Hosanna Emily's Blog, page 30

5 Ways to Become a Helpful Blog Reader

     Every blogger loves to have helpful readers!  I know...I am a blogger!  If you are subscribed to 1 blog...3 blogs...10 blogs...or more, it is still a good idea to let the blog author know that you read and appreciate their blog.   I have added several blogs to my reading list that I read often and try to be a helpful subscriber.  So here are five ways that I try to be a helpful blog reader and how you can as well!

1. Read the Posts! 
This probably sounds silly.  Of course if you are interested in a blog you will read the posts!  But some readers will look at a long post, or one that they are not really "interested" in, and they click "delete." (trust me...I've done it before!)  If you want to be a helpful blog reader, your top priority to help the author that you follow is to read their posts!  They spent time writing the post for you!


2. Comment on Posts!
Blog authors like to know who really is reading what they write.  By commenting on their posts, you can give your opinion, and interact with both the author and fellow readers!  Giving your opinion of their post, and adding your own thoughts, is really what makes having a blog fun!  It is also fun for you, as the reader!

3. Enter Surveys/Polls/Questionnaires!
If a blog is having a poll, or any other kind of interaction with the readers, please enter it!  You can tell the author what you really think!  And trust me, authors LOVE to know your thoughts!  They want their blog to be the best it possibly can, and we, as readers, can help them!

4. Give honest opinions!
Even if you know the author and are worried about getting on their bad side, it is super important to leave honest answers.  Tell them what you really think.  This is the only way that the author can improve their work!  They will really appreciate your critical answers.  (as a side note, however, don't just give negative answers...be encouraging as well!  Tell them what you like and dislike about the blog/work/whatever you are commenting about)

5. Recommend to Friends!
This is the best way to spread news about a blog that you love!  Tell other people!  If you have your own blog, you can advertise your favorite blogs on it.  If you go to my page "Blogs That I Read" you can see some of the blogs that I enjoy.  Publicizing the blogs that you read will allow other people to enjoy them too!


Have other ideas of what a helpful blog reader should look like?  Or do you have some favorite blogs to recommend?  Comment below!!

2016 Blog Updates

Warning!  Changes Ahead!  =)     

     Thank you so much to everyone who submitted their thoughts in my blog questionnaire!  Because of all your help, I have updated my blog!  Please check it out and comment below on your thoughts!  Here are some of the changes I made..

1.  The Blog Background!    I hope you would have noticed this on your own (smile), but I changed the look of my background to a less distracting one!  My banner is the same, so the look isn't totally different. =)

2.  Movie Reviews!    I added a page where I will one day soon put some reviews on for good (or maybe not-so-good) movies that my family has seen!  I will post what I liked and disliked about them, and what to watch out for if you decide to view them for yourself.

3.  Blogs I Read!  I added a page with the links to some of my favorite blogs.  Currently, I only have two listed, but I will surely add more later!  

4. My Blog Button!  On the side bar, you can now view my blog button!  This is for if you have a blog of your own and would like to put my button in your "blogs I read" page.  If you don't have a blog, then it doesn't affect you. =)

     Those are my main changes to Having a Heart Like His! 


     Have other suggestions for adjustments to my blog?  Comment below!

2015 Year in Review and Blog Questionnaire

   Hello Readers!
   2015 is almost gone and the new year is quickly coming!  How did your life change this year?  I am sure that in the 525,948.767 minutes that this last year contained, something had to change.  Here are some of the highlights of the last year for me...

