Laura J. Davis's Blog, page 10

How Fear Keeps God From Being Glorified

 Holiness is a biblical concept and mentioned in the Bible over six hundred times. It is one of the central themes of Leviticus and other books of the Bible. 1 Peter 1:16 says, “Be holy because I am holy.” But what does that look like for Christians today? How do we live lives that are holy? Is that even possible? To grasp the concept of holiness we need to go back to the very beginning of Genesis.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light that it wa...

Are Christians Profaning God's Name or Glorifying it?

 Holiness is a biblical concept and mentioned in the Bible over six hundred times. It is one of the central themes of Leviticus and other books of the Bible. 1 Peter 1:16 says, “Be holy because I am holy.” But what does that look like for Christians today? How do we live lives that are holy? Is that even possible? To grasp the concept of holiness we need to go back to the very beginning of Genesis.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light that it wa...

Why Does God Say I Must be Holy?

I have claimed the title “Christian” for over 40 years and yet not a day goes by when I don’t learn something new from the Bible or feel God correcting me where I am wrong about something. When I had my first child, I was still what many would consider very “young” in my faith. A baby myself, but trying to do the right things to honour God. I came to Christ when I was 18. Six years later I was married to a Christian man, who was and still is an excellent provider, husband and father. Un...

Practising Holiness

If you haven’t noticed how Christians have been viewed by the world lately, then you have probably been living under a rock. In less than 30 years, we (and by that I mean the entire church body – those who follow Jesus as Saviour from all denominations) have gone from a force of good in the world to something that is mocked and shunned. One has to wonder, why? What happened? When did it become acceptable in society to mock God?

The changes were subtle, and they started in the education s...

The Sea Before Us

Author: Sarah Sundin
Genre: Historical Romance

Nothing but love could heal the wounds of war

In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a "Wren" in the Women's Royal Naval Service, who pieces together reconnaissance photographs with holiday snapshots of France--including those of her  family's summer home--in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt turns into naval bombardment plans for D-day.

As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn into something more. But both of them have too much to lose to give in to love . . . ​​ Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

In The Sea Before Us, author Sarah Sundin takes her readers back in time to WWII and the run-up to D-day. Her main characters are Dorothy Fairfax and Wyatt Paxton. Dorothy is an insecure red-head with freckles who is trying to become someone she is not, to catch the eye of another someone she has pined over for years. Wyatt is on the run after accidentally contributing to the death of his brother's fiancee. He hasn't seen his family in two years. They have no idea if he is dead or alive. The two meet and end up helping each other in more ways than one. 

Many themes are running through this book that kept me riveted to it, starting with Dorothy's insecurities. She has been in love with a family friend for years, but could never seem to get his attention. So she began to change herself to attract him. The problem, of course, is that she could never be who she really was when around him. Too many women do that for men, thinking they will never find love if "they don't change" and when the man she "loves" turns out to be a cad in every conceivable fashion, Dorothy still makes excuses for him. Thank goodness, she had a friendship with Wyatt, who showed her how a real man should treat a woman and what real love looks like.

The other theme was that of how we tend to run away from our problems. Wyatt did that and broke off all contact with his parents because he couldn't face his sin. The story of the prodigal son spoke loud and clear and was beautifully written into this story, so much so, that I can't wait for the second book in this series. 

Adding to these themes was the surprise at the end I wasn't expecting. No, it has nothing to do with D-Day or romance but is an added mystery on the side that really made this book top-notch. The author has done an excellent job in her research of WWII, making me feel like I was watching a movie, rather than reading a book, which is a testament to her skill as an author. 

If you love historical fiction, romance, excitement and a little intrigue put this book on your shopping list!

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

Troubled Waters

Author: Susan May Warren
Genre: Mystery/Suspense

Billionaire Ian Shaw can have everything he wants--except a happy ending. Or at least that's what it feels like with his fortune recently liquidated, his niece, Esme, still missing, and the woman he loves refusing to speak to him. In fact, he doubts she would date him even if they were stranded on a deserted island.

Despite her love for Ian, Sierra Rose  knows he has no room in his life for her as long as the mystery of his missing niece goes unsolved. The only problem is, Sierra has solved it, but a promise to Esme to keep her whereabouts secret has made it impossible to be around Ian.

When the PEAK chopper is damaged and Sierra lacks the funds to repair it, Ian offers a fundraising junket for large donors on his yacht in the Caribbean. But the three-day excursion turns into a nightmare when a rogue wave cripples the yacht and sends the passengers overboard. Shaken up and soaked to the bone, Ian finally has a chance to test his theory when he and Sierra do indeed find themselves washed up on a strange, empty shore.

