TITLE:  Equipped: Ephesians 6 Devotionals
AUTHOR:  Ruth L. Snyder
DATE:  2018
PUBLISHER: Creativity Publishing
STARS: *****

Is spiritual warfare real?  Are you aware of how you’re being attacked? If so, what can you do about it? Equipped takes a detailed look at God, at our enemy, and at our response. Everyday struggles happen, but you can be victorious. 

In Africa, people believe in spirit beings. Witch doctors cast spells. People dance barefoot over red-hot coals without being burned. Spiritual warfare is obvious.

In other cultures, the spiritual battle is not so evident. Still, it is very real. Homes are divided by discord and divorce. Parents are overly busy. Children are lured into drugs and sex-trafficking. Churches are complacent and powerless. Is there hope? 

Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10 NIV). What's stopping you from living life to the full? Read Equipped. Become aware. Put on your spiritual armour as described in Ephesians six. Stand firm. Pray. 

The more I read of this devotional, the more I love it. Author Ruth L. Snyder draws on and shares her own experiences, from her childhood in Africa to life as a wife and mother in Canada. She uses these examples to point us to the truth of God’s word, showing how to grasp and use the armor promised in Ephesians 6 to not only endure but triumph.
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I appreciate the author’s transparency and wisdom, and her emphasis on reading and using the Holy Bible and prayer is a reminder I need daily. Equipped fills the need for a devotional that is both simple and deep and deserves five stars. Highly recommended.
 
 

TITLE:  Let Your Light Shine
AUTHOR:  JoAnn Durgin
DATE:  2018
STARS: *****

Sam and Lexa Lewis look forward to a quiet Christmas with their family in Houston. They’ve tackled many challenges together, but when their personal world is rocked by a potentially life-changing diagnosis, they arm themselves with prayer, knowledge, and the support of their closest family and friends.

In Austin, Josh Grant is settling well into his role as lieutenant governor while Winnie juggles expectations as the wife of an elected official along with professional demands and a busy homelife. Instead of the private family Christmas they’d anticipated, new revelations stir up old insecurities and threaten everything they’ve built together. 

With developments that set the stage for the remaining two books in the series, Let Your Light Shine revisits the lives of the TeamWork family while delving into the deep bonds of love, family, and abiding friendship. A powerful and emotional read, and told with the author’s customary humor, the faith-filled pages of this latest installment of the Lewis Legacy Series remind us that while life doesn’t always go as planned, our trials and detours can often lead to the sweetest blessings of all from the heavenly Father of lights.

Let Your Light Shine is set fifteen years after romance first bonded Sam and Lexa Lewis together. With four children to raise, books to write, a catering company to oversee and an international mission group to run, life is seriously busy for Sam and Lexa. So when their precious youngest, Michael, shows signs of autism, possibly Asperger’s, they have to adjust their expectations and schedules while dealing with the emotional blow of uncertainty.

I appreciated this glimpse into the author’s own life, because as she reveals at the end of the book, her own sweet son has Asperger’s syndrome. Her experience shines through Lexa’s struggle to learn as much as possible while continuing to juggle all her other responsibilities. What a picture of mother-love and courage!

Meanwhile, Josh is under pressure of many kinds in his political role, leaving Winnie to face vicious rumors and personal attacks. Their struggles cemented my dislike for politics in general and the deceitful ways of power-hungry people in particular. That didn’t prevent my sympathies for them or hopes they could eventually overcome.

I enjoyed “catching up” with various members of TeamWork in this story and look forward to the next installment. Young Joe’s budding relationship with Gracie added a special sweetness and hints of things to come.
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Let Your Light Shine earns five stars. Recommended!