Nothing To Hide.

This is a funny title because I think I have been hiding from this blog. Where did the summer go? What have I been up to?
 In sometimes I feel like I have been in survivor mode. Bucket down the hatches and make it through. Yet I have seen God give me things that I have wanted for so long. I am beginning to move into more teaching and leadership roles in ministry and I am seeing a new confidence. I am also having good interaction with old friends that I thought were gone from my life. Plus I am meeting new people that make me thankful for the point I am in my life.
I am writing this blog to review a book. "Nothing to Hide" by J. Mark Bertrand. This is the third Roland March Mystery. I read and reviewed the previous book, "Pattern of Wounds". Roland is very much a loner. In this book, it seems like he is isolating himself even more. Even the chaos over changes in the police station, begin to isolate Roland as his leadership changes. Even if he didn't like or agree with the leadership, he finds comfort in the security and boundaries of it. In the previous book, Roland's wife Charlotte is his anchor. She always there to comfort him and give guidance. Their mutual grief over their daughter's death bonds them. Charlotte seems to be moving away from Roland. She has a spiritual faith that he doesn't share: she is busy with her law career and on the road all the time. Her appearances in this novel are limited to times of tragedy. Even the young neighbors who are Roland's safety and family have not only moved but are busy preparing for their first child. Again Roland is all alone.

So in this context, Roland is called to the murder scene. The victim's head is missing and his finger points to a clue. This case leads Roland into a messy maze. He follows one lead which he ends up stumbling and getting hurt. This is just a foreshadowing of what is to come. He stumbles his way into an undercover intelligence community where no one is really telling the truth. He puts people into jeopardy that he shouldn't, too easily trusts people that do have something to hide. He even learns that his own past is tied up into what is going on. He takes justice into his own hands and though he thinks he has nothing to lose and nothing to hide. I think in the end, he realizes that in his pursuit of justice, he risks way more than he should. In the end, the police community and his family are really what matter and honoring them.
 Plus we all have something to hide, there is more to the story than we all are willing to reveal.This is a good mystery and I was intrigued until the very end. I begin to have my suspicions about the killer, but only right before they are revealed.
I received no compensation for this review, other than a copy of this book form Bethany House, a division of Baker publishing.

P.S. I plan to start blogging more often.
 

Year Update and The Fiddler

Wow! The year is halfway over almost and it seems like not much changed.

Am I living up to "Create" as a theme. I think I have made the most progress in creating a community. I have also been volunteering at church  and that helps me use my gifts. My weak areas are in developing a job I love or I would settle for could stand. I would also like to do some type of craft or artwork. I really miss singing also.

I have been reading a lot lately. I received the following title from Bethany House-a division of Baker Publishing Group, The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis. I receive no compensation for reviewing this book other than a free copy of the book.

I think it is a good and easy read. I have never read any kind of Amish fiction before. This book is definitely Amish fiction. Because I am a newbie to the genre, I think there were stories about the minor characters that I was supposed to know from other books. I didn't know but it didn't really bother me.

So the basic premise is that this girl Amelia who is a classical violinist has a secret life as the fiddler Amy Lee, as in a bluegrass fiddler. Her father, boyfriend, and agent have her life planned for her. She is going to record classical music and travel the world. Her secret life as a fiddler is her attempt at her own life, a secret life. She is coming home form a concert and gets lost and stuck near Amish country. She is rescued or really just found by Michael, a man who has left his family because he refuses to join the Amish church. He is stuck between both worlds.

They return together to Amish country and the quiet life is refreshing to Amelia. With Amelia's help, Michael sees his world through new eyes. Without spoiling what happens, I like that through this meeting they help each other to discover a life that doesn't alienate their families, and gets them unstuck from being caught between what they want and the expectations of others. The plot is somewhat predictable but I did think it was heading somewhere else at times.

I don't think this is classical fiction by any means but it did make me compare their dram a to my own life and maybe realize that their is the best life in the middle of two extremes.

"My Own Worst Enemy, how to stop holding yourself back" by Janet Davis

From time to time, I get books to review. This time I chose this book because I had heard of the author. I often listen to Midday Connection on Moody radio. Janet Davis has appeared on there several times. I have always loved that she is very vulnerable about her own life and that she likes to explore the depth of people in the bible, particularly the female ones. To be honest, I didn't really pay much attention to the title when I chose this selection. So I was greatly surprised when this book came and it met me exactly where I am.
I shared in my previous post, that my goal is to Create this year. Most notably "I want to live the life that God has created in me not just what to do to survive." This book hit me over the head. I felt like Janet Davis had been reading my mind. I know that as she says,"I diminish my voice and my contribution".

