Sunday Words of Encouragement February 21, 2016

This morning we had a wonderful Sunday School lesson followed by a beautiful communion service and message from one of our young (25 year old) missionaries. For encouragement today I want to share from the Sunday School program.

Our Sunday School Teacher continue with our study in Romans. He picked up in Romans Chapter 12, asking the question “What is Our Hope?” Up to this chapter, Romans has been full of doctrine, giving direction on our relationship in vertical plane with God. This chapter shifts to a horizontal plane: how to live out the lessons, letting God work through us for dedicated service, loving each other in sincerity.

But Romans 12:12 states specifically: “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” NLT. (In looking at other translations I noted v12 in the New Living Bible reads: "Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and prayerful always.") 1 Peter 3:15 tells us: “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” NLT.

So what is our Hope? Hope is not a wish, but a confident expectation. Romans 8:23 gives an answer. “We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us.” NLT

So we have faith, believing in salvation through Jesus Christ, and we wait patiently and hopefully for our full rights of inheritance: relief from our sinful nature and restoration to right standing with God! See Titus 2:11-13 and 1 Peter 1:3-9 for more verses explaining this hope and the connection to faith which goes hand in hand (Hebrews 11:1). Our teacher had more to share but time ran out.

This was not the first song I was thinking of but when I came across this I decided it is a good fit.
No Eye Has Seen, No Ear Has Heard

Verses For Today:
Titus 2:11-14 NLT
11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

This morning we had some praise reports, including my nephew, and many prayers for health issues. We are also mindful that we need to be in prayer for our country, America, and the upcoming elections. Beyond individual issues, I am mindful and thankful for the hope I have of my inheritance with the salvation of my soul!

Sharing Beyond Books #240 Comment Giveaway February 20, 2016

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB!
My week has been a bit harried. One staff member had to stay home all week with a sick child. Today I spent a lot of time cleaning at home to prepare for family to visit.

Thanks to everyone who commented last week.

