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		<title>INTERVIEW &#124; Danette Crawford</title>
		<link>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/03/interview-danette-crawford/</link>
		<comments>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/03/interview-danette-crawford/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:24:00 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[ Danette, describe yourself for our visitors. 
I am a single mother, who also happens to be an evangelist with a call to preach the Gospel. I founded Joy Ministries, an evangelistic outreach ministry that ministers salvation and restoration to the needy. Joy in the Morning, my weekly television program, allows me to bring a [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--Amazon_CLS_IM_START--><p><strong><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_00261.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="img_0026-1" border="0" alt="img_0026-1" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/img_00261_thumb.jpg" width="145" height="217" /></a> Danette, describe yourself for our visitors.</strong> </p>
<p>I am a single mother, who also happens to be an evangelist with a call to preach the Gospel. I founded Joy Ministries, an evangelistic outreach ministry that ministers salvation and restoration to the needy. Joy in the Morning, my weekly television program, allows me to bring a word of encouragement into the hearts and homes of millions of hurting people. I am passionate about God and I am passionate about what He has called me to do. </p>
<p><strong>How do you find time to connect with God?</strong></p>
<p>I don’t <u>find</u> time; I <u>make</u> time to connect with God. There are hundreds of things vying for my time and yours, but the honest truth is that we make time for what is really important to us. I cannot function without being in the presence of God and hearing His voice. He is my joy and the source of my strength! Daily, I rise early to seek God first in prayer, worship, and the Word. </p>
<p> <span id="more-2905"></span>
<p><strong>Do you have a favorite bible verse and or quote you wish to share?     <br /></strong></p>
<p>I have two favorite scriptures: </p>
<p>Rom. 4:18-21 “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it has been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” </p>
<p>Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/dontquit.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="dont-quit" border="0" alt="dont-quit" align="right" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/dontquit_thumb.jpg" width="126" height="189" /></a> Tell us about your current book, <em>Don’t Quit in the Pit</em>.</strong></p>
<p>My new book is a must read for anyone who has experienced the destructive pits of life – abuse, rejection, divorce, or financial hardship. I have been there and I know how painful these pits can be. I share my personal testimony of how God turned my situation around, and how He can turn any situation around for you, too. This book will give you powerful keys to get out of any pit, as it builds your faith to overcome any of life’s difficult circumstances. </p>
<p><strong>What influenced you to write this book?</strong></p>
<p>I wrote this book because people need it. There are countless people overwhelmed by destructive circumstances in their life. They are drowning in a sea of hopelessness, and they need to know that God has the power to rescue them and turn their situation around. </p>
<p><strong>What valuable lessons do you want readers to learn from your book?</strong></p>
<p>I have been through some major storms in my life and I have found that when you think you are about to sink, God will throw you the rope of hope – His Word. God’s Word is true; you can count on it and not just survive, but you can even thrive. Don’t quit in the pit that you find yourself in, but grab hold of the rope of hope and ascend to the peak that God desires for you. You can have the power to turn any situation around! </p>
<p><strong>What&#8217;s next for you?</strong></p>
<p>In addition to continually adding national airtime, I am working on my second book, while also making preparations for a citywide youth crusade in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. I have known from a young age that I was called to Latin American nations. God is opening the doors for a great outpouring of His presence. </p>
<p><strong>Where can visitors find you online?</strong></p>
<p>You can learn about Joy Ministries at <a href="http://www.joyministriesonline.org/" target="_blank">www.joyministriesonline.org</a>, and about my new book at www.dontquitinthepit.com. </p>
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		<title>INTERVIEW &#124; Leanna Ellis</title>
		<link>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/03/interview-leanna-ellis/</link>
		<comments>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/03/interview-leanna-ellis/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Mar 2010 03:44:18 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[ Leanna, describe yourself for our visitors.&#160;
I’m a wife to a fabulous man! I’m also a mom to a couple of great kids, and I’m usually trying to figure out what to fix for dinner, how to get the house cleaned, and trying to remember when to pick up which child from which activity. I’m [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--Amazon_CLS_IM_START--><p><strong><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/LeannaEllis.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="LeannaEllis" border="0" alt="LeannaEllis" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/LeannaEllis_thumb.jpg" width="135" height="169" /></a> Leanna, describe yourself for our visitors.</strong>&#160;</p>
