The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall - Book Review

The Liberty Bride by MaryLu Tyndall is part the Daughters of the Mayflower series but can definitely be read on its own, too. I have loved Tyndall’s writing since I first read one of her books. Just like each of her books, this one caught my attention and made me not want to put it down.

This story takes place during the War of 1812. It shows some of the struggles that war put on people. On the back of the book, it says, “War forces a choice between love and country.” I think this sums up the story well. Where do the hero’s and heroine’s alliances lie? What will they do when faced with caring for others, even if they are not on the same side of the war?  

Tyndall’s story is filled with adventure, romance, and the quest to know what is right and do it! You won’t be disappointed with Tyndall’s adventure on and off the sea. I love reading her stories on board ships. I would encourage you to read this story and check out her other stories, too!

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Miles from Where We Started by Cynthia Ruchti – Book Review

Cynthia Ruchti’s books are all “hemmed in hope” just like her slogan says. Shortly into Miles from Where We Started, this quote stood out to me, “Sometimes hope could be downright annoying.” I could relate to this. There have been times in my life where hope is hard. Sometimes it hurts to continue to hope. And sometimes, it is just “downright annoying.” Yet, in spite of all of this, God calls us to hold on to hope. That is the theme you see throughout this story. One of the main characters, Mallory holds on to hope. It is definitely a struggle at times, but even in the struggles, you can still see a faint glimmer of hope.

I truly loved this book. The story pulls you in and captivates you. I love the humor that is woven into this book. There is also so much wisdom. The stories that are told inside this story leave you with many things to think about. The thing that I came away with from this story was to never give up and to always keep hoping, no matter how hard that is.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Look for God-Sightings for 100 Days!

Have you ever done a gratitude challenge? Have you ever done one of the social media challenges where you are challenged to post your favorite books for 7 days or post a picture of ______ (you fill in the blank). I recently came across the #101in1001 challenge that looks like a fun challenge (just search for it!). I enjoy these sorts of challenges. They help me follow through and holds me accountable. I have done a gratitude one many times before, but now I thought I might try something new and thought I would see if anyone else is interested!

So here is my challenge for you!

Look for God-Sightings! For 100 days!

(Feel free to share this graphic if you are interested in doing the challenge!)

God-Sightings are not something new. This challenge is probably not even a new idea. God-Sightings is simply a fancy name for you to purposely look for how you see God in your life and the world around you. It is intentionally looking for how He is working in you and others. Ultimately, it is just a way for us to grow closer to Him and also be a witness for Him as we share how God is working in our everyday lives through our God-Sightings.

You can take this challenge however you want! You can journal your God-Sightings, share them with others, post them on social media or your blog. Make it work for you! There are no rules!

My only suggestions are this:

1.Write them down somewhere (journal, social media, blog, index cards...).
2. Share them! We are supposed to share our stories with others! (In a letter, on your blog, on social media, in person!)
3, Remember: It can be something big. It can be something very small.
4. Don't get discouraged if you miss a day! Just start with Day 1 and keep going until you get to Day 100 (even if it takes you more than 100 days).

I am starting my challenge on September 1, 2018. Please consider joining in! And share this challenge with others! Remember, you can start at any point and go for as many days as you would like!

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I will be sharing more on my Facebook Page: Musings Made By Mandy

Becoming a Welcoming Church by Thom Rainer – Book Review

Usually when I pick up a non-fiction book to read, it takes me a lot of time to read it. Becoming a Welcoming Church was a very quick read and had a lot of good information. Once I started reading it, I didn’t want to put it down. Thom Rainer does a great job of giving you helpful information and also sharing real life stories of what works and what doesn’t. I feel like this book makes me better equipped in knowing how to make my church more welcoming and how I personally can become a more welcoming person in my church. I ended up highlighting so much of the book. It is definitely one that I will go back to as a reference. I have already shared the book with many people and will continue to recommend it to others!

(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)