Sunday Words of Encouragement April 23, 2017

Our Sunday School teacher had a FABULOUS message which I will post another day. We had nice worship songs and then our Pastor continued his series called BROKEN.

Genesis 3:7 says: “At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness.” [NLT; emphasis added.] It was ‘at the moment’, when Adam ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, that the world became broken. BUT God had a plan for salvation; a plan for the best.

Most of us have had dreams from out childhood of what we want for our future. Sometimes we are fortunate to have encouragers tell us: “You can do anything, be anything, you want.” Others have “nay sayers” who say: “Be realistic; find something that is practical.” These might tell a talented young artist to study architecture instead. Many speak negatively and might say, disparagingly: “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” And that is true – but remember who our original father is – we come from God’s tree. God writes our story, no one else.

Too often Biblical people (and we) settled for less than God’s best: Esau settled for less future to meet his immediate needs. Israel settled for less – instead of appreciating the leadership of God, they asked for a human king. King Saul failed to obey God and he became a fallen king, without God’s blessings. So too, Israel became a fallen nation, moving forward without God’s blessings.

Abraham (Abram), the father of Isaac, was promised that he would have a son and be the father of ‘many descendants.’ Abraham and Sarah grew older and couldn’t wait for God to fulfill His promise. They took matters into their own hands, presenting Hagar to Abraham. (Genesis 16.) Hagar became pregnant with a son, Ishmael, who, like the promised son, Isaac, had many descendants. But Ismael’s tribe were destined to always be at enmity with their neighbors. Abraham and Sarah settled for less. God fulfilled His promise with the birth of Isaac (Genesis 21), but now Isaac's descendants forever had enemies in the descendants of Ishmael.

Many times we must give up our current life, even “the good” life, to get “the Best” life that God has for us.
POINT: Give up the good for the best life – the abundant life – that Jesus died to give to you.

We often need to wait and prepare for HIS timing.

[This message continues which will be shared another day.]

God is SO AWESOME.
I had one of our worship songs picked out and included in the post.
But the Spirit said - 'that's not the one; look again.'
This is what I found for this message!

Verses for Today:
Genesis 21: 1-2 (NLT)
1 The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. 2 She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would.

Lord, help me to seek Your Will, Your Plan for me. Then give me patience to wait for Your Timing.

Sharing Beyond Books #300 Comment Giveaway April 22, 2017

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.