<p>I’m a wife to a fabulous man! I’m also a mom to a couple of great kids, and I’m usually trying to figure out what to fix for dinner, how to get the house cleaned, and trying to remember when to pick up which child from which activity. I’m also a writer with a lot of imaginary people rummaging around in my brain.</p>
<p><strong>How do you find time to connect with God?</strong></p>
<p>It’s a priority. I have to make the time. It’s usually early in the morning. I have a room upstairs in my house where I go before anyone else is awake. During the day it’s usually a mad dash from here to there, or I’m trying to put words on the page, but I often pray during the day. Sometimes at night, I need to go back to that ‘upper’ room and spend more time with the Lord.</p>
<p> <span id="more-2900"></span>
</p>
<p><strong>Do you have a favorite bible verse and or quote you wish to share?</strong></p>
<p>My favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”</p>
<p><strong>Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?</strong></p>
<p>I have very eclectic tastes and read as much as I can from biographies to, of course, all kinds of fiction. There are so many wonderful books out there just waiting to be discovered. One of my obsessions right now is Pride and Prejudice. A couple of my other favorite stories are A Christmas Carol and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, I kid you not.</p>
<p><strong>Tell us about your journey to publication.</strong></p>
<p>I actually have a couple of journeys, the first, which took about three years, before I was offered my first book contract. I then wrote for a few years, writing twelve books in the secular romance market, before I left to figure out what I wanted to write. God took me on a journey during that time, which started during my first pregnancy. There is nothing like taking your newborn to a pediatric cardiologist to put you on your knees. From there, God began to change my heart and ultimately took me in a new direction with my writing. But breaking back into publishing after a few years’ absence wasn’t all that easy. When the time was right though, God opened the doors.</p>
<p><strong>Tell us about your current book.</strong></p>
<p>The day Armstrong stepped on the moon has special memories for most Americans, but not for Bryn Seymour. It’s the day her mother died. Despite death defying feats, guilt has always pulled Bryn down time and again. But a perfect love shows her taking a leap of faith is the first step to soaring. But it only happens … <b>once in a blue moon</b>.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/OnceinaBlueMoon.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="OnceinaBlueMoon" border="0" alt="OnceinaBlueMoon" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/OnceinaBlueMoon_thumb.jpg" width="125" height="191" /></a> How did you come up with ideas for <b><em>Once in a Blue Moon</em></b> ?</strong></p>
<p>The idea that started <b><em>Once in a Blue Moon</em></b> was when I contemplated huge milestones in our nation’s history, when people ask, “Where were you when…?” I was just a little girl when Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon. I remember lying on my parents’ gold shag carpet and staring up at the television console. I was so young that I don’t think I really understood the significance. Maybe all the hoopla made me realize its importance. Most Americans have very fond memories of that event. But what if someone had the opposite reaction? What if someone’s life changed that day?</p>
<p><strong> What influenced you to write this book?</strong></p>
<p>I was actually torn between two stories, and I prayed and asked God which one he wanted me to write. It was Once in a Blue Moon. He was so faithful in getting me through this book, bringing things to mind when I needed them, pointing out connections throughout the book so it could go deeper. I was really worried about finishing the book because while I was revising it, my father was in and out of the hospital. It was very difficult to find time to work during that long three-week stretch. Amazingly, I was able to turn the book in a week early. Right after that, my dad went into the hospital for the last time. I was able to spend that week with my dad and family.</p>
<p><strong>Did you have a favorite character(s)? Who and why?</strong> </p>
<p>It’s difficult for me to choose only one. I loved Bryn. I could so relate to her fears and also her impulsivity. I loved her sense of humor. Howard was very interesting. I never knew what he would do. And well, Sam…he was a great romantic hero. The attraction and tension between Sam and Bryn…well, it was hot.</p>
<p><strong>What&#8217;s next for you?</strong></p>
<p>FACELIFT comes out September 2010. A ‘can do’ kind of woman, who runs her own business and raises her teenage daughter alone, takes into her home her ex-mother-in-law after a botched facelift. She turns Kaye’s world upside down. Kaye receives her own emotional facelift when she learns joy isn’t tacking on a happy face but relying on her sovereign God who has a plan for her life.</p>
<p><strong>Where can visitors find you online?</strong> </p>
<p>I’m on Facebook and Twitter and my website is: <a href="http://www.leannaellis.com/" target="_blank">www.leannaellis.com</a> where you’ll also find my blog.</p>
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		<title>INTERVIEW &#124; John Lynch, Bill Thrall, and Bruce McNicol</title>
		<link>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/02/interview-john-lynch-bill-thrall-and-bruce-mcnicol/</link>
		<comments>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/02/interview-john-lynch-bill-thrall-and-bruce-mcnicol/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:40:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>editor</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[
 
Gentlemen, describe yourselves to our visitors. 
