Fatherless by Dr James Dobson and Kurt Bruner - A Review

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I have long known the name of "Dr. James Dobson" because of his Focus on the Family program many years ago. I was surprised when I found out he had a novel soon to be released. Then, after reading the synopsis, I decided it seemed different enough to be something I'd like to lend my time to checking out. Today, I finally finished this novel, Fatherless, which he coauthored with Kurt Bruner. Wow. This is what you'd call dystopian, speculative fiction. It's something of a futuristic, political suspense. But it touches on key issues of society and what it means to be human.  And what it means to be a Christian in a society that seemed to have forgotten what it means to value all human life.

This really is a book about the future that you hope never actually happens. The following is from the official synopsis of the book:

The year is 2042, and a long-predicted tipping point has arrived. For the first time in human history, the economic pyramid has flipped: The feeble old now outnumber the vigorous young, and this untenable situation is intensifying a battle between competing cultural agendas. Reporter Julia Davidson-a formerly award-winning journalist seeking to revive a flagging career-is investigating the growing crisis, unaware that her activity makes her a pawn in an ominous conspiracy. Plagued by nightmares about her absent father, Julia finds herself drawn to the quiet strength of a man she meets at a friend's church. As the engrossing plot of FATHERLESS unfolds, Julia will face choices that pit professional success against personal survival in an increasingly uncertain and dangerous world.
In the dystopian tradition of books like 1984, Brave New World, and The Hunger Games, FATHERLESS vividly imagines a future in which present-day trends come to sinister fruition. The second and third books in the series, CHILDLESS and GODLESS, will follow at eight-month intervals.

The book is intelligently and maturely written. It is firmly for the adult who wants a little more than a light read, but is not bogged down with heavy discourse. I really liked how the authors were able to express nuances of emotion and thought patterns in the characters' interactions. The book also contains a few suggestive sexual hints in the context of a marriage relationship. Nothing graphic; but I don't think this is fare for the average teen. There were a few times in the earlier half of the book got a little slower than I'd like, but I'm glad I stuck with it as Dobson and Bruner laid a good foundation for the events of this book, and (what I now know will be) two upcoming books in the series.

All in all, this was a nice blend of speculative and yet, informative, fiction. It forces one to think of what present-day government policies could evolve into in the future. If you need a break from only romance historicals, and murder mystery, I recommend this for worthwhile variety in your diet of fiction.


I received a copy of this book from Netgalley but this is my honest review, at my own initiative.

Daily Light On The Daily Path

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I have more than 75 devotional books in my personal library. I own some really, really good ones (not counting those that are little more than a cute story or someone's personal experience/commentary with a line of Scripture attached). When I decided to follow through with a devotional book for this year I was torn about which one I should choose, until I flipped through this one and realized it was comprised of nothing but Scripture. That settled it for me; I feel that's just what I need: the maximum amount of Scripture content. In this case, that's 100% Scripture. 

This devotional is a classic by Samuel Bagster, compiled by his son Jonathan Bagster. It was first published in the 1800's and today you can read it in different Bible translations (such as KJV, NKJV, NIV, and ESV). The one I have is in the God's Word translation (GW). The strength of this devotional is that each reading is comprised only of various Scripture verses so Scripture speaks to Scripture. There is no commentary. 

It's so rich and yet so easy to read. I love to stop and reflect on the theme is being emphasized by each portion of reading. In that way, I can fully engage the reading and not just gloss over it like a story. I admit that I find myself getting into Bible study mode when I use this devotional so I wish I could also have it in NKJV version (which I prefer for delving deeper into the meaning of words and phrases). To end my reading, I can directly convert my readings into personalized prayers and know that it's all explicitly Bible based. I know this is one book I will be returning to no matter what else is in my library. 

Below are some other year-long devotionals I wish I also had the time to read in their entirety this year:

Holiness Day by Day: Transformational Thoughts for Your Spiritual Journey by Jerry Bridges

The Andrew Murray Daily Reader in Today's Language by Andrew Murray 

The Way by E. Stanley Jones

One Year Alone with God: 366 Devotions on the Names of God by Ava Pennington

Near to the Heart of God: Meditations on 366 Best-Loved Hymns by Robert J. Morgan

Designed for Devotion: A 365-Day Journey from Genesis to Revelation by Dianne Neal Matthews

Drawing Closer to God: 365 Daily Meditations on Questions from Scripture by Dianne Neal Matthews


Do you use a devotional? What's your pick for this month or year?

