Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway October 6, 2017

Happy Friday!
Whew- I really feel like I'm on the hamster wheel this week. I tried to fight off a cold by going to bed early a couple nights but some early morning appointments still had me ending the days a bit glassy eyed. I hope I will put the cold behind me this weekend.
I had good intentions last Saturday but I didn't accomplish gift cards or the newest box list. I'll try again this weekend.
Meanwhile, book mailouts have been postponed until next week as the assistant that does those for me was out all week as her grandmother has struggled in the hospital.
Thanks for being patient everyone!

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 September 29 Pick. There was one automatic win this week. Automatic wins are those who requested the book four times without other people asking for that book during those weeks. There was one title blocked.
CarolNW gets Cold Blooded.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from September 29 Pick:
CAROL L gets The Champion.
KATE J 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.}

Sure leaves ME happy!
Image found at Pinterest.

New Book Group #75 September 29, 2017

To be listed on Saturday. (The Painted House is cassette tapes)

New Book Group #74 August 25, 2017

PAIRS:
Suzanne Brockman: Flashpoint and Over the Edge
Lisa Gardner: Hide and The Survivor’s Club (spine wear)
SINGLES:
Treasure Me by Robyn DeHart
Cold Blooded by Lisa Jackson
House of Dreams by Brenda Joyce (slight spine wear)
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Surrender My Love by Johanna Lindsey (slight spine wear)
204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber
The Big Bad Wolf by James Patterson – Audio Cassettes
The Duchess Diaries by Barbara Dawson Smith
To Conquer a Highlander by Mary Wine
Cain by James Byron Huggins (Hardback)
The New Birth Order Book by Dr. Kevin Leman
Reader’s Digest Large Type: At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks and Consigned to Death by Jane K. Cleland

New Book Group #73 June 16, 2017
I was looking for Summer titles but that didn’t really work.
SINGLES:
The Cowboy by Joan Johnston
A Dragon Prince by Mary Gillgannon
A Kiss Before Dawn by Kimberly Logan

New Book Group #72 May 12, 2017
PAIRS:
Brenda Joyce: The Third Heiress and The Rival
Jayne Ann Krentz: Dangerous Affair and True Colors
SINGLES:
Rainbow Mars by Larry Niven
Bound by Destiny by Rayka Mennen
The Fireman’s Fair by Josephine Humphreys (Hardcover)

New Book Group #71 March 10, 2017
Mysteries and Thrillers
SINGLES:
There Was A Little Girl by Ed McBain (Audio Cassettes)

New Book Group #70 January 27, 2017
Thought I’d share some romances for February:
SINGLES:
Kissed by Shadows (Get Connected Romances) by Jane Feather
Love's Brazen Fire by Betina Krahn

New Book Group #69 November 18, 2016 -- All Gone

New Book Group #68 October 28, 2016
SINGLES:
Plan of Attack by Dan Brown

New Book Group #67 September 9, 2016

(*Three more very old books from my Gothics box.)
SINGLES:
*The Man in the Garden by Paule Mason (1969 - yellowed)

New Book Group #66 June 25, 2016

(I will post a picture later. *Four of these books are very old; pulled from a box of gothic novels I have had for many years. They may not be wanted by anyone and if so, I will donate elsewhere in time.)
SINGLES:
*Maggie – Her Marriage by Taylor Caldwell (1953 very old, yellowed pages, some stain damage doesn't effect reading)
Fire Dancer by Ann Maxwell


New Book Group #65 April 29, 2016-- All Gone
The Champion by Heather Grothaus

New Book Group #64 March 4, 2016
SINGLES:
First Things First by Stephen R. Covey- Audio Cassette

New Book Group #63 January 22, 2016 -- All Gone

New Book Group #62 November 6, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #61 October 30, 2015 -- All Gone

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

SINGLES:
The Shadowing by Joan Overfield
Trilogy Of Mysteries Audio Book Shadow Prey, There Was A Little Girl, Smokescreen Audio Cassettes (NOT CDs)

New Book Group #59 July 31, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #58 June 26, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #57 May 1, 2015 -- All Gone

New Book Group #56 March 20, 2015
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 -- All Gone

BOX 4 2015 (reboxed from Boxes 47-53)

The Hidden Truth of Cytech's Randall Forty by Vickie Kennedy
Jezebel by Katherine Sutcliff
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)
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
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)

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 seven years I have posted 68 groups of 16 (1,088) books to find new homes! (as of November 4, 2016).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,104!+ 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!

