Sunday August 21, 2022 Words of Encouragement, Spiritual Warfare

I attended service online this morning as I tested positive for Covid on Saturday. Yesterday I had no energy and could barely work on the computer. This morning I was fever free and had energy for my shower and online church.

Pastor’s message was based on 2 Corinthians 10:1-6; Spiritual Warfare Doing Damage to the Darkness.
We need passion in spiritual weapons just like physical weapons. (See spiritual weapons in Ephesians 6.) Darkness is damaged by spiritual warfare. Something happens in the spiritual realm.
Spiritual warfare pulls down strongholds. “Strongholds” is a military term for fortified places where the troops are dug in. Things like: “I don’t need God; I don’t need Church” are strongholds.

First, believe there can be victory. With God ALL things are possible. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy that only some things are possible.

Strongholds are thoughts, personal reasons that people use to fortify their minds against God. Strongholds are the antithesis to the Biblical theology that tells us to surrender to God.

2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV says, “5We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,…”

Like geometry, we may not remember the right formula for the instant problem. That is like the enemy pushing false formulas on us. Allow faith and spiritual weapons to prevail. Believe for the supernatural kingdom of God to appear in our lives.

Faulty reasoning and lofty opinions (pride) run rampant in our society. Pride says “I can handle it myself.” That is false. God is not limited but we need to turn to Him to battle the enemy.

God intends for us to take control of thoughts that might cross our mind. Bring thoughts into captivity by controlling what you put in your mind: news, music, reading. Remember the story of the two wolves. Make sure you are feeding the good wolf, not the evil wolf. Sin starts with the conception of a thought. Everything needs to be brought to surrender to the Lordship of Christ. Make sure the thoughts that run in our life bring us closer to God, be obedient

Fight against those things that distract us from God and obedience. If thoughts bring division or sin, bring those thoughts into captivity. There is a victory coming when we are obedient. Delayed obedience is disobedience. We need to strive for complete obedience – under God’s control, not our own.

This song speaks of our God of the Impossible!

Verses for Today:
2 Corinthians 10 NIV
Paul’s Defense of His Ministry
10 By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! 2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.


Lord, please help me to control my thoughts and to trust You to respond in spiritual warfare.

 

Sharing Beyond Books #449 Comment Giveaway August 20, 2022

Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books. (Note - I am going to continue to post monthly now, probably through the end of the year. This one runs through September 17, 2022.)

Thanks to everyone who commented on the last question.
Last post SBB#448 BN100 asked: Favorite ways to cool down in the heat??
We only had seven commenters in addition to me. Five people mentioned cold water or other cold drink, including iced tea. Three people mentioned ice cream and three mentioned ac, two mentioned pool, two fans, and one feet in the ocean or a tub of ice. :-) I hope everyone is staying cool!

The Winner from SBB#448 comments is #2 MIKI who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated (**Finally!) ARC/Review titles or (recently updated) Love and Christmas titles - all linked near the end of the post. -- [9-18-2021 I have added a new box and crossed off books no longer available through August 2021.]

Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #449

(One Question.)

Scattered Leaves asks: What’s your favorite pie??

Two: cherry and pecan. When I was young I also loved shoofly pie - it is a little two sugary for me now.

Image found at Mavis Butterfield.

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 1/2 book choice or $2.50 towards 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 them.
July question was provided by SCATTERED LEAVES who gets half a GC credit.

Your turn to share. Scattered Leaves asks: What’s your favorite pie??
SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Updated ARC and Other books, including the "Love" and Christmas titles all in one post.

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.
THE deadline is a month, until September 17.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made through Saturday, September 17, 2022, at 5 PM central.

Audible Book Review: What's Left of My World by C.A. Rudolph

I like this post-apocalyptic, character driven story.

