Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway June 17, 2022

Happy Friday!  HAPPY SUMMER on June 21, the longest day of the year! After that, the days will start to shorten again.
TO ENTER FRIDAY PICK.
I got the picture uploaded for the new set of books.

I've started putting together my totals for GC wins and hope to be sending emails in the next week or so.

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 June 10, 2022 Pick. There was no 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. Johanna Lindsey pair was blocked with two requesters.

CONGRATULATIONS to two winners:
Random.org picked Winner from June 10, 2022 Pick:
  MARJORIE gets a GC
and
SUEF gets Heir to a Dark Inheritance

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.}

A lawnchair and a book sound like a good way to start the summer, don't you agree? 
Image found at Pinterest posted by Carol Moulton

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 1,397 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!

#NetGalley ebook Review: The Unsinkable Gus Davis by Laurie Trumble Davis

This is a very cute book with a good message.

The Unsinkable Gus Davis
by Laurie Trumble Davis
Paulette Bogan (Illustrations)

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09VYB76KR
Publisher ‏ : ‎ The Collective Book Studio (June 21, 2022)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 21, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 24433 KB
Genre: Children: Pre School to 3rd, Ages 4-8
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0.

Gus Davis is a French bulldog who thinks he can do anything—even swim. Bean is Gus’s human best friend who thinks bulldogs aren’t designed for the water.
Who is right?
It turns out, they both are!
All it takes is a persistent bulldog and a creative human friend to prove that, with a little practice and adaptation, anything is possible. The Unsinkable Gus Davis is a playful story about figuring things out, staying safe around water, and laughing along the way!

Review:
This is a very quick read. It is wonderful for dog lovers and works to teach children about swimming difficulties and swimming safety.

French bulldogs have very short legs so they are unable to swim safely. But Gus is sure he can do it. How can his human, Bean, help him?

I love the illustrations that go with the very easy reading. Gus is adorable. I would be glad to buy this for my grandchildren and know they would love to read it to me!

Source: NetGalley 2022. This qualifies for 2022NetGalley goal.

Audible Book Review: Swing Shift by William D. Arand

This is a fun paranormal crime thriller.
Swing Shift
By: William D. Arand
Narrated by: Andrea Parsneau

Series: Swing Shift, Book 1
Length: 14 hrs and 16 mins
Release date: 07-09-19
Publisher: William D. Arand
Genre: Crime Thriller, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Reports to write, forms to fill, coffee to drink, leads to run down.
Gus’s life was a tedium and boredom he’d grown comfortable with. One that he sought out after he’d come back from his tour of duty.
A detective in the paranormal investigations department. A job he could work day in and day out in relative peace. One cold and forgotten cup of coffee at a time.
It was an environment that made some sense to him. At least in comparison to civilian life where almost nothing did. On top of that, it gave him a chance to hide what he was from the rest of the world.
An apex predator that made the entirety of the paranormal world fear him. His very species was often killed as soon as they were found out.
By government and citizen alike.
He’s a Boogieman.
A name that made humans laugh, and vampires curse. It was a strange life to be sure.
Now though, Gus’s stable non-life is about to be kicked over. Whether he likes it or not, he’s about to be handed a case that’s going to mess up his already screwed up life.
©2019 William D. Arand (P)2019 William D. Arand

Review:
Gus is a unique character...after all there are very few Boogiemen left in the world since they tend to stir up hate when they are exposed. Gus works the swing shift – the day shift for the paranormal – and waits for something to happen between cold cups of coffee. Normally things are quiet but then he gets called out to a crime scene where a Troll has lost his enchanted mask (masks hide the paranormal from human sight). Worse, the Troll has gone berserk. This is alarming particularly since an attractive human detective, Vanessa, has tagged along. That problem will be solved when she gets her mind wiped later by an Enchanter.

Once the crime team (Enchanters) arrive, Gus and Vanessa are dismissed. Vanessa shows up at Gus’s home since she has nothing else to do for the day and is curious about this new world she knows nothing about. They both figure it won’t hurt for her to learn more since they’ll be wiping her memory anyway.

They are called on to start investing the mask failure. When they arrive to check out the Troll’s home, they interrupt someone. Gus sets off to chase the young woman even as he realizes she is a powerful Contractor. When he catches Melody, she is shocked and intrigued that he was able to track her. Gorgeous Melody is a hyper personality whose pushiness is hard to resist.

Melody attaches herself to Gus and Vanessa to continue the investigation as other paranormal beings lose their masks and go aggressive. The three are gathering clues and racing to stop a major ‘terrorist’ attack even as Melody is pushing to get Gus to agree to contract with her (marry) and to have Vanessa join them. Before they save the paranormal community a third beautiful, young woman, Trish, aka the office cleaning lady who is really an Elven Dryad Sorceress, is added to the team.

I was curious why the cover was a pretty woman when the main character is a guy. Once you meet all the different characters it becomes clear. Gus is a solid character and the women are a handful of crazy. Admittedly, I am not into menage relationships. However, although these characters end up in cozy settings, this book doesn’t get to real sex scenes.

