Audible Book Review: Night of the Living Deed by E.J. Copperman

This is a fun, cozy mystery perfect for a spooky month (or other days) listen.
Night of the Living Deed
By: E.J. Copperman
Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi

Book 1 in the Haunted Guesthouse series
Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
Release date: 10-22-13
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Cozy, Ghost, Supernatural, Woman Sleuth
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Publisher's Summary
Welcome to the first Haunted Guest House mystery - the getaway every reader can afford.
Newly divorced Alison Kerby wants a second chance for herself and her nine-year-old daughter. She's returned to her hometown on the Jersey Shore to transform a Victorian fixer-upper into a charming-and profitable guest house. One small problem: the house is haunted, and the two ghosts insist Alison must find out who killed them.
©2010 Jeffrey Cohen (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Alison is a new divorcee who has returned to her hometown with her nine-year-old daughter, Melissa. Alison plans to turn a Victorian ‘estate’ home on the Jersey Shore into a guest house for vacationers. Shortly after beginning the remodeling of the house, she begins to experience unusual events, one of which knocks her out. When she comes to, she is surprised to have a man and a woman hovering over her. The problem is, they aren’t real people… they are ghosts. Alison learns that Maxi, the former owner of the house, and Paul, a private detective she hired, were murdered, and died in the house.

Alison doesn’t want her friends to think she is crazy, but she soon realizes that Melissa can see the ghosts too and she hasn’t been shy about sharing the sightings with her school friends. More disturbing is the fact that Alison receives threats to get out of the house. The local police detective doesn’t give the threats much credit, so Alison sets out to investigate with the insistence and guidance of Paul.

This is a fun listen with some tongue in cheek banter. Maxi is a bit of a pistol who is ready to take her frustrations and resentment out on Alison. The investigation leads Alison to interview various characters, several of whom had opportunity and possible money motives. Alison also finds a spark with Melissa’s history teacher who is eager to see the house and has a theory why someone may be pushing to get the owners out of the house.  I like the deed and history connection.

I enjoyed the characters, living and deceased, and the mystery. There are a couple of fun twists as the story reaches resolution. I am glad that I have more books in the series which came free through the Audible Plus catalog. I recommend this to fans of cozy mysteries with ghostly ‘friends’.

Audio Notes: Amanda Ronconi is a fine narrator who delivers these characters with fitting voices and distinguishing quirks. The audio enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: October 2020 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2021Audiobook goal.

Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway October 15, 2021

Happy Friday! 16 days to Halloween.
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 October 8, 2021 Pick. There was no automatic win last 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.

CONGRATULATIONS
to Random.org picked Winners from October 8, 2021 Pick:
MARJORIE gets a GC

AND
ELIZABETH 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.}

Anyone need a hand with your book? LOL!
Image found at Indulgy.com on Pinterest.

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

Three Audio CD Books:
Web of Evil by J.A. Jance
One Good Deed by David Baldacci
Dance Upon the Air by Nora Roberts
SINGLE TITLES
Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
The Hidden Heart by Laura Kinsale
A Summer of Firsts by Susan Wiggs and Sarah Morgan
Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane
Christmas on 4th Street: An Anthology by Susan Mallery
The Stranger by Harlan Coben
Vortex by Robert Charles Wilson


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
Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs

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
Anne of Green Gables by Montgomery
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
The Sinister Pig by Tony Hillerman Audiobook

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

Born in Fire Audiobook Cassettes
Montana Sky
Valley of Silence
Inner Harbor and
Chesapeake Blue


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:
Show No Fear by Marliss Melton
A Question of God's Balance (Vol 1) by Joseph Thek
King by Right of Blood and Might by Anna L. Walls

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

SINGLES:
Summer Skies by Judith Christenberry
Windfall (two stories) by JoAnn Ross
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
Seductive Secrets by Lynne Connolly
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
The Things We Do for Love, Three Weeks With My Brother, The Murder Artist and Night Train to Lisbon
Follow the Stars Home, Hunting Badger, The Quiet Game and Second Wind

New Book Group #82 November 9, 2018

SINGLES:
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews
Killing Time by Linda Howard
The Wedding Night by Barbara Dawson Smith

New Book Group #81 August 17, 2018

SINGLES
Best Laid Plans by Allison Brennan
Darkness Tell Us by Richard Laymon
Cooking Most Deadly by Joanne Pence

