John's Quest - Book Review

John’s Quest – Book Review
Author: Cecelia Dowdy

John’s Quest is a Christian fiction romance that brings together a Christian woman who has never married and an agnostic. There are strong attractions, but the woman resists because she knows it is not good to be married to an unbeliever.

Her younger sister who has done everything but live the Christian life presents her with a nephew who is blind. She just drops him off for an uncertain amount of time in order to take off with the latest boyfriend. Her parents live a long way off, so she has the problem of taking care of a blind boy while trying to work and take care of her home. She really has no time to work on a relationship she thinks may never go anywhere. But she does pray daily for the salvation of this agnostic.

The agnostic is a teacher and he has a heart for blind children. So, he took on the responsibility of tutoring her nephew to get him up to par in his schoolwork. The arrangement is for him to come to her house to tutor. But, after awhile, this seems to be too much for both of them, considering he hasn’t turned to God and she doesn’t want to get any closer to him. But, he does finally accept God, and they soon get back together.

This book is a great read and wonderful love story. I could have read it in one sitting. One just feels as though they are living right there, witnessing what is going on in these people’s lives. And that is the essence of a successful novel.

Brand-name shoes at reasonable prices

Shoes are a must for all of us. And we want the most comfortable shoes that we can get to keep our feet feeling good. Softmoc.com is the perfect place to get the kind of shoes that keep your feet comfortable.

Men's Shoes come in a variety of different kinds. They include athletic and casual shoes, boots, sandals, and dress shoes, as well as slippers, moccasins, and boots. Women's Shoes also come in clogs, dress and casual boots, and winter boots.

Softmoc is a Canadian company from which you can buy with confidence. They have brand-name shoes for unbeatable prices. They also have a 75-day return policy, money-back guarantee for all orders.

Technorati Tags: Shoes, Softmoc, Women, Men

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the center of our faith. Without forgiveness we could not have salvation by faith. The Bible in Matthew 6:15 tells us that we have to forgive others or the Lord will not forgive us.

The Word tells us that when we were saved, He forgave us all our past sins and remembered them no more. We are commanded in Ephesians 4:32 to forgive others as God has forgiven us.

Even though we are saved, sometimes un-forgiveness to others deals us misery. We feel guilty because we know we must forgive others but SELF keeps us from doing so. It puts us under bondage and we keep living in the past. And this can bring on illnesses and spiritual sickness which makes us drift away from God.

God is a forgiving God and the root of His love is forgiveness. The way we view forgiveness always has an impact on our relationship with him. If we want to live a healthy spiritual life, then we must learn to forgive.

Technorati Tags: Forgiveness, God

Discount Pet Supplies

Earthmutt.com is a discount pet supplies store on the Web. They sell discount pet supplies for dogs, cats, small animals and birds.

Among the things they sell are dog food and treats, dog and cat toys, flea and tick products, dog bed mats, and cleaning supplies. You are sure to find what you need among their discount pet supplies for your pet.

Technorati Tags: Discount, Pet Supplies, Earthmutt.com

To whom it may concern

When we are writing to a business or organization and do not know the correct person to address, we usually put ‘to whom it may concern’. We believe it will finally reach the person who will address what we need to know or what we want done in our situation.

And, when a Christian prays, he/she usually addressed GOD, the one in whom he/she places their trust. To address God in our prayers as ‘to whom it may concern’ would be disrespectful, not to say that our prayer would more than likely bounce off the walls!

President Obama, in wanting to reach everyone through the nation, picked a woman, a gay, and a Baptist preacher to speak at the inaugural events. Episcopalian Bishop V. Gene Robinson was to speak at the event in front of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday. He said all the inaugural speeches he had read were too ‘specifically aggressive and Christian’. He announced his prayer would not be a Christian prayer and he would not be quoting scripture.

Robinson is ruminating on alternatives such as praying to "the God of our many understandings," a language he said he learned during his stint in alcohol rehab.

Perhaps in the future, taking Christian pity on the poor Michael Newdows of the world, presidential prayers can be re-addressed: To Whom It May Concern.

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in California, will be giving the Invocation at the Inauguration for Barack Obama tomorrow. But he has gotten much criticism, as has Obama for his selection to speak. I can’t understand why, if it’s okay to ask a gay man to speak at the Lincoln Memorial, why not an evangelical for the Inauguration? Hopefully, Rick Warren will not give a ‘sterilized’ speech and never invoke the name of Jesus. After all, HE is the one to whom we all should be looking for the saving of our nation that is definitely in disarray.

