Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway April 22, 2016

Happy Friday!
I have no idea where this week went. I didn't get home before 7 any night and I had court early three days. My hubby got sick with a bug that went into a sinus infection. Poor guy. I just am trying not to get it.
Thank you for the warm wishes for my daughter. She had the stitches removed this morning and is having to exercise her toe. She has worked most of her hours this week.

I apologize that I didn't get all books pulled last week. Some will be mailed tomorrow. And I'll be getting to the GCs this weekend.
I thought I had misplaced the books I had pulled together last week but I found them and added some more. I will try to get a picture and list up on Saturday.

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 April 15 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 but one was won.
Faith Hop and Cherry Tea gets A Garden of Friends
Rubynreba gets Forgotten Promises

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from April 15 Pick:
Natalija gets a GC

Elizabeth gets Lead Me On

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.}

Ahhh - tea and reading. So what if it rains?

Image found at weheartit.

New Book Group #64 March 4, 2016

PAIRS:
Elizabeth Boyle: His Mistress by Morning and This Rake of Mine (The Bachelor Chronicles Book 2)
Kay Hooper: If There Be Dragons and The Matchmaker
Lisa Jackson: Left to Die and Twice Kissed
SINGLES:
The Theft by Andra Kane
Bed of Roses by Katherine Stone
Hope by Len Deighton (1995 paperback)
Short Straw (Ed Eagle Novel) by Stuart Woods Hardcover
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette
N is for noose by Sue Grafton -Cassettes
The Fallen by Thomas Sniegoski
Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
Regretsy: Where DIY Meets WTF by April Winchell


New Book Group #63 January 22, 2016

SINGLES:
Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl
Wayward Winds by Michael Phillips - Audio Tapes
Forgotten Promises by Denise Skelton

New Book Group #62 November 6, 2015
All Gone

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.)

SINGLES:
Bride of Lochbarr by Margaret Moore (*)
The Ideal Bride by Stephanie Laurens (*)
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:
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!

SINGLES:
Cruise to a Wedding by Betty Neels

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

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 Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty byVickie Kennedy
First to Fight Anthology
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
The Commander by Kate Bridges
A Garden of Friends by Penny Pierce Rose

Undateable by Ellen Rakieten & Anne Coyle



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)
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)

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


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 953+ 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!

Book Review and Tour Giveaway: The Path by Peter Riva

This is a remarkably smart sci fi with mystery and surprising twists. Quite a ride!
The Path
by Peter Riva

File Size: 1849 KB
Print Length: 224 pages
Publisher: Yucca Publishing (January 6, 2015)
ASIN: B00PSSEMJ4
Genre: Sci Fi, Techno-thriller
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

All life on earth is about to be terminated by an entity as old as the galaxy itself. To make matters worse, Simon has broken everything already.
In a future world that is run by computer systems and that is without want, how can a man find his role? Then, if the very computers he works on to try to make them more human suddenly try to kill him, revealing a secret so vast that it affects every living soul on the planet, can that man be a hero?
These are the questions that face the stumbling, comic, and certainly flawed Simon Bank. His job is to work with the System’s artificial intelligence, making it fit more perfectly into human society so that it can keep the country running smoothly. But when the System threatens the peaceful world he knows, Simon suddenly must rush to save his own life, as well as the life of everyone on earth. Forced to reassess everything that he thought he knew, he is caught within circumstances way beyond his control.
Simon’s only hope is to rely on intellect and instincts he didn’t know he had, and on new friends, not all of them human, to change himself and all humanity. And he doesn’t have much time.

Review:
The New Republic of America is controlled by a supercomputer. The System controls the country defense shields, the weather, the power, farms providing food, communication, travel and delivery systems. Everyone is happy with their basic needs met and the freedom to choose a job they love. Simon Banks is a brilliant codifier. His job is to enter a virtual world duplicate of the computer system and insert programming glitches. The changes are monitored by a Control Committee who continually fixes them. The described goal is to continually train the computer to behave in a more human fashion; to humanize it for the continued and improved well being of the people.

Suddenly there are glitches to the real System. When a tornado breaks through the weather dome in front of Simon, he knows something is seriously wrong. Simon figures it is the work of other codifiers or maybe errors made by the Committee. Chief Detective Cramer accosts Simon and insists that he is tampering with the System. Simon agrees to enter the System with Cramer to see if they can uncover the problem. What Simon discovers, in addition to a history built on lies, is an emerging sentience in the computer. This could pose a threat not only to the American New Way, but to all of mankind on earth.

Simon and a few friends, as well as the pushy Cramer, are in a race against the System (computer within and government without) to try to save humanity. It will take a lot of scheming to determine the right path to get things back on track and hopefully save the world from destruction.

