Review of Nightingale by Susan May Warren

The story starts off with a nurse named Esther and a patient named Charlie. He is wanting to jump off a ledge at the hospital. Esther is trying to tell him not to, that his life is worth living. "Charlie, don't think for a moment that I-that those guys haven't stood on this ledge and wished to fly away, to escape the moments that hold us captive, the people we see in the mirror... God isn't laughing at the way our lives turned out... Maybe he's even crying"

Esther thought her fiance Linus died in the war. Thought he didn't suffer.  We find out Charlie did end up jumping. Esther had mixed thoughts about Linus. She had a daughter with Linus but didn't want the war to end. Hopes her fiance doesn't come home. Because she stole Linus from Rosemary. She might escape from living with Linus parents in the middle of the night. 

Maybe Linus didn't want her. Maybe she will meet the guy she is writing letters to named Peter. She first received a letter saying Linus is dead. Then a letter from Linus saying he felt nothing for his daughter. She sets out to see Peter. She couldn't handle meeting him so she runs back home. Doesn't think she can see him again. 

Once Linus's mother thinks he is dead, she kicks Esther and Sadie out. She re meets Peter and kisses him. He is in prison for being a Jew during the time of the Nazi's. 

We find out Linus is really alive. He comes back with nightmares. In the dreams he acts out and hits Esther, bruising her.  Peter shows up beaten, tried to escape prison. Linus later confides in Peter that he doesn't want to marry Esther, even though Esther thinks it's the right thing to do.  Peter finally gets out of the hospital. 

Sadie went to see Linus and saw him in bed with Rosemary.  Then Peter came to stop the wedding. Linus agrees not to marry. Esther is free to leave with Sadie.  Linus finally tells the truth to his parents. Esther moves into her friend's house. Peter and Esther keep writing letters to each other. 

Review of the book Move into More by Choco De Jesus

I am a fan of this author on Facebook and am part of his group on Facebook as well. I was given a chance to pre order this book for an early access into what the book is about and to read a few first chapters to share with everyone. Here is my review

I like what the author says on page 34 which is " maybe you feel stuck in a rut, caught up in routines that leave you feeling like there will never be anymore more. You love God, but your relationship with him has grown stale. You feel dizzy from all the pushing and pulling of life's demands, and stilling yourself before God is a challenge. You long for God's peace , for a sense of joy of fulfillment that you taste when you're doing what you know God made you to do. "

On page 43 the author says " we can always care. We can always give the way Jesus gave-unconditionally, sacrificially, compassionately." On page 58 the author says "... He had no need for a better speaker. No need to wait for people to accept him. No need to wait for the condition's to be right. No need to wait until the threat to his life was completely gone. No need to wait for anything."

I also like what the author says on page 73 which is " My job wasn't to please everyone or to protect the reputation of our church at the expense of the church. My job was to maintain God's standards, including obedience to the law of the land. My job was to make our church a safe and secure environment where parents, grandparents, and community members knew their kids would be protected. "

On page 99 the author says " you never stopped worshipping. You never stopped believing. Even when you worship discouraged, God's power will manifest in you and through you." On page 147 the author says " when you and I experience God's more, we're also compelled to take risks so that others may experience it too. It's not easy, and often it takes us out of our comfort zone, but sacrificing ourselves for others brings us closer to the heart of Jesus. When we follow his example, we discover that risking more of ourselves usually leads to experiencing more of God."

Review of the book How The Nations Rage by Jonathan Leeman

I really enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to everyone and would like to read more books by this author. This book talks about rethinking faith and politics in a divided age. The author says on page 11 " I am concerned that sometimes we let principles of Americanism determine the way we read scripture, rather than letting scripture determine how we should evaluate principles of Americanism." On page 14 the author says " yet is it possible that all the contention and division Christians presently face is the catalyst God means to force some of us to rethink where our political hopes really life?... Conversions makes us citizens of Christ's kingdom, places us inside embassies of that kingdom, and puts us to work as ambassadors of heaven's righteousness and justice. Churches are the cities on hills, said Jesus. Not America.

On page 25 the author says " step one for understanding my claim that governments serve gods is seeing that our religion is bigger than what happens at church. Step two is seeing that our politics are bigger than what happens in the public square. In fact, our politics involve everything we do. " On page 33 the author says " God exists, and everyone has a primary responsibility to God for his or her conduct and behavior, and then to the state." On page 35 the author says " After all, who gets to decide which rights are right, or how to define equality, or which freedoms are just? Shall we affirm the right to an abortion, marriage equality, and the freedom to define one's own gender? Well the answer depends on what your God or gods say. Christians therefore find themselves in the peculiar position of wanting to say that rights, equality, and freedom are God's given gifts, but looking around and seeing people treat those gifts as gods or at least as Trojan horses that hide there real gods. In other words, when you define religious freedom apart from the God of scripture, eventually those terms will be used against the people of that God. Yes, that's the paradox of religious freedom."

On page 43 the author talks about LGBTG. My Christian faith does not treat every conceivable identity-construct as morally legitimate. Should we foster "acceptance, respect, and understanding" for those who identify themselves as thieves, adulterers or vampires? Not according to my faith." On page 82 the author says " Zach's refusal to support same-sex marriage would not be about imposing a Christian sexual ethic on others. It was about refusing to let the world impose its sexual ethic on him, which it was doing by asking him to endorse something God has not authorized government to endorse. It was about refusing to put his hand to anything that will provoke the judgement of God at the end of history."

On page 107 the author says " if abortion is a private decision, how can you require me and my tax dollars to pay for other people's private decision? That would make it a public matter, because it involves me and my tax contribution. Hence, there's a contradiction. " On page 183 the author says " ...several years ago President Obama's Affordable Care Act sought to require employers to insure employees for abortion. Churches and Christian organizations immediately objected, arguing on the grounds of religious freedom that it unjustly burdened the conscience to insure an employee's abortion...The real issue, for a Christian, is murder. We don't want the state to require us to fund something we believe is murder...."

On page 217 the author says " we should never stop asking what makes rights right. The answer for a Christian must be that rights are right because God said they are right. That's why human governments should respect our rights...When we disregard what God says is right, than anyone can which rights are right and which aren't. There is no rebuttal. There is no public and accepted righteousness or standard of right..."

Disclosure of Material Connection. I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, part 255. "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." Disclosure of Material Connection. I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, part 255. "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."