Eight of us do not have a local carnival. Seven others have carnivals or have experienced them where they lived in past.

~~~~~

The Winner from SBB #239 comments is: #8 MaryP who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated ARC/Review titles or (not yet updated) Love titles - all linked near the end of the post. I'm hoping to update the book choices - maybe the beginning of next year, lol. Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #240

(One Question.)

miki asks: If one of the authors you follow ( favourite or not) was confronted to some big troubles ( disaster, health etc) and you could help a little ( one way or another) would you do it or not??

The first thing I would do is to pray for their situation. If there was some other material way to help I would try depending on the situation. I have made donations for medical and disaster situations before.

Image found at MME Green's Classroom

Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month I draw from the suggestions I used during the month and that person will get a book choice or GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! The supply of questions is dwindling so share some if you think of any -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify to use.

Your turn to share:
miki asks: If one of the authors you follow ( favourite or not) was confronted to some big troubles ( disaster, health etc) and you could help a little ( one way or another) would you do it or not??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Valentine and "Love" books or the February 2015 Newly Updated ARC/Review List. (My daughter pulled several of the Christmas titles to give with gift bags we made up for the nursing homes. One of these days I will get together a new box of Christmas titles.)

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on the question above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made through Saturday February 27, 2015 at 5 PM central.

Book Review: Immurement: The Undergrounders Series Book One by Norma Hinkens

This is very engaging with action, danger, courage and sci fi elements.

Immurement: The Undergrounders Series Book One
(A Young Adult Science Fiction Dystopian Novel)
by Norma Hinkens

• File Size: 4089 KB
• Print Length: 261 pages
• Publisher: Dunecadia Publishing; 1 edition (December 9, 2015)
• ASIN: B0197BHT1K

Genre: Sci Fi, Dystopian
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

The earth’s core overheats. The sovereign leader vanishes. A young girl is the survivors’ only hope.
What little land is habitable is patrolled by cutthroat gangs of escaped subversives, but that’s not the greatest threat facing sixteen-year-old Derry Connelly, her brother Owen, and a ragged band of Preppers holed up in a bunker in the Sawtooth Mountains. Mysterious hoverships operated by clones are targeting adolescents to extract their genes. Owen, is one of the first to disappear. To save him, Derry must strike a deal with the murderous subversives, and risk a daring raid to infiltrate the heart of the extraction operation.
But will the rookie leader falter when forced to choose between her brother and a clone who ignites something inside her she didn’t know was possible?

Review:
Derry Connelly is curious and brave. She and her older brother, Owen, live in a bunker with others who have survived an earth meltdown. There are several communities all struggling to scavenge supplies while ducking hovership sweepers that suck up teens and removes them to Craniopolis, a research facility. That is the prime danger but there are dangers from rouge subversives who take what they want and kill without a second thought.

Derry has a mentor in an older woodsman, Big Ed. He is her closet friend after her romantic interest, Jakob, who is from a family that lives apart and eschews all violence. Derry is unsure of one man who has joined the ranks of the bunker inhabitants. Mason claims to be former military; he is big and strong and shows no emotion which causes Derry to distrust him.

When Jakob and Owen disappear, Derry is determined to break into Craniopolis and free them before they become nothing more than genetic resources and body parts. Big Ed and Mason agree to help her… once they evade the rogues who want the hidden hovership.

There is plenty of action as the heroes struggle first against the brutal subversives and then have to face the security guards within Craniopolis. The head scientist is clearly a mad man and he is determined to continue his work no matter what lives he has to ruin.

Derry has to face the horrors in the facility and find her courage along the way. I became engaged with Derry, her friends, and her dog, Tucker, early and remained engaged throughout the story. There is aid from some surprising sources that gives hints to allies for the next book in the series. This read very quickly and I am eager to read the next book. I recommend this to those who enjoy action in a dystopian setting.

I received this from Xpresso Book Tours for an honest review. This qualifies for “I” in Alphabet soup challenge and for my TBR Triple Dog Dare.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway February 19, 2016

Happy Friday!
Sorry the post is late today. I was very tired last night and never turned on the computer. I completely forgot it was Thursday night! I am not blaming the cold I am rebuking -- just a tired brain. :-)

[It is really lovely to know that online friends around the world respond to prayer requests. My nephew is doing well with his recovery and the PT is pleased. He sees the surgeon again today to remove stitches and for follow-up. We are all very glad and we thank you my friends for your prayer support. ] 

TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK

US Entrants: Leave a comment and tell me WHICH BOOK you would like to get from the Friday Pick lists.
INTERNATIONAL: Leave a comment indicating "Gift Card" (see further comments near the end of the post.)

CUT OFF TIME IS THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 9:00 PM CENTRAL so I do not have to stay up too late to do the winner post! I will randomly pick two winners to announce Friday mornings with the next Pick post.

Thank you to all who entered the February 12 Pick. There were TWO automatic wins this week.  Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There were two blocked titles again.
Alyn gets the Victoria Alexander Pair
Sue gets Walking After Midnight 

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from February 12 Pick:
Rubynreba gets The Cinderella Plan 

Natalija gets a GC

All winners please fill in the Winner's Acceptance Form or email me to confirm your win, send your snail mail address information and let me know if you would like bookmarks - sensual, sexy or sweet bookmarks. {The form is new because Google changed their forms and the old one wasn't letting me print out the responses.}

This image seemed appropriate for today. :-)

Image found at Skreened (no longer available).

New Book Goup #63 January 22, 2016
(I have the picture and will try to get the list up before I crash. Sorry no links right now.)

PAIRS:
Victoria Alexander: The Pursuit of Marriage (slight creasing) and When We Meet Again
Shannon Drake: Reckless and When we Touch
James Patterson: Black Friday and Hide and Seek (both have spine creasing)
SINGLES:
Presidential Antidotes by Paul F. Boller, Jr.
Undercurrents by Stella Cameron
Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl
Warrior Ascended by Addison Fox
Parallel Attraction by Deidre Knight
Moving Target by Cheyenne McCray
Wayward Winds by Michael Phillips - Audio Tapes
Walking After Moonlight by Karen Robards
Forgotten Promises by Denise Skelton
A Walk to Remember by Nicolas Sparks - hardback

New Book Group #62 November 6, 2015

Touch Me by Beverly Rae (personally autographed)


New Book Group #61 October 30, 2015