I admit that the beginning of the story is difficult to follow. I have studied computer language but the details as Simon enters and navigates the computer stream are confusing. However, it is well worth getting beyond that to enjoy the rest of the mystery.

The story is told in first person by Simon, who is a likeable character whose thoughts drift from the complex computer language to very human matters. I enjoyed Cramer’s brusque detective nature as the two tried to outguess each other. There is a thread of mystery from the beginning that kept me on my toes trying to determine who is in control and who are the good guys and bad guys. I learned some interesting true experiments that formed a platform idea for the story.

I really enjoyed following the developments and exchanging discussions on ‘the path, the way and the truth’. Along the way, horrible aspects of politics and man’s insistence on power are revealed. In the last third of the book the twists, or at least surprises, come in rapid succession. The ending is humorous if a bit anti-climactic. I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy science fiction especially as it relates to artificial intelligence.

I received this title through iRead Book Tours for an honest review.
I am looking forward to reading the second book, Reaching Angelica, for review on May 3.

Buy the book:  Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Book Depository   Chapters/Indigo

​
Author's Bio:
Peter Riva has worked for more than thirty years with the leaders in aerospace and space exploration. His daytime job for more than forty years has been as a literary agent. He resides in New York City.

Connect with the author:   Website  Twitter   Facebook

TOUR GIVEAWAY:

Prizes: ​
Win 1 of 5 sets of books (The Path Book 1 and Reaching Angelica Book 2) + 1 of 2 $25 Amazon gift cards
(open internationally)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Audible Book Review: Variant by Robison Wells

This YA has a ‘dystopian’ bent and some surprises.

Variant
Written by: Robison Wells
Narrated by: Michael Goldstrom

Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:10-04-11
Publisher: HarperAudio
Genre: Sci Fi, Teens
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Benson Fisher thought that a scholarship to Maxfield Academy would be the ticket out of his dead-end life.
He was wrong.
Now he’s trapped in a school that’s surrounded by a razor-wire fence. A school where video cameras monitor his every move. Where there are no adults. Where the kids have split into groups in order to survive.
Where breaking the rules equals death.
But when Benson stumbles upon the school’s real secret, he realizes that playing by the rules could spell a fate worse than death, and that escape - his only real hope for survival - may be impossible.
©2011 Robison Wells (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

Review:
Benson Fisher has been in the foster system most of his life. He jumped at the opportunity to get a scholarship to the special Maxfield Academy. A strange woman delivers him to the school where he is surprised to discover only teens – no adults. He quickly learns that he, and the other kids, are trapped but Becky, the girl who is trying to provide orientation, doesn’t seem to care that the school is a prison. They cannot go beyond the high brick walls which lie within the razor-wire fence. There are cameras monitoring their behavior and there is no contact with the world outside.

Although they receive computer announcements and instructions from “the academy” all other tasks are performed by the students. The teens are divided into groups who have contracted jobs to run the school. Initially each of the groups, Society, Havoc and Variant, try to recruit Benson. He chooses Variant hoping to find an ally who might help him escape. Unfortunately, all the kids are convinced there is no escape and if you break the rules you are punished. If you break the primary rules, like trying to escape, you may be sent to detention. And the kids who go to detention don’t return; they disappear.

Benson’s first attempt at escape doesn’t work so he consigns himself to gather information for a better plan. He struggles with the rules and tries to learn how to help his team win at paint ball even when it means he takes a beating. He is befriended by one of the young girls, Jane, who has been there the longest. As they grow closer, she tries to cheer him and get him to drop his dreams of escape. When Jane and Benson are attacked, he learns a horrifying secret. Who can he trust and how can he convince the others of the secret he has uncovered? How can they escape before something more terrible happens?

There is mystery early in the book, but I found the beginning slow to engage me. I became more interested as the action (paint ball battles) picked up. The story slogs through some repetition and teenage angst, but I did get to a point where I wanted to find out what happened. There is a scary twist and confrontation as the end nears and then another twist at the cliffhanger ending.

Benson is a bit self-centered and impulsive... like many teens. Even though I am not enthralled by the characters, there are many questions left open at the end of book one. Although the second book seems to have more mixed reviews and I didn't feel this quite rated a 4.0 rating, I am leaning towards getting Feedback because I am curious to know where the author takes the story..

Audio Notes: Michael Goldstrom does a good job narrating the teen characters. He manages to convey the tones of cheerfulness, fear, bravado, anger, snideness, meanness and other aspects fitting the teens. I think the audio version helped me move along in the story which might have been more difficult in print/ebook.

This title came from my Audible Library (2012). It qualifies for Mount TBR, Audiobook Challenge and "V" for my Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Sunday Post April 17, 2016/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday April 18, 2016

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date.
Thank you to Sheila for the years that she handled this meme.
Thank you to Kathryn for taking up the baton.

