Surviving One Bad Year (Book Review)

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, New International Version, ©2011)

Most of us have learned this, over and over, in our lives.  If you read my blog regularly, you know that the last year has been full of challenges.  Because of that, I was eager to read Surviving One Bad Year, by author Nancie Carmichael.  In this book, she offers seven spiritual strategies to survive and move beyond those trials--but Surviving One Bad Year contains more than those seven strategies.

The book is divided into two parts, which contain emergency tactics (3 chapters) and continuing strategies (7 chapters), respectively.  Each chapter concludes with a related Bible reading, questions for personal reflection, and ideas for new beginnings.  Throughout the book, the author supplies the reader with encouraging Bible verses, inspirational quotes, practical help, and true stories.

I found this book easy to read, even though I'm overwhelmed and unable to focus well.  I believe this format is by design:  realizing that people in crisis are often unable to read and absorb long chapters, the author has written this book to be accessible to all.  Even when we're only able to take in small bits, we're likely to find an encouraging quote, verse, or piece of advice.

I quoted a passage from Surviving One Bad Year in one of my Thursday posts on finding rest.  I'd like to share that passage again, and also share one more passage:

There can be a higher purpose, a deeper meaning in life's twists and turns.  We don't have to know all the answers when we stand in the truth that the battle is not ours, but God's.  Letting go in the midst of a crisis is completely opposite of what we want to do, but doing so is our only true hope for victory. (page 21)

Perhaps there is something in your life now that is a struggle for you--even though you know you are where you should be--and you are tempted to give up. ... [The] battle is won not so much in blinding moments of truth as in hanging in there when the going is tough.  Don't give up!  If you are following the Lord, your path will ultimately lead you to a beautiful place.  Meanwhile, keep going.  Open your eyes to His presence in the midst of your struggle and stay the course. (page 135)

Book information:

• Title:  Surviving One Bad Year:  7 Spiritual Strategies to Lead You to a New Beginning
• Author:  Nancie Carmichael
• Paperback: 199 pages
• Publisher: Howard Books; Original edition (October 27, 2009)
• ISBN-13: 978-1439103241
• Publisher price:  $14.99 (U.S.)

Links for more information:

• Nancie Carmichael website
• Surviving One Bad Year website
• Surviving One Bad Year: 7 Spiritual Strategies to Lead You to a New Beginning on Amazon.com (affiliate link)

Disclosure: I received this book, at no cost to me, for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions in this post are my own. Thanks to Bring It On! Communications for the opportunity. This post contains affiliate links: if you click through my Amazon.com link and complete a purchase, I will receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting my reading habit!

Book Review:The Missionary by William Carmichael & David Lambert

Book Review:The Missionary by William Carmichael & David Lambert

The Missionary
by
William Carmichael David Lambert

Paperback: 384 Pages
Language: English
Publisher: Moody Publishers; 1 edition
ISBN-10: 0802455697
Retail Value: $13.99
Category: Fiction/General/Suspense
Synopsis

Yesterday he was an American missionary serving 

the poor, Today he's an international fugitive.

David Eller and his wife, Christie, work to help rescue impoverished children in Caracas, Venezuela. But for David, that isn't enough, 

The supply of homeless children is endless because of massive poverty

and the oppressive politics of the Venezuelan government.

When he is given an opportunity to do something more-to heal the

disease rather than working on the symptoms-David decides to go

for it. But little by little, he falls into an unimaginable nightmare of

espionage, ending in a desperast, life-or-death gamble to flee the 

country with his wife and son. 

About The Authors

William Carmichael is an accomplished best-selling author of marriage, family, and parenting books. He and his wife, Nancie, are popular speakers across the United States and Canada. The Missionary is Bill's first novel.

William has a Masters degree in Education from The University of Santa Clara and degrees from Southern California College and Bethany College, as well as an honorary doctorate from Corban College.

David Lambert is senior fiction editor for Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, He is the author of nine 

books, including the Gold Medallion Award winning Juniper Fables, co authored with Ken David and four 

novels for young adult readers.  

David has an M.F.A. in fiction writing from the University of Montana. He has held a variety of positions in publishing, including managing editor of a youth magazine, and founding editor of two others.

Our Review
I wasn't sure what to expect before I started reading this
novel. I do know that Lambert & Carmichael deliver
a good read and I just couldn't put the book down. I
felt as if I was there in the story. They have you
wondering what's going to happen next. This is definitely
a good novel that you've got to get your hands on.

Connect with the Authors Through Media

• www.missionarynovel.com
• Buy an autographed copy & help a child in need
•  BarnesandNoble.com
• Amazon.com
• Borders
• PowellsBooks.com
• ChristianBooks.com

Disclosure: The product & product information were provided free of charge by Bring It On! Communications through MamaBuzz. No monetary exchange was made. Our opinions are our own.

