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Behind the veil: review of In the Land of Blue Burqas by Kate McCord

December 5, 2012

I almost don’t know where to start. In the Land of Blue Burqas is a story that’s both simple and complex, light and heavy. One thing I know: I couldn’t put it down.

Author Kate McCord (that’s not her real name; it’s a protective pseudonym) has written a memoir of sorts of her five years living in Afghanistan. She’s an American who left a career to start a non-governmental organization to help Afghan women. The book contains story after story of everyday conversations she had with Afghan people. Conversations about family and faith, religious practices, hostility, responding to insult and why she would leave “the promised land” of America to live and work side by side with Afghans.

The insights McCord draws from her time in Afghanistan are eye-opening and heart-changing. She brings life and emotion and humanity to a people group most of us will never encounter. I was moved by her stories and the stories of her friends and co-workers, of their struggles to live faithfully in the context of their government and religion amidst a war-torn country.

If nothing else, reading this book serves as a reminder that people everywhere struggle with the same issues: family and faith, work and worth, fear and freedom, among others. McCord’s honesty about her own fears, about the way her life had to change to live in Afghanistan, about the pressure to conform to Islam while she lived there, are startling and refreshing. This is a woman I’d love to have coffee with. She is a storyteller who, it would seem, has risked a great deal to tell her stories.

In the Land of Blue Burqas might not answer all your questions. In fact, it might raise more questions. But it’s certain to challenge stereotypes and preconceived notions. And McCord doesn’t just write to tell you about her experience but to share the lessons she learned about her own faith in the process. In Afghanistan, where life is much like it was when Jesus walked the earth, McCord’s understanding of biblical illustrations and parables expanded and came to life.

Not an easy read, but a valuable one.

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In exchange for my review, I received a free copy of the book from Moody Publishers.

An unfinished puzzle

December 3, 2012

The kids and I were playing with puzzles a few nights ago. Puzzles hold a special place in my heart. I remember spending weekend evenings with my grandparents playing board games and putting puzzles together. They would often have thousand-piece puzzles partially assembled on top of the bumper pool table and we’d take a few minutes or several every time we passed to try to place another piece.

On our honeymoon, Phil and I decided to buy puzzles as our souvenirs of the places we visited so that in the years to come, we could reminisce while spending quality time together. (Five and a half years and two kids later, most of those puzzles are still in their original packaging. I hold out hope for retirement, or at least a time when the kids won’t scatter the pieces to the floor.)

So, we’re putting puzzles together, the 4 1/2 year old, the 3-year-old and me, and we’re sorting the outside pieces of a Tinkerbell puzzle only to discover that we’re missing some of the outside pieces. I don’t know about you but when a puzzle piece is missing, it sort of drives me crazy. And if it’s an outside piece, I almost can’t go on with the puzzle.

With only a little bit of searching, we found the missing outside pieces and continued to put the puzzle together. (Correction: It was mostly me putting the puzzle together. Isabelle was handing me pieces and trying a few of her own while Corban was pulling all the other puzzles out of the bin and lining up which ones would be next.)

As we neared the end, we noticed another missing piece. It was nowhere to be found, so we “finished” the puzzle and put it back in the box.

Life, right now, feels like an unfinished puzzle. Some days it feels like a million-piece two-sided puzzle with missing pieces and no picture to guide us. I feel like God is watching us try to figure it out and isn’t giving us any help.

This is not true, though. I know that. God isn’t cruel. He’s good. And patient. And loving. Things that I’m not. He isn’t trying to frustrate us, although He may try to frustrate our plans for His better plans. We’re learning through this, even if the lessons are hard and well, frankly, they suck.

My husband has a job in Lancaster, which for us, is the first piece of the puzzle. And it IS a good thing. The commute, and the gas, is wearing on me. And the being without a car more often than not. And trying to entertain the kids for hours and hours and hours on end without losing my mind or patience. And still needing to ask our parents for help with rent and bills because my husband hasn’t reached full-time hours yet.

I am truly, truly grateful for what we have. We will not end up on the street. We will not go hungry. We have so, so much to be thankful for, and a house full of stuff we could give to others in need.

Some days, I wish it wasn’t so hard. That we’d get a glimpse of the picture. That another piece would fall into place.

I know people who have framed completed puzzles as artwork. I think that’s a neat idea. And my hope is that some day, we’ll be able to put this puzzle of life on display as one of many instances of God’s handiwork in our lives. Of a beautiful, wonderful picture of His grace.

