Review of "The Higher Grounds Cafe" by Max Lucado

Disclosure I was given a free copy of this book from Family Christian to give an honest review. I am not  being compensated in any way. All of the contents and thoughts in this blog are mine and mine alone

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Family Christian "Miracle at the Higher Grounds Café"

Where do I start this book is so amazing it kept my attention from beginning to the end I could not put it down. Chelsea had a very public beak up with her famous NFL husband. Chelsea found out he had been cheating and going through all of their money. Chelsea's mom passed away and left her the café that had been in the family for several generations. Chelsea moved her and her 2 kids back home. They lived upstairs and she ran the business downstairs. Chelsea had just hired Tim and was going through her recipes to pick out the right ones. Chelsea got a letter from the IRS about a huge tax debt that owed on the café for 86,000. So she did the one thing she didn't want to do, she called Sawyer after getting off of the phone with him her blood was boiling 15 million dollars would last most people a lifetime but not her husband even the 4 million dollar annuity that she had put back.

Chelsea had a guardian angel that was sent to help her and to watch over her. This book teaches about forgiveness and that God is always there even when we feel he his not. Max Lucado is brilliant in how he lays out the story only showing bit by bit the changes happening starting with the internet blog that was installed. What would you do if  you had to opportunity to ask God just one question. Max tackles many topics in this book. faith, prayer and rebuilding family. I highly recommend this book I give it 5 stars.

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Review of "A Warriors Faith" The Story of Ryan Job

Disclosure I was given a free copy of this book by Family Christian for review I am not receiving any compensation for this the thoughts in this blog are mine and mine alone. This is a very moving inspirational book that is a short 200 pages that Robert Vera accounts the story of Ryan Job from seal training through his injury and what he would endure after. Especially the faith he Had in God who sustained him through it all. In the opening of the book Vera does state that this is a true account of his dialogue, interviews, journal writings, conversations and memory. The very fist line in chapter one I found to be ironic because I have always been taught God puts you where he wants you and where you need to be at that moment. "I don't believe in coincidence. There is a plan for each of us, a force that brings each of us together, then twists and binds us into a single length of rope attached to our shared destiny. You were meant to read these words. This story is for you and is now part of your plan."

 Ryan's lifelong dream was to be a Navy Seal then after a few years trade his gun to be a Top Gun. Having your pilots license improved your chances of becoming a navy pilot he saved nearly $20,000 by working after school as a janitor 2 yrs later he had his pilot's license. Ryan went to college at the University of Washington for 3 years then he quit and joined the Navy. Ryan was a husky fellow he was assigned a BUD and it was told that if both did not complete the 4 mile run in the required time they both failed. Ryan had several setbacks. Ryan was a marked man all of the instructors the meanest, hardest put Ryan through the worst possible legal, mental, physical, and emotional abuse trying to break him, but by the end he broke them and they loved him.

Upon completion of Seal training Ryan was assigned to seal team 3 it was tradition that new members were hazed at every turn. Ryan's hardest toughest critic became his best friend Chris Kyle. In April 2006 he arrived at his first combat duty station 7000 miles from home in the most dangerous  city in the world Ramadi, Iraq. If you have seen the movie American Sniper Ryan Job was the man down that was with Chris Kyle on the rooftop Ryan was shot by an enemy sniper when Chris was calling all of the team to see if they were ok Ryan did not answer Chris realized one half of Ryan's face had been blown off, his jaw bone, eye socket was blown away and his eye was gone.


Ryan had something in common with Job from the Bible they would both face the fight of their life.
Ryan did not let his blindness affect his drive at all and he used his blindness to talk to others and it only made his faith stronger. Chris always felt guilt because he was not the one shot.  When Ryan arrived stateside at Bethesda Medical center, Amy who was a traveling nurse that he met shortly before his deployment heard about what has happened and came to be by his side she ran and coordinated his medical care. Amy and Ryan were later married at he time of his death they were expecting.


 If this book tells us anything we must bring away with us that God is there and will be with all of us and transform us to the mold he has chosen for our life. War is not of God it is man that war is mans doing. One of the major things that really helped Ryan was he met up with several other SEALS they called themselves SSITH "SEALS shot in the head" it would this group that Ryan completed what everyone was impossible they climber Mt Ranier.


I am not going to ruin the ending of the book for you but it is so ironic that Ryan received an injury that should have killed him in Iraq on 8/2/06 and it was a hospital stateside that wound up killing him on 9/24/09.
The SEALS are a brotherhood it was heard in no time about Ryan's death all of the SEALS from around the globe retired and active duty were ordered to Arizona

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Family Christian "A Warriors Faith"





Review of "Runaway Radical" by Amy Hollingsworth and JonathanHollingsworth

Disclosure I was given a free copy of this book from Family Christian to give an honest review. I am not  being compensated in any way. All of the contents and thoughts in this blog are mine and mine alone.
I had a really hard time getting into the book at first because it seems to jump back and forth between what is currently going on and what has happened in the past.  He mentioned several times "Does God really see all of the suffering in the world?' I had my review written and ready to go but something inside me told me I wasn't getting the point of the story so I have reread the book 2 more times.


Lets first look at the definition of  what a runaway radical according to dictionary.com a runaway - changes ones life drastically, radical-a person who holds or follows strong convictions or extreme principals. Jonathan was considered a runaway radical. Jonathan began taking his promise of a dream and giving it away freely never caring after it left his hands.