Technorati Tags: Inauguration, Rick Warren, God, Bishop V. Gene Robinson

Free at last!

I have felt all along that the two border patrol agents who were sent to prison for doing their job should never have been punished. I believe the prosecutor in the case was to eager to prosecute and get another 'star in his cap'. When people are hired to do a job, they should not be punished for doing just that. Now these men have been separated from their families for two years.

Today, President Bush commuted their sentences! This means their stay in jail will be shortened and Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean will soon be home with their families. Thank you, President Bush, for deciding to commute their sentence and get them back home with their families where they have belonged all along!

Technorati Tags: Border Patrol Agents, Ignacio Ramos, Jose Alonso Compean, President Bush

Great books to read

Last year I reviewed a trilogy of books by author John Aubrey Anderson. Those books captivated me like none have since the Left Behind Series. But these were completely different kind of books. They were about family life in Mississippi when children were innocent and it didn't matter who your friends were. You accepted them as your friend whether others approved or not. Family life seemed to take back seat to the excitement these children had when they were together. The children grow into adults but their memories of their childhood stay with them. And some of the things that happened as they grew up became part of their lives.

The books are called The Black or White Chronicles. The story is set around a young white girl who is head strong and a young black boy whom his father tells to 'watch out for her...like a man'. And he does his best to do that. The family is Christian but the young girl is not. But as the story unravels, the young boy loses his life. The lives of the children are altered the day death strikes that family and their lives are never the same. But the young girl find the Lord. And you will find the gospel throughout these wonderful books.

I believe you will enjoy reading these books. And I think you will be as drawn to reading them like I was. I could have read each book in one night, but I savored each moment, as though I was right there when it happened. I could picture every scene in my mind's eye! Below are the reviews of the three books.

1. Abiding Darkness
2. Wedgewood Grey
3. And If I Die

The author already has the fourth one waiting to be published and is working on the fifth. I can't wait until they come out!

Technorati Tags: The Black or White Chronicles, John Aubrey Anderson

In the last days

The Bible talks about what will go on in the last days.

• 2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

• 2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

• 2 Timothy 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

• 2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

• 2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

• 2 Timothy 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

• 2 Timothy 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

I don’t know about you, but I feel we are definitely in the last days. Too many things have taken place and so many people are denying Christ. So many have never even been taught about the Lord or ever been in a church. And I came across one thing that has happened here in the United States to make me more aware of the problem.

In Colorado they passed a law which could cause it to be a crime to publish the Bible.

SB200, a Colorado state bill recently signed into law, http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=66829 criminalizes the Bible. Section 8 of the bill entitled "Publishing of discriminative matter forbidden" makes publishing the Bible illegal because it contains anti-homosexual passages. This is part of a larger effort to criminalize the expression of certain opinions and beliefs.

Not only are we, as Christians being told that God should be taken out of everything in public and we should keep it in the church. But, some day there might be a reason that a case is made that the Bible should no longer be published because it teaches derogatory things, according to some.

In the scriptures above, I see things leading right up to this situation –

• Lovers of their own selves

• Without natural affection

• Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God

We no longer have the pleasure of coasting along in life believing that things will continue to be the way they have always been. The circumstances today show us this is no longer true. Things have changed, and they aren’t getting better. They are only getting worse. Just as Christ was persecuted when he was on earth, so are we Christians going to go through trials and tribulations before he returns. Many people have given their lives because they chose to follow Him and would not back down. Missionaries have learned that they are prey for those that hate anything with God attached, or perhaps ‘their god’. They are constantly attacked, ran out of the country to which they are missionaries, or perhaps even killed. The only thing they have done wrong is to serve God.

Many calamities have happened in the last few years. Tsunami’s killing thousands, earthquakes where you would not think there would be one, hurricanes killing so many people, people turning against their own families (kids against their parents, parents against their kids) – so much in the Bible is coming to pass. I believe it’s time to look up for “your redemption draweth nigh”. (Luke 21:28)

Technorati Tags: Last Days, Bible, God, Redemption

New Award

This award came from Betty at Country Charm. I appreciate the award, Betty.

The rules are: These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find, and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who much choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

The bloggers I know have almost all received this award. So it isn't possible that I pass it on to eight bloggers. But I do appreciate the award and the thought behind it.

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Teen Challenge

A group of young men from Teen Challenge came to our church Sunday morning. They ministered with human videos on getting out of bondage from Satan and the Hope we have in Christ. These young men serve a year in Teen Challenge where they learn about Christ and how he can work in their lives if they surrender to him.

