Book Tour: What Matters Most: Diary of a Teenage Girl

Author Melody Carlson

Publisher: Multnomah, 2009

Pages 239

Source: Review copy from publisher for book tour

This book can be purchased from Random House

What is normal? Was my ubringing, my life normal? Howe do we know what normal is? These were questions I asked myself as I read Melody Carlson's book, "What Matters Most". I was disappointed to find out that this was the 6th book in this series and I had not read numbers one through five. Melody Carlson was a new author to me. To that end I must now get books one through five so I can catch up. This book was a great and easy read and although it was part of a series iwas worked well as a stand alone book. My students kept picking it up from my desk and asking if I had finished it yet so they could check it out. It already has a waiting list of 7 readers. Not bad for a group of kids who don't like to read.

May is like so many of my students. She has a rough life and she has had to learn to deal with these issues on her own. Maya's father is the famous musician Nick Stark. Her mother Shannon is in prison. Maya lives with her uncle and has managed to get her GED. Still she has gone back to high school. Now all the counselor wants to know is what grade to put her in. After much praying and soul searching, Maya decides to become a senior.

Maya finds herself with guy troubles. She and dominic are no longer dating. She just wants them to be friends. Her troubles don't end there. Vanessa has targeted her and she doesn't know why until a friend points out to her that Vanessa's ex-boyfriend Wyatt has been making eyes at her. How could she have missed this? She does everything to discourage him. She finally gets everyone together to try to cfreate peace. She invites Dominic to help her by performing during Open Mike. She has written som pieces of music. Her father has tried to discourage her from entering the world of musicl On the night of Open Mike, Chloe and Aliie from the group Redemption hear her sing. They invite her to jam with them. From this moment on Maya's life changes and she is faced with many difficult decisions. She has been invited to join the group and tour with them. This will mean becoming emancipated. This is something she has been working on since her mother landed in prison. Since her mother has just been released and is trying to get back into her life Maya is working harder on her emancipation. Joining Redemption means leaving her friend Melissa who is back home recovering from a terrible auto accident that left her brain damaged. all of this means doing a lot of praying and searching for God's will. After all of her decision making she often wonders if she made the right decision. She constantly asks God to guide her as she makes her way.

This book came at the right time. I found myself looking at the scriptures and looking at the advice given and realizing that it came at just the right time. This is a message of hope and putting all of our faith and trust in God so that we may lead a Christ filled life. I can't wait for it to make the rounds of my students. This is a great book with a great message.

I am so glad that Multnomah gave me the opportunity to participate in this book tour and to read and review such an awesome book. I was introduce to a writer I had never heard of and have found a new author to follow.

The Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Willkinson

Publisher: Multnomah Publishers, 2000

Pages: 93

Source: gift

This book was a gift to me. It takes two verses from the Bible's Old Testament and gives the reader hope. Based on 1Chronicles 4:9-10, it takes a simple prayer and teaches us to ask God to bless us and help us prosper. There are many places in the Bible that show the reader that God wants us to prosper. This is another example of that promise.

Desperate Highway by Jesse Stretch

Desperate Highwasy The True Story of a Criminal was one of the most fascinating books I have every read. This was the story of the very successful businessman, Jeff Andrews. The problem was his success was based on falsehoods. He was a conman extraordinaire. I was fascinated that he was able to commit such crimes and stay on the run as long as he did. At the same time I was repulsed by how calloused he seemed to be at hurting and taking advantage of others. I felt sorry for him when I realized how low he had sunk into booze and drugs. I felt the demon that haunted him. Only someone who has truly dropped so close to hell can descripe the demon the way he has. On the other hand, only someone who has felt God's love reach down and lift him out of Satan's grasp can describe the change that took place in his life. This book was a breath of fresh air. It demonstrated the depths that God would go to to reach someone. If God was willing to reach out and pull someone like Jeff Andrews out of Satan's grasp, he would definately be willing to do the same for anyone else no matter where they are in life. This is a must read for anyone. I believe it would definately be beneficial in prison ministries around the world. May god truly bless Jeff Andrews and the ministry God has laid out before him and may he constantly guide the hand of Jesse Stretch.

Inspired

I Am Inspired The Beginning" is a book that shows how God will not leave us no matter what we do. Valerie Allen, a minister in her church finds herself having strange cravings. Upon sending her son to the store to make a purchase for one of the cravings he jokingly asks if she is pregnant. She denies this and then wonders. Several pregnancy tests later the truth is revealed. Her one step of God's will created an unplanned pregnancy. Letting her congregation know of her sin had to have been difficult for her. However, she discovered that no sin is too great to cause God to leave us. This book will inspire you to take your problems and situations to God. She leaves no room for you to continue to sin and make excuses. She makes it very clear that we should strive to stay in tune with God's will at all time. God will still take our mess and work it out to glorify him if we let him. I believe the title is very appropriate.

Surrender All

Okay, so I had to finish the other book I was reading.

Surrender All : Your Answer to Living with Peace, Power and Purpose by Jodi Lamb is a wonderful book that I found refreshing and easy to read. In the turbulent times that we are living in, this book was a reminder that if we place our trus and love in God and surrender every fiber of our being to our maker he will take control of our lives and work it out. The book doesn't come across as preacy. It reaches and teaches through examples, hers and others. It came at a most appropriate time in my life and showed me that when faced with trials all I need to remember is that I have a loving God that I can surrender them to and feel his peace and joy in my life. I will most definately recommend this book. I give it a 5 out of 5

How to Train a Rock by Paul Steven Stone

This book was such a fun read that I read it in one sitting. The book is a collection of Paul Steven Stone's column he wrote called "A Stones Throw". The collections included his displeasure with neighbors allowing their pets to leave gifts in his yard to the story of "Henry J. Worthmore, Jr." and his death. The angels are making recommendations to God as to what should be done with this man. I laughed as I read it. The he has the heart touching stories like "The White Gloves" that tear your heart out and make you ask, how could we have let this happen? This is definately a book I will share with my friends, recommend, and re-read. This book can be purchased online at Amazon.com