What's Left of My World
By: C.A. Rudolph
Narrated by: Kevin Pierce

Series: What's Left of My World, Book 1 (7 books)
Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
Release date: 04-04-17
Publisher: C.A. Rudolph
Genre: Dystopian, Fantasy, Post-Apocalyptic
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Lauren Russell often wondered why her father had been so adamant about teaching her skills that most other fathers wouldn't even consider teaching their daughters. Ever since she was little, she had been taught how to live and survive outdoors, and how to use firearms to protect herself and those around her. Some of the training had been a bit extreme. Or had it been?
Many of her questions were answered the day the world as she knew it ended. Now, the skills she had been taught serve an essential purpose. They keep her and those she cares about alive. Even in the sparsely-populated mountains of West Virginia, where she and her family have been forced to relocate for their safety after the collapse, peril lurks around every corner. Normal life has taken on a whole new meaning for Lauren, her family, and the community they have become a part of. In this different world, the new status quo is self-preservation. There is no more middle ground. People either live, or they die.
Lauren's father didn't make it home on the day the world changed forever, and she misses him more than anything. Now, in What's Left of My World, she and her family must learn to endure life's horrors - without him.
©2016 C.A.Rudolph (P)2017 C.A.Rudolph

Review:
Lauren’s father had made sure that she could handle herself and her weapons. She has learned to live and survive outdoors, to face the perils of nature, and to face wild and human predators. She and her family have made it to a refuge valley in West Virginia. She hopes her father will be able to travel from his DC office to find his way to the family. But they all know there are dangers.

Within the valley there are members of the community who work together to survive while ‘takers’ living in the woods make raids to steal supplies. Now there are motorcycle terrorists breaking through to the interior homes. The bullies had attacked a neighbor home. Although the men were caught, the woman of the house was killed. When they investigated the men’s saddle bags, they found trophies – human fingers. The community is going to have to arm up and face this new, brutal threat. The community members are flawed, including Lauren who knows better than to investigate a murder scene on her own. She stumbles upon a survivor and has no way to know if he is an enemy or can be an asset.

I enjoyed the story line and the primary characters. They are a mixed bag of young and old, prepared and unprepared but ready to contribute to the upcoming battles. The action and suspense are good even if there are some unrealistic moments. Warning: the evil is brutal and ugly so be prepared for that. I will be listening to the next book and recommend this to fans of post-apocalyptic survival.

Audio Notes: Kevin Pierce is a reliable narrator in this genre. He provides distinct voices and distinct energy. I enjoyed the audio presentation.

Source: 7/18/2021 Audible $5.00 sale on Sci Fi and Fantasy titles. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

Audio Book Review: The Accidental Guardian by Mary Connealy

This is a lovely historical romance.
The Accidental Guardian
Written by Mary Connealy
Narrated by Morgan Hallett

Run time: 8 hours and 17 minutes
Release Date: April 3, 2018
Publisher: Recorded Books
Genre: Christian, Historical, Romance, Western
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Publisher Description
Trace Riley has been self-appointed guardian of the trail ever since his own wagon was attacked. When he finds the ruins of a wagon train, he offers shelter to survivor Deborah Harkness and the children she saved. Trace and Deborah grow close working to bring justice to the trail, but what will happen when the attackers return to silence the only witness?
When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes the hand behind the attack as the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he’d finally carved out a home and started a herd—while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail, driving off dangerous men. He’d hoped those days were over, but the latest attack shows he was wrong.
Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace offers the only shelter for miles around and agrees to take them in until she can safely continue. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture, and their arrival is unsettling—yet enticing. Working to survive the winter and finally bring justice to the trail, Trace and Deborah find themselves drawn together—yet every day approaches the moment she’ll leave forever.

Review:
Deborah did all the work for her father on a community newspaper while he took all the credit. After her parents deaths, Deb is determined to set out on her own without being under the thumb of a man. Deb and her sister are helping a family take two toddlers west. The four are off in the bushes when the wagon train is attacked. The outlaws left behind arrows to look like an Indian attack, but no one knows that Deborah saw the men and can identify at least one by face and another by voice.

Trace survived as a young teen when his father was murdered during a wagon train attack. Since then, he has become a ghostly, self-appointed guardian of the trail, with his horse Black and his dog Wolf, trying to protect travelers from attacks. He comes across a recent attack that appears to be by the same men who killed his father years before. This triggers his urge to seek revenge by pursuing the men. That plan is delayed as he rescues the two young women and the toddlers and takes them to his cabin which is the only local shelter. Trace has rarely been around women. He and his ranch hands learn they like having the girls clean and cook for them, but Trace is still setting out to hunt down the killers.