We three co-authors of Bo’s Café grew up in three different regions of the USA with vastly divergent backgrounds. But, eventually, all three of us stumbled into the same trap. We got tricked into the snare that says, “If you are ever going to keep from getting hurt [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--Amazon_CLS_IM_START--><p><b></b></p>
<p><b><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Authorclusterphoto10.8.09.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Author cluster photo 10.8.09" border="0" alt="Author cluster photo 10.8.09" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Authorclusterphoto10.8.09_thumb.jpg" width="231" height="177" /></a> </b></p>
<p><b>Gentlemen, describe yourselves to our visitors. </b></p>
<p>We three co-authors of <i>Bo’s Café </i>grew up in three different regions of the USA with vastly divergent backgrounds. But, eventually, all three of us stumbled into the same trap. We got tricked into the snare that says, “If you are ever going to keep from getting hurt in this life, and if you you’re ever going to reach your dreams, you’ve got to protect yourself, because no one else will or can.” This is a crock of con.</p>
<p> <span id="more-2872"></span>
<p>By the time John was 25 years old, he was an acid-dropping, wandering-hippie, selling his plasma for dope, and living alone in an idyllic southern California beach town. In high-school, he had been an all-state high school baseball pitcher and student body president, even securing the homecoming queen as his girl. But, the wheels came off in college and in his embarrassment John thought he had to protect himself by leaving for another state and then lying to all his friends back home that he had become a stand-up comedian. In reality, John might have done standup comedy once or twice, with humor only a mother could love. </p>
</p>
<p>Bill grew up a very bright son of two alcoholic parents, abandoned to an orphanage for part of his Wisconsin childhood years. Anyone who has a similar story implicitly knows the insecurity and the weird coping mechanisms that such early experiences nurture. By the time Bill reached high school he was already a card shark, making money all weekend long for the local mafia. Spooky, when you realize that a decade later Bill held the title of first Assistant Auditor General for the state of Arizona.</p>
<p>Bruce became the over-achieving middle child from a high-octane, performance-driven home in the Northwest where early on he figured out that he had to live up to the family name, at all costs. Problem was, he kept coming in third, out of three siblings, in academics, sports, music, and other areas—a classic formula for custom-made masks.</p>
<p><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/TheThreeAmigosintheBuickElectra.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="The Three Amigo&#39;s in the Buick Electra" border="0" alt="The Three Amigo&#39;s in the Buick Electra" align="right" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/TheThreeAmigosintheBuickElectra_thumb.jpg" width="228" height="159" /></a> Imagine the lies we told ourselves, let alone other people! Lies picked up when we’re young can stay with us for a lifetime. Our common lie was that we had to buck up, shape up, move up—and most importantly, that we had to make all this happen on our own. This is a recipe for toxic hiddenness, self-deception, and power-driven manipulation. So, at <i>Bo’s Café, </i>you’ll recognize a familiar face (or mask) in the main character, Steven.</p>
<p>Toss one more ingredient into our story, and you’ll catch a whiff of the spice that flavors <i>Bo’s Café.</i> Ever since we were young, each of the three of us had something nagging that said, “There’s more to me, to the reason I’ve been put on this earth, and I don’t know what it is. I know I have talents. I know I have stuff to offer. But I keep shooting myself in the foot. From the earliest time I can remember I thought I was here to do something a whole lot more significant than what it seems I’m doing right now. It just seemed life would be more fulfilling than it is right now.” We kept scratching for that “something nagging” in us, but we did so in some of the most destructive and strangest ways. So does Steven. So do a lot people we meet.</p>
<p><b>How do you find time to connect with God?</b></p>
<p>Connecting with God is a lot like connecting with our wives. It’s John &amp; Stacey, Bill &amp; Grace, Bruce &amp; Janet. We love being with our brides, learning from them and discovering life with them. So we make time to connect. And, we do this <i>imperfectly</i>. We also live for the unplanned joys of life together. All three of us can hardly wait to get home from work each day or from the speaking trips we take. This same relational energy holds true with the sweet love of the Trinity for us. We cannot get over the fact that on our worst day, Jesus is absolutely crazy about us! He never leaves. He never goes away. He is Christ-in-us, <i>all</i> the time. Too amazing! Totally incredible! So, you’ll not be surprised to learn that some of our best times connecting with God are in the wood-crafting shop, in the garden, on the golf course, on our mountain running trails, at the beach, and when we’re with others. </p>
<p><b>Do you have a favorite bible verse and or quote you wish to share?</b></p>
<p>We have bundles of favorite verses, and probably our most loved book of the Bible is Romans, but here are three of our favorite verses:</p>
<p>John: Galatians 2.20</p>
<p>Bill: Colossians 2.6 </p>
<p>Bruce: John 15.9</p>
<p><b>Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?</b></p>
<p>John: <i>Ruthless Trust </i>by Brennan Manning. <i>The Great Divorce </i>by C.S. Lewis.</p>
<p>Bill: <i>The Making of a Leader</i> by Bobby Clinton. <i>The Cost of Discipleship</i> by Dietrich Bonhoeffer</p>
<p>Bruce: <i>A Severe Mercy</i> by Sheldon Vanauken. <i>The Call </i>by Os Guinness.</p>
<p><b>Tell us about your journey to publication.</b></p>
<p>We had already typeset <i>Bo’s Café </i>for self-publishing when Paul Young, author of <i>The Shack, </i>and Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings, editors and publishers of <i>The Shack, </i>invited us to consider using <i>Bo’s Café </i>as a companion book to <i>The Shack. </i>We threw away the typeset manuscript and joined Windblown so that many more thousands might discover the power of living in environments of grace and relationships of trust. </p>
