Book Review: A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

This brief little book by W. Phillip Keller provides fresh and insightful commentary on one of the most famous passages of the Bible, the 23rd Psalm. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 is only a 3 hour and 45 minute listen, but the experience will lead to a deeper understanding of what we often overlook because we know the psalm by rote memory. The author is familiar with tending sheep. He knows both the way of the sheep and of the good shepherd. He explores and dissects each phrase in the psalm to glean meaning and inspiration for Christians. I found this Christian classic so encouraging to my heart and soul. It made me want to stay close to the Father and trust His expert care.

Book Review: More Than Friends

I feel compelled to explain each time I comment on a book now. My reviews are lackluster. My enthusiasm for books has taken a hit. I don't wish this to reflect poorly on authors, but I'm finding it difficult to feel fully invested in the stories I read. Grief has a way of dulling things around you, and stripping old pleasures from you. I enjoyed my last Denise Hunter read, The Second Story Bookshop. Plus, I liked the first Hunter book I read, Bookshop by the Sea. This book, More Than Friends, was one of the few standalone books slated in the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge.

Jenna Greene lost her firefighter father in his line of work. Ever since, she has sworn she will not date a firefighter. However, when her best friend, Tyson, hints at wanting to move their relationship into something more, she is tempted. The story takes place on Chincoteague Island. I had read Misty of Chincoteague when I was much younger. But I really hadn't thought of that book in the time since.

The flawed characters face typical challenges. The storyline about Jenna's mother adds extra conflict to move the plot along. Each character's inner and outer conflicts ring true and realistic. This is a perfectly reasonable choice for Christian romantic fiction.

Book Review: Tragedy to Triumph

Reuel Nygaard's book, Tragedy to Triumph, was nestled on my downstairs bookshelf amid the other Christian titles. Seeking a new addition to my morning devotional time, I pulled it out and decided while it might be a difficult read, it might also be exactly what I need. Nygaard's 23-year-old son, Kelly, took his own life. We are not sure if our son, Trevor, acted with intention. He had been texting his dad, just a few hours before his time of death, telling him when he needed to be picked up from work. Perhaps he felt if he just took a little of the drugs, it would help him get through his shift. We cannot know for certain, but the devastation is the same, regardless of intent.

Like Trevor, Kelly Nygaard was a promising young man with a troubled heart. His parents experienced all the standard questions, like "what if we had noticed the signs?" and "what if we had intervened in time?" Kelly was driven by depression. Our son's anxiety drove him to addiction, which led to his death. This was difficult to read, yes. But, it was also affirming. I marked one passage where Nygaard tells of their certainty that Christ's blood forgives sin--past, present, and future. Their son had accepted Christ's forgiveness and grace. He declared, "Kelly died of an illness... God... would [not] turn away his own child who had suffered and died a painful death."

I looked the author up. He is deceased now, and with his son in heaven. God got this family through the tragic demise of their child; He can certainly get us through, as well. We intend to cling to Him just as firmly as Trevor clung to the Lord amid his trials.

Mid-month Mention: Jesus Writing Month

After reading, loving, and highly recommending Beth Brower's Emma M. Lion series, I happily stumbled upon a delightful Substack written by Mara Rowan. She writes under "Tenant in the Garret." She discusses all things Emma and her suitors. While I personally haven't chosen a side on this debate, I love reading her perspective on this issue. Thus, I followed her Substack.

A few weeks ago, she highlighted a writing opportunity. My faithful readers will know that I have struggled to maintain my old writing pursuits. In the battle with my addicted son, Trevor, the traumas and pressures seemed to squeeze out my energies and motivations for anything other than my morning pages and my blog posts. The struggle began in 2023, when he overdosed and I performed CPR until paramedics revived him with Narcan. I know many who say writer's block is not real; they see it simply as an excuse for not pushing through the silence. Every attempt to work on a project felt stifled. I came to accept my liminal space. Making peace was better than berating myself for my inconsistency.

Although immediately drawn to this mentioned writing opportunity, I hesistated to join. I did not want to take a space that could be used by someone more likely to succeed in this venture. Thus, I sat on the email for a while and prayed about it. Even now, I don't know if I can or will make good on this prospect. But, I pulled the trigger anyway.

I'm joining Jesus Writing Month this November! I haven't participated in National Novel Writing Month in almost a decade. Every November, from 2009-2018, I reached for 50,000 words, only stopping in 2019, when we discovered our son's addiction. Former NaNoWriMo participant, Justice Tilsher, created a community for writers to steward the stories God has given them. 

Jesus Writing Month is a FREE 30-day writing REVIVAL (Don't you love that word? I do! May it be a revival that stirs my spirit and my talent!). It is intended for Christian writers who want to write with greater peace, freedom, and faithfulness to Christ. Instead of word count (the key motivator in NaNoWriMo), the focus shifts to answering God's call to steward gifts and talents.

Are you a Christian writer eager to give back to God what He has placed in your hands? Why not join me? 

If you follow this link, you can sign up now!

Don't delay like I did, because spaces are limited! If you sign on after it fills, you can still follow along (but you might miss the community options). Want to write with me in November? If you do, and if you join, please let me know you are swimming in these waters with me. I may be a salmon, swimming against the current of my grief, but you might be a torrentfish (adapted to life in shallow, fast-flowing rapids).

Book Review: Theo of Golden - Highly Recommend

I'll join the crowd. Allen Levi's debut self-published novel, Theo of Golden, has garnered the attention of the masses, and with good reason. It is "[a] word-of-mouth smash hit," according to The New York Times. Theo is a delightful character! I believe everyone who reads this book, will wish for a Theo in their life. This book was a joy to read, even if it touched on sorrow while I was drowning in grief over the loss of my son. I had to jot down passages that resonated.

When Theo arrives in the town of Golden, he is immediately struck by an extensive display of portraits hanging on the walls of the local coffee shop. His mind concocts a scheme and he begins to purchase them, one at a time, to return them to their subjects. Each time he meets another individual at the famed bench of exchange, he learns about their life and gives them encouragement. He deflects questions about himself, but draws out every person he meets.

As the inside cover proclaims, it is "a story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen... a beautifully crafted novel about the power of creative generosity, the importance of wonder to a purposeful life, and the invisible threads of kindness that bind us to one another." Oh, the world needs more Theos! I wish I could be a Theo. It made me think, "What can I do to uplift and encourage others?"

