Succulent Wild Love! gets Five Succulent Wild Stars!

She's done it again! and this time with a cohort, none other than her very own fiance, Dr. John Waddell. Welcome to the wild and succulent, mysterious and magical, sparkly and loving world of SARK, and to her latest book, co-written with her handsome fiance Dr. John Waddell. They met on a cruise ship in 2012. He looked at her and said, "I want you to know that I'm qualified to adore you," and Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy says she felt "married to him in that instant." Two years later, John proposed, Susan said yes! and a new creative partnership was born.

Marrying her whimsical artistic flair with his steadying, practical wisdom, SARK has brought yet another delectable treat to the table. This book is for anyone who loves...if you are in love, out of love, want to be in love, it's for you. If you are married, happily or unhappily, or single, happily or unhappily, it's for you. Ending a relationship? You've got it: this book's for you! Starting a relationship? Yep, need I say more? IT'S FOR YOU!

There's too much juiciness for me to share in this one review but I invite you to buy the book, curl up on the couch or the bed or the love seat and take in every scrumptious bit of this powerful book that will introduce you to six incredible "habits" for "feeling more love more often"...I'd like to stick around and tell you more but I read really fast so I could do this review and now I'm going to indulge myself with a leisurely read through again.

Enjoy!

Review Link

REVIEW: Look and Live by Matt Papa

I will be reviewing Look and Live by Matt Papa this week! Be on the look out!

New link for Bethany House

Dirty Faith, by David Z. Nowell: A Review (Bethany House Publishers)

www.bethanyhousepublishers.com Dirty Faith: Bringing The Love Of Christ To The Least Of These
Author: David Z. Nowell
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Review by Donna Reames Rich

 Reading Dirty Faith, by David Z. Nowell, was inspiring for me. Though Nowell does tend to repeat himself with certain phrases - "dirty faith" and certain sentences that he repeated several times in a chapter, possibly for emphasis, but a bit confusing for this reader - overall, this book was a powerful and down to earth look at the validity of and need for missions in the lives of all Christians today. Nowell uses intriguing anecdotes throughout the book to illustrate his premise that every believer should have a heart for missions, whether or not that heart leads to hopping a plane to go out of the country, or supporting missions by sending financial support to and regular, consistent prayer for missionaries. A master at turning a phrase, Nowell finds ways to draw the reader in, get straight to the heart and soul of the matter. I found myself inspired and challenged by this book, to the point that, unlike any other book I have reviewed, I have decided to buy copies and send copies of this book to several of my friends who are deeply interested in missions.

"I want to leak grace." This opens Chapter Four, and is an example of Nowell's ability to draw you in, make you think. This book seems as much a personal testimony of Nowell's own deep desire for and calling to missions as a call to the rest of us. This vulnerability is appealing in its transparency, and deflects any thought that Nowell is trying to preach at his readers. Throughout the book, I felt strongly the sincerity and honesty in Nowell's personal credo: this man lives, breathes and is in a passionate love affair with missions. That passion translates itself into an almost evangelistic fervor.

The specific mission focused on by Nowell is that of the group Hope Unlimited for Children, founded by veteran missionary Jack Smith and his son Philip Smith. Deeply wounded by the problem of street children in Brazil: nearly 5,000 children were brutally assassinated during their sleep on the streets, with a particularly savage attack on eight sleeping children  on the steps of the Candelaria Church in Rio: the father-son team made a radical decision to put feet to their faith, and set out for Brazil to set up an orphanage meant specifically to reach out to the street kids population.

Nowell describes in fascinating detail the birth of the fledgling mission. Speaking no Portuguese, with no funds and no solid experience in working with such a high-risk population, the Smiths plunged ahead, determined to find a way to help these children. A dilapidated property in Campinas, about an hour from Sao Paulo, was donated. Once called the City of Youth, the property had fallen into gross neglect, but it was 35 acres and it was a building: to the Smiths, it was a true Godsend.

This book goes on to share the story of how the mission grew from very trying beginnings to where it is today, a thriving ministry that has helped many children over the years. One of the most appealing parts of the book are the real-life stories Nowell provides of people who are, as he calls it, "living lives of dirty faith". Reading the stories of Yara, Tatiani, Lucia ...you are captivated by the gritty reality of their lives on the streets, and warmed by the unexpected outcomes that happen to them because of the impact of missionaries in their worlds. This book will make  you want to fly to Brazil to see for yourself, or, more importantly, it may make you eager and willing to become a missionary yourself, in the traditional sense of the word.

That's what it did for me. I reaffirmed a long ago call to missions, and am going to begin now, for the three years my last child has in high school, to prepare myself for eventual full-time missionary work. Caroline will graduate and Mama will head off to the mission field. Though God had already called me, this book by David Nowell had a huge impact on solidifying and clarifying that call.

Nowell writes, "I want this book to change our world.....to be part of a ball rolling downhill, absolutely crushing the evil in this world that consigns so many people to live on the very fringes of existence." He continues, "I want it to change you....and, ultimately, if enough of us get there, the world is going to change."

I would say this book is a pivotal part of getting that change to start: one reader at a time.

Voices of the Faithful Book 2

Published by Thomas Nelson in 2009, this attractively packaged devotional book packs a wallop in terms of individual daily devotions, the accompanying Scripture verses, and a neat wrap-up of a prayer at the end of each devotion. Meaty, though succint, the devotions should prove to be an inspirational boon to missionary folk - from those on the field to those retired from the field, as well as family and friends of missionaries. Written in a casual, relaxed vein, the devotions would also appeal to non-missionaries, though I suspect the references and notes focusing on the specific ins and outs of missionary living would be a draw primarily for those called to full-time Christian service.

While I loved the look and feel of the book - it is extremely attractive, hardbound, and compelling - and did enjoy browsing through the daily devotions, I did not feel as captivated nor inspired as I have by other books of the same genre, as with the timeless Streams in the Desert series. I am not sure why, but this felt more like a coffee-table book than a hardhitting or intensely spiritual handbook.

I would recommend this as gifts for pastors, Sunday School teachers, missionaries and those connected with any sort of mission work, but not for the average run-of-the-mill church-goer, nor for a person looking for intense spiritual revival or renewal.