Steph's Favorite Books, Edition 4

Light Reads

1. Heavenly Daze series by Angela Hunt and Lori Copeland

Set in Maine, these 5 books chronicle the lives of those who live in the town of Heavenly Daze. The citizens are watched over by a group of angels who dwell among them.

2. Mitford series by Jan Karon

Enjoy life in Mitford through the eyes of Father Tim.

3. Heavens to Betsy/Earth to Betsy by Beth Pattillo

Betsy, a female pastor, has to prove to her congregation that she's as good as any male pastor.

4. These Boots Weren't Made for Walking by Melody Carlson

Interesting that another book by Melody Carlson is one of the most profound I've ever read (Finding Alice) while this one is light and fun. A young woman must move home after she has been fired, dumped, and scammed.

5. Harmony Series by Phillip Gulley

A pastor and his young family return to his hometown to pastor the congregation of Harmony Friends Meeting. This is quite possibly the craziest group of church goers ever! Pastor Sam gets frustrated but always learns something from them. I laughed out loud but also learned a lot about community.

Dinner and a Book

Some of you may know that I lead a Christian Fiction book club at my church. We're starting up a new "year" of great book discussions and fellowship. We would love to have you! We meet on the first Thursday of each month, at 6:30 PM in the Pusey House located at the back of First Baptist Church in the fan. Bring your favorite dish to share (hence the name, Dinner and a Book!) Here is our list.

September 2, 2010 My Life as a Doormat(in Three Acts) by Rene Gutteridge

October 7, 2010 Abigail: A Novel (The Wives of King David) by Jill Eileen Smith

November 4, 2010 Breach of Trust (Call of Duty Series, Book 1) by DiAnn Mills

December 2, 2010 Dogwood by Chris Fabry

January 6, 2011* The Shepherd’s Prayer:A Christmas Novel by Richard M. Barry

February 3, 2011 Riven by Jerry B. Jenkins

March 3, 2011 Her Mother’s Hope: Marta’s Legacy by Francine Rivers

April 7, 2011 Journey to the Well: A Novel by Diana Wallis Taylor

May 5, 2011 Limelight: A Novel by Melody Carlson

June 2, 2011 Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

July 2011 no meeting due to holiday

August 4, 2011 Stirring Up Strife:A Hope Street Church Mystery by Jennifer Stanley

*location TBA

Steph's Favorite Books, Edition 3

Historical Fiction

1. Refiner's Fire series by Lynn Austin

A Civil War trilogy that I really enjoyed. The first one is set in Richmond!

2. Dakota Moon series by Stephanie Grace Whitson

These books chronicle the lives of missionaries in the Dakota territory and the Indians they encounter there. I found it fascinating, as this was a topic I didn't know much about. I believe these are out of print but they can possibly be found in libraries and from used booksellers.

3. Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin

Three Swedish sister immigrate to Chicago in 1897. A moving look at what life was like for those coming to America.

4. Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers

These powerful books look at the persecution of Christians in Rome in the first century.

6. A Woman's Place by Lynn Austin

Four women work together in a factory during World War 2, each have their own issues to deal with.

Book Review: Chasing Fireflies

Chasing Fireflies, by Charles Martin

Have you ever read a book that just really sticks with you once you've finished it? This, for me, was one of those. It chronicles Chase Walker's search for his identity. He grew up in a wonderful foster home but was still searching for where he came from, who his parents were, and his real name. During this search he meets and helps care for a young boy, Sketch, who is in a similar situation. At the center of their lives is Uncle Willee, the man who raised Chase and is fostering Sketch. Willee is a man of many mysteries but is very wise.

The writing is amazing. It rarely mentions God or Jesus, but the book shows the very nature of them. Most of the wonderful quotes come from Uncle Willee's discussions with the boys. One of my favorites, though, is from Willee's speech at his niece's (who practically lived with Willee and his wife) funeral:

"....every day, no matter what I'd painted the day before, I got a new canvas, washed white. 'Cause each night the tide rolled in, scrubbed it clean, and receded, taking the stains with it." (Chasing Fireflies, pg 301).