The Breath of Dawn by Kristen Heitzmann

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Book review: The Breath of Dawn by Kristen Heitzmann

This book is a Romantic Suspense novel; it was my first from the author and a very satisfying read. I enjoy good fiction but allocate more of my precious little reading time towards non-fiction. When I have an overall pleasurable experience with a novel that’s always extra-special for me.

In The Breath of Dawn we first meet Morgan Spencer, who is a widower and father of a toddler, and who suffers panic attacks from repressed grief and other effects of the trauma he has experienced. When he meets Quinn Reilly he doesn’t realize right away that she could be more than someone needing ‘help’ - which he’s good at giving. Quinn, who has learned to be alone and self-sufficient, is on the run from a past that has come back into her present and she has to deal with the human and the supernatural element behind that trouble. Still, she maintains a refreshing genuine sweetness and maturity. Their lives become entwined in ways they never could have seen coming.

I think it’s really hard to come across a novel that strikes you as entirely original, especially in genres like this. I could see ‘parts’ of various other novels I’ve read within the past year here, but this was a good read that I did not get bored with it at any point. What made this novel work was the entire like-ability of the (good) characters. They were characterized well and in a somewhat refreshing way - Quinn especially. The plot worked as well: there were no glaring gaps or unanswered questions; the writing was solid and there was actually some heart-pounding suspense (which I don’t really experience in many ‘suspense’ novels). I would also add that the protagonists didn’t do some uncharacteristically stupid thing which happens in many novels so that the conflict is able take place - that always annoys me. Everything here unfolds nicely.

I have long had another Kristen Heitzmann novel in my vast Kindle library and I am definitely more eager to pick it up after reading her work in this one. I’d give it 4 stars in its genre. Many readers will give this a 5 but I would need to have that lingering, ‘can’t stop pondering what I just read’ element to give it a perfect rating.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review only.

20,000 Days And Counting by Robert D. Smith

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Book review: 20,000 Days And Counting by Robert D. Smith

20,000 Days presents breathtakingly simple strategies and concepts that, once applied, will enable readers to be 100% present and intentional with every passing minute of every day, for the rest of their lives….On the 20,000th day of his life, the author sent an email that inspired and reminded a group of people of all ages to live in the moment. This group now includes you. - Excerpt from publisher’s book description

This book is chock full of simple yet truly thought- (and life-) altering principles for becoming a more productive individual in the life we live, with a view towards an eternity that we’ll have no reason to dread. I usually shun self-help and motivational type books but I am glad I read this one. Although not featuring Scripture throughout for the most part, the author shares key Scriptures at the beginning on the wisdom of numbering our days and other similar biblical exhortations. This provides a great foundation for the principles shared. Each chapter is preceded by salient quotations on the topic of Time and Productivity from past voices which were so gripping that I highlighted almost all of them.

Of all the principles shared the one that jumped out at me most was ‘Motivation is a myth.’ The author says:
“Believe me. You cannot motivate people to do any one thing. Even yourself. Never try to motivate yourself or anyone else to increase productivity. Instead, do the opposite: Increase your productivity, then the motivation will follow."

I reflected on my own experiences and could see the truth in this. My attempts at motivation in itself have often been very short-lived to downright failures. However, whenever I did just set my mind to it and accomplish a task, I found I was more likely to feel satisfied and attempt another.
Because I was also intrigued by the author’s calculation of his days lived thus far, I followed the information provided to the author’s website where I was able to input my birth date for a calculation of how many thousands of days I’ve been alive. It really does bring perspective if you will soak it in and be reflective!

The author says that the book was designed to be read in about an hour. I am not a slow reader and I did use just a few minutes at points to re-read key points and reflect on my own experiences, but this took me about 2 hours to finish in one sitting. If the topic is of particular interest to you and you intend to see how these tips can be applied to your own life, I reckon you will also need more than one hour to finish it.

If you struggle with a feeling of purposeless, procrastination, or just a nagging sense of not living up to your full potential despite some achievements, this book would be an asset to you. But reading it won’t be enough; you will also have to choose differently in your everyday life to see changes - Or as another principle in this book states: ‘You only have two choices, yes and no. I recommend 20,000 Days And Counting and give it 5 of 5 stars in its genre.


BookSneeze® provided me with a complimentary e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review only.

I spoke to the mountain

For a period of just over two weeks I suffered the experience of some unknown issue that caused me to cough intermittently throughout the day and the night. I didn’t have a cold and cough bug. I was fine otherwise. But at unexpected times during the day and night I would suddenly feel a terrible tickling, an irritant of some sort in my throat area and begin to cough, even to the point of feeling tired and thirsty. I tried mouthwash, drinking honey, drinking ginger tea, gargling with warm salt water, and turning almost upside down when the coughing fits began. All this in an effort to either kill, flush, melt, or expel whatever the cause was. And all to no effect.

