Lydia: A Story of Philippi by Trudy J. Morgan-Cole

Synopsis

Weak, fallible, and sometimes contentious, they were just ordinary people. Could the Lord actually use them?

Lydia was only the first of many converts to the Christian faith in Philippi. The new religion attracted quite an assortment of individuals--slaves, masters, Jews, Gentiles, wealthy, and penniless. Yet the believers were supposed to be unified in Christ--equal--no matter their class, gender, and race.

Easier said than done! Those in the volatile first-century Greco-Roman society sometimes got along better with the new believers than they did with each other. Driven by personality conflicts and misguided ambition, heated quarrels splintered the group into warring factions. Only God could salvage this wreckage. 

Trudy J. Morgan Cole's skillful touch transforms the New Testament narrative of Lydia and the people of Philippi into a vibrant story of challenges and triumphs. You know, of course, the dual problem and solution to their irreconcilable situation: "Let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus..."

Review

It was fascinating to learn about the first-century Christians in a novel setting!

Lydia was a widow merchant who sold purple cloth. Her only son and child, Epaphroditus, was expected to take over his mother's dye shop, but his real dream was to travel and preach the gospel. He does end up traveling and preaching the gospel at the end of the book. 

Euodia was a young slave girl who was possessed by demons and then was freed in the name of Jesus. She was so passionate and fiery about Jesus and her faith in Him.

Reading about Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke in a novel was really interesting. Paul was very serious. Luke was quiet, but a deep thinker. 

Clement was the lead guard at the jail, his wife's name is Syntyche. They believed in false gods until they discovered Jesus Christ.

Some of the book was Biblically based, from Acts 16 and the book of Philippians. I really liked reading the stories in a novel!

The church in Philippi did have problems, disagreements and arguments, (like every church) however I liked the way that it was handled in the book. Paul asked them to put their differences aside, and love one another- even if they didn't always see eye to eye.

This book is about first-century Christians, learning how to become like Jesus Christ and how to love and get along with one another. It's a story of how God can use everyone- poor, rich, slaves, doctors, and common people to do His work. 

"God Only Knows" by For King and Country

The message in this song is something I think a lot of us need to hear. "God Only Knows" is a song about how even if others don't know what you're going through, there is One that does know what you're going through. God knows. God knows the real you. God loves you and cares about you so much. He alone knows what you're going through. When nobody else understands, He does. I hope you remember that whenever you go through something difficult, Jesus understands. Here's the lyrics:

Wide awake while the world is sound asleepin' 

Too afraid of what might show up while your dreamin'

Nobody, nobody, nobody sees you

Nobody, nobody, nobody would believe you

Every day you try to pick up all the pieces 

All the memories, they somehow never leave you

Nobody, nobody, nobody sees you

Nobody, nobody, nobody would believe you

God only knows what you've been through

God only knows what they say about you

God only knows how it's killing you

But there's a kind of love only God knows
God only knows what you've been through 
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows the real you
But there's a kind of love that only God knows

There's a kind of love that

There's a kind of love

You keep a cover over every single secret

So afraid if someone saw them they would leave

Somebody, somebody, somebody sees you

Somebody, somebody, somebody will never leave you

God only knows where to find you
God only knows how to break through
God only knows the real you

But there's a kind of love that God only knows

A Question of Honor Book Review

Synopsis

A man. A child. A war. 

When German soldiers invade France during World War II, young Joyanna's perfect world is shattered. In the hands of those who hate her, she battles to comprehend why people can be so ruthless and cold toward those whom they have never met.

David Sullivan, pilot in the Royal Air Force, was certain he would never hate, but a painful loss forces him to either reconsider or do the inconceivable-forgive.  He is suddenly challenged by the realization that doing God's will is not easy, but most important. With the lives of freedom-fighters relying on him, he must learn the difficult lesson that he is not in control, but merely one who must surrender his heart of obedience to One greater. 

A sudden turn of events lands Joyanna and David in the same country-but for far different reasons. When their paths cross, David finds he must make a decision that will affect them both for the rest of their lives.

Will he choose vengeance, or will he let his life be ruled by a higher standard? 

A standard of Honor. 

My Review

This book is the first book of Jesseca Wheaton's Questions of War Series. This book was incredible!!! The faith that was woven throughout the whole book was wonderful. The struggles the characters had were so real. I loved the theme of forgiveness.

Joyanna was so sweet and adorable. Or shall I say feisty? ;) In some ways, Joyanna reminds me of myself as a little girl. Her child-like faith was really special. 

David. He is steady, usually calm, and more on the quiet side. David's story is a story of forgiveness. He struggled to forgive, and to let go of the anger and hatred he had in his heart. With God's help, he is able to forgive.

Micah and Gil were a lot a like. Gil teased almost all the time. Micah was more serious, but he did have a sense of humor. I enjoyed reading their stories, even though Gil's was heartbreaking.

Lily and Elaine were really sweet too. Lily was such a strong young woman, even after everything that happened. Her strength and forgiveness towards those who hurt her was beautiful.

I loved the relationship between Gil and David. They were best friends, and did everything together. It was fun to read the scenes between those two. ;)

This book was very well written. I love the way Jesseca Wheaton writes. She is such a talented author, and you all should check her books out! 5/5 stars!

The Zion Chronicles Series Review

This is a book series I read this summer, and loved them! I thought I'd do a post on the whole series because the books are basically one continuous story.

   

About the books:

The Zion Chronicles series covers the events surrounding Israel's statehood in 1948. Each book vividly portrays the intense struggle of the Jewish people in the aftermath of the Holocaust and the forces, within and without, which engulf the Middle East in conflict and controversy even today. 

Will there ever be peace in Zion?  The Jewish people wonder as they stream into the British Mandate of Palestine after the devastation of World War II. What has happened to God's promises to their nation? 

Review 

I loved this book series! I really enjoy reading books from this time frame. 

I enjoyed the setting of the book series. It is set in Israel, 1947-1948. Learning about Israel becoming a nation was awesome! 

Ellie was a fun character. She grew up in a wealthy family, sheltered from the world until she moved to Jerusalem as a photojournalist. As Ellie sees what is going on in Jerusalem, she has to examine her own heart and discover who God is and what matters most in life. She's probably my favorite character. She seemed to almost always be in the middle of the action, taking pictures of the event. :)

Moshe. Well, at first I wasn't sure what to think of him. ;) However, as I got to know him in the book, he was a character I really enjoyed. His willingness to give his life for his people was amazing. 

Yacov, a little Jewish boy, with his dog Shaul, were really sweet. Yacov was so brave, and Shaul was so smart and protective of Yacov. I savored their side of the story. :)

Rachel, a girl rescued from a Nazis concentration camp, her story was heartbreaking. She had so much inner hurt and anger to deal with. She needed healing. Through her Messiah, Yeshua, she finds that healing.

David was probably one of my favorite characters. He had an inner struggle to figure out if his life had any meaning. He discovers that his life has meaning- in God. I liked seeing how he grew in his faith and life purpose throughout the whole series. 

Overall, this book series was fascinating! There were many characters and sub-plots, which was intriguing. God was evident in this book, which is something I really appreciate in a book. 

I give this book series 5/5 stars!