At Home in the Father's House: Where You Belong as a Child of the King by John Sheasby with Ken Gire

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

This life changing look at the parable of the father with two sons, one a prodigal, the other faithful but bitter, will change your understanding of that story forever and your relationship with the Father who loves you and welcomes you home, especially if you have struggled with believing you could ever deserve His love. John Sheasby had to overcome a lifetime of shame and doubt because he believed his best would never be good enough for God. God finally broke through, and Sheasby realized he had always had a room in the Father's house and a seat at the table. God was just waiting for him to sit down.

At Home in the Father's House: Where You Belong as a Child of the King is quite inspiring. Though it’s a little, quick read, John Sheasby packs plenty of spiritual truth into its pages. He uses examples from both his personal life and the Bible to offer beneficial perspective on relating to God as the Father. I found it to be a thought-provoking read and would recommend it to Christian readers. 

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of At Home in the Father’s House and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Hunting Hope: Dig Through the Darkness to Find the Light by Nika Maples

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Hope is not an accident. Sometimes it has to be hunted, and hunting it takes courage.

Hope hunters know how to excavate hope from hardship. There is dirt underneath their fingernails and sweat on their shirts. They rake through the rubble of an unwanted situation, digging into difficult circumstances because they have come to expect that adversity will produce good. They believe that light always triumphs over darkness. They have learned to walk through winter with their eyes on spring.

Nika Maples became a hope hunter after suffering a massive brainstem stroke that left her quadriplegic in her twenties. Doctors warned that she had as little as 48 hours to live, and-if she lived at all-she would never walk or talk again. There was no hope on the horizon. So Nika started to hunt for it. Today, she not only walks, but she speaks to audiences everywhere about the power of hunting hope when a situation appears hopeless. She says hope remains camouflaged in the daily mundane. If we are not looking for it, we will miss it, though it is right before our eyes.

Whether you or someone you know is going through a situation that feels hopeless, you will find encouragement in Hunting Hope. Whether you are experiencing a medical trauma, a financial hardship, or a relational crisis, you will find empowerment in Hunting Hope. As you read, you will cling to 20 truths about God's character and practice 5 daily disciplines that will develop your own character in crisis. 

You will become a hope hunter.

Maybe it doesn't matter what causes suffering in our lives as much as it matters what suffering causes in our lives. Maybe we were all meant to be hope hunters.

Nika Maples uses the experience of her personal struggles to write a beautiful book packed with life-giving hope. Page after page, Hunting Hope: Dig Through the Darkness to Find the Light offers wonderful encouragement and insight for living in difficult seasons and clinging to God’s truth. Any reader will benefit from a reading of Hunting Hope - I know I did. I appreciated all that Maples shares in her book and can easily recommend it. It’s certainly a worthwhile read.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of Hunting Hope and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Good God: The One We Want to Believe In But Are Afraid to Embrace by Lucas Miles

★★★★✩

If we are honest, at some point we all struggle with the question, "Why does God allow pain, suffering, and evil?" Good God introduces the God we all want to believe in but have been too fearful to embrace. With the Bible as his guide, Lucas Miles takes readers on a journey, tipping over some "sacred cows" along the way, to uncover the lost and forgotten nature of the Creator of the Universe and discover a real relationship with him through the person of Jesus Christ: God's goodness incarnate.

In the face of bad and evil, the question of God’s goodness often arises and shines doubt into his character. Lucas Miles takes on the challenge of this thinking in Good God: The One We Want to Believe In But Are Afraid to Embrace and determines to show the goodness innate in God’s character, as well as how his readers can find a true relationship with Him. The topic poses many challenging questions, yet Miles offers thought-provoking arguments with plenty of compelling and relevant material throughout his book. Good God is certainly an interesting book and will provide plenty of food for thought and discussion - it’s a worthwhile read for interested readers.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of Good God and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

My Mother's Quilts: Devotions of Love, Legacy, Family, and Faith by Ramona Richards

★★★★★

Inspired by thirty family heirloom quilts, each devotion shares the enduring legacy of faith, family and tradition in our lives.