Isn't that what God does for us?

Favorite Kids Books

I am participating in Kelly's Korner "Show Us Your Life" this week. Her theme is favorite children's books. I could list at least a hundred, but I'll stick to just a few:

Abby's favorites (5 year old girl)--

Dooby Dooby Moo and others by Doreen Cronin

Ladybug Girl by David Soman and Jacky Davis

Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird (there are many)

Lilly's Big Day and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten and others by Joseph Slate

Andrew's favorites (2 year old boy)--

My Car and Planes by Byron Barton

Jesus Loves Me by Debby Anderson

Chugga Chugga Choo Choo and My Truck is Stuck by Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk

Speedy Little Race Cars: A Zippity Zoom Colors Book

Sports Books by David Diehl--Slam Dunk, Touchdown, and Home Run

Our Favorite Valentines Books

1. Valentine's Day by Anne Rockwell
A class makes Valentines for a friend in Japan. There is also a Thanksgiving book that features the same class.

2.One Heart: A Valentine Counting Book by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Really sweet with cute pictures.

3. Let's Show God's Love on Valentine's Day (Holiday Discovery Series)
Reminds us that God's love is for every day!

4. Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink by Diane de Groat
A book reminding kids to always be nice to your classmates!

Steph's Favorite Books, Edition 2

Christian fiction books in the suspense category

1. Restoration series by Terri Blackstock

A family's journey during a world-wide power outage. They must rely on their faith and get back to the basics. 4 books...Last Light, Night Light, True Light, and Dawn's Light.

2. The Plaguemaker by Tim Downs

Terrorists hatch a plot to introduce quantities of Asian fleas into New York City. The fleas infect rats with bubonic plague. The requisite FBI agent, a tough-talking loner named Nathan Baldwin, gets wind of the plot, then finds an ally in a Christian Chinese named Li Ming, who leads Nathan toward Syrian culprits and a Japanese mastermind not unlike Dr. No. And, in fact, Downs brings to mind Ian Fleming's humor, if not also his sadism, resulting in a familiar but competent thriller. John Mort
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

3. Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark

Miranda Miller wasn’t looking for the news the day the letter came. But, trying to survive in troubled circumstances, she welcomes the chance to change her location for a period of time. The letter informs her that her grandparents’ estate is finally about to become hers. She immediately heads down to Louisiana and the old house by the bayou. There Miranda finds secrets that lead to life–changing revelations.

4. Cape Refuge series by Terri Blackstock

A small, peaceful community is rocked by murders. 4 books...Cape Refugee, Southern Storm, River's Edge, and Breakers Reef.

5. Time Lottery by Nancy Moser

A Christy Award novel! Three winners of a special lottery are granted a chance to go back in time and relive one decisive moment. Given this ultimate opportunity to change their personal history and restart their lives from a point in the past, will they choose to do it all over again?

6. Deadlock by James Scott Bell

A Supreme Court justice who is well-known for her atheistic stance on the issues has a near-death experience which change her belief system.

7. Presumed Guilty by James Scott Bell

A popular pastor is accused of the murder of an x-rated actress.

Steph's Favorite Books...Edition 1

I often get asked about my favorite books and authors. Usually when I do I can't remember the exact name or title of the book or I can't remember who wrote it. I thought I would try to get some thoughts out here on the blog so I can just refer folks to it!

I am going to start with Christian fiction since that is my favorite genre to read. Within that realm, I would say my favorite is Biblical fiction. So here are some I love:

1. Magdalene by Angela Hunt

2. Hadassah: One Night with the King by Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olson
Story of Esther

3. Chronicles of the Kings Series by Lynn Austin
Follows lives of King Hezekiah and his son Manasseh, these 5 books make this portion of the Old Testament really come to life. The books are Gods and Kings, Song of Redemption, The Strength of His Hand, Faith of My Fathers, Among the Gods

4. The Shadow Women by Angela Hunt
Story of Moses as told by the women in his life--sister, Egyptian mother, and wife

5. The Road Home by Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olson
This is a modern retelling of the story of Ruth and Naomi, a little different than most Biblical fiction but excellent!

