The Chronological Guide to the Bible is a handy little reference tool that attempts to provide an historical arrangement to the Biblical text. It’s designed to help one “follow the flow of events in the Scriptures and see where sacred history and secular history converge into one story of salvation.” To do that, the authors […]
Need to Build a Plot?
“There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before.” ~Willa Cather I can’t tell you how to build a plot, but these authors can and do. I’ve got so much to learn! Seems like everyone knows about Plot & Structure by […]
Book Review: Plan B by Pete Wilson
Been there. Done that. Plenty of Plan B’s in my life. Some as light as dandelion fluff. Some as heavy as a bloated hippo. Plans fizzled. Dreams shattered. Expectations failed. People let me down. Life smacked me upside the head. Life slammed me to the ground. You’ve been there, too, in some form. And will […]
Writers in the Spirit
Writers in the Spirit: Inspiration for Christian Writersby Carol J. Rottman, Ph.D.FaithWalk Publishing 2004 I brought this book home from the local library. But my left arm had to hold my right arm down to keep from writing in it. So I bought my own copy. Eleven chapters burst with inspiration in the form of […]
Four Pitfalls of Christian Writing
I dig Philip Yancey. Anything he writes. I even got to meet him in person once. He’s not afraid to tackle hard stuff, and his writing inspires me to pursue excellence. And so I often pull his books off my shelf. Like Open Windows, a book he wrote over 20 years ago in which he […]
Book Review – Crave by Chris Tomlinson
I know a little about craving. Chocolate. Chips. Chocolate chips. Chocolate-covered chips. But Crave is about another kind of craving. More satisfying. A craving that consumes. Chris writes, “This longing, this deep-seated craving for more and more of God, is slowly consuming my life.” Chris is funny, deep, and writes with unsettling honesty. He says […]
Book Review – Thin Places by Mary DeMuth
I wanted to scoop up the 5-year-old Mary and cradle her in my arms, along with every other young innocent. I wanted to throttle those who stole her innocence. I clutched the book to my heart. I wept. And yet redemption and grace and beauty shine through the pain. And forgiveness in spite of the […]
Book Review – The Search for God and Guinness by Stephen Mansfield
I didn’t know. Seriously. I bought a sweatshirt at a harp festival. It was oversized and warm and had harps on it. I tried to find out what a Guinness harp was. No luck. I wore the shirt everywhere. My daughter asked me why I was advertising beer. And then I heard of this book–The […]
Book Review – Faces in the Fire by T.L. Hines
(Originally posted on Beholding God on 08/17/09) Faces in the Fire (published by Thomas Nelson) was my introduction to the work of T.L. Hines. The book pulled me in immediately, but it took me a few chapters to realize that they, the chapters, were all mixed up, disjointed, and set within stanzas that served to […]
Book Review – Let Go by Sheila Walsh
“I will deliver you.” Sheila Walsh, Women of Faith speaker, opened her book with these words from God spoken in her spirit. She felt “discouraged and bone weary.” Just like so many of us women at so many times in our lives. She needed “more peace about the issue.” So she began a “quest to […]
