This newest book by Cathy Marie Hake is an entertaining, well-written work of fiction. The main character is a female doctor who faces and overcomes the prejudices common against females in traditionally male-dominated professions in the 19th century.
The author, Cathy Marie Hake, gives us a glimpse into late nineteenth century medicinal practices by including accurate and interesting historical details as the protagonist practices medicine in a Texas frontier town where the overwhelming sentiment is that women are not capable of being physicians. Not only her abilities but the appropriateness of her chosen profession is questioned by the town's citizens
The overarching romantic story is well-developed and believable as the characters learn more about each others beliefs and motivations for making the decisions they do.
As a female who chose to enter a male-dominated profession I appreciate the very real look this fiction book takes at the struggle our female antecedents faced to break through the "glass ceilings" of so many male-dominated professions and the equally valid appeal that being a Christian and pushing the envelope of society's standards are not mutually exclusive activities.
Yes, this book is a Christian historical romance. But it is also much more than that. It touches on topics that were volatile during the period this book was set and reminds us that Christian women play many roles in our society.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Book Review - Voices of the Faithful Book 2
I was excited to read this new book of devotions written and compiled by missionaries around the world. Even with sources like the Internet, Christians in America are incredibly insulated from the realities of life for Christians in many parts of the world as they share Christ's love. Through these daily devotional readings I have become more aware of the both the joys missionaries experience and the difficulties that are a part of daily life for many of them. It has made me more aware of how I can pray more effectively for missions work as well as giving me the ability to pray for the work of many Christians on an individual basis.
I enjoy the way this devotional book is organized. Each month of devotions is introduced by Kim Davis, who lived for many years in South Asia and each month is grouped by themes. My favorites included Lessons from the Young (September) and From Adversity to Triumph (October). Each devotion consists of a Bible verse corresponding to a short story written by a missionary. Following is a short prayer pertaining to the story as well.
This book is an excellent resource to help make us more aware of the work of Christ followers around the world. It is different from many devotional guides in that it takes the focus off of me (and how I can better myself) and places it on Christ (His work around the world and how we can join that work where we are). And as far as I'm concerned, that's the way it should be.
I enjoy the way this devotional book is organized. Each month of devotions is introduced by Kim Davis, who lived for many years in South Asia and each month is grouped by themes. My favorites included Lessons from the Young (September) and From Adversity to Triumph (October). Each devotion consists of a Bible verse corresponding to a short story written by a missionary. Following is a short prayer pertaining to the story as well.
This book is an excellent resource to help make us more aware of the work of Christ followers around the world. It is different from many devotional guides in that it takes the focus off of me (and how I can better myself) and places it on Christ (His work around the world and how we can join that work where we are). And as far as I'm concerned, that's the way it should be.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Book Review - Fields of Grace
I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of faith embarked on by the main characters of Kim Vogel Sawyer's latest work of fiction, Fields of Grace. In this book Reinhardt and Lillian Vogt as well as Reinhardt's brother Eli journey from the steppes of Russia to a new life in America - a decision made so that they won't have to compromise their Mennonite faith. Along the way, tragedy strikes the family and difficult decisions must be made.
The faith of the family is solidly interwoven into the fabric of their lives, and when a crisis of faith comes for Lillian, the story remains believable and true to the character created. Although this is a work of fiction I learned a bit more about religious and cultural heritage of a segment of immigrants to the midwest. Although the book has a firm conclusion I hope the author is planning a sequel to this story so that we can learn more of son Henrik's journey into adulthood and whether he will choose to remain true to his religious roots.
