Captive Dreams Window

  • The Hope Jar (The Prayer Jars Book1) by Wanda Brunstetter

    Publisher’s Summary

    What happens when making an elderly Amish couple very happy means going along with a lie that gets bigger by the day?

    Michelle Taylor is not who her new family in Lancaster County believes her to be. The Lapps were looking for their long-lost granddaughter when they met Michelle and she assumed the identity of Sara Murray. Once homeless and hopeless, Michelle has come to love her new Amish friends and even considers the idea of romance among them.

    Finding an old blue jar in the barn that is filled with slips of paper containing thoughts, quotes, and prayers by an unknown author becomes a boost to Michelle’s budding faith— but also convicting. How can she tell the truth without hurting the ones she has truly come to love?

    Wanda Brunstetter’s book, The Hope Jar, is book one of the trilogy, The Prayer Jars Books.

    The Hope Jar revolves around several characters, each with interesting back stories.

    Mary Ruth and Willis Lapp are still dealing with the fallout of losing their daughter to the “Englisher” world years ago.

    Michelle Taylor has never known anything but abuse, first from her parents and then from her boyfriend.

    Sara Murray, unknown to the Lapps, is the daughter of their now deceased daughter.

    As the story evolves, each person plays a part integral to the entire story. And for some, the “hope jar” brings hope, enlightenment and forgiveness.

    Brunstetter has written an intriguing story of mistaken identity, abandonment and heartache, but most of all, love and forgiveness.

    The story was published in 2018, and the Kindle edition is currently for sale on Amazon for $1.99.

    (I am not an affiliate.)

    I received a review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

  • Merry Christmas!

    Luke 2:4-20 King James Version(KJV)

    4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

    5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

    6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

    7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

    8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

    9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

    10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

    11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

    12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

    13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

    14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

    15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

    16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

    17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

    18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

    19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

    20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

    A wonderfully blessed Christmas to everyone!

  • Wise Words Wednesday Christmas Eve Edition

  • Wise Words Wednesday

  • Wise Words Wednesday

  • Wise Words Wednesday

  • The Solace of Water by Elizabeth Byler Younts

    Publisher’s Summary

    A glimpse into the turbulent 1950s. Two grieving women and a heartbroken child. And unlikely friendships that rise above religion, race, and custom with the power to transform souls from the inside out.

    After leaving her son’s grave behind in Montgomery, Alabama, Delilah Evans has little faith that moving to her husband’s hometown in Pennsylvania will bring a fresh start. Enveloped by grief and doubt, the last thing Delilah imagines is becoming friends with her reclusive Amish neighbor, Emma Mullet—yet the secrets that keep Emma isolated from her own community bond her to Delilah in delicate and unexpected ways.

    Delilah’s eldest daughter, Sparrow, bears the brunt of her mother’s pain, never allowed for a moment to forget she is responsible for her brother’s death. When tensions at home become unbearable for her, she seeks peace at Emma’s house and becomes the daughter Emma has always wanted. Sparrow, however, is hiding secrets of her own—secrets that could devastate them all.

    With the white, black, and Amish communities of Sinking Creek at their most divided, there seems to be little hope for reconciliation. But long-buried hurts have their way of surfacing, and Delilah and Emma find themselves facing their own self-deceptions. Together they must learn how to face the future through the healing power of forgiveness.

    The Solace of Water, by Elizabeth Byler Younts, focuses on three women, two black and one Amish, who have suffered from tragedies that one would never recover from. Each chapter projects one woman’s point of view in order to delve into each character and give us more insight into their anguished souls.

    Younts has crafted a novel of grief and life in general during the 50s, a very volatile time in our nation’s history. She pulls you in and doesn’t let you go, even after you have finished reading the story.

    Reading The Solace of Water isn’t easy. However, it is more than worth the momentary discomfort for the beauty and power invoked in the novel.

    It is truly unforgettable and unputdownable.

    Additional Information

    Currently, Amazon has The Solace of Water on Kindle Unlimited for a limited time for only 99¢. (I am not an affiliate of Amazon.)

    The Solace of Water was printed in 2018.

    I received a review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

  • Happy Thanksgiving!

  • Wednesday’s Wise Words

  • The Road Unveiled By Tim Bishop

    Publisher’s Summary

    Two wounded hearts. Long, winding roads. And second chances neither saw coming.
    Lauren Baumgartner pedals toward Yellowstone National Park, anticipating a grand celebration when she reaches the Atlantic Ocean. But when her wedding plans collapse, old wounds resurface—and a haunting secret still holds her heart hostage.
    Traveling alone with bear spray and a one-woman tent, she shares the highway with motorcyclists bound for a massive rally, including gang members who eye her as theirs for the taking.
    Doug Zimmer, another lone cyclist, is grappling with loss and wondering if anyone will be alongside him when he figures out what’s next. He isn’t the only one drawn to Lauren’s vitality and spirit.
    But Lauren may already be in too deep. What she faces on the Golden Prairie Indian Reservation tests her courage—and her faith—more than anything she encountered as a missionary in Uganda.
    A woman with a secret and a man healing from loss pedal the rugged roads of the American West on a quest for love and purpose that leads to unexpected horizons.

    The story is like a bicycle ride. As it starts out, you take your time getting to know the terrain, then you gradually settle in for the ride.

    The book catches your attention and doesn’t let go! I stayed up all night reading it.

    I felt the emotions of each character and reveled in the descriptions of the gorgeous vistas—feeling as if I were right there.

    In the case of The Road Unveiled, by Tim Bishop, the ride furnishes plenty of roller coaster highs and excitement. There are nail-biting moments brought on by rugged ground, dizzying heights, wildlife and people, too.

    Bishop’s book reintroduces us to Douglas “Doug” Zimmerman and Lauren Baumgartner. Each is wrestling with anxieties in their lives and contending with issues from their past.
    The spiritual aspects of this book mirror those in real life—the struggles, the questioning and the pursuit of God in both believers and non-believers.

    Like his first book, (my review) The Persistent Road, you don’t want to miss Bishop’s newest book, The Road Unveiled! Tim Bishop is a master at writing heart-tugging, true-to-life stories that will leave an indelible mark on your heart!

    ****************************************DISCLAIMERS**************************************

    Some people may be triggered by the subject matter. Although the content may not be explicit or graphic, it can be frightening. In addition, there are instances of adult situations that may not be appropriate for readers under the age of 18.

    I received a review copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own, and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

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