Deborah plans to continue traveling west when the winter is over but in the meantime, she insists on going to town with Trace so she can report the truth of the attack and help identify the outlaws. Trace and Deborah don’t realize that their discussion of the outlaws is overheard by one of the men. Now they are targets.

Can Trace control his urge for vengeance and still keep the girls and children safe? Will Deb being able to change her mind about sharing life with a man?

I totally enjoyed this story. It isn’t perfect as it has some contrived situations. Still, I liked the distinct characters, the setting, the gentle faith, and the sweet romance. I like this author and need to read/listen to her stories more often. I recommend this to fans of sweet historical romance.

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the narration by Morgan Hallett. Although she doesn’t really do great male voices, I was able to tell who was talking and I could tell when she was reading an internal thought. I would be fine listening to more in the series narrated by Ms. Hallett.

Source: 5/3/2020 Chirp $4.99. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway August 19, 2022

Happy Friday!
TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK.
Oops. I must have been tired as I used the wrong date and left last weeks into.
I still have some GC emails and payments to complete and books to pull for mailing soon.

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 August 12, 2022 Pick. There was one automatic win this past week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There was no title blocked.
Christy gets Devil in Winter

CONGRATULATIONS to one winner (only 6 entries):
Random.org picked Winner from August 12, 2022 Pick:
MARJORIE 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.}

April is National Poetry month but we can share them in August too!
Image found at Teachers Pay Teachers.

New Book Box #96 June 10, 2022

PAIR:
Liz Carlyle: Three Little Secrets and My False Heart
Johanna Lindsey: Brave the Wild Wind and Fires of Winter
SINGLE TITLES
Against the Sky by Kat Martin
Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

The Eagle and the Dove by Jane Feather
Heir to a Dark Inheritance by Maisey Yates
The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood
Last of the Breed by Louis L'Amour
A Legacy of Secrets by Carol Marinelli
Marry in Secret by Anne Gracie
No Greater Treasure by Ellen Kelley
One Minute Out by Mark Greaney
Texas Born by Diana Palmer
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells (Illustrated Classic Edition)
While Others Sleep by Helen R. Myers


New Book Box #95 November 7, 2021

I'll add the titles through the week (16 including 2 doubles, 1 pair).
(on top) (Two) Rancher's Wild Secret and Hold Me Cowboy by Maisey Yates
(on top) Shadowlight by Lynn Viehl
(Two) The Taming & The Conquest by Jude Deveraux
My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth
Love's Surprise by Karen Ball
Manhunt by Wayne Barton and Stan Williams - Audio CDs
After the Light by Kimberly Clark Sharp (Hardback)


New Book Box #94 May 28, 2021 (10 books)

Three One Audio CD Books:
Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts
SINGLE TITLES
Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
The Hidden Heart by Laura Kinsale

New Book Groups #92 and #93 November 13, 2020.
#92 (15 books):

A Most Unsuitable Man by Jo Beverley
The Tender Stranger by Carolyn Davidson
Her Wedding Wish by Jillian Hart
Heart's Desire by Ruth Ryan Hagan
The Deputy's Duty by Terri Reed

Box #93 (14 books)

Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwyn Cready
There's Only Been You by Donna Marie Rogers (personally signed)
For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper
The Irish Bride by Alexa Harrington
When We Met by Susan Mallery
All of Me by Lori Wilde

New Book Group #91 October 2, 2020 - Suspense themed

SINGLES: Ten books in this box:
Fight or Flight by Natalie J. Damschroder


PICK TWO  your choice (listed below the picture) Nora Roberts:

Born in Fire Audiobook Cassettes
Montana Sky
Valley of Silence


New Book Group #90 June 19, 2020
Quite a few mysteries in this box.

SINGLES:
Alias by Smy J. Fetzer
Hot Sex by Janet Evanovich (Audio cassettes)

New Book Group #89 March 6, 2020

Singles:
My Surrender by Connie Brockway
How to Tame a Modern Rogue by Diana Holoquist
Phoenix by A.J. Scudiere

New Book Group #88 November 8, 2019

Singles:
A Lady Never Tells by Candace Camp
Dawn of Redemption by Starla Childs

New Book Group #87 August 23, 2019

SINGLES:
Captain's Paradise by Kay Hooper
Open Season by Linda Howard AUDIO CASSETTES

New Book Group #86 June 7, 2019
Another group of variety from my shelves.