The Missionary - A Review

The Missionary - A Review

THE MISSIONARY is a book by

William Carmichael (founder of Deep River Books) and David Lambert.  

FROM THE WEBSITE:
Yesterday, David Eller was an American Missionary in Caracas, Venezuela. Today, he's an international fugitive.

David and his wife Christie rescue impoverished children in the slums of Venezuela. But for David, that's not enough. The supply of homeless children is endless because of the corrupt policies of the Venezuelan government. 
In a rare moment of anger, David lashes out publicly against the government, unaware of the chain reaction ...

MY REVIEW:
I wasn't sure what to expect when I requested to be a part of this book review.  I guess I knew this was a work of fiction - but was it inspirational or a glimpse of the hardships of the mission field or some kind of morality tale?

In my opinion, it was more of a suspense/intrigue story than a religious lesson ... which doesn't necessarily mean I didn't like it!  I love a good tale of mystery, action, and suspense!!  And while some of the characters were stereotypical (the drug lords, the ex-special forces mercenaries, the dictator and his minions, the elderly and benevolent missionary couple), it was a good study in human nature. 

The development of the main character, missionary David Eller, of course, was the driving force of the plot.  He is passionate, makes rash decisions, has regrets, feels responsible, takes action, and does many of the things that any person - any Christian - might do when confronted with corruption and evil - without truly considering God's will or consulting Him first.

In the end, it was a GREAT, page-turning, suspenseful story!  I loved it.  I didn't come away with any terrific spiritual lessons, other than thankfulness that I have a husband who considers me and our children first and foremost in most every thing (quite unlike David Eller did). 

It is a great story of consequences of actions and decisions - and how what one person does (good - as in a missionary helping the poor - and bad - as in a missionary getting involved in international problems) affects many.

THE MISSIONARY is available from many sources, to include amazon.

This is a Mamabzz review.  The book was provided to me by Bring It On!  Communications.

The Missionary by William Carmichael and David Lambert

Seems like this was the week for suspenseful reads. I've got another fabulous edge of your seat" novel for you. It's called The Missionary and it was co-written by William Carmichael and David Lambert, and put out by Bring It On! Communications andDeep River Books. This is unlike any missionary- themed novel you've read before, and is proof that even those "called by God' can lose their way... 

Yesterday, David Eller was an American Missionary in Caracas, Venezuela. Today, he's an international fugitive.

David and his wife Christie rescue impoverished children in the slums of Venezuela. But for David, that's not enough. The supply of homeless children is endless because of the corrupt policies of the Venezuelan government.

In a rare moment of anger, David lashes out publicly against the government, unaware of the chain reaction that will soon follow.

When the CIA offers David a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play a key role in a "bloodless" coup, he decides to go for it. But little by little, he falls into an unimaginable web of deceit that ends in a desperate, life-or-death gamble to flee the country with his wife and son, with all the resources of a corrupt dictatorship at their heels.


Taut and gripping. You’ll be glad you made the investment.
—Jerry B. Jenkins, New York Times national bestselling author, including the 65,000,000-selling Left Behind series

David Lambert is a master of words—The Missionary is further proof.
—Karen Kingsbury, New York Times-bestselling author of the Above the Line series

The Missionary is a roller-coaster read that will keep your adrenaline rushing!
—Terri Blackstock, author of Double Minds and Last Light

This was an intense read and at times, left me breathless. Like one of my fellow Mama Buzz reviewers said, I could very well see this being made into a movie. It's full of action and interesting characters. It only takes a couple pages to be sucked into the ride that is The Missionary. With danger, politics, religion, and charity all in one book, you are bound to find something that pulls you into this story.

While I was surprised at the sometimes foolish choices the main character, David, made, I was at the same time inspired by him and his wife's sacrifice for the impoverished children they helped rescue. The authors did an excellent job of describing every scene in detail, using just enough to make you feel like you were there, but not too much to bore you. With a story set in an exotic and tropical country, the scenes were vivid and I instantly felt drawn in.

The book jumps around a bit from character to character, but it's not too difficult to keep up with what's going on. It's Christian fiction at it's best! Snag your own copy of The Missionary on Amazon for about $5. Find out more online at www.missionarynovel.com.

**Thank you to Bring It On! Communications (via Mama Buzz) for providing the products for review and giveaway! I only recommend products or services I can stand behind and believe will be good for my readers. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid for this review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. If you have any questions please refer to my Terms of Use.**

The Missionary - Review

The Missionary - Review

The Missionary is a novel of suspense and adventure by William Carmichael and David Lambert.

Summary from the back:

"David Eller and his wife, Christie, work to help rescue impoverished children in Caracas, Venezuela. But for David, that isn't enough. The supply of homeless children is endless because of massive poverty and the oppressive policies of the Venezuelan government.

When he is given an opportunity to do something more - to heal the disease rather than working on the symptoms - David decides to go for it. But little by little, he falls into an unimaginable nightmare of espionage, ending in a desperate, life-or-death gamble to flee the country with his wife and son."

