Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart is the first book in the Brothers of Sapphire Creek Ranch series by Misty M. Beller. Jericho Coulter is the eldest of the Coulter brothers. He has been entrusted with the safety of his family and the secret they hold dear. After a family tragedy, they follow a strict rule: no outsiders. Dinah Wyatt is a talented and determined doctor, travels with her sister, Naomi, as she prepares to be a mail order bride in Montana. When they come to the ranch, they are met with a surly Jericho who was ready to send them away. However, Dinah’s skills are immediately needed as one of the brothers becomes injured. As Dinah cares for the injured man, sparks fly between Jericho and Dinah. However, in the wilds of the Montana Territory, where trust is hard to come by. Can Jericho and Dinah learn to trust each torah and embrace the love between them?
Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart is my first book by Misty M. Beller and it won’t be my last. From the opening chapter to the closing pages, this story had me glued to the pages. It is dramatic and faith filled with real struggles and questions with faith. Jericho is a man hurt by the tragic events in his family and, as a result, he turned from God. Dinah is a woman of faith who feels called to use her skills as a doctor to any one who is injured or ill. The two clash as they have different missions and yet together they find a common thread with the people they both care about: their families. There are moments of humor and times of tense danger. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I highly, highly recommend Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart.
Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook
Reckless Memories is the first book in The Wrecked series by Catherine Cowles. Bell Kipton has loved Ford Hardy from afar for a long time. He was her older sister, Violet’s boyfriend but he was her friend and confidante. But a tragic accident tears everything apart. Her sister is gone and Ford leaves Bell behind to pick up the pieces alone. Now, eleven years later, she has created a new life without him. However, now he has come home and every wall and defense she has built comes crumbling down. As they both deal with the past, their guilt and their mutual passion, they fight feelings that they are betraying Violet. However, little do they know, a shadow moves in the dark. Someone who holds them responsible. Someone who wants them both gone. Can they discover who is determined to hurt them both before it’s too late?
Catherine Cowles is my go-to author for steamy romance with angst, deep emotions and suspense. Reckless Memories is a page-turning slow burn friends to lovers romance that fits that bill. There is plenty of drama and sweet moments between the characters. It is a story of forgiveness, trust and love. I loved Bell and Ford from the very beginning. Their pain and feelings of guilt breaks your heart. They fought the growing feelings between them until there was no denying them any longer. When they finally confessed their feelings, it was heartwarming. Their doubts and worries about appearances felt very authentic. The suspense kept me on my toes and I was shocked when it was revealed who was out to hurt them. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I could not put this book down! And I look forward to the rest of the series. I highly, highly recommend Reckless Memories.
Reckless Memories is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook
No Fake Dating for a Cowboy is the first book in the Escape to Cowboy Crossing series by Alexa Verde. When their family is threatened, former policewoman Jessie Ashford makes sure their temporary home in a small town is as secure as possible as secure as the wall around her heart. She also has a secret she will die trying to protect. However, when Ronan O’Neill, the local police officer, helps investigate the suspicious events around Jessie and her family, her defenses begin to fall. As Jessie is a woman who has a chip on her shoulder, Ronan is a cop with his heart on his sleeve. Still reeling from the loss of his fiancée, he wasn’t expecting to be drawn to Jessie. Can Jessie learn to trust Ronan and open her heart one more time? Can Ronan convince her that he is worthy of her love and trust?
From the opening page to the closing chapter, No Fake Dating for a Cowboy has all the charms of a small town with the suspense of a mystery thriller. There is a mixture of love, humor and nail biting excitement. However, there was a bit too much jumping back and forth in time. There was a lot of internal monologue. Too much information that other characters discuss without being revealed by another. Did I miss when particular information was revealed? I did like the characters. They were believable with flaws and yet band together to support one another. I loved the interactions between Jessie and her sisters and Ronan and his brothers. Ms Verde definitely captured sibling relationships and interactions. Overall, the story was good and I am still debating if I will continue the series. If you enjoy a small town romance with suspense, I recommend No Fake Dating for a Cowboy.
No Fake Dating for a Cowboy is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook
Shadowing Stella is the first book in the Endless Mountain series by Elle E Kay. Pregnant and alone, Stella McIntrye has no choice but return home to Edinsville to the family and God she ran from. Her family welcomes her home. Jason Duncan sees Stella beyond her mistakes and wants to show her that she is loved and deserves love. But first he needs to break through the walls she has built around her heart. As they spend time together and become close, they don’t realize that someone is watching Stella from the shadows and evil is around the corner. When Stella is abducted, she must keep her faith and wits as she works to set herself free. Who has abducted her? Will she be set free?