I could relate to this about the loss of Theo's child:

"Every thought of Tita made Theo gasp and sob at the nauseating finality of her death. The impossibility of her return, the endlessness of his waiting for her presence, the suffocating silence of the house, his inability to find any words to express what he felt, and the haunting realization that it did not have to happen drove Theo to near madness.... His suffering was aggravated by a sense of guilt that took the form of a single tormenting question, 'Did I not protect my child?'"

I could relate to Theo's explanation of port wine:

"Vintage is God's work. A grower cannot make it happen.... The roots can only grow in stony, difficult ground. The pruner's shears cut deep. The grapes are crushed and kept in the dark for decades. For the sake of the sweetness. For this very moment."

Theo's response to Tony's description of the loss of his friend, Bobbo, felt poignant: "In one sense, yes, it was an end. A terrible end. But maybe not the end. Maybe an end with a future."

I had to read this painful passage, a tribute to Simone's parents, aloud to my youngest son:

"I know what it is to love a child and to want above all else in life, that they be good and wise and happy. In honoring your son tonight, we also honor you. It is written somewhere that 'most people die with all of their songs still inside them.' Thank you for protecting Simone from that terrible fate. Because of you, he blesses us."

What a blessing this book was to me. Even though grief was front and center, it was a healing balm. If you haven't picked this book up yet, I highly recommend you do. There are too few really good things in life. Theo's character is one of them.

Book Review: One Summer

I had prescheduled review posts for several weeks when my son unexpectedly died in July. This was beneficial, because I didn't have to stress about writing book reviews. While I read very little for almost two weeks, I was surprisingly able to return to reading, even in my grief. It provided a distraction from the pain. But, I'm realizing, it has the feel of reading under water. My sense of how to review a book is greatly challenged. Even the outstanding books, don't feel as outstanding as they may have if I weren't reading under water. So, I apologize if my reviews lack luster or verve. I am lusterless, de-verved.

One Summer, by David Baldacci, is a book I checked out for listening on my car rides. After really enjoying Baldacci's Strangers in Time, I eagerly selected this novel (again, quickly, from the shelves). Jack Armstrong wants one more Christmas with his family. Doctors gave him weeks to live, and he's down to his final days. In a strange reversal of fortunes, his wife dies in a car accident.  Jack's kids are farmed out to family. Then, Jack begins to gain strength and defy his terminal diagnosis. Regaining his kids, he hopes to celebrate the summer where his wife grew up.

This novel is full of the conflicted dynamics that make up many families. There's no way around it, families are messy! Jack's is messy enough for two. So many emotions swirl: grief, jealousy, selfishness, arrogance, and spite. Will Jack and the kids get the summer they desired, or will their dreams be shattered by fractured family hostilities? I didn't like it as much as Strangers in Time, perhaps because it wasn't set in England. Moreover, I despised the mood music included in an attempt to ramp up the listener's emotional reaction. I think it was a clean read (maybe some language). Still, I'm willing to seek another Baldacci title.

Book Review: The Night Bus

After enjoying Tessa Bickers' The Book Swap, I selected her newer title, The Night Bus. I will admit, I was not ripe for it, since I was knee-deep in the early days of grieving. Still, it did bide the time when I walked on the treadmill (more often than I'd have liked, due to air quality issues). Daisy Douglas is conflicted about the wedding she's planning. When her bus breaks down, she ends up meeting the strange man on the bus who has been compulsively reading one book for months on her morning trek to work. Tom believes the book holds the key to why his girlfriend broke up with him. Daisy promises to help him woo the girl back, but as they work toward this goal, sparks begin to flicker. The characters were sweet, but the tale sometimes predictable. I'm grateful for the distraction it provided from my exercise.

📒 Content Caution: sex and language

Book Review: A God Who Acts

Harry Blamires was a friend of C. S. Lewis. This book, A God Who Acts: Recognizing the Hand of God in Suffering and Failure, was a companion in my devotional reading time just prior to my son's death. A passage from the front of the book sums up much of what I ruminated on when Trevor passed away without attaining the ministry we begged God to give him. "What have we the right to expect when we invoke God's blessings upon our schemes and ventures, when we pray for his help and guidance in our personal affairs? Is the hand of God to be discerned in our failures as well as in our successes?" What do we do with all those intense prayers we prayed but never realized? God's will was done. I have no doubt.

Man is not the initiator, "conceiving a desirable course of action, bringing it to God's notice as one might send a letter to an M.P., and then waiting for a favourable reponse--hoping, as we say, that the idea will be adopted.... He is an initiating God. His incarnate encounter with humanity is a dramatic action whose plot was conceived in heaven, not a piece of cosmic legislation pushed through the high courts in response to human petition."

Our Christian vocation is to serve God. To work with Him as He acts in our world. Some are called to suffer more than others, but God is in every detail. We can trust Him to get it right. Just like in the life of Joseph, as outlined by Alistair Begg, God is in our successes and our failures.

Book Review: The Bright Years

[Note: This was the last book review I wrote before my 21-year-old, addicted son died of overdose. I am leaving it as I wrote it that day. I certainly could not pick this book up now!]

How I wish I couldn't relate to this much-lauded book! Set in Texas, Sarah Damoff's debut novel, The Bright Years, deals with love and loss, secrets and addiction. It chronicles the life of the Bright family, as told from three perspectives. The husband Ryan is hiding an addiction. The wife Lillian is hiding a birth. Amid these secrets and tumultuous challenges, daughter Georgette struggles to endure and thrive in a life full of trouble. The story slowly unwinds to reveal the fallout of their humanity and fragility. It fills the reader with an ache of both beauty and tragedy.

What strikes me most about this book, is that it clearly demonstrates grace and redemption amid torment and brokenness. Life can be such a delicate thing! Loss, while difficult to bear, can break us open to appreciate the blessings we experience. Without the rain, do we know to value the sun? It is a hard book to read, but a positive experience in the end. Anyone loving an addict will wish they didn't recognize the truths and examples revealed in this fictional tale. And if you are fortunate enough to explore this fiction from afar, thank your lucky stars that in reading, you only have to experience this second-hand. 

I explored Sarah Damoff's website. She looks so young to have written a book with such deep insights. The page for this book offers a reading group guide, a playlist, and the first chapter of the book. This story holds much conversational fodder. It would make a great book club selection.