<p><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/image.png"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/image_thumb.png" width="150" height="212" /></a> <b>Tell us about your current book, <em>Bo’s Cafe.</em></b></p>
<p>Beyond our own journey’s, <i>Bo’s Café </i>is based on the secrecy and courage of real people with whom we co-authors have walked. One haunting question best captures the suspense behind their stories, “What if there was a place where the worst of me could be known, and I would discover in the telling of it that I would be loved more, not less?” </p>
<p>Steven, our main character, desperately needs an answer to this haunting question. He’s a fast-rising, 34 year old rainmaker, at a kicking-it Southern California company . . . and he’s losing it. Up to this point he’s been successful, satisfied, medicated, and isolated. In charge, in control, in command. But, when his life starts “backfiring like any old engine”, (ala <a href="http://www.thereviewbroads.com">www.thereviewbroads.com</a>) Steven starts doing abnormal things to his beautiful wife, Lindsey, and everyone else within reach.</p>
<p>Enter loud Hawaiian-shirted, 1970 Buick Electra-driving, cigar-smoking, former-business-mogul, now-marina-boat-operator, Andy Monroe. Throw in Cynthia, Carlos, and Hank from the Marina del Rey boardwalk cafe, and the dance begins.</p>
<p><b>How did you come up with ideas for this book?</b></p>
<p>All of us long to be known . . . and we are afraid we will be. We three co-authors live in the awareness of this mysterious sensation<i>—</i>both a longing and a fearing to be known. Sometimes, we’ve let fear overwhelm us. This has created unwelcome drama, twisted conflicts, and tragic losses in our journeys. Conversely, listening to “the longing” has fostered intense trepidation, messy relationships, and unimaginable freedoms. Now that we’ve tasted astonishing authenticity, we’re never going back to the standard fare. Thus, <i>Bo’s Café </i>is more than a utopian idea. We three have been hanging out with one another and many others at our own “Bo’s Café” for over 20 years.</p>
<p>Jesus makes it all possible, and this is truly where <i>Bo’s Café </i>got its start. Most Christians don’t know that God has made us saints, who still sin, not sinners striving to become saints. This changes everything! If people knew about this treasure, churches everywhere would become safe places. Not soft places, but safe places, where we could be real, we could try out our faith, where we could fail and yet be loved, where we could get up again and walk into the dreams God planned for us before the world began. <i>Bo’s Café </i>is the picture of what this life is like. There is nothing like this messy freedom!</p>
<p><b></b></p>
<p><b></b></p>
<p><b>What influenced you to write this book?</b></p>
<p>We co-authored an earlier book titled <i>TrueFaced</i>,<i> </i>which helped people leave the shadowy corners of the Room of Good Intentions and stumble into an authentic Room of Grace. The most often asked question of the first 75,000 <i>TrueFaced </i>readers was, “Now that I’ve found this incredible Room of Grace, <i>how</i> do I live here?” <i>Bo’s Café </i>is our answer to that question. <i>Bo’s Café </i>is that Room of Grace.</p>
<p><b>Did you have a favorite character(s)? Who and why?</b></p>
<p>Our favorite character is Andy, because after his career crashed and he lost all hope, he learned from his friend Cynthia how to be a true man, a real man. Cynthia also taught him later how to discover when someone else in crisis finally awakens to the pain of not being able to control their lives the way they thought they could, and begins trusting someone else to speak into their lives. Our next two favorite characters are the 34 year old Steven and the 25 year old Meagan.</p>
<p><b>What&#8217;s next for you?</b></p>
<p>In the 16<sup>th</sup> century, there was a reformation of salvation by grace through faith that swept the world. Thank God! We all benefited for eternity. But, in the 21<sup>st</sup> century, people on every continent desperately need the rest of that reformation—the reformation of <i>sanctification</i> by grace through faith. </p>
<p>We can’t wait to take this revolutionary message to the next generation, 18-35 years old—with the help of many men and women in that age group, and others, who are discovering the indescribable freedom of environments of grace and relationships of trust.</p>
<p><b>Where can visitors find you online?</b></p>
<p>You can find our podcasts, blogs, stories, resources, at <a href="http://www.truefaced.com" target="_blank">www.truefaced.com</a> and <a href="http://www.boscafe.com" target="_blank">www.boscafe.com</a>. Here, you can also freely download our <i>Bo’s Café </i>discussion starters for your book club or small group. </p>
<p><b>Note from the authors:</b></p>
<p>As we’ve had opportunity to encourage thousands of people from all walks of life, we’ve observed that there are no together people, just those who dress better. So, as you read <i>Bo’s Cafe</i>, you may think of people in media, politics, sports, the professions and other disciplines. People who tried to tackle the tiger of “this longing and this fearing,” by themselves. Those who went with their fears and paid for their decision with high stakes “consequences”.</p>
<p>You may think of your family, your friends, your neighbors. Or you may even think of your own desire to find a safe place where the worst of you could be known and yet you would discover that you were loved more, not less. If this is you, we hope you’ll jump in the Electra and take off for <i>Bo’s Café.</i> The story of Steven and Lindsey Kerner and the folks at Bo&#8217;s Cafe is really not about celebrities. <i>Bo’s Cafe</i> could be about any of us. And, it has been about at least three of us.</p>
<p>Have a great ride! </p>
<p>John Lynch, Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol</p>
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		<title>INTERVIEW &#124; Derwin L. Gray</title>
		<link>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/02/interview-derwin-l-gray/</link>
		<comments>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/02/interview-derwin-l-gray/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:35:00 +0000</pubDate>
