BREAKING FREE by JENNIFER SLATTERY

Alice and Trent seem to have the perfect life. Trent has a high paying job and Alice is very involved in church activities . They have two boys that seem well adjusted and enjoy sports. Everything seems to be going well until Trent starts to slip. He turns to drinking and then becomes involved in gambling. It is hard to keep these things from his wife as their money starts dwindling and his moods being to swing. That is how subtle the enemy is. He comes into your life, dangles enticing things at you and before you know it the trap is set. 

I really enjoyed how Alice tried so hard to hang on to their marriage by being there for Trent until he stared shutting her out. Trent knew he was in big trouble and couldn't find a way out. He had gotten involved with some dangerousc men and needed to find a way to pay his debt. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom , before we reach out for help. The story is well written and very faith based. The anguish they both felt was written with raw emotions and you could feel their desperation. It is hard for us to forgive when we are so hurt, but when you finally surrender, the feeling of peace surrounds you. Alice and Trent both needed to ask God to forgive them and slowly allow Him to confort then. The book is filled with a great message of hope, forgiveness and renewal. The characters are well written and you can feel yourself glued to the story as they try to restore what the enemy had tried to destroy. Overall it is a good story that deals with a marriage torn apart and the trails the couple go through to get their life back on track. 

I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network for an honest review.

HER TEXAS COWBOY by DEBRA CLOPTON

I really enjoy reading books from this authors as  her writing flows with such ease and the emotions of the characters can be felt in your soul. She delivers a heartfelt story that instantly connects you to the characters. I love reading stories that show real struggles and slowly takes the characters through pain as they open their hearts to healing.

Abandoned as an infant, Maddie has always had trouble trusting anyone. When Cliff shows up to visit his brother on the ranch she now is part owner of , she instantly has her guard up. Cliff is a handsome and strong  man with a heart of gold. After riding bulls for a living, he has decided to settle down and buy land near his brother. The banter between Maddie and Cliff is funny at times. She really doesn't give him a break, does she? She is stubborn as a mule and I think she just might have met her match with Cliff. Can Cliff break that wall Maddie has built around her heart?

I love Maddie's take charge attitude. She feels like she needs to prove how tough she is to everyone. But deep down, is a small girl crying out for acceptance. Maddie loves to control everything , but sometimes being in control can lead to missed chances and hurt. It's hard to feel worthy when you were not wanted as a baby. I love the compassion and patience Cliff shows Maddie. Maddie has prayed for  so long to God to bring her someone who cares about her. Has her prayers been answered? My eyes filled with tears as I felt her yearning to be loved, to be accepted , to be important to someone.

When something happens between Maddie and Cliff, will she close her heart up and feel abandoned again? Can she trust Cliff at his word? It is refreshing to read a book that shows a vulnerable side of someone and watch them transform into a beautiful butterfly that is set free.

"Your past isn't you today."

WHAT DOES GOD REALLY PROMISE? By CAROLYN LARSEN

Every time I read the bible I find myself having so many questions. I might have read  a passage a million times and still didn't quite get the jest of what it was saying. I really like this book because it is easy to understand and answers a lot of questions I have had for many years . Have you ever promised someone something , only to break your promise? God doesn't break promises. There are stories throughout the bible that show us God's promises were always kept. One of the key things this book talks about is God does keep His promises, but He does it on his timing.

Looking for a place to start seeing when God kept His promise? Go to Exodus and be  reminded how He "delivered His people out of slavery in Egypt." Also remind yourself of the times He kept His promises to you. It says "He will never leave us, nor forsake us." He has never broken that promise to me . I know he was there when I was going through tough times. He heard my cries and felt my pain. But He never left me. He stayed with me, protected me and wrapped His arms around me as I whimpered that I would never turn my back on Him. .

Do you remember the promise God made to Noah? He said He would never destroy the world by water again. I love the trust and faith that Noah had. He obeyed God, built an Ark and God promised him his family and the animals would be safe.  I think faith has always been a big question for people. "Faith is believing and trusting in something without absolute proof that the object of your belief is real. " He will test us to see how strong our  faith is. I remember a time when my youngest child was only eighteen months old. He became very ill and started having seizures. He had developed big welts on his body. The hospital staff thought he may have a contagious disease and had us wear masks. They informed us that he was being transported to Children ' Medical Hospital . I was terrified. As I looked as my child, he looked at a chair and started saying Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. I asked him why was he saying that name. He told me because  Jesus was sitting in the room and told my child not to fear, he would be ok.

If only I had that faith. Once we got to the ICU unit in the hospital, he started having seizures again. but I learned through that experience that God was right there and kept His  promise. We took out child home five days later. From that day forward, I knew God loves us, protects us, and always keeps His promises. I encourage everyone to get this book.  If you have questions about Why is it important to go to church? What is the purpose of Sunday School or you want to know what communion is , this book will help you understand, give you scriptures to look up and help you grow spiritually. I love  how the book is straight forward, answers questions in a direct manner with grace and follows up  with stories and scriptures. This would be a great tool for bible study and also when teaching in Children's ministry. I highly recommend this book to anyone with questions that they have been searching answers for.

I received a copy of this book from Tyndale Blogger Program for an honest review.