2026 - Third Quarterly Review

To assist my blog readers, I summarize my reading four times a year, providing a brief description, genre, the page count, and a grading scale (💖5 page-turner - highly recommend, 4 page-turner - enjoyed, 3 page-turner - good, 2 page-turner - meh, and 1 page-turner - regret, wishing I could get back the time invested). I read the following books during the third quarter of 2026 (links to full reviews can be found in the side-bar, or after 2026, found through the search bar at the right):

Once and Again by Rebecca Serle - What if you had a coin allowing one do-over in your life? What would you go back to change? General Market Fiction. 242 pages, 📃📃📃📃

A Sketch of the Life and Labors of George Whitefield by J. C. Ryle - A concise account of George Whitefield's life, preaching, and ministry during the Great Awakening. A great follow-up read after seeing the outstanding movie, A Great Awakening. Christian Biography. 78 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 1-1/3 hours), 📃📃📃-1/2

Launch Out into the Deep: When the Deep Becomes Holy Ground by Sarah Trent - After following Sarah's writings on Facebook, I eagerly swept up this small devotional full of encouragement for the difficult journeys of life. 138 pages, 📃📃📃📃 

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Ryland Grace, a middle school teacher, is sent on a mission to save Earth and humanity from a threat to the sun which would make life unsustainable. Great for those interested in science. General Fiction. 496 pages, 📃📃📃-1/2

It's a God Thing! Inspiring Stories of Life-Changing Friendships by Larry Baker with Becky Lyles - Larry Baker is a hairdresser/evangelist. Through building friendships, he forges relationships that lead others to seek Christ. Christian Living. 139 pages, 📃📃📃📃

Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate - Stuffed animals work with a cat to get two valuable bears where they belong. Children's Fiction. 255 pages, 📃📃📃

Now and Forever by Ray Bradbury - Two novellas: "Somewhere a Band is Playing," and "Leviathan '99." Science-fiction is not really my first choice. Science-fiction. 224 pages (I listened in audio form, 4 CDs, 4-3/4 hours), 📃📃

His Redeeming Love by Jonathan Edwards - 30 devotionals providing stirring thoughts from the great revivalist, based on a scripture passage. Christian Devotional. 151 pages, 📃📃📃-1/2

Nothing Ventured and Hidden in Plain Sight by Jeffrey Archer - The first two in the William Warwick series, these are stories of art theft, murder accusations, Scotland Yard investigations, and legal trials. High-paced, with all Archer's expected twists. Crime Fiction. 640 pages total (read 336, listened on Hoopla, 8-1/4 hours), 📃📃📃-1/2

God's Smuggler to China by Brother David - In a similar vein to Brother Andrew's ministry, Brother David's goal is to get a million Bibles into China. Very convicting and inspiring. Christian Autobiography. 223 pages, 📃📃📃

Just Out There Somewhere (Thoughts About Moving On) by Kyle L. White - I'm partial to Kyle's writing. I love how he observes the world around him and draws insights from ordinary things. Christian Essays. 59 pages, 📃📃📃📃

By Design: God's Distinctive Calling for Women by Susan Hunt - Men and women are different and God has a specific plan for each of the sexes. When we live within our design framework, we will find satisfaction and fulfillment. Christian Women's Studies. 189 pages, 📃📃📃 

💖The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion (Vol. 1-8) by Beth Brower - What a delightful dip into British Victorian Society! While a bit unrealistic, as Emma has more freedoms than that time would have allowed, it was great fun to listen to these installments of Emma's story. I anxiously await the release of the 9th book. British Literary Fiction. (1903 pages total - I listened to all on Hoopla, 59-1/4 hours), 📃📃📃📃📃

💖Stronger Than the Storm by Deena Adams - This excellent debut novel covers the gamut of emotions parents battle when a child makes self-destructive choices. Stayed up past bedtime reading. Christian Fiction. 372 pages, 📃📃📃📃📃

Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty With God Transforms Your Soul by Kyle Strobel & John Coe - Prayer mystifies. These authors assert the most important thing is honesty with God in your conversations with Him. Christian Living. 216 pages, 📃📃📃

We Are Never Getting Together by Janette Rallison - A reverse Parent-Trap story, Madeline and Cooper fake dating to stop their divorced parents from dating. YA Romance. 304 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 7-1/4 hours), 📃📃📃

Pray Big: Learn to Pray Like an Apostle by Alistair Begg - Begg encourages readers to boldness and vision as they bring their prayers to a big, big God. Christian Living. 101 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 2-1/2 hours), 📃📃📃📃

Your Story Matters: Finding, Writing, and Living the Truth of Your Life by Leslie Leyland Fields - What an outstanding Christian guide to writing memoir or autobiographical fiction! This is a must-read if you're a Christian wanting to share your story for God's glory. Writing Instruction. 224 pages (I accessed as e-book on Hoopla), 📃📃📃📃-1/2

To Find Where She Belongs by Robin Lee Hatcher - Irish immigrant Keely Boyle flees England hoping to find a new life on a ranch in Idaho. Christian Historical Romance. 258 pages (I listened on Hoopla, 6-3/4 hours), 📃📃📃-1/2

Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose by Jennifer Breheny Wallace - This is a vitally important topic in our fractured and self-absorbed world today. Interpersonal Relations/Self-help. 288 pages, 📃📃📃📃

The Summer of Second Chances by K. L. Walther - Olivia Lupo heads to Martha's Vineyard to retrace the steps of her beloved grandmother and finds romance. Young Adult Romance. 376 pages, 📃📃📃

Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments by Rachel Wojo - Rachel's prayer journey and prayer principles will enhance and increase your prayer life. Christian Living. 240 pages, 📃📃📃-1/2

101 Hymn Stories by Kenneth W. Osbeck - Background information on the composition and use of 101 beloved hymns. Christian Living. 288 pages, 📃📃📃📃

A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham - Daphne Austen and Finn Dashwood makes sparks fly in Wisteria, North Carolina, as rival shop owners and neighbors. Clean Rom-com. 416 pages, 📃📃📃📃-1/2

You're In Good Company: The Gift of Friendship, Motherhood, and Showing Up by Ashleee Gadd, ed. - This collection of essays and recipes is packaged in a beautifully appealing book, perfect for gifting to a mother or friend in your life. Christian Living. 221 pages, 📃📃📃

The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien by John Hendrix - Fun to revisit the stories of these two Christian greats and think of their devoted friendship and its cooling. Graphic Biography. 224 pages, 📃📃📃📃-1/2

Things I Wish I Told My Mother by Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo with James Patterson - A mother-daughter trip provides the opportunity to speak life into a caustic relationship. Women's Fiction. 305 pages, 📃📃📃  

💖The Hand of God: Finding His Care in All Circumstances by Alistair Begg - Considers the providential hand of God in the life of Joseph. We can be certain God's in control, even when things are going against us. Christian Living. 208 pages, 📃📃📃📃📃

Missing Our Boy!