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

My daughter was out with foot surgery so my work week was extra busy juggling her work along with four days of traveling to cover hearings. We have had some beautiful weather which causes me to be even more mindful of the tragic weather traumas in Japan and Ecuador.

I enjoyed my reading, finishing three books: one ebook bundle and two audios. I posted three reviews and my other usual memes, even if a couple were a bit late.

I enjoyed visiting other blogs for a day or two early in the week.
Thanks as always to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post April 10, 2016/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday April 11, 2016.

• Audible Book Review: Dream Kisses: Romance on the Ranch Series Book 1 by Verna Clay; Contemporary Romance; my rating 4.25.

• Audible Book Review: Redfall: Fight for Survival: American Prepper Series, Book 1, by Jay J. Falconer; Sci Fi, Dystopian; my rating 4.25.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway April 15, 2016. Open Worldwide. Ending 4/21/2016.

• Book Review: Rarity from the Hollow by Robert Eggleton; Sci Fi, Fantasy, Humor; my rating 4.0.

• Sharing Beyond Books #248 Comment Giveaway April 16, 2016. Ending 4/23/16.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement April 17, 2016.

Finished Reading:

1. eBook/Kindle (Author)

Rarity from the Hollow
by Robert Eggleton
This is bizarre but engaging.
My review is linked above.
I received this from the author for an honest review.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible/MP3 (TBR)

Variant
Written by: Robison Wells
Narrated by: Michael Goldstrom
This dystopian type, YA story had a surprising ending.
I will post my review this week.

3. eBook/Kindle (Author)

Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection: Box Set Books 1-3 
by Barbara Venkataraman
I enjoyed this lawyer Mystery collection.
I will post my review this week.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently reading:
2. Audio/MP3 (Author)

Bad Deeds
Written by: Robert Bidinotto
Narrated by: Conor Hall
I previously enjoyed the first book, Hunter, starring this complex character.
I was glad to receive this second book in the series from the author, to listen and provide an honest review.
Publisher's Summary
The hero of Hunter - number-one Kindle thriller best seller - is back in action!
He sought peace in the tranquility of nature. But can he tame the violence in his own nature?
At a cabin in the Allegheny National Forest, Dylan Hunter and Annie Woods seek to heal the wounds from their ordeal at the hands of a twisted psychopath. And to build a life together, Dylan promises Annie that he'll abandon his violent ways.
But ideological zealots and Washington's political elites have conspired to terrorize and plunder the hardworking locals. These victims have no protector against the bad deeds of the powerful and privileged.
Except for one man.
A man as ruthless and violent as they.
A man committed to absolute justice.
Because Dylan Hunter cannot walk away - not even if it costs him the woman he loves.
©2014 Robert Bidinotto (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

2. eBook/Kindle (Tour)

The Path
by Peter Riva
I am looking forward to reading this.
My review with iRead Book Tours
is scheduled for April 21.
All life on earth is about to be terminated by an entity as old as the galaxy itself. To make matters worse, Simon has broken everything already.

In a future world that is run by computer systems and that is without want, how can a man find his role? Then, if the very computers he works on to try to make them more human suddenly try to kill him, revealing a secret so vast that it affects every living soul on the planet, can that man be a hero?

These are the questions that face the stumbling, comic, and certainly flawed Simon Bank. His job is to work with the System’s artificial intelligence, making it fit more perfectly into human society so that it can keep the country running smoothly. But when the System threatens the peaceful world he knows, Simon suddenly must rush to save his own life, as well as the life of everyone on earth. Forced to reassess everything that he thought he knew, he is caught within circumstances way beyond his control.

Simon’s only hope is to rely on intellect and instincts he didn’t know he had, and on new friends, not all of them human, to change himself and all humanity. And he doesn’t have much time.

3. Audio/MP3 (Author)

Dark Sanity
Written by: Paul L. Centeno
Narrated by: Martin Wurst
This sounds interesting.
I received the Audible book from the narrator.
Publisher's Summary
Set in the 54th century, the story focuses on Flint Cross, a gunslinger ripped from his roots in the Wild West and placed into the desolation of post-apocalyptic Australia. Plagued with amnesia and nightmares, he finds himself lost and on the brink of madness, doomed to forever wander an empty realm of war-torn souls.
But with the very fate of the universe in Flint's hands, the ancient forces of the aboriginal dreamtime are his only hope. Through seemingly endless experimentation, he must learn to recover his lost memories, raise an army, and construct a steam-powered, interstellar starship to locate and take down his enemy - all while working against the clock and resisting the slowly creeping insanity that threatens to keep him lost forever.
©2014 Paul L. Centeno (P)2016 Paul L. Centeno

4. eBook/Kindle (Author)