Audible Book Review: The Rampart Guards by Wendy Terrien

This is an engaging middle grade/young teen fantasy adventure.
The Rampart Guards: Chronicle One in the Adventures of Jason Lex
Written by: Wendy Terrien
Narrated by: Brian Callanan

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
Series: The Adventures of Jason Lex, Book 1
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:03-07-16
Publisher: Camashea Press
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
The Rampart Guards is an adventure and coming-of-age story about a young man, Jason Lex, coping with the loss of his mom and the discovery that the world is not exactly as it seems. Creatures of legend live among us. Grown-ups don't always make the best decisions. And sometimes choosing to trust is a tough, even dangerous decision.
After his mom disappears, Jason Lex and his family move to a small town where he has no friends, no fun, no life. Things get worse when he's chased by weird flying creatures that only he can see. Jason thinks he's losing it.
But when he discovers new information about his family, he's stunned to learn that creatures like Skyfish, Kappa, and the Mongolian Death Worm aren't just stories on the Internet - they're real, and they live unseen alongside the human race. Many of these creatures naturally emit energy capable of incinerating humans. An invisible shield keeps these creatures hidden and protects the human race from their threatening force. But someone - or something - is trying to destroy it.
Unsure who he can trust, Jason is drawn into the fight to save the people closest to him, and he finds help in surprising places. Confronted with loss, uncertainty, and a devastating betrayal, he must make a gut-wrenching decision: who lives and who dies.
©2015 Wendy Terrien (P)2016 Wendy Terrien

Review:
Jason Lex is just a young teen when his mother disappears. His father moves the family, Jason, his older brother, Kyle, and his younger sister, Della, to a new town near his grandmother and uncle. Jason is struggling and things get worse when he begins to see swarming fish diving at him in the sky. His father warns Jason away from his Uncle Alexander, his mother’s sister, who studies cryptozoology and is known for strange behaviors.

Slowly Jason begins to learn that there are creatures that exist that are not known by the public. He suddenly has physical skills, like lightning bolts from his hands, that he doesn’t understand and can’t control. Then he is approached in secrecy by his mother. He is lured to help her but realizes he has to make a hard choice to prevent the destruction of his family, friends and the world as he knows it.

The story moves along quickly with danger and light action. Jason faces a lot of new challenges – new facts and betrayals -- in a short time. The adventure is fun, if not always quite plausible. But it is a fantasy adventure after all. I was disappointed by a little bit of language although that isn’t unrealistic.

I do think that middle graders/young teens would enjoy this as would fantasy, adventure, light sci fi fans. The end has a bit of a twist and I was glad to have book 2 to follow the adventure.

Audio Notes: Brian Callanan does a good job with the narration. He gives personality to the characters with appropriate voices and emotions. The narration added to my enjoyment of the story.

I received this title from the narrator. It qualifies for my Audiobook Challenge.

MBS September 2017 Reading List Wrap Up

MBS 2017 Reading List - SEPTEMBER

Code for the list is:
A = Audible; ABJ = Audiobook Jukebox; ABB = Audiobook Boom
e = eBook; eA = eBook from Author; eT = eBook from Tour
NG = NetGalley
P = Print; PT = Print from Tour
LBC = Ladies Book Club
TBR = From the TBR shelves prior to 2017
(not labeled = Children's books read with my granddaughters)