Please keep us in your prayers. This final weekend in September will be a difficult one. Trevor should be turning 22. We should be celebrating with an ice cream cake or some other treat he deprived himself of for so long (we did decide to buy a cake). In July of 2025, Trevor moved into a halfway house in Lafayette and began working out regularly. He was passionate! His goal was to become a personal trainer. He was working on the certification coursework when he died this past July. Bodybuilding became a supplemental goal. He set his sights on the 2026 Hoosier Flex Bodybuilding Competition. That competition recently shifted from Hoosier Flex to NPC Battle of the Bend.

Watching his progress must have been gratifying, as he struggled with weight issues for much of his life. He was sculpting his body to look as he'd always dreamed. While pursuing this goal, he sought to build a platform. Thus, he opened an Instagram account to chart his progress and demonstrate what he could help others achieve. He posted before and after pictures saying he "went from ill built to Hill built." I thought it a creative and appropriate business tag-line, "Go from ill-built, to Hill-built!"

The competition takes place today. He kicked himself for all he lost because of his relapse. On his first day at the treatment center, he texted, "I'm so disgusted with myself for allowing myself to ruin something I cared about so deeply. You know bodybuilding was my life. It was the only thing that made me feel like I was making any sort of progress. Even if I was stuck financially, legally, spiritually, etc., it felt like I was progressing if I made that weight go higher." How I wish he were here to participate! Instead, I will post a few photos (I tried to snag these from his Instagram, so I apologize for the poor quality).

Book Review: The Hand of God - Highly Recommend

After reading Pray Big, my best friend from college recommended Alistair Begg's The Hand of God. This book considers the providence of God in the life of Joseph. God knew the timing I needed for this read. I read this just prior to Trevor's death, when things seemed to be spinning out of control. The story of Joseph, as told in Genesis, is a walk of complete trust in God when life circumstances seem pitted against him.

Begg starts by considering Joseph's ancestors. His father, Jacob, wrestled with God. Both his father and his grandfather, Isaac, played favorites. Although he comes from a dysfunctional family, Joseph also stems from the line of Abraham (great-grandfather), who followed God's lead into the unknown and believed in His promise of many descendents. All along Joseph's life story, God is leading him into uncharted waters with great, yet hidden, purpose. The Hand of God provides powerful evidence that God is at work, even when things seem in disarray. Joseph was almost killed by his brothers, sold into slavery, accused of rape, imprisoned unjustly, and forgotten. It seemed as if all was against him. Yet, truly, all was in place for his key role in saving the children of Israel from famine. But also, for his role in bringing them to a place where their eventual bondage led them to cry out to God. (May our bondage lead us to cry out to God!)

I'm considering purchasing this book in paperback. I listened to my library's Hoopla audio copy and often wished I could have taken notes. While I could have re-listened at a slower pace to jot things down, I decided it would be better to simply revisit the book again in a few years. A second reading will glean just as much. For now, I'm encouraged to remember God, in His providence, may allow unlikely events to lead (albeit, in a hidden way) to His divine will.

I've been using The Sing Hymnal my husband gave me on Mother's Day. Every morning, after my prayers, I try to sing 2 hymns from the hymnal (my sight-singing is rusty). I was in "The Providence of God" section and came across "God Moves in Mysterious Ways," by William Cowper. (Cowper is often pronounced and spelled Cooper, as I read about him Companions in the Darkness.) Begg recites from this hymn in his book. The lyrics pack a firm truth punch, so I will share them here (I'm especially moved by verses 3-6 and have emphasized some lines that stood out to me in the days before Trevor's death and now):

"God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform; he plants his footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm. 

"Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill he treasures up his bright designs, and works his sovereign will. 

"Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; the clouds ye so much dread are big with mercy and shall break in blessings on your head.

"Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace; behind a frowning providence he hides a smiling face.

"His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding ev'ry hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flow'r.

"Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain."

The bud does, indeed, have a bitter taste for us now. Please, Lord, may the flower it nourishes be sweet and fruitful. Give us strength to trust the hand of God, even when it requires us to give up our dear son! As I told Trevor in June, "God knows your dash. He will not take you a day too soon, or leave you a day too long." How I pray God makes plain the purpose and harvest from my son's life.

Book Review: Things I Wish I Told My Mother

This title resonated. Oh, the many Things I Wish I Told My Mother. Even more, the shattering things I wish I could tell her now. It's probably just as well, as they might break her heart. I was fortunate to have a wonderful relationship with my mother. We had similar interests, tastes, and temperaments. Dementia stole her away and defied sharing events from the last dozen years. This tale is a bit different. The friction between this mother-daughter pair is biting!

What a conflicted relationship between Dr. Liz and Laurie. Dr. Liz is a well-dressed, independent, powerful doctor. She rarely hesitates to let her daughter know her disappointment. Laurie is content in comfortable clothes and quite proud of her artistic flair for advertising, something her mother cannot appreciate. When Dr. Liz faces a heart scare, Laurie decides to treat her mother to a trip back to her mother country, Norway. Dr. Liz insists on adding Paris, the city where Laurie honeymooned with her ex-husband. Laurie doesn't relish reminders, but is willing to pacify her mother in hopes of forging a better relationship.

Some of the dialogue, as these two women spar, is laugh-out-loud funny. We slowly unravel past events that formed Dr. Liz's personality. We watch as Laurie embarks on a romance in the City of Love. Can they mend fences? Will closeness develop between them before it is too late? Can Laurie learn to communicate with her distant and cold mother? I've been on the receiving end of biting criticism. I know how it can shut you down. Laurie takes it in stride, for the most part. This book provides an interesting exploration of the mother-daughter bond.