Shadowing Stella is a Christian suspense story. I loved the focus on faith and trust in God. I also loved the acknowledgement of doubts and struggles with faith and God and yet continuing to trust. I don’t know why Christians have this idea that believers cannot have doubts or struggles. I also loved that Stella’s parents welcomed her home like the prodigal son and helped her get back on her feet. On a sad note, the attitudes from others in town about Stella’s situations were all too real. However, the pace was a bit too slow for me and the suspense part of the story dragged the story down even more. Overall, the story was okay; however, I will not be continuing the series. If you enjoy Christian suspense stories, you may enjoy Shadowing Stella.
Shadowing Stella is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook
Keeping 13 is the second book of the Boys of Tommen series by Chloe Walsh. The story begins immediately after the events of book 1 Binding 13 as both Shannon and Johnny face life changing decisions, each with their own fallouts and dire consequences. After a devastating injury, Johnny is sidelined while he recovers and struggles to stay the course for his ultimate dreams. Feeling lost and insecure, he sets his attention to unraveling the mystery and secrets of the only other person who has been able to take his sights off his goals. Keeping secrets is second nature for Shannon as her family life demands it. Traumatized and desperate to protect herself and her little brothers, she finds herself falling into old patterns with cover-ups and walls in place to keep everyone out. However, Johnny is the only one with the ability to climb those walls. Falling in love with each other was the easy part, what they now face will be the test.
Keeping 13 is a story of friendship, first love, friendship, and horrifying secrets in this love story of two teenagers from opposite sides of the tracks. After reading Binding 13, I couldn’t wait to finish this heartbreaking story and hoping for a happy ending. Picking up right where Binding 13 left off, Keeping 13 was a wild ride that kept going with its dips and turns until the very end. There were a number of surprises especially at the end. Just when I thought the story was over, it wasn’t! It had heartbreaking moments with sobs and tears as well as heart gripping fear. However, there were side splitting laughter and smiles for miles as the teenagers will be teenagers. As I warned with Binding 13, I will give the warning again. It is written in the Irish teen vernacular with heavy foul language. I loved this story and I can’t wait to finish the rest of the series. I highly, highly recommend Keeping 13.
Bet on it by Jodie Slaughter is a story of anxiety, and learning to love and trust again. Aja Owens is fairly new in Greenbelt, South Carolina. The small town offers a new life. What she doesn’t expect is to meet the man of her dreams in the middle of the Piggly Wiggly during a panic attack. Then she meets him again. This time he is introduced as Walker Abbott, the semi-estranged grandson of her favorite bingo buddy, Ms. May. There are only two good things about his hometown in Walker’s mind: the peach cobbler at a local diner and his grandmother. He forces himself back in town after a decade away to help his grandmother as she heals from a fall. His plan: stay a few weeks and he’ll leave this town behind once again. Except there’s a snag in that plan: Aja. Friendly banter leads to a bingo-based sex pact. A pact that was supposed to keep their budding relationship casual and temporary. What happens when casual and temporary becomes deeper and permanent?
Bet on it is a wonderful story of personal growth, anxiety issues and two very broken people who find a way to each other and become whole again. The story is filled with hard hitting emotional issues which are realistic and intense. The book opens with Aja in the middle of a very public attack and my heart went out to her. I loved her courage to work on herself, to step outside her comfort zone despite her anxiety. As Walker opens up about his own issues, my heart went to him as well. These are two very broken people. One is actively trying to overcome her issues and the other prefers to run from them. I laughed. I cried. And I cheered as they find a way to overcome. I would warn that the language may be too vulgar for some readers. I feel it adds authenticity to the characters so it was tolerable for me. The sex scenes between Aja and Walker are intense and very steamy. Overall, I enjoyed Aja and Walker’s story. I recommend Bet on it.
Bet on it is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook
The Therapist by BA Paris is a psychological thriller and one woman’s determination to find the truth. Alice Dawson moved in with her boyfriend, Leo, into a newly renovated house in The Circle, an exclusive gated community in London, it was everything they’ve dreamed of. But the perfect house holds a terrible secret. As Alice gets to know her neighbors, she discovers the devastating secret and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before. Alice soon becomes obsessed with trying to discover what happened in the house and to Nina, but no one will talk about it. She also discovers that someone is playing a sick game with her, can she discover who it is before it’s too late? Will she ever truly find out what happened to Nina?