6. The Lineage of Grace Series by Francine Rivers
Each novella tells about the life of a woman from Jesus' lineage. The books are Unveiled (Tamar), Unashamed (Rahab), Unshaken (Ruth), Unspoken (Bathsheba), and Unafraid (Mary, mother of Jesus).

7. The Centurian's Wife by Davis Bunn and Jeannette Oke
Story of post-resurrection Jerusalem, Pilate is trying to find out what happened to Jesus' body, this is the first in the Acts of Faith Series

8. Legacies of the Ancient River Series by Angela Hunt
Begins with Joseph's life once he is sold into slavery in Egypt, his reunion with his brothers, and his sons. The books are Dreamers, Brothers, and Journey.

Favorite Christmas Books for Kids

1. Christmas Is by Gail Gibbons
I love this one because the very first thing the author says is Christmas is...the Christ Child. She goes into some of the other Christmas symbols/traditions, but the focus always goes back to Jesus (as it should!).

2. God Gave Us Christmas by Lisa Tawn Bergren
Sweet story of a mother bear explaining the meaning of Christmas to her little cub.

3. This is the Stable by Cynthia Cotten
A sweet, simple book about Jesus' book with lots of repetitious phrases.

4. That's Not My Reindeer--and Usborne Touchy Feely Book
A board book that Andrew loves!

5. The Night Before Christmas--what Christmas book list is complete without this one!
We particularly like Jan Brett's version.

My Life

You may have noticed I am not posting as much. I just have a lot going on right now. All of it is good, just time-consuming! Here's what's going on:

1. Bible Study--In September we started back up, and we're doing Beth Moore's study on Paul called To Live is Christ. Beth's studies are awesome, but they involve a lot of time and dedication to complete. I'm actually leading the study this time (well, I lead the discussion then push PLAY and let Beth teach). I like to tell people I am "knee deep" in Paul.

2. Sparrows--We have started a class during the 11 o'clock worship hour for children with special needs at our church. The class is called Sparrows. Right now I am the lead teacher and doing all the planning for each week. That is taking MUCH time because I have to search for ideas, books, crafts, etc. We have about 4 kids in the class with various needs, plus a few peer helpers that join us. It's going well.

3. Keeping Whitt--I keep my nephew Whitt (he is eleven weeks older than Andrew) one or two days per week. It's great because Andrew and Whitt are becoming best buddies. But of course, I get less done with two toddlers running around!

4. Reading--I'm still leading book club and reading for enjoyment, but I'm only reading about one book a week now instead of 2-3 like I used to. This getting up early for school is making me fall asleep earlier than I used to, so I'm losing my book time!

And, of course, there are the PTA meetings, school fundraiser nights, doctor and dentist appointments, and deacon meetings that come along all the time!

I'm not complaining. Life is good. God is good.

Favorite Kids Halloween/Fall Books

So I managed to hold Abby off the Halloween and Fall books until September 30th--she's wanted me to get them out since they first started putting the costumes out in the stores!

Here are our 3 favorites:

1. Two Little Witches: A Halloween Counting Story by Harriet Ziefert
"If one little witch meets one little witch, that makes....two little witches going trick-or-treating."
Really cute illustrations and great math examples make this a great book! Yes, it does include witches, but they are kids dressed up (there's also a clown, princess, bunny, and astronaut to name a few). Even in the end of the book, where they see a monster and run away, the picture is such that Abby could tell it was a person dressed up.

2. P is for Pumpkin, God's Harvest Alphabet by Kathy-jo Wargin
A cute ABC book. A is for Apple, B is for Barn, C is for Corn, etc. Cute pictures and rhyming words make this a book Abby asks for over and over.

3. Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman
This book is held together by tape because I read it so many times when I was teaching. It was a favorite with every class. It does include your typical Halloween characters (witch, vampire, ghost, etc) but the illustrations aren't particularly scary. The witch grows a huge pumpkin and wants to make pumpkin pie, but she can't get it off the vine. Several come and try to help her, but the pumpkin is only removed when they all work together. The text is very predictable, so kids can join in the reading once they have heard the story one time.

