Review of 'Kingdom Road'

I have never been much of a reader of devotional books. That is... until last year when I picked up 'Stormproof' by John Hagee. I enjoyed the short inspirational messages that perfectly prepared the way for my daily Bible reading.

Several months ago I ordered a copy of Kingdom Road by fellow author Susan Rohrer. Susan and I are the moderators of the 'Christian non fiction lovers book club' on Goodreads. I have read several of her books and enjoy her challenging style and in-depth spiritual analysis of scripture. She always encourages the reader to invite the Holy Spirit into the reading and reflecting process.

In Kingdom Road Susan takes us on a journey pursuing the presence of God in 31 devotionals. Whether you take a day, a week, or a month to read each devotion doesn't really matter, as long as you read them. Susan's writing triggers spiritual revelation, so much so that I had to read each devotion twice!

This is no ordinary journey, it is a trip on the Kingdom road where as a reader you get to walk in the Father's presence, follow in the footsteps of Jesus, stay in step with the Holy Spirit, hear God's voice, and move in your spiritual gifts. And while traveling you will discover the powerful reality of heaven on earth that was promised to all believers.

👉If you have a desire to travel further with the Holy Spirit, don't miss this book. You will enjoy Susan's excellent writing skills as much as her insight and wisdom.

You can find Susan's books on Amazon!

This time of darkness will not go on forever

The other day I was praying for a word of encouragement to share with the members of the Christian Nonfiction Lovers Book club on Goodreads. Just something more than a regular Christmas greeting...

The Lord reminded me of a scripture I had read just days before. So, I shared it on Goodreads and it triggered a lot of positive responses. Then I shared the word on Facebook as well and last, but certainly not least,  I want to share it with my blogging friends! Take it to heart, it might be exactly what you need to hear today!

"I was reading Isaiah 9 in my NLT Inspire Bible and verse 1 says: Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. I took that as a rhema word for today and it is my hope that sharing it with you will bring joy to your heart and encouragement to your soul.

God has designed the times and seasons. According to Genesis 8:22 there will always be seasons as long as the earth exists. Seasons in nature, seasons in life. A new spring is coming. Amidst this ever circulating cycle of life, God remains faithful and His love endures forever. He knows the past, present, and future… and yet, He is concerned with every detail of your life.

It is this amazing God who inspires us today and tomorrow and in the year to come. May His love guide you, His grace compel you, and His peace surround you."

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HEALTHY NEWYEAR!

Downsizing: how decluttering graces your heart and home

We live in a very (and I mean: very) small house in The Netherlands. Everything is tiny: the living room, the kitchen and the bedroom. Because we have such limited space, we do not have a lot of stuff. I do not collect anything (well, books maybe) and we do not keep things we do not need.

When we resided in Southern California, we were living in a huge farmhouse. The many rooms were filled with furniture, collectibles, and other stuff. The total opposite of our little home in Holland. And you know what? We have learned to be happy in the big as well as in the small house. Why am I sharing this with you? Because downsizing does not have to be horrible. Getting rid of clutter can be fun and bring incredible relief.

fellow author Susan Rohrer

In our 👉 Christian nonfiction lovers book club on Goodreads, our book of the month February is Susan Rohrer's book: Downsizing: how decluttering graces your heart and home. I read it last year and it is more than an inspiring read, it is very helpful. Rohrer proves that the practical and spiritual work together quite well and effectively. It is truly a joy to read how the author uses Biblical principles to help us clean up stuff and organize our closet space.

I like her practical approach, and especially the chapter about having to move a parent to an, often much smaller, elderly home and how to prepare everyone in the family for the challenges such a move will bring. I highly recommend this book if you seriously want to learn how to live with less!

We have added a #giveaway in our Goodreads club as well. We have asked members to enter the giveaway by simply sharing their personal thoughts on downsizing. Do you need help decluttering your own home? Are you daunted by the idea of downsizing your elders' belongings? Do you have a downsizing tip to share?

Just post a few lines in the Goodreads thread and you'll be entered to win a Kindle edition of Susan's book.

All my friends have issues REVIEW

Recently we hosted a #giveaway in the Christian nonfiction lovers book club on Goodreads. Our book of the month was Amanda Anderson's book All my friends have issues.

All my friends have issues was released in 2019 by Thomas Nelson Publishers. In our Goodreads club, we asked members to enter the giveaway by simply writing about a special friendship in two or three sentences.

Hey, it doesn't hurt to sharpen our writing skills when discussing books.

I personally enjoyed reading Amanda Anderson's book for several reasons. First of all, because it has a healthy dose of humor and that always helps when tackling serious topics. Serious yes, because friendships can enrich our lives or make our lives difficult.

Amanda Anderson

Second, because the book is loaded with life stories. Amanda has a way of telling great stories. She paints pictures of daily life that are colorful, fun and sometimes even hilarious.

And third, the author offers many practical tips. Good friendships are hard to come by and hard to keep, so it wouldn't hurt to read a well-balanced book about this topic. All my friends have issues is such a book.

I found the chapters a little long for my taste, but that probably tells more about my reading style (not wanting to put a book down in the middle of a chapter) than her writing style.

I could buy a bookmark of course :)

Reviews: give and take

As bloggers we love to get comments on our posts, it encourages and motivates. As writers and authors we love to get feedback on our articles and books, whether that is in the form of emails, shares on social media or honest reviews.

Of course we are excited about our own work, if not... something would be wrong 😁Even with little response to our writings, most of us would probably continue to do what we feel God has called us to do.

However, it is always good and useful to reflect and pray about our writings, to learn new skills, to develop existing ones and (let's not forget!) to comment on the work of others.

Reviews... it is a give and take business. Do for others what you want them to do for you; everyone loves to receive positive feedback from their readers!

Blogger and author Jeanette Levellie wrote a review about my latest book IN MY NAME on her blog Love Splashes and she posted a 5-star review on Amazon. She wrote:

"I found myself not only thinking of God and his name in new, intimate ways. But the teachings of In My Name  changed the way I pray!" 

Her comments are very encouraging to me and I am thankful for her postings. Have you subscribed to Jeanette's blog? 

Readers Favorite gave my new book a thumbs up in several reviews. One reader wrote:

"...clear writing and a straightforward concise message."

As bloggers/writers/authors we can meet on Goodreads as well, there are several interesting groups where books are discussed and reviews are given. Several years ago I started the Christian Nonfiction Lovers Book Club. We are currently revamping the topics, so feel free to join in!