From Billy Graham about faith and His Mother.
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Monday, May 11, 2026
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Book Review - A Heart on Consignment
Book: A Heart on Consignment
Author: Mindy Steele
Publisher: Barbour
paperback edition
Salina is an Amish young lady who is not married. Her mother keeps trying to get her matched up with one of the local eligible men.
Seth is visiting the area and staying with relatives. He is a hard worker, who is trying to recover from a broken relationship.
The two meet each other as they go about the routine of life in the community. They become good friends who get along well. They begin volunteering to organize donations and help rebuild for those who have endured losses from storm damage.
It was nice to read about the food that was made and served. It all sounded delicious! I love the servant's hearts of those who worked to help those in need. The message of how to find the right person to marry was helpful! Overall, the story was interesting with many cute moments of kindness, friendship, and a bit of humor.
Disclosure: "I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."
Friday, March 20, 2026
Sunday, February 22, 2026
Book Review - The Beginner's Quilt
Book: The Beginner's Quilt
Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter
Publisher: Barbour
paperback edition
At the age of 19, Emma Bontrager doesn't know how to cook or sew. She has always been more interested in being outdoors and in the fresh air than doing housekeeping jobs inside. Her parents decide to get some help from her grandparents. Emma is soon spending the summer with them. Here she receives lessons in sewing, cooking, and baking. She also learns the art of hand-stitching a quilt from one of the neighbors. It is wonderful to see her get to know the community in which her grandparents live.
The story is well-written and enjoyable to read. There is a gentle sense of simple living in an Amish community. The book includes disappointments, troubles, victories, and encouragement in moral values. We get a sense that no matter what trials come along in the family, or in the community, faith in God, and doing His will, brings peace.
The book includes an epilogue, a brownie recipe, and helpful note from the author.
Disclosure: "I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."
Note: Be sure to visit Mrs. White, at her other blog:
Monday, October 6, 2025
Book Review - The Amish Ballerina
Book: The Amish Ballerina
Author: Richelle Brunstetter with Wanda E. Brunstetter
Publisher: Barbour
paperback edition
This book is beautifully designed and set up. It is about 18-year-old Arie, who is Amish. Her home life is very busy. She helps her parents in their store and also helps take care of her younger brother and sister. In addition to this, she works part time at a local gift shop. There are some problems, however.
Arie's parents seem overly busy with their business, and it gets very stressful at times. It was hard to see Arie have so much trouble getting along with her mother. Arie has a non-Amish friend who introduced her to the art of ballet. This dance is not considered appropriate for an Amish way of life. Arie secretly learns ballet from her friend, who has her own family stresses! I found it a bit sad that Arie's friend did not seem to understand or respect the Amish ways. It was also troubling that Arie spent such a long time keeping this secret (and lying) to her family.
Another part of the story is Arie's boyfriend, Edwin. He is dedicated to the Amish way of life and wants to marry Arie. We read a little about Edwin's home-life and the struggles he has getting along with his brother.
At the end of the book, we are treated to a recipe of Tomato soup, which looks wonderful.
Disclosure: "I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."
Friday, May 30, 2025
An Important Reminder
An Important Reminder from one of the Rice sisters:
(Click on the photo to turn on the video)
~~~~
Friday, April 18, 2025
The Story of the Two Wolves
The Story of the Two Wolves
An old Cherokee Indian chief was teaching his grandson about life.
He said, "A fight is going on inside me," he told the young boy,
"a fight between two wolves. The Dark one is evil - he is anger,
envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment,
inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego."
He continued, "The Light Wolf is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope,
serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity
truth, compassion, and faith."
"The same fight is going on inside you, grandson. . .
and inside of every other person on the face of this earth.”
The grandson pondered this for a moment and then asked,
"Grandfather, which wolf will win?"
The old Cherokee smiled and simply said, "The one you feed".
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Inspiring Encouragement
Encouragement from one of the Rice sisters:
(Click on the photograph to turn on the video)
***
Friday, May 24, 2024
Book Review The Song of Sourwood Mountain
Book: The Song of Sourwood Mountain
Author: Ann H. Gabhart
Publisher: Revell
354 pages, paperback.
This is a story about a teacher (Mira) who is asked to marry a missionary preacher. The first third of the book is very interesting. I enjoyed reading about Mira's life, and how she had a difficult decision when trying to figure out if she would accept the preacher's offer. It would change her entire way of life. As the story went on, and we read about the place where she begins to serve, the story seemed to change a little. It opened up much more to include not only Mira and her new husband, but a community of people who were in great need of an education. While the book was well written, I just didn't like reading about the way of life (along with all the details) of the people in the new community. I found them stressful and, at times, sad. However, in the beginning of the book, there is some wonderful wisdom from the characters in her old community, which I appreciated.
* Disclaimer: This book was received for review purposes.
Friday, April 12, 2024
Book Review Just for the Summer
Book: Just for the Summer
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Revell
284 pages, paperback.