The Therapist is my first book by BA Paris and I wasn’t sure what to expect as I read. At first, I didn’t care for Alice. I thought she was a bit whinny, always going on about her late sister who just happens to share the same name as the house’s former resident. But as I read and the clues about what happened became clearer, I found myself scared for her. I read late into the night, desperate to find out what happened to Nina and if Alice would escape the nightmare her dream house had become. Overall, I enjoyed the story. It has all the elements of a psychological thriller: misdirected clues, the secretive neighbors and a boyfriend who may not be who he says he is. I recommend The Therapist. Once you read, you will want to discover the truth.
The Therapist will be available tomorrow, July 13, 2021, in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook.
A person’s greatest achievement may be helping others. Some people may prevent others from achieving great things. The story of Samson and Delilah is a well known one. Delilah is the harlot of an unknown nationality who used her beauty to betray Samson, her lover, and played the fool three times as she tried to find the secret to Samson’s strength, until she ultimately achieved her goal. She played a minor role in Samson’s story; but her minor role had devastating results. Motivated by greed, Delilah used Samson’s infatuation with her to her advantage. Blinded by his love and possibly his pride, Samson was weakened to the warning signs. Their story is told in Judges 16:4-22. Who was Delilah? What is the theme and warning of their story? What lessons can we learn from the story of Delilah and Samson?
The five Philistine kings hated Samson, the long-haired strongman, who had set their fields on fire (Judges15:4-5) and slain a thousand men (Judges 15:8). Each offered a lot of money to Delilah to find the secret to Samson’s strength. She had her beauty and skills as a prostitute to weaken him, she knew Samson would tell her and eventually he did. Three times, she asked him the secret, and three times he told her lie after lie, until she had enough. She pouted and proclaimed if he really loved her, he would tell her the truth. Her nagging finally wore him down and he told her the truth: his hair. When he fell asleep, she cut his hair and woke him up as the Philistines attacked. He woke up to fight back as he always had but he was unable to subdue them and he was easily overtaken. They gouged his eyes out and imprisoned him. The Bible doesn’t mention Delilah again. But it’s not the end of Samson’s story. He would eventually gain his strength and kill more Philistines with his death than he did in life.
One main theme in Delilah’s story is temptation and the dangers of an unhealthy relationship. An interesting note: the meaning of her name seems to mean, “night” from the Hebrew word, layla, as Samson’s name, Shimshon, means “sun.” “As night overcomes the mighty sun, so Delilah overcomes the apparently invincible strongman, Samson” (Exum). A clue to the dangers of their relationship? Judges 16:4 states that Samson loved Delilah, but not that she loved him back. Perhaps, a hint that she truly did not care for him and had no qualms about betraying him (Exum). She makes no pretense of her intentions to find out Samson’s secret. Three times she asks and three times there is an attempt to overcome him. So why did he finally reveal the truth? The story of Samson and Delilah is a warning about being careful of the company you keep. As 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character.” Delilah was a bad influence who wore Samson down to reveal his story, despite all the signs, all the red flags (Bolinger, 2020).
There are many lessons in her story. First, be careful with temptations, especially sexual temptations. Sex creates a “two-becoming-one” bond (Genesis 2:24) which is very difficult and painful to separate (Bolinger, 2020). Second, we need to be careful who we place our trust. We need to make sure that a person is trustworthy. It is a lesson we continually learn throughout our lifetime. We cannot let our guard down. Samson let his guard down and let Delilah impair his judgment to eventually reveal his greatest weakness (Bolinger, 2020). Third, sins have consequences, even forgiven sins. Samson suffered the consequences for his lapse in judgment. According to John Piper (1991), there are many goals for God-sent consequences for forgiven sins, one being the consequences are to humble and sanctify the sinner. As Hebrews 12:6 says, “Because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” When we come to the Lord to confess sins and seek forgiveness, he promises to no longer remember our sins (Isaiah 43:25). We must remember that consequences from sin are not an indication that God is angry.” (Stanley, 2015).
In conclusion, the story of Delilah and Samson is an example to be careful about the people we trust and the relationships we engage in. Not all people have our best interests at heart and not all relationships are good for us. Their story is also another example that God loves us and will not abandon us even when we make mistakes, even when we sin. Delilah was motivated by greed and used her sexual hold on Samson to gain the information she needed. Samson was blinded to the warnings and red flags before his ultimate downfall. While he was physically blinded, he sought his strength one more time, for God to remember him (Judges 16:28). God can help us turn a bad situation to good for his glory. All we need to do is turn to him and seek his guidance.
Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier is a story of
heartache, revenge, and betrayal. Marin Machado has a great life. A loving
husband, a beautiful son, and a successful business, she could not ask for
more. Until one dark December day, her son is taken from her side and her whole
world shatters. Fast forward 18 months and there has been no sign of her son
and Marin is barely living as she tries to find herself in her new world. Her
life consists now of work, therapy sessions and a support group. She and her
husband, Derek, seem to be hanging on by a thread. Her world is about to
shatter again as a private investigator, she hired to find her, finds some
startling news. As Marin fills with rage and seeks to find her revenge, she
learns who she can trust and who has truly betrayed her. Will she find her
revenge? Will Marin ever find out what happened with her son?
What a story! Little Secrets starts with every
parent’s worst nightmare and launches the reader into the aftermath as Marin
tries to find answers and closure. Throughout the book, I was not sure if I
liked Marin or any of the characters as they all had their own secrets and
ulterior motives behind their actions. However, Ms. Hillier takes the reader on
a roller coaster of a journey as the twists and turns keeps one guessing. The
characters feel very relatable with real emotions and flaws. This is the type
of story that the reader will not figure out, so do not even try. Just go along
for the ride and watch as little clues reveal big secrets. I highly recommend Little
Secrets!
Harvest of Rubies by Tessa Afshar is the story of Sarah,
a young Jewish woman with the ability to learn multiple languages, is trained
to be a scribe. Her talents lead her to the employment of Queen Damaspia, wife
of Atraxerxes, the king of Persia. She quickly finds herself trying to untangle
an accusation made by the queen mother, Amestris, against Queen Damaspia. When
Sarah unravels the lies and helps avert disaster, she wins the heart and favor
of the queen. Her reward is to be married to one of Atraxerxes’ valued subjects.
Darius isn’t thrilled by the prospect of marriage just as Sarah tries to get
out of it. But they realize that they have no choice. As their marriage finds a
rocky start, Sarah tries to make the most of her new role and life and she
again finds herself uncovering an evil scheme against Darius’ estate. The
schemer soon reveals that he has dangerous intentions. Can she uncover enough
evidence to convince Darius of the evil scheme? Will Darius learn to trust her
enough to follow the evidence? Will she trust the Lord enough to guide her
through?
I loved Harvest of Rubies. Right from the start, I
was drawn to Sarah and her intelligence and her modest opinion of herself. She
feels that her only redeeming quality, her only value is being a scribe. When
that is taken away from her, she is at a lost as her value. Ms. Afshar paints a
detailed description of Persian court life and the societal structure of the
time. I enjoyed Darius, a man of pride who finds himself drawn to his new bride
despite his desire to keep his distance. As Darius and Sarah investigate the scheme,
they learn that their first impressions weren’t the truth. Their love story
felt very realistic as explanations and apologies don’t automatically result in
trust and love. Darius and Sarah’s interactions with each are electrifying and
by the end I smiled and laughed at their antics with each other. Their story
continues in Harvest of Gold, which I will be reviewing soon. I highly
recommend Harvest of Rubies.
A More Perfect Union
by Jodi Daynard is the story of one man’s journey in America. Its 1794, 15 year
old Johnny Watkins has come to Boston from Barbados in order to get an
education. He dreams of becoming a great statesman like his hero, John Adams,
who thinks the young man can do it. There is one catch. He must pass for white.
Johnny is of mixed race. Very few know that Johnny’s father was born a slave.
It’s a secret that is heavily guarded. He lives day-to-day risking being found
out at any moment. Soon a secret is discovered about a certain presidential
candidate in the upcoming election. A secret which dangers Johnny’s future and
his very life. Johnny must decide who he can trust. Can he truly trust anyone?
I loved the historical detail in A More Perfect Union. I was confused for most of the book until I
realized it was part of a series. I read by other reviewers that it could be
read as a stand-alone book but I found that is not the case. As I read, I felt
I was reading allusions to information I should already know. I enjoyed the
premise and the mystery of this book as Johnny tries to navigate the new
American political system. I also think I would have enjoyed so much more if I
had read the first two books. I’m going to check out the first two books and
reread A More Perfect Union. In the
meantime, I recommend this book as a great look into the early years of our
country and the development of our political system.