New Book Group #80 August 17, 2018

Note: The Final Judgment and
The Book of Fate are Audio Cassettes
SINGLES:
Summer’s Moon by Lacey Baker
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.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lenox by Maggie O’Farrell
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
A Daughter’s Legacy by Virginia Smith
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
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton
Crisscross by Harmon Henkin
Maelstrom by Anne McCaffrey
Inhuman Condition by Clive Barker
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 - 14 titles.)
Rehabilitation
Secret Blessing
Named of the Dragon
Aunt Erma's Cope Book
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Bound by Destiny by Rayka Mennen

(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 ELEVEN years I have posted 91 groups of 16 books plus an additional 21 totaling 1,477 books available to find new homes! (As of November 6, 2020).

I am happy to say that so far about 1,374 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!

Audio Book Review: Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War by P.W. Singer, August Cole

This is an interesting, scary, 'future war' possibility.

Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War
Written By: P.W. Singer, August Cole
Narrated By: Rich Orlow

Duration: 14 hours 28 minutes
Publisher: Recorded Books
Genre: Military, Political Fiction, Technothrillers
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

Summary:
The year is 2026. China has taken over as the world's largest economy, while the United States, mired in an oil shortage, struggles to adjust to its diminished role. Then, a surprise attack throws the U.S. into a chaos unseen since Pearl Harbor. As the enemy takes control, the survival of the nation will depend upon the most unlikely forces: the Navy's antiquated Ghost Fleet and a cadre of homegrown terrorists. Ghost Fleet is unique in that every piece of technology featured in the novel already exists or is in the works. Peter W. Singer is Senior Fellow and Director of the 21st Century Defense Initiative at the Brookings Institution and a consultant for the US Department of Defense and FBI. August Cole is a journalist and writer specializing in national security issues and is an Adjunct Fellow at the American Security Project.

Review:
China is taking over while the United States flounders. Then China’s specially trained hackers take control of the U.S. computers shutting down electronics locally and globally by taking control of the satellites. The U.S. has nothing to fight with except the Navy’s Ghost Fleet which is made up of antiquated ships that don’t rely on up-to-date technology.

The story follows specific characters which include a reluctant ship captain whose father, a former naval grunt (hands-on worker) gets assigned to the same ship, a female assassin (very slick!), a Chinese General struggling to get his strategies approved, a Russian officer who isn’t quite sure which side he should be supporting, and more. Some of the characters are rather extreme therefore unrealistic and several are too slightly developed. But a highlight of the story is all of the tech that is described and used as the author explains they are real and available. Some of these, especially the hackers VR type tools, and advanced gunnery, are rather scary. Apparently, the book is full of footnotes supporting tech and other details.

As the story started, there were many character threads that made it a little hard to follow on audio. I was able to settle in to catch most of the shifting scenes and characters. There are some pretty dry segments describing the tech in detail that slows the pacing. Still, I like the military strategy and action, and found the story entertaining. I recommend it to readers interested in modern tech with fictional military intrigue.

Audio Notes: Rich Orlow does a good job with the narration. He manages the different voices well and does a good effort to keep the pace moving. I tend to think Orlow is a good narrator for military or other thrillers. I will look forward to listening to other books by him.

Source: 1/24/2020 January Audiobooks.com Free VIP selection. This qualifies for 2021TBR and 2021Audiobook goals.

Sunday Post October 10, 2021/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday October 11, 2021

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? now at The Book Date (at Wordpress)

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 just keep plugging away at work. Finished a couple of probates; moving a couple of litigation files to the next step. Meanwhile I am doing all the final policies for the title company and we are almost up to date (within 30 days). Staff declared Monday as an one of their official holidays but I will work.  

Our little Bear-dog got groomed this week. I asked Hubby to get a before pic but he forgot.
He is a cute dog - loves to give kisses.

Our mornings and evenings are both darker. Meanwhile the weather is finally cooling.
We had heavy rains last week and our office had minimal leaking -- mainly because our cleaning person put a trash can in the ceiling to catch the leaks - but even that had only a little. So I think our roof leaks are patched for now. The units on both sides are still having leaks.

I enjoyed my listening this week, finishing two audiobooks.  I posted two reviews and my usual memes.

I visited 18 blogs last week.
Shout Out this week to WAVES OF FICTION. This blog is hosted by Rachel, Arlene and Crystal who read and share "New Adult, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Urban Fantasy and Adult Paranormal reads.”