--I published my first novel
--I started my first blog
--I finished my rough draft on my second novel
--Our family had a wonderful trip to Florida to visit friends
--Our family was in a super fun musical called Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
--We met friends from Cameroon Africa 
--I attended my first Contra dance
--War Room was released
--Beyond the Mask was released
--Our good friends adopted a baby
--I started a class in American Sign Language



   And countless other blessings!!  Just like always, God has blessed us.  Everyone can find something to be thankful for as they look back on the last year.  And I hope that we realize this and grow more and more in love with Jesus as the years, months, weeks, days, and hours pass!  "For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised!" (Psalm 96:4a)

Survey below...
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"Tramp For the Lord" review

In 1940, Corrie ten Boom was living with her father and sister above their watch shop in Haarlem, Holland—and when their country was invaded, this devoutly Christian family provided sanctuary for persecuted Jews. Before long, the Nazis captured Corrie and her family. They were sent to a concentration camp, where Corrie lost both her sister and father. But remarkably, throughout this turbulent time, Corrie sustained the faith in God that helped her become one of the most beloved evangelists of her time.
Tramp for the Lord continues Corrie ten Boom's extraordinary journey of hope following the events recounted in her bestseller The Hiding Place. From her near-destitute days in postwar New York to heart-stopping adventures in Africa, Corrie's inspirational life story proves that miracles do happen.



My Review:

        Tramp For the Lord is the amazing story of Corrie ten Boom as she travels through the world, following God's leading!  The book is full of lessons she learned and lessons she taught to others around her.  She doesn't hesitate to say that after 80+ years she still learned new lessons about God.  Her life as a "tramp for the Lord" shows what can happen when you dedicate your life to His glory.  The book is interesting and valuable for learning about the Christian life, however, I didn't enjoy it as much as The Hiding Place.  This is a good sequel to read for those who enjoy reading about the life of an amazing woman--Corrie ten Boom!

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

Merry Christmas to all my readers!  Instead of writing something for Christmas, here is a hymn by Charles Wesley back in the year 1744.  I think it sums up our prayer to God during this Christmas season. 

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesusby Charles Wesley
"Come, Thou long-expected JesusBorn to set Thy people freeFrom our fears and sins release usLet us find out rest in TheeIsrael's strength and consolation Hope of all the earth Thou artDear Desire of every nationJoy of every longing heart
Born thy people to deliverBorn a child and yet a KingBorn to reign in us foreverNow Thy gracious kingdom bringBy Thine own eternal SpiritRule in all our hearts aloneBy thine all sufficient meritRaise us to Thy glorious throne"

"Dayuma: Life Under Waorani Spears" review

Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Pete Fleming, Roger Youderian, and Ed McCully chose to lay down their lives on a sandy beach in Ecuador. Their lives and sacrifice come full circle in the breathtaking true story of Dayuma.
Violent, unexpected death was a way of life for the mysterious Waorani tribe living deep in the Ecuadorian jungle. When her father is brutally speared, young Dayuma is faced with a clear yet frightening choice: flee to the outside world to those thought to be cannibals or stay in the jungle to face certain death from the spears of the tribal killers.
Dayuma: Life Under Waorani Spears is the unforgettable story of one girl's odyssey into the unknown. Her eventual encounter with Christ ultimately changed her life and forever altered the destiny of her people. Dayuma is a vivid, lasting testimony to the power of the love of God and the cross to reach beyond any barrier.

My Review:
    Dayuma: Life Under Waorani Spears is a story of how a tragedy changed the lives of hundreds in the jungles of Ecuador. It is an amazing example of how God used an American woman (Rachel Saint) and a native Waorani of Ecuador (Dayuma) to change the world for His glory! This book is very captivating, showing how the Waorani tribes lived in their native home. It is an amazing testimony of faith to the five men, Ed, Pete, Roger, Jim, and Nate, who gave their lives for the savage Waorani people who murdered them. Amazingly, God took that evil and used it to impact the world in this unforgettable story. It is a story of adventure, danger, and total surrender to God. This book impacted me, and it is sure to do the same for other readers! 

About the Author:
     Ethel Emily Wallis went to the edge of the Waorani forest to work with Dayuma and Rachel Saint on this book. In it she has recaptured the violence, courage, and devotion which are at the heart of "Dayuma: Life Under Waorani Spears."