Nine of us have found names we liked and some have used them for children or even pets. Five people did not recall any names they liked from books/movies, but two disliked names, rather than liked them.

~~~~~

The Winner from SBB #299 comments is: #8 Rita who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated (**Finally!) ARC/Review titles or (recently updated) Love and Christmas titles - all linked near the end of the post.

**NOTE: I did post an Updated ARC and Other books for Giveaways. I have to go back and list the titles. 
Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #300

(One Question.)

Natalija asks: Which is better, being the boss or an employee??

There are times I think it would be better to be an employee without the responsibilities of being the boss who provides work and pay for others. I would probably earn more than I do running three businesses. But - an employee would not have the flexibility that I have as a boss. Certainly for me having my own businesses works as I can: take the law cases I want; manage the title office to the best of my ability (while providing work for my daughter, her best friend and another young lady from church); and juggle the publishing company with the help of dedicated editors and authors. So, for me, being the boss, or hopefully, a good leader, is better.

Good bosses help make a good team!
Image found at VisiHow.

Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month I draw from the suggestions I used during the month and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! The supply of questions is dwindling so share some if you think of any -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify.
This is week four and I'll use one of my questions next week. Comments this month were contributed by 1)bn100, 2)Fredamnas, 3)Nikki and 4) Natalija. Random.org chose #1 so bn100 gets the April comment win!

Your turn to share: Natalija asks: Which is better, being the boss or an employee??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Updated ARC and Other books, including the "Love" and Christmas titles all in one post.

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on the question above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made through Saturday April 29, 2017 at 5 PM central.

Book Review: Codename Lazarus: The Spy Who Came Back From The Dead by A.P. Martin

This is an engrossing, and thought provoking, story of espionage during WWII.
Codename Lazarus: The Spy Who Came Back From The Dead
by A.P. Martin

File Size: 982 KB
Print Length: 365 pages
Publisher: Troubador (July 15, 2016)
ASIN: B01IKY3UD6
Genre: Espionage, WWII
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Spring 1938 and Great Britain is facing potentially lethal threats: the looming war with Germany; the fear that her Secret Service has been penetrated by Nazi agents and the existence of hundreds of British citizens, who are keen to pass information to her enemies.
John King, a young academic, is approached by his Oxbridge mentor to participate in a stunning deception that would frustrate Britain’s enemies. As King struggles to come to terms with the demands of his mission, he must learn to survive in a dangerous and lonely ‘no man's land’, whilst remaining one step ahead of those in hot pursuit.
Adapted from a true story, ‘Codename Lazarus’ takes the reader on a journey from the dark heart of Hitler’s Germany, across the snowy peaks of Switzerland to the horrors of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain and the London Blitz, before reaching a thrilling and decisive conclusion, from which none of those present emerges unscathed.

Review:
John King is a graduate student who is completing two years of research in Heidelberg, Germany. As he and friends gather to commemorate his last days in Germany in 1933, he is saddened that one of his best friends has joined the SS - the Schutzstaffel, paramilitary, surveillance forces under Hitler. His friend, Joachim Brandt, rejects John for socializing with other friends who are Jewish. Joachim becomes angry that John does not show proper deference or respect to Joachim’s new uniform and life choice. From this point on the lives of these young men are on different paths.

John helps two half-Jewish friends, Rachel and David, to leave Germany to find careers in Britain while being helped by John’s parents. He later finds their parents in need of rescue and tries to arrange to get them out of Germany to safety.

A few years after returning to Britain, John is asked to return to Germany under the guise of ‘security research’ interests, while observing what he can of German activities. This work expands as John is asked to fake his own death so that he can become an intelligence operative infiltrating the German intelligence network in Britain.

The story describes the covert training that John is given and the planning for his accidental death. It then moves to his experiences as he steps into the role of a German Abwehr agent leading several sympathizer cell groups. The story pace picks up in the last quarter. John’s former German friend, Brandt, who has been undercover in America, is reassigned to Britain. His activities set him on a collision course with John's world. David, the other friend whom John helped move to England, has become a cop tasked with investigating the meager leads to a cell leader known as “Lazarus”. David is pulled in to help find German infiltrators and his path weaves towards Brandt and John’s tense confrontation.