Favorite Easter Books for Kids

I've recently come across two kids' Easter books that I really like.
One is called The Light of the World: The Life of Jesus for Children, by Katherine Paterson. It starts with Jesus' birth and goes through his death and resurrection. It has beautiful illustrations by Francois Roca and is written in very simple terms. It's a longer book, but Abby sat and listened to the whole thing.
The second is J is for Jesus: An Easter Alphabet and Activity Book by Debbie Trafton O'Neal. Abby is really into alphabet books, so she loved this one.

I also love Crystal Bowman's series of Christian-themed books for all the holidays. We have the Thanksgiving, Easter, and Valentine ones. They are large board books and they rhyme. Abby enjoys them.

Dinner and a Book!

I lead a once a month Christian fiction book club at my church called "Dinner and a Book". (We have a potluck dinner and discuss a book at each meeting). Susan sent me this picture we took at our last meeting...we are going to send it to the author of the book we read (Mindy Starns Clark) in the hopes of winning some free books! I absolutely love my book club friends!

Back row...Anne, Ann, Theresa, Barbara, Rena, Wendy, Lori

Front row...Susan, Steph, Karen

Testimony of a Bookworm

Several months ago I was asked to write an article about Christian fiction for our church's monthly magazine. It never made the "cut" but since I worked hard on it, I thought I would share it here!

Testimony of a Bookworm
By Stephanie Whittington

I have always loved to read. I remember getting “in trouble” when I was younger for bringing a book to the table and trying to read while eating dinner. My parents were great about always making sure I had good books to read. When I hit my early teen years, though, it was tough to find books that I enjoyed that were not too graphic for my age. At that time, my Sunday School teacher introduced me to Janette Oke. I devoured her whole Love Comes Softly series! This was my first experience with Christian fiction, and it was a good one. However, I didn’t have the benefit of a large church library and did not realize how much good Christian fiction was out there. I kept reading secular books, but I was always bothered by some of the things I read.

A few years ago, I was excited to see that FLO was offering a Christian fiction book club. I loved all the books we read in the first few months and would read more by those authors. I couldn’t believe all the wonderful and interesting Christian fiction that was out there—contemporary and historical, humorous and profound, thriller and romance. As time went on, I became the leader of that group. I really enjoy researching books for us to read and finding new authors. I continue to be amazed at the fantastic stories and characters, and how great it is to read books where God is recognized and praised! I still read some secular titles, but much more Christian fiction. They lift my heart and spirit while engaging my mind!

Our church library has many great Christian fiction selections. My all time favorites are Candle in the Darkness by Lynn Austin, Magdalene by Angela Hunt, Last Light by Terri Blackstock, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, and Front Porch Princess by Kathryn Springer. I would encourage all those who love to read to consider looking for these books in our church library. I also hope you will consider joining us for our “Dinner and a Book” book club, which meets once a month for potluck dinner and book discussion. We have a wonderful time enjoying fellowship and talking about the books. The list of titles and dates can be found at www.fbcrichmond.org/flo.

Book Review: Whispers of the Bayou

Our book club selection for this month was Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark. This was our first time reading her. I picked this book because of the great reviews it got on faithfulreader.com and amazon.com. It did not disappoint! From the first page I connected with the character. It is mainly set in Louisiana, after Katrina. Woven into the suspenseful plot is a quite a bit of Cajun history, which I found very interesting. There were many twists and turns throughout the story and I really enjoyed it. The other ladies did, too! I am looking forward to reading some of her other books.

In honor of Valentine's Day...

We got out the Valentine books today, so I thought I'd give the old blog an updated look for the "holiday". For the record, I'm not a big fan of Valentine's Day and we don't make a big deal of it, but Abby sure does like reading the books!

Until We Reach Home and The Road Home Book Reviews

I've fallen behind on reviewing books (does anyone even care what I'm reading?) but I do want to share a little about these two. Even though the titles are similar they are by different authors and the stories are different--but both do involve a journey!

