Covenant of Trust - A Review

Contingency

Indemnity

Precedent

Covenant of Trust Series

by
Paula Wiseman

A Review 

The Molinskis thought life was okay – at least until Bobby discovered her husband was having an affair with a co-worker. The events, the emotions, and the impact of Chuck’s choice on the family, friends, and colleagues caught them off-guard. Only God could weave a path through the mess in which they found themselves. And he did. Though God seems distant at times, he continued working in their lives.

Contingency focuses on the period immediately after the discovery of the affair.

Indemnity focuses on the child that was born as a result of the affair. Tracy, the child’s mother, had hidden Jack’s existence from his father for six or seven years of his life. Jack was a shock to both Chuck and Bobby – they both had to deal with the new son that God brought into their lives.

Precedent focuses on the loss of two children from the Molinsky family – one shot to death in a gangland shooting, the other a run-away, feeling unloved in the aftermath of the shooting.

It is only as Chuck and Bobby cling to their faith, alas, at times, a weak faith, which God is able to use to bring them through the crisis that their family must face. Pastor Glen and his wife Laurie are present for support, but they understand that their answers are only poor attempts to bring meaning to the Molinsky’s lives. What they find is that real answers are rooted ultimately in the Grace of God.

Lest anyone think that the emotion and events are beyond belief, my experience as a pastor, a husband, and a parent, and my education as a pastor and a counselor, allows me to confirm the feelings echoed throughout the Molinsky story.

The books not only tell a story, but they also touch the heart. Each book had times where this reader had to deal with his own emotions – laughter and tears flowed as I read this family’s story. The emotions echoed those I felt as I struggled to rebuild my own marriage when it seemed it would fall apart. And, having lived through the recovery process that was needed, the book still helped me understand the emotions felt by others in my family as they moved through that time in our lives. As Paula Wiseman describes, God is able to pull individuals and families from the deepest pits, if we can be patient and allow Him to work at His schedule. That is not always easy.
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This review is based on free electronic copies of these books provided by the author for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

Abraham:

Following God’s Promises

by

Miles Custis

Michael R. Grigoni

Douglas Mangum

Matthew M. Whitehead

A Review

Logos’ new offering Abraham: Following God’s Promise, is a complete Bible Study curriculum for the local church.  The available pieces include Sermon notes, including video support for each lesson; and a small group discussion guide, again including videos, slides, and questions.  

I found the material a bit overwhelming for my small congregation, but would be useful for a pastor looking for a somewhat comprehensive set of tools to use across his or her church for an eight week preaching series.  For Sunday School, it is a bit lacking in that it only offers material for part of the traditional thirteen week Sunday School quarter.  A creative teacher should be able to stretch the material for use during a typical quarter. Realizing that my congregation is not typical, I will still look forward to a possible sermon series based on the material - though much of the content will be lost as we do not have projection equipment available or church members with available computers (only one member of my small congregation has a computer and access to the internet).    

Material is provided for both the leader and for the student - the leader’s guide includes sermon suggestions and a small group study guide.  A complete package of material is available for download - and individual guide does require that the student also install, at the very least, the free LOGOS engine.  There is no current option for the student material being available for the student who does not have access to a PC or Mac.  Some smart phones are also supported. Having said that, I noticed just as I was preparing this review, that printed books (in sets of five) are being developed, though not actually in production at this point.

The authors each hold graduate degrees from quality educational institutions - e.g. University of Wisconsin, and Trinity Western University.  Their love for scripture and its application to the believer’s life is obvious in the curriculum they have developed.  

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of this book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

King’s Faith

A Movie Review

My wife and I made a last minute decision this evening to see King’s Faith at our local cinema.  Given the normal schedule, we would have skipped - the evening show was labeled as “Sold Out”.  However, the local theater took the opportunity to an additional showing of the film, starting 5 minutes after the originally scheduled showing.

With two Christian movies playing in local theaters simultaneously, I was surprised how popular this evening’s show had become.  At least I was surprised until I watched the film.  The film made it clear that God takes people wherever they may be and moves them in a direction that accomplishes his purposes.   Those changes move across generations, races, and occupations.  God offers all people the opportunity to follow Him - though they do not always do so.

Even the second auditorium was full.  Most of the audience were between the ages of 15 and 25.  There were some sponsors - aged 40-55, and some senior citizens (i.e. yours truly).   The audience let a rousing cheer erupt at the end of the movie - demonstrating their approval of this locally filmed feature.  

If the reader has not yet put this in his or her “to be seen” list for the coming two weeks, add it now - and do not miss King’s Faith.  Perhaps your faith will be challenged, as was mine, by this 108 minute film.