“I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.” (Psalm 9:1)

Saturday smiles: Orange birthday edition

December 1, 2012

Our son turns 3 tomorrow and in his short little lifetime, he’s turned our world upside-down. I thought bringing one baby into our lives was a major transition, but when our son made us a family of four, we began a fast-paced, ~~tiring~~ exhausting season of parenting that shows no signs of slowing down.

Wearing orange on his first birthday.

I don’t know when his fascination with orange began, but it is by far his favorite color. So our birthday theme is orange. Orange cake, orange ice cream, orange plates and napkins. Maybe one of the easiest cake requests for one of the kids’ birthdays I’ve had. So, for our son’s third birthday, I dedicate this week’s Saturday smiles to him, with these three thoughts.

1. He stole my heart from day 1. I once wondered if I had enough love in my heart for two kids. I had nothing to worry about. I love our daughter and can hardly remember what life was like before her birth, and she’s unique and funny and creative. As much as I love her, I love our son differently. We share a similar temperament and personality at times. He’s a little more reserved in social situations. He can just sit with me and not have to be entertained or talked to. I try not to play favorites, but I know I can be much more of a softie with our son than with our daughter. I can’t explain the mother-son bond, and I hope I’m not turning him into the wrong kind of Mama’s Boy. We do need our space from each other, though. If he doesn’t nap, I’m super worn out by the end of the day.

2. He makes me appreciate my brother. I’m the older sister, and seeing my daughter live this role, and given the truths posted in No. 1, I now have much more sympathy for the unfortunate life of the younger brother. (I can’t speak for younger sisters or older brothers.) Sometimes, I feel like I need to write an apology letter when I see our daughter treat our son like I’m sure I treated my brother. (If you’re reading this, bro, consider this the apology because I’d be sending you letters once a week, at least.) Being able to see this relationship from the outside makes me more compassionate, I hope, toward those who aren’t the “firsts” in their family.

And seriously, our son looks so much like pictures of my brother when he was that age. It’s hard not to compare. And easy to see why siblings born only a few years apart can grow to be friends, not just family.

3. He lets me be wrong. Having a second child meant that I threw out the rule book from the first child, and any other child for that matter. Everything, starting with my pregnancy, was different with him, leading me to believe that there are no 100 percent right answers for how to parent. I was super uptight with our daughter. I’m much more lax with our son. With her, I monitored every. single. milestone to make sure she was tracking for her age. With him, I simply trusted that he was on the right track because frankly, he was keeping up with his sister. Of course, this also means that like a typical second child, there are not as many pictures and I’m pretty sure I haven’t finished his baby book. And maybe I didn’t update his sister’s this year either.

This kid eats like a champ and plays hard. He’s big but not grotesquely overweight, and I don’t let the WIC nutritionist’s comments bother me like I did with our daughter. (Although I’m secretly dreading his 3-year checkup next week because I know, I know, I know they’re going to say something about him being overweight and for the tiniest of seconds I feel like a failure as a mom. Okay, it passed.) I let him wear dresses when he’s playing with his sister, and he learned to cut with scissors earlier than his sister did. With his sister, I wanted to do everything right to “prove” I was a good mom. There’s still a temptation to do that with him, but most days I just don’t have the energy to live up to anyone else’s expectations, much less my own. I might be doing it wrong, but I’m still doing it.

Time is flying so fast, and I have a feeling the adventure is only beginning. If the last three years are any clue, then the next three are going to be amaze-BALLs.

Happy birthday, my boy.

A warm story for a cold night: a review of Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund

November 28, 2012

It’s no secret: Jody Hedlund is one of my new favorite authors. She is skilled at taking historical people and events, wrapping them in a compelling plot, and writing can’t-put-them-down novels. Her two previous releases The Preacher’s Bride and The Doctor’s Lady are fun AND informative. Hedlund does her research.

And as much as I enjoyed those books, I LOVED her latest, Unending Devotion, even more. I was looking forward to the release so much that I bought an ebook copy before I’d heard that I’d be given a copy from the publisher to review. (So, lucky you, I’m going to give my copy away! Read on to find out how to win.)

Unending Devotion is the story of a passionate woman driven to make things right. Lily Young travels through Central Michigan logging towns in search of her sister, whom she fears is living in forced prostitution. Along the way, she rescues other women caught in the bondage of an overlooked slavery. In one such town, she meets Connell McCormick (who is just as enchanting on the page as his name sounds!), whom she doesn’t realize is the son of a lumber baron.

