WHAT YOU SAID TO ME – Olivia Newport

In “What You Said To Me” by Olivia Newport, a brilliant father-daughter genealogy team skillfully links present to past on family trees, as they try to uncover the past. In an already troubled life, fifteen-year-old Tisha Crowder is caught shoplifting. Attorney Nolan Duffy tries to protect her from harmful consequences. His daughter, Jillian, feels punished when Juvenile Court assigns Tisha to work with her on a huge backlog of genealogy files. Tisha is not interested in the job. Jillian’s paper-thin patience runs out like water. Long-ago words in plain sight offer a tiny ray of hope, when previously shrouded assumptions about Tisha’s family are brought to the surface, exposed and challenged. Jillian walks Tisha back to the mystical year of 1893 to uncover the wrongful past. This fourth book in the Tree of Life series by Olivia Newport explores unforgettable family stories and family trees, in a concerted effort to inspire and motivate you to connect with your own family histories and unique faith journeys in life. I highly recommend this split-time story that shows the kind, compassionate side of the genealogy team.

OBEDIENCE OVER HUSTLE – Malinda Fuller

In “Obedience over Hustle,” Malinda Fuller describes the surrender of the striving heart to obey God. Malinda heard God’s voice, quiet and unassuming, bold, gentle, firm and tender, speaking directly to her heart. All he said was, “Will you obey Me? Am I not your Provider.” As she wrestled with those questions, Malinda had a choice to make. She would trust God to provide for her. She would “confront the Hustle” and “choose Obedience.”

We must not manipulate God’s plan and fast track His agenda to attain our dreams. We should aim to obey God and do whatever He asks of us. Our only aim must be to love Him, serve Him and help to build His Kingdom. We will go wherever He leads us. We will choose Obedience over Hustle. Let us choose God’s way only, not ours. The hustling heart always strives for something more and is never satisfied with anything. Hustling ruthlessly chases after a goal at any cost. 

God calls us to listen to His voice, obey Him, follow His leading and yield to Him. Let us choose Obedience in the tiniest details and in the grandest plans. We must be satisfied with God and His plans for us. Obedience to God is a daily decision to obey Him. It is a way of thinking, a lifestyle.  God wants us to partner with Him. Life acquires meaning when we work with God to achieve His purposes. God honors us when we work with Him. We must try on God for everything and depend on Him for favorable outcomes. God wants our partnership with Him to make His name great and point people to Christ. Say yes to God, give up the hustle and step into obedient living. I recommend this book to all who love God, desire to obey Him at any cost and who want God’s will to reign supreme in their lives.

Miriam Jacob 

 

 

IN THE CRADLE LIES – Olivia Newport

Barbour Publishing, Shiloh Run Press. Pub. Date: 01 November 2019. ISBN: 9781683229957. Price: $12.99

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“In the Cradle Lies” by Olivia Newport, is the second book in the Tree of Life” series. An investigative Father-Daughter Team try to link family histories,  present to past, on family trees. Tucker, on a solo ski vacation, spends his wealth indiscriminately. A fearless skier, he is determined to conquer an overgrown slope, a dangerous and risky run, hitherto unattempted for decades past. Genealogist Jillian explores Tucker’s family tree to try to reconcile his charming nature with his reckless resolve. Meanwhile Jillian’s father, Nolan tries to lure Tucker into giving him ski lessons, to make him open up about the suspicious circumstances revolving around his grandfather’s life in the 1930s. The secret of Tucker’s seemingly perfect family history may lie concealed in a sealed envelope Tucker refuses to part with. When Tucker’s fiancee turns up unannounced, and Tucker himself cannot be found, everyone realizes that he must be trying to ski the dangerous and perilous run, alone in a snowstorm. Time is running out for Tucker and soon it may be too late. This book inspires us to explore family trees and celebrate unforgettable family stories that connect us with our own unique family histories. It also takes us on amazing faith journeys that help us to discover what actually lies at the heart of our faith.

Miriam Jacob 

COLORS OF CHRISTMAS – Olivia Newport

Shiloh Run Press, Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Pub Date 01 Oct 2017.
ISBN: 9781683223351
PRICE: $14.99

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Colors of Christmas by Olivia Newport celebrates the Hope of Christmas with two heartwarming, contemporary stories in which the characters find healing amidst heartbreak. This novel has the true Christmas spirit, full of imagination and pure simplicity. Olivia Newport is an excellent wordsmith as she skillfully intertwines two inspiring Christmas stories with a message of hope and faith. Both novellas feature women coping with big changes, and dealing with heartbreak over the Christmas season. “Christmas in Blue” is true to its name. After a deep personal loss, Angela, the church organist, cannot ignore the Christmas season as she is in charge of the town’s celebration. A strange young man, Gabe, is the suspect for the collapse of the Christmas traditions. Yet Angela’s heart warms to him because they share a unique secret. With only some garish blue Christmas decorations to work with, Gabe helps Angela discover the hidden beauty of hope and joy. In “Christmas in Gold,” after eighty years, Astrid is used to momentous change. At twenty, she and her family survived the Nazis and moved to America where she lost her husband. She became a widow again at forty. Facing a move into an assisted living community, she meets a young woman in despair and revives hope in the face of tragedy. Carly, Astrid’s physical therapist at the apartments, is a single mother who cannot cope with work and her child’s daycare. “And hope, once lost, was found again.” I highly recommend “Colors of Christmas” to all who love the true Christmas spirit. Christ is the reason for the season. Have a blessed Christmas with this inspiring read!

Miriam Jacob

ODD(LY) ENOUGH – Carolanne Miljavac

Odd(ly) Enough
Standing Out When the World Begs You To Fit In
by Carolanne Miljavac

Shiloh Run Press, Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Pub Date: 01 Nov 2018,
ISBN: 9781683227892
Price: $14.99

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“Odd(ly) Enough – Standing Out When the World Begs You To Fit In,” by Carolanne Miljavac affirms what the world needs to hear. It’s time to embrace the real “you” God made you to be, as you passionately pursue your God-given purpose. You will find yourself walking with courage and confidence about God’s divine purpose for your life. Following the principles outlined in this book, Carolanne Miljavac, a person with all the odds stacked against her, emerged a much stronger person, honest, authentic and relatable, using her unique style of comedy and sincerity to deliver hope and healing. Carolanne believes that the past is what shapes us into the vessels God uses for His divine purposes. She has written a raw, painfully honest and humorous book about her past, detailing her life’s struggles and how she overcame it with God’s help. We won’t know how strong we are if our strength is never tested. As Carol tells her story, we feel a wide gamut of emotions from ranging from joy to grief. This book offers encouragement and hope, motivating readers to live a more transparent life for Jesus. Carolanne, a Christian shares the hope she finds in Christ. Because of who Jesus is and what He suffered for us, we find our worth in Him. We are encouraged to turn to God with our own struggles and heartaches. He has a plan for all of us and we just need to wait on Him to fulfil it. He can make everything work out for His glory. We don’t have to hide who we really are when we are exactly who God created us to be. This book is for all who love God and want a closer relationship with Him. I highly recommend this book for God’s glory.

Miriam Jacob