These days, quilting is mostly an art of generations past, yet Ramona Richards recognizes it has relevant lessons to offer still. She compiled an inspiring set of devotions, aptly titled My Mother’s Quilts: Devotions of Love, Legacy, Family, and Faith, focused on various quilts and their stories. Each devotion, amidst beautifully-photographed quilts and heartwarming stories, touches on, in its own way, the central themes of love, legacy, family, and faith and offers a sweet start to conversation or thought. I really enjoyed my time within the pages of My Mother’s Quilts and would certainly recommend it to readers devotions and quilting.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of My Mother’s Quilts and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Divine Collision: An African Boy, an American Lawyer, and Their Remarkable Battle for Freedom by Jim Gash

★★★★✩

In a Ugandan prison for two murders he didn’t commit, Henry is losing hope. He pleads with God for a sign. Jim, in California, finds himself saying a small ‘yes’ to God who brings their two lives together with momentous results.

In Divine Collision: An African Boy, an American Lawyer, and Their Remarkable Battle for Freedom, Jim Gash tells a fascinating and inspirational story where cultures and experiences collide. Henry sits imprisoned in Uganda for crimes he did not commit, while Gash, from a world away, responds to God’s prompting, finds himself in Africa, and encounters Henry and the injustice he faces daily. Their uniquely combined story offers an incredible read, involving faith, prayer, and justice, and offers any Christian reader a story of value and worth to experience. I would recommend it.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of Divine Collision and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Imitation of Christ: Classic Devotions in Today's Language by James N. Watkins

★★★★★

When does a classic become new, fresh and extremely relevant? When someone takes it out of an outdated format and makes it readable, searchable and understandable. The Imitation of Christ has been in print for over 500 years for a good reason. It is powerful, beautiful and heart piercing. James Watkins has taken those words and reworked them into ninety daily readings, arranged by topic. Whether for daily devotions or for sound insight into a particular issue, Watkins paraphrase blends the ancient with the modern to introduce this classic to a new audience, speaking to all Christians with credibility and authority and using inclusive language not found in the original.

I have never read the classic version of The Imitation of Christ, but James N. Watkins’ updated version of the devotional allows it to be a more understandable yet still convicting modern-day read. This devotional explores the importance and application of imitating Christ and his character. With short chapters, it is easily incorporated into a daily reading routine, but offers plenty of spiritual food for thought. An excellent devotional that I found both enjoyable and valuable, The Imitation of Christ would benefit any follower of Christ - I highly recommend it.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of The Imitation of Christ and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Sacred Intent: Maximize the Moments of Your Life by Brent Crowe, Ph.D.

★★★★✩

Crowe speaks to tens of thousands each year, instilling leadership skills and motivating his audience to imagine what you would do for the glory of God, if you knew with certainty that you absolutely could not fail.

Sacred Intent: Maximize the Moments of Your Life by Brent Crowe, Ph.D, offers the ordinary Christian a great resource for making the most of the everyday life. He organizes his book by topic, divided into seven sections to mirror the days of the week. This allows the book to be easily managed and utilized. Crowe presents his ideas practically and backs them with relevant Scripture. Overall, Sacred Intent is a beneficial read, and I would have no trouble recommending it.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of Sacred Intent and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Columbus Code by Mike Evans

★★★★★

When Christopher Columbus set out to discover the New World, was it because he wanted to serve the king and queen of Spain or because he wanted to escape them? Did he have stronger ties to Jerusalem than anyone suspected? Was Columbus actually a Jew fleeing the Spanish Inquisition? And could uncovering those secrets prevent international disaster in a world of terrorism today? Secret Service agent John Winters is determined to find the answers in this riveting novel based on recent scholarly discoveries. 