The story is wonderfully busy with a good blend of relationship humor and suspenseful action. I enjoyed the plot and race to stop the bad actors. I recommend this to readers who enjoy fun paranormal.

Audio Notes: Andrea Parsneau does a good job of narrating the energy and characters. Gus shares quite a bit of internal thought and I was able to follow that with the effective narration. The audio enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: 12/1/2019 Audible Sale for $5.00. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.

Sunday Post June 12, 2022/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday June 13, 2022

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 made more progress on work this week. Our time from consult to letter or deed is now within three weeks (unless a rush is required).

I didn't get to post my grandson's HS graduation in May so here is a picture.

My daughter (mother of the graduate), my son (while he was visiting), me (happy and proud to celebrate with this wonderful young man) and graduated Grandson!

Heather and my granddaughters stayed with me Wednesday and Thursday nights which was nice. The girls and I got our nails done at the end of the day Thursday. I hadn't been sinceNovember! Maybe I'll post our nails next week.

I continue with my previous prayer list.
.
We continue to have rain and heat. This coming week looks like all 90s (91 to 95) during the day and 70s (72 to 76) at night; six days projected scattered thunderstorms.

I enjoyed my audios this week and the short children's book. I am still doing CLE courses which I will finish before month's end. I finished two audio books, one children's book, and 7.5 hours of CLE courses. I posted two reviews, and my usual memes.

I was glad to visit 17 blogs again last week.
A Shout Out today to CHARLOTTE BURK'S BOOKS. Charlotte is a book lover who admits to reading "pure trash" back in the 80s. :-)

Audible offerings for free children's titles ended June 30, 2021.
Audiobooks.com is still sharing some free listens for children.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post June 5, 2022/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday June 6, 2022.

• MBS May 2022 Reading List Wrap Up.

• ATBR:Audible by Book Review: You Have the Right to Remain Innocent by James Duane; Genre: Civil Rights & Liberties, Constitution, Legal System; My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.75; Narration 4.75.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway June 10, 2022. Open Worldwide. Ending 6/16/2022.

• ATBR: Audio Book Review: Redemption Bay by RaeAnne Thayne; Genre: Contemporary, Romance; My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.0; Narration 3.75.

• Sharing Beyond Books #446 Comment Giveaway June 11, 2022. Open Worldwide. Ending 6/25/2022.
  

• Sunday Words of Encouragement June 12, 2022.

Finished Reading:
1. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

Swing Shift
By: William D. Arand
Narrated by: Andrea Parsneau
Length: 14 hrs and 16 mins
This is a fun paranormal police procedural (with some issues).
Source: 12/1/2019 Audible Sale for $5.00.
Click on book title for full description.

2. AdobeDigital (NG2022)

The Unsinkable Gus Davis
by Laurie Trumble Davis
This is a very cute book with a good message.
I received an email about the same time I saw this at NetGalley.
Source: NetGalley 2022.
Gus Davis is a French bulldog who thinks he can do anything—even swim.
Bean is Gus’s human best friend who thinks bulldogs aren’t designed for the water.
Who is right?
It turns out, they both are!
All it takes is a persistent bulldog and a creative human friend to prove that, with a little practice and adaptation, anything is possible. The Unsinkable Gus Davis is a playful story about figuring things out, staying safe around water, and laughing along the way!

3. NetGalley App Audio Smartphone (NG2022)

I

Aeon Rising: The Apocalypse Begins
by Matthew Mather
10 hours and 43 minutes
I was pulled right into this apocalyptic techno-thriller.
Source: NetGalley 2022
An apocalyptic supernova flashes over the South Pole. A mysterious mission sent deep into the Amazon.
The story of one family’s struggle to reunite…
Max Carver, a down-on-his-luck truck driver and Army vet, joins a rescue mission into Brazil. The target is a utopian tech village, the Colony, hidden in the rainforest and run by a charismatic genius. Max’s pregnant wife, Talisha Carver, is the NSA analyst who intercepted encrypted Colony messages signaling a mysterious impending event.
Dr. Xin Rou is a Chinese researcher working at the IceCube neutrino experiment at the South Pole. On lucky days a single flash might signal the passage of a ghostly interstellar particle. Suddenly, IceCube’s entire array lights up. A million detectors at once. Which is impossible. The Antarctic sky is clear and calm—but she is already running for the door.
Because the world is about to end.
But the mystery only just begins...

CLE Courses:
Guardianships: Individual Rights, Statutory Updates, Uniform Laws, and Abuses -- 2hr
Florida 2021 Annual Guardianship -- 5.5hrs

Currently Reading:

1. Audio Smartphone (ATBR)

Three More Jack Reacher Novellas
Written by Lee Child
Narrated by Dick Hill
Run Time 8h 9min
I didn't get to start this as I wanted to get to the new NetGalley Audio.
like Jack Reacher and I think I will enjoy this.
Source: 8/14/2021 Chirp Under $2.00.