Sparks fly between the two, who don’t see eye-to-eye when it comes to the lumber business and the houses of ill repute that some think are necessary for a logging camp to thrive. Lily is reckless when it comes to tracking down her sister. Connell is cautious and eager to please his father. Both are in search of truth and freedom, and it’s a journey I couldn’t turn away from.

I don’t often read a work of fiction twice, but I would read this book again.

Lily is an inspiring heroine, even if she is sometimes blinded to danger by her love for her sister. And Connell is a conflicted hero who wants to do right by everybody but finds himself needing to choose whom he’s going to please and whether the consequences of that choice will be worth it.

This is a beautiful story of calling, purpose, freedom, redemption and love. And while the characters themselves are fictional, the circumstances about which Hedlund writes are historical. I’ve learned a lot lately about the current tragedy of human sex trafficking but never considered that sexual slavery is not a new problem, and even in the 19th century in the United States, it was a problem.

I would 100 percent recommend this book. Total winner.

If you still aren’t convinced, then check out the book trailer below. You won’t be sorry about reading this book.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OssvMSaSeQ4&feature=g-upl]

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In exchange for my review, I received a free copy of Unending Devotion from Bethany House Publishers.

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AND NOW … the moment you’ve all been waiting for! I have ONE copy of Unending Devotion to give away. So, how can you win?

1. Leave a comment below telling me your favorite setting (time period and/or geographical location) for a historical novel. That’ll get you ONE entry.

2. Check out Jody Hedlund’s Facebook page and “like” her. Come back here and leave a comment that you’ve done that. (Or if you already “like” her, tell me that, too.) That’s another entry.

3. Share this giveaway! Post it to Facebook, tweet about it (tag me @lmbartelt and Jody @jodyhedlund in your message) or e-mail it to a friend. Comment telling me what you did. You’ll get one entry for however you share about the giveaway.

Overall, that’s THREE chances to win.

I’ll pick a winner via Random.org and post the name on Monday, December 3. Good luck to all!

Have it your way

November 26, 2012

I’ve been reading a book that tells, in fiction style, stories of biblical men who led the Israelites out of Egypt and while wandering in the desert. They followed the Lord’s leading — a cloud by day; a pillar by night. When God moved, they moved. They didn’t know where they were going or how long they would stay once they got there, wherever “there” was, or whether they’d have water or food or shade. The Lord led them and they followed, totally dependent on His faithfulness and goodness.

And if your familiar with this story at all, you know that the people didn’t follow without complaint. They whined and complained and wished for slavery again even though they were free. And God answered even their whining.

He gave them what they asked, but sent leanness into their soul. — Psalm 106:15

A certain fast food burger joint made a name for themselves by telling customers: “have it your way.” Meaning, of course, that a customer could personalize and customize his burger to suit his tastes.

I wonder what this says about our mentality as a culture. Has having things “our way” made us lean in soul?

I often tell my kids, maybe not in the same words but with the same meaning, “Okay, have it your way.” As in, you don’t want to nap today? Okay, have it your way, but you’ll be in bed after dinner. Or, you don’t want to pick up your toys right now? Okay, have it your way, you’ll miss out on stories because you’ll be cleaning up?

This use of “have it your way” is completely different than what the burger chain intended. And I wonder if it’s what God meant when he gave the complaining Israelites what they asked for.

Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we say a version of this back to God: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Some days, I feel like I’m fighting to have my way with the day and when I come to the end of myself, I throw up my hands and say, “Fine, God, have it Your way.” Where I want to be is in a place where I start the day saying, “Your will be done,” even if it means I deny myself what I want to do and instead do what the Lord leads.

Today, I have fought to get a few minutes on the computer — to blog, to read a few articles, to answer some e-mail. Instead, I’ve bought groceries, washed dishes, played games with the kids and now I’m in an epic battle with our son for a nap while fielding unending requests from our daughter about a snack. I only have so many hours before I have to start dinner and my husband gets home and then it’s bedtime routine and then I’m exhausted and there goes my day.

I was called to be a writer before I was called to be a parent, and both things are important to me. I will fight for both of them with everything I have but one will inevitably be the loser. (Honestly, all you author moms out there, I don’t know how you do it and I wonder if I’m doing this whole thing wrong.) And when I choose my kids and their urgent needs, a part of my writing life dies.

Saying to God, “Your will be done” is no easy or painless thing.