Book Review: The Mythmakers

I love finding new book recommendations from others in the Rabbit Room Facebook group. The Mythmakers, provides graphic biographies for two literary legends: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. The illustrations are delightful. I already knew much of what was shared. I worked in the Wade Center while at Wheaton College, and have read plenty of books on this subject in the time since. Still, it was fun to explore this information again. I did learn a few new parts of the story of their friendship. I knew of the decline over the years, but didn't really remember the cause.

When I think of Lewis, Tolkien, and the Inklings (the group of writers who gathered at the Bird and Baby pub in Oxford), I'm filled with longing for such a blessed group in my life. I loved my wonderful writer's group in DeKalb, IL, when we lived there. I joined a library writer's group here, but many of the others were not Christians and did not share my worldview or belief system. Then I tried another library's group without success. What Lewis and Tolkien shared was meaningful and rich. It is rare to find such intense comaraderie and connection.

John Hendrix did a great job structuring this graphic work. A lion and a wizard lead the reader as they explore the details of these interesting lives. The artistic aspect of this work adds to the richness of the story. This graphic biography will certainly appeal to anyone interested in the inner workings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. I may suggest it to my youngest son, who is currently reading Tolkien's The Hobbit.

Book Review: You're In Good Company

As soon as I read a few essays in this collection titled, You're In Good Company, I wanted to gift this book to my former Bible Study Fellowship group leader. She is a writer, so I'm sure she would appreciate the essays. Moreover, the book is simply beautiful. It is hardcover and contains lovely photography. I'm not usually seeking recipes (and I doubt I'll try any of those listed), yet it was fun to read the fare offered up alongside enticing photographs.

I think I put this book on hold from the library's recent acquisitions list because it deals with hospitality. When I stumbled upon Sue Donaldson's newsletters, book, and website, I felt a tug to embrace this call to hospitality. This is very perplexing as hospitality is not a spiritual gift I possess. Sheesh - even cooking for my family fills me with dread, let alone offering up fare for guests in my less-than-tidy home. But, I'm encountering nudge after nudge regarding friendship and hospitality. For example, my recent read, Mattering. How important it is to invest in others and let them know they matter! Who knows if my shabby hospitality might bless someone else in a way I cannot fathom. I'm still hesitant, but these essays nurtured that tug.

When I read one essay about a stain on a carpet, I immediately realized I had recently read this essay elsewhere. I looked up the author, Sarah Hauser, and discovered that she posts on the Rabbit Room substack. I'm guessing that is where I encountered her before. I also appreciated Ashlee Gadd's essay, "Good Mother's Bake from Scratch and Other Lies I've Believed." The essay, "When Friendships Change," by Sonya Spillman, spoke to deep needs within me. "We'll Be Your Family on Christmas Eve," by Melanie Dale, resonated with me because Sarah Mitchell's family took me in over the Christmas holiday when I could not afford to return from London to Chicago during my work-study period abroad. I would love to implement the lessons from this book. May I rely on God to somehow make it so, if not now (when facing grief, downsizing, and a move), then perhaps when we seek another home!

Mid-month Mention: 25th Anniversary of 9/11 - Rescued!

This is an early mid-month mention. I bumped it up, because today marks the 25th anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001. This August, we attended revival meetings with evangelist Chris Miller. He mentioned a brief video he made with Marine Staff Sergeant David Karnes concerning rescue attempts on that fateful day. I checked it out and have decided to mention it here on my blog.

 

If you've followed my blog at all, you know what I loved most about this rescue story. It was the importunate, desperate prayers lifted in the midst of this rescue attempt. Whatever the need, a prayer went up. A radio appeared. A fire was put out. A beam was cut without collapsing. God was right there with them, answering and clearing the way for two men to be saved from the rubble.

I'm praising God for the rescue of two other precious souls. During the Chris Miller revival meetings, my husband invited Trevor's girlfriend, Kylie, and her mother, Angie. The church provided evening meals, so we were able to spend time chatting, as well. They live over a half hour away and we were thrilled they took their time to join us. But even more thrilling, they came to know Christ as their Savior from sin and trusted Him for eternal life. They have been rescued from darkness and brought into the light of His grace. I know Trevor is beaming in heaven and looking forward to reunion. Please join us in prayer for their continued spiritual growth.

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." - Luke 15:10 

Before I go, I wanted to make mention of one more link. My good poet friend, Randy Edwards, wrote a poem for a 25th commemoration of the 9/11 tragedy. The poem is called "Climb," and I highly recommend listening to Randy read the entire entry for this poetry podcast episode. His voice is magnetic; his words timely. I love his poetry! Take a moment from your busy day. Watch a video about a rescue. Offer a prayer for two newly saved souls. Listen to a poem that will inspire and encourage.

Book Review: A Brewed Awakening

Clever title! Witty banter! Opposites attract! Pepper Basham is becoming a well-loved writer. I have adored listening to Authentically, Izzy, Positively, Penelope, and Some Like it Scot. Her books are fun and flirty. The dialogue reminds me of the fast talking that goes on in The Gilmore Girls show. You can rely on Basham for clean romance, full of heart-rending conflicts, softened by lighthearted exploration. I can't wait to read more of her books. In fact, I'm wishing I had secured A Brewed Awakening in audio form with the British accent to enhance the story.

Daphne Austen loves all things British. While opening her late grandmother's tea shop one morning, she catches sight of a British car she has loved from Granny's tales (a Cabriolet - I'm not familiar). Unfortunately, Finn (the dashing Brit who owns the car) immediately casts aspersions on her tea shop. It turns out he's her new neighbor and his shop will offer British fare of a heartier variety than tea and scones.

Both Daphne and Finn are wounded souls. They protect their hearts the only way they know how. Can they open them to each other and get past the caustic stereotypes? Because I follow Basham on Facebook, I knew she wrote this tale while facing the damage left by Hurricane Helene. I don't believe I've ever been to North Carolina, but it came alive through this book. Maybe it is time to make a larger bucket list than my current one.

Book Review: 101 Hymn Stories

Just before my May birthday, I was in Goodwill seeking some business attire for my youngest son's internship (at Rolls Royce). I skimmed through their books (although their raised prices put me off). I snapped a quick photo of this book, 101 Hymn Stories, and sent the photo to my husband, hoping he'd mention it to my sons as a gift idea. Alas, I was not gifted this book. However, I found it in audio form on Hoopla through my library. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the simple stories behind so many beloved hymns. If you are interested in hymns, I highly recommend the audio version, since it allows you to hear the melodies with lyrics recited in the background. Indeed, when I think of all the hymns I know, it is staggering. I was raised in church and probably have thousands of hymns memorized. What a great background of theology in my brain. And, to think many of these follow scripture, so I'm planting the Word in my head and heart.