Until We Reach Home, by Lynn Austin, is the story of 3 Swedish sisters who come to America in search of a better life. They are orphans and believe they are going to live with their aunt and uncle in Chicago. They travel by train, ferry, and ship to Ellis Island, where they are detained due to medical conditions. I had never really thought much about what the people went through once they reached America and Ellis Island, so this was educational for me. They are finally able to get to Chicago and learn that their aunt and uncle did not intend to take them in. They must find their own way and, in the process, meet some interesting folks who teach them much about America, life, and the Lord. Lynn Austin is one of my favorite authors and this does not disappoint!

The Road Home was written by Tommy Tenney and Mark Andrew Olson. Their earlier collaboration, Hadassah: One Night with the King, was our book club book for January and it was excellent. This is also somewhat of a Biblical story, but it is set in modern times and chronicles the relationship and journey of Naomi and Ruth. I found it very interesting to hear a contemporary version. I did like the book, but I thin I would have rather read about the "real" story and the "real" setting better.

Dawn's Light: Restoration Series by Terri Blackstock

I just finished Dawn's Light, the 4th and final book in the Restoration Series by Terri Blackstock. The first three are Last Light, Night Light, and True Light. This series was by far one of the most intriguing I've read. Here's the basic plot: An upper-middle class family, the Brannings, struggle to survive during the worst blackout in history and learn a lot about faith and love in the process. There are tons of twists and turns throughout each book. The blackout is global and nothing works--electricity, generators, cars, communication. It's every family for themselves and some resort to desperate measures to feed their family. Murders, accusations, fighting, and stealing are the norm. In the beginning most hoard all they have but they soon discover all must work together. Prior to the blackout, the Brannings considered themselves believers and attended church occasionally. Now they have to really rely on God to carry them through. It really makes you examine how much we rely on our technological advances and how little we would know about surviving without them. Mrs. Blackstock found herself wondering what God could do to really get our attention and make us bring our focus back to Him. After Hurricane Katrina she got this idea for a series. She is an excellent suspense writer and I highly recommend all her books, but these books in particular are must-reads!

Plaguemaker

We only had three at book club Thursday night, but we had a great discussion. Plaguemaker was a really good book. It was a thriller about an FBI agent and an old man who are trying to stop an enemy of the US from launching an attack against us using fleas carrying the bubonic plague (the book details how this can be done). It was scary but I couldn't put it down. Tim Downs, the author, did a great job weaving in the different characters who were involved in catching the attacker. The old man helping the FBI has a back story which serves as his motive for wanting to get involved. I kept wondering if the book was really a Christian fiction book....but finally at the very end you see the reason. I highly recommend it!

Once I finished Plaguemaker I realized.......I didn't have another book to start! I have some on their way from amazon, but they haven't even been shipped yet. So I went to the book store looking for something cheap and short to keep me going while I wait. I picked up a little novel co-written by Angela Hunt and Lori Copeland, two authors I have read and liked before. It's called The Island of Heavenly Daze. It's very light and humorous, and I'm finding it quite endearing. Of course it is the first of a series of 5 so I'm sure I'll end up reading them all.

Busy Days

It's been awhile since I've posted, we've had a lot going on. Rick went to the VT game Thursday night (YAY Hokies!) and Mom came to visit while he was gone and through the weekend. We did some Christmas shopping and got Andrew's 6 month pictures taken. The big news is we have finally dropped Andrew's 11 pm feeding. So now he sleeps basically from 7:30 pm-7 am. This is huge! Most babies drop that feeding way earlier, but because of his reflux we couldn't give him a full 8 ounces at once. But with the addition of rice cereal to his formula he is spitting up so much less....so we tried it and it worked! Thanks to Mom for being the guinea pig (she had the monitor in case he woke up in the middle of the night wanting to eat!).

This week will be just as busy. Rick and I are helping out with Upward Basketball evaluations at church. My night should be interesting as I know zilch about basketball readiness skills. Hopefully I'll be fitting jerseys or something like that. Thursday night is Book Club. We're reading Plaguemaker by Tim Downs. I'm about halfway finished. It is an FBI-type thriller (yes, they have Christian fiction thrillers!). It's very intriguing. It should be an interesting discussion.