This interesting story is about 2 people who switch jobs for the summer.
Ginny is an exceptional worker who is highly skilled at managing a luxury hotel. She has a great deal of trouble dealing with an unreasonable boss.
Jacqueline is officially managing her grandfather's fishing lodge, but she isn't really doing a lot to make the place comfortable for guests. She is restless, selfish, and ungrateful.
The switch is wonderful to see how each person is delighted with her new environment.
I loved reading about the slow paced life at the lodge. I was also inspired by the cleaning and care Ginny put into her temporary work out in the country. She made housekeeping look like an admirable job.
Overall, it was an entertaining story.
* Disclaimer: This book was received for review purposes.
Saturday, February 24, 2024
The Quilt Room Secret
Book: The Quilt Room Secret
Author: Lisa Jones Baker
Publisher: Baker
249 pages, paperback.
An independent-thinking Amish woman, Trini, owned her own home and a store. She secretly plans to leave the community. There is an Amish gentleman who wants to marry her. The story shares the details of the homes, friends, neighbors, and family involved in the main character's life. I had a difficult time connecting with the story for the first few chapters. But as I continued to read, the plot started to interest me.
While I did not like reading about Trini's independent ways, or the constant references to memories, I appreciated how the story ended.
*Disclaimer: "I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."
Thursday, February 8, 2024
The Irish Matchmaker
Book: The Irish Matchmaker
Author: Jennifer Deibel
Publisher: Revell
314 pages, paperback.
This well written story will transport you to a fascinating community in Ireland. We learn of the customs and way of daily life. As can be expected, there were brief instances of drunkenness, as well as some romantic descriptions.
There are two families we get to know fairly well. The first family includes the Matchmaker, Catriona, and her father who live in town. The second family is a farmer, Donal and his young daughter, who are struggling financially while living in the country. We see a little of the difference between the royal residents and the laborers living in the countryside. It is interesting to see how marriages are made and all the effort to find the right match. It was lovely to read about life in Ireland.
*Disclosure - This book was received for review purposes.
Friday, November 17, 2023
Book Review - Her Secret Hope by Shelley Shepard Gray
Book: Her Secret Hope
Author: Shelley Shepard Gray
Publisher: Revell
289 pages, paperback.
This is my first time reading a book by this author. "Her Secret Hope" is about a young Amish lady, Lilly, who takes a job working as a maid in an Inn in Florida. She had traveled some distance from home to make a fresh start in life. It is interesting to read about her work, what goes on behind-the-scenes in an Inn, and what it's like in the commercial kitchen. The characters are all interesting and it is enjoyable to read about daily life. Lilly meets a nice young man. The friendship is taken slowly and I appreciate how Lilly is cautious about getting too involved too quickly.
Lilly is a sweet, hardworking girl. She has very supporting friends. It is nice to see good things happen to her.
There is a word of caution that a few readers might want to be aware of. There is a very brief romantic description in the story, that comes off as too strong, in my opinion. I would have enjoyed the story much more if this had been greatly toned down or avoided altogether.
* Disclosure - This book was provided for review purposes. *
Book Review - The Amish Cook's Baking Book by Lovina Eicher
Book: The Amish Cook's Baking Book
Author: Lovina Eicher with Kevin Williams
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
200 pages, hardcover.
This wonderful collection includes instructions for baking breads, pies, pastries, cookies, and more. It was written by Lovina, who writes a column, from home, called, "The Amish Cook." There is an explanation at the beginning which shares that an Amish kitchen does not contain modern appliances, such as food processors, blenders, or bread makers. Yet the kitchen is stocked with pots and pans and hand-operated utensils.
The photographs of the bread and cookies look incredible. The instructions for each recipe look easy to follow.
There is a quote from Lovina's mother, Elizabeth, from 1998, at the beginning of the bread section:
"While often sliced and served for supper, fresh bread can be found on the table at any meal of the day. I used to make a lot more bread when all of our children were still living at home - usually about nine loaves a week. I would bake the bread before they came so when they got in the door it was good and warm."
On the back cover of the book, there is a wonderful quote by the author, "Baking is something my mother taught me, much like sewing, ironing, or gardening. Now, as a mother of eight children of my own, I am beginning to teach them how to bake. I have many cherished memories of baking throughout my life."
The description of home life scattered throughout, along with color photographs and recipes make the book a treasure. It is beautifully done.
* Disclosure - This book was provided for review purposes. *
Book Review - The Amish Cook's Anniversary Book by Lovina Eicher
Book: The Amish Cook's Anniversary Book: 20 Years of Food, Family, and Faith
Author: Lovina Eicher with Kevin Williams
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
290 pages, hardcover.
This is an incredible book of history from the pen of an Amish wife and mother. It includes full color photographs of Amish life, the scenery, the food, and activity of home life. It is charming, and depicts a simple life with a lot of old fashioned hard work.