Christmas Around the World

Photo by: Jeff Weese 


     With Christmas coming up, it is easy to get lost in the busyness of life.  I enjoy seeing the colorful Christmas lights that sparkle as you drive home during the night.  It's fun to observe how different people celebrate the holidays.  But one thing we often miss is that there are others in the world who are not celebrating.  Others who are missing family members.  Others who are running for their lives.
     In Iraq alone, around 1.3 million Christians have been displaced, murdered, or imprisoned since 2003.  They face ISIS--a terrorist group that doesn't hesitate to kill Christians or anyone else they disagree with.  Christians are running for their lives.  They are forced to leave their homes because if they don't, they will be killed.  Men, women, and children are losing their lives and becoming enslaved.  This is not only in Iraq but in several countries around the world.  They are people just like us--Christians who are standing up for what they believe.  They are willing to stand up for Christ, even if it brings persecution.
     This Christmas we can make a difference.  We can help our brothers and sisters in other countries.  Through the Be Heard Project , you can sign a petition to stand with the persecuted Church.  The petition will be brought before Congress, demanding that America does something to protect Christians in other countries.
     Will these Christians be able to celebrate Christmas next year with their families?  Maybe they can...but only if we make a difference.

"The Hiding Place" Review

     At one time Corrie ten Boom would have laughed at the idea that there would ever be a story to tell. For the first fifty years of her life nothing at all out of the ordinary had ever happened to her. She was an old-maid watchmaker living contentedly with her spinster sister and their elderly father in the tiny Dutch house over their shop. Their uneventful days, as regulated as their own watches, revolved around their abiding love for one another. However, with the Nazi invasion and occupation of Holland, a story did ensue. 

     Corrie ten Boom and her family became leaders in the Dutch Underground, hiding Jewish people in their home in a specially built room and aiding their escape from the Nazis. For their help, all but Corrie found death in a concentration camp. The Hiding Place is their story.

My Review:



   Wow.  The Hiding Place was so much better than I had imagined when I first picked it up!!  This is an incredible story of a life dedicated to Jesus.  Cornelia Ten-Boom's story is one of courage, trust, and love in the midst of the hardest trials.  She gave her life to Jesus, and suffered because of it.  However, in the end she learned that "(nothing) shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."     It was very inspirational to read about her sister, Betsy, whose very life shone with love.  She loved her enemies--when they were in the midst of taunting her.  She could look around on her death bed and love them.     After reading the after-note where it explained how Corrie finally was reunited with her family in heaven, I knew at that moment that the earth had lost a great woman of faith.  I felt personally sad that she had left...the earth needs more Ten-Booms like her and her family.   Just as Corrie said, "There is no pit so deep, that God's love is not deeper still."    This book is perfect for anyone ages 13+ because of some content.

About the Author:

     Corrie ten Boom and her family were Christians who were active in social work in their home town of Haarlem, the Netherlands. During the Nazi occupation, they chose to act out their faith through peaceful resistance to the Nazis by active participation in the Dutch underground. They were hiding, feeding and transporting Jews and underground members hunted by the Gestapo out of the country. It is estimated they were able to save the lives of 800 Jews, in addition to protecting underground workers. 

     On Feb. 28, 1944, they were betrayed and Corrie and several relatives were arrested. The four Jews and two underground workers in the house at the time of the arrest were not located by the Nazis and were extricated by the underground 47 hours after they fled to the tiny hiding place (located in Corrie's room).
     The ten Boom family members were separated and transferred to concentration camps. Corrie was allowed to stay with her precious sister, Betsy. Corrie's father (Casper), her sister (Betsy) and one grandchild (Kik) perished. Corrie was released in December of 1944.
     These acts of heroism and sacrifice became the foundation for Corrie ten Boom's global writing and speaking career after she was released.
     Ten Boom has received numerous awards for her writing and speaking.  Notably, she was honored by the State of Israel for her work in aid of the Jewish people by being invited to plant a tree in the famous Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles, at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, Near Jerusalem. She was also knighted by the Queen of the Netherlands in recognition of her work during the war, and a museum in the Dutch city of Haarlem is dedicated to her and her family.