Two of the young men gave their testimonies on what they came out of and how Teen Challenge has helped to change their lives. Two of the young men gave their testimony. We were greatly moved by the things they said. One young man said he was 21. He had lost his Dad at the age of 10 from cancer and had a mother who was a recovering addict and always has been. He got into drugs at the age of 15, and into smoking and heavy drinking. He said he was a full-blown heady drug addict at the age of 19. He had sort of give up on life, left home and only had the clothes on his back and had to steal or do whatever he could in order to survive. Then, one day his Mom told him she had a place for him to go if he wanted help and came home. And that place was Teen Challenge.

The young man went on to say that he had been told he would not like it the first two weeks. But, after about 4 days, he got into the routine and has liked it ever since. He did get on probation for being caught smoking and said he had to do dishes for 40 days, three times a day. He said it wasn't fun, but he learned his lesson. These young men leave this facility in our community for another one for another 8 months where they will graduate from the year-long program.

The leader of the group was a minister. He said he could identify with these young men, in that he was a graduate of the program 25 years ago. I have been reading some information against Teen Challenge, in that the program didn't work like they say it does. But, I disagree. With this minister having been in the program 25 years ago and come out all of what he had, and lasted this long, the program has to be a good one. These young men were very sincere young men. The 21 year old said this was his first time to give his testimony and he was very nervous. But Teen Challenge had saved his life and got him back in good with his family.

The one thing that those who disagree with the program fail to let people know is that this is a church-oriented program that introduces God into these young men and young women's lives. It doesn't just change their mind about drugs, alcohol, and other abusive things. It changes their hearts and souls, because most of them become a child of God. They learn how to function without all these mind-altering things that reek havoc on them. And one thing the minister said was that not all the participants in the program are teenagers. The ages range from 17 to 47 or so. Most of the guys that came to our church were 19.

This is the second time our church has had teen challenge here. The first time they sent the women's group. But you can tell these young people are wanting to gain acceptance back in the society. So many of them had been turned away from their family and friends because of the abuse. Teen Challenge is helping change many lives and turning them on to Jesus!

Technorati Tags: Teen Challenge

John 3:16

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Most of us can quote that verse when we hear someone say John 3:16. But, how often do we see it put on someone's face? Well, tonight, we watched the Football National Championship game in Miami, Florida. The game was between the Florida Gators and the Oklahoma Sooners. Tim Tebow is the quarterback from Florida, the son of missionaries, a Heisman Trophy winner, and he was homeschooled. He is a fine Christian boy and there, under his eyes was the scripture John 3:16.

The Gators started out as Number 2, playing Number 1 for the title. Tonight, they are the National Champions for the third time. And, it was so nice to hear Tim Tebow speak when he received his award at the end. He thanked all the fans who came to Miami to see them play, and the team. Then, he thanked Jesus Christ for the win. To me, this adds so much credibility to his walk with the Lord, and how everyone thinks of him.

A new bed

There comes a time in our lives when we feel like we need a new bed and a new mattress. With so many stores and so many beds, it is sometimes hard to quickly pick out the one that you want to have in your home perhaps the rest of your life.

Time4Sleep Beds has a great variety of beds from which to choose. They arrange from traditional to contemporary design. They have something for everyone including beds for children. Within the selection of children’s beds, you have space saving beds, high sleepers, beds with storage underneath, bunk beds, and car beds. It should be easy to find a bed suited for your child. And, with each single child’s bed, you get a free mattress.

I am particular in what kind of furniture I buy which includes my bedroom suite. I love an all-wooden bed that has a high mattress. I sleep better when my mattress is very firm. Time4Sleep has wooden beds from single to king sized. We have a queen bed that is oak wood with an extra firm foam mattress. We will probably be exchanging that bed for a king size which we used to have since we prefer a little more room than a queen bed provides for tall people. The bed I love the most in this collection is the Antibes Sleigh bed in dark wood. It is a beautiful classic design in ash wood.

Technorati Tags: Times4Sleep Beds, Furniture

God on the mountain

God never changes. Word says He is the same 'yesterday, and today, and forever'. (Hebrews 13:8). No matter what happens, He is always there. We often feel that He is no where to be found when we really need Him, but do we actually go to Him when we need Him, or do we rely on ourselves to try and 'fix' things first? God will show up every time you invite Him! If you are a Christian, He is with you every minute, but he's a gentleman. He will not impose himself upon you, if you don't want him. Learn to go to Him first, ask for his guidance in your life daily; He is waiting on you!

Technorati Tags: God, Mountain, Word