Captivate Us

link to song

your face is beautiful

and your eyes are like the stars

your gentle hands have healing

there inside the scars

your loving arms they draw me near

and your smile it brings me peace

draw me closer oh my Lord

draw me closer Lord to thee

captivate us Lord Jesus

set our eyes on you

devastate us with your presence

falling down

rushing river draw us nearer

holy fountain consume us with you

captivate us Lord Jesus with you

your voice is powerful

and your words are radiant bright

in your breath and shadow

i will come close and abide

you whisper love and life divine

and your fellowship is free

draw me closer oh my Lord

draw me closer Lord to thee

captivate us Lord Jesus

set our eyes on you

devastate us with your presence

falling down

and rushing river, draw us nearer

holy fountain consume us with you

captivate us Lord Jesus with you

and let everything be lost in the shadows

of the light of your face

let every chain be broken from me

as i'm bound in your grace

for your yoke is easy

your burden is light

you're full of wisdom, power, and might

and every eye will see you

captivate us Lord Jesus

set our eyes on you

devastate us with your presence

falling down

and rushing river, draw us nearer

holy fountain consume us with you

captivate us Lord Jesus with you

Lyrics by Meghan Baird, Jonathan Baird, Stephen Altrogge
© 2011 Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP)/Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI).

Bout of Books 7.0 | Day 6 Update

Bout of Books Read-A-Thon 7.0

May 13-19, 2013
 

Here's what I read on Day 6!(You can also follow my progress on Twitter or Goodreads.)

My Goal

To read 2000 pages.

Day 6
 

That Certain Summer by Irene Hannon (70 pages)

Total Pages Read Today: 70
Total Pages Read This Week: 1094

Well ... my day took a bit of a detour as we spent ALL DAY shopping for—and buying!—a car. I read just a little this morning and am now exhausted! I am really enjoying That Certain Summer, though!

A Hope-Filled Story from Deborah Raney

The Face of the Earth
by Deborah Raney
Christian Fiction
Available May 2013
Howard Books
368 pages

Buy a copy
Find out what others think

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About the Book
When Mitchell Brannon’s beloved wife of twenty years kisses him goodbye one autumn morning, he has little idea that his life is about to change forever. Mitch returns from work early that evening, surprised Jill’s car isn’t in the garage. Her conference in Kansas City is only a few hours’ drive from their little town of Sylvia, Missouri. But her voice on the answering machine makes him smile. “Hey, babe, I’m just now checking out of the hotel, but I’ll stop and pick up something for dinner. Love you.”

Mitch sets the table with their best china and lights some candles, looking forward to their first weekend as empty nesters.

But at eight o’clock, the candles have burned to stubs and Jill still hasn’t shown up. Mitch tries her cell phone only to get her voice mail over and over again. Their two college kids haven’t heard from their mom either.

At midnight, Mitch’s irritation turns to dread. And later, when the police and Missouri Highway Patrol have turned up nothing, the Kansas City hotel calls to say they’ve found property belonging to Jill in a hotel maid’s possession.

Mitch enlists the help of their next-door neighbor, Jill’s best friend, Shelley, and together they search for clues to Jill’s disappearance. As days turn into weeks and weeks into months, Mitch and Shelley’s friendship grows ever closer—and decidedly complicated with Jill as the tie that binds them together. Just when Shelley decides to finally reveal her feelings for Mitch, a clue to Jill’s whereabouts is uncovered. But every lead seems to be a dead end, and Mitch wonders how he can honor the vows he made to a woman who has seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth.

My Thoughts
Deborah Raney has again delivered a story that drew me in and made me read furiously until the very last page. This is a unique story of Mitch's search for his wife who never returns from a teachers' conference. As the days, weeks, and months pass by, he struggles with whether to continue searching or to admit that she's never coming home. And more importantly, he fights to learn what exactly happened to his wife. Did someone harm her? Or did she simply run off? As he continues the search, he grows closer to Jill's best friend and next door neighbor, Shelley. As their feelings for one another grow, Mitch must decide if he will honor his vows to a missing woman or begin a new life with Shelley.

Early on I was anxious about some of the possible outcomes of this complex story. After reading about 30 pages, I cheated and read the last page. With the slight comfort that there at least would be a firm resolution (one of my fears was that the book would simply go in circles and not really reach a satisfying conclusion), I continued reading. All I can say is WOW! The journey that this book takes you on as you read Mitch, Jill, and Shelley's story is simply unbelievable. I loved the characters and felt their emotions coming through the pages of the book. While this is a pretty heavy story, it was also filled with hope and encouragement. I cannot recommend The Face of the Earth highly enough. When you make your summer reading list, be sure to include this incredible book by Deborah Raney! [4.5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from Howard Books & LitFuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author
Deborah Raney is the award-winning author of several novels, including "A Nest of Sparrows" and the RITA award winning "Beneath a Southern Sky" and its sequel, "After the Rains." Deborah's first novel, "A Vow to Cherish," was the inspiration for World Wide Pictures' highly acclaimed film of the same title, which in December 2004 aired on prime time network TV for the second time. Deb's novella, "Playing by Heart," was a National Readers Choice Award winner and a 2004 Christy Award finalist. Her novel for Howard/Simon & Schuster, "Yesterday’s Embers," appeared on the ECPA Christian fiction bestseller list. Known for her sensitive portrayal of family struggles and relationships, Deb has also written nonfiction books and articles and often speaks at women's retreats and writers' conferences around the country. She and her husband, illustrator/author Ken Raney, have four children and make their home in Kansas.