5 Star = God Gave Us Two

1. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Until the End of the World by Sarah Lyons Fleming; Post-Apocalyptic, Sci Fi, Zombie; my rating 4.0.
2. eAuthor TBR- Book Review: Who'll Stop The Rain: (Book One Of The Miami Crime Trilogy) by Don Donovan; Crime, Noir; My rating 4.0.
3. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Pax by Sara Pennypacker; Animals, Middle Grade; my rating 4.5.
4. Goodreads Book Review: God Gave Us Two by Lisa Tawn Bergren (Goodreads Author), Laura J. Bryant (Illustrator); Children, Siblings; My rating 5.0.
5. Where Do Steam Trains Sleep at Night?
6. Amazing Me
7. I Love You All Day Long
8. The Falling Leaves and the Scarecrow
9. There is a Bug in My Mug
10. ATBR- Audible Review: Koban, Volume 1 by Stephen W. Bennett; Alien Invasion, Genetic Engineering, Sci Fi; my rating 4.5.
11. eAuthor- Book Review: ReWired by S. R. Johannes; Teen, Suspense, YA; My rating 4.0.
12. ATBR- Audible Book Review: Valor's Choice (Confederation, #1) by Tanya Huff; Military Space Sci FI; My rating 4.0.
13. eTour- Book Review: Love, Murder & Mayhem, an Anthology; Mystery, Sci Fi; my rating 4.25.
14. ATBR- Review: Audible Book Review: Skinwalker: Jane Yellowrock, Book 1 by Faith Hunter; Paranormal, Urban Fantasy; my rating 4.25.
15. PrintTour- Book Review: Alycat and the Monday Blues by Alysson Foti Bourque; Children, Music, School; my rating 4.5.
16. eNG- Book Review: The Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel H. Wilson; Clockwork, Fantasy, Sci Fi; my rating 4.0.
17. eNG- Book Review: Star Hero: A Star Series Novella by Susan Grant; Military Space Sci Fi; My rating 4.0.
18. A-Narrator: Audible Book Review: The Rampart Guards by Wendy Terrien; Adventure, Fantasy, Sci Fi; my rating 4.0.
19. A-ABB- Audio Book Review: The League of Governors by Wendy Terrien; Adventure, Fantasy, Sci Fi; my rating 4.0.
20. eNG- Book Review: On the Chase (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit Book 2) by Katie Ruggle; Action, Romantic Suspense, Small Town; My rating 4.25.

(14 without children books so pretty close to on track)
Total read = 20 (includes 6 children's books); TBR = 6; New Authors = 18
Audio/Audible = 7 (5 TBRs)
eBook = 3 Author
NetGalley =3
Print = 2 + 5 other not yet reviewed children = 7

Sunday Post October 1, 2017/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday October 2, 2017

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.

I had another busy week catching up on legal work, with more to do this week. Now I am trying to fight off a cold without loosing work time. :-(

My reading/listening time seemed pinched but I enjoyed the reads. I finished two books: one ebooks and one audio. But I am far along in two others. I posted three reviews, plus my usual memes.

I visited only 25 blogs again last week. I didn't get to go to any after Tuesday night.
Shout out this week is for Rainy Day Ramblings who has a lovely book blog.
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post September 24, 2017/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday September 25, 2017.

• ATBR- Review: Audible Book Review: Skinwalker: Jane Yellowrock, Book 1 by Faith Hunter; Paranormal, Urban Fantasy; my rating 4.25.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway September 29, 2017. Open Worldwide. Ending 10/25/2017.

• eNG- Book Review: The Clockwork Dynasty by Daniel H. Wilson; Clockwork, Fantasy, Sci Fi; my rating 4.0.

• eNG- Book Review: Star Hero: A Star Series Novella by Susan Grant; Military Space Sci Fi; My rating 4.0.

• Sharing Beyond Books #322 Comment Giveaway September 30, 2017. Open Worldwide. Ending 10/7/2017.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement October 1, 2017.

Finished Reading:
1. Audible/MP3 (ABB)

The League of Governors
Written by: Wendy Terrien
Narrated by: Brian Callanan
Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
Series: The Adventures of Jason Lex, Book 2
This is fantasy adventure fun.
I received this audio title from the narrator through AudioBook Boom.
Click on book title for full description.

2. eBook/Kincle (NG)

On the Chase (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit Book 2)
by Katie Ruggle
I really enjoyed this.
I received this through NetGalley.
Click on book title for full description.