It will take guts and gumption for the PEAK team to rescue the duo. But it will take a miracle to rescue Ian and Sierra's relationship. Reviewer: Jill Jones

“Troubled Waters”, the fourth installment in Susan May Warren’s Montana Rescue Series, continues the story of the Mercy Falls PEAK team. Opening with Sierra trying to convince Esme Shaw, billionaire Ian Shaw’s niece, to come home, we finally get a chance to hear more about her disappearance and why she is hiding from her uncle. Searching for her has been Ian’s obsession and the destruction of his other relationships.

Sierra, Ian’s former assistant and love interest, has been trying to get her footing ever since Ian found out she lied about knowing Esme was running away with her boyfriend. Now that she knows where she is and hasn’t told him, Sierra knows there is no future with him even though she continues to love him.

Ian is facing money problems and hasn’t been able to to support the PEAK team. When the only chopper is damaged, Ian doesn’t have the funds to repair it. Sierra plans a fundraiser on Ian’s yacht. Then things go terribly wrong…

Other than the characters, my favorite part of Susan May Warren’s series is how she ties them all together. Each book focuses on a particular person or people but the others also have their continuing struggles and also introduction to a possible story of their own. I can’t wait to see whose story she writes next.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

A Dangerous Legacy

Author: Elizabeth Camden
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Lucy Drake's mastery of Morse code has made her a valuable asset to the American news agencies as a telegrapher. But the sudden arrival of Sir Colin Beckwith at rival British news agency Reuters puts her hard-earned livelihood at risk. Newly arrived from London, Colin is talented, handsome, and insufferably charming.  Despite their rivalry, Lucy realizes Colin's connections could be just what her family needs to turn the tide of their long legal battle over the fortune they were swindled out of forty years ago. When she negotiates an unlikely alliance with him, neither of them realizes how far the web of treachery they're wading into will take them. Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

I always enjoy a novel written by Elizabeth Camden and once again she did not disappoint.

The characters were well developed and the title of the book definitely fits what the story is all about. It was very hard to put down. I was rooting for Lucy and her brother and hoping that Colin would see that Lucy was the right woman for him, rather than chasing after rich heiresses. The story is absolutely riveting with lots of intrigue, suspense and danger. But what disappointed me about this novel was that it had no message of the saving power of Jesus Christ. This was supposed to be a Christian book, but if God was mentioned at all, it was almost as an afterthought.

While Lucy and Colin both grew and proved that there is more to life than money, God seemed to have played no part in their growth. There was mention of talent being a gift from God and that using it to better the lives of others was like God smiling at you. But it was not something that was at the core of this book.

If you want a good, clean read that will keep you captive this is a great book. If you are looking for a Christian book that has a message of faith or redemption, however, this is not it.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Day Moon

Author: Brett Armstrong
Genre: YA/SCI-FI/Fantasy

A.D. 2039, a prodigious seventeen year old, Elliott, is assigned to work on a global software initiative his deceased grandfather helped found. Project Alexandria is intended to provide the entire world secure and equal access to all accumulated human knowledge. All forms of print are destroyed in good faith, to ensure everyone has equal footing, and Elliott knows he must soon part with his final treasure: a book of Shakespeare's complete works gifted  him by his grandfather. Before it is destroyed, Elliott notices something is amiss with the book, or rather Project Alexandria. The two do not match, including an extra sonnet titled "Day Moon." When Elliott investigates, he uncovers far more than he bargained for. There are sinister forces backing Project Alexandria who have no intention of using it for its public purpose. Elliott soon finds himself on the run from federal authorities and facing betrayals and deceit from those closest to him. Following clues left by his grandfather, with agents close at hand, Elliott desperately hopes to find a way to stop Project Alexandria. All of history past and yet to be depend on it. Reviewer: Eva-Joy Schonhaar

​I was intrigued by this book's premise and it delivered in some ways, but not in others.

To begin with the good, I have to say that I found the world of Day Moon to be interesting and well thought out. Project Alexandria is a big part of the book's focus, and I think it's pretty neat, the way that there are so many layers to it: the name means two different things and it has both good and bad uses and, yeah, it was cool. I also like that this book was set in a not-so-distant future, so everything seemed a little more realistic than other dystopias I've read.

As for the Shakespearean element that first interested me in Day Moon, I really enjoyed the way Brett Armstrong used quotes from different Shakespeare plays to begin most of the book's chapters. And how Romeo & Juliet was one of the catalysts to Elliott figuring out something was wrong with Project Alexandria. Very nice.

