Life is hard...

Romans 5:3

The Message (MSG)

 ^3-5There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

Smitten by By Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, & Diann Hunt

Smitten is a fictional story about four women on a mission to revamp their hometown, Smitten, Vermont.  The town's life-sustaining mill closes, and they realize that they can capitalize on tourism with an idea to turn Smitten into a romance capital.  Throughout this journey they each find their own hearts unexpectedly opened to love.


This was an interesting book.  It had a good premise, broken up into 4 parts, one part per main character.  The book had a nice flow even though the individual stories kept changing.  The characters were well developed, full of life and quirkiness.


Honestly, it was an easy read, not too stressful or challenging to experience. It is an original idea, fun and fresh. Some might be a little bored with the plot line, but I will remind you, it is named Smitten.  The fact this is a Christian romance novel should be a no brainer.


If you are looking for a book that is not too heavy in nature, inspiring, and maybe even a little escapist, this is the book for you.


4 stars out of 5

This book was provided to me for free by Book Sneeze, contingent on a non-biased review.

Real Marriage - The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together by Mark and Grace Driscoll

Real Marriage is a blueprint book for Christian marriages written for both men and woman. It addresses many issues that need a new perspective and an escape from religiosity. It is a book about freedom in marriage, and biblical boundaries within that freedom. The Driscolls speak candidly about topics that you won't find in other marriage books. Seriously.

One thing I really liked about this book was how Mark and Grace intertwine their own marriage story throughout the book. Their willingness to be vulnerable and share intimate details of their lives should command serious respect to the content. Many are offended by this book, and while I do not agree with every single word written, I commend Mark and Grace in their fore-running and courage to put these topics out there.
 
Real Marriage doesn't mince words. There will be things as you read it that convict you of your sinful attitudes and actions towards your spouse. There is also a solid biblical teaching on how to deal with these things, and better yet, Holy Spirit is also there, teaching and bringing wisdom for restoration. If you are ready to work, your marriage will change for the better.

I could literally write forever about these topics, but some of my favorite were: What is the standard of beauty?, friendship, how to fight with your spouse, forgiveness-its true meaning and definition, and what sex could look like in a healthy marriage.



Having read many marriage, relationship, and family dynamics books both personally and professionally, this puts everything together.

5 out of 5 Stars.
This book was provided to me for free by Book Sneeze for an unbiased review.