In The Columbus Code, Middle East historian and New York Times best-selling author Mike Evans uses rich story to unscramble a historical puzzle and remind us how the past is always a part of who we are.

In his novel The Columbus Code, Mike Evans crafts a fascinating novel around the idea of Christopher Columbus actually being a Jew. Reminiscent of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, Evans’ novel offers a fast-paced plot with plenty of surprising twists and turns stemming from Columbus’ identity. I couldn’t stop reading The Columbus Code, as the interesting characters, complicated relationships and the overall intrigue and suspense kept me turning page after page, eager to see how the several different storylines could come together. An enjoyable and thrilling read, The Columbus Code is a great choice for fans of thrillers and suspense.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of The Columbus Code and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

How Could I Ask for More: Stories of Blessings, Battles & Beauty by Cindy Morgan

★★★★★

Award winning singer-songwriter Cindy Morgan's best-selling song celebrates the appreciation of the small blessings that make up a rich, full life. Here, she expands on this theme, sharing personal stories of her challenging childhood, struggles as a young adult, and the adventures of being a wife and mother. Morgan's evocative writing about the people, places, and experiences that make us who we are will touch the reader's heart, challenging them to understand God's many blessings – big and small.

Cindy Morgan’s How Could I Ask for More: Stories of Blessings, Battles & Beauty is quite an inspirational read. She tells stories from various seasons of her life and highlights the blessings - both big and small - she has found from God through her different experiences. It’s a beautiful book with great reflection and perspective. And with nice, short chapters, it’s an easy and enjoyable read. I would certainly recommend it interested readers, as well as those in need of discovering their own blessings. 

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of How Could I Ask for More and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Skinny Life: The Secret to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Fitness by Crystal Dwyer Hansen

★★★✩✩

For weight-loss, life-long health, spiritual well-being, it’s not enough just to change what you do, says Crystal Hansen. Crazy as it may sound, she insists, the first thing you must change to guarantee results is what you believe!

To be fair, I need to note that I started reading Crystal Dwyer Hansen’s Skinny Life: The Secret to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Fitness with the mistaken assumption that the book would be about the author’s experiences instead of her program. Quickly, I realized my mistake and felt a bit disappointed, since I’m not much of a fan of self-help weight-loss books, coloring my experience with Skinny Life. Hansen, of course, includes an abundance of useful and helpful information for living a healthy lifestyle, and I did particularly appreciate her emphasis on beliefs and thoughts in affecting weight loss - yet as I read, I found none of what she shared was particularly new to me personally. However, though it wasn’t necessarily the book for me, I can easily say that Skinny Life could be a very valuable read for the right reader. Individuals sick of the popular fad diets and in need of a resource to help begin and maintain a healthy lifestyle should consider picking up this book, as it could definitely be beneficial and worthwhile to read.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of Skinny Life and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

At Any Cost: Overcoming Every Obstacle to Bring Our Children Home by Mike & Hayley Jones

★★★★★

When Mike and Hayley set out to adopt a child from Sierra Leone, Africa, never in their wildest imaginations did they dream this venture would lead to the “Jones Dozen.” This dramatically moving story will amaze and inspire any reader. Their stunning observation: “It was the least we could do!”

At Any Cost: Overcoming Every Obstacle to Bring Our Children Home by Mike and Hayley Jones tells the inspiring story of one family’s journey to follow God’s calling while facing the challenges and obstacles of international adoption. This book provides an interesting read, full of varying emotions and incredible faith. Overall, I really enjoyed reading At Any Cost and learning of the Jones’ incredible experiences. I would certainly recommend it to readers who enjoy uplifting personal stories or are potentially interested in adoption. I think it is definitely worth the read.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of At Any Cost and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Dead Dog Like Me by Max Davis

★★★★★

Nick Gregory regains consciousness after a horrific car accident to find he’s been transported back in time and that he has become Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son and King Saul’s grandson. Aware that he’s experiencing another man’s life, he has to learn fast.

