Review 5 star
Find It On Amazon Soothing Rain: Living Water to Refresh Your Soul by Tonya Jewel Blessing and Sue Summers is a fantastic devotional for women. It’s divided into 52 short, themed chapters and is intended to be read in women’s study groups, but I found it was also a great resource when read individually. Topics include humility, spiritual gifts, tolerance, wisdom in dealing with other’s sin, and more. Packed with insightful commentary, little nuggets to chew on, amusing anecdotes, and clever plays on words and exploration of phrases, Tonya’s down-to-earth writing approaches the reader in a friendly, transparent way that breaks down barriers of skepticism and opens the door to accept God’s radical work in their lives. Soothing Rain uplifts women to be aware that yes, there is certainly a place for leadership and empowerment for them within the Christian faith. Tonya’s life as co-director of Strong Cross Ministries in South Africa plays a key role in many of the chapter themes, from stories about culture adjustment to real-life gritty encounters with superstition, womb cleansing, female mutilation, and other issues that surround her as she ministers outside the USA. Tonya excels at drawing unassuming, but exceptionally creative thoughts from something commonplace like perfume, haircuts, or a visit to the dentist, while Sue’s study questions helped me interact with the material in a practical way that pinioned it in my memory. The book was a continual delight. Far from a cut-and-dried typical devotional, Soothing Rain: Living Water to Refresh Your Soul lives up to its name in all ways and a source of real inspiration. It touched me to the heart and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Review 5 star
Find It On Amazon Heaven’s Angels by Carrie Magalski is a beautiful book about different hierarchies of angels and their purpose, filled with religious art from renowned artist Dona Gelsinger’s Heaven’s Little Angels collection. The layout reads like a light devotional or poetry book, with a brief paragraph or two about a type of angel along with a thought-provoking illustration to bring the point home. St. Uriel, the narrator, is viewed as the fourth archangel. The statements on angels, especially their ranks and specific purposes, are backed up by the Bible and the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, but at only about 60 pages the book is light reading, a blissful, elegant showcase of Dona Gelsinger’s fantastic art, in a devotional format that makes everyone feel right at home with angels. The phrase “wow factor” jumps to mind when describing Heaven’s Angels. The quality of the art is superb, each painting capturing the mystical, otherworldly quality of angels in peaceful glowing detail, like Thomas Kinkade but with a spiritual tone. Carrie Magalski’s accompanying writing snaps the book’s theme into focus with quiet certainty. Seraphim, Cherubim, guardian angels, the Principalities and Powers, the Virtues, and all the rest of the heavenly hosts come before the reader in a graceful pageant that raises faith and confidence in the Creator. I’d recommend this as a gift for someone in the hospital, or anyone who’s recently gone through a grief experience, because the message of God’s care and provision for humans and the rest of his creation through his angels is so comforting. Heaven’s Angels puts the Inspiration in inspirational literature. |
AuthorThis is the companion for Sarah Scheele's newsletter blog. In it I share reviews for books I'd recommend/are similar to my own. Archives
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