Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish

This book was about a marriage, learning and living through relationships and touches on small town community.

Benjamin takes a job as a deputy after returning from serving time in Afghanistan and his wife, Abbi, is a stay at home wife. The two are very, very different in belief and lifestyle and struggle for their strengths and weaknesses to compliment each other instead of tearing into their bond as husband and wife.

They take in a newborn baby after Ben rescues the abandoned infant and she becomes a huge part in their attempt at healing.

Matthew is a character I tried to hurry through at first so I could get back to the marriage story but that totally changed by the end of the book. I felt he was one of the main characters by the end of the book and I loved him.

Sometimes, I felt I had to force myself through some of this book. I did have a lot going on making me stop and start more than I would have liked. Over all, it was not page turning great but definitely chapter turning good.

I loved the one interaction shared between the Mother in Law and Abbi and felt it was a very "real" scene. Some other places in the book gripped me ---like the interaction between Abbi and her friend, Lauren and the one between Ben and his best friend's parents.

I also cried when I read about that best friend, Stephen. My son served in Afghanistan and came home to a wife and a lot of this book is very similar to how things have gone with them. It hit very close to home . . .

Voices of the Faithful Book 2

Voices of the Faithful Book 2 by Kim P. Davis and Beth Moore

This book is a visually beautiful compilation of daily devotions by and from missionaries from around the world. The truths shared aren’t for those in full time ministry only and can inspire anyone to live a life of sharing Jesus.

Something in the introduction highlights this point: “Lastly, I hope you’ll be motivated to cross your own river of fear and do the thing God has called you to do.”

Some of the devotions in this book created a great deal of gratitude. Gratefulness in being free to transport, openly read and publically share the Word of God.

So many of us spend our days just trying to keep up and reaching others with the gospel is something we know we should do. Actually doing it tends to rarely make it on our To-Do list.

This book does inspire you to do more of that when you read testimony after testimony of living out each day focusing on serving others.

Voices of the Faithful Book 2 would make a nice gift but for me, it hasn’t become one of my dog eared, beloved treasures as others have.

I had a hard time “connecting” with this book in a way and felt it was prettier than it was substantial. I’m not really sure why because it was okay … just not on my favorite and can’t wait to share list.

I am still reading each day’s devotions and I do enjoy seeing things from perspectives of those in the front lines in missions. All in all, it is probably about what someone buying the book would expect to get.

It is one I will probably tie a ribbon around and give out as a gift when I finish reading it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have 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.”

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