So why am I rating this book only 2.5 out of 5 stars? Well, there were two major things about it that I didn't like: the writing style and the characters. Though the plot was mostly interesting, it was also a slog at times and at the end it didn't seem like too much had happened in the book. There are a lot of words to wade through, a lot of 'purple prose', and a lot of metaphors that sounded like they were trying to be clever instead of actually being clever.

And I didn't particularly like/connect to any of the characters, and that'll usually kill my love for any book. Elliott, the main character, seemed to overreact to so many of the situations he was faced with. Lara was the typical feisty, vaguely annoying action girl/love interest. John was probably my favorite, if I have to pick a favorite, just because he seemed to have a richer backstory and deeper emotions than any of the other characters.

Overall, I would say that while the worldbuilding and worldview in Day Moon were interesting, the poor writing and character development spoiled my enjoyment of this book. And that's unfortunate, because I was really hoping to enjoy it.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Grace in Strange Disguise

Author: Christine Dillon
Genre: Inspirational Fiction

Physiotherapist Esther Macdonald is living the Australian dream, and it doesn’t surprise her.

After all, her father has always said, “Follow Jesus and be blessed.” But at twenty-eight, her world shatters. Everyone assures her God will come through for her, but what happens when he doesn’t? Has she offended God? Is her faith too small? So many conflicting explanations.
Will finding the truth cost her the people closest to her heart? Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

It's very rare when I come across a new writer (to me) who makes me wait with bated breath for her next novel, but Christine Dillon, author of Grace in Strange Disguise, has managed to do just that.

There are so many facets of this book that appealed to me. Let's start with the primary theme - what happens if you believe in God for healing, but it never happens? The author has taken a doctrinal teaching in many churches that say, if you are sick and God doesn't heal you, then you must have sin in your life that has gone unconfessed. In the case of our main character, Esther, it is her fault she has cancer.  It is a false doctrine that many churches preach, and it needs to be exposed. Dillon does an excellent job of it in this book.

Not only does the author expose this teaching as false, but she does it in such a way that the reader is learning why it is wrong at the same time as the main character. Unfortunately for our main character, Esther, her father is a preacher, and this is the false doctrine he preaches. Her journey from blindly following a false teaching to investigating the truth for herself by actually reading her Bible was inspirational and moving.

The second issue, of course, is Esther's cancer. The emotional rollercoaster she goes through is well written and relatable. What goes through her head when she hears the "C" word, is exactly what went through my head when my doctor thought I had cancer. Her experiences will speak to anyone who has gone through such a diagnosis.

The third part of this book that I loved was the concept of storytelling the gospel. This is something I have never heard of before and something I would love to put into practice. It's so unique that I have to wonder why more churches don't teach it. 

Moving, inspirational and motivating are all words to describe Grace in Strange Disguise. If you want to read a story you won't be able to put down this year, make it this one!
Reviewer: Sabrina Wade

Well written! Captivating, inspiring, and uplifting. I am absolutely ecstatic this is book one of several more to come! I just love a story about suffering molded into a testimony. Beautiful! There's nothing like looking at the whole picture Jesus painted for us instead of just the pleasant parts. The big picture help us to capture the deeper meaning.

Abundant blessings here on this earth aren't promised to us as Esther discovered. This world is not meant to be our eternal home. Quite frankly just listening to the news and watching Facebook newsfeed ought to be enough for us to not desire earth as an eternal home. The simplicity of Grace in Strange Disguise is the same simplicity of the Gospel. Can't wait to read more in the coming future! In the meantime I'll practice storytelling of Jesus.

Kristian's War

Author: Peter Wisan
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Kristian Anders, a dirt-poor farmer, lives in a land where evil forces take the form of men. The sins of his past weigh heavily on his mind. When a stranger directs him to take a new path, Kristian begins the journey of a lifetime towards a distant King who is rumored to solve all problems. But then a ruthless soldier is dispatched by the ruler of the dark land to capture or kill Kristian. Everything leads to one final fight, where Kristian must defeat the demons of his past or die. Marine Corps veteran Peter Wisan delivers a gripping, tactical take on the spiritual journey in this modern day telling of Pilgrim's Progress. Reviewer: Susan Poll

A modern day version of Pilgrim’s Progress that will speak to your soul. It echoes the issues, mistakes and problems we face today in a way that will humble you and remind you that through your spiritual journey God is in charge and with you. Kris struggles with his past in his journey to find meaning and eventually to see the King. Very well written to mirror the war we fight in this world. I appreciated the military aspect and details to make this story feel real and make it a page turner. This is a fast paced intriguing story!