The faith of the family is solidly interwoven into the fabric of their lives, and when a crisis of faith comes for Lillian, the story remains believable and true to the character created. Although this is a work of fiction I learned a bit more about religious and cultural heritage of a segment of immigrants to the midwest. Although the book has a firm conclusion I hope the author is planning a sequel to this story so that we can learn more of son Henrik's journey into adulthood and whether he will choose to remain true to his religious roots.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Book Review - Love Has a Face
As a strong advocate of missions and missionaries I was excited to begin reading Love Has a Face by Michele Perry. Unfortunately, by the time I was a few chapters into the book I realized how disappointing this book is. This poorly written book has no real direction, jumping from random glimpses of Michele's life in Sudan (which were interesting) to experiences in which she speaks with Christ incarnate in her room (which quite frankly were disturbing to someone who was raised in the Christian faith and who believes that the next time Christ returns to Earth will be at its ending).
Michele Perry truly seems to adhere to a social gospel with all hatred, pain and suffering being eliminated on earth by those who follow His direction to love our neighbor. As Christians we are called to help our brother who is suffering but with the intent of introducing him to One who can remove suffering for eternity if our faith is placed in Him - whether He heals our earthly sickness or not. God never intended His kingdom to be established on Earth except in the hearts of His followers - not as a physical place. This book does not clearly communicate that Michele Perry believes this tenet of Christian faith. She relies heavily on "faith-healing" as a purpose of knowing God - not as a way of being introduced to His power.
To be fair, Michele Perry truly has a heart for the people of Sudan. Overall, though, this book is both poorly written (with no real direction or conclusions) and distinctly disturbing as it seems to confuse and combine mysticism and Christianity. More Christian missionaries are desperately needed in Sudan and around the world to help the suffering in the name of Christ, but don't rely on this book to give you a glimpse into a missionary's life - the information just isn't there.
Michele Perry truly seems to adhere to a social gospel with all hatred, pain and suffering being eliminated on earth by those who follow His direction to love our neighbor. As Christians we are called to help our brother who is suffering but with the intent of introducing him to One who can remove suffering for eternity if our faith is placed in Him - whether He heals our earthly sickness or not. God never intended His kingdom to be established on Earth except in the hearts of His followers - not as a physical place. This book does not clearly communicate that Michele Perry believes this tenet of Christian faith. She relies heavily on "faith-healing" as a purpose of knowing God - not as a way of being introduced to His power.
To be fair, Michele Perry truly has a heart for the people of Sudan. Overall, though, this book is both poorly written (with no real direction or conclusions) and distinctly disturbing as it seems to confuse and combine mysticism and Christianity. More Christian missionaries are desperately needed in Sudan and around the world to help the suffering in the name of Christ, but don't rely on this book to give you a glimpse into a missionary's life - the information just isn't there.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Book Review - Fearless
Max Lucado's latest book is so applicable to Christians today. In today's society where there is a techno-gadget to solve every problem and medical research is extending our lives it is so easy to forget that we serve the all-powerful Creator of the universe. My default reaction to almost any problem is, "What can I do to fix this?" In his book Fearless, Max Lucado gently reminds us that our first reaction to any fear-inducing situation should be to turn to God.
I enjoyed the way Lucado separated the chapters of this book into types of fear. For example, he addresses fear of not protecting your children, fear of worst-case scenarios, and fear of life's final moments. But throughout the book he continues to emphasize - often by quoting Scripture - that while we are not in control God is, and He walks with us.
I was especially moved by the anecdotes Lucado shares from the lives of several Christians including Boris Kornfeld (of whom I'd never heard) and C.S. Lewis. When I am tempted to give in to my fears I hope I remember that nothing God calls us to do is ever wasted, as evidenced by many of the stories in Fearless.
One point I disagree with is Lucado's explanation of why Christ prayed at Gethsemane the night before He was crucified. According to Lucado, He was afraid of what was to come. I've never read the Scripture that way, but instead feel that He prayed because He dreaded or dismayed what was facing Him. Dread and fear are not the same emotion. Despite this portrayal, the book Fearless is overall an excellent reminder that as Christians we have nothing and no one to fear - except God.