In another book I’m reading, the author describes this petition of the Lord’s prayer this way:

How different from the prayers of “help me get my way,” “make everything turn out the way I want it to” and “bless my projects” that we are so often disposed to offer! The more we are able to internalize this petition–“Thy will be done”–the more complete our journey to maturity in Christ.

So if asking God to give us what we want produces a leanness of soul, then asking for His will to be done must produce the opposite: a meaty, muscular faith and trust that can withstand the toughest of challenges.

Oh, how I’d much rather be a couch potato Christian. Instead God calls His followers to walk in faith, to exercise trust and to submit to His leadership.

Every day, we are faced with the same choice: to have it our way or to say to God, have it Your way.

So, which will it be?

Saturday smiles: thankful edition

November 25, 2012

“Give thanks in all circumstances,” the apostle Paul writes to encourage Christians in the early church. Even with more blessings than I can accurately count, I was finding thankfulness hard this week. Paul doesn’t say it’s easy to do, just that we should. Sometimes, you just have to start being thankful and more thankfulness follows.

We had ourselves a Bartelt thanksgiving on Thursday, which meant the kids and I spent much of Wednesday prepping food and ingredients for Thursday’s feast. I made dough using the family recipe. I baked pumpkin bars. I attempted homemade french fried onions, which was less successful than I would have hoped. Phil put the turkey in the brine bath after the kids went to bed, and I formed the dough into rolls and kukelas, a German fried dough that is a Thanksgiving breakfast tradition on my husband’s side.

Here’s what they look like cooking:

The kids had a hand in shaking them in sugar.

And, of course, in eating them.

The sugar is hard to resist. And clean off. Corban spent more time wiping the sugar off his hands than eating the kukelas.

So, I’m thankful for family traditions and the ability to complete them. I’m also learning that even when things are difficult, the effort is generally worth it. Early Wednesday, I had decided I wasn’t going to make the dough, but knowing it’s important to my husband, I did it.

Earlier in the week, a friend invited us to take an afternoon field trip to Hershey’s Chocolate World. It involved a car seat transfer and delayed nap time, but it was SO worth it to do something different for a day and have some great conversation. And look at these kids, don’t they look happy?

I’m thankful for friends. God has exceeded any expectation I’ve had for friends, here and in Illinois.

This same crew gathered for a parade on Saturday. Our kids got excited as the floats were lining up in front of our house. Then, they hauled in the candy. (Because who doesn’t need more candy a month after Halloween?)

This is the first town we’ve lived in that has a holiday parade, and even though it’s generally a cold event, I love it. There’s something magical about listening to holiday themed music while warming your hands around a cup of coffee or hot cocoa, and watching Christmas decorations light up the night. Sort of an official ushering in of the season.

In the coming weeks, we’ll transform the house into a Christmas wonderland, which always makes me happy just to have the decorations up.

And though we couldn’t be with our families on Thanksgiving, we were able to video call, which is another thing I’m thankful for: technology. And our kids upped the entertainment ante this year. Isabelle, after watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, turned every story in her mind into a musical.

Here’s a sample:

[youtube=http://youtu.be/Hv2XOd9Odck]

And the next day, when it was 50-plus degrees and we played outside for two hours, the kids created Pilgrims: The Musical, using the upside-down wagon as their boat, singing praise songs to God.

Here’s a sample of that:

[youtube=http://youtu.be/CkwVotIsMDM]

Reasons to be thankful? Yeah, I’ve got ’em. Sometimes I just need to remind myself.

A fish story you can trust: Review of The Fourth Fisherman by Joe Kissack

November 21, 2012

I had just finished reading Life of Pi (the movie version releases today) when I picked up The Fourth Fisherman by Joe Kissack. Both books are seemingly unbelievable tales of survival at sea. The thing is, Kissack’s book is a true story, and I couldn’t help comparing the experience of three Mexican fishermen lost at sea with the fictional tale of Pi’s adventure at sea. The true story lent credibility, for me, to the fictional one.

The Fourth Fisherman is really two stories woven together. Joe Kissack was a high-powered TV executive, walking the red carpet at the Emmy awards. His life was also spinning out of control. Kissack relates his story of alcohol and prescription drug addiction and the card tower of success that came crashing down, leading him eventually to faith in Christ. He also relates the story of how three Mexican fishermen came to be lost at sea for almost nine months and how they survived with few supplies, a Bible being their main source of survival.