The author, Kenneth W. Osbeck, compiled a second book called 101 More Hymn Stories. Sadly, it is not available in audio form. I found it in paperback, so that will have to suffice. These stories would be excellent to include in church bulletins or sermon illustrations. I've been using the Sing hymnal I received for Mother's Day during my morning devotions. Thankfully, nobody else is awake to hear me as I sing (or croak) two hymns and read the snippets of information provided at the back of the hymnal (not nearly as in-depth as Osbeck's stories). Singing, as Isaac Serrano reminds us in When Life Feels Empty, is an essential spiritual practice lending meaning to our lives.

Book Review: Desperate Prayers

When we discovered our prodigal son's journey, our prayer lives grew exponentially. I don't think I've ever prayed such desperate prayers as those lifted for my son! We rarely prayed together, as a couple, before the fallout of addiction drove us to our knees side-by-side. We have prayed desperate prayers to God. We have prayed importunate prayers, and seen answers that feel miraculous. We are currently in life's darkest moments and we continue to believe in the power of prayer.

This book, Desperate Prayers, by Rachel Wojo, outlines and encourages deep and abiding prayer principles. Rachel is no stranger to situations of desperation. Her daughter, Taylor, endured the neurological degeneration of Sanfilippo syndrome. Care for Taylor was demanding and her life threatened. During the pandemic, Rachel's husband lost his job and their finances were stretched while providing for many children.

Each chapter in the book addresses various desperate needs, with requests like, "God, see me," "God, heal me," "God, guide me," and "God, free me." Here's an example of the prayer principles she summarizes at the end of each chapter: "God will not allow your wilderness to go unnoticed. Prayer is the strongest weapon in your arsenal. Whatever your emergency, God is your eternal 9-1-1 Operator, always by your side.... No prayer is beyond God's reach or reply." She declares, "Desperate prayer is a wise admission, not a weak acceptance."

I found great encouragement in these pages when I read them prior to Trevor's death. I loved her reminder that sometimes God answers prayer, not for you, but for the sake of others (example: The bathing equipment, they petitioned repeatedly for, that finally arrived just before Taylor died. Taylor never even used it, but they were able to give it to another girl who faced significant challenges). Moreover, I loved her reference to that lovely chorus, "My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow." She, like Alistair Begg, encouraged me to "pray bigger." We cannot go to God with our "agenda" of what we think is best in these situations. But, we must recognize that He can do so much more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). 

Indeed, we are now clinging to that promise that He knows exactly what we need. Perhaps God's decision to take Trevor in July was merciful! Perhaps he was spared tremendous challenges and difficulties. We have already seen his death spread the good news of God's saving grace to those who might not have listened in any other circumstance. May God bring a bountiful harvest from Trevor's short life!

2026 Baby Bucket List - August Progress

 

(Photo by Jeff Kingma on Unsplash)

At the end of 2025, I made a small bucket list of easy-to-achieve goals. The original list included 23 restaurants, 3 festivals, 4 destinations, and 7 movies. By the end of February, I had only checked off 3 items. By the end of May, I'd completed an additional 7 (mostly movies).

Now I would say I feel less motivated to tackle anything, but have more opportunity to do so. Getting away was always hard, given our struggle with our son's addiction. You never knew when crisis might strike. Somehow, we managed to take two small trips to Bedford, Indiana. The first time, in June, we got dinner and treated ourselves to a visit to Jiffy Treet (an amazing ice cream shop that would have been on my initial list if I'd thought of heading down that way). We stayed overnight, so we could pick Trevor up from the treatment center first thing in the morning. Then we took him home, transferred his car into his name (had been in my husband's name), and moved him into his Indy halfway house. 

The second time we went to Bedford, it was in our own interest (as an anniversary getaway). We drove to Blue Springs Caverns and took an hour-long cave boat tour. Yikes! That was interesting! We survived a potential overturned boat, a minute of total darkness, and then a terrifying minute when the tour guide couldn't get the boat re-started. I had visions of being stuck down there indefinitely. The motor had gotten lodged on a piece of rock. Thankfully, once the tour guide shifted it off that, the boat started up again and we were on our way out of that confining space.

We checked into our hotel, had an excellent dinner out, and then met friends at Jiffy Treet for another special dessert. The following morning, we headed back to the treatment center doubting anyone would be able to take the time to speak with us. What a blessing to find we were wrong! The director took time out of her busy schedule to meet with us for an hour to discuss Trevor. She shared details about his time there and things about what he indicated as struggles. It was so comforting to talk about him. She was empathetic and personable, sharing how addiction has affected her life.

I ended up seeing one additional movie between May and August. Sean wanted me to experience The Odyssey. He had gone and really enjoyed it. I, on the other hand, regret it. I thought it was far too violent, disturbing, and crass. Oh, well. Each to his own. 

As for restaurants, early in July, before Trevor's death, John and I made it to Cheddars. After Trevor's death, a friend took me out for lunch at a favorite of mine, Boulder Creek. We also went to Olive Garden for an anniversary dinner on that date. Toward the end of August, I went with a group of women to Rockstar Pizza. All of those were on the original list. Combined with the addition of the two trips to Jiffy Treat, we made it to six restaurants from the list between the end of May and the end of August.

We missed the Amo Fish Fry Festival in June. To be honest, I don't even know where Amo is. Ha! Who knows? Perhaps we'll make it to Danville's Fair-on-the-Square and Plainfield's Quaker Days next month. We may have to force ourselves to get out and about, but it is probably good for us in the midst of grieving.

Book Review: The Summer of Second Chances

This cover, along with a dementia story line, drew me. I rarely read young adult novels because so many published today have an agenda or are filled with scenes I wouldn't want teens reading. K.L. Walther, in The Summer of Second Chances, hints at a bedroom scene, but does not confirm it with details. To be honest, it implies that the father (who changed his daughter's vacation accomodations to avoid indiscretions) now suddenly gives permission for her to share a tent with her boyfriend overnight, unsupervised. That was a bit of a stretch for me. But, the storyline was interesting enough.

