clheartofart-blog

[clheartofart-blog]

Remember, Shadrach, Meshasch, and Abednego. God didn’t put out the fire. He just put Jesus in there with them and they came out without smoke. It’s not about God stopping all the things that look bad; it’s about who is in there with you.

[clheartofart-blog]

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NASB) Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

[clheartofart-blog]

“Do you remember when God first awakened your soul? Do you remember the excitement you had when he plucked you out of darkness? How joyful did you dance, from an orphan to a son, a dead sinner to a resurrected saint, an enemy with God to his beloved? Do you remember?”

— Remember

[clheartofart-blog]

So, recently I’ve realized I like psychological thrillers. I’ve read a psychological mystery before (if you want my thoughts on said mystery head over to the review on ‘The Good Daughter’) and was leery about yet another psychological book. Maybe it is the difference in the authors’ writing style, maybe it’s the difference between a thriller and a mystery. Either way, this book was more satisfying than the last of it’s kindred in the ‘mental’ genre. 

‘Lie to Me’ by J.T. Ellison is full of twists and turns. I had two suspects a few chapters in (and, no, neither of them was Ethan) but throughout the book I often wondered if I was wrong. Halfway through it I had come up with several scenarios and possibilities this book could follow, each path leading to a different culprit. I couldn’t put this book down not because of the characters--which were built up amazingly--but because this was the book in a psychological genre I had been looking for.

For some reason I’ve always had an interest in psychology from a hobbyist's standpoint. Thus, when my book club selected ‘The Good Daughter’ and I discovered there are psychologically geared genres I was excited. I wanted a book that made you think because of the possibilities that could occur with this psychological condition or that one, not because there was a mystery to be solved before the end. I was disappointed with the ‘The Good Daughter’, but was happily satisfied with ‘Lie to Me’. 

Enough about me, though. Let’s get to what this book is about. ‘Lie to Me’ opens up with Ethan Montclair waking up and realizing his wife is gone. For the first few hours of his day he contemplates whether or not to call the police. Why? Because he found a note from his wife telling him she’d left and asking him not to look for her. Problem is: if she left on her own why is her laptop and writing equipment--things she, as a novelist, treasured--still in her study? Was she somehow kidnapped from their home without him knowing? Or did she harm herself, a side effect to her personality disorder? 

When Ethan finally decides to call the police, chaos ensues. Each piece of evidence discovered points to him. Soon, a body in the woods is found, a baby’s death turns out to be a murder, and the murderer seems to be enjoying themselves as it all unfolds. Ellison did a flawless job moving back and forth between third person and first person. Although, I have to admit, reading the twisted thoughts of the murderer in first person was a very creepy experience. 

I recommend this to those who favor books that put their readers on edge. Ellison obviously did her research and her writing is beautiful. I hope you are able to enjoy this book as much as I have. I also hope you all have a blessed weekend, no matter what weather may come. As always, happy reading!

[clheartofart-blog]

“Being amazed by God’s grace is a sign of spiritual vitality.”

— Sinclair Ferguson

[clheartofart-blog]

‘A Man Called Ove’ by Fredrik Backman is one of two books selected for our next Book Club read. Having just finished ‘These Shallow Graves’ and knowing the second selection is a thriller, I chose to read this one first to have a sort of relaxing read before starting another intense plot. What I didn’t realize was the amount of tears it would take to get to the end this lovely piece. 

*WARNING* Spoilers beyond this point!

It starts with grumpy ol’ Ove moving around the neighborhood he lives in with a manner that shows he is set in his ways. Ove is the type of man who expects people to abide by the rules and have some common sense. If the sign says no vehicles in the residential area, then there better not be any bloody vehicles in the residential area. If he catches you red-handed, he will give you a piece of his mind. Ove will even complain to his wife once he gets done with his neighborhood rounds. 

While this seems in the beginning like a quaint little book about a grumpy old man who the audience expects to shake his cane at the brats that enter his yard at any given moment, it is slowly revealed as to why Ove is the way he is. By chapter seven, the audience is made aware that the reason Ove’s wife, Sonja, never replied to his complaining with her own natter is because she had already passed before the events of the book take place. 

Ove tries several times to deal with his lose in his own sad way, but thankfully continues to be interrupted or even fails in his attempts every time he tries. This neighbor runs over his mailbox. That neighbor is about to lose what she loves the most and needs his help. No matter what the situation, Ove is the man everyone runs to and eventually he lets go of his grief to appreciate the life he has left to live. 

As I mentioned before, a great amount of tears were shed. Backman told a tale of love and lose in such a beautiful, detailed way that one can’t help but feel the grief Ove must feel when things finally come full circle. In a way, it reminds me of Edgar Allen Poe’s ‘Annabel Lee” where Poe writes: ‘The angels, not half so happy in heaven / went envying her and me / - Yes! - that was the reason (as all men know / In this Kingdom by the Sea) / That the wind came out of the cloud by night / Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee’. 