I loved this book.  In the introduction, she shares that "she became acutely aware if how many awesome and gifted women spent significant amounts of time and energy neglecting, dismissing, or actively covering up their beauty and talent". I so think that I do this. I self-sabotage my life. I call it a fear of failure which it is, but to be honest I don't believe that someone would want me as their employee, their spouse, their friend or their mother. I don't believe that my words,and actions are effective. Janet Davis call this "Shining". She goes on to say "that good Christian women have been taught for generations that it is rude to talk about oneself, much less to shine." because we don't want to shine, we call this humility and think we are being spiritual. Instead we are missing the fact that we are gifted and unique. Ray Kane, another frequent Midday Connection guest says "we each are a unique fingerprint of God, and we express God through being whom he created us to be".
The book is divided into three sections Many Faces, Many Phases and Choices Along the Way.  She begins each chapter with an individual consideration, such as "Make a list of five subjects that you are so passionate about that you would stay up late just to discuss with friends" Then she explores the real life story of a woman, often herself and how God is revealing what is missing in their life. Then each chapter includes a story from scripture of how a woman needs to or has allowed God to shine in her life. Finally she shares a change in the real person's life. Each chapter contains personal challenges titled Your Story.

I am still working through many of these questions. I think working through many of these questions will enable me to create the life I am called to and allow me to shine. This book is definitely a journey, Janet Davis's journey but it can be my journey and your journey also.
   "Her previous painful life experiences became her deep wisdom and the seed of phenomenal inspiration for her creative soul which she now used to bless and comfort... her story shaped her ministry; her identity shaped her creativity.(p98)".

I received no compensation for this review other that a free copy of the book from Bethany House a division of Baker Publishing group. I saw this print on the Kelly Rae Roberts online shop. it is so appropriate.

 


http://shop.kellyraeroberts.com/collections/prints/products/permiission-to-shine-print

Create My World!

So Happy 2012! it is a few weeks in and already most of my thoughts for the year are gone.

Last Year, I decided to live my life according to a word for the year. Last years word was lover. I'm not sure how I succeeded but I do see myself as more relational and less concerned about being right.

This year's Word is CREATE.

Why this word? As I have gotten older I feel the need to be more creative. I used to be so analytical but I really want to express myself and what God is doing in me through my life.

Some ideas!
  I want to live the life that God has created in me not just what to do to survive. So I am going to examine my life particularly my career.
 I want to express myself through music, words and visual arts. I am really interested in creating mixed media art and writing a book.
I want to create a family. I am really praying about foster parenting and adoption. I would love to make some good friends to live life with. I also really long for a husband to share this life with. Mostly, I want to let God mold me into the Dawn he is making me.

So for me 2012 is about what God does through me to Creatively to Become Dawn!

Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room!

It is almost Christmas. I think it is going to be a very quiet Christmas. I hope so!

Last night,I sat and reflected on what Advent means to me.  What does it look like to prepare for Jesus coming as a baby? Is there room in my hear for Jesus! What does the Incarnation to me?

I have been reading Organic God by Margaret Feinberg. It sprung the idea that incarnation means that he is living in me.

This heart with Him living in me wants to make room for others. My heart is breaking with the plight of women throughout the world who die in childbirth from infections or from fistulas. My heart breaks for the orphan who needs a family.

What do I do about this? Do I go? Do I sponsor? Do I think about adoption or foster care?

I want Jesus to break my heart for all these things!

Joy to the World the Lord is come let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare him room and Heaven and Nature Sing.

Lord I'm singing!

Merry Christmas!!

Dawn

Christmas Shopping for a Cause!

So Saturday night I was a little bored, and I had a busy day. I decided to go to my local Target store to just roam around and get some early Christmas ideas for my nieces and nephews.

I always buy my niece Mackenzie a doll. I saw these beautiful multicultural dolls.  http://www.hearts4heartsgirls.com/media/

They teach girls about different countries and the cost of them goes to support World Vision. I think this is a great way to teach girls about life not here. Girls cannot also go online and learn about the girls lives.

What a great idea! I didn't buy it but I will definitely purchase one or more of these six lovelies.

I received no endorsement of any kind for this post.

My Life and Lesser Catastrophies A memoir by Christina Schofield

What is a memoir? It is a reflection. it is not the complete story,but a perspective. It is what God has done in our lives, or is doing in our lives.
The subtitle of this book is an "unflinchingly honest journey of Faith". That is what I liked about this book, Christina Schofield is not afraid to tell her story. She's not afraid to share her disappointment when things don't work out when they are supposed. She's not afraid to share the fact that God 's will for us is that everything goes smoothly.
What is her story. She is married to Allen, a Christian student minister and has one child. She works as an illustrator in Christian publishing. her life seemed to be the American Christian dream, until one morning they are taking a belated anniversary ride on their motorcycle and hit some gravel. They are both injured. Christina has a concussion and Allen is left paralyzed.
She then wrestles with whether God is still faithful and still good. She wants God to heal her husband physically but does he have other plans for them? She learns to rely on God's presence in her life.
I sometimes struggled reading this book. I think I wanted Christina to see God's faithfulness faster. I haven't really had a life where I could relate to her feeling that bad things hadn't happened to her until this moment. My life has been messy and I've grown up trusting God to guide me through these days and not because my days are good, but He is.
In the end this is what Christina learns and her story isn't over. I can't not like her story because it is her story, my story is different.
 I am glad that people are willing to share God working in them. That God loves us....He writes our story...Maybe it isn't happy ever after...He is the hero and we are loved...
What is your story???

I received no compensation for this review of this book, other than a free copy of this book from Chosen, a division of Baker Publishing Group.