Olivia Lupo spends much of her days visiting her beloved grandmother at the assisted living facility in the memory care unit. Her grandmother raised her after the death of Olivia's mother. Now, Olivia's step-mother is convinced she needs to get away from the intensity of these visits. The family heads to spend 3 weeks on Martha's Vineyard. The only reason Olivia goes along with this plan is because she recently discovered her grandmother spent summers in that location and may have had a romance. She decides to retrace her grandmother's steps, following some photos she discovers in an old box.

I struggled with my mother's dementia before her death. It is hard to separate the emotional outbursts and sometimes caustic behavior from the parent you wish was still in there. My mother raged at me (even cursing me) on my final visit with her. That is shattering. I cannot imagine facing that as a teen. Walther faithfully portrays the emotional tension and heartbreak. Despite the deep subject, the romance was lighthearted and fun. Although I have never been to Martha's Vineyard, I would imagine a reader familiar with that area would enjoy re-visiting those scenes vicariously. In the end, I rooted for a happy ending for Olivia.

Book Review: Mattering

Earlier this month, we had the privilege of speaking with a family who met Trevor at the time of his tragic accident on July 3rd. An off-duty officer was visiting at his parent's home when they heard the sound of the crash. The officer and his mother rushed to the scene. Trevor was terribly shaken. Although their interactions were brief, they said Trevor made a great impression on them. The officer said Trevor hugged him and, being a weightlifter himself, he was impressed by Trevor's strength. Trev openly admitted his fault and expressed concern for the other driver. He was genuinely gutted. I'm sure the officer and his mother were both worried about Trevor in the middle of his crisis. They said they continued to think of him for days afterwards, and were then shocked and dismayed to learn of Trevor's death. The mother told me it has changed how she interacts with people, because you never know when an interaction with someone might be your last. Plus, it touched us that they took the time to share these interactions after the fact.

This book, Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose, changed me in a similar way. A graphic on the Amazon page highlights readers who might be drawn to this book. I fit the target audience several times over. It is for "a seasoned parent doing their best" [and feeling like it may not have been good enough], for "anyone who hasn't heard yet how much they matter," for "a retiree wondering what's next," for "an empty nester struggling to find a new purpose," and "a person feeling adrift." Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. After reading the inspiring novel about mattering, Reports of His Death Have Been Greatly Exagerrated, this non-fiction book brings home that fictional illustration. We all long for, dare I say need, deep connection and purpose.

Jennifer Breheny Wallace identifies 5 factors in feeling like you matter. 1) "Recognition - your actions are valued, and your absence would be felt;" 2) "Reliance - you feel needed because others depend on you;" 3) "Importance - you're prioritized;" 4) "Ego Extension - others are invested in your well-being;" and 5) "Attunement - you feel deeply understood and meaningfully responded to." These spokes must be addressed in order to have a sense of purpose in life. Much like Brad Aronson's Humankind, this book gives ample illustrations of ways people invest in mattering. I loved the idea of calling a "Code Lavender" for psychological emergencies that require intervention to meet those needs.

So, how do we increase our sense of mattering? Wallace suggests we use the "mattering lens." Ask yourself what part of mattering is lacking: sense of impact, feeling relied upon, prioritized, attuned to, or invested in? The steps are also two-fold (especially for those facing transitions - my hand is raised). First, seek to let others in (read books, listen to podcasts, find others in the same transition to connect with). Second, shift to finding a way to meet someone else's need in the world (use actions or words to tell someone else they matter). Speak into their lives when you get a chance!

I loved this insight, "The surest way to sustain our own sense of mattering is to focus on making others feel like they matter. The shift from 'I matter' to 'we matter' gives us both the long-term resilience and legacy we crave." So, when tempted to say, "Poor me, I have few deep connections and little purpose," I need to take steps to increase connection (just like my addicted son flailed because of lack of connection, I too flail for the same reasons). I need to find things that will give my life purpose and meaning. In the past, so much of my identity was in my writing. When things make that difficult, my purpose takes a hit.

This is a vitally important book. Our society is riddled with loneliness. As jobs get sucked up by AI, where will people feel like they make a difference or their life matters? We tune out and connect virtually, rather than in-person. I'm as guilty as the next. It is easier to sit on my phone seeking fake connection than to take the steps and risks to form real connection. The world is full of people who need to know they matter, who need others to take the time to focus on them and really listen. I'm grateful for these two individuals who made my son feel he mattered, and shared with us his impact on them.

 

Book Review: To Find Where She Belongs

This book, To Find Where She Belongs, is the 4th book in the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge. That's a bit misleading. It seems many of the books in this challenge are the newest books in an existing series. When I signed on, I was content to add 12 prescribed titles to my year's reading. However, given the number of books that follow other titles, the number continues to increase. (In all, if one read every title of each series represented, it comes to 32 books! That is far more than some read in an entire year. Of course, you don't have to read each book in every series listed.) Hmm. I'm still considering whether I will stick with this challenge. When I came to this April selection, I decided against reading Robin Lee Hatcher's previous four titles in this The British Are Coming series.

This is also a Western book (not my favorite category). I plugged on anyway, partly because I so enjoy Hatcher's author newsletters. Keely Boyle is a young Irish woman who fears her safety after a man in power makes unwanted advances. She steals to gain money for passage to America, hoping to find sanctuary with a friend who has always raved about a ranch he loves in Idaho. As Keely settles in to ranch life, she battles guilt and shame for the sin she committed in desperation. Then, sparks begin to fly between Keely and the young ranch owner, William Overstreet.

This book provides great commentary on sin and guilt, grace and redemption. God's love can overcome the deepest shame and restore relationships. The problems on the ranch (poisoned water and dying cattle) resolved a bit more quickly than I expected, but added a further layer of conflict. All in all, this was an enjoyable read, even if it was outside of my normal fare (I'm just not a cowboy person).

Overdose Prevention and Awareness Day 2026

Yesterday was Overdose Prevention and Awareness Day. I went back and forth on whether I should upload my son's photo and information to pages I saw on my Facebook feed (oh, how they target you for what they know about you). I'm leery of proclaiming too much about him or his experience, especially on Facebook. I distrust Meta.