I enjoyed the way Lucado separated the chapters of this book into types of fear. For example, he addresses fear of not protecting your children, fear of worst-case scenarios, and fear of life's final moments. But throughout the book he continues to emphasize - often by quoting Scripture - that while we are not in control God is, and He walks with us.
I was especially moved by the anecdotes Lucado shares from the lives of several Christians including Boris Kornfeld (of whom I'd never heard) and C.S. Lewis. When I am tempted to give in to my fears I hope I remember that nothing God calls us to do is ever wasted, as evidenced by many of the stories in Fearless.
One point I disagree with is Lucado's explanation of why Christ prayed at Gethsemane the night before He was crucified. According to Lucado, He was afraid of what was to come. I've never read the Scripture that way, but instead feel that He prayed because He dreaded or dismayed what was facing Him. Dread and fear are not the same emotion. Despite this portrayal, the book Fearless is overall an excellent reminder that as Christians we have nothing and no one to fear - except God.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
First Day of School
Let me start this post by saying I've imagined this day for years - over ten years. And especially for the past oh, five years or so, I've wondered (okay, obsessed) what would it be like to have all my children in school? What will I do with my time? How will I fill it? Should I get a "real job" (since we all know being a stay-at-home-mom isn't really work)? If so, what job? Engineering? Go back to school and pursue a different career track? Nursing? Teaching? I've polled all my friends and acquaintances who are/were SAHMs and everyone seemed to know exactly what choice to make - everyone except me that is. So needless to say, I've given this day some thought - a lot of thought. So much of my identity the past ten years has been wrapped up in being Mom to my children. Will I lose my identity when they're all in school?
Now, with the first week of the school year almost behind me, I can honestly say I believe I have made the right decision on how to fill my time - the right decision for me, that is. In a few weeks I will begin my second year as a math tutor at a local community college. The job takes less than 15 hours a week, doesn't pay well, and is incredibly low stress. In other words, it fills just about as much time as I am willing to give to a job at this stage of my life, allows me to contribute a tiny amount to the family finances, and is the perfect complement to being a mostly-SAHM of school-age kids. I'm always home when they are, work will never take precedence over my children, and I really ENJOY helping college students figure out how to solve math problems (especially Calculus and Statistics).
Even though they don't require my presence as much now, I know my kids need me now as much as they ever have. I want to be available to them for parties, field trips, homework, and just to talk to about whatever is on their minds. So I have finally, after years of soul-searching, discovered the answer to the question, "What will you do when your kids are all in school?" I will work a few hours a week while the kids are in school, but more importantly than that I will remain available to be a mom to my children. And that is the most important job I will ever have.
Now, with the first week of the school year almost behind me, I can honestly say I believe I have made the right decision on how to fill my time - the right decision for me, that is. In a few weeks I will begin my second year as a math tutor at a local community college. The job takes less than 15 hours a week, doesn't pay well, and is incredibly low stress. In other words, it fills just about as much time as I am willing to give to a job at this stage of my life, allows me to contribute a tiny amount to the family finances, and is the perfect complement to being a mostly-SAHM of school-age kids. I'm always home when they are, work will never take precedence over my children, and I really ENJOY helping college students figure out how to solve math problems (especially Calculus and Statistics).
Even though they don't require my presence as much now, I know my kids need me now as much as they ever have. I want to be available to them for parties, field trips, homework, and just to talk to about whatever is on their minds. So I have finally, after years of soul-searching, discovered the answer to the question, "What will you do when your kids are all in school?" I will work a few hours a week while the kids are in school, but more importantly than that I will remain available to be a mom to my children. And that is the most important job I will ever have.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Book Review - Love and Respect
This book offers an excellent perspective on Christian marriage. Clearly speaking to Christians, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs shares insight on Ephesians 5:33 which is the basis for the book.