Meet Me Halfway by
Kim Carmody is Book 2 in the Off Field Series. It is the story of a young
woman, Olivia Callahan, an ambitious journalist and Nate Sullivan, the newest
recruit for the New York Warriors as a tight end. Olivia is persisted to get
the story behind Nate and his rise to the NFL and Nate will do anything to keep
it secret. While they go to battle for his privacy and her determination to get
the story which will make her career, the sparks fly. As they fall in love,
Olivia and Nate both must decide what they will do, and won’t do, in order to
be together. Will Nate open up about his past? Will Olivia choose love over
career?
Meet Me Halfway
started out strong. Olivia is given a chance to jumpstart her career with a new
idea for a series of in-depth stories about football players. With Nate’s first
round draft pick, the media and the football world is going nuts and all Nate
wants to do is hide. However, I could not finish this book. I enjoyed the
Prologue which feature Olivia but the opening chapter featuring Nate sealed
this book for me. Nate and his friend, Jake, are talking as guys do. Nate’s
girlfriend comes up and Nate makes a comment that she “fucks like a porn star,”
I had it. I don’t like that language. I understand that men will talk like that
but I don’t want to read it. If you are already a fan of Ms. Carmody, you may
enjoy this book.
Psalms is a collection of poems, songs and prayers which
express praise, worship and confessions to God. The book contains 150 psalms
which express the heart and soul of humanity. The shortest psalm is only two
verses (Psalm 117) and the longest psalm is 150 verses (Psalm 119)! The
psalmists experience the depths of despair and the heights of joy and God
brings them out of their struggles. David was the most prolific psalmist who wrote
73 psalms. The psalms are said to be written between the time of Moses (around
1440 BC) and the Babylonian captivity (586 BC). With so many psalms, it was
hard to choose just a few to discuss; however, I’ve chosen psalms which have
great meaning to people I know as well as ones which stood out to me as I read.
First, Psalm 40 is my husband’s favorite psalm. His favorite
band, U2, used Psalm 40 as inspiration for their song, “40.” It was written by
David and speaks to waiting patiently while doing God’s will. While we wait, we
can love God, serve others and tell others about him. Verse 1 opens this theme
directly, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.”
Waiting patiently for the Lord is not easy but David received four blessings
for he patience: God had 1) lifted him out of this despair, 2) set his feet on
a rock, 3) gave him a firm place to stand (verse 2) and 4) gave him a new song
of praise (verse 3). Blessings are often not received until a trial of waiting.
For instance, my husband and I recently bought a car. We waited for years for
our own car. From balancing sharing a car with my mom and then getting a gift
of a car riddled with problems, we patiently waited for the day when we could
get our own car. Then this year, God rewarded our patience with a great deal
and a car we love to drive.
Second, Psalm 73 was written by Asaph, a leader of one of
the temple choirs. This psalm speaks about living holy lives and trusting God
for our future. The psalm opens discussing how the wicked seem to prosper:
“always carefree, they increase in wealth” (verse 12) but the righteous have
lasting rewards. After the riches of this earth will fade away, the righteous
has something which cannot disappear: God. Verse 27-28 states “Those who are
far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for
me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will
tell of all your deeds.” One verse stood out to me and speaks to those who feel
as if they have failed and cannot return to God. Verse 26 says “My flesh and my
heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” As
you and I live our life, despite our best efforts to live a Christ-like life,
we will fail. We will have moments of weakness. However, as long as we cling to
God in those moments, we will have renewed strength.
Third, Psalm 103 is a psalm of David which speaks of God’s
great love for us and what God does for us tells us what he is really like. Verses
8-10 tells us who God is. He is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger,
abounding in love (verse 8). He will not accuse, harbor his anger forever or
treat us as our sins deserve (verse 9-10). My favorite verses is 11-12, “For as
high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his live for those who
fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our
transgressions from us.” These two verses are great joy for believers. Since
the east and west can never meet, it is symbolic of God’s forgiveness. When He
forgives our sins, He separates it from us and doesn’t remember it. People will
remember their sin and dwell on it. However, when we place our trust in Christ
and seek forgiveness, God forgives and forgets. Our record has been wiped clean
and we can live with a new slate. Although this doesn’t mean we won’t sin again
because we will; but when we truly seek forgiveness from God, he will remove
our sin.
Lastly, Psalm 112 is a psalm about the advantages of having
faith in God. God guards the minds and actions of those who follow his
commands. Verse 1 states, “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds
great delight in his commands.” To fear the Lord is to have great reverence and
respect for God and His Word. The Hebrew word for fear, yirah, have a wide range of meanings in Scripture. It can mean a
fear of impending danger. However, it also means the idea of wonder, amazement,
astonishment, gratitude, admiration, and worship of God. Therefore, the fear of
the Lord is an overwhelming sense of the glory, worth and beauty of the One
True God (Parsons). If we have fear and trust in the Lord, we “will have no
fear of bad news” and our hearts will be “steadfast, trusting in the Lord”
(verse 7). This verse is one of the reasons why that I do not fear the future.
