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God Bless This Child: Bedtime Prayers and Praises for Little Ones
by Max and Denalyn Lucado
Illustrated by Lisa Alderson
Max Lucado and his wife Denalyn have written a rhyming book of prayer for little ones. Each prayer in this board book also has a short blessing parents can pray over their children and a Scripture verse (with reference) to accompany the prayer. This sweet book has lovely, colorful illustrations that little ones will enjoy looking at.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Children, Nonfiction, Devotional
Notes: For Baby-5 years old
Publication: March 4, 2025—Tommy Nelson
Memorable Lines:
I saw a puppy, furry and small.
I saw a tree, so strong and tall.
I saw the sun and thought of Your light.
I saw the moon shine bright at night….
Thank You for making everything I see.
Most of all, God, thanks for making me!
Ambush–exotic animals
Ambush
by Colleen Coble
Paradise Alden returns home to Nova Cambridge, Alabama, to find some things the same and others completely different. She has the same feelings for Blake Lawson that she had in high school, and he reciprocates, but they have some emotional negotiating to do first. Paradise had a tough time in the foster care system, but is now a veterinarian. Blake was a Marine combat paramedic, but received a discharge to help his mother raise his two adorable stepbrothers when their father died suddenly in an accident. They meet up again at the family owned Sanctuary Wildlife Preserve where Paradise has been hired by Blake’s mother, Jenna, as an exotic animal vet and all-round help. Paradise is also recovering from a nasty wound she received from a black jaguar. She loves large cats, but needs to conquer her fear of the big animals.
Colleen Coble’s tale is definitely suspenseful, the type that will keep you turning pages, but not keep you up all night. In this mystery, there are a sequence of at least nine events aimed at hurting The Sanctuary or its workers. Negative attention is drawn to the wildlife park when a protestor is found dead on the premises. If possible, things just go downhill from there. As it becomes apparent that these are not isolated incidents, the main characters are convinced that someone is out to destroy The Sanctuary Wildlife Preserve, but who and why? A number of people in the area are suspected, but lech and bully Deputy Creed Greene is laser-focused on pinning it all on Blake.
Although the main puzzles and mysteries in this book are solved, there are still many threads that will lead to more excitement and discovery in the next books in the series. This novel has Christian overtones as Blake’s family models the love of Jesus so effectively that both Paradise and another hurting character are led to trust in God despite past traumas. It is clean and the romance is gentle. I’m looking forward to continuing this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery, Suspense, Romance
Notes: 1. #1 in the Sanctuary Series.
2. #2 was published in November, 2025 and #3 is expected in July, 2026. I’m looking forward to both of these.
4. Clean in all aspects.
Publication: March 4, 2025—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
Being courageous led to more courage, while being afraid led to more and more fear.
“I never realized having the resource of prayer was such a big deal. It’s somehow comforting to know events are outside my control and that’s okay. It makes me realize I never had the control I thought I had.”
Blake wasn’t someone who spoke flowery words of love—he was a man of action who showed his love for those close to him with every decision he made.
More Power to You–outstanding devotional
More Power to You: Declarations to Break Free from Fear & Take Back Your Life
by Margaret Feinberg
Looking for a good book for daily or weekly devotionals?
Margaret Feinberg was an optimistic Bible teacher until, as she states, “A series of brutal struggles—a cancer diagnosis, financial woes, failed friendships, a painful betrayal, unanswered prayers—all worked together to corrode my confidence, leaving me shaky and uncertain.” That’s when Satan slipped in with all kinds of lies about herself that Feinberg gradually began to believe. When she recognized the “downward spiral” that she had allowed to occur, she determined to change her mindset using “bold Daily Declarations rooted in Scripture about God’s goodness, the fierce love of Christ, and my worth.”
In fifty-two chapters, Feinberg shares her Daily Declarations along with the lie that needs to be erased and the Scripture reference that supports the new viewpoint. The declarations are listed in the beginning and repeated at the end of the book along with the Scripture reference. She expands on each truth with a brief teaching that is personal, Biblical, and meaningful. Having read it cover to cover during my daily time with God, I recommend this devotional and will probably come back to it for a reread in the future. As a bibliophile, I also enjoyed the design and layout of the hardback book with its heavy, smooth paper and uncluttered pages. It is a nice addition to my home library.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Devotional
Publication: 2020—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
Studies show that 85 percent of the scenarios people worry about never end up happening. In harboring these thoughts, you allow tomorrow’s forecast of rain clouds to steal today’s sunshine.
The hardships we face in life may refine us, but they do not have to define us.