The first section seemed to move very slowly as Dr. Eggerichs restated over and over that in a fundamental way men and women speak different "languages" - he desires respect and she desires love. Perhaps this section could have been condensed, but it didn't seem to grab my attention like the rest of the book did. I also felt that some of the letter excerpts from couples who had been to his conferences could have been removed and others letters elaborated on. I would have enjoyed more background information from some of the letter writers to know exactly how the information from the book changed their marriages in concrete ways - not just that it did.
The aspect of this book that I struggled with most is that Eggerichs never connects respecting you husband with loving him. Maybe as a woman it still all comes back to love for me, but I believe that when I choose to be respectful to my husband I am really loving him. I enjoyed the second section ("The Energizing Cycle") with its practical suggestions on how men can be more loving and women can be more respectful. Again, though, the suggestions for women on being respectful seemed to me to be ways I can show my husband love by respecting him. Each chapter concludes with a short bulleted list of practical ways to put the chapter's topic into practice. These lists are excellent starting points and made me want to sit down and write my own list of ways I can implement the ideas Eggerichs outlines.
This book continued to get better the further I read. The last section ("The Rewarded Cycle") is aimed directly at Christians and is strongly Bible-based (like the rest of the book). In the back of my mind as I read this book I was wondering, "What about couples who are in extreme situations - perhaps where one spouse doesn't want to change his/her sinful behavior?" This section addresses that concern. To quote from the book, "My response to my spouse is my responsibility". Ultimately when I choose to love or respect my spouse I am loving or reverencing Christ. This section has so much excellent, Bible-based material that it is worth buying the book just for this information - but you should really read the entire book for the full perspective on Love and Respect in your marriage.
This book is excellent for couples at any point in their relationship, from newlyweds to those who feel their marriage is coming to an end to those who want to make their "good" marriage even better. Although the concept flies in the face of popular culture, God truly made men and women differently with unique needs. We complement each other but we don't always know how to speak each others language. This book helps decode our differences and offers ways to strengthen the marriage bond.
The first section seemed to move very slowly as Dr. Eggerichs restated over and over that in a fundamental way men and women speak different "languages" - he desires respect and she desires love. Perhaps this section could have been condensed, but it didn't seem to grab my attention like the rest of the book did. I also felt that some of the letter excerpts from couples who had been to his conferences could have been removed and others letters elaborated on. I would have enjoyed more background information from some of the letter writers to know exactly how the information from the book changed their marriages in concrete ways - not just that it did.
The aspect of this book that I struggled with most is that Eggerichs never connects respecting you husband with loving him. Maybe as a woman it still all comes back to love for me, but I believe that when I choose to be respectful to my husband I am really loving him. I enjoyed the second section ("The Energizing Cycle") with its practical suggestions on how men can be more loving and women can be more respectful. Again, though, the suggestions for women on being respectful seemed to me to be ways I can show my husband love by respecting him. Each chapter concludes with a short bulleted list of practical ways to put the chapter's topic into practice. These lists are excellent starting points and made me want to sit down and write my own list of ways I can implement the ideas Eggerichs outlines.
This book continued to get better the further I read. The last section ("The Rewarded Cycle") is aimed directly at Christians and is strongly Bible-based (like the rest of the book). In the back of my mind as I read this book I was wondering, "What about couples who are in extreme situations - perhaps where one spouse doesn't want to change his/her sinful behavior?" This section addresses that concern. To quote from the book, "My response to my spouse is my responsibility". Ultimately when I choose to love or respect my spouse I am loving or reverencing Christ. This section has so much excellent, Bible-based material that it is worth buying the book just for this information - but you should really read the entire book for the full perspective on Love and Respect in your marriage.
This book is excellent for couples at any point in their relationship, from newlyweds to those who feel their marriage is coming to an end to those who want to make their "good" marriage even better. Although the concept flies in the face of popular culture, God truly made men and women differently with unique needs. We complement each other but we don't always know how to speak each others language. This book helps decode our differences and offers ways to strengthen the marriage bond.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)