The history is interesting with strong detail of physical settings, as well as social and political sentiments. The author does a good job describing the devastation and fears, first at battle scenes at Dunkirk, and again during the German bombing of London and surrounding communities. The author also portrays the impressive strength and resilience of the British people. The detail makes this story very engaging, if a bit slower in pacing. There were a couple of awkward point of view shifts and stronger editing might have helped to move the story through better action. I was wrapped in the intense climax when the book abruptly ended, leaving me with several questions.

This is a worthwhile read, especially for history buffs interested in life-like details of the earlier years of WWII. I also found the portrayed thought processes of the German and Russian sympathizers interesting as it made me more aware how citizens could betray their country with justifications of different political ideologies, including fascism, communism and socialism.

I received this through NetGalley. It qualifies for NetGalley Challenge, Mount TBR and “L” in Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway April 21, 2017

Happy Friday!
This has been a busy week. I've been in court four days out of five. Our weather has been beautiful.

TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK

US Entrants: Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.
INTERNATIONAL: Leave a comment indicating "Gift Card" (see further comments near the end of the post.)

CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up too late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post.

Thank you to all who entered the April 14 Pick. There were two automatic wins again this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There were no titles blocked this week.
Elizabeth gets All I Want for Christmas
and
Winner chose an author whose books were already selected.
I will email her.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from April 14 Pick:
bn100 gets The Panic Zone
and
CAROL L gets A Visit From St. Nicholas

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

Even Spring Flowers shine on books!
Image found at Hollywood Reporter.

New Book Group #71 March 10, 2017
Mysteries and Thrillers
PAIR:
Matthew Reilly: Temple and Area 7
SINGLES:
Deception on His Mind by Elizabeth George
‘E’ is for Evidence by Sue Grafton
In Plain Sight by C.J. Box
Keepers by Gary A. Braunbeck
Lullaby and Goodnight by Wendy Corsi Staub
One Dark Night by Kevin F. McMurray
Rattlesnake Crossing by J.A. Jance
The Cat Who Sang for the Birds by Lillian Jackson Braun
The Panic Zone by Rick Mofina
The Silenced by Heather Graham
The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood by Susan Wittig Albert
Total Exposure by Tori Carrington
There Was A Little Girl by Ed McBain (Audio Cassettes)
The Old Silent by Martha Grimes (Audio Cassettes)


New Book Group #70 January 27, 2017
Thought I’d share some romances for February:
PAIRS:
Betty Neels: The Girl With Green Eyes and the Damsel in Green
Linda Howard: The Touch of Fire and Loving Forever
SINGLES:
The Devilish Pleasures of a Duke by Jillian Hunter
Kissed by Shadows (Get Connected Romances) by Jane Feather
Love's Brazen Fire by Betina Krahn
Love Letters From a Duke (The Bachelor Chronicles Book 3) by Elizabeth Boyle
Love Wild and Fair by Bertrice Small
Only With Your Love (Vallerands Book 2) by Lisa Kleypas
Scandalous Love by Brenda Joyce
Someone to Love by Jude Deveraux
Valentine by Jane Feather
A Visit From Sir Nicholas (Effington Family Book 9) by Victoria Alexander
Winter Fire by Jo Beverly


New Book Group #69 November 18, 2016
(I'll post a picture and links later)
Some books for Christmas
Mistletoe Marriage by Jessica Hart
Jingle Bell Blessings by Bonnie K. Winn
Snowbound with Mr. Right by Judy Christenberry
The Christmas Cowboy by Michele Dunaway
All I Want for Christmas by Gina Wilkins
All She Wants for Christmas by Stacy Connelly


New Book Group #68 October 28, 2016
SINGLE:
The Seventh Tower, Book One by Garth Nix
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
Critical by Robin Cook


New Book Group #67 September 9, 2016

(*Three more very old books from my Gothics box.)
SINGLES:
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)


New Book Group #66 June 25, 2016

(I will post a picture later. *Four of these books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I have had for many years. They may not be wanted by anyone and if so, I will donate elsewhere in time.)
SINGLES:
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell


New Book Group #65 April 29, 2016

SINGLES:
The Champion by Heather Grothaus


New Book Group #64 March 4, 2016
SINGLES:
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette

New Book Group #63 January 22, 2016 -- All Gone

New Book Group #62 November 6, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #61 October 30, 2015
SINGLES:
Border Bride by Deborah Hale

New Book Group #60 September 18, 2015
A set of "haunting" tales and a few mysteries for October!

SINGLES:
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)

New Book Group #59 July 31, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #58 June 26, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #57 May 1, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #56 March 20, 2015
SINGLES:
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)

New Book Group #55 February 5, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #54 December 26, 2014 -- All Gone

BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)

The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle


BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)

Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krain


BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)

Thinner by Stephen King
