Book Review - Chasing God by Angie Smith

"Maybe you’ve never asked the question out loud, but you’ve wondered. You do the things that look good on paper: read your Bible, pray, attend study groups and go to church on Sundays.

But you aren’t convinced you really know Him."

That is the question that compelled me to pick up this book.   

Do I really know HIM?

Angie Smith is a popular blogger, writer and speaker and she takes on this huge, challenging question borne out of her own struggles to do this 'christian life' right.

Let me tell you a  a funny story first. After Christmas holidays a young friend was at my house for a visit. She sat on my couch that afternoon and noticed this book on my coffee table next to my bible and journal. In a slightly disgusted voice she said to me, "You aren't really reading this book, are you?"

I asked her if she was familiar with the book or the author.

She said, "No, but you shouldn't be chasing God. He already caught you."

Ahh, through the mouth of babes, He will be revealed.

Angie Smith's book is written in a very casual, friendly manner. She uses sarcasm and witty banter and of course a real bare-hearted approach to teaching. It was a fun and inspiring read.

If you are looking for a book that will take a microscopic look at our feeble attempts and inevitable failures this is it. Not as an attack on how we are failing, but as a reminder that we are simply focusing in the wrong direction. 

Smith strips our purpose down to the basics of reading scripture and clinging to the simplicity of it. The whole christian life isn't about striving for anything! It is about following, obeying, surrendering and resting in Him. 

The best part of the book for me was the way Angie Smith spoke in an intelligent, gentle and humourous way, as a friend who has been there, done that. She opened my eyes to areas where I'd been chasing God instead of loving God. Overall I highly recommend this book. There was no down side for me at all. 

So, grab a copy of Angie's book. Grab a coffee and a comfortable chair. Don't forget your pencil, Bible and extra paper because this book will change the way you do life.

Thanks to the author and Icon Media Group for a chance to review this book free of charge. This is my honest opinion. I was not required to review it favorably.

Finally ... A Happy New Year

I have started and deleted my new year's thoughts more times than I can count. If I continue to feel trapped by own thoughts it will be March before I utter my Happy New Year post to you.

So what brings me out of my own hand-crafted prision? A post I read this morning from Writer's Unboxed. If I hadn't read it I would still be stumbling around in the dark. Check out another (much more accomplished) writer's thoughts on getting stuck ... How to uncage your inner writer: Ask your inner pulitzer prize winner.

This last month has been a string of frustrating nights as I've stared at yet another unfinished manuscript that didn't lack story direction ... but lacked place. I guess the best way I could explain that is it isn't writer's block ... it's writer's stupidity. I know the story I just get too scared to write it. I have a whole computer file full of these now. Surely there is an award for most incomplete manuscripts somewhere??

The post I mentioned above spoke a bit to this all-too-familiar place I've been living in. She even titles it a prison, but hers looks like a college campus. (I could go a little Freud on that one.)  She talks about having the advice we need to catapault ourselves over the imaginary walls we sit behind already within ourselves.

Be yourself.

Isn't that one getting old yet?  I guess because we still haven't mastered the whole 'be who God created you to be not a cheap imitation of something or someone else' thing it will never get old.  Just be.

Just be.

I've repeated to myself over and over again hoping it will by some miracle stick to something inside of me. Just be.

Over the holidays I got a chance to attend a concert. Although that in and of itself is not unique I did something so "me" and yet something I'd never done before. I volunteered to help set up the concert - you know haul equipment, lights and instruments and hang up merchandise for the concert-goers.  It kinda was a flop in many ways yet I couldn't have felt more at peace.

No discredit to the bands, but the whole "help us out plea" was very disorganized. We stood, watched them set up and basically twiddled our thumbs more than anything else ... but we walked back stage, passed by musicians and stars and mingled in like we belonged. (Sort of).  By the end of the five hours of twiddling, my friend and I were more help to the custodial staff than the bands, but it felt great to just be there.

I was far too shy--er, I mean respectful to go prancing up to the stars and tell them I knew who they were but it was so cool to see them "just be".  They sat and face-timed loved ones, or plugged their ears with tunes or podcasts of some kind, they stretched out on chairs and "hung out". Some even stood marvelling at our majestic view of the mountains. But they all seemed tired, spent and maybe even lonesome for home. They were just being themselves. They were Normal. Average. Guys.

Now that is not breaking news to anyone - surely not someone of my age and maturity. However it was freeing. I could picture the whole scene - they sit in normal, regular homes and plunk out notes and rhythms on normal, regular instruments, pouring out on paper what God has created them to do. Sing and play.

Do they struggle with what people might think? I think so.

Do they cross their fingers and hope for applause and praise instead of being booed off the stage. I imagine so.

Do they ever wonder what in the world they are doing? Yup.

The lead singer of one of the bands poured his heart for us on how he struggled before the show - questioning and seeking clarity of what God's plan for him was. I was so impressed.

So what makes them travel hours in a bus, endure freezing cold winter temperatures (when they could be down in some place warmer like Tennessee), and face crowds night after night? Aside from the money (hehe) ... they do it because of a calling on their lives. A chance to live out what the Master has asked of them.

Ok, maybe I am being a little dramatic and still trapped within my own fairy tale, but this experience opened my eyes a little more. What am I doing in my little closet, plunking keys on my keyboard? What am I "wasting" hours on? Something I want or something God wants?

Is it something I was created to do; that without it I would not feel complete and at peace?

Am I just being? Or am I striving to be?

So my New Year's Resolution or My WORD(s) for 2014: Press on. I Press On ... all I need I will find in YOU!

Phillipians 3:13-15 ... Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

How about you?