2. Audible Smartphone (ATBR)

Zombies
A Record of the Year of Infection
By: Don Roff
Narrated by: Stephen R. Thorne
Length: 1 hr and 40 mins
I pulled this as a short title and a "Z" title.
Source: October 2021 Audible Plus Catalog.
Publisher's Summary
The year is 2011, and what starts as a pervasive and inexplicable illness ends up as a zombie infestation that devastates the world's population. Taking the form of a biologist's journal found in the aftermath of the attack, this pulse-pounding, suspenseful tale of zombie apocalypse follows the narrator as he flees from city to countryside and heads north to Canada, where he hopes the undead will be slowed by the colder climate. Encountering scattered humans and scores of the infected along the way, he fills his notebook with descriptions and careful observations of zombie behavior, along with terrifying tales of survival.
This frightening contribution to the massively popular zombie resurgence will keep fans on the edge of their seats right up to the very end. ©2009 Don Roff (P)2012 AudioGO

June 12, 2022 - I am still getting caught up on videos I missed while we had no internet at home. The Bible Reading Plan is: BibleProject | One Story that Leads to Jesus. I am enjoying keeping up with my reading each day.
I'll look for a new study maybe next month.

I completed three books for review. I have three reviews to write and post this week. 
NO CHANGE -- I added two NetGalley but finished both. That puts my NetGalley shelf back to the three old ebook titles. I will probably end up letting A Place Called Armageddon go as DNF.
I don't have any author reviews in my queue right now.
(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 received two review books from NetGalley.
I did pick up one title at Audible Plus Catalog.
Looking at titles at NetGalley I landed on a page at Amazon with several links to free Kindle titles so I added 18 ebooks to my Kindle TBR library today.

Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

Two received from NetGalley, one audio and one ebook:

Aeon Rising: The Apocalypse Begins
by Matthew Mather
For more information see link under Finished Reading above.

The Unsinkable Gus Davis
by Laurie Trumble Davis
For more information see link under Finished Reading above.

Won

NONE

Purchased

NONE

Free

6/10/2022 Audible Plus Catalog

Quake!: Disaster in San Francisco, 1906
By: Gail Langer Karwoski
Narrated by: Terry Bregy
This is convenient because I needed a Q title for my second Alphabet group.

18 Free titles added to Kindle library. Free titles often found at Bookbub, Bookfun, Book Adrenaline, Ereader News Today, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Sunday Words of Encouragement June 12, 2022

I enjoyed my Sunday morning with church family. We shared prayer concerns and then our Sunday School teacher continued the study of Revelations discussing Chapter 14 and the witnesses.

We enjoyed praise and worship and then our Assistant (Youth) Pastor (AP) preached a good sermon titled ‘Distractions’. AP noted that he ha always loved video gaming and was on a serious PG team a few years ago although he never earned money through gaming. AP was called into the ministry to serve God. He was not called to professional gaming.

After sharing a side screen of Mario Brothers (with the accompanying background sounds), AP pointed out that gaming for him, and the side screen that was on, are distractions. The enemy knows how to distract us. We need to be diligent in recognizing our own distractions before they become a problem.

AP shared the parable of the sower and the seeds from Mark 4:1-8. He again noted that the enemy has those obstacles and distractions ready that can side-track believers.

How do we navigate through the distractions? When any item takes president over spiritual growth there is trouble.
The world tells us it is normal. The enemy makes you think it is fine and pull you away from studying the word. Time is limited and precious for each of us.
Why does the enemy distract us?
1. Satan, the enemy, distracts us to hinder our individual spiritual growth.
2. When we get distracted, we lose our God-given purpose.
3. Distractions inevitably cause us to stray from God.

It is distractions that lead us out of God's plans and move us out of His hands.
These are primary fields of distractions to be aware of.

A. Work. Why do we put such emphasis on a job if it is not promoting God? We need to put spiritual issues first.
B. Materialism. If we are intent on getting the next best thing, then we are focusing on the wrong goal.
C. Relationships. Relationships with those around us and in our lives are important but the most important relationship is our relationship with our Creator, God. Where is our focus?
D. Social Media. Records indicate that there are 4.2 billion cell phone users, and the tech platforms are working hard to reach every one of them. Compare the efforts of the tech companies to the Christian efforts to spread God’s word around the world. There are still 7000 unreached people groups in the world.
E. Religion. The rules of organized religions can be a distraction to a personal relationship. This is a point of personal Faith (belief and trust) versus systems of rules. The Bible even speaks to future where there is deceitful teaching. 1 Timothy 4.
The Christian Church is a body of believers working to share God's message.
F. Yourself. When we are focused inward, we may lose our focus on God.
How do we combat all of these distractions? It is crucial that we stay connected with God. Give yourself to God first. Make Him your primary focus. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33.

Gather with other Christians and surround yourself with friends who will help you stay in the word and strengthen your relationship with God.
Don't let day to day distractions keep your focus off God. It isn’t necessarily easy but we must try each day to Focus on God.

I found several song videos I liked today. This is the one I choose for the message:
The More I Seek You

Verses for Today:
Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

1 Timothy 4:13-16 (NIV)
13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.


Lord, Please help me keep my focus on YOU!