The kingdom of God advances among dinner tables and church pews, in doctor’s offices and cubicles, in the carpool pick-up line, and maaaaaaybe even while you’re on hold with the customer service agent. The kingdom of God tears in whenever you allow Christ’s love to saturate you and spill out onto those around you.
The Pretender–Amish mystery
The Pretender
by Wanda E. Brunstetter
The Mifflin County Mystery Series a successful blend of cozy mystery and Amish romance. In Belleville, Pennsylvania, there is an Amish community that is rocked by the disappearance of Rosa, a young Amish woman. Always in the background of the first two books in the series is concern for Rosa. Is she dead? Did she run off so she wouldn’t be pressured to join the Amish church? If so, why didn’t she contact someone, anyone, to let her family know she is alive? Her boyfriend Ephraim, her best friend Ada, or her oldest brother Norman who desperately looked for her?
As anticipated, the author shares Rosa’s story in The Pretender. It has been two years since she disappeared. Everyone has moved on as best they can. Ephraim and Ada have a relationship. Rosa’s sister, Susan, has taken over her room and tried to replace her in a close bond with their mom.
I don’t want to spoil The Pretender by sharing details. I do encourage you to read the whole series. There are lots of twists and turns as various characters grapple with what is morally appropriate to do in certain situations and what will cause the least pain to the fewest number of people. One of the main characters is English which, romantically speaking, is the basis of trouble in the Amish world.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Romance, Mystery
Notes: This is the third book in the Mifflin County Mystery series and I would recommend reading them in order. I read #2 first, then #1, and finally #3. While I understood the second book as a standalone, I wished I had read them in order.
Publication: August 1, 2025—Barbour Publishing
Memorable Lines:
“…life doesn’t always give us what we want or think we need. I guess the good days help to prepare us for the not-so-good times and teach us to appreciate those times when things are going well for us.”
One thing was for sure: It would be a cold day in the hottest part of Arizona before Anthony would ask his folks if he could move in with them. Nope, that would never work out.
These negative thoughts don’t come from You, do they, Lord? Isn’t that just like the enemy to sidetrack a person when they are praying, while trying to trust and seek God’s will?
Hinds’ Feet on High Places: an Engaging Visual Journey
Hinds’ Feet on High Places
By Hannah Hurnard
Illustrated by Jill de Haan & Rachel McNaughton
Chapter One of Hinds’ Feet on High Places begins with a summary: “This is the story of how Much-Afraid escaped from her Fearing relatives and went with the Shepherd to the High Places where “perfect love casteth out fear.” This one sentence alerts the reader to the style and genre of this book—an allegory. It follows the journey of the protagonist, Much-Afraid, as she progresses through the ups and downs of life, learning to trust and follow the Chief Shepherd. With deformities to her face that affect her speech and problems with her legs which limit her mobility, she has been bullied mercilessly. When she decides to follow the Chief Shepherd to ascend mountain heights where all will be healed, she is embarking upon an adventure with Sorrow and Suffering as her companions, but she eventually sees the value of these new friends and learns how to fight against her old foes from the Valley of Humiliation.
Hinds’ Feet on High Places has maintained its popularity with Christians with many rereading it at various stages of life. I can see how multiple readings would be valuable: learning new lessons about drawing close to Jesus in every stage of life. This is my first reading of the book (a book club selection), and I chose this illustrated version. It is a masterpiece of art and design. There are lovely watercolors and photographs throughout. Verses from the Songs of Solomon (canticles) are part of the story and are illustrated with delicate, color drawings. The book includes designated places for the reader to briefly note the “memorial stones” in his or her life just as Much-Afraid collected a memorial stone to put in her pouch from each of the altars along the way that commemorate her laying down a fear or trouble.
There are a number of verses that are drawn out on a full page with color illustrations. Then those same drawings are repeated again at the back of the book as outlines for those who enjoy coloring.
An independent missionary in Israel, Hannah Hurnard wrote this book during a three week period when she was visiting Switzerland following the death of her father in England. Her story of that visit and a brief autobiography are included at the end of the book. She wrote several books, but she is best known for Hinds’ Feet on High Places.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Allegory, Fiction
Notes: 1. Inspired by Habakkuk 3:19: “The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.”
2. Full disclosure—I did not write or color in my copy of the book. It is just too beautiful!
3. This version makes a wonderful gift to be enjoyed and treasured.
Publication: 1.This illustrated version: January 1, 2017—Tyndale House
2. The original paperback version without illustrations was first published on January 1, 1955 by Christian Literature Crusade.
Memorable Lines:
“You can’t mean it. You said if I would trust you, you would bring me to the High Places, and that path leads right away from them. It contradicts all that you promised.” “No,” said the Shepherd, “it is not contradiction, only postponement for the best to become possible.”