Currently Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle (NG)

Twelve Slays of Christmas: A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery
by Jacqueline Frost
I am 82% into this and it is sweet and fun.
I received this through NetGalley. It releases on October 10.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible/MP3 (TBR)

Blood in the Water: Destroyermen Series
Book 11
Written by: Taylor Anderson
Narrated by: William Dufris
I am 75% along on this. 
I am enjoying this listen 
with lots of action and adventure.
Click on book title for full description.

3. eBook/Kindle (NG)

Crown of Souls
by Ronie Kendig
I like this author and was in the mood for good, Christian military suspense.
I received this through NetGalley (it released in September).
"Kendig has out done herself."--RT Book Reviews on Conspiracy of Silence
Six months after stopping a deadly plague, Cole "Tox" Russell and his team are enjoying a little rest. That peace is short-lived when a sniper shot hits Tox. The enemy is discovered to be one of their own, a rogue Special Forces team operator.
Alec King is perhaps the only person as skilled as Tox, and he's out for justice. Furious with orders that got his men killed, he intends to make those responsible pay. And he insists Tox join him, believing they are the same breed of soldier.
Afraid his old friend is right, Tox battles a growing darkness within himself as he and his team engage in another deadly encounter with antiquity. It appears Alec is cheating--he's using a mysterious artifact, a crown that history has linked to some of the worst slaughters in humanity. Racing to stop Alec before his vengeance is unleashed, Tox must fight the monster without becoming one.

4. eBook/Kindle (NG)

Wild Justice
by M.L. Buchman
I get to read two military romance stories 
from authors I like.
I received this from the author.
It releases 10/17.
 DELTA FORCE
The best counter-terrorism force on the planet.
SERGEANT DUANE JENKINS
• Elite Delta operator—explosives just make him grin •
AGENT SOFIA FORTEZA
• Top Intel Analyst for The Activity—thinks data is sexy•
The team must face their toughest mission yet: take down a massive human-trafficking ring and a corrupt Venezuelan spy agency—without leaving a trace.
Sofia and Duane.
In common: black sheep of extremely wealthy families, renegades against the status quo.
Differences: tactician vs. explosives expert, thinker vs. pure warrior.
Together: fight to keep their team alive, and their love.

October 1, 2017 - I am back reading on track in the One Year Bible, still with one week to catch up. I am working on getting back on track. I have been reading along with my husband and others from our church. I hope to take more time this year, staying on the day and listening to the companion commentary online.

I completed two books and posted three reviews. That keeps me at three reviews to be up to date.
I am now twelve titles behind linking my reviews to Goodreads, Amazon and Audible. :-( I just haven't had time to link.
I was down to 3 NetGalley titles but now back to 10. Still 2 author titles in my queue, the others are instafreebies that I do want to get to but not the same commitment.

We're working on two fiction books soon to add to eTreasure's NetGalley page.

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 (yours truly).  
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
I picked up eight NetGalley titles and one audiobook for review.
I selected one Audible Daily Deal and two kindle titles for $.99 each. 
As usual, I picked up more free kindle titles as usual. (Note these are in my Amazon library, NOT on my Kindle until I download and transfer them.)

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

I was down to 3 NetGalley Titles so I sort of went on a request binge. I received 8 titles through the week. Release dates are shown in parenthesis.
The Rancher's Christmas Song by RaeAnne Thayne (17 Oct 2017)
I saw this title at some other blog sites and it drew me.
Gift From the Stars by James Gunn (06 Jun 2017)
This is a sci fi from an author I want to try.
The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip (19 Sep 2017)
Honestly - I couldn't resist the cover. :-)
The Squirrel on the Train by Kevin Hearne (30 Nov 2017)
I thought this cover was odd then I realized this is short story for Oberon, the Irish wolfhound in the Iron Druid series. It should be fun.