When mega-church pastor, Nick Gregory, regains consciousness after a horrific car accident, he’s on the ground in agonizing pain. Nick realizes he is in a bizarre place – a foreign, parched, ancient land, having been transported back in time to 800 B.C. Unbelievably, he is in the body of a prince named Mephibosheth, a son of Jonathan and King Saul’s grandson. Nick is fully aware of who he is and that he’s now living in Mephibosheth’s body, strangely able to speak and understand Hebrew. This experience helps him see that he, like Mephibosheth, is a broken man desperate for God’s outrageous grace and healing (2 Samuel 9:8). Returning to present day, Nick’s experience motivates a changed life.

From the very start, Dead Dog Like Me by Max Davis had me addictively turning pages, as my heart broke for the main character. Nick Gregory’s life quickly spirals out of his control and leads him desperately to the brink of death. In moments of unconsciousness, Nick finds himself inhabiting the body of the biblical Mephibosheth, an experience that allows him to reflect on his present-day circumstances. While Nick’s experience as Mephibosheth is not as extensive as I expected after reading the summary, the glimpses of the biblical account weave easily with Nick’s experience and highlight the overall message of forgiveness and grace. Dead Dog Like Me provides an emotional and touching read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it (despite the abundant use of exclamation points). I recommend it.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of Dead Dog Like Me and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Empire's End by Jerry B. Jenkins

★★★★★

Jerry B. Jenkins’s new novel is filled with adventure, drama, historic people and places, and even romance.

Empire’s End tells the story of a man who single-handedly turned the Roman Empire on end. It will be the heart-stopping story of the year! Only a few snapshots of Paul’s life are revealed in the Bible. In this fictional account, Jenkins tells of a devout Jewish scholar, who after only three years in the Arabian wilderness, emerges as the greatest Christian theologian in history. This novel explains how, after supervising the death of Jesus’s disciples, Paul would be moved to effectively conquer the Roman Empire with a message about a Jewish man named Jesus. You’ll be captured by the shocking “thorn in the flesh” that burdened Paul’s heart. Empire’s End will cause you to rethink whether Paul ever experienced the love of a woman or the embrace of a child. Read on.

Empire’s End by Jerry B. Jenkins takes on the challenging task of bringing the prominent biblical writer, Paul, to life in fiction. The story begins with his drastic and dramatic conversion and follows with his ensuing growth and ministry. Though Empire’s End is definitely a fictional representation of history, I found it an captivating and thought-provoking depiction of the possibilities of Paul’s experience, character and emotion and thoroughly enjoyed it. While I doubt this book would please every reader, I think those interested in biblical fiction - especially in Paul - just might find it fascinating. From start to finish, Empire’s End is quite an interesting and intriguing read.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of Empire’s End and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Fallen: Out of the Sex Industry and into the Arms of the Savior by Annie Lobert

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Annie Lobert was not so different from most girls, growing up in a small town and experiencing common struggles with friends, school, and boys. But her home was filled with turmoil, and at nine years old she was sexually abused by an older girl and as a teenager was assaulted numerous times by boys who said they loved her just to get what they wanted. Feeling unloved, used, and abused, she struggled to find self-worth.

Lured by the almighty dollar, and with a skewed fairytale view of love, she was drawn toward the seductive whispers and open arms of the sex industry. Greed consumed her, the money an easy remedy to numb her brokenness, so she began a new life with a new name – Fallen. Settling under the lights of glamorous Las Vegas, she became one of the most sought-after high-class escorts, fielding calls from celebrities, musicians, politicians, and other men with endless supplies of cash.

But the lights weren't that bright. All that glitters isn't gold. And it wasn't long before the dream of getting all she ever wanted became the nightmare that plunged her into the darkest time of her life.

