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Tame Your Thoughts–substitute good thoughts for bad
Tame Your Thoughts
by Max Lucado
Our inner thought life—we all have one. Often our thoughts bubble out into actions. Max Lucado, in Tame Your Thoughts, shares how to control our thoughts, turning the negative ones into positive ones.
Lucado shares three tools to help you manage your thoughts. He reviews the neuroscience that confirms the Biblical truths that God can change your brain. One of the most important truths is that just because you have a thought doesn’t mean you have to dwell on it.
There are many thoughts we have that we wish we didn’t, but God gives us the helmet of salvation to protect us from the evil of the devil. In his typical anecdotal style, Lucado shares examples of the types of thoughts we should ask God to protect us from. The 70,000 thoughts we have each day include plenty of negative ones like anxiety, guilt, lust (craving for anything you can’t have), and anger. Where is the joy in your life? Do you fear rejection? Are you trying to understand the circumstances that are overwhelming you or your inability be satisfied with your life? Are you plagued with pain?
Thinking negative thoughts leads to untruths which we need to “uproot and replant” with positive truths. Tame Your Thoughts is a book that will focus your mind on Biblical truths that will help you reshape your thinking. God has a lot to say about what we think. Pertinent Scriptures are found throughout this book and many are gathered for reference at the end, compiled into a helpful Scripture Database that correlates with each chapter.
Max Lucado is a prolific writer. The “voice” in his writing is one of a pastor, counselor, and friend rolled into one. He is both wise and humorous. He has researched his subject well, but he is also a great storyteller and a creative and talented wordsmith who will always point the reader away from himself and towards God.
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, Religion and Spirituality, Self-Help
Notes: 1. Includes discussion questions and a Scripture Database.
2. Other items are available for purchase to accompany this book: Bible Study Guide including access to a streaming Bible Study led by Max Lucado and Audio version read by Lucado.
3. The same streaming 6 session Bible Study is available free online. It starts on September 22.
Publication: August 12, 2025—Thomas Nelson Books
Memorable Lines:
Practice Picky Thinking whenever you’re tempted to grumble. Choose gratitude. Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes he calms the child.
Remember, joy is more than a good mood. It is a deep-seated confidence in God’s presence, power, and promises.
Being a disciple comes down to letting God change the way we live by changing the way we think. Good actions follow good thoughts, Behavior takes its cue from beliefs. If our belief is wrong, our behavior will be wrong. But, if our belief is godly, our behavior will be godly.
The Proposal Plot–marriage material?
The Proposal Plot
by Kathleen Fuller
Books that focus on the Amish are generally clean and wholesome because they are a reflection of Amish faith and beliefs. The Proposal Plot is no exception, but that doesn’t mean that every character is a model of good behavior, kindness, and self-control. There is plenty of room for these characters to grow. Nelson Bontrager has been hurt in wooing two different women and has sworn off women altogether. Ella Yoder has been raised to believe she is not pretty and not “marriage material” because she is bossy and argumentative. The two clash from their first meeting. Ella’s spoiled sister Junia, however, falls head over heels in love with Nelson’s slightly younger nephew, Malachi. The girls’ dad, the widower Barnabas, owns E&J’s Grocery store and is caught in the middle between his two constantly warring daughters.
Wendy, a successful New York City lawyer, needs some distance from the career ladder she has been climbing so she moves temporarily to Marigold, Ohio, and opens an office in a nearby small town. She lives with and becomes a caregiver for her aging, diabetic mother. Wendy is talented at mediation and can afford to accept only cases she chooses and work the hours convenient to her.
This story is a roller coaster of emotions and conflict as there are love/hate relationships throughout the book. There is also a conundrum for one of the characters as she tries to sort out her attraction to Barnabas versus her attraction to the Amish faith. Learning about the backgrounds of all these characters and watching them sort through their feelings makes for an interesting and enjoyable read and a breath of fresh air from the daily news cycle.
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: Fiction, Christian, Religion, Romance
Notes: #2 in the Amish of Marigold series, but could easily be read as a standalone. It appears there will be three books in this series.
Publication: May 7, 2024—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
Regardless of what his future held, he had his family and his faith—and he was grateful.
But that would be a lie. Not that she’d been the most honest person all her life. She’d lied in court—what lawyer hadn’t? Over the years she’d lied to her parents more times than she could count, mostly so they wouldn’t worry about her or pry into her life. Most of all, she’d lied to herself.
I love having you with me. I just want you to know that I’ll be okay, whatever you decide.” She smiled. “God’s got my back. He always has.”