However, this week we received the coroner's report on Trevor's death. It was determined he died of "acute fent@nyl and coc@aine toxicity." There was so much in his system it would not have mattered if help had arrived sooner. Unable to determine whether or not it was intentional, they labelled it "undetermined." We will never know if he was simply looking for a temporary release, or if he was overwhelmed with all the uncertainties and shifting realities in his life and decided to seek more permanent release. 

Regardless of intent or not, the access to these drugs decimating families is abominable! Something must be done! It is too easy for others to look on and say, "That would never happen to my child because I'm a better parent... because I have better control over what they do... because my child would never seek out drugs." Unfortunately, many young people who are dying today think they are taking a harmless X@n@x pill or something else, with no idea it may be laced with the super small amounts of fent needed to kill one. Seriously! It is equivalent to two grains of salt! Yet, others look on and look away because it has not affected them.

I agree with all those things I have seen proclaimed for Overdose Prevention and Awareness Day. My son was gone too soon! He was deeply loved! He mattered! We need to end the stigma and address the problem. We need to fight this unconscionable evil!

(Wichita, KS billboard)

Book Review: Your Story Matters

I've had this book, by Leslie Leyland Fields, highlighted in my Hoopla favorites (a sort of to-be-read notation) for months. I'm so glad I finally picked up Your Story Matters. Only 2-1/2 chapters in, I recommended it to my friend, Beth, who is considering writing a memoir and has asked me to help her. This book will help far more than I can. Indeed, I'd venture to say, she could write her book herself by following the instruction and encouragement provided in Your Story Matters: Finding, Writing, and Living the Truth of Your Life.

Each of us has a story. Every story is meaningful and important. When we share our stories, we impact the lives of others for good. Not only that, we process and live out the truths God is trying to teach us through the paths where He leads. So, this is not only a writing book. It is chock-full of encouragement to give our stories back to the Master and share them with the people around us, with purpose. You may not consider yourself a writer. But Fields insists your story matters, whether it is told in a few pages to a handful of friends or written in a book for the masses.

I loved that she referenced quotes by Fredrick Buechner, from his memoir, Telling Secrets. He writes, "It is precisely through these stories in all the particularity... that God makes himself known to each of us most powerfully and personally. If this is true, it means that to lose track of our stories is to be profoundly impoverished not only humanly but also spiritually." 

Fields emphasizes how words flesh out God's redemptive purposes for our pain and trials: "Often, redemption comes simply by bringing language--which is bringing light--to the silence. Every time we lock up a person, an event, even an entire decade in the Closet of Forgetting and Denial, we're robbing ourselves of the strength and wisdom that can come from those experiences. Those events came to us with purpose.... We get to shepherd and steward these burdens, all of them--the beautiful, the brilliant, and the horrid.... We have another chance to reclaim and redeem those moments. And sometimes they are redeemed simply by being faced and called out of the dark. When we can name our ghosts, they haunt us less."

Her questions and prompts at the end of each chapter are invaluable. Her insights come from years of writing and teaching writing. If God is going to use our stories as a witness to His power and purpose, we must be willing to share them. As Fields says, "Our job is to tell the truth, to simply write from who we are, where we've been, and we trust God for the rest." I came away energized to share my story for God's glory!

Book Review: Pray Big

Alistair Begg's little book, Pray Big: Learn to Pray Like an Apostle, is chock-full of encouragement and inspiration for praying. If you have read my blog at all before, you will know I am a huge fan of importunate prayers. These are the kind of prayers that feel impossible, but for God's vast omnipotence. We have seen God answer prayers that seemed outlandish and overwhelming. He can accomplish what we cannot. We never have to fear that we have asked God for too much!

At first, I listened to this book on my library's Hoopla account. This was such a blessing because it is narrated by the author himself, with his delightful Scottish lilt. How I would love to hear Begg preach in person! For now, I settle for clips I find on Facebook. As I listened, I wanted to pause and take notes, but I was walking on the treadmill. Instead, I snagged a paperback copy from my local church library and took notes after listening.

Begg encourages the reader to pray with great scope and purpose. We don't want to merely bring God our shopping list of needs and requests. We pray out of dependence and out of strong trust in God's almighty abilities to intervene. We must recognize our great need of Him. We cannot fix problems in our lives on our own (I felt this deeply in our walk with an addict). Begg gives 5 qualities Paul prays for the Ephesians: focus, hope, riches (not wealth, but a spiritual inheritance), power, and love.

We need to see what we really have. He writes, "Too often, as Christians we live like someone who has been given a full-board ticket on a cruise ship, and who sits on their deckchair eating crackers and drinking water because they haven't realized that all the food is free with their ticket." Paul reminds the Ephesians that they have been given "every spiritual blessing." A bit further on, Begg writes, "There is nothing you can ask for, or think of asking for, about which he does not say, I am able to do better than that." 

Begg peppers these pages with lines from famous hymns. This was such a blessing. His words inspire my praying. I loved this line: "Small prayers betray a suspicion that we have a small God." But by bigger, Begg is not encouraging things like health, wealth, and happiness (your general wish list), but rather "to be filled with his fullness, to be able to grasp the unknowable love of Christ, to live for the treasures of your future inheritance. We must pray for our own sake, for the sake of others, and for His [God's] sake. May my prayers be big, bold, and importunate, revealing trust in a big God.

Mid-month Mention: Overdose Awareness Month

August 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of International Overdose Awareness Day (August 31). Sadly, this campaign to raise awareness is needed now more than ever. The fent@nyl epidemic is taking lives left and right. Something must be done. 

You can go to Overdose Day to find events in your area (if you click on USA it will bring up cities in alphabetical order and highlight events near you). If you are near Indianapolis, there will be an event held by Overdose Lifeline on August 23rd. Click here for that information.

In light of our own tragic loss, I ask that you say a prayer for these efforts to raise awareness and seek prevention.

Here are some images I gleaned from Facebook highlighting more information and events related to this:

 

Book Review: We Are Never Getting Together

I listened to this fun young adult novel in June. We Are Never Getting Together by Janette Rallison is a clean read. It tells the story of Madeline and Cooper, whose pranks against each other land them in the principal's office. Their parents are called in and seem obviously attracted to one another. Thus, Madeline and Cooper decide to fake date in hopes of keeping their parents apart. The pranks are fun. The tension ramps up. Of course, they cannot stay enemies forever, especially while pretending to be a couple. I liked Cooper more than Madeline, but did come around to her by the end of the story. There are so few clean YA reads out there. This one was worth the time investment.