Deborah Raney Online

Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook  |  Twitter

Bout of Books 7.0 | Day 5 Update

Bout of Books Read-A-Thon 7.0

May 13-19, 2013

Bout of Books 7.0 is about halfway finished. Here's what I read on Day 5!
(You can also follow my progress on Twitter or Goodreads.)

My Goal

To read 2000 pages.

Day 4
 

A Muslim's Heart by Edward J. Hoskins (24 pages - Finished!!)
That Certain Summer by Irene Hannon (120 pages)

Total Pages Read Today: 144
Total Pages Read This Week: 1024

Okay reading day. Now I'm looking forward to the weekend! Hoping to be able to read quite a bit and at least get close to my goal!

Enjoyable Prequel to the O'Malley Series by Dee Henderson!

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Jennifer: An O'Malley Love Story

by

Dee Henderson

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Jennifer: An O'Malley Love Story
by Dee Henderson
The O'Malley series, Prequel 1
Christian Fiction / Romance
Available May 2013
Bethany House
160 pages

Buy a copy
Read an excerpt
Find out what others think

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About the Book
It's a summer of change for Jennifer O'Malley.

The busy physician has a pediatrics practice in Dallas, Texas, and meeting and falling in love with surgeon Tom Peterson is adding a rich layer to her life. She's sorting out how to introduce Tom to her family--she's the youngest of seven--and thinking about marriage.

She's falling in love with Jesus too, and knows God is good. But that faith is about to be tested, and in a way she didn't expect. The results will soon transform her entire family.

My Thoughts
I fell in love with Dee Henderson's O'Malley series many years ago and was excited to see that Jennifer's story was finally going to be published! A prequel to the rest of the series, Jennifer: An O'Malley Love Story, is a delightful book! I received it in the mail, tossed the envelope on the floor, and promptly read the entire book—start to finish—in a few hours. The story is certainly moving, and I enjoyed watching Jennifer and Tom's friendship develop. The only drawback is that this is only the beginning of the series! The book leaves you hanging a bit as far as a conclusion. However, I'm now looking forward to going back and re-reading the rest of the series! If you've read the rest of the series, you'll love this novella. If you haven't read them (shame on you!), this is the perfect place to start!  [4 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House & Christian Fiction Blog Alliance in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author
Dee Henderson is the bestselling, award-winning author of 15 previous novels, including the acclaimed O'MALLEY series and UNCOMMON HEROES series. She is a lifelong resident of Illinois.

Dee Henderson Online

Dee's Website  |  Book Website  |  Facebook

The Story Behind the Story | A Noble Groom

I love knowing what inspires stories that I enjoy reading. I thought it might be fun to dig a little deeper into The Story Behind the Story of some of the books I'm reading these days.

Today, Jody Hedlund shares about her latest release, A Noble Groom! Here's The Story Behind the Story ...

A Noble Groom is the story of a German immigrant farming community in central Michigan during the 1880s. I was drawn to write this novel for a number of reasons. One is that I live in central Michigan and am fascinated by the history of the area. Since there have been so few novels set in Michigan, I’m delighted to pioneer the way into bringing my state’s history to life for today’s readers.

Another reason I chose to focus on this immigrant community is because of my own German roots. My father’s family emigrated from Germany and eventually many of them became farmers.

In my research I ran across a group of German immigrants that settled in the Thumb area of Michigan. This particular group had emigrated from Saxony Germany to Sanilac County, Michigan, and formed Colonial Saxonia. As miners they had originally intended to settle in the Upper Peninsula and mine there, but due to reports on the severity of the weather in the northern part of Michigan, they decided to settle instead farther south, in Forestville.

The land around Forestville had once been a former logging community and was covered with a tangle of dead trees, stumps, and fast-growing brush. The soil was rich for farming, but it would take hard work to make it ready. In writing A Noble Groom, I wanted to bring to life this era and the difficulty these immigrants faced in settling in a strange land.

I pray readers will find the story of these immigrants inspiring as they persevere through their own challenges. It’s my hope that the courage of the immigrants will give readers fresh determination and hope.

Most of all, I want them to know God does indeed care for them. Even when He seems busy with more important people and matters, I hope readers will have a new awakening of His nearness, especially during their darkest moments of pain.

A Noble Groom is available from Bethany House Publishers wherever books are sold. Believe me, this is one book you do NOT want to miss!

Bout of Books 7.0 | Day 4 Update

Bout of Books Read-A-Thon 7.0

May 13-19, 2013

Bout of Books 7.0 is about halfway finished. Here's what I read on Day 4!
(You can also follow my progress on Twitter or Goodreads.)

My Goal

To read 2000 pages.

Day 4
 

Defending the Duchess by Rachelle McCalla (115 pages - Finished!!)
A Muslim's Heart by Edward J. Hoskins (16 pages)
That Certain Summer by Irene Hannon (40 pages)

Total Pages Read Today: 171
Total Pages Read This Week: 880

I was tired today, so I slowed down a little. Three totally different books going right now!