Audible offerings for free children's titles ended June 30.
Audiobooks.com is still sharing some free listens for children.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post October 3, 2021/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday October 4, 2021.

• NGA2021- #NetGalley Audio Book Review: Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt; Genre: Animals, Holidays, Legal Procedures, Mystery; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Content 4.5; Narration 4.5.

• A2021- Audio Book Review: Bunker (Book 1) by Jay Falconer; Genre: Action, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Thriller; My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 4.0.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway October 8, 2021. Open Worldwide. Ending 10/14/2021.

• MBS September 2021 Reading List Wrap Up.

• MBS 2021 FRATERFEST READATHON #FraterfestRAT.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement October 10, 2021.

Finished Reading:

1. Audio/Smartphone (ATBR)

Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War
Written By: P.W. Singer, August Cole
Narrated By: Rich Orlow
Duration: 14 hours 28 minutes
This is an interesting, scary, 'future war' possibility.
Source: 1/24/2020 January Audiobooks.com Free VIP selection.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

Night of the Living Deed
By: E.J. Copperman
Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi
(Book 1 in the Haunted Guesthouse series)
Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
I started this Saturday and it is a fun listen. As of posting time I only have an hour left so I am counting it finished here.
Source: October 2020 Audible Plus Catalog.
Publisher's Summary
Welcome to the first Haunted Guest House mystery - the getaway every reader can afford.
Newly divorced Alison Kerby wants a second chance for herself and her nine-year-old daughter. She's returned to her hometown on the Jersey Shore to transform a Victorian fixer-upper into a charming-and profitable guest house. One small problem: the house is haunted, and the two ghosts insist Alison must find out who killed them.
©2010 Jeffrey Cohen (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Currently Reading:

1. ebook/Kindle App on Phone (ebTBR)

The Duke and the Spoiled Wallflower
by Tessa Brookman
I am 50% in and honestly, I am struggling with the editing. None of the other reviews mention this so maybe it is a style thing for me but it is terribly distracting. (Dangling participles, cliched phrases, too many adjectives and adverbs, awkward sentences and mixed tenses.) What would you do? Keep reading or set aside?
Source: Received from author team for review.
Click on book title for full description.

2. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

End Time: The End Time Saga, Book 1
By: Daniel Greene
Narrated by: Keith Szarabajka
Series: The End Time Saga, Book 1
Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
I figured I should include at least one Zombie story for October.
Source: October 2020 Audible Plus Catalog.
Publisher's Summary
The protests in front of the embassy aren't what they seem....
In the dark, primal jungles of the Congo Basin, something is ravaging the local population. When protests turn violent in front of the US embassy in Kinshasa, only the foreign policy experts paid attention. Civil war erupts, and people rip each other apart in the streets of the African capital.
To avert disaster and preserve its self-image, an overwhelmed State Department dispatches a team of elite counterterrorism agents to bring their besieged people back alive. Mark Steele, a young agent within the division, and his team of gritty operatives are used to trudging through the worst society has to offer, all while operating from the shadows. But Steele's team is plunging headlong into a maelstrom of death so much worse than rebels in the streets.
A highly contagious microbe is spreading unchecked, killing everyone in its wake only to bring them back again as the ravenous undead. Only a lone CDC virologist understands the extent of the outbreak at hand. He cowers among the embassy staff praying for extraction from the hands of death, fearing his part to play in the epidemic.
Follow this harrowing tale of survival, duty, love and horror as the living dead bring the world to its knees. The first installment of an epic series, End Time starts as a slow burn that turns into a breakneck-paced struggle for survival. Greene does an excellent job of depicting individual stories within the larger scope of the global epidemic. Enter the End Time.
©2018 Daniel Greene (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

October 10, 2021 - I am on track. I love seeing new things each time I read the Bible. I am glad to still be current with morning reading. I am reading/listening to the NLT Tyndale version of the Bible on You Version App so Hubby and I are reading the same passages each day.
No new study yet.

I completed only one (two by Monday) book and will review both this week.
My NetGalley shelf remains at 1 new children's title and 3 old ebooks titles, one of which I plan to read this month. 
I have two author titles remaining in queue. I'm still working on reading these.
(Plus a few that I received from facebook links and newsletter sign-ups, not specific review requests.)
Still many titles through InstaFreebie and many new author requests I haven't replied to.

