Might Want to Check These Out

During the Christmas holidays, I was in the process of wrapping a set of books for my son-in-law. I picked up one of the books and thumbed through it and ended up reading the entire book. The title is Refined by Fire. The story is a collaborative written by Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Brian Birdwell and his wife Mel. Birdwell was employed in the Pentagon the day it was bombed on 9/11. The story is a double whammy that details his recovery from being burned over 60% of his body and the role that his and his wife's faith played in their making it through the ordeal.

I finished the book at 9:30 the same evening. I laughed, cried, was stunned, cried, prayed, and cried some more. I whole heartedly recommend this book to anyone who respects our military, who believes our country is the greatest country in the world, and most importantly, believes God interacts in our daily lives and gives us whatever it takes to get us through hard times.

I heard about the book when I saw Birdwell on television several weeks ago. I was so impressed with his military knowledge and his humility. The ministry that developed from his ordeal is Face the Fire Ministries, Inc. To learn more about it, go to http://www.facethefire.org/ .

From Karen Dieckmann:

Boy's Life-- Good read. Mystery not easily second guessed.

The Collette Trilogy by DeVa Gantt-- This is not the title, but there are three book, all with subtitles using the name Collette. Historical fiction with an intriguing subplot.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy-- Short read. Heavy hitting. Didn't think it was my cup of tea, but the setting is irrelevant to the food for thought.

For those who are spititual searchers-- Jesus for the Non-Religious by John Shelby Spong, The Gospel of Inclusion by Carlton Pearson, The History of God by Karen Armstrong.