Product Description

A Place Called Blessing chronicles the story of five-year-old Josh. He and his two older brothers lose their parents in a drunk driving accident. After a series of foster homes and a shocking tragedy, he and his brothers are separated, leaving him angry, alone, and distrustful. At age eighteen, a step away from homelessness, he finds unconditional love and the gift of "the blessing." This book shows how to implement the five elements of the biblical blessing found in Trent's book, The Blessing. A Focus on the Family book.

 

My Review

I just finished reading a novel of unconditional love, written by John Trent.   I found it to be an incredible life-changing story!  It is written in the first person, as if by Josh, and though this is not my preference, i did think it was the best way to tell this story, and told mostly as Josh relating his story after the fact. Then at the end he brings us into the present.

The story starts off with Josh giving a bit of background to his dysfunctional family, and i was drawn to these little boys left to figure out life while their parents partied.  The story really starts when Josh and his two brothers lost their parents in a drunk driving accident, and they are placed in a foster home.  The events that happen to separate the boys is heartbreaking, but understandable. Even after i was finished reading, my heart was heavy for those poor little ones, and inspired by the unconditional love showed to Josh when he was a young man dealing with anger, mad at the world. 

John uses this novel as a way to introduce the idea of Blessing, or Unconditional Love to those hurting from all kinds of dysfunctional relationships that may have happened in life.

 i recieved this book free from ThomasNelson Publishers through their Booksneeze program. i was not required to give a positive review.

Product Description

Nurse Natalie Fallon has brought her ailing mother to Denver for her health and starts a job at Denver's Mile High Hospital, where she meets fellow nurse Breanna Baylor Brockman. In Natalie's past is a relationship with Rex Rawlins, a young medical student. Two years prior she had ended the relationship when she learned Rex was planning a rural practice. She is determined not to marry a country doctor like her father, who died at age 43 from overwork. But she has never stopped loving Rex, and now, little does she know that Rex is a rural doctor in the surrounding mountains. A serious accident brings them together, but it will take a miracle to give them the promise of a life together.

I just finished reading Al Lacy’s NOT BY MIGHT. It’s been quite a few years since i picked up an Al Lacy book, simply because they have lost my interest. The book was well written, using words to aptly describe vivid scenery. The characters are strong and believable, and catch the reader’s attention.  His book is a typical Lacy wild western complete with good guys , the Marshalls and bad guys, the outlaws.  It is a historical, taking place in Colorado before the use of motorized vehicles. Those who enjoy good clean westerns like Zane Grey will enjoy this book.

MY REVIEW

I prefer books with lots of action – keep you on your toes at the edge of the seat type of action, and Al Lacy does not do that for me. I don’t mind the scripture being mentioned, but this book repeated  Zachariah  4 verse 6 many,  many times “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord”. Again, i prefer the gospel story as well as the salvation story (or lack thereof) to be told by the lives of the characters in a more subtle way that Al Lacy’s in your face.  I could recommend this book to an armchair reader who likes westerns.