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: Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit, me and new to the team, Velvet at vvb32reads. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

I requested/received no new review titles this week.
I picked up five free Audible Plus books.
I resisted purchasing audios this week.
Four free Kindle titles.
(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

NONE

Won

NONE

Purchased

NONE

Free

Five Audible Plus Catalog titles:

Harper's Ten: Fractured Space, Book 0.5
By: J.G. Cressey
Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
Series: Fractured Space, Book 0.5
Length: 6h 29m

A Winter Haunting
By: Dan Simmons
Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
Series: Summer of Night, Book 2
Length: 9h 49m

When the Morning Glory Blooms
By: Cynthia Ruchti
Narrated by: Melinda Sward
Length: 9h 27m

Mort(e): A Novel
By: Robert Repino
Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
Series: The War with No Name, Book 1
Length: 11h 8m

Halloween
The Official Movie Novelization
By: John Passarella
Narrated by: Emily Sutton-Smith
Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
I searched Horror and found this in the Plus Catalog plus many more that I didn't add to my library yet.

Four Kindle Titles - from Facebook links.
Deadly Touch: A gripping Detective Crime Thriller Short Story (Robin Matthews Series)
Audrey Walker

Lavish Lies
Charlotte Byrd

The Buried Symbol: A Discovery of Magic (Runes of Issalia Book 1)
Jeffrey L. Kohanek

Mail Order Bride: The Bride's Bond: Clean and Wholesome Western Historical Romance (Mail Order Brides For ALL Seasons)
Faith Johnson

Other Free titles often found at Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Sunday Words of Encouragement October 10, 2021

We enjoyed Sunday School again this morning with an excellent lesson I hope to share another day. In church we had moving worship that led to time with Spirit before Pastor shared his sermon. As Pastor noted, God is always moving but do we respond? We need to be willing to break through the ceiling or the walls of comfort and resistance. The believer should always be pushing to reach new levels in our relationship with God.

This comment fit in with Pastor’s conclusion to the series Walking With Jesus. Our ultimate companion and partner, is Jesus, and the Holy Spirit living in us. As stated in the earlier messages, our roots should grow into Him. Colossians 2: 6-7.

We are all familiar with company products and limited warranties that deliver failed promises. But we can always rely on the promises of God. Jesus promises the Holy Spirit will dwell with the believer. He sends us the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, as His representative. John 14:15-29.

The Point: True intimacy with God is possible because the Holy Spirit lives in us.

Abraham was given a promise, before he ever had a child, that he would be the father of many nations. Jesus died for believers so we might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13-14.

Submitting to the Holy Spirit helps us become more like Jesus. It is more than WWJD (What Would Jesus Do). It is being more like Jesus. God has that goal for you. We are children in the family of God and share in sufferings so that we may share in God’s glory. Romans 8:15-17.

The Holy Spirit and our spirit long for connection and intimacy. The flesh pushes against the spiritual connection. As Francis Chan says, our job is to put our flesh to death.

“The Bible admonishes us in Romans 8:13 to put to death the deeds of the sinful flesh by the Holy Spirit so that we might truly live.” See Chan’s blog - The Ordinary Christian.

The Holy Spirit leads us to life with Christ, to accomplish God's purpose.

“When we are at our wits’ end for an answer, then the Holy Spirit can give us an answer. But how can He give us an answer when we are still well supplied with all sorts of answers of our own? -Karl Barth-” ― Francis Chan, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit.

And why does it take us so long to get to God’s way?
A sure sign of the Holy Spirit's working in us is that Jesus is magnified through us.

“The Christian’s life in all its aspects—intellectual and ethical, devotional and relational, upsurging in worship and outgoing in witness—is supernatural; only the Spirit can initiate and sustain it. So apart from him, not only will there be no lively believers and no lively congregations, there will be no believers and no congregations at all. -J. I. Packer-”
― Francis Chan, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit.

Today is the day to move and respond to the Holy Spirit. Now...and at all moments. You cannot be led and follow without worshiping and magnifying Him. We should worship the one God magnifies – Christ Jesus.

I chose this song for today “Yahweh”:

Verses for Today:
Romans 8:15-17 NIV
15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.


Lord, keep me close to you through the Holy Spirit. Help me fight the flesh that leads me against Your Will.