These coughing fits would happen at the most embarrassing moments such as when I was in the middle of a class at school; they would also awaken me at night. If you’ve read my recent post on using melatonin to reset my sleep cycle to get much needed sleep, you have some idea at how this was costing me. I would almost always awaken at night simply to have a coughing spell, then would have difficulty returning to sleep.

I prayed about it quite a bit as the second week came around. I had not thought it was serious until it lasted so long and responded to none of my ‘cures’ and by this time I started wondering whether I should go to a throat specialist. Then one night I was laying in bed hoping to induce sleep as I caught up on reading John Bevere’s book, Relentless which I’d started some time before. That particular night I got to a chapter where he was discussing the need for Christians to use the authority that Christ has given us to speak God’s word and will, and in this way resist and defeat our enemy until we see the victory manifest in the situations that arise against us. He illustrated this wonderfully by relating true life examples (as he wisely tends to do) where the victory was completely won, not just by asking God to take away the problem, but by using the authority already vested in us to declare what Christ has already done and refuse to submit to bondage. It was like a lightbulb went on in my heart. My throat irritant issue might have been ‘small’ but it was lasting much longer than I expected and causing a lot of discomfort, loss of sleep, and public embarrassment. As I pondered what John had written, I realized this lesson was not new to me because I had seen several victories this way by the grace of God, yet on this issue it had not occurred to me at all. Boldness rose up in me and laying there, feeling another coughing fit coming on, I pointed my finger at my throat and spoke to my mountain. The monologue went something like this:

“You cough and whatever you are causing this cough, I refuse to accept you in my body. In the name of Jesus, I command you to be dissolved, be repaired, or whatever is necessary but get out of my body without causing damage or harm of any type. You are not God’s will for me and I take authority over you in Jesus’ name. Go now!”

After saying this, I noticed with excitement that a stillness had come over me and the coughing fit never came on. But after a few minutes, there was the tickling sensation again. I began to sputter. John Bevere had also reminded me of the need to keep standing in my confession of faith and resisting until full manifestation of the victory. Again, I put my hand on my throat and I said, “Oh no you don’t!” I repeated my command to that problem to leave me and told it I would not accept it in my body, that it was not God’s will for me, and that I, together with my body, was God’s property! I continued reading my book and soon fell asleep.

It was not until a full day later or so that it suddenly occurred to me that I had not had a coughing spell since that night! That was about one full week ago and I am still without any cough or throat problem. Praise God!!!

In the authority of Jesus’ name, with faith, I had spoken to my mountain (which happened to be tiny enough to affect my throat, if it was indeed caused by a solid particle; I still don’t know) and had it removed from my body!

Apart from the obvious joy and excitement that I have in recognizing God’s goodness in equipping us for even situations such as these, there was another lesson here for me. We need to stand fast in what God has taught us by continually walking in it, applying it to every situation. Unfortunately, like I needed, sometimes we also have to be reminded of what God has taught us in the past. It’s incredible how, in answer to prayer, God will sometimes lead us to an answer by what another Christian shares. So, keep your life full of fellowship with God, then His people, in all the ways that you can!

“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." ~ Matthew 17:20

A Man Who Lacked Moral Courage

I have been perusing Christian Classics at ccel.org. I came across a wonderful volume called, ‘Touching Incidents and Remarkable Answers to Prayer’ compiled and published by S.B. Shaw in 1893. In it, Shaw included the following true story as told by D. L. Moody (1837-1899). I thought this account was remarkable and scary all at once, and I believe there’s an important lesson here that you really need to read yourself.

(For those of you who follow both of my blogs, please bear with the post duplication in this instance. There are a few things I’ll post that I may consider important enough to have both categories of subscribers read, although I do intend this particular blog to be of a more random and personal nature.)