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		<description><![CDATA[ Derwin, describe yourself for our visitors.&#160;
I am head over heels in love with my wife Vicki, the papa of Presley (13) and Jeremiah (9), and the Lead Pastor of Transformation Church near Charlotte, N.C. (www.tc521.org). Oh yeah, I played in the NFL for six seasons (Colts 1993-1997, Panthers 1998). I like to fish and [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--Amazon_CLS_IM_START--><p><strong><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/0179Transformation4.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="0179-Transformation (4)" border="0" alt="0179-Transformation (4)" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/0179Transformation4_thumb.jpg" width="135" height="144" /></a> Derwin, describe yourself for our visitors.</strong>&#160;</p>
<p>I am head over heels in love with my wife Vicki, the papa of Presley (13) and Jeremiah (9), and the Lead Pastor of Transformation Church near Charlotte, N.C. (<a href="http://www.tc521.org" target="_blank">www.tc521.org</a>). Oh yeah, I played in the NFL for six seasons (Colts 1993-1997, Panthers 1998). I like to fish and play golf. I am much better at fishing than golf.</p>
<p><strong>How do you find time to connect with God?</strong></p>
<p>I try to keep in the forefront of my mind and heart that all of life is worship. Jesus is called Immanuel, which means God is with us, and through the Holy Spirit, God is in us. So when I am coaching my son’s football team, I am worshiping. When my wife and I go on a date, I am worshiping. When I get cut off in traffic, I am worshiping.</p>
<p> <span id="more-2864"></span>
<p>As the Lead Pastor of a growing, dynamic church, it is easy to disconnect from God by being busy. So I discipline myself to abide in Christ in all I do. This also includes having a day of rest and investing in my wife and kids as my primary ministry. I still have a long way to go; please pray for me. Thanks.</p>
<p><strong>Do you have a favorite bible verse and or quote you wish to share?</strong></p>
<p>Matthew 22:37-40, Galatians 2:20, Matthew 28:18-20, Ephesians 3:14-21</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Hero.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Hero" border="0" alt="Hero" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Hero_thumb.jpg" width="113" height="174" /></a> Tell us about your current book, <em>Hero</em>.</strong></p>
<p><i>Hero</i> is about being fully alive to God, yourself, and others. In <em>Hero</em>, men and women will relate to topics like: getting to know the great Hero, living with passion and integrity, leaving a legacy for the people in your life, and embracing the hero within. I have written <i>Hero</i> in three sections: <em>Hero</em> challenges readers to look at the upward journey, the inward journey, and the outward journey. My wife Vicki also brings her perspective to <em>Hero</em> with insightful notes included throughout the book. <em>Hero</em> is great for individual or group study, and each chapter ends with an application section focusing on the head, the heart, and the hands, giving men (and women) a plan of action for becoming the hero God made them to be.</p>
<p><strong>What influenced you to write this book?</strong></p>
<p>I was asked, “What do you want to be remembered for when you die?” I said, “I want to be a hero to my wife and kids.” At that moment, the book <i>Hero: Unleashing God’s Power in a Man’s Hear</i>t was born.</p>
<p><strong>What valuable lessons do you want readers to learn from your book</strong>?</p>
<p><i>Hero</i> is not so much about lessons, but more about a Person (Jesus) and how that Person shapes us to reflect His heroic life in every sphere that we find ourselves (work, play, school, the gym, on a date). Before we go outward with lessons, we must go upward to the great Hero who empowers us with His very life to actually live our life to the fullest.</p>
<p><strong>What&#8217;s next for you?</strong></p>
<p>I am at the beginning stages of my next book,<i> Dancing to the Rhythm of God’s Grace: Inviting Others To Get Down With God Too</i>.</p>
<p><strong>Where can visitors find you online?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>&#160;<a href="http://www.tc521.org">www.tc521.org</a></li>
<li>&#160;<a href="http://www.oneheartatatime.org">www.oneheartatatime.org</a></li>
<li> Twitter &amp; facebook</li>
</ul>
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		<title>SistahFaith: True Stories of Hope and Healing</title>
		<link>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/02/sistahfaith-true-stories-of-hope-and-healing/</link>
		<comments>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/02/sistahfaith-true-stories-of-hope-and-healing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:42:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>editor</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Book Trailers]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[
&#160;
SistahFaith™ is a revolution of restoration, bringing hope and healing to the brokenhearted and those who love them. Our goal is to communicate Christ personally, practically and powerfully, bringing women full circle in faith, arts and life. Each of our books, conferences, events and multimedia projects address the problems facing today’s women in a raw [...]

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<p>&#160;</p>
<p>SistahFaith™ is a revolution of restoration, bringing hope and healing to the brokenhearted and those who love them. Our goal is to communicate Christ personally, practically and powerfully, bringing women full circle in faith, arts and life. Each of our books, conferences, events and multimedia projects address the problems facing today’s women in a raw and relevant way.</p>
<p>Learn more at <a title="http://sistahfaith.ning.com/" href="http://sistahfaith.ning.com/">http://sistahfaith.ning.com/</a>.</p>
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		<title>INTERVIEW &#124; Christina Berry</title>
		<link>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/02/interview-christina-berry/</link>
		<comments>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/02/interview-christina-berry/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:22:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>editor</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[ Christina, describe yourself for our visitors. 
