Jesus, my Father, the CIA and Me by Ian Morgan Cron

I have read many memoirs of varying styles.  The author approaches this memoir in a different manner.  He brings you back to the time of his childhood to reveal how he perceived growing up with a father that was an alcoholic, how that molded him and how the entire family functioned.  He asked many question like a child would at this time but the answers escape him until much later in life.  He finds a lovely lady and gets married then raises his three children.  He then makes a very disturbing observation he has become his father.  The author has one thing his father did not, faith.  His faith may have been buried but in time, it did resurface stronger.    Overtime, he was able to remove the obstacles that had kept getting in his way.  Author sends a very strong message to all of us.  We all have issues and there is no reason we have to keep them bottled up inside of us.  His struggle with his own addition shows that the patterns can be broken no matter how bad you think things have gotten.  There is always hope if your faith is strong enough. 

I received a free copy of this book from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review of the book.

Sherlock Holmes and the Needle's Eye by Len Bailey

If you enjoy Sherlock Holmes and have questions regarding the mysteries within the Bible then this book is for you.  The book brings you into the lives of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.  They have received a message regarding ten mysteries in the Bible that an unknown individual wants them to solve.  Their adventure, through the help of a time machine, brings them back to witness each of the ten mysteries.  Dr. Watson strives to answer the mysteries based just on his knowledge of what he has read and his understand of the Bible.  While Sherlock Holmes attempts solving them just based on logic using the Bible as his reference point.  How the mysteries are relived help to bring about a better understanding what happened and why.  At the end of the book is a study guide that includes questions for each chapter.  The book is an interesting read and very useful tool when discussing topics around mysteries in the Bible within a church study group. 

I received a free copy of this book from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review of the book.   

Clear Winter Nights by Trevin Wax

A short read with a powerful message.  Most of us have struggled with our faith at one time or another.  The author provide a realistic story of a young man who is about to make several critical choices in his life.  The main issue is his he doing the right thing, the more he doubts himself his faith becomes questionable.  He is asked to spend some time with his grandfather who is recovering from a stroke.  The young man takes this time to confide with the one person he can truly trust, his grandfather who also happens to be a retired pastor.  Before you read the book, keep in mind there is no true ending.  The reason it does this is the book is really a tool for a church study group.  The story’s conclusion is left where the reader must fill in how they think the story should end.  The ending allows the readers to explore all the possibilities.  At the end of the book is a study guide that includes questions for each chapter.  The book is a quick read but it is a very useful tool when discussing topics around Christianity.  The next church study class I conduct I will be using this book.     

 

I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing in exchange for my honest review of the book.