Despite the discord in our country and the world, I trust that God is in
control and all will work for His good. Many people will be dragged into the
debates, the arguments and great anger will ensue, but I refuse to do so. I
have faith in the Lord and no man can change that.
The book of Psalms is a great source of encouragement when
feeling afraid or a host of other emotions. It is also a source to go to when
facing struggles and difficult times. For the psalms which I have featured,
these psalms teach us that if we wait patiently for the Lord, we will be
blessed. Trusting in God will give us riches that will never fade. God will
help us in our moments of weakness. God has great love for us and He is a
forgiving Lord. Lastly, fear of the Lord helps us be unafraid in the world
around us. Although it sounds too good to be true and sometimes we will fail.
Sometimes, we will get inpatient, we will falter in our trust, and the fear in
the world around us will overpower us, God is a forgiving God and he will
welcome you back. All you have to do is turn to Him.
References:
Parsons, John J. (retrieved 1/29/2017) The Awe of the Lord http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Scripture/Parashah/Summaries/Eikev/Yirah/yirah.html
This month’s study is on the book of Job. It is an
illustration of God’s sovereignty and the meaning of true faith. It addresses
the question, “why do the righteous suffer?” A question that is still debated
today. The book of Job is believed to have been written during the time of the
patriarchs (approximately 2000-1800 BC) and the first book of the Bible to be
written. It is the first poetic book of the Bible. The book of Job opens in the
land of Uz where Job is living with his family among vast wealth. Job was “the
greatest man among all the people of the East” (Job 1:3).
Satan approaches God in heaven and the discussion turns to
Job. Satan believed that Job was a righteous man because he had everything and
if it were taken from him, he would turn from God (Job 1:9-11). God gives Satan
permission to take everything Job has but he could not physically harm him (Job
1:12). Soon, Job loses his children, his herds and still does nothing wrong.
Job is given a second test in which God allows Satan to physical harm Job but
he could not take his life (Job 2:6). There Job sits with every sign of his
wealth taken and illness has claimed his body but Job still refused to turn
from God (Job 2:10). Job discusses his sufferings with his friends who all give
their view as to why he is suffering.
First, Job’s view about his suffering is “the Lord gave and
the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21) and
“Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10). His attitude is
that we should not give up on God simply because he allows bad experiences.
Faith in God does not guarantee prosperity and a lack of faith does not
guarantee troubles. Job was a man of faith, patience and endurance. As his
friends claim that he is suffering for something he has done, he is willing to
confess it if he knew what it was. He demands to be shown what sins he could
have committed to deserve such punishment (Job 13: 23-24). Job wanted to know
why and claimed he could bear the suffering if he could only know why (Job 23.
It is a very human demand to know why we are suffering. Does understanding the
reasons help the pain and suffering? If God were to answer why would it be
easier to accept and bear the pain? The question why is the hardest to answer because
you may get the reason but you may not like or accept such an answer.
Second, his friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the
Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, come to comfort him and offer advice. They
soon turn to accuse Job of an unresolved sin in his life. Eliphaz’s view is
simply that man is responsible for his own troubles for “those who plow evil
and those who sow trouble reap it” (Job 4:8). Bildad claims that Job’s suffering
is because he is unjust as God would not reject a blameless man (Job 8:20). When
Zophar joins the discussion he adds that only does Job have sin in his life but
his sin deserves more punishment that he already is suffering (Job 11). It is a
sentiment the friends will repeat several times. It is also a sentiment repeated
in churches today: “Oh you are dealing with financial issues because there’s
sin in your life.” Or “You are in pain because you haven’t confessed a sin.”
While God does allow the consequences of our sin and bad decisions to play out
despite our confession, it does not mean that the bad circumstances are the
result of your personal sin. Good and innocent people will suffer bad
circumstances because people don’t always do what is right and innocent parties
will suffer. Does this mean that you shall lose faith? No, because faith in the
bad times shows a stronger character than faith in the good times.
