very Maui Christmas in the New York Times best selling anthology Holiday Magic, and The Honeymoon House in the New York Times best selling anthology Almost Home. Her novels have been translated in the UK, France, Germany, China, South Korea, Brazil, and Portugal. Although the deal didn't culminate in a sale, She'll Take It was optioned by Paramount Pictures. Her sixth novel, The Things I Do For You, will be released July 31, 2012, and her next novella will be out in the Spring of 2013. Readers are welcome to visit her at marycarterbooks.com, Mary Carter books on Facebook, or @marycarterbooks on Twitter.

 Disclosure: This book was given to me for free by the Author for my honest review.

Have You Seen My Shoe? Review

 

About The Book:
 Jason woke up in the morning with excitement. Today was his first day in kindergarten. He waited a long time for this day and it finally arrived. He took off his pajamas and started to dress: he put on his shirt, put on his pants, put on the right shoe and... Wait a minute! Where did the other shoe go? He looked for the shoe all over the room: under the bed, behind the curtain, on the bookshelf and even inside the cat's basket ... but he couldn't find it anywhere. As he didn't want to be late to kindergarten, he decided to go look for it outside ... Who knows where this shoe could be...
My Review:
Jason wakes up on his first day of kindergarten to find, his shoe is missing. Jason looks every where around his house, still the shoe is not able to be found. So Jason heads out to the grocery store, to ask the grocer if he's seen it. But the grocer hasn't seen it and sends him to the vegetable-stand down the street. Jason travels from place to place, not finding his shoe. But he's finds it in the most interesting place ever.
This book teaches us about how important it is to keep up with our possessions. It also included the many things you would find in different places.
I read this book to one of my little brothers and he found it quite enjoyable. He and I both enjoyed the colorful illustrations. Each one helping bring this book into a better prospective.
About The Author: (From The Author)
My name is Sarit Gilor. I'm the author of several highly imaginative children's books including Nellie's Magic Glasses and The Merry Adventures of Charlie the Choo-Choo, and I promised there would be many more to come. I believe in inspiring creativity, communication, curiosity and imagination in children through reading. In fact, evidence suggests that children who read for enjoyment every day are more likely to do well at school, develop a broader vocabulary and increase general knowledge than those who don't. I have a lot of fun creating stories that entertain my young readers and hopefully teach them important everyday lessons in a fun and easy to understand manner.

  Disclosure: This book was given to me for free by the Author for my honest review.

Sonrise Stable: Clothed With Thunder Review

 

About The Book:

This is Book 3 in a Series of 4.
After sitting through a 4-H demonstration on the evolution of the horse, Rosie and Carrie are determined to present the arguments for creation at the club’s next meeting. The demonstration proves harder to put together than they imagined as everyone offers the girls their opinions. The lessons Rosie learns about creation extend into her life in surprising ways as she faces her old adversary, Billy King, who cheated her out of her first trophy with her pony, Scamper.
My Review:
In Clothed With Thunder, Rosie and her newly adopted sister, Carrie were sitting in their 4-H class. Believing in God, they were horrified to hear of the supposed evolution of horses. Rosie and Carrie try to come up with a way to prove that God created all living things, even horses. But as they go along it proves to be harder then they thought, after hearing the opinions of others. With the help of Grandma, recovering from a broken leg, and their Mom, the girls prepare their own report on the creation of the horse. Will they be able to prove evolution wrong and still get the respect they deserve? Or will everything fall apart?

The author has done a wonderful job making these books. Being the third in the series, they just keep getting better and better. I love how the characters are home-schooled because not many books, christian or otherwise, the children are home-schooled. Being a homeschool student myself, its great to find a series that has children that are home-schooled. I can't wait for the next book.




About The Author ( taken from the authors' website): 
My love of horses began at the age of 8 when a teenage neighbor offered me my first horseback ride. Horses were to become a very important part of my life, although I never could have imagined, at the time, how much God would teach me about Himself and my relationship to Him through these wonderful animals. The Sonrise Stable series combines my love of God and horses in stories designed to help children learn more about both. I have been blessed with three daughters and home-schooled each through high school. I enjoy trail riding my Rocky Mountain mare, Nikki, hiking, photography, and playing guitar. I work from home as a web designer.