Some profound advice from my friends at Building 429. A video from the lead singer on where the song comes from. Or just read the words for yourself. Enjoy!

         "Wrecking Ball (Press On)"   By Building 429

               (feat. Blanca Callahan of Group 1 Crew)

Sometimes this world starts breaking me down
I get so lost I think I’ll never be found
And there are moments of fear and doubt
Even the best fall to the ground

I am a mess, I am a wrecking ball
I must confess that I still don’t get it all
Lord I believe that all Your words are true
Doesn’t matter where I’m going if I’m going with You
I press on, I press on, I press on
When I still don’t get it

I see the world through my jaded eyes
I get frustrated when there is no Why
I put my focus on worthless things
Even the strong fall to their knees
God only knows what we all need

I am a mess, I am a wrecking ball

I must confess that I still don’t get it all
Lord I believe that all your words are true
Doesn’t matter where I’m going if I’m going with You
I press on, I press on, I press on
When I still don’t get it

Life goes on, life goes on
But Your love will prove
All I need, all I need
I will find in You
Life goes on, life goes on
But Your love will prove
All I need, all I need
I will find in You
I press on

I am a mess, I am a wrecking ball
I must confess that I still don’t get it all
Lord I believe that all Your words are true
Doesn’t matter where I’m going if I’m going with You
I press on, I press on
I press on, I press on
When I still don’t get it

Life goes on, life goes on
But Your love will prove
All I need, all I need
I will find in You
Life goes on, life goes on
But Your love will prove
All I need, all I need
I press on

Book review of Fired Up by Mary Connealy

Fired Up is book 2 in the Trouble in Texas series. I did not have a chance to read book 1 but feel book 2 is sufficient as a stand alone. There are some plot issues that occur in book 1 relevant to book 2 however Mary Connealy does a fine job of keeping you abreast of the information you need.


Publisher's Blurb: Dare Riker is a doctor who saves lives, but someone seems determined to end his. It may have something to do with the traitors he dealt with during the Civil War, or it might be related to the recent incident with Flint Greer and the ranch. Whoever the culprit is, he or she seems really fired up, and Dare can't let his guard down for a moment, which is a challenge, since right now he's trying to win the heart of the recently widowed Glynna.

Glynna Greer came west as a mail-order bride and ended up in a bad situation. Now her husband, Flint, is dead, and she's determined to care for her son and daughter on her own. She wants to believe Dare Riker is as decent as he seems, but she's terrified to lock herself into another marriage. She plans to support her small family by opening a diner--never mind that cooking is not her greatest talent.

Glynna can't help but notice that danger follows Dare wherever he goes. There's the avalanche. And then the fire. But things really get out of hand when someone plunges a knife from Glynna's diner into Dare's back. Are Flint's cronies still plotting revenge? Is Glynna's son engaged in a misguided attempt to protect his mother? Is a shadowy outsider still enraged over past injustices? And can Dare survive long enough to convince Glynna to take another chance on love?

Let me break this down as simply as I can: I really struggled with this book. I did not enjoy it like I had hoped to. Previously I've read the Kincaid Brides Series and positively reviewed two of her books (here and here); but this one was not on par with my earlier experience.

However in light of that, I have read many other bloggers who have posted reviews of Fired Up and there have been several four and five star reviews. So let me do my best to give you precise comments from my opinion to help you with your decision. 

Let me start with what I did like. 

The characters in the story were interesting. I especially enjoyed the Regulators. Although it took me quite awhile to keep straight who was who (this may have been easier if I'd had the chance to read book 1), their story lines were very complimentary. I loved the way they supported each other and brought different strengths to the team. I also appreciated Dare's core struggle of being a Doctor without any formal schooling and feeling like a fake. Mary Connealy did a great job of his arc throughout the story. The ending and resolution came along too quickly though. I really needed to see him wrestle through the steps of the acceptance of his calling.

I also enjoyed her settings - the drastic and often unforgiving rock wilderness was a treat to picture. The town and the locations felt very realistic and easy to imagine.

The plot of the story Fired Up is based on a woman trying to stand on her own two feet after several painful relationships and a man struggling with his calling in life to be a doctor - though not properly trained.  I liked the premise stated on the back cover of the Dr having to clean up her "cooking mishaps". However when the story started to unfold the plot premise was weak. Men were returning for horrible food day after day because ... she was pretty.  Even the Good Doctor himself ate her food in order to ... look at her.  I needed a much deeper motivation. 

Once the flow of the story took over and the threats against the Doctor's life began taking shape the read became easier to follow. Yet the story arc of Glynna felt unstable as well. She flitted back and forth between swooning over the doctor and resisting the Doctor. I didn't "feel" her much. I did like the reason behind her flits - her angry son - desperate to protect his ma. Yet, this needed to be explored deeper than just a short fuse in the boy. His big hurts in his little life must be so deep and so raw and so complex. The story wraps up too quick at the end with a fast proposal and a run for the preacher. The boy seems to just give in and allow it and then they live "happily ever after". I would have loved to see this fleshed out.

In the past I have enjoyed the easy flow of Mary's writing. It has been for me a fun, quick read that doesn't take too much work with lots of humor. This book didn't have the same easy feeling. The thoughts seemed choppy and repetitive. The writing felt forced feed. Perhaps if I hadn't struggled so much with this I would have enjoyed the entire book a lot more. To me this was the deal breaker. I am not interested in reading book three. However, I have not given up on Mary Connealy's books altogether. I will look forward to a new series coming in the future.

Reading (and writing) is such a personal experience. Please peruse other people's opinions and make your own decision. 


"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".