In Fallen, Lobert writes about her sixteen-year journey being owned by a violent pimp who took every dollar and beat her multiple times within inches of her life. After more than a decade and a half of countless arrests, rapes, life-threatening calls, and utter loneliness, the freedom she had once sought became her prison. Then after being diagnosed with and treated for cancer, Annie eventually found herself at death's door from a drug overdose. That's when she finally surrendered to the love of a beckoning Savior.

Through Lobert's harrowing account in the clutches of the sex trafficking industry and the miraculous deliverance she experienced in the arms of Jesus, readers will be encouraged knowing this: No matter how far you have fallen, God loves you and wants to save you from the depths of any pain, trauma, addiction, or abuse. And He longs to give you a new life. Today, Annie is redeemed. Healed. Free. And rescuing other victims through her organization Hookers for Jesus.

In Fallen, Annie Lobert tells of her experience in and out of the sex industry with raw honesty and vulnerability. Though the story is filled with devastating pain, exploitation and brokenness and difficult to read at times due to the subject material, Lobert beautifully captures the power of redemption, forgiveness and love. The way she can use her experience to speak of God inspires and encourages in the face of human depravity, and I am glad to have read it. Incredible and eye-opening, Annie Lobert’s Fallen is definitely worth a read. I highly, highly recommend it.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of Fallen and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Covered Deep by Brandy Vallance

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Bianca Marshal is holding out for the perfect husband. Finding a man that meets the requirements of her must-have list in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains has proven impossible. Bianca’s mama insists that there’s no such thing as a perfect true love, and that Bianca’s ideal man is pure fiction. On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Bianca discovers a devastating statistic: her chance of marrying is now only eighteen percent. Unwilling to accept spinsterhood, Bianca enters an essay contest that propels her into a whirlwind search for her soulmate. Via the opulence of London and the mysteries of the Holy Land, Bianca's true love will be revealed, but not without a heavy price.

I must say, both the cover and the synopsis of Brandy Vallance’s The Covered Deep had me hooked from the get-go. I love a good historical romance and I set my expectations high for this one – and luckily, it did not let me down. I have read a lot of novels set in the late 1800s, especially recently, but rarely do they venture into the Holy Land, as The Covered Deep does. So, this novel’s setting, rich in vivid historic detail, offers a new and intriguing look at that era, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. To this refreshing setting, Vallance adds plenty of intriguing mystery, heartening (albeit a bit instant) romance and inspiring themes of faith and forgiveness. For fans of inspirational historical romance, The Covered Deep is an all-around great read and I certainly recommend it.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of The Covered Deep and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Love Story: The Hand That Holds Us From the Garden to the Gate by Nichole Nordeman

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Based on the #1-selling Christian album The Story (EMI/WOW), lyricist and Grammy-nominated artist Nichole Nordeman helps readers embrace God’s relentless, loving pursuit of the most weak and sinful among us from the beginning of time.

Love Story is an exquisite narrative that exposes the emotional and human underside of major biblical events, including Adam and Eve’s dramatic fall in the Garden of Eden, Sarah and Abraham’s struggle to have a child, Mary’s surprise at being pregnant with Jesus, Paul’s trauma on the road to Damascus, and concludes with a triumphant picture of the second coming of Christ. This book is a dramatic connecting point for all readers, inspiring them to grasp the poignant nature of God’s immense, all-consuming love.

Nichole Nordeman’s Love Story takes a refreshing look through the lives of well-known biblical characters. Though I’ve known the details of the stories of Abraham, Joseph, Ruth and Mary (among others) for many years, I still found Nordeman’s perspective and voice very insightful, beneficial and straightforward. She brings each story to life, highlighting accurate and relevant themes and deftly tying in her own experiences. Often I found myself scrambling for a pen to underline the many thought-provoking phrases. I definitely enjoyed reading Love Story (and the unexpected treat of getting to know a bit more about the artist I’ve heard on the radio) and I certainly recommend it. It’s a worthwhile read.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of Love Story and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.