Even if He Doesn’t–suffering and trust
Even if He Doesn’t: What We Believe about God When Life Doesn’t Make Sense
By Kristen LaValley
Life is not easy and it certainly can be messy. Just ask Kristen LaValley who with her husband suffered a miscarriage, loss of position in their church, income, and home through what certainly felt like betrayal by friends who turned their backs on the couple. They were faced with the necessity of deciding who should live—twin 1, twin 2, and/or mom. Along with traumatic events over the years, add in the changes that accompany situations like this—finding new friends and trusting them, moving, knowing what to say to well-meaning friends and family, anxiety attacks, health issues, and reconciling their life complications with what they know about a good God.
LaValley does not compare her sufferings with anyone else’s—suffering is suffering. She shares what it meant in her life and describes God’s faithfulness as she made her way through her life journey. Her story is not a comfortable one, but it is valuable to see how she relied on God through the high and low points. It is important to see how God is with us even when He doesn’t answer prayers the way we think He should. He is good because that is His character.
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, Nonfiction, Religion, Spiritual Growth
Notes: 1. For some reason, my digital copy of this book disappeared so I checked out an audio version from my library. I’m glad I did. The author did a great job of reading her own book. We all suffer in different ways, and we all know others who are suffering. We need to know how to react to those in pain. Even if you don’t agree with every detail in the book, you can benefit from it. Life is a journey, and we are all involved in discerning the best way to trust in God and move forward with Him as our guide. You are not necessarily at the same place in your trip as LaValley is, but we share a common struggle.
2. Even if He Doesn’t includes a lot of Scripture references that LaValley uses to support her thoughts on suffering.
Publication: February 20, 2024—Tyndale Momentum
Memorable Lines:
The comfort of “even if he doesn’t” isn’t just that one day he will, which I fully believe. It’s that he’s good anyway. He’s faithful anyway. He’s loving anyway. Even when he doesn’t.
When our image of God is dependent on things going the way we believe they should, our image of him is centered on us, not on him. But true faith isn’t believing God is good just because we have proof of it. Faith is believing that he’s good even when we don’t have proof.
The idea that God wants us to suffer (for any reason) stands in direct contradiction to the life, testimony, and work of Christ. Jesus came to take our suffering on himself, not to have us prove something by our own suffering.
Practicing the Way–becoming more like Jesus
Practicing the Way
By John Mark Comer
The founder of Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer, brings his skills as a pastor, writer, podcaster, and teacher to this nonprofit that “develops spiritual formation resources for churches and small groups learning how to become apprentices in the Way of Jesus.” These are free resources. I was not surprised to learn that this book is a teaching resource. Comer is a highly organized thinker who develops his materials around lists, lists, and more lists.
Learning about the teaching methods of the many rabbis during the time of Christ was eye opening to me. Disciples of a rabbi answered a call by the rabbi to follow him and learn by observation and doing. The emphasis of this book for followers of Jesus today is on being apprenticed to Jesus, learning to be like him, not following a bunch of rules.
In a section on finding peace in this digital age, I identified with the author’s response to the stress and frustration most people feel in our society. I think he nailed it with: “The most powerful companies in the history of the world are working around the clock with the most sophisticated algorithms ever devised to stoke your fear and feed your anger, by any means necessary.”
This book is not going to miraculously turn you into “Super Christian,” but will help you think through what being a follower of Jesus means. It is full of quotes by a variety of authors. The purpose of the quotes seems to be to show that others think the way Comer thinks or to expand on what he is saying.
The thesis of the book encourages the reader to:
Be with Jesus
Become like him
Do as he did
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: Christianity, Religion and Spirituality
Notes: This book is appropriate for all—from individuals who are just beginning to think about possibly wanting to learn more about Jesus to those who have been following Him for years but realize that they need to continue a fellowship with God that will lead them to be more like Him.
Publication: January 16, 2024—Waterbrook
Memorable Lines:
Apprenticeship to Jesus—that is, following Jesus—is a whole-life process of being with Jesus for the purpose of becoming like him and carrying on his work in the world. It’s a lifelong journey in which we gradually learn to say and do the kinds of things Jesus said and did as we apprentice under him in every facet of our lives.
…the reward for following Jesus is, well, Jesus. It’s the sheer joy of friendship with him.
God has a part, and we have a part. Our part is to slow down, make space, and surrender to God; his part is to transform us—we simply do not have that power.
Easter: The Season of the Resurrection of Jesus
Easter: The Season of the Resurrection of Jesus
By Wesley Hill
Continuing the Fullness of Time series, my book club very appropriately read Easter this month. It is a short book. Not a devotional, not an academic tome, Easter begins with a very engaging introduction describing a Great Vigil of Easter service Wesley Hill attended at a beautiful cathedral in England twenty years ago. He then moves into the story of the first Easter when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. He documents what he describes with Scripture references from all four Gospels weaving in important information about the context of the accounts.
