SRKindredSpirits

When Mr. Nihar Suthar contacted me to review his new book, 'The Hope Raisers', I honestly wasn't sure I'd be interested. But I love this book and the idea that all it takes, is for a few good people to do something they believe in and they can inspire and have a lasting impact on so many more people than they will ever know! As, a teen, my Grandparents started a Misson in Kenya, Africa. And I have heard many stories and saw lots of pictures of how the Kenyans live... this book took me right back to watching my Grandpa's picture slides, listening to his stories, and singing 'Nothing But The Blood of Jesus' ('Hakuna kitu ila damu ya Yesu') in Swahili! Ok, back to the book....  This story is told honestly, without tiptoeing around the crushing poverty experienced by the Characters. They have never known life outside the world of poverty and slums they were born into.The hardships of unemployment, scant education, water and food scarcity, gang violenc...

"Through a sea of Spanish moss in a forest just north of the firehouse on Stable Road is an amphitheater. More than 40 years ago, its 2,000 seats were filled with residents and tourists watching popular musicals as wood storks soared overhead and stars lit the stage." - Tess Malone Our family's favorite winter vacation spot is Jekyll Island Georgia! When you live in Indiana and its been a cold winter with 7* F temps... walking along the beach in 75* F  sunshine feels absolutely wonderful! Anyway.... we have been going to the Island for 5 years now, but we just discovered the amphitheater this year! It is a beautiful spot for this rust loving, abandoned spirit searching, nature loving, soul and I can't wait to visit it again on our next trip. The true history of the amphitheater is slowly being forgotten. This once popular and family-friendly island attraction most definitely deserves its rightfully owned place in history, a memory that slowly fades with time passing b...

I thought this book would be great for me to review... self control is something we could all use a bit more of.... especially me... and especially when it comes to food! Author's Note: Why can’t I control my anger? Or stop overeating? Or wasting time online? Why can't I seem to finish my projects? Or make progress in my spiritual life? Why do I fall for the same stupid temptations over and over again? When we fail, its easy to make excuses or blame our circumstances. But let’s face it: the biggest enemy is usually the one staring back at us from the mirror every morning. We lack self-control. Self-control isn’t very popular these days. We tend to think of it as boring, confining, the cop that shows up and shuts down the party. But the truth is that people who cultivate this vital virtue lead freer, happier, and more meaningful lives. After all, our bad habits—from the slight to the serious—bring a host of painful consequences. Ultimately, they keep us from becoming the pe...

A Former Monk’s Financial Guide to Becoming a Little Bit Wealthy .... and Why That’s Okay Anyone that knows me, knows that I am not good with words... especially big words. I have trouble saying them, reading them and understanding them. I enjoy reading (and writing) as much as the next person, but when a book is written using big words, is hard to comprehend, or goes too deep, I zone out. Most financial books have me never finishing them. But not this one, - this one I got!  This book is good. I love the way the author provides easy to comprehend words, sound practical advice, and a down to earth, relate able, and compelling story.  The author makes a strong ethical case for striving to be "a little bit wealthy" by stepping off the treadmill of mindless consumerism (excessive unnecessary spending) and managing money more effectively to accumulate wealth over time. After all, it's up to us to take care of our financial health, which ultimately is a p...

Behind the Laughter A Comedian's Tale of Tragedy and Hope By: Anthony Griffith and Dr. Brigitte Travis-Griffin with Mark Caro “I was living every comic’s dream…with a nightmare attached.” Anthony Griffith, a stand-up comic from Chicago’s South Side, has lived on the borderline of comedy and tragedy. At the very time his career as a stand-up comedian was taking off, and he had finally achieved his dream of appearing on The Tonight Show, he was also enduring an unimaginable personal nightmare: his two-year-old daughter, Brittany Nicole, was dying from cancer. While Anthony performed under bright lights, he struggled not to succumb to the darkness of losing a child. Behind the Laughter asks, When your world is falling apart, how do you keep going? It’s the story of how Anthony and his wife, Brigitte, learned to endure the most painful of times and emerge on the other side of the “zombie years.” Although, I have not had a child die from cancer, I could definitely relate ...

The Theft of America's Soul Blowing the Lid Off the Lies That Are Destroying Our Country By: Phil Robertson  Our family has always loved the A&E show Dusk Dynasty and the whole Duck Commander Family (although Phil and Jase have always been my favorite!). So, when I when I had the chance to review this book, I thought -a little wisdom from Phil Robertson himself wouldn't hurt! And I was Right! Phil is the real deal, I like how he is not ashamed of his past or the mistakes he made, but rather how he has learned from them and uses it to help others. I love the simple down to earth, easy to talk to way of Phil Robertson. At a ripe age and more money than he will ever spend, the question could be asked, "Why would he subject himself to persecution and ridicule?" The answer is simple, He truly knows and believes Jesus is the son of God. He knows that those who open their hearts can be changed. Phil makes a compelling point: Without God, America ha...

"He never saw it coming. It was the night of Dave and Ann’s tenth wedding anniversary and if asked how their marriage was doing, Dave would have said a 9.8 out of 10 and he even guaranteed Ann would say the same. But instead of giving a celebratory kiss, Ann whispered, “I’ve lost my feelings for you.”  Divorce seemed inevitable. But starting that night, God began to reveal to Dave and Ann the most overlooked secret of getting the marriage we are looking for: the horizontal marriage relationship just doesn’t work until the vertical relationship with Christ is first." This book was a fun and a good read in more ways than one... couples often think of marriage as husband and wife. But a great marriage only works if it's vertical - husband, wife and God! The book was divided into four parts... Going Vertical, Conflict and Communication, Intimacy (which was my favorite), and Living Vertical.  I have always found it odd that many Christians think that it's wro...