Lastly, the Lord speaks to the group. He first addresses Job
and demands to know why he speaks with knowledge (Job 38:1). The Lord rebukes
Job for daring to demand an answer, to question God and the workings of the
universe he couldn’t possibly understand. God uses His questions to Job to
demonstrate how little he really knows (Job 38-39). Job acknowledges that he
cannot understand what God understands (Job 40:4). In Job 42:2, Job says “I
know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.” This is a
concept that many believers must face and learn. There’s a Yiddish proverb
which states, “Man plans and God laughs.” We can carefully plan but if it is
against the will of God, it will not come to fruition. As believers, we must
submit to the will of God in our lives. As it says in the Lord’s Prayer, “thy
will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). The Lord then addresses
the three friends because they “have not spoken of me what is right” as Job has
(Job 42:7). The Lord blesses Job’s life with far more than he had originally
because he passed the test of faith.
In conclusion, the lessons learned from Job is bad circumstances
are not always the result of sin and knowing the reason why isn’t the point.
The point is our faith in God in times of prosperity and in times of troubles,
especially in times of troubles. It may sound easier said than done and it is
something I still struggle with from time to time. There has been other times
when my faith was tested and it will continued to be tested for the rest of my
life. There are times where I worry and I think “how am I going to do this?”
And I forget to lean on my faith in Christ. However, there is always something
that reminds me to trust in Him. It would be a whisper in my dreams, a voice of
a friend, or a verse I read during my studies. Even in his anguish, Job never
turned from God. And in mine, I won't either.
Today, I’m going to cover two books of the Bible: Judges and
Ruth. Maybe people may think that the Bible is filled with stories of men and
how women are lesser than them. However, within these two books are three
stories of women. Two of these women are examples of courage and loyalty. While
another woman is an example of what happens when greed blinds you. These women
are: Deborah, Delilah and Ruth.
Deborah was the fourth and only female of the
pre-monarchical Israel. Her story is told in Judges 4-5. She was a prophetess
of God and the wife of Lapidoth. Many Israelites came to her for counsel. After
20 years of oppression by King Jabin and his commander, Sisera, the Israelites
called out to God for help. He speaks to Deborah who sends for Barak, son of Abinoam.
She tell him that God commands him to take 10,000 men and lead the way to Mount
Tabor. At Mount Tabor, the Lord would deliver Sisera into his hands. But, Barak
is reluctant to do so without Deborah. Deborah agrees but says the victory will
belong to a woman. The battle goes as the Lord says and Deborah successfully
counterattacked the forces of King Jabin and Sisera. She would rule Israel
peacefully for 40 years. What lesson can be learn from Deborah’s example? Wise
leaders choose good helpers. Deborah was a good strategist and in Barak, she
had a commander who could carry it out. Therefore, a wise person would know
when to ask for help.
Delilah is a famous person from the Bible whose story is
told in Judges 16. Everyone seems to know the story of Samson and Delilah. She
was a woman from the Valley of Sorek and Samson fell deeply in love with her.
Samson consistently bested the Philistines and they were looking for a way to
finally defeat him. They approach Delilah and ask her to discover the secret to
Samson’s strength. She asks Samson twice and each time he tells her a lie about
the source of his strength. Delilah asks for a third and final time and he
tells her the truth. It’s his hair and while he was asleep, she cut his long
locks off. When the Philistines came to overpower him, he did not have the
strength to fight them off. What lesson can be learn from Delilah’s story? She was persistent when faced with obstacles
but she valued money more than relationships. She betrayed a man who trusted
her, leading to his capture and eventual death. Therefore, we must be careful
who we place out trust.
Ruth has a book entirely to her story. As a widower of
Naomi’s son, she had the chance to return to her family as Naomi was going to
return home to Judah. But she decided to stay with Naomi. When they reach
Judah, Ruth begins to pick from the fields of Boaz and catches his eye. It
turns out Boaz is one of the kinsmen-redeemers. A kinsmen redeemer is a
relative who volunteers to take responsibility for the extended. The law states
in Deuteronomy 25-5-10, a widow can marry her late husband’s brother but since
both Naomi’s son were died, the nearest relative could marry the widow. Boaz
takes this responsibility and marries Ruth. Ruth soon gives birth to a son named
Obed, who is the grandfather of the future king of Israel, David. What lesson
can be learn from Ruth’s story? When God is at the center of a relationship,
differences can be overcome leading to peace, love and harmony.
In conclusion, women play important role in the Bible for
good and for bad. Deborah, Delilah and Ruth are just a few examples of how God
uses women for His purpose. Deborah is an example of how God choices leaders by
His standards, not ours and that wise leaders seek help. Delilah is an example
of how greed and misplaced trust can be catastrophic and Ruth is an example of
how love and loyalty can change your life forever when you trust God to be a
part of your relationship.