Always Gray in Winter by Mark J. Engels (10 Aug 2017)
I like werecats - this looked a bit different from some of my usual reading. We'll see.
Welcome to Outcast Station by Jeanne Adams, Nancy Northcott (31 Jul 2017)
Space opera and mystery stories - sounds good.
Coiled by H.L. Burke (15 Jun 2017)
Cute cover and interesting mytholgoy adaptation.
Booke of the Hidden by Jeri Westerson (31 Oct 2017)
("Booke" caught my eye.) Another new to me author with and urban fantasy romance I thought I would try.

I received this Audiobook from the narrator as a follow up to the first book. :-)

Breakthrough: The Great Martian War, Book 2

By: Scott Washburn

Narrator: Ray Greenley

Duration: 10 hrs and 27 mins
I enjoyed book one and look forward to this.

Won

NONE

Purchased

I selected one Audible Daily Deal for $.99:
Light Falls
By: Brian Greene
Narrator: Brian Greene, Paul Rudd, Peter Ganim, Suzanne Toren, Edoardo Ballerini, Julian Elfer, Kevin Pariseau, Jonathan Davis
Duration: 2 hrs and 26 mins
This theatrical version of the dramatic story tracing Albert Einstein's discovery of the general theory of relativity Light Falls was first performed at the World Science Festival in New York City.

Two Kindle titles purchased for $.99 each:
Race Against Time: A Novel of Romantic Suspense
Sharon Sala

Among Wolves (Wolves of Llisé, Book 1)

Nancy K. Wallace

Free

Here are some of the Free Kindle titles I picked up. (All of these may still be free):
 
Her Big Sky Cowboy (Wildflower Ranch Book 3)
by Alissa Callen

Agents Under Fire: 
(3-in-1: Guardian Agent, Avenging Agent, Warrior Agent)
by Dana Marton

Rescued By A Viscount (Regency Rakes Book 2)
by Wendy Vella

Strong Women, Extraordinary Situations Box Set (1-3):
Deadly Hunt, Deadly Intent, Deadly Holiday
by Margaret Daley

Safe Haven (The Protectors Book 1)
by Leeanna Morgan

The Dark Knight's Captive Bride
by Natasha Wild

and a few more:
So I Married a Highlander (What Happens In Scotland Book 1) by Kate McKinley
The Power of Praise and Worship by Terry Law (Author), Jim Gilbert (Author)
Trapped (Tales of Friendship Bog Book 3) by Gloria Repp, Michael Swaim (Illustrator), Bill Beck (Photographer) (Chapter book)
Love in a Snow Storm (Pine Harbour Book 2) by Zoe York
Obadiah: A Ghost's Story by Robert Spearman
The Kidnapped Christmas Bride (Taming of the Sheenans Book 3) by by Jane Porter
The Nostradamus Equation (Sam Reilly Book 6) by by Christopher Cartwright

I added 53 free Kindle titles to my library this week. 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 October 1, 2017

I didn’t get to church today as I am fighting the start of yucky cold.These notes are from a couple of weeks ago.

Our Sunday School teacher always delivers a good message. He gave a message called “It's a slow fade.” He noted that a declining commitment to God is often a slow process like turning a large ship or making a political change (other than during crisis). When things are good, people can slide into complacency.

Samson didn't recognize his drift away from his faith. Complacency is dangerous. Sometimes we need a wakeup call like Samson. Theologian John Wesley once stated that ‘what one generation winks at, the next will embrace’.

Have you ever had a GPS take you where you didn't mean to go? That happens. It is like placing a frog in a pan of cold water and heating it rather than placing the frog in the boiling water where it jumps out. What killed the frog in the pan of cold water was not the boiling water but failure to respond to the danger.

Cold is the absence of heat. Darkness is absence of light. Jesus doesn’t’ want a lukewarm church. Revelation 3:14-22. We must be careful what we allow into our lives. Proverbs 4:23-27.

We have to stop and access where we are. We have to examine ourselves for drifting. We need to wake up and be ready.

Man’s natural inclination is to go toward the dark. We can only change through the help of the Holy Spirit. The tide carries men away if we don’t work to stay in place.

Listen to the song lyrics of this Casting Crowns song, Slow Fade.

Verses for Today:
Romans 13:11-12 NIV
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.