Kathleen Friesen

GRACE NOTES - BLOG

My place for interviews, book reviews, and the occasional meditation. Do you enjoy a good book? I'll feature them here, so let's visit!

  • Welcome!
  • Grace Notes - Blog
  • My Books
  • Recipes (just for fun)

BLIND HATRED: A DEFINITION AND A CONFESSION

2/20/2017

4 Comments

 
Picture
My mother would never allow her children to say, “I hate you!” No matter how heated the argument (and with five kids, there were plenty of quarrels), she would remind us that hatred means a desire for death. “Do you really want (brother/sister) to die?” No, of course not. Our heads would hang, and we’d (eventually) make up.

Mom’s definition wasn’t far off the one The Advanced English Dictionary gives for hatred: The emotion of intense dislike; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action.

Trevor Hiebert, the hero in Redemption’s Whisper, harbors hatred toward a former foster father and has vowed to exact revenge. His hatred is understandable, but it blinds him and hurts those close to him.

The Bible tells us in 1 John 2:11, “But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” That describes Trevor so well.
It also describes me.

I know what it feels like to hate, to wish death upon someone I knew. When I discovered that the father of a two-year-old girl I loved dearly had sexually traumatized her and her equally cherished siblings, my vision went dark and my heart turned to hatred. I wanted this “pillar of the church” to pay. I wished all the evil he’d committed would turn on him and destroy him.

Like Trevor, I could not forgive the culprit on my own. In fact, the only way I could forgive was to step back, admit my inability, and release him—and my anger—to the God who knows. Only He can move a heart to repentance.

Only He could change my heart to the point where I can pray for that man, not for punishment but for healing of the wounds that provoked him to harm innocents. It’s a prayer I have to repeat each time I think of him. May God have mercy on us both.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)  
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for Your redeeming grace.

4 Comments

Book Review: Pursuit

2/13/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
TITLE:  Pursuit (The Lewis Legacy Series, Book 8)
AUTHOR:  JoAnn Durgin
DATE:  2017
STARS:  *****

From the time he was a little boy, all Will Lewis wanted to do was ride a rocket ship to the stars. Now, more than three decades later, NASA Commander William Jordan Lewis prepares to lead his STS-777 Pursuit shuttle crew on a six-week mission to the International Space Station. Nothing and no one will interfere with his single-minded purpose…until four months before his mission, Will meets the girl next door, a petite beauty with a southern accent and a masculine-sounding name who challenges and completely captivates him. 

Dalton Smith isn’t sure what to make of her very tall, space-obsessed—and annoyingly handsome—astronaut neighbor. Her career as a contemporary Christian vocalist is beginning to soar, and she has no time for a romantic relationship. But Commander Lewis captures her attention and won’t let go. 

Like many others, I waited anxiously for Pursuit, the eighth novel in JoAnn Durgin’s Lewis Legacy series. I’d read and loved each of the previous books, so it didn’t take much arm-twisting to convince myself to purchase this one. I’m so glad I did.

Astronaut Will Lewis made only brief appearances in the other Lewis Legacy stories, so I was eager to get to know him better. As it turns out, so was his new neighbour, Christian singing artist Dalton Smith. Watching their relationship develop was a sweet joy, perfect for this Valentine’s week—or any time.

The author’s tremendous research shone in this story, and she incorporated NASA information seamlessly. Well done! Ms. Durgin managed to make the space shuttle and ISS familiar enough that I could envision it, a truly amazing feat.

But this is not simply a sweet love story between a singer and an astronaut. Pursuit is a fitting title, as it’s the name of the shuttle Will commands but it also describes God’s quest for a close relationship with His children. Through fears, thrills, and dangers, Will and Dalton have choices to make: trudge on their own way, or yield to God’s pursuit.
​
Highly recommended. I give Pursuit five stars and wish I could give more.

0 Comments

Book Review: Justice Delayed

2/13/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
TITLE:  Justice Delayed (Memphis Cold Case #1)
AUTHOR:  Patricia Bradley
DATE:  2017
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS:  *****

It's been eighteen years since TV crime reporter Andi Hollister's sister was murdered. The confessed killer is behind bars, and the execution date is looming. But when a letter surfaces stating that the condemned killer didn't actually do it, Detective Will Kincaide of the Memphis Cold Case Unit will stop at nothing to help Andi get to the bottom of it. After all, this case is personal: the person who confessed to the crime is Will's cousin. They have less than a week to find the real killer before the wrong person is executed. But much can be accomplished in that week--including uncovering police corruption, running for your life, and falling in love.

First, the disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I’ve read several books by Patricia Bradley and have enjoyed each nail-biting tail, so when this one arrived, I knew it would be an entertaining thrill. Ms. Bradley did not let me down. And I could not put the book down. From the opening lines of the prologue, tension held me in its grip as I quickly got to know and care about not only the lead characters, but their supporting case, as well.

The ticking clock echoed loud and clear throughout this story, as Andi and Will dug into carelessness and cover-ups, all while Andie was being hunted. Twists and false leads kept me guessing until the end—not easy to do.
​
If you enjoy fast-paced, thrilling stories with some sweet romance, Justice Delayed is a great choice. Highly recommended, it earns five stars.
 

0 Comments

Book Review: Love at Sunset Lake

2/13/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
TITLE:  Love at Sunset Lake: The Abundance Series Book 1
AUTHOR:  Sally Bayless
DATE:  2016
PUBLISHER: Kimberlin Belle Publishing
STARS:  ****
​
A caterer who’s been burned by love. An artist who’s withdrawn from the world. A property battle that just might heal them both. 

When struggling caterer Tess Palmer inherits her great-aunt’s home at Sunset Lake, Missouri, she thinks she’s found the way to save her business. Selling the property can provide just the infusion of capital she needs to pay off her debts and move to a larger commercial kitchen. 

Wildlife painter Jack Hamlin, who lives across Sunset Lake, wants the area kept exactly as it is—a place where waterfowl can thrive and where he can find peace and solitude to ease his troubled heart. Although he’s drawn to Tess’s honesty and beauty, he’s appalled to learn she would welcome a deal with a developer, and he vows to stop her. 

As Tess discovers the reasons why Jack is so passionate about protecting the lake, she finds him more and more attractive, and she takes a tentative step past her own emotional pain. But there seems to be no solution to the impasse over the property. As a sale becomes imminent, can Jack and Tess overcome the obstacles to trust and love, and finally find their hearts’ desire? 

Love at Sunset Lake drew me in, first with the setting—who wouldn’t love to live beside a quiet lake? Then the characters, finely drawn and deeply layered, invited me to enter their lives. Tess’s business is in trouble, and she’s focussed on saving it, no matter what. At first.

Jack will do anything to save his precious lake from development, and his cousin is more than willing to help him. Oh dear. That’s all I can say without giving too much away.

I thoroughly enjoyed Love at Sunset Lake and award it four stars. Recommended. Disclaimer: I received this book through a BookBub ad, with no expectation of review. All opinions are my own.

0 Comments

    Author

    I’ve always loved music, even before the writing bug hit. Grace notes are little extras, not the actual melody. Just something that adds to the feel of the music. My desire for this blog is to encourage and bless readers, to share a little grace.

    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All
    Books For Kids
    Christian Manuscript Submissions
    Comfort Zone
    Fear And Faith
    Spiritual Warfare
    Timid Warrior
    Waterfalls
    Wells Gray Park
    Writing Tools

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.