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Theology From the Spring - by Jacob Taggart  My hubby and I love nature. I love the sound of a stream, with the leaves rustling overhead.... and wh en we are surrounded by Gods beautiful creation, we feel, completely, and utterly free! You see, for us, there is  no clear line between religion and nature. And though I don't fly fish, I still benefited from this unique look at spring creeks as they reveal the truths of the Gospel.  Pastor Jacob A. Taggart takes his readers on a voyage to pull them out from behind their screens and back into the world that reflects the One Who created everything. He uses divine truths that make sense of the beauty and chaos we see within the created order.  For me personally the book was deep, and a little hard to read. But then again, I'm not a theologian or an avid reader!  Overall, whether you are searching for God, or you are a seasoned Chrsitian, this book  can still awe and inspire you by bringi...

Who I Am with You - By Robin Lee Hatcher  Published by Thomas Nelson I normally don't read very many fiction books.... but this one caught my attention.  I loved Andrew and Helen’s relationship, and the way Andrew kept trying to work on their marriage even after he knew the truth about Helen's betrayal. And, that they could completely and fully forgive each other and have a great marriage. I also loved the relationship between Jessica and Ridley, and how it started out as a friendship! There was a lot of trust there, which I loved as well. When they encountered road blocks they didn’t fight or attack each other, they just trusted each other. This book is hard for me to review, as I really liked it the story, but I didn't like the time jumps. I thought both stories were good and well written, but it was confusing jumping between the two. For me personally, I would have rather had two books, the series should have started with Andrew and Helen'...

No matter how often you see the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life", you will be entranced. It is flawless, and my all time favorite Christmas movie. It is the kind of experience movies were invented for...  A kind man, overwhelmed by life's trials, is visited by a heavenly messenger and gains a new lease on life. George Bailey dreams of seeing the world and having a grand impact on it. But small-town responsibilities strand him at home. The family business struggles to stay afloat, enduring constant attacks by a power-hungry tyrant. Pressures mount until George reaches the breaking point, convinced the world would be better off had he never existed. To show him what that world would've been like, a friendly angel (without wings) escorts George through that same town—now a dark place having never felt his virtuous influence. In the end, George embraces the wonderful life he nearly threw away. Here are some powerful quotes from "It's A Wonde...

Did you know, you are allowed to be happy?! In her book, The Year of Living Happy: Finding Contentment and Connection in a Crazy World, Alli Worthington talks about how we were made to be happy, and that God desires us to be happy. That in being happy, we are living for Him.  "My hope for The Year of Living Happy is to bring the truth of Scripture and best of modern research together as a guide to real happiness." ~ Alli Worthington Whether you're struggling with being happy or not, this little book has some great information and tips to help you live your happiest life! The devotions are short, and a scripture verse is mentioned in each one.  There are one hundred devotions in all. An attached bookmark is also included, which is always a helpful addition to a book. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have e...

If you've hung around me for any length of time, you know that I am weird. I am awkward, I say all the wrong things, I'm too loud, I don't fit in. I like angles - circle and squares are boring. Rainy days are made for me. I don't like people. Being different is one of my best assets. I like the fact that I'm different. So, when I saw this book, my thought was 'if it's about being weird like me, I've got to read it'! Michael Frost continues to challenge me to be bold and brave to think and live differently (weirdly)! Many Christians have become comfortable letting the world mold them, instead of being set apart by God. And many churches have traded in their biblical roots for complacent conventionality. But Jesus and the church are anything but conventional.  If our churches are filled with people not living weird and instead living the same way everybody else is, then what do we as Christians have to commend? The church need...

If you ever wanted to know how mental illness can effect people, Leaving Cloud 9 is a great read. This book could've been written by my someone I used to know. There are so many comparisons to things he went through as a child, yet in some ways, his experience was different too. I was so young at the time - 16, and I was pretty nieve. I didn't know anything about mental illness. If I did, I really think things would have ended differently. I wish that I could've helped him get the help he needed. I really think people struggling with mental illness just need someone to love them, and walk beside them and to get them help, wether that's medication or therapy, etc... they really just need someone to believe in them. I believe everyone could benefit from reading cloud nine! Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The...

Dolly and her husband remind me of me and mine. My hubby doesn't like the spotlight or all the glitz. I love singing and would love to have a career on stage..... I wouldn't mind the glitz and glamour that comes with it either! And yes, my all time favorite Dolly Parton song is, "I Will Always Love You". -It's a classic! I got this book, because I have been somewhat fascinated by Dolly Parton. (Not in an 'obsession' kind of way, but in a 'how did she get to where she's at?' kind of way).  Well, the last couple books I read to review were great... so I guess it was time for a dud. For me this book fell short in so many ways. The author made the book more about him than about Dolly. I mean seriously, I don't care how you grew up, or what has or is happening in your life.... I got the book to read about Dolly, - not some dude I don't know. Don't waste your time or money on this book! Disclosure of Material Connect...

I love this book just as much as I liked Rory Feeks 1st book - This Life I Live. There is something so honest and real about reading this book. I can relate to just about everything, right down to ' white being my favorite color, even though people tell me it's not really a color'...... except the singing on stage and being famous part.... I can't relate to that at all.... I feel the exact same way about school- that pushing everyone to learn the same way is a bunch of bunk! That reading, writing and arithmetic are fine, but a child's character and life skills and compassion and heart are even more important.... I could have written about church hopping.... hubby and I never thought that would be us, but it seems that churches are either large, contemporary, progressive, and liberal or they are small, narrow minded, full of rules and bondage. We have spent alot of time looking for a home church, hoping to find the promised land, but somehow feelin...