Flawed, freckled, and faithful. I&#8217;m a single mother of two, currently adopting a foster child who&#8217;s been in my life for the last 1 1/2 years. I love math and books, which makes for a strange mix. My favorite things tend to be random: dancing with the kids [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--Amazon_CLS_IM_START--><p><strong><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BERRY4213T112_428x600.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="BERRY-4213-T1[1] (2)_428x600" border="0" alt="BERRY-4213-T1[1] (2)_428x600" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BERRY4213T112_428x600_thumb.jpg" width="121" height="153" /></a> Christina, describe yourself for our visitors.</strong> </p>
<p>Flawed, freckled, and faithful. I&#8217;m a single mother of two, currently adopting a foster child who&#8217;s been in my life for the last 1 1/2 years. I love math and books, which makes for a strange mix. My favorite things tend to be random: dancing with the kids to music in restaurants, winning the Family Feud game show, doing infomercials for eye surgery, and substitute teaching. Yesterday marked the first anniversary of my husband leaving our family. Without the love and constancy of my Savior Jesus Christ, I would be lost and very afraid. Instead, with His presence in my life, I am full of hope and only a bit afraid. <img src='http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p> <span id="more-2859"></span>
<p><strong>How do you find time to connect with God?</strong></p>
<p>I pray many times throughout the day: in the shower, before meals, as I drive &#8230; whenever I think of it really. They are not long or elaborate&#8211;just an ongoing conversation between me and my Best Friend. There are times I feel He doesn&#8217;t listen as well as others, but I know that&#8217;s only my perception. Every night I read a devotional from The Secret Place and a chapter or two from the Bible. Some people believe in starting their day off with that quiet time, but for me, the last minutes of wakefulness are when I can more clearly see my life for what it is and what God is doing in it.</p>
<p><strong>Do you have a favorite bible verse and or quote you wish to share?</strong></p>
<p>I sign every copy of my book with this verse, &quot;Man looks at appearances; the Lord looks at the heart.&quot; (1 Samuel 16:7)</p>
<p>Lately I&#8217;ve been exploring integrity and trying to follow the expectations set forth in Psalm 15.</p>
<p>~Walk blamelessly   <br />~speak truth from my heart    <br />~no slander    <br />~good neighbor    <br />~despises evil    <br />~honors people of God    <br />~keep my promise, even when it hurts    <br />~generous with money</p>
<p>I love the promise that ends the chapter. &quot;He who does these things will never be shaken.&quot; I think we&#8217;re all looking for stability in these uncertain times. One way we can find it is working on godly character.</p>
<p><strong>Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?</strong></p>
<p>Most of my favorite authors have voices I never dream to come close to: Nancy E. Turner, Jane Kirkpatrick, Leif Enger, Francine Rivers, or Randy Alcorn, to name a few. The writers that really influence my stories are ones that examine the real grittiness of life like Roxanne Henke, Bette Nordberg, and James Scott Bell.</p>
<p>My favorite books are <em>The Mark of the Lion</em> series by Francine Rivers, though anything by newcomers Jennifer Erin Valent and Christa Parrish are amazing as well!</p>
<p><strong>Tell us about your journey to publication.</strong></p>
<p>My mother, Sherrie Ashcraft, and I began writing in the summer of ’99. We figured the accountability of having a co-writer would make us actually do what we’d always dreamed of, but never put action to. It took a long road of learning how much we didn’t know, tons of re-writing, brooding over rejections, making connections, pitching at conferences, and directional prayer to make our writing salable. </p>
<p>In the summer of 2006, when Mom was busy caring for her dying mother-in-law, I got the itch of a new story idea. <i>Undiscovered</i> was written by February 2007, edited by June, won second place in the 2008 ACFW Genesis Contemporary category, was renamed <i>The Familiar Stranger</i> and contracted by Moody Publishers in October, then released in September 2009. </p>
<p>One decade from naïve first scribbles to debut novel!</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Familiar_Stranger_Cover.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Familiar_Stranger_Cover" border="0" alt="Familiar_Stranger_Cover" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Familiar_Stranger_Cover_thumb.jpg" width="115" height="173" /></a> Tell us about your current book.</strong></p>
<p><i>The Familiar Stranger</i>—formerly known as <i>Undiscovered</i>—is about a couple going through a really rough patch in their marriage. When an accident incapacitates the husband, their relationship must be redefined. Which would be a lot easier to do if BIG secrets from his past didn’t raise their ugly heads. Despite the upheaval, the choices they make involving forgiveness and trust might allow a new beginning. Or … they might not.</p>
<p>You can see the back cover copy and what other authors have said about <i>The Familiar Stranger</i> by going to <a href="http://www.christinaberry.net/books.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.christinaberry.net/books.aspx</a></p>
<p><strong>How did you come up with ideas for this book?</strong></p>
<p>Two stories appeared in the newspaper. One was a huge, national story; the other a smaller, local-interest item. I wondered what it might look like if those two stories conceived a child. <i>Boom</i>! I had the entire plot for <i>The Familiar Stranger</i>. It will be interesting to see if readers can figure out which stories inspired the book. </p>
<p><strong>What influenced you to write this book?</strong></p>
<p>Though the plot of <i>The Familiar Stranger</i> came from news stories, I’d been looking for a fictional vehicle to express the lessons I’d learned regarding forgiveness in my own marriage. I knew no one was interested in reading <i>my</i> particular story, but I still felt God had given me something to say. My husband and I worked through a major issue seven years ago and found a vibrant, completely renewed marriage on the other side. </p>
