Teach Your Children God's Message by Patricia Allen McCuen

Genre:  Adult, Non-fiction
Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:
God sternly and plainly stated, "You have to go back and tell." Somehow, I understood and already knew. I still did not know how I knew, but I knew and even replied, "Yes. I know. I have to tell." Shortly after leaving her fiance parents home located in Derry, PA, Patricia Allen and her fiance were crushed by a fully loaded coal truck. Patricia left her body twice at the scene of the accident. In the hospital when Patricia again left the pain of her severely injured body, she was held by God. She was shown a message she is to tell. Patricia's interpretation of what she was shown is not a new message but of one that is being greatly ignored. Teach the Child. "And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deuteronomy 11:19). Society suffers greatly by ignoring this message. How this message is shown gives an insight into the understanding of the Connections between God, Humanity, and Children.

My Thoughts:
This was a very inspiring book.  This is the story of a young girl named Patricia who was involved in  a terrible auto accident.  Her fiance is killed.  Three times she leaves her body and is  sent back by God. Why? To tell others that we are to tell children about God.  This book is full of hope and inspiration.

Close Encounters With My Lord by Nancy Lee Hurley

Genre:  Adult, Biography
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinons expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:
When encountering a whirlwind of emotions, it is often difficult to know just what to do. When facing difficult situations, whom do you turn to? And in times of extreme happiness, do you first thank the one who is responsible for that joy? Nancy Hurley learned at a young age that turning to God in every circumstance is the only way to make it through the tough times. When faced with the threat of a sexual predator, Nancy Hurley turned to God. When she was repeatedly put down and belittled by family members, Nancy turned to God. When she married her husband, Ron, and gave birth to her two sons, Nancy turned to God. Nancy's conversations with her Lord have been a constant in her life from the time she had to have her tonsils removed. When she was frightened, lost, sad, and overjoyed, Nancy knew the Lord would see her safely through. You will find comfort in the heartfelt prayers Nancy lifts up to God in times of need and times of joy and will be inspired by the intimate relationship Nancy shares with the one who has been her strength through thick and thin in Close Encounters with My Lord.

My Thoughts:
This is an excellent book.  We are given a look at the life of this Godly woman. Her story shows how God worked through her life. While in labor awaiting the birth of her first child the doctor had plans to go to the opera. She was praying for the labor to be over. As the doctor prepared to leave another of his patients was brought in farther along. Knowing the doctor wasn't leaving she relaxed allowing her labor to progress.  She constantly called out to God for what a lot of people would consider piddly things.  However, no prayer is too small for God. A look at her life shows that it is important that we have daily conversations with God, not only when we need him, but when we don't need him.  This book is not a miracle book like you often find that paints God as someone who answers all of your prayers if you are considered godly. He always answers prayers but not always the way we want. This is demonstrated when she talks about placing her father in a home. She didn't wait for God to handle it, she stepped in the way. Once things fell apart and she let go and let God handle it, he worked things out.  That isn't to say things always went smoothly.  I liked this book because my mother lives with us and I was able to draw parallels between some of the things she has gone through and what we are going through.  I have seen how things have not worked out because I keep trying to "help" God do things.  I would highly recommend this book to everyone.
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Me and Mom Fall For Spencer by Diane Munier

Genre: Adult, Mystery, Romance
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own. 




From Goodreads:
The house next door to Sarah and her mother Marie has been vacant since the murder that happened there when Sarah was ten. Their neighbor, Frieda, was like a second mother to Sarah and she died brutally and th eighborhood never recovered. No one has lived in Frieda's house for seventeen years. Imagine Sarah's surprise when it finally sells to an on-line buyer. She looks through the thick growth separating her house from the other and a wild man looks back. He's not exactly wild. He's thirty-seven year old Spencer Gundry. Once he shaves the beard and gets a haircut, he's not hard to look at. Well Sarah's mom doesn't think so, and neither does she. Problem is, Spencer has a few secrets of his own.

My Thoughts:
I love books that combine mystery and romance.  That is what this book does.  This is not a boy meets girl and they fall in love immediately type of book.  They both are carrying some baggage with them that makes their relationship take time to develop. I really didn't like Sarah's mom too much. She just seemed over the top dramatic.  The old man who lived across the street from Sarah had a son. He moved out leaving the old man living in the chaos and filth he'd been living in for quite some time. I loved the way that Sarah took charge and "told" him what was going to happen and then ignored him and did it anyway.  Sarah was one of those people who had to fix and care for everyone else when she herself needed fixing.  You don't really find out why she and Spencer are the way they are until near the end.  When you learn Sarah's story your heart will really ache. You have a new understanding of her and her mom.  The revelation still didn't make me like her mom more. I still felt she was selfish and self-centered. This was a strange but interesting book.  I've enjoyed reading books by this author.



About the Author:
Diane Munier was raised as a midwestern urban kid. She spent a lot of time nosing around in the many establishments that filled the neighborhood. Love of story grew as she sat in various places--pews, restaurant chairs, barstools, and listened to the story-tellers, the keepers of the tales that patched us together. Lots of colors in the neighborhood quilt, lots of threads and shapes and patterns. It was all music ad she wondered how to capture what she was feeling; she wondered how to share it. Diane wanted a voice and to take her place in the quilt. She's currently learning to stitch some small part of it together.