Next, Hill discusses the liturgy used in Anglican and other churches relating baptism symbolically to the resurrection and the new life believers receive when they decide to follow Jesus. Easter is a movable feast, not occurring on the same calendar day each year. It is a complicated calculation, but Hill does share how to figure it out and the factors on which it is dependent. (Or, like me, you can just look the date up on the Internet or a calendar.)
Hill does not just leave us with a risen Lord. He moves on to how the church liturgy highlights the book of Acts which focuses on Jesus’ disciples. Their world has been turned upside down, but Jesus does not abandon them. When He ascends to be with God the Father in heaven, He leaves instructions for His followers to share the Good News and promises to send a helper, the Holy Spirit, to empower them.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Spirituality, Theology
Notes: The Fullness of Time series is edited by Esau McCaulley. It is composed of six stand alone books that can be read in any order: “Each volume in the Fullness of Time series invites readers to engage with the riches of the church year, exploring the traditions, prayers, Scriptures, and rituals of the seasons of the church calendar.” A seventh book is currently in process to complete the series.
Publication: 2025—InterVarsity Press
Memorable Lines:
Mercy for the undeserving is the overriding, hope-awakening theme of Easter.
Prayer, then, is our asking for what we need from the one who has triumphed over the world’s processes of decay and disorientation. We aren’t trapped by the limited options of life as we’ve always known it. Jesus is alive, and he exhales healing vitality, and wholeness into our world. His Spirit is with us.
The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
What Happens Next: A Traveler’s Guide through the End of this Age
What Happens Next
by Max Lucado
Are you one of the many people tired of the chaos in our times? Are you wondering if we are about to experience the end of this age on Earth? Max Lucado has some answers as he provides a timeline in What Happens Next. His timeline is taken from Biblical prophecies and teachings. He is not going to give you a date for when the world as we know it is going to end because Jesus says in the Bible that only God the Father knows when that will be. Nevertheless, there are many Scriptures that spell out the events of the end times and their sequence. Max shares these to give you a hope, something to look forward to if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior.
Max literally uses a timeline graphic, however, to take you through the steps, clearly and one at a time. Futuristic prophecies are not just found in the book of Revelation where much of the end times is described, but are also in books such as Daniel and Isaiah. About this time last year, I did a study of the book of Revelation using several sources, but I did not come away with as clear an understanding as I did from reading What Happens Next.
Max Lucado has been in the ministry since 1978, and is a prolific author with a very relatable style. His goal is not to scare anyone into Heaven, but he doesn’t shy away from talking about Hell either. There are some controversies among scholars related to end time prophecies. Max explains the various viewpoints on the timing of the rapture, for example. Then he states which he believes is accurate and why. As is typical of Lucado’s writing, he includes anecdotes to tie into the spiritual point he is making, sometimes lightening the lessons and always clarifying them.
If you are a believer in Jesus, this book will give you a fresh appreciation of how much God loves you and certainty about your future. If you are not, you will find answers to questions you have about the end times, God, and how you can have a personal relationship with Him. I strongly recommend What Happens Next.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Nonfiction, Religion and Spirituality, Christian, Theology
Notes: 1. The book ends with “Questions for Reflection” for each chapter including the Big Idea, Application, and a prayer.
2. There is also a six-session Bible study on the end times, with the same title, that can be bought to accompany this book. It is appropriate for group or individual study. It has a workbook and streaming access to professionally created videos with talks presented by Max Lucado who is an excellent speaker. He is not speaking from a pulpit so it feels like a heart to heart conversation.
3. If you want a taste of Max Lucado and this book, I recommend going to YouTube where Max is currently posting on his channel a series called “Fresh Hope.” He has just added the third video.
Publication: 2024—Thomas Nelson (Harper Christian)
Memorable Lines:
God is the God of divine interruptions. Holy surprises. Who could have imagined God living on earth? But he came. Who could’ve imagined God hanging on a cross? But he died. Who could have imagined the empty tomb? But he rose from the dead. He intervenes in mighty and miraculous ways.
He has before.
He will again.
In the meantime keep an eye toward the sky. Live in such a way that Christ will find you faithfully looking for him.
That day is coming. God will put a crown on your head and a hand on your shoulder and bless you…Each child you hugged, he will praise you for it. Every time you forgave, he will praise you for it. Every penny you offered, truth you taught, prayer you prayed, he will praise you for it. He’ll praise you for the day you refused to give in and the season you refused to give up. But most of all, he’ll praise you for saying yes to Jesus.