Trust in the LORD!

      Typically, I am a shy person.  I don't enjoy talking to strangers, saying speeches, or performing in front of a crowd.  I have been trying to overcome this weakness (and yes, being shy is a weakness, not a personality trait exactly), but it doesn't always feel like it gets easier.       Anyway, one day I was in town with my mom and sisters shopping at a consignment store.  (my kind of shopping) =) I felt like God wanted me to talk to someone I saw across the store!  My first instinct was, "No way!  I can't do that!  What would I say?  We are about to leave anyway, so my family would have to wait for me.  There is NO way I am going to do this!"       But then I remembered.  I thought about the times that I have said no.  I realized that when I got home, I would feel bad that I had disobeyed.  I would always remember how I failed.  And I would be ashamed that I had really just said "No" to God, the One who had given me the very air I was breathing!  It was a hard struggle, but eventually, I forced my feet forward and walked over to where the elderly, African-American woman stood with her daughter trying on shoes.     "I just wanted to tell you that God loves you."  It was more of a whisper than anything else, and I am not even sure that she heard me.  But I do know that she felt the hug I gave her and the smile I forced to my lips.  My heart was pounding harder than it ever had, I think, but I did it.  I obeyed God and was glad that I did.  Even as I walked out of the store, I could see the woman staring at me in wonder.  I don't know what she thought, or if she even heard my words, but it doesn't matter. I trusted God, and I am so glad that I did.  Even a month later, it makes me smile to remember how scared I was and how I relied on God.  That is all that matters.     Next time remember that.  All that matters is that you obey God.  You don't have to be scared, and you don't have to hesitate.  You just have to trust.  It sounds so easy doesn't it?

"The Way of the Wilderking" Review

    In book three of the acclaimed Wilderking Trilogy, civilizer Aidan returns home from three years in Feechiefen Swamp to discover that a party known as the Aidanites has arisen among his fellow Corenwalders. They believe the “Wilderking Chant” makes reference to Aidan, and that he is destined to overthrow Corenwald's tyrant King Darrow. Aidan has no intention of leading any such rebellion. But when the Corenwald kingdom continues to weaken, and the enemy Pyrthens threaten to invade, it's clear the Aidanites are the only army his people have left. What soon transpires among civilizers, feechiefolk, Corenwalders, and Pyrthens alike, no reader could predict. When all is said and done, who will be the Wilderking? 


My Review:

     As the final book of the Wilderking Trilogy, this book perfectly sums up Aidan's adventures!  Jonathan Rogers used this last book to tie the strings and bring the three books into harmony.  This book is completely different than the other two, and yet it is still full of adventure.  Dobro is an amazing character all throughout the book and a great friend to Aidan.  He lightens the mood of the story and brings fun into play!  I love how this book combines excitement, sadness, and funny scenes into a novel!  this is one of the special books that I have gotten to the last pages and felt very sad that the story was over.  As a childhood favorite and even today, Aidan's exciting feats leave me eager for more and glad that finally the Wilderking has done his job of "living the life that unfolded before him."  The best part of this book is how it ties together major characters into a wonderful history, but I won't say more or it would ruin that part for you. =)  This book is one that will inspire readers with tales full of thrill and stories of how trusting in the One True God can change your life forever. 

About the Author:

    Jonathan Rogers grew up in Georgia, where he spent many happy hours in the swamps and riverbottoms on which the wild places of The Wilderking are based. He received his undergraduate degree from Furman University in South Carolina and holds a Ph. D. in seventeenth-century English literature from Vanderbilt University. The Bark of the Bog Owl has already found a receptive audience among Jonathan’s own six children. The Rogers clan lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where Jonathan makes a living as a freelance writer. The Bark of the Bog Owl is his first novel.