If you're a fan of suspense and action novels, this will be right up your alley. Personally, I really liked The Missionary because it was a good mix of action and intelligence, with enough back story and emotion to keep me interested. I also like that there's a little lesson in it that any decision a man makes that he has to keep a secret from his wife is a bad idea.

This is definitely the kind of book that will keep you up late at night, and your husband will want to read when you're done. It's fast-paced and suspenseful, and a great rainy day read.

The Missionary is available from Deep River Books, and you can find more information at theMissionary Novel website.




Disclosure: This is a MamaBuzz review. The product was provided by Bring It On! Communications to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are mine.

The Missionary - Review

Technically, we are all “supposed” to be missionaries.  You don’t have to travel to a foreign country to tell someone how Christ has rocked your world and changed your life.
But I actually have played the part of a real life missionary.
My time living in India with The Engineer (official name change) radically influenced my life and has had lasting ramifications.  I’m a missionary at heart . . . I love being surrounded by real life missionaries.  I desire to immerse my children in culture to give them a broader world view – so that they may know there is more than Indiana in the world.
Perhaps . . . just perhaps God will lay a nation or a people on their hearts to go and share how God has impacted their family’s life (I really need to share our story with you sometime).
It should be no surprise to learn then, that when I was offered to review the book, The Missionary, by William Carmichael and David Lambert, I forked over my reading passport for the stamp to Venezuela, where the book largely takes place.

The book took a plane ride that I wasn’t expecting.  Main character, David Eller, whose character is applauded initially turns out to make some very foolish decisions (but don’t we all?).  Decisions that nearly crush and destroy his wife (who is the love of his life – I slightly doubted), his son, and several friends.

Quite honestly, I had trouble lining up his present actions that take place during the novel with the ones that happened before the book opened up  – this man who rescued impoverished children.
But the reality is that David provides a great example for what can happen to ANY follower of Christ.  If you don’t spend daily time reading your Bible, connecting with your Savior, chatting with your Lord . . . you will find that sometimes your decisions become foolish . . . rash . . . selfish . . . harmful.
So, I suppose I like this book.  I just don’t appreciate how David Eller treated his wife.
Get hooked on the book by watching this trailer . . . and in a copy of it over at MamaBuzz.  You may also purchase it on Amazon for approximately $5.00.


This is a MamaBuzz review. The product was provided by Bring It On Communications in conjunction with Deep River Books for this review.

the missionary review

the missionary review

occasionally, as i am scoping the library shelves for something new to read, i will give an espionage/suspense/thriller novel a try. i have pretty high standards when it comes to what i like to read, so i am more likely to read a novel of this sort when someone else has recommended it to me.

in the case of the missionary, by william carmichael and david lambert, i noticed that it had received very good reviews from some people that i generally respect so i decided it was worth a try.

the missionary is about a man who has dedicated his life to helping out orphans in the barrios of caracas, venezuela.  david and his wife, christie, run a clinic/orphanage/school along with another older couple who founded the ministry.  every day he does his part to rescue sick, impoverished and malnourished kids from the street, but the fact that he has to leave so many suffering children behind each and every day is discouraging and disheartening.

one day, a stranger shows up, anxious to learn more about his work with the children.  when he leaves, he gives david a sizable donation and a mysterious offer for more money in exchange for a "small favor."  the relatively small decisions that david makes in relation to this stranger have very large consequences for the orphans, the country of venezuela, and (supposedly) the world.

overall, i would have to give this novel a "b."  i thought that the plot had the right amount of twists and surprises (although i was able to foresee a number of them).  i don't like a plot that is so complex and complicated that you feel like you have to take notes while you are reading.  this definitely meets that criteria.  i thought that the storyline was intriguing and engaging, with maybe only a minor lag here and there.

my criticism mainly was that at times it was really hard to like the main character, david.  as he struggles to make a decision, he is influenced by his desire to please his father and live up to heroic status of his older brother.  but it is hard to believe that david could really find a way to justify the decision he made.  when his father and brother discover his choice and have to help him resolve the problems that result, they are so condescending of david and his "foolish" choices that it is hard to feel sympathy for david at all.  he really was foolish and continues to act foolishly.  i would have appreciated a little more opportunity to feel connected to and sympathetic to david and his decisions.  even though david manages to regain the trust of his wife (more through her recognition of her own weaknesses than because of his ability to earn her trust), he doesn't regain my trust or that of his family by the end of the book.

if you like a fairly straightforward and relatively simple espionage/thriller story, without a lot of blood and gore, this might just be the book for you. you can find this book at amazon and christianbooks, but if you purchase it through the book's website, you can help a child in need at the same time.



this is a mamabuzz review. i received a free copy of this book from bring it on! communications for the purpose of this review. regardless, the thoughts and opinions expressed here are purely my own.