A Man Who Lacked Moral Courage

A few years ago I went to close a meeting, and said: “Are there any here who would like to have me remember them in prayer? I would like to have them rise!“ And there was a man rose, and when I saw him stand up, my heart leaped in me with joy. I had been anxious for him a long time. I went to him as soon as the meeting was over, and took him by the hand, and said: “You are coming out for God, are you not?” He said: “ I want to, and have made up my mind to be a Christian; only there is one thing standing in my way.” “What is that?” I asked. “Well,” he replied, “I lack moral courage.” Naming a friend of his, he added: “ If he had been here tonight I should not have risen; I am afraid when he hears I have risen for prayer he will begin to laugh at me, and I won’t have moral courage to stand up for Christ.” I said: “If Christ is what he is rep-resented in the Bible, he is worth standing up for; and if heaven is what we are told it is in the Bible, it is worth living for.” “I lack moral courage,” he answered; and the man was trembling from head to foot. I thought he was just at the very threshold of heaven, and that one step more was going to take him in, and that he world take the step that night. I talked and prayed with him, and the Spirit seemed to be striving mightily with him; but he did not get the light. Night after night he came, and the Spirit strove with him; but just one thing kept him back - he lacked moral courage. At last the Spirit of God—which had striven so mightily with him, seemed to leave him, and there were no more strivings, he left off coming to church, was off among his old companions, and would not meet me in the street; he was ashamed to do so. About six months afterward I got a message from him, and found him on what he thought was his dying bed, he wanted to know if there was hope for him at the eleventh hour. I tried to tell that there was hope for any man that would accept Christ. I prayed for him, and day after day I visited him.

Contrary to all expectations, he began to recover; and when he was convalescent, finding him one day sitting in front of his house, I sat by his side, and said: “You will soon be well enough to come up to the church, and when you are, you will come up; and you are just going to confess Christ boldly, are you not?” “Well,” says he, “I promised God when I was on what I thought to be my dying bed I would serve Him, and I made up my mind to be a Christian; but I am not going to be one just now. Next spring I am going over to Lake Michigan, and I am going to buy a farm and settle down, and then I am going to be a Christian.” I said, “How dare you talk that way! How do you know that you are going to live till next spring? Have you a lease of your life?“ “I was never better than I am now; I am a little weak, but I will soon have my strength. I have a fresh lease of my life, and will be well for a good many years yet,” he answered. I said: “It seems to me you are tempting God;” and I pleaded with him to come out boldly. “No,” he said; “the fact is I have not the courage to face my old companions, and I cannot serve God in Chicago.” I said “If God has not grace enough to keep you in Chicago, He has not in Michigan.” I urged him then and there to surrender his soul and body to the Lord Jesus; but the more I urged him the more irritated he got, till at last he said “Well, you need not trouble yourself any more about my soul; I will attend to that. If I am lost it will be my own fault. I will take the risk.”

I left him, and in about a week I got a message from his wife. Going to the house, I met her at the door weeping. I said: “What is the trouble?” “Oh, sir! I have just had a council of physicians here, and they have all given my husband up to die; they say he cannot live.” I said: “Does he want to see me?” She replied: “No.” “Why did you send?“ “Why,” she said, “I cannot bear to see him die in this terrible state of mind.” “What is his state of mind?” “Why, he says that his damnation is sealed, and he will be in hell in a little while.”

I went into the room, but he turned his head away. I said: “How is it with you?” Not a word; he was as silent as death. I spoke the second time, hut he made no response. I looked him in the face, and called him by name, and said “Will you not tell me how it is with you?” he turned, and fixed that awful, deathly look upon me, and, pointing to the stove, he said: “My heart is as hard as the iron in that stove; it is too late, my damnation is sealed, and I shall be in hell in a little while.” I said: “Don’t talk so; you can be saved now if you will.” He replied: “Don’t mock me I know better.” I talked with him, and quoted promise after promise, but he said not one was for him. “Christ has come knocking at time door of my heart many a time, and the last time he came I promised to let Him in; and when I got well I turned away again, and now I have to perish without Him. ”I talked, but I saw I was doing no good, and so I threw myself on my knees. He said: “You can pray for my wife and children, you need not pray for me; it is a waste of your time, it is too late. ”I tried to pray, but it seemed as if what he said was true - it seemed as if the heavens were brass over me. I rose and took his hand, amid it seemed to me as if I were bidding farewell to a friend that I never was to see again in time or eternity. He lingered till the sun went down. His wife told me that his end was terrible. All that he was heard to say were these fearful words: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and I am not saved. ”There he lay, and every little while he would take up the awful lamentation: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and I am not saved.” And just as the sun was sinking behind those western prairies he was going into the arms of death. As he was expiring, his wife noticed that his lips were quivering, he was trying to say something, and she reached over her ear, and all she could hear was “ The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and I am not saved;“ and the angels bore him to the judgment. He lived a Christless life, he died a Christless death, we wrapped him in a Christless shroud, nailed him in a Christless coffin, and bore him to a Christless grave. Oh, how dark! Oh, how sad! I may be speaking to some one today, and the harvest may be passing with you, the summer may be ending. Oh, be wise now, and accept the Lord Jesus Christ l May God’s blessing rest upon us all, and may we meet in glory, is the prayer of my heart!

- D.L. Moody.