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
Magic: The Gathering Distant Planes, An Anthology
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley -- NOTE This book has dog bite damage; it is missing half back cover and the edges of pages in the back third of the book... it does not effect the text but I will understand if no one wants this one
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
Anthology: Something Borrowed, Something Blue - this book has spine creases and minor water damage...I thought I had read it and liked it but now I realize it was another anthology I read with Elaine Barbier.


BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)

Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books! And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

I started Friday Pick on November 27, 2009 and in almost seven years I have posted 68 groups of 16 (1,088) books to find new homes! (as of November 4, 2016).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,056+ books have found new homes! YAY. I have to update my print out to check the exact number sent out - a few were never claimed. I periodically update the lists - deleting those won. You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want!

Note rules here regarding international entries.

Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.

I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to far away places runs between $7.00 and $10.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00. If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy too. :o)

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!

Book Review and Giveaway: A Talent for Trouble by Jen Turano

This is light, fun, sweet romance.

A Talent for Trouble (Ladies of Distinction Book #3)

by Jen Turano

File Size: 1360 KB
Print Length: 354 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (October 1, 2013)
ASIN: B00CIUJYZM
Genre: Historical Romance, Inspirational
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

For years, Miss Felicia Murdock's every thought and action have been in pursuit of becoming a minister's wife. When the minister she'd set her sights on has other ideas, she decides something in her life needs to change--and soon--before she wastes any more time pretending to be someone she's not. If that means spreading her wings and embracing a more lively way of life, who's to say nay?
Grayson Sumner, Lord Sefton, has had more than enough of spreading his wings and only hopes to settle into the life of a respectable New York gentleman. Prompted by some friends to lift the spirits of the disappointed-in-love Miss Murdock, he is surprised to encounter an adventurous young lady with an unfortunate knack for stumbling into troublesome situations.
Just as Grayson decides he's had quite enough of her antics, his past comes back to haunt him and his presence in Felicia's life endangers her. As they work together to extricate themselves from this latest complication, will Grayson and Felicia decide they want to spend the rest of their lives keeping one another out of trouble?

Review:
Felicia had convinced herself that she was to marry the local preacher. She conducted herself as 'piously' as she could for four years trying to gain his affections. When the preacher married someone else, Felicia had to rediscover who she truly was. According to her family and friends Felicia is a good person with an impulsive nature… and a talent for trouble.

Felicia’s friends coerce Grayson, Lord Sefton, to begin to escort her so that other men of society will see she is available. Grayson had a rebellious, wild youth that sent him off to China. After tragedy struck he returned home and learned to control himself to protect his young daughter.

Felicia was delivering food and clothing to some seedy parts of town when her pony refused to move. Next thing Felicia is helping an elderly man who stumbled on the sidewalk. She helped him into a nearby pub where no respectable young lady should go. Felicia strides into one inappropriate situation after another. Fortunately, Grayson seems to be following her and is able to extricate her from most of the troubles. But Grayson has a past that has followed him from China and Felicia has managed to insinuate herself in the midst of his troubles.

Grayson is attracted to the lively young woman but feels his past makes him unacceptable for someone as good as Felicia. Can these two find forgiveness and grace to accept their past and find a future with love?

This is light, easy and enjoyable reading. Once you get past the first couple of pages and Felicia’s true personality is released, she is a hoot! Grayson thinks he has done awful things, and perhaps he did. But underneath he is a good man and it takes Felicia’s acceptance and shared grief with his sister for Grayson to begin to believe there may be redemption. The faith messages are lightly woven in.

The ladies’ book club members enjoyed this author before and we agreed it is nice to pick up a reliable, easy read once in a while. We recommend this to readers who enjoy light, clean romance.

This was Ladies Book Club read for March. It qualifies for 2017 Mount TBR.

GIVEAWAY:

One (very gently read) PRINT COPY - US Only

ENTRY FORM HERE

(Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!)

For 3 Extra Bonus entries

(a) comment on the review, OR

(b) Visit the Author's website and tell me something you learned or like there.

* This contest is open to US for Print Copy.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) April 29, 2017. Winner will be announced in the Sunday Post on 2/26/17.
Winners are asked to respond on the winners form linked in the announcement or by email.