The two stories converge as we learn in the second half of the book how Kissack got the fishermen’s story and the hours and dollars he personally contributed to make sure this story could be told. (He’s working on a movie about the fishermen’s survival.) This part was interesting to me, as a journalist, because I’m inspired by people who know a good story when they see it and go after it for the greater good.

Overall, I think the first half of the book–the stories of the fishermen’s survival and Kissack’s redemption–holds greater appeal for most people, and the second half is anticlimactic comparatively. But it’s a compelling story, and if you’ve read Life of Pi, I think you’ll like Kissack’s true story, too. (A side note for all you Sauk Valley readers out there: Kissack is a Rochelle, Illinois native.)

Click here for the first chapter. And watch a video featuring the author below.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/SbKt_do9fhQ]

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In exchange for my review, I received a free copy of The Fourth Fisherman from Waterbroook Multnomah through the Blogging for Books program. Take a moment to rank this review on the Blogging for Books site and be entered to win a book courtesy of the publisher.

Motherhood TV: 10 shows that could be about moms but aren't

November 19, 2012

Motherhood is hard and complicated, full of surprises, both good and bad. Sometimes I can’t wait for this season of life to pass. Other days, I roll with it, trying to enjoy it while I can.

Today, I’m finding the humor in motherhood. Because if I don’t laugh, I might cry. And because my brain is a little bit fried from cabin fever and I’m trying to decrease my coffee consumption (and I’ve been watching too much TV), here’s my list of 10 TV shows that I think could be about moms even though they aren’t.

1. What Not To Wear: New moms quickly discover which of their favorite clothes they need to put in storage if they don’t want to add hefty dry cleaning bills to their budget. Also in that category would be any clothes that used to fit before you had a baby.

2. Let’s Make a Deal: Parents compete with each other to negotiate (okay, bribe) their kids to do things like sit on the potty, stay in bed, clean their room, eat another bite of pureed vegetables and take a nap. You think the real show is outrageous. You’ve never seen a tired desperate parent trying to get a kid to sleep for an hour.

3. The Finder: Kids ask their moms to find an obscure object that hasn’t existed in their minds for weeks but suddenly is THE THING they can’t live without. Watch as Detective Mom pieces together clues to find the missing items whereabouts. In another episode in the series, the husband asks her to find something he misplaced.

4. Kitchen Impossible (Kitchen Nightmares or Dinner Impossible would also fit): A mom tries to make a sensible, healthy meal for her family while her kids race cars around the kitchen counters and cabinets, bounce a basketball, ask for something to eat and grab her leg. Maybe this show could be called Kitchen Miracles.

5. Hoarders: Moms and Dads pilfer the chocolate from their kids’ Halloween candy stash night after night. In other episodes, Moms hide sugary cereal and other sweet treats in the back of a cupboard to eat when the kids are asleep.

6. The Voice: Moms face off to see how many times it takes repeating the same command before their kids will listen. Contestants are judged on tone and volume level.

7. Market Warriors: Armed with cell phones, coupons and screaming kids, moms try to navigate the aisles of a grocery store, purchasing every item on their list within their budget.

8. The Big Bang Theory: Blindfolded moms try to guess the source of a sound from another room.

9. The Walking Dead: Sleep deprived moms attempt to function without coffee. Coffee-addicted moms try to survive the afternoon crash when the morning coffee wears off. (Side note: I’d like to coin the term “mombie” if no one already has. When our son was learning to say “Mommy” it often came out sounding like “mombie.” I may go as this for Halloween next year.)

10. Happy Endings: Seinfeld was a show about “nothing.” So is this one. A quiet house. Sleeping children. And parents finally relaxing with whatever makes them happy. A spin-off series would feature empty-nesters enjoying that season of life. (I’ve heard this parenting thing gets better. I’m believing!)

What other TV shows could be about moms and/or parenting? Add your own ideas!

Saturday smiles: good God edition

November 17, 2012

What if I had not believed that I should see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!

O tarry and await the LORD’s pleasure; be strong, and he shall comfort your heart; wait patiently for the LORD.

From Psalm 27.

And all I need to say about what makes me smile this week.

Wishing you a happy and blessed Thanksgiving next week.

An inspiring holiday read: Review of Unexpected Christmas Hero by Kathi Macias

November 14, 2012

Holidays are not “happy” for everyone, and this is something I too easily forget.