Epiphany: The Season of Glory
Epiphany: The Season of Glory
by Fleming Rutledge
If you didn’t know anything about Fleming Rutledge before you began her tome on Epiphany, you would certainly quickly ascertain for yourself that she is a theological scholar. One of the first women to be ordained by the Episcopal church, she has spent her life studying the Bible and serving as a priest. As an author she has written many books and is known as an expert on the works of Tolkien. There is no fluff to be found in Epiphany: The Season of Glory.
Epiphany is celebrated on January 6 as the day the Magi brought their gifts to the Christ child, manifesting the glory of God and acknowledging the inclusion of Gentiles in the worship of Jesus. The day in many churches is extended into a season which celebrates other events in which the glory of God is preeminent: the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, the miracle of wine at Cana, and the transfiguration on the mountain top.
This book explains why we celebrate the day and season of Epiphany. It is a deep study which answers many questions for the reader and may well initiate many new questions. It is a work that requires time, careful reading, and thought. As other theological books, there are footnotes at the end. Many are reference sources for ideas and quotes in the book. Rutledge’s footnotes, however, include expansions on the various topics within and enlarge the experience for the reader. They are as interesting and thought provoking as the main body of the book.
Epiphany: The Season of Glory is part of the Fullness of Time Series which seeks to explain the liturgical calendar of many churches such as Anglican, Episcopal, and Lutheran. Many other churches are also finding renewal through experiencing the traditional seasons. As the editor of the series states “We want readers to understand how the church is forming them in the likeness of Christ through the church calendar.” The six books in the series are by different authors and can be read as standalones. This book is more intellectually challenging than the other books in the series, but they are all worthy reads.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Nonfiction, Christian, Religion
Notes: standalone, but part of the Fullness of Time Series
Publication: 2023—InterVarsity Press
Memorable Lines:
There will always be those who do not recognize him, but they will nevertheless be in his sight and have a part in his eternal plan (see Romans 11). The church, however, in its observance of Epiphany, is to take care of its calling, to point to Christ’s glory, and let his glory take care of itself.
Telling stories about Jesus, what he said and what he did, is an essential part of spreading the gospel. But without the doxa, the glory of the only Son from the Father, it is an incomplete gospel.
The season teaches us to value the entire fellowship of believers, because Jesus calls persons to himself without regard to their station, reputation, accreditation, or accomplishments—and we see how we can begin to be transformed by the action of his Hoy Spirit working through the unearned and undeserved gifts that he bestows.
Church of the Good Shepherd–Anglican
December 27, 2024
The Advent candles flicker with the arrival of Christ, the Light of the World.
The Wise Men have been added to the nativity scene in readiness for January 6.
Gloria in Excelsis Deo!
The Amish Matchmakers–romance for the matchmakers
The Amish Matchmakers
by Beth Wiseman
Two Amish elderly sisters, Esther and Lizzie, own the Peony Inn and two neighboring cottages which they rent out. The sisters have a reputation in their community as matchmakers, but in this story they turn their skills on each other. They love each other so much that neither wants her sister to be alone or lonely if she passes first. When retired Englisch dentist Ben Stotzfus leases one of the cabins for 6 months, each determines to make a match for her sister, but both widowed women are actually attracted to Ben.
Another part of the plot introduces Ben’s granddaughter Mindy. Ben was semi-estranged from that part of his family, but now that she is grown they have reconnected. Gabriel is an Amish young man who works for the sisters at the inn, mainly when they need outside work done. He and Mindy meet when an accident occurs at Ben’s cottage. A spark flies upon their meeting but they wonder if anything can come of it since Amish and Englisch romances often have bad endings.
As older adults, Ben and Esther have medical issues that they try to keep secret. Lizzie is an energetic, feisty woman who is an avid reader of romances. She has decided that the cottage is haunted by the ghost of a previous tenant even though that concept is not part of Amish beliefs. Esther frequently has to rein Lizzie in, suggesting that she get rid of books on ghosts and serial killers and calling her out on some lies.
Depending on the issue, the antics and interactions of Esther and Lizzie can be serious or humorous, but their actions, although sometimes extreme, are always well-intentioned. The setting centers around Thanksgiving and Christmas giving an Amish holiday air to The Amish Matchmakers.
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: Romance, Christian, Religion
Notes: Standalone
Publication: October 17, 2023—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
“Gott had a plan. I believe that when things fall into place easily, it was meant to be.”
He truly did believe laughter was good for the soul, and he’d seen plenty of instances where a person’s joyfulness had prolonged their life.
He could lie, but she’d see through him. Mothers has a superpower when it came to lying.
Día de los Muertos–Day of the Dead
Ajijic, Jalisco, México–2014
education pathways 