Rescue Team:
Grace Medical

by

Candace Calvert

A Review

The ER is under fire - not from state inspectors, not from an internal review board, not from a disgruntled patient.  Rather the ongoing onslaught comes from a vindictive blogger who writes about each error she sees - whether at Grace Medical or at any of the other hospitals in the Austin area.  

Kate Callison, the recently hired Interim Director of the very busy Emergency Department, finds herself in the midst of publicity brought by this very public discussion of Austin’s medical system.  Her problems increase when she finds herself caught between two men.  Wesley Tanner is a trained engineer who is also an active participant in the local volunteer search and rescue squad.  Matt Callison is the father that deserted Kate, not physically, but emotionally, when his wife (Kate’s mother) left the family.  Relationships have long been hard for Kate - these two are particularly difficult.

A well written medical thriller that also reflects the grace of God working in and through broken people, Rescue Team demonstrates that God’s grace spans time and distance in unexpected ways.  It held this reviewer’s attention and will allow him to look for the next Candace Calvert book to hit the market.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of this book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Sherlock Holmes and the Needle's Eye - A Review

Sherlock Holmes

& The Needle’s Eye

by

Len Bailey

A Review

I do not fancy myself a Sherlock Holmes expert - though I am a fan.  I have enjoyed Arthur Conan Doyle’s short stories and novels, as well as books and stories written by interested third parties.  Sherlock Holmes And The Needle’s Eye is one such book.

Sherlock has discovered a time machine that allows him to travel back in time - specifically to the Old Testament and the New Testament eras.  As he travels, he finds Watson and Holmes find themselves observing events that have tended to puzzle Bible scholars and readers for many years.  

Some of the events are well known (e.g. the woman caught in the act of adultery - John 8), others are less well known (e.g. the story of Ahithophel from I Samuel 15-17).  Some of the stories are told in the first person by Watson, others are described by a third person observer.

Each of the Biblical events described as they are seen by the casual observer (i.e. Holmes and Watson) and then discussed by the duo using the tools of the theologian and Biblical scholar.  Some of the conclusions which Holmes and Watson come to are new to this reviewer, but seem to be consistent with the Biblical text.  Though written as stories, the events could be thought of as a lay commentary on the text - discussing both what is written in the text and examples of the Biblical scholarship that have contributed to the church’s understanding of that text with footnotes to both the key Biblical passages and more scholarly work.  This combination of story and scholarship allows the book to be an interesting exploration of the Scripture and its interpretation.

The audience for the book is not the Biblical scholar, but the layperson who is just beginning his or her study of the more troubling Bible passages.  Because the book looks at only 10 such passages, it is hoped that further book may be written in this series from a similar perspective.   

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of this book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Stress Test - A Review

Stress Test

by

Richard L. Mabry, MD

A Review

Dr. Matt Newman told a story that made him a victim.  Detective Virgil Grimes thinks he is guilty of murder.  Add a DA who is committed to his career and a defense lawyer who only only half believes Dr. Newman and we have a medical thriller that cannot be put down.  Dr. Newman also hopes to start teaching surgery at the local medical school next week.  Unless he is cleared, it is not going to happen.

During the course of the story, Dr. Newman learns that he is not only a great surgeon, he is also a great emergency room doctor - a fact that will, in time, keep him out of jail for a while.  All this takes place while Dr. Newman is trying to understand the role God will have in his life - how does a loving God allow for the events that are turning his life upside down.

A story with enough twists and turns, Stress Test is difficult to put down.  It kept me up for at least two nights - reading first in front of the TV and then in bed.  An good story for anyone who likes a good mystery - believer or not.

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This review is based on a free copy of this book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.  

Refined - A Review

Refined

by

Paula Wiseman

A Review

Mark and Julie Bolling with their three children had gone to Kenya to serve the people of Mombasa and environs.  But when news arrived from the states, they found their family being torn apart - literally.  The relationship between Mark’s father and himself had always been rocky, but the news they received that equaled a family level earthquake.  

The relationships were real - real enough that, at times, I wanted to pray for the characters. I found myself hating them and loving them at the same time.  These were men and women who knew Jesus or knew his followers, but they did not always understand how God could allow their world to crumble.  But as the reader makes his or her way through the book, we gain an appreciation for the good news offered by Christ through his death on the cross.  We see how even believers can struggle with the challenges that life can present.

We also are given a picture of God breaking through the resistant veneer that can be a part of life - the life of both the non-believer and the life of the believer.  The pain while waiting and resisting God is real.  On the other hand, the release that God provides when we turn our lives over to him is amazing - no wonder, a favorite hymn is called “Amazing Grace.”   

I loved the book.  But be aware that this book does not stand alone and is very dependent on having read the author’s earlier Razed.  That fact frustrated me as I read the earlier book, but that frustration was easily satisfied with the reading of this title.  I will look forward to the next book in the “Foundation Series”, Resolute.

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This review is based on a free electronic copy of this book provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.