Wings of the Wind

When she is not homeschooling her two sweet kids (with a full pot of coffee at hand), Connilyn Cossette is scribbling notes on spare paper, mumbling about her imaginary friends, and reading obscure, our-ot-date history books.  There is nothing she likes better than digging into the rich, ancient world of the Bible and uncovering buried gems of grace that point toward Jesus.  Although a Pacific Northwest native, she now lives near Dallas, Texas.

Connect with Connilyn at www.connilyncossette.com.

You will also be blessed in following Conni's author page on Facebook.

Can vengeance give way to forgiveness when one woman's destiny becomes entangled with the very enemies she sought to destroy?

Motherless and raised alongside her brothers, Alanah, a Canaanite, is no stranger to fighting.  When her father and brothers are killed in battle with the Hebrews, she disguises herself and sneaks onto the battlefield to avenge her family.  The one thing she never counted on was surviving.

Tobiah, a Hebrew warrior, has spent his share of time on the battlefield and is shocked to find an unconscious woman among the casualties.  Compelled to bring her to a healer back at the Hebrew camp, he's unprepared for the consequences of what he intended as an act of compassion.

In order to survive, Alanah must unite with her enemy.  But will a terrible revelation drive her toward an even greater danger?

My Thoughts:

Wings of the Wind is the third and final book in Connilyn Cossette's Out From Egypt series.  The previous two books were:

I am really sad to see this series come to an end.  Cossette, in this debut series, has earned a spot at the top of the Biblical Fiction genre and on my "keeper shelf".  She has a gift for melding historical research, biblical accuracy, and artistic license that points to Jesus.  In Wings of the Wind, readers get to meet again characters from the first two books in the series.  

I appreciate how Cossette writes vivid characters.  I certainly was drawn in by Alanah's strength and her vulnerability, but Tobiah absolutely was swoon worthy!  However, what really drew me to Tobiah was the picture of Christ that is found in his characterization...his rescue of Alanah and his love for her that transforms her.

Cossette's writing clearly points to God as the Sovereign and Almighty:

"We do not serve false gods who live on top of mountains.  We serve the God who made the mountains.  We serve the God who rescued us from Egypt with the very unraveling of the Creation he began.  We serve the God who built the foundations of the earth with a mere word."

Cossette brings alive the story of the battle of Jericho with striking description and throws in a little twist that you won't see coming but is absolutely brilliant.  While I'm sorry this series has come to an end, I'm extremely hopeful and excited to see what comes next from Cossette's pen.  Word on the street is that her next novel will pick up seven years or so after the battle of Jericho.  Stay tuned.  You won't want to miss a stroke of this writer's pen!

*I received a complimentary copy of the book.  All opinions are my own.

Happy Reading Ya'll,
Jennifer

The Good Book: 40 Chapters That Reveal the Bible's Biggest Ideas

Deron Spoo is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Over the past 16 years, Spoo has guided the church as it transitions from being simply a downtown church to a regional church committed to urban ministry. Church members describe him as "down to earth" and "authentic." His television devotionals, "First Things First," reach 100,000 people each week. Spoo is a graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Paula, have three children.

Find out more about Deron at http://www.readthegoodbook.com.

 

The Good Book  

offers a user-friendly guide to the Bible's biggest ideas.

A chapter from the Bible accompanies each chapter of the book, which helps readers understand the context and content of the Scripture passages in a way that can open the whole Bible.

Designed as a forty-day journey through forty key chapters of the Bible,  The Good Book will appeal to those who already love and read the Bible regularly as well as to those who are just beginning their Christian journey.

The Good Book:

-is a great evangelism tool for explaining the major themes of Scripture to those who want to know more about God, Jesus, and the core beliefs of Christianity;

-gives new believers an overview of the Bible and lays a framework to help them understand Scripture passages;

-helps longtime Christians rediscover the basic themes of Scripture and experience these truths in a new way; and

-encourages Scriptural literacy as it pushes readers to read both one chapter of the book and one chapter of the Bible each day for forty days.

The Good Book is great for individuals, and it can also be used by small groups in an eight-week church-wide program or a forty-week journey that focuses on one Bible chapter each week. 

The Good Book will help people understand and live by the transformative truths of the Bible.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

To see what others are saying about The Good Book, you can visit HERE.

My Thoughts:
In our society and in the church across the world, where biblical illiteracy is a huge issue, The Good Book is a needed resource.  I'm thankful for Deron Spoo's work in pulling together the information in this book.
The content of the book presents solid theological ideas regarding who Jesus is and Salvation and also highlights the thread of redemption that runs from Genesis to Revelation.  
The features that I really appreciate:

1. Prior to each chapter, the biblical passage is provided for the reader in the Christian Standard Bible version.
2. The "commentary" on each chapter is in a digestible size and does not leave out an application of the biblical passage.
3. At the end of each chapter is a "for reflection" portion.

The Good Book is a solid resource for personal/devotional use, for one on one discipleship purposes, or for small group study.

*I was provided a complimentary copy of the book.  All opinions here are my own.

Blessings,
Jennifer

True to You AND a Giveaway!

About the author:

Becky Wade is a California native who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and settled in Dallas.  She published historical romances for the general market before putting her career on hold for several years to care for her three children.  When God called her back to writing, Becky knew He meant for her to turn her attention to Christian fiction.  She loves writing funny, modern, and inspirational contemporary romance!  She's the Carol Award, INSPY Award, and Inspirational Reader's Choice Award winning author of My Stubborn Heart, the Porter Family series, and the Bradford Sisters Romance series.

    

About the book:

It's the exciting start of a brand-new series by a contemporary romance fan favorite!

After a devastating heartbreak three years ago, genealogist and historical village owner Nora Bradford has decided that burying her nose in her work and her books is far safer than romance in the here and now.

Unlike Nora, former Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient John Lawson is a modern-day man, usually 100 percent focused on the present. But when he's diagnosed with an inherited condition, he's forced to dig into the secrets of his past and his adoption as an infant, enlisting Nora to help him uncover the identity of his birth mother.

The more time they spend together, the more this pair of opposites suspects they just might be a perfect match. However, John's already dating someone and Nora's not sure she's ready to trade her crushes on fictional heroes for the risks of a real relationship. Finding the answers they're seeking will test the limits of their identity, their faith, and their devotion to one another.

Learn more and purchase a copy. 

My Thoughts:

Becky Wade never ceases to amaze me with her writing gift!  Wade has started her new series, A Bradford Sister's Romance, off with a bang.  As always, her characters, Nora and John especially, are complex and you are drawn into their individual stories from the start.  Wade hasn't written your typical sweet little romance.  What she has written is a multi-layered story that includes crises of faith, identity, and relationships.  Wade's writing is a delight to read.  You won't come away disappointed with the time you spend within the pages of True to You.

Happy Reading Ya'll,

Jennifer