The story begins with Amy and Jonathon riding in the car with his mom embarrassed because his friends did not have to go to church, that's when all of the questions started. The questions kept coming and the answers too. He finally told his mom the true story about what happened in the car that day when he got back from Africa. When he got back from Africa things shifted and his story got rewritten. Then the story jumps to weighing his bags and making sure the suitcases weighed less than 50lbs which was the limit for international flights.


Jonathan had been on a 2 week mission trip to France at the age of 16 and then when he was 19 he went on a mission trip to Honduras. He was saving his money to go to Honduras again. He had $1000 saved and he wrecked his truck and it took all he had to fix it. He discussed plans with his parents that he would go to college for 2 years then take a year off for missionary work.
Jonathan gave away all of his belongings because he felt if he lived comfortable that he could not help the homeless. He began to sleep in his closet.


On one of the times that he was able to slip out he met a farmer and asked him if he had any religious affiliation he said he was not a Christian he talked to God and he read the Bible but did not go to church. Jonathan making sure he was out of earshot told the farmer that not to let anyone tell him just because he didn't go to church that he was not a Christian, Jonathan would not let anyone in church hear him make that statement.

Before Jonathan left for Africa he was asked if he was scared to go to Africa and his answer was no. Jonathan had repercussions from Africa they knew of the malnutrition and depression. At one time they were on the way to get the results from his blood work and he told his mom I know  I am going  to regret saying this, I think God hates me.


Jonathan endured his worst experience in Africa.  He was pretty much on house arrest he was told who he could be around and who was not the right Christians. While is Africa he was living in a Christian culture that drew the line between them selves and the outside world.
It all comes down to this once home Jonathan went into a self destructive path, because he felt that he had not met the impossible standards and felt he could never meet them, Jonathan  stopped trying and reversed by bringing suffering on himself  he self medicated and self destructed.


The question for Jon when he was going to Africa what can I do for God once there it became what can God do for me?

Family Christian "Runaway Radical" click here to purchase this book

Review of "The Advocate" by Randy Singer

Disclosure I was provided with a free copy of The Advocate by Randy singer. I have not been compensated in any way the thoughts in this review are mine and mine alone.
Warning this book has very descriptive details about crucifixion, punishment of various characters,
and the sacrifices of animals.

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Family Christian "The Advocate" by Randy Singer

I had the wonderful opportunity of reviewing a book by the name of "The Advocate" by Randy Singer. Before this review I had never heard of Randy Singer, but after this book I will never forget him and will look for more books written by him to read. This book took over 5 years to write due to the historical research and took in to account several non fiction books written by friends and colleagues that he based several scenes out of the book on. The Advocate is Randy Singers first work of historical fiction. The Advocate is told in first person until chapter 87 when it starts being told in third person once it turns to third person it kind of seems fractured compared to the rest of the book.

In the opening pages of the book we are given a list of the characters of the book it is notated be each character weather they are a historical figure, fictional character, historical figure whom little is known, and an historical figure whose name is unknown.


"The Advocate"  starts off in the 11th year of the reign of Tiberius Julius Caesar Agustus. The book follows Theophilus from the age of 14. Theophilus is listed in the cast of characters as a historical figure about whom little is known..



In the opening scenes of the book Seneca is teaching his 12 students about what it meant to be crucified. Seneca tried to make it as real as he could the boys had to carry their own cross and the Roman legionnaire brought up the rear.  Caligula and Theophilus got into a fight, later that night Caligula and his friends had revenge on their mind they drug Theophilus out of his bunk they tied his arms and feet they then began to kick him because he was blindfolded he could not see who all was involved and he had a rag stuffed in his mouth so he can't scream for help. The boys carried Theophilus to where they had been that day where they learned what it meant to be crucified. The group of boys proceeded to put Theophilus on the cross they tied him instead of nailing him to the cross but it still had the same effect he felt like he was going to truly die that night if it had not been for his good friend Marcus he may have died that night. Theophilus was withdrawn from school and was sent to Greece to continue his studies.


When Theophilus returned to Rome he saw Seneca and Seneca enlists his help to help put an end to the gladiator games. Seneca introduced Theophilus to Flavia one of the vestal virgins. He develops an attraction to her

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  At age twenty, Theophilus was appointed as chief legal advisor to Pontius Pilate. It was during this time that Theophilus encountered Jesus and faced his first true test—one in which altered the course of history. Theophilus was there at the trial of Jesus and he felt responsible for an innocent man being crucified. When his service to Pilate ended, Theophilus returned to his beloved Rome to find mayhem in the senate and a lethally paranoid emperor. In the midst of this environment, Theophilus begins his career as an advocate—attempting to navigate the treacherous political waters of a failed republic and an insane emperor. With excellent historical details and strong spiritual components, The Advocate brings to life the story of Theophilus.


When Theophilus returned to Rome he started his job as an acesore. There were many trials going on for treason. Many years down the road Flavia and Theophilus were married and had a son by the name of Manetus. Theophilus was sought out to defend Paul for crimes against Rome for preaching of the "way". This is the trial that changes the fate of an empire. Paul is found guilty of his charges but to everyone's surprise he was set free. While meeting with Paul and Luke Theophilus and his family were converted to Christians and were baptized by Paul. Soon Paul left on his journey to preach the gospel to anyone that will listen.


Rome was set on fire most of Rome was destroyed. there was whispers of Nero starting the fire. Nero found a group to blame it on the Christians while Theophilus was taking his son to the boat to go to Greece to continue his education,. Upon returning to his home he saw that it was in ashes he found out that they had all been arrested and charged with arson.


This is the point in the book where is gets really graphic as far as what happens to the Christians that were found guilty of arson.
Very good book once you get past of all of the history detailed in the book. Was hard to get into but getting to a certain point you get to where you don't want to put the book down.