Book Review: Reflection

   I've got an out-of-the-way book to tell you about. It's by author C. Everett.

Sensitive content: a few uses of the word "stupid" and "idiot"; some (mildly) intense scenes

Age recommendation: 10+

My rating: 4 stars

   This is a story about a girl who, after unknowingly acquiring a time-travel watch, finds herself traveling a year into the future. Once there, she discovers something that will change the course of her life and gives her a time limit to get back to reality. Along the way, she meets the maker of the watch and a new friend named Parker.

   This is an interesting book. I will admit, if you're only paying half-attention to the book (or can easily get sidetracked), the timelines in this may trip you up a bit. At one point, the main character is in a time line on top of a time line on top of a time line. Yeah. But it makes more sense when you read it, instead of just taking my word for it! It is written in a very relaxed manner and is a rather short read, yet the descriptions and situations keep your attention to the end. I enjoyed it the first time I read it . . . and the second time . . . and the third . . . and the. . . . 

   Find out more about it on Amazon or Goodreads!

   

Note: this is not a part of the book review marathon I promised. The marathon will hopefully start next week.

Random Thoughts

    Okay, I've been busy, preoccupied, and maybe a bit lazy lately. Hence, my absence. I'm hoping to get back on track soon with a Book Review Marathon. It will be featuring P.D. Atkerson's own Simon Lee series. I've read nearly all of them but have only reviewed two, so I'm hoping this will help me get a bit more consistent with my posts.

   By the way, I'm going to be absent almost all of next month, so any comments won't be published until I get back. Just a note.

   Also, you might be seeing a bit about some not-so-new WIPs I haven't mentioned yet. 

   I'd make this post drag on longer for the sake of it, but I haven't got much else to say for now. 

   

   

  

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

    

      I love Christmas. It's one of my favorite holidays. But Christmas, in which a tiny baby boy was born in Bethlehem, finds both its peak and its conclusion in Easter, in which the baby became a man and did something no other person in the history of time has ever done. This man is Jesus.

  He lived a sinless life, was sentenced to death out of spite and hatred, and suffered an agony deeper than any of us can comprehend.

Because His Father, who loved Him so much, turned His back on His Son and laid on Jesus the punishment we deserve . . . in fact, the Father was pleased to crush His Son, putting Him to grief (Is. 53:10)! 

   Let's face it–we don't like to be blamed for something we didn't do. We try to avoid taking punishment that does not belong to us. Why wouldn't we? The person who does the wrong should be the one disciplined for it . . . not some innocent bystander. It takes a lot of courage to take someone else's condemnation on ourselves . . . and a lot of love.

   Jesus Christ loved–and loves–us very much. He loves His Father. But why would He want to take on our punishment if it's just what we have merited?

   He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening [that is, punishment] for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed (Is. 53:5).

   Quite simply . . . that is why Christ had to die. That is why Christ took on the worst agony this world has ever seen.

Because we need Him.

   Without Him, we are lost in our sin. And trust me, you will not find any other hope for salvation except through the blood of Jesus Christ. Many people think they can. But the simple fact is that no one can obtain eternal salvation unless it be through the Lamb of God. 

   Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday evening. Keep the true celebration in mind. The celebration of the event at Calvary. The death of Christ. 

And the triumphant victory of death when Jesus rose from the grave three days later!  

 

He is alive today!