<p>However, a year ago, that same issue broke our bond. Now as a newly-single woman, I’m in the midst of promoting a book that touches far closer to home than I would have ever dreamed. If no one else ever reads it, I’ve been convicted and encouraged by my own words.</p>
<p>The recent changes in my life—losing my husband, facing finding a “real” job, selling my home—have done nothing but solidify what I hope to be the theme of the book and my life: <b>Live Transparently—Forgive Extravagantly</b>. If reading <i>The Familiar Stranger</i> makes even one man or woman be more honest with his or her spouse or delve into trust issues in a healthy way, I’ll consider it a success. Maybe there’s a hurting heart that can find a new path to forgiveness because of the story.</p>
<p><strong>Did you have a favorite character(s)? Who and why?</strong> </p>
<p>I really like the youngest son, Jamie. He has such a kind heart, but he&#8217;s wild and crazy and very, very fun to write. Of course, I believe every woman wants a friend like Sarah, someone ready to fight any battle while giving unconditional love and support.</p>
<p><strong>What&#8217;s next for you?</strong></p>
<p>I’m about 1/5 of the way through my next manuscript, <i>Unafraid</i>, a story about a girl’s kidnapping, and how her life unfolds because of the trauma. One of my characters is a PI, so I’m having loads of fun with the research.</p>
<p>The humor Sherrie Ashcraft (my sometime co-author and always mother) and I display in our infrequent, humorous newsletters&#8211;sign up at <a href="http://www.ashberrylane.net/update.aspx" target="_blank">www.ashberrylane.net/update.aspx</a>&#8211;has garnered the attention of an editor. You just might see a funny, non-fiction cooperative work from the Ashberry Ladies at some point in time. Plus, I have a funky TV-based devotional a house is interested in … Busy, busy, busy!</p>
<p><strong>Where can visitors find you online?</strong></p>
<p>I share <a href="http://www.ashberrylane.net" target="_blank">Ashberry Lane</a> with my mom, then hang out by myself at my <a href="http://www.christinaberry.net" target="_blank">website</a>. You can always find my ramblings at <a href="http://www.authorchristinaberry.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Posting with Purpose</a>. Come friend me on Shoutlife or Facebook, and follow my out-of-pickles?-rants on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/authorchristina" target="_blank">Twitter</a>! </p>
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		<title>BOOK REVIEW &#124; If God Were Real</title>
		<link>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/01/book-review-if-god-were-real/</link>
		<comments>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/01/book-review-if-god-were-real/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:23:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Laura</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Christian Living]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spiritual Growth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://christianbookwormreviews.com/?p=2768</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ IF GOD WERE REAL    by John Avant, PhD
Do you live your life like you believe in God? If your coworkers looked at you, would they know that you are a Christian by the way you act and talk? Or are you someone who makes a token appearance at church on Sunday [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--Amazon_CLS_IM_START--><p><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/image15.png"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/image_thumb15.png" width="125" height="181" /></a> IF GOD WERE REAL    <br />by John Avant, PhD</p>
<p>Do you live your life like you believe in God? If your coworkers looked at you, would they know that you are a Christian by the way you act and talk? Or are you someone who makes a token appearance at church on Sunday morning, and then lives your life the way the world does?</p>
<p>How often do you think about the Lord? Do you show much love and concern to others? Do you feel gratitude to the Lord for his blessings?&#160; Is God’s love reflected in your actions?&#160; Or are you giving Christianity a bad name?</p>
<p>In IF GOD WERE REAL, Dr Avant maintains that many Christians, in their practical, day-to-day lives are living as though they are atheists.</p>
<p> <span id="more-2768"></span>
</p>
<p>When Christians don’t live up to their names,&#160; there is not much of Christ left in that form of Christianity, and in IF GOD WERE REAL, Pastor Avant challenges us to consider what life would be like if we lived like we really believe in God. Dr. Avant suggests t hat it cause a pursuit of a new Jesus movement that resembles Christ’s original followers—followers that are so steadfastly devoted to Him that their every action reflects His glory.</p>
<p>IF GOD WERE REAL is written in a conversational tone that will draw the reader in. Written in a common mans language, this is a book for you, even if you are not a bible scholar, but just a common&#160; man,&#160; struggling to learn what you can about your life in Christ.</p>
<p>I really appreciated Dr. Avant’s thoughts on the subject, and am looking forward to my own discovery of the real God and a life built around praise for Him. $14.99. 224 pages.</p>
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		<title>BOOK REVIEW &#124; Thicker than Blood</title>
		<link>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/01/book-review-thicker-than-blood/</link>
		<comments>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/01/book-review-thicker-than-blood/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:46:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CherryBlossomMJ</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Contemporary Fiction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Suspense]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://christianbookwormreviews.com/?p=2774</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Thicker than Blood     by C.J. Darlington
Christy Williams finally has her life on track. She’s putting her past behind her and working hard to build a career as an antiquarian book buyer. But things begin to unravel when a stolen Hemingway first edition is found in her possession, framing her for [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--Amazon_CLS_IM_START--><p><a href="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/image14.png"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" align="left" src="http://christianbookwormreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/image_thumb14.png" width="125" height="175" /></a> Thicker than Blood     <br />by C.J. Darlington</p>