The Language of
Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh is the story of one woman’s struggle with
trust and love. It is the story of a woman who finds it hard to love and be
loved in return. It is a story told through the meaning of flowers.
Victoria Jones is 18 years old and she has now aged out of
the foster care system. She must now learn to fend for herself. She ends up
living on the street with a tiny flower garden that she has created. One day
she approaches a florist looking for a job. She makes a bouquet of flowers to
give as a resume. The florist, Renata, recognizes Victoria’s natural talent and
hires her. Renata also realizes that Victoria is on the streets and helps her
give a place to stay. Soon, Victoria has customers coming back for her special
bouquets which through the meaning of the flowers helps restore relationships
and brings joy into people’s lives. But she, herself, rejects and even
sabotages her own chances for happiness. Why does Victoria feel unworthy of
love? Will she learn she is worthy of love?
I enjoyed The Language
of Flowers simply because I love flowers and the Victorian meanings behind
them. It was an easy book to read. I was able to read it in one day but the
story was beautiful and had me hooked to find out if Victoria would allow
herself to love, be loved and learn that happiness is possible. The story is
told in a series of present events and flashback which gives the readers clues
as how Victoria learned the meaning of flowers, how she ended up in a group home
and why she feels unworthy of love. I recommend The Language of Flowers is a great summer beach book.
During that past seven months, I have been involved in a
grief support group online which focuses on parents who have lost child either
through pregnancy complications or childhood deaths. While the group support
have meant a great deal for me, there is one thing that bothers me. Many of the
members hate the statement, “everything happens for a reason.” They hate the
statement so much that they get angry when they hear someone say it. I fully
believe that everything does happens for a reason. I believe it for three
reasons: God’s will, consequences or results of a decision and the nature of
the world we live in.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 tells us that there is a time for
everything. God has a plan for all people and that we all must experience the
cycles of life. The good and the bad. A time for life and death (verse 2) and a
time to mourn and a time to dance (verse 4). I'm sure when people hear verses
1-8, they hear The Byrds playing in their head. I know I do. Many people would
say then your babies were meant to die. Maybe they were because verse 11 says
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the
hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
We cannot see into the future or comprehend everything that God sees or
understand. I fully believe with all my heart that the losses of my babies has
strengthen my faith and trust in Jesus Christ, has brought my husband and me
together and made us stronger and helped us appreciate the blessings that God
has given us.
Judges 16 tells the story of Samson and Delilah. Samson,
whose strength was greater than any man before, falls madly in love with
Delilah and trusts her with his biggest secret. By telling her this secret, it
led to his capture and his eventual death. The story illustrates that all our
decisions have consequences for good or bad. God allowed Samson’s decision to
follow its natural course and he suffered greatly for it. God does this in our
lives today. Every decision will results in something. If we follow God’s plan
and will, He will bless us but if we go against His plan and will, we will
suffer the consequences of such a decision. We’re short on cash because we
didn’t budget. We are having a fight with our loved ones because we decided to tell
a secret or a lie. We worked hard at work and received a promotion. Bad
decisions will yield bad results and good decisions will yield good results.
Sometimes our situations are simply the results of past decisions.
Sometimes the events in our lives happen because of the
fallen world we live in. Homes and businesses will be lost in a horrific storm.
Certain weather patterns will form storms. There is no way to stop them or ease
the damage they will cause. Earthquakes can occur at any moment and there is no
way to predict them. We live in a fallen world and there is good and evil all
around us. We can hope for the best but prepare for the worst. In life, there
are no guarantees. There are no guarantees that everyone will live to see a
ripe old age. God tells us in Job 14:5-7 that before we were even born, our
days are numbered but God also tells us in Jeremiah 1:5 that before we were
formed in the womb, He knew us and He has plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). I
believe that God has a plan when he took my babies back to Him. I may not fully
understand why but I fully trust Him that He will reveal it to me in time.
In conclusion, I believe that everything happens for a
reason. There is a season for everything. Decisions will yield good or bad
results. This is a fallen world. My babies’ lives were cut short by our
standards. But by God’s they lived as they were determined to. I realize now
that if my first baby was born, my beautiful Abby wouldn’t be here now. I also
realize that if Ziva had lived, I probably would not have started my blog and actively
writing again. I don’t know the reasons why but I do know that God has a plan
and I will trust Him with every breath. It may hurt to think that there’s a
reason for everything but to me, something happening without a reason is even
worst.