The Rage
by Matthew Babaoye
This is another book that looks like a good read.
I received this from the author.
"The Rage was transformative. Few appreciated the emotion like he did. Most feared it. But not him, not anymore. He fed it lesser emotions like sadness and fear, to grow it...
His psychiatrist would never understand."
Damon's life sucks. His parents ditched early, his few friends are thoughtless meatheads only concerned with partying and bullshit, his job is a sales nightmare, and his home is a s***hole apartment in the gutter district. Although: he at least has a loving, gorgeous girlfriend... whose mother hates him, and whose abusive ex won't let go.
So how does Damon deal with all of it? The rage. Using the emotion as fuel to power him through his days, a constant source of energy for the rough road of his life. Always there to keep him warm in the cold, dependable in its intensity...
Until the rage begins to act of its own will, and changes him in ways that neither he, nor anyone else, could have ever imagined.

April 10, 2016 - I got caught up while we were away. Reading The One Year Bible again along with my husband and others from our church. I will also be listening (sometimes) to the companion commentary online.

I posted three reviews last week which left me two coming into this week.
I have one more scheduled review for April:
April 23 Tour Review The Path by Peter Riva (iRead)

I have begun the five nine, now seven, author reviews committed with no specific dates.
My NetGalley shelves are now at six which I hope to get to reading at the end of this month and early in May.

Check the eTreasure's NetGalley page this week for:
Shades of Darkness and Light A Poetry Collection

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs.  This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) and after a tour of hosts has returned to its permanent home at Mailbox Monday. Thanks to the ladies sharing hosting duties: Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and Vicki of I'd Rather Be at the Beach. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

This week I accepted and received two new audio titles for review.
I didn't fully resist the Audible sale, picking up two in the sale and one at reduced price.
I also picked up two kindle titles at $.99.
I added more free kindle titles to my library. Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

I received this Audible title from the narrator:

Dark Sanity
Written by: Paul L. Centeno
Narrated by: Martin Wurst
See more -- linked above in currently reading.

I received this audio from the publisher through Audiobook Jukebox.
Pack: A Paranormal Romance Novelette

Written by: Jeaniene Frost
Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

You might recognize the author... I thought I'd give this a try.

Won

NONE

Purchased

I ended up picking up two titles on sale (under $6.00 each) at Audible and one for $1.99 since I already have the Kindle version:

On Basilisk Station: Honor Harrington, Book 1 by David Weber
Portrait of Death Book 16 by J.D. Robb
Heartless by Mary Balogh

I picked these titles up for $.99:


The Days of Noah, Book Three: Perdition: A Novel of the End Times in America
Mark Goodwin
I got the first book at Audible and then saw this on sale.

 The Steele Collection Books 1-3: Sarah Steele Legal Thrillers

Aaron Patterson

This sounded like another good thriller series with a female DA.

Free

Over the past week I only added 42 free Kindle titles to my library. Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Sunday Words of Encouragement April 17, 2016

We had a good Sunday School, and lovely worship service today. We missed last week’s Sunday School teaching but our teacher summed it up with comments this week. Apparently the lesson was on the text “by His stripes, we are healed” and the argument of divine healing. Teacher expressed that the word for “healing” applies to both spiritual and physical healing.

Sickness in man is the result of sin that came upon man after the fall at the Garden of Eden. Man’s body is under curse due to disobedience. Romans 5:19. Christ’s death provides the hope and promise that, one day, we will put off our perishable bodies and receive an imperishable body. 1 Corinthians 15:54. Our hope is in the next life; not in the blip that is our earthly existence.

Healing power is a gift which wouldn’t be needed if our faith was enough to heal us.
God does not always heal but He may use the illness or the healing for His own purposes. Healing is for a testimony.

Our teacher explained how he had to put his father in nursing home this week. His physical vehicle is wearing out. Human bodies may have been messed up by genetics. Environment adds to degeneration through external and internal pollutions. When we are born again we do not get a new vehicle, but a new spirit that will allow us one day to move into the promised abundant life. All people, in spirit, will life forever but will they live with God or separated and in hell?

Our teacher’s father is longing to go "home"; not to his house on earth but to his heavenly home where there will be no longer a broken vehicle but a whole, joyful, abundant life. Paul wanted heaven too but realized he had to stay and endure. He learned to be content in all circumstances. Philippians 4:11. There are benefits of being a follower of Christ but guaranteed healing isn’t one of them. Our acceptance and faith give us hope in a future and strength, peace, joy, and assurance in our current life.

Jesus came to give us the abundant life of heaven. We can have spiritual well-being but we do not get divine health in the physical.

This is an older hymn that speaks to the assurance we have!

Verse for Today:
1 Corinthians 15:54 NIV
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

I thank you, Lord, for the divine healing of my soul and the promise of imperishable life in glory.