Kathi Macias tackles a realistic aspect of holidays–homelessness–in her latest Christmas novel Unexpected Christmas Hero. This is not a feel-good Christmas story, at least not to start. I found it hard to read at first. The main character, Josie, is a mom with two young children who finds herself unexpectedly homeless because of some poor financial decisions her late husband made before his death. In a year’s time, she went from living the “American dream” and enjoying a robust Thanksgiving to scrounging for a warm, dry place to sleep for a night and eating a Thanksgiving meal in a shelter. Her struggles, fears and survival tactics are so realistic, I was stressed reading about her journey. I was also convicted about how little I think of others on those holidays and humbled by how casually I’ve treated the blessings in my life.

The young family meets Rick, a homeless veteran, who crosses their path many times and helps them when he can. The supporting characters in Unexpected Christmas Hero do the sorts of things I would hope every caring person would think of: taking people into their homes, sharing meals, offering rides, volunteering at homeless shelters.

Macias’s stories almost always leave me feeling uncomfortable in a good way and challenged in my beliefs and actions.

Watch the book trailer below, then read on as Kathi talks with Christian Speakers Services about the book and the “story behind the story” about the man pictured on the book’s front cover.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/VCHDr4wMqT4]

Homelessness is a tough topic for Christmas. What inspired you to use that as the basis for your annual Christmas novel?

I’ve been involved in homeless ministries, to one degree or another, for decades, so I’m not new to this area of ministry. But I’ll admit that I had never considered writing a novel about it until someone in my family, who had personally experienced homelessness at one time in his life, suggested it. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed the perfect theme for a Christmas novel. After all, at Christmas we celebrate the birth of our Savior, who was pretty much homeless at that particular point in time and was born in a stable because there was no room for them at the Bethlehem Motel 6.

Despite having previous ministry and even personal experience with the homeless, were there still some difficult times for you as you researched and wrote this novel?

Absolutely! I always try to climb inside the skin of my characters, and when I thought of myself as the young mother Josie, attempting to care for and protect her two small children while living on the streets, I wept. There were times when my own children were little that we didn’t have a lot of material things and almost never had enough money at the end of the month, but we always had a roof over our heads and never wondered where we would find our next meal. When I consider that approximately 25 percent of the homeless in America are families (either single or dual-parent) with small children, it breaks my heart.

Can you give us a brief synopsis of Unexpected Christmas Hero?

This is a story about a young family—husband, wife, two small children—who seem to be living the American dream. But when the husband dies unexpectedly, the wife (Josie) not only has to deal with that loss but quickly discovers that they are destitute. Her husband had lost his job some months earlier but didn’t want to worry her, so he hid it from her, hoping to find another position. He didn’t, and eventually ran up all their credit cards, took out a second mortgage on the house, emptied their savings, and even cashed in his life insurance policy. It doesn’t take long until Josie and her children lose their home and find themselves living on the streets, depending on the charity of others to survive. Then they meet Rick, a homeless Vietnam vet who takes them under his wing and, in a most surprising and sacrificial way, becomes their unexpected Christmas hero.

Tell us about the “story behind the story,” which involves the man on the front cover.

When the publisher sent the designer out to find someone to pose as Rick, the homeless vet in the book, he spotted a man on the street who looked amazingly like him. He asked the man—whose name is Willard Parker—if he would pose for the book cover. The man readily agreed and then explained that he truly was homeless and hoped having his picture on the cover would somehow help him find his family, particularly his grown daughter. We are doing our best to stay in touch with Mr. Parker and also to spread his story across the Internet and on radio/TV in hopes of fulfilling his dream to be reunited with his family. If anyone looks at the picture on the cover and/or recognizes the man’s name (Willard Parker) and knows the whereabouts of any of his family, we would truly appreciate it if they would contact me at ezyrtr@ca.rr.com so we can take the necessary steps to try and make this reunion happen.

Where can people find your book?

It’s available on any of the main online venues (Amazon, ChristianBooks.com, Barnes & Noble, etc.) and many stores nationwide.

Can you give us your website info?

Sure! You can find me at www.kathimacias.com or www.boldfiction.com. I’d love it if people would stop by there and check out all my books, as well as the video trailers that go with them. They can also sign up to receive my weekly devotional, or check out where I’ll be speaking in the near future. Above all, click on “contact” and send me an email. I’d love to hear from them, and I promise to answer.

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I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for posting the author’s interview and/or book review on my blog. CSS Virtual Book Tours are managed by Christian Speakers Services (http://ChristianSpeakersServices.com).