She had the feeling that somehow, in the very far-off places, perhaps even in far-off ages, there would be a meaning found to all sorrow and an answer too fair and wonderful to be as yet understood.
“That is the only really satisfactory way of dealing with evil, not simply binding it so that it cannot work harm, but whenever possible overcoming it with good.”
Reflections on the Savior–three books in one
Reflections on the Savior
By Max Lucado
When I purchased Reflections on the Savior, I didn’t have a plan. I just wanted another book full of Biblical insights imparted in an engaging and sometimes anecdotal way by an excellent writer. As a bonus, I would actually be acquiring three books. I decided to read it over the course of three years, one Lent at a time. Lent is the forty days before Easter, a time of reflection and devotion for Christians as we anticipate Jesus’ death on a Roman cross followed three days later, as He predicted, by His resurrection.
And the Angels Were Silent: The Final Week of Jesus
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Nonfiction
Notes: 1. Each chapter has a study guide.
2. Divided into sections by days of the week that correlate with the events in Jesus’ last week on Earth.
Publication: 1992—Multnomah
Memorable Lines:
The Pharisees were arrogant. They were arrogant because they were self-righteous. They were self-righteous because they were trying to make themselves righteous without God…They complicated the gospel with odd myths and superstition. They took pride when it came to tithing, but took naps when it came to serving.
The GIFT for All People: Thoughts on God’s Great Grace
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Nonfiction
Notes: 1. The chapters are short, of devotional length. They get to the point quickly and with impact.
2. The book is divided into 4 sections:
The Gift of a Savior
Ransom for Sinners
Bounteous Grace
The Choice
Publication: 1999—Multnomah
Memorable Lines:
Jesus knows how you feel. You’re under the gun at work? Jesus knows how you feel. You’ve got more to do than is humanly possible? So did he. People take more from you than they give? Jesus understands. Your teenagers won’t listen? Your students won’t try? Jesus knows how you feel. You are precious to him. So precious that he became like you so that you would come to him.
Sometimes God is so touched by what he sees that he gives us what we need and not simply that for which we ask.
God is for you. Had he a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If he drove a car, your name would be on his bumper. If there’s a tree in heaven, he’s carved your name in the bark. We know he has a tattoo, and we know what it says. “I have written your name on my hand,” he declares (Isaiah 49:16).
No Wonder They Call Him the Savior: Chronicles of the Cross
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Nonfiction
Notes: The book is divided into 3 sections:
The Cross: Its Words
The Cross: Its Witnesses
The Cross: Its Wisdom
Publication: 1986—Multnomah
Memorable Lines:
And, by the way, never were those arms opened so wide as they were on the Roman cross. One arm extending back into history and the other reaching into the future. An embrace of forgiveness offered for anyone who’ll come. A hen gathering her chicks. A father receiving his own. A redeemer redeeming the world. No wonder they call him the Savior.
It was easy for him [a farmer] to believe. I can see why. Someone who witnesses God’s daily display of majesty doesn’t find the secret of Easter absurd. Someone who depends upon the mysteries of nature for his livelihood doesn’t find it difficult to depend on an unseen God for his salvation.
With All Her Heart–disabilities in the Amish world
With All Her Heart
by Kelly Irvin
Amish romances tend to follow the usual path of all gentle, clean romances. Romance is in the air for a couple or perhaps several. There is some type of conflict that will keep the couple apart. The problems are solved and the couples are united. That is, of course, a simplified summary and most have some serious issues that have to be resolved. In Kelly Irvin’s An Amish Calling trilogy, the author explores “the impact of the founder effect on Amish communities.” To try to obey Scripture, the Amish only marry within their faith. This small population of choices for marriage can result in rare, sometimes debilitating, diseases. Examples are Down Syndrome, spina bifida, and dwarfism. The Amish, or Plain folks as they call themselves, love “their children with physical and mental developmental disabilities with a fierceness that couldn’t be denied.” They are called “special,” integrated into family life, and ensured of care throughout their lives.
The main character in this story is Bonnie who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) which despite treatment causes her muscles to progressively weaken. For an Amish woman, her life goal is to marry and have children. Bonnie can physically give birth, but caring for a home and children is not something she can do on her own. Bonnie joins with two other women with disabilities to found Homespun Handicrafts to support themselves and others with disabilities who make items for sale in the store. Their Amish crafts are especially popular with English tourists.
Several other characters in the book have disabilities from a variety of causes, not just the founder effect. Elijah is very shy which is a problem for his auctioneer family. He is deathly afraid of having to “call an auction.” He would rather spend his time and talents creating toys and furniture for sale. His love for Bonnie, however, loosens his tongue and emboldens him.