SINGLES:
A Question of God's Balance (Vol 1) by Joseph Thek


New Book Group #85 March 22, 2019
A variety from my shelves.

SINGLES:
Daddy's Little Cowgirl (two stories) by Judith Bowen and Kimberly Raye
The Forever Year, Cold Pursuit, Lover's Lane and Temporary Sanity (Reader's Condensed)
ToxiCity by Libby Fischer Hillmann

New Book Group #84 December 15, 2018
Here are some Christmas titles to pick from.

SINGLES:
A Family for Thanksgiving
On this Holy Night
Christmas Haven
King Harold's Snow Job

New Book Group #83 November 30, 2018

(Starting bottom left and continuing up then down)
SINGLE
Seven Up by Janet Evanovich - Audio Cassettes
A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein Audio Cassettes
Three Reader's Digest Condensed Books - each hardback:

Cold Harbour and The Courtship of Peggy McCoy
Follow the Stars Home, Hunting Badger, The Quiet Game and Second Wind

New Book Group #82 November 9, 2018

SINGLES:
Killing Time by Linda Howard
The Wedding Night by Barbara Dawson Smith

New Book Group #81 August 17, 2018
All Gone

New Book Group #80 August 17, 2018

Note: The Final Judgment and
The Book of Fate are Audio Cassettes
SINGLES:
The Final Judgment by Richard North PattersonAudio Cassettes
Firebird by Janice Graham
No Getting Over a Cowboy by Delores Fossen
The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer Audio Cassettes

New Book Group #79 July 13, 2018
I found this box of books buried under some other boxes.

P.S. by Helen Schulman
Her Sexiest Surprise by Dawn Atkins (personally autographed)
Dakota Child by Linda Ford
Calling the Shots by Ellen Hartman
Promises, Promises by Amber Miller
This Time for Keeps by Jenna Mills
Another Man’s Baby by Kay Stockham

New Book Group #78 April 27, 2018

SINGLES
Blackberry Bush
Breaking Point
A Tangled Affair
Too Wicked to Love
Roses are Red Audio Cassettes

New Book Group #77 February 16, 2018
All Gone

New Book Group #76 November 3, 2017
13 books remain of the original 37:

I finally Have them Listed!
Boots & Booties by Kristine Rolofson
Saucer the Conquest by Stephen Coonts
The Scorpion Seducer by Bonnie Vanak
Hell On Earth by David L. Porter
Crisscross by Harmon Henkin
Maelstrom by Anne McCaffrey
101 Commonsense Rules for the Office by John R. Brinkerhoff

This shelf of 35 books are what is left from Groups #1 (11/27/09) through Group #75 September 29, 2017

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top.)
Rehabilitation
Secret Blessing
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

(Title list reads left at bottom to right at top - 21 titles.)
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown
(*Three One more very old books from my Gothics box.)
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell
*Four One books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I found.
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)
Raintree Haunted by Linda Winstead Jones (spine creases)
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
The Sweetheart Dance by Patti Ann Colt
BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)
Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Breakfast in Bed by Sandra Brown - Audio Cassette Tapes (link is for mass media version)
BOX 3 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 39- 47)
Shetland Summer by Janet Lynnford
BOX 2 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 24- 38)
The Trailsman: Texas Lead Slingers by Jon Sharpe
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
An Honorable Man by Rosemary Rogers (spine creases)
The Willful Widow by Valerie King (spine wear)
Foundation (Foundation Novels) by Isaac Asimov
BOX #1 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 1- 23)
Ghost Writer (Shivers #3) by M.D. Spenser
Alien Chronicles - The Crimson Claw by Deborah Chester

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 TWELVE years I have posted 91 groups of mostly 16 books plus an additional 21 totaling approximately 1,535 books available to find new homes! (As of November 26, 2021).

I am happy to say that so far at least 1,404 books have found new homes through this feature! YAY. [A year or so ago I posted I had reached 2000 books given away. As I calculated the numbers 11/2/17 I realized that had to be an error. I realized I went from 1098 to 2001 instead of 1101. Guess I was tired; sorry for the error.] 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, TWRP, 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 faraway 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!