Despite all the crying and the sad moments, it was still a heartfelt tale of love. My favorite quote was near the end where it says: “’Loving someone is like moving into a house,‘ Sonja used to say. ‘At first you fall in love with all the new things, amazed every morning that all this belongs to you, as if fearing that someone would suddenly come rushing in through the door to explain that a terrible mistake had been made, you weren’t actually supposed to live in a wonderful place like this. Then over the years the walls become withered, the wood splinters here and there, and you start to love that house not so much because of all its perfection, but rather for its imperfections. You get to know all the nooks and crannies. How to avoid getting the key caught in the lock when it’s cold outside. Which of the floorboards flex slightly when one steps on them or exactly how to open the wardrobe doors without them creaking. These are the little secrets that make it your home.”

I’d rate this book 9 out of 10. I wouldn’t mind rereading it; it is quite a peaceful, lovely tale. I highly recommend it and I hope you enjoy it if you get the chance to read it. Hope you all are having a blessed day and, as always, happy reading!

[clheartofart-blog]

“Books have a way of causing ripples.”

— Erika Swyler, The Book of Speculation

[clheartofart-blog]

“God will not put us into the fire, if there was not something to be purged away. The grand thing, is to learn to glorify God in the fire.”

— George Whitefield

[clheartofart-blog]

Visit website in profile for more. goodnewsfeed.org/4truths | 📸 @sharejesusdaily https://ift.tt/2w8pC4L

[clheartofart-blog]

[clheartofart-blog]

One reason I love the internet (and I’m a sucker for) videos like this: “After not being able to walk with my own two legs for 10 months… I suprised my prom date with this.“ 💛✨ Credit: aeonianlife || @jesusfeed || @gospelfeed … . . #Jesus #Christ #Bible #blessed #Christian #truth #Church #Scripture #BibleVerse #BibleStudy #jesusfreak #hope #gospel #Praying #lord #God #Love #JesusChrist #GoodNews #BibleVerses #greatreads #Christians #JesusFeed #Okc #prayer #faith #HappyEaster #praise #Pray #socalharvest https://ift.tt/2MSMbUG

[clheartofart-blog]

To all my Christian followers, please pray for my cousin. She has Stage 4 cancer and she’s going through chemotherapy and other treatments. Pray for her family too.

Please reblog.

[clheartofart-blog]

[clheartofart-blog]

You know a book is good when you love it enough that you literally can’t put it down--including sneaking a couple of paragraphs when no one is looking when you’re supposed to be working--but at the same time you want to chuck at the wall the moment something occurs that you don’t agree with.

*WARNING* Spoilers beyond this point. 

To begin, this book is about a young lady named Jo who lives in a time where women weren’t supposed to leave the house without a chaperone. Having grown up in the wealthy part of New York City, she aspires to be a reporter like the heroine she admires, Nellie Bly, despite what everyone else is telling her to be. With graduation from finishing school close at hand a situation arises that changes her world. Returning home prematurely, she discovers her father dead, the authorities claiming it’s a suicide, her uncle pushing money to report it an accident, and scatters clue pointing to murder. 

Teaming up with Eddie Gallagher to track the clues through the dark streets of New York, Jo begins to wonder if she should give up her hopes for the future to live the life that pleases her family and is a guarantee of security in high society or if she should throw it all away to follow her heart and her dreams. With a well hidden antagonist throwing a wrench into her plans at almost every turn, Jo starts to realize not everyone she knows can be trusted and not everything in her world is as it seems. 

I loved Jo’s growth throughout the story. It didn’t take long after she allied herself with Eddie that I wanted them to be together. However, Jennifer Donnelly spins a fabulous tale and this isn’t your typically fiction love where their eyes meet across a room and they instantly know the other person is ‘the one’. No, Donnelly sets up their relationship nicely and allows it to grow as it should. It didn’t end how I hoped (because being the hopeless romantic that I am I was hoping for the typical romantic ending), but the story ended satisfactorily. 

I will say I figured out who the mysterious villain was near the beginning of the book and I thought it would be a HUGE letdown if I was right, but oddly enough I wasn’t. Even though I know who it was Donnelly wrote in such a way that instead of being like ‘well, that’s boring’ I was more like ‘YES! FINALLY! Oh, my goodness, no!’. Why? Because by the time Jo figures it out herself the antagonist is already two steps ahead and has her headed to an asylum having told everyone she’s crazy. Donnelly wrote quite an intelligent villain and I loved her for it. I hope that eventually she’ll write a sequel, because I will miss the adventures of Jo and her companions.

I strongly encourage you to read this if you haven’t. It’s an excellent tale that is well written. It’s easy to see how much research and dedication Donnelly has put into this book. It’s inspiring and astounding to even visit Donnelly’s website and glimpse some of the research she did to create this piece. I rate this book a 10 out of 10, so it’s no surprise that I am now a Jennifer Donnelly fan. I hope you get a chance to read it, and if you do please feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss it. I hope you all are having a blessed day and, as always, happy reading!

[clheartofart-blog]

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

[clheartofart-blog]

[clheartofart-blog]

This made me giggle. :)

me: stutters out fifteen sentence fragments that no-one can make sense of not even me me: you know?