The plot and characters in this story will grab your heart as the characters deal with real, unremitting problems. This book is a page turner, partly to see what will happen next, but just as much because of empathy for the characters. They struggle with the age old questions of “why me?” and faith and trust in God in a fallen world where bad things do happen to good people. There is even an important thread dealing with a widow and widower and their obligations to their children. All of these are good characters and the reader will want God’s best for them.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Romance, Religion
Notes: 1. This series has three novels that all deal with disabilities. The author, herself, has a disability and she says that “each book took me deeper into self-examination of my own life as a person living with disability and disease, while delving into how others perceive these issues—both Amish and non-Amish folks.” She tries to do this with sensitivity to the many issues encompassed in the book. This is the third book, but they can all be standalones. I read the first one and now this one. Do not be intimidated by the list of characters at the beginning. I used the glossary of Pennsylvania Dutch terms more than I did the list of characters.
2. There are discussion questions at the end of the book.
Publication: January 28, 2025—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
The shop gave Plain folks like herself, with disabilities, a way to earn their keep when traditional Plain tasks couldn’t be accomplished. More importantly it gave them a sense of self-worth, a sense that they contributed just as their abled family members did.
“Everybody has disabilities. Some show. Some don’t. I think Gott allows them so we don’t get too uppity for our own gut. Like the verse says, so no one can boast. In our weakness Gott is strong.”
“Sometimes there are disabilities more limiting than the physical. They’re disabilities we create ourselves by doubting that we can have the full lives others around us have.”
The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie’s Biscuits–Amish cozy mystery
The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie’s Biscuits
by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Martha Bolton
Fannie Miller is a single Amish woman of forty-three who owns a quilting shop. She is also a big fan of mysteries. She has collaborated on several investigations with Foster Bates, a retired cop who has become a private investigator in Sugarcreek, Ohio. They develop a friendship and learn to respect each other’s intuition about the cases that come their way.
Miss Fannie enters a baking contest, as she has for the last ten years. This year the prize is twenty-five thousand dollars which she could use to repair her roof or expand her quilting shop. Her main goal, however, is to use her aunt’s buttermilk biscuit recipe to win a blue ribbon.
Some strange things seem to be going on in the town. There is a strained feeling and a number of contestants have disappeared. Is something dangerous and illegal going on? Fannie convinces Foster that there could be and they need to look into it.
Fannie progresses to the finals along with the Beiler sisters: Faith, Hope, and Charity. These ladies, known as the town gossips, own a wonderful bakery where they sell their delicious cinnamon rolls. Michael and Melissa Taylor are also in the finals. They are a troubled couple who have separated several times. Melissa has had numerous miscarriages. They want to adopt a child, but have discovered that it would be very expensive.
Another thread concerns John Troyer, the church district’s bishop, and his son Jeb who suffers from social anxiety. It points up the difficulty of juggling business, spiritual, and family priorities.
As you might guess from the cover, this cozy mystery is fun, clean, and non-violent. It is a satisfying mystery, and I enjoyed watching the friendship develop between Fannie and Foster. There are limits to their relationship because Fannie is Amish and Foster is not. It is also interesting to see how each of them views the other’s lifestyle. If you like gentle Amish stories with some mystery thrown in, I think you will like The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie’s Biscuits.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery, Religion, Christian, Romance
Notes: 1. I don’t know if this will become the first in a series of Miss Fannie books, but it certainly could be.
2. The recipe for Miss Fannie’s Buttermilk Biscuits is included.
3. This story is also being produced as a musical.
Publication: January 1,2025—Barbour
Memorable Lines:
“So, what makes you think you’re in danger?” He asked, holding tight to the edge of his wooden desk to keep from getting swept into the vortex of another complicated Fannie Miller case against his will and better judgment.
The bigger the scandal, the less evidence was needed to back it up.
“Gossip isn’t harmless. It taints reputations, including the reputation of the person telling it. No wonder the wise avoid it.”
A Change of Heart–fun anecdotes, but serious themes too
A Change of Heart
by Philip Gulley
read by Norman Dietz
I enjoyed reading this book because it continues the story of Amanda Hodge who is being raised by her aunt and uncle. Their peaceful lives are interrupted by the reappearance of her biological parents. Have they really turned over a new leaf, had a change of heart?
The other change of heart in this book deals with physical heart problems for one of the more troublesome members of the congregation.
The Harmony series has some fun anecdotes and a very serious look at forgiveness and the importance of family.