The author, Lovina, is the daughter of Elizabeth Coblentz, who wrote a newspaper column called, "The Amish Cook." She called them "letters" and shared recipes and letters from home. She sent these to her editor, Kevin Williams, who has compiled this book. After her mother passed into Heaven, Lovina continued writing the column.
This anniversary collection provides a treat as we read about daily life in an Amish home. The book includes the very first column by Elizabeth, from August 1991. Lovina began writing in 2002. The last letter in this book is by Lovina and is written in February of 2010.
The sweet letters are endearing and inspiring. The recipes are wonderful and written in a way that is easy to follow. It is an excellent book.
* Disclosure - This book was provided for review purposes. *
Friday, September 29, 2023
Lost and Found Book Review
Book: Lost and Found
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Publisher: Revell
320 pages, paperback.
The conservative Amish community who live in Stoney Ridge and troubled by the liberal ways of the Beachy Amish who seem to be taking over the settlement. The concerns are that some of the choices of their group allows the use of cell phones and other modern (or worldly) devices. This is tempting to their young people and there is a concern they would begin losing members. The bishop considers the idea of moving their entire group to another state. I found this part of the story to be very interesting and a lesson for all of us.
The story mainly centers around dedicated bird watchers who keep logs of their sightings. We see samples of these logs throughout the book. The book also discusses the issue of mental illness.
* Disclosure - This book was provided for review purposes. *
Saturday, September 2, 2023
A Royal Christmas
Book: A Royal Christmas
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Revell
176 pages, hardcover.
Adelaide stops working at a coffee shop in order to focus on completing her education. She is working on a law degree and is living on limited means. She soon finds out she is related to royalty and quickly travels to a small European country. We are treated to the sights and customs of this place.
There is a bit of mystery in the story. There is also a small section of the story which describes a foreign Christmas custom that I did not like and did not want to know about. The main character didn't seem to like it either!
I enjoyed reading about the shopping for pretty clothes and the description of the palace. There is a nice friendship Adelaide develops with a gentleman which is interesting.
Overall it is a well written story.
* Disclosure - This book was provided for review purposes. *
Monday, August 7, 2023
Letters of Comfort - Review
Book: Letters of Comfort (Book 2 of "The Friendship Letters.")
Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter
Publisher: Barbour
320 pages, paperback.
This story deals with depression. It begins with a tragic accident which I found difficult to read. As the characters started to heal from the effects of the accident, it was very depressing. I had to take breaks from reading because it was a bit overwhelming. However, I wanted to know how the story would turn out so I kept reading.
It was hard for me to believe the characters were Amish because they did not seem to be focused on home life, but on working outside the home, etc. (This was probably a misunderstanding on my part.) The story includes information about a health food store, training horses, dealing with the death of a loved one, and recovering from painful physical injuries. Overall the book is well written. It is wholesome, but sad.
The book includes some bonus features in the back. There is a recipe for apple muffins, discussion questions, and a letter from the author about dealing with depression.
Disclosure: "I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review."
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Second Time Around - Review
Book: Second Time Around
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: Revell
304 pages, paperback.
This delightful story is about Mallory, an older woman with two grown children. She is a busy interior decorator with a lovely Victorian house. After her daughter gets married she feels a stronger sense of emptiness in her large home.
She soon finds out that her grandmother left her some property. It is an old touristy gift shop with an apartment above the store. It is enjoyable to read about her days and getting to know the people in the community.
The description of how she turns the store into a lovely decorating store is inspiring. Even though she struggles with trying to get the apartment into livable condition, it is fascinating to learn about all the trouble it takes to get qualified workers to do necessary repairs. It is nice to read about how she settles into the neighborhood, helping to make it a better place while she develops friendships with her neighbors.
Overall it is a modern story with a wholesome bit of romance.
Bonus: There is a surprise bonus chapter at the end of the story. It is chapter one of Melody's book, "The Happy Camper." I enjoyed this sample. It made me want a copy of that book too!
* Disclosure - This book was provided for review purposes. *
Saturday, January 7, 2023
Life of Andrew Jackson - Review
Book: Life of Andrew Jackson
Author: Edited by John S. Jenkins, A.M.
Publisher: Attic Books - A division of New Leaf Publishing Group.
395 pages, hardcover
The book itself is beautifully bound with a nice cover. It is a reprint from the 1850 edition. The original title is as follows: "Life and Public Services of Gen. Andrew Jackson, seventh president of the United States; Including The most important of his state papers, with the Eulogy, delivered at Washington City, June 21, 1845 by Hon. George Bancroft."
It begins in 1767 with a narrative of his early life and the influence of his mother. It goes on to cover his political history, all the way up to his death in 1845. The end of the book includes a copy of his last will and testament.
It is worth noting that Andrew was eight years old when the Revolutionary war first broke out. You can learn a great deal of history while reading the details of his life.
Overall it is well written and an interesting history book.
* Disclosure - This book was provided for review purposes. *
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