The Prodigal Son Returns by Jan Drexler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Prodigal Son Returns written by Jan Drexler


Bram-aka Dutch has been gone from the community for a long time-12 yrs.
He went on to become friends with some of Chicago's bad boys. During his time on the streets and with folks like this he learned many (Un-amish) ways.  After a time he met a guy with FBI that took him on and taught him to be double agent so to speak...working with mob and then informing FBI of things they needed to know.........now his cover was blown and he needed a safe place to lay low..thus
Bram decided to become himself and go back to the amish community and settle in..He didn't count on meeting The Miller family and esp Ellie Miller.
Ellie was now a widow and though it had been almost 2 yrs since she lost her husband she could not even think of marrying again and she clung to Hope that she could move back to the farm they has lived on as a family. she had 3 children and lived near her parents for awhile.  When she met Bram he wore "English"clothes and talked like them too so she knew she would not be thinking of him as anyone to get close to.
Ellie's dad liked Bram when he came by to buy a horse from him and told him he was thinking of buying a farm and living the amish life again.
Can someone who has had such a worldly job and lived so long outside the community return again?  John Miller seem to think so...
Do you think Ellie will open her heart after such a long time of holding herself away from even her friends in the community..staying home and not getting out much.
I am thankful that God gives second chances and this story sounds like two people need it pretty bad..I enjoyed reading this story.


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No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

No Safe Harbor is book #1 from series "Edge of Freedom" by Elizabeth Ludwig

Its 1897 in Ireland and Cara Hamilton has lost all hope of seeing her twin brother again until the letter gives her the Hope that he is alive and in American and she feels she must go find him and bring him home..Now she stands on the deck of a ship headed for America and wonders has she lost her mind.
Traveling such a long way by ship in those days was not an easy task, she was lucky to have been befriended by an older gentlemen who made sure she was little more comfortable saying she reminded him of a daughter he had lost. He gave her the name and address of a boarding house in New York that turned out to be a life saver when she came to the city and knew it would take awhile to find her brother.  He told her in the letter to not trust anyone and to wait for him and he would find her...
The boarding house was a god-send because she found friends and a kindly woman that owned it who were great help in her finding a job.
Can you imagine embarking from a huge ship into a large American city in those days not knowing where you would go or how you would live.  Cara was braver then I...
You will enjoy reading this story by Elizabeth that is filled with adventure and suspense, danger seems to be everywhere and she is not sure whom she should trust and finds herself praying daily for her brother to find her soon...


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Where God Finds You: 40 Devotions Bringing Bible Characters to Life by Anita Higman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where God Finds you:40 Devotions Bringing Bible Characters to Life
written by Anita Higman


Anita tells us she is no one special and was reluctant to write a book like this but after much prayer felt led to put scriptures together with some strong Characters from the Bible into Devotions daily or to just sit and read, soaking up words God wants you to hear.


Ancient Bible characters sometimes seem just that "Ancient".  Anita brought them to life for a few minutes as I read seeing them through her eyes.  I enjoyed reading about so many different characters ..some even without a name like "The Woman who touched his robe to receive healing by her belief".
Another was "The Woman who let down her hair and tears fell on Jesus feet, she dried the tears with her hair and kissed his feet in adoration".
I wonder why the Bible tells us of people without names,then I think.. "He loves even the least of us...."

This is a different type of devotional and well worth reading, thanks Anita for listening to the still small voice of our Lord and writing...

I was given this book by Bookclub network to review, thank you.


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A Place to Belong by Lauraine Snelling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series Wild West Wind by Lauraine Snelling book #3"A Place to belong"


When their show went bankrupt, Cassie was devastated that her Uncle would let them all go, she left with an old wagon-her horse "Wind Dancer" -George the old buffalo who was gentle as a lamb and little else...Cassie soon found an old letter and  realized that her father had been part owner of Bar E Ranch in South Dakota, she had a place to go.
Cassie Lockwood knew all there was to know about a wild west show, how to shoot-working with buffalo and other animals but here in South Dakota where her father Adam had lived and worked she was like a "fish out of water"...Cassie had always yearned for a home in one place and a family to share things with but this was going to take some getting used to.
Lucas Engstrom wanted to court and marry her soon after he met this wonderful pretty girl. He loved her spirit and truth be known they were "kindred spirits" because Lucas was a go getter,he was not happy being at the ranch working each day and would many times find reasons to be gone from the ranch.  He was not like his solid take charge responsible brother Ransom, they were as different as night and day. She come to care for the family but knew in her heart of hearts that she cares for Lucas like a brother not a husband.  She loved his mother Mavis who becomes like a mentor teaching her all she needs to know about running a home in this wild country.  Many a marriage had been good ones on a close friendship that turned to love later through years of working together in a home, could she marry Lucas and become part of the wonderful ranch she is fast coming to love....
Cassie was a quick learner and did many of the chores well but she was more comfortable with her horse "Wind Dancer" whom she had been a trick rider with in the shows then in the home.
As time moves along Cassie feels as if she has found a place to Belong on this ranch with these wonderful people yet her heart yearns for the "Wild West Shows" she had been a part of for so long.
Can she have both?  read and learn how hard times shows them they can.  I enjoyed reading this series from Lauraine


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I was given this book by Bethany House Publishing for an honest review, thank you for the opportunity to read this wonderful author...

Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Against the Tide by Elizabeth Camden

I picked up this book because of its beautiful cover and when reading I found a story that is full of suspense,romance and adventures.
The character Lydia Pallas tugs at your heartstrings when you see her lose her parents at a young age and grow up in an orphanage.  Her young life was spent on a boat and she yearned to go to school though she didn't know the english language.
something happened after she was dropped at school and she never saw her family again.
Alexander Banebridge was taken from his parents at a young age and he spent many years a prisoner of a dangerous criminal who kept young boys away from their parents to make them help him in his criminal path.  Alexander learned how to make the man care for him so he would be able to have a life beyond the mansion he was held prisoner in.  He became the son the professor never had and was taught "all his skills"....
In his teens "Bane" crossed paths with the fontaines and was able to break away from the clutches of the "Professor and his evil deeds with opium" he vowed to never marry and to rid the world of the opium that he had helped bring to the USA.  I fell in love with this quite determined young man who gave up any thoughts of a personal life to help mankind because he wanted to right a wrong that he had been apart of.  I yearned for he and Lydia to have a relationship as they both had been through rough times, having their early youth determined for them.
another character is Admiral Fontaine that Lydia met and worked for when he learned that she knew many languages and would be a valued translator for him at the navy yards.  The admiral was a widower with two small children and a strict employer yet a fair one who had helped Lydia when she needed it, knowing she was a strong young honest woman.
Lydia lived frugally near the Boston Harbor and loved the sounds there reminding her of her early years living on the boat.
 Against the Tide was not my usual type of read but I fell in love with the characters and now am anxious to read the next book that will tell the story of the "Admiral"  new author for me but she wove a wonderful story that I spent many hours enjoying, come read her if you have not yet....


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Short story by Murray Pura

The Last Waltz by Murray Pura


Mitchell Davis lay in a field surrounded by many soldiers some wounded -some dying-some dead.
He knew from the way that he felt he was not dead but gravly wounded and his thoughts turned to home and his beautiful wife Charity, he thought of how they had married young and had two sons -of their home in Ga and the fields he had worked.  He prayed to God remembering the story of Hezekiah and how he had been given more time and how God had stopped the sun and time for him.  He prayed that HE would be given one more day to spend with his beautiful wife, he talked his troops into taking him with them on their trip to Ga and the next battle, though many thought he would never be able to make the trip.  He knew they would pass his home and wanted to beg a short stay there before returning to battle.

By God's Grace he made the trip and spent a beautiful day with his wife, cutting wood for her to have through the coming winter, bathing with her in the nearby creek, loving her as he had wanted to all the months  and years he had been gone.  They talked as only two can -that have been separated so long.  Charity fixed him food to nourish his body for the time he would have to leave again, she knew they only had today and he must leave by sunrise.

All during the day Charity kept thinking she would hear Mitchell behind her and turn -to find him not there but see him through the window, many times she felt his presence and turn to find emptiness.
 
They had a ball room in their huge home and that night they waltzed to a tune they heard in their hearts, knowing they would soon have to part again but thankful God had given him this time.  It was a magical enchanted evening with stars so bright and pure sweet love enveloped them...

Morning light came all too soon and Mitchell ate a quick breakfast and left on his horse, Macon, Charity watched him go then went back to the house to do her chores and carry on.

There were sounds of war from the nearby battles for days and when she looked out one day she saw a bloodied horse, Macon was standing in the drive, he kept looking around as if to find his master.   Running she through her arms around the huge horse then cried and cried as she felt in her heart that Mitchell was now gone.
 Suddenly she felt a prescence behind her, she walked home with her chin up-cleaned Macon up-fed him then walked to her home knowing that all would be OK and she would live alone remembering "The Last Waltz" ......their last day.

Katie's Journey to Love by Jerry S. Eicher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series Emma Raber's Daughter, book #2 "Katie's Journey to Love" by Jerry Eicher


In book #1 we found Katie a young shy girl starting to make changes by going to Mennonite group gatherings and finding two girls who became great friends, Margaret and Sharon.  Her Mamm did not agree to these type friends and there was friction between the two.
Emma had met and married Jesse Mast so book #2 finds Katie adjusting to living in a larger family and the changes that involves.
Jesse's children were not pleased with Emma and her daughter moving in and the oldest daughter Mable in particular who had been doing all the "motherly" things since their mother had died years ago.
Mable wanted her "Datt" to marry the school teacher who she just knew would be a better choice.  The school teacher also had dreams of that happening too.
This story takes us a little further on Katie's journey as she is finally noticed by a young man that she has dreamed about for a long time,Ben.
There will be happiness - sorrow -betrayal and forgiveness needed.  Read and enjoy as I have this story of Katie and Emma finding Love.

I received this book from Harvest House Publishing for an honest review, thank you for sharing.


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