<p>Christy Williams finally has her life on track. She’s putting her past behind her and working hard to build a career as an antiquarian book buyer. But things begin to unravel when a stolen Hemingway first edition is found in her possession, framing her for a crime she didn’t commit. With no one to turn to, she yearns for her estranged younger sister, May, whom she abandoned after their parents’ untimely deaths. Soon, Christy’s fleeing from her shattered dreams, her ex-boyfriend, and God. Could May’s Triple Cross Ranch be the safe haven she’s searching for? Will the sisters realize that each possesses what the other desperately needs before it’s too late? A stunning debut from the latest Christian Writers Guild winner.</p>
<p> <span id="more-2774"></span>
<p>My rating: 4 of 5 stars   <br />Nitty gritty honest truth under your skin, but you have to turn to the page and find out what happens next.</p>
<p>I have been anticipating this book as C.J. Darlington is such a great influence in the online book blogging and publication world. I was not disappointed. Especially as I am not a contemporary Christian fiction fan and yet I enjoyed this one and will definitely pick up future titles from C.J. Full of suspense and easily a page turner, this one goes on the keeper shelf.</p>
<p>about this author   <br />C.J. Darlington is the winner of the 2008 Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest. She has been in the antiquarian bookselling business for over a decade, scouting for stores similar to the one described in Thicker than Blood before cofounding her own online bookstore. She also cofounded the Christian entertainment Web site www.TitleTrakk.com. A homeschool graduate, she lives in Pennsylvania with her family.</p>
<p>*Thanks to TitleTrakk.com and C.J. Darlington for providing a copy for review.*</p>
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		<title>BOOK REVIEW &#124; A Lady Like Sarah</title>
		<link>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/01/book-review-a-lady-like-sarah/</link>
		<comments>http://christianbookwormreviews.com/2010/01/book-review-a-lady-like-sarah/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:34:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>CherryBlossomMJ</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Historical]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Romance]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://christianbookwormreviews.com/?p=2771</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ A Lady Like Sarah      by Margaret Brownley 
&#160;
She&#8217;s an outlaw. He&#8217;s a preacher. Both are in need of a miracle.
&#160;
When Preacher JUSTIN WELLS promises an injured lawman to take his prisoner to Texas, Justin has no idea the trouble that lies ahead. The slightly-built prisoner turns out to be [...]

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--Amazon_CLS_IM_START--><div><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6599223-a-lady-like-sarah"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; display: inline" border="0" alt="A Lady Like Sarah (A Rocky Creek Romance, #1)" align="left" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HnV5aIEjL._SX106_.jpg" /></a> <strong>A Lady Like Sarah      <br /></strong>by Margaret Brownley </div>
<div>&#160;</div>
<div>She&#8217;s an outlaw. He&#8217;s a preacher. Both are in need of a miracle.</div>
<div>&#160;</div>
<div>When Preacher JUSTIN WELLS promises an injured lawman to take his prisoner to Texas, Justin has no idea the trouble that lies ahead. The slightly-built prisoner turns out to be SARAH PRESCOTT, sister of the notorious Prescott brothers&#8211;and she&#8217;s determined to miss the hanging party waiting for her in Texas.</div>
<div>&#160;</div>
<div>But escaping proves to be tougher than she thought. Justin doesn&#8217;t own a gun and hasn&#8217;t the foggiest idea how to survive the wilderness. How can she leave him alone with the injured marshal?</div>
<p> <span id="more-2771"></span>
<div>
<p>Nothing is more sacred to Justin than a promise made to a dying man, but he can&#8217;t bring himself to turn the blue-eyed beauty over to the hangmen. She&#8217;s tough as leather, but there&#8217;s something about her that is pure and good.</p>
<p>Justin can&#8217;t bear to lose her, but how can a simple preacher fight an entire town? And how can either one of them know that miracles come in many guises…including love?</p>
<p>My rating: 5 of 5 stars      <br />Well I&#8217;ll be. I am for certainly unsure if I can say enough good things about the book A Lady Like Sarah<img alt="" align="top" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/blueorganizer/images/asin/1595548092" /><img border="0" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=creatmadne-20&amp;l=btl&amp;camp=213689&amp;creative=392969&amp;o=1&amp;a=1595548092" width="1" height="1" /> or my new favorite author Margaret Brownley (and no it is not because of her elegant name). As many of you that read my reviews know, my favorite Christian Historical Romantic Comedy author of American west novels is Mary Connealy&#8230; well I can honestly say that Margaret Brownley rates right up there with this book and I am ecstatically (is that a word?) excited for more. More Rocky Creek Romance or more anything, just give me more.</p>
<p>I was amused. I giggled and grinned. I chuckled and snuggled down further in my reading nook. I was irritated and emotional. I shed slight tears. I could hear Sarah&#8217;s voice and see her boots. These characters were alive and amazing to me. I read an ARC, but you better believe this is one for the keeper shelf. On a final note: The saloon scene made me squeal and cry, and I love my fellow quilters and that is all I have to say about that.</p>
<p>Margaret you&#8217;re definitely on my favorites lists and I cannot wait for more!</p>
<p>*Thanks to Tywebbin and <a href="../">ChristianBookwormReviews.com</a> for providing an ARC for review.*</p>
<p><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/226769-margaret" target="_blank">View all my reviews &gt;&gt;</a></p>
<p>Margaret Brownley&#8217;s <a href="http://www.margaretbrownley.com/" target="_blank">website</a><strong> </strong></p>
</p></div>
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