I have enjoyed several books in this series. My less than positive view of A Change of Heart is based on discussions among the characters. One character goes overboard in pushing his opinions about how things should be done in this Quaker church, especially in terms of outreach. Dale’s outspoken, but less than popular, ideas color everyone’s opinion of him. In one conversation, he quotes the Bible with some pretty strong statements about salvation. The author has the other characters present in the discussion (who are much more likable) countering that they don’t believe Jesus ever said or did what Dale is attributing to Him. Unfortunately, the author does not provide the correction that Jesus did in fact make some very strong statements about a relationship with Him. For example, in John 14:6, Jesus says “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” The author is a Quaker pastor. He did a disservice to his readers by leaving them with the impression that Dale is wrong.
Rating: 3/5
Notes: #5 in the Harmony series. It can be read as a standalone, but then you miss out on a lot of character background. The reader of this audiobook had a variety characters and did well with all of them.
Category: Christian, Fiction, Religion and Spirituality
Publication: 2006—Recorded Books
Beneath a Turquoise Sky–educating the Navajos
Beneath a Turquoise Sky
By Kiersti Giron
As Beneath a Turquoise Sky begins, the author introduces Caroline Haynes, a young lady in 1910 in Pennsylvania. After five years of playing the role of mother to her two younger brothers, she feels replaced by her father’s new wife Lillian. Her best friend’s brother, whom she had long adored, moved to China to be a missionary, without Caroline, and later married. Recognizing that she really doesn’t have a home or is needed in Pennsylvania, Caroline follows up on an article in the Home Mission Monthly seeking a teacher for the younger students at the Hebron Navajo Mission. She was drawn to “children in need of schooling, of the light of Jesus.”
When she arrives at the Territory of New Mexico after a long, arduous journey, she is shown to her tiny room attached to the girls’ dormitory and meets the handsome, but rigid, Rev. Willis Abernathy and his aunt Miss Spencer. Both have their own strict ways of running a school which are typical of schools set up for Native Americans at that time. The goal is conversion, but not just spiritual conversion. The white men wanted to get rid of Navajo culture and replace it with European customs all while making it clear that the Navajos are second class people. The motto of some was: “Kill the Indian, save the man.” To this end, the Navajo students were often punished if they spoke their own language. Haircuts were forced on them. Their traditional clothes were taken away, and they were supplied with uniforms.They were assigned Anglo names and removed from their families. The parents were told this was “all for their own good.”
Caroline’s interactions with the students and the other staff is a major part of the story, but just as important is Willis’ relationship with Tse, a Navajo two years younger. They grew up together and were friends for many years, but that all changed and we see it play out as Tse needs a job to help support his parents. Willis gives it to him but treats him in a very condescending way. As was typical of that time period, he seems to have no concept of the value of cultural differences. Tse is a Christian, but because he has reverted to Navajo dress and culture, Willis feels that he has turned his back on God.
Caroline “disobeys” Willis in her efforts to teach the children and give them the emotional support they need. Tse is her “accomplice” and both of them are chastised by Willis.
There are a number of well-executed plot twists that culminate in decisions these characters have to make that will affect their future and the future of the mission. Although I had a hard time liking Willis, I could understand him as a product of his time. That does not excuse most of his behavior, however. The story concludes with many loose ends tied up, but there are still systemic problems that are not worked out regarding how the Navajos and the white men interact with each other. Caroline and Tse are both very likable characters portrayed with some depth. They live out the kindness of Jesus in their everyday lives. Willis thinks he is doing the right things, but is missing the mark in his goals and how he treats others. All of the characters experience growth and positive change, and Tse especially comes to understand how he can honor his Navajo heritage and also be a follower of Jesus.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Christian, Romance
Notes: 1. The book includes a Glossary of Navajo Words, Historical Notes, and Acknowledgements of people and organizations that have contributed to the author’s understanding of the complicated historical and cultural background of this story.
2. Giron states that she has “shown only the milder side” of the trauma children experienced under this “education” system, but it is certainly sufficient to expose the reader to the damage even well meaning individuals caused in imposing Euro-American culture and customs in the name of religion.
Publication: April 14, 2025—Story Architect
Memorable Lines:
Perhaps being set apart did mean rejecting all that was Navajo and taking on the white man’s ways. But where was that ordained in Scripture? Not like the people of ancient Israel were European, after all.
But no, the bilagáanas were always right—government officials, Indian agents, or missionaries. No matter how many broken treaties, broken promises, broken families. Broken children’s hearts.
He sang as he bridled his horse, praising Jesus in his language, letting the tune follow the natural pattern of the tones, as in the chants. It sounded genuinely Navajo, yet the truth of the words lent a wholeness to his tongue he’d never heard before.
education pathways 