After I noticed the trend I went on a hunt for “bride” titles. I even pulled a couple from some of my long time collections(*). (But they are not getting read on my shelves.)

PAIRS:
Leigh Greenwood –  The Reluctant Bride and The Independent Bride
Jane Feather(*) – The Hostage Bride and The Accidental Bride
SINGLES:
The de Burgh Bride by Deborah Simmons
The Forever Bride by Evelyn Rogers (Seam creasing)
Short Straw Bride by Dallas Schultz
Bride of Lochbarr by Margaret Moore (*)
The Ideal Bride by Stephanie Laurens (*)
Honor’s Bride by Galye Wilson
A Necessary Bride by Debra Mullins
Border Bride by Deborah Hale


New Book Group #60 September 18, 2015
A set of "haunting" tales and a few mysteries for October!

Shannon Drake –  Realm of Shadows (Alliance Vampires#4) 
SINGLES:
Bloody Good by Georgia Evans
Cat of Nine Tales by Deborah Macgillivray
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
The Renegade Hunter by Lynsay Sands
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)


New Book Group #59 July 31, 2015
A few more summer titles, historicals and mysteries!

ANTHOLOGIES:
Broken Vows, Mended Hearts by Lynn Stone, Gail Ranstrom and Anne O'Brien
3,2,1 Married! by Sharon Sala, Marie Ferrarella and Beverly Barton
SINGLES:
Cruise to a Wedding by Betty Neels
Little Girl Lost by Shirlee McCoy
You Don't Know Jack by Erin McCarthy

New Book Group #58 June 26, 2015
-- A few summer titles, a few mysteries, a few historicals...

SINGLES:
Servant, The Awakening by L.L. Foster

New Book Group #57 May 1, 2015

SINGLES:
A Little Bit Wild by Victoria Dahl
The Ruthless Greek's Virgin Princess by Trish Morey
Rally Fever by Crea Jones

New Book Group #56 March 20, 2015
(I'll try to get the rest linked another day.)

SINGLES:
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)

New Book Group #55 February 5, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #54 December 26, 2014

SINGLES:
Ender’s Shadow by Orson Scott Card - Tape Cassettes


BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty byVickie Kennedy
First to Fight Anthology
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Commander by Kate Bridges
The Cinderella Plan by Margaret Daley
The Mr. & Mrs. Happy Handbook by Steve Doocy
A Garden of Friends by Penny Pierce Rose
Richard Paul Evans PAIR: The Looking Glass and The Carousel
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner


BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)

Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
Cattle Rancher, Secret Son by Margaret Way
Whisper on the Wind by Joan Smith
Remember Me by Mary Higgins Clark
A Lady of Consequence by Mary Nichols
Sweet Talking Man by Betina Krain


BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)

Thinner by Stephen King
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
Magic: The Gathering Distant Planes, An Anthology
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Dancing on Snowflakes by Jane Bonander
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
A Courtesans Guide to Getting Your Man by Susan Donovan and Celeste Bradley -- NOTE This book has dog bite damage; it is missing half back cover and the edges of pages in the back third of the book... it does not effect the text but I will understand if no one wants this one
Tara Taylor Quinn: Father: Unknown and McGillus v.Wright
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
Anthology: Something Borrowed, Something Blue - this book has spine creases and minor water damage...I thought I had read it and liked it but now I realize it was another anthology I read with Elaine Barbier.


BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)

Circle of Stars by Anna Lee Waldo
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Death Angel by Linda Howard

If you saw the pictures posted of my bookshelves and boxes you know I do have lots of books! And that doesn't include the other eight or so boxes at my office!! And more books as I find deals too good to pass up! I am sharing my book bounty by these Friday Pick Giveaways.

I started Friday Pick on November 27, 2009 and in almost six years I have posted 62 groups of 16 (992) books to find new homes! (as of November 6, 2015).

I am happy to say that so far about 928+ books have found new homes! YAY. I have to update my print out to check the exact number sent out - a few were never claimed. I periodically update the lists - deleting those won. You can still go to the Friday Pick list link to see older posts and the older lists book pictures if you want!

Note rules here regarding international entries.

Because postage to overseas can be prohibitive I am willing to give a $5.00 book certificate to international winners - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, ARe, TWRP, ClassAct Books, eTreasures, Desert Breeze, etc....you tell me where and I'll set it up. So for my overseas visitors your comment may indicate a smaller book and I'll check postage or note your choice of gift card.

I learned that The Book Depository does not ship to everywhere. The postage for some of the books to far away places runs between $7.00 and $10.00 and up. Since I would award $5.00 for The Book Depository to an international winner, as an alternative you may choose a smaller book and we will hope the postage will not exceed $6.00. If the postage is more, or if you want to pick a larger book and you are willing to pay any extra postage beyond the $6.00 I will work with you on that. This may not make a difference to many but if it helps one or two of you to give one of my books a home that will make me happy too. :o)

Repeating this helpful blog tip: You can right click on a link and you will be given the choice to open the link in a new window or tab so you do not navigate away from the screen you are on!! I use this all the time!

Guest Post On Jujitsuffragettes by L Davis Munro PLUS Giveaway!

On Jujitsuffragettes
by L Davis Munro 

One of the most frequent questions I get asked by readers is: How did you come up with the idea to make Emmy learn Jujitsu?

I didn’t, it is based on true historical events!

The suffragettes learned Jujitsu when they started experiencing violence from the police and especially when the Cat and Mouse Act took effect. This act allowed women to be released from jail early due to health issues, caused by hunger striking, and then re-arrested under the same charge and sentence when they were healthy. This brought huge stress on their bodies and caused some serious medical issues. The suffragettes needed a way to protect themselves from being re-arrested, so a group of women formed The Bodyguard. They were taught Jujistu from Edith Garrud and learned how to defend themselves. The Bodyguard protected prominent suffrage leaders during public events and engaged in hand to hand combat with the police on many occasions. It was a really fascinating piece of their history that I discovered during my research for this book. These women were knicknamed Suffrajitsus or Jujitsuffragettes by the media at the time.

Tony Wolf has written a short biography of Edith Garrud and also a fascinating graphic novel called “Suffragitsu: Mrs. Pankhurst’s Amazons”, an alternate history of The Bodyguard women. I am a huge fan and highly recommend it!! And if you are interested in more, many of the women who were part of The Bodyguard wrote autobiographies. One book I particularly loved is “With All Her Might: The Life of Gertrude Harding Militant Suffragette” by Gretchen Wilson.

“Emmy Nation: Undercover Suffragette” only starts Emmy’s journey in Jujitsu. The second book will delve more into this part of the history and The Bodyguard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Image from Wikipedea, article on Emmeline Pankhurst

SEE MY REVIEW POST FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOOK AND THE AUTHOR.

GIVEAWAY!
Win 1 of 2 prizes!  A copy of Emmy Nation + $15 Amazon gift card

(print book USA & Canada) (ebook International

a Rafflecopter giveaway