About the Book

 

Book:  Miracles for Veterans

Author: Joan Hunter

Genre:  Non-fiction, Christian Living

Release Date: May 15, 2020

Military veterans experience stress and trauma that civilians cannot even begin to imagine. No matter what branch they were in, whether they saw combat or not, their service left an indelible mark on their bodies, hearts, and minds, souls and spirits. Even those who have not suffered external injuries can be affected by post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, anger, and other issues. They need healing on multiple levels.

Joan Hunter tackles all of the problems that veterans face in her new book, Miracles for Veterans. She covers some of the root causes; the positive aspects of service, such as growth and maturity, as well as the negative effects, including physical, emotional, and spiritual injury; and the consequences of service on general and cellular memory. Joan offers guidance to those ministering to veterans, healing prayers, and insights on prevention.

Among the testimonials included in Joan’s book is that of Auston O’Neill, 71, who travels throughout the United States to play “Taps” on his bugle for any deceased veteran whose family requests it as a member of Bugles Across America.

Auston is battling terminal cancer that has spread to his lymph nodes, but his faith is strong. “You know, I believe in God for my healing,” he says. “I’m getting stronger as the days go by. I’m not getting weaker.”

Joan notes God is limitless and His Word is true. He is ever ready to heal us if we only will believe.

Click HERE to get your copy!

About the Author

 

Joan Hunter is a compassionate minister, dynamic teacher, accomplished author, and anointed healing evangelist who has devoted her life to carry a message of hope, deliverance, and healing to the nations. As founder and president of Joan Hunter Ministries, Hearts 4 Him, and 4 Corners Foundation, and pres­ident of Hunter Ministries, Joan has a vision to equip believers to take the healing power of God “beyond the four walls of the church to the four corners of the earth.” Joan’s genuine approach and candid delivery enables her to connect intimately with people from all walks of life. Some describe her as “Carol Burnett with the anointing of Jesus.”

Joan ministers the gospel with manifestations of supernat­ural signs and wonders in healing schools, miracle services, con­ferences, churches, and revival centers around the world. She is sensitive to the move of the Spirit and speaks prophetically to the local body and into the individual lives of those in attendance. Joan’s genuine approach and candid delivery enable her to connect intimately with people from all educational, social, and cultural backgrounds.

At the tender age of twelve, Joan committed her life to Christ and began faithfully serving in ministry alongside her parents, Charles and Frances Hunter, as they traveled around the globe conducting Healing Explosions and Healing Schools until their deaths. Prior to branching out into her own international healing ministry, Joan also co-pastored a church for eighteen years.

Joan brings a powerful ministry to a world characterized by brokenness and pain. Having emerged victorious through tragic circumstances, impossible obstacles, and immeasurable devasta­tion, Joan is able to share a message of hope and restoration to the brokenhearted, deliverance and freedom to the bound, and heal­ing and wholeness to the diseased. Joan’s life is one of uncompro­mising dedication to the gospel of Jesus Christ, as she exhibits a sincere desire to see the body of Christ live in freedom, happiness, wholeness, and financial wellness.

Joan has ministered in countries all over the world and has been featured on Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural, My New Day with Drs. Bob and Audrey Meisner, Everlasting Love with Patricia King, and on Marilyn Hickey’s Today with Marilyn and Sarah. Joan hosts a powerful and exciting show of her own, Miracles Happen! Joan’s television appearances have been broadcast around the world on World Harvest Network, Inspiration Network, Daystar, Faith TV, Cornerstone TV, The Church Channel, Total Christian Television, Christian Television Network, Watchmen Broadcasting, and God TV.

She is a noted author whose books include Love Again, Live Again; Healing the Whole Man Handbook; Healing the Heart; Power to Heal; Supernatural Provision; Freedom Beyond Comprehension; and Miracle Maintenance.

Joan and her husband, Kelley, live northwest of Houston, Texas. Together, they have four daughters, four sons, three sons-in-law, and seven grandchildren.

More from Joan

 

God has a plan for your life. Your previous experiences are meant to prepare you for the next chapter of your life. Whether the stress was positive or negative, God can use you! He will use all of you for His pur-pose. He will turn all negative stressful and traumatic experiences into some-thing good.

Please have an open heart and mind as you continue. Some stories in this book may make you cry while others will make you smile. All of this information will prepare you to walk in total victory and help others to do the same. God is always faithful and He hears your heart’s cry. Open your arms to your Father’s love right now and let that love heal you—body, mind, spirit, emotions, and finances.

Believe this is the day for your breakthrough, your victory. Everyone has bad days. Some have bad months, but there is SONshine coming for every-one. Just like a new recruit has to go through basic training or boot camp in order to advance in rank and responsibility, everyone has to do the same in God’s military. Learn the offensive thrust that carries you to the frontlines and through the enemy’s defenses.

Get prepared. Stay prepared. Don’t run away or get trampled on. Don’t be left behind.
Our motto is PUSH: Pray Until Something Happens!

Be on the offensive and go after God. He is the Commander in Chief of these end-time armed forces!

 

Blog Stops

 

Giveaway

 

About the Book

Book:  God Did Not Do This To Me

Author: Lisa Stringer

Genre:  RELIGION / Christian Living/ Personal Growth

Release Date: May 4, 2020

Lisa and Doug Stringer were ministering in Massachusetts in March 2015 when a lump in Doug’s throat started to bother him. “I don’t feel well,” he told his wife. “The lump I felt in my throat a few days ago feels larger.” When they were able to see a doctor, they were horrified to learn that Doug had Stage 4 large B-cell lymphoma that was 80 percent aggressive.

Doug spent the rest of the day sitting in his car, alone in prayer. Finally, he called Lisa to tell her that he was on his way home and he wanted a family meeting and communion. Emotionally exhausted and noses still running from crying, Lisa, her mom, and Ashley gathered in the family room as Doug told them about his time with God.

“God did not do this to me—and if He did not do this to me, then it doesn’t belong to me!” he told them emphatically. It was just what they need to hear.

God Did Not Do This to Me is Lisa’s story of the family’s trials and triumphs through a cancer diagnosis. Putting on the armor of God, Doug was determined to turn his battle with cancer into an intercession for the country, even joking that the chemotherapy treatments made him resemble a bald eagle.

By the end of the year, Doug’s cancer was in remission.

“We know that the Great Physician heard the numerous prayers of our friends and spiritual family from all over the world, and blessed us all with a testimony of His healing power,” Lisa says. “We are forever changed through this experience. He has expanded my heart of compassion, taught me to pour out more grace, to be an even bigger giver, and to appreciate the little things all the more.”


Click HERE to get your copy!

About the Author

 

Lisa Stringer is the wife of Doug Stringer, the founder and president of Somebody Cares America/International, a network of organizations impacting their communities through unified grassroots efforts.

Lisa worked in the secular radio and music entertainment industry for seventeen years, becoming the first female program director of a top-40 station in a major market in the United States. Later, she became the vice president of programming and promotions of a radio group. Lisa has received numerous awards, including gold and platinum records for her contribution to the success of many highly recognizable recording artists and entertainers.

She homeschooled her daughter, Ashley, who is now enrolled in dual programs at a local community college and working on the release of her second EP.

Lisa travels with Doug as they minister to many around the globe, ranging from those of the persecuted church to those suffering in the aftermath of human tragedy, such as the Haitian earthquake, the tsunami in Japan, and Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. Lisa enjoys opportunities where she has been able to interpret for her husband as they minister throughout Central and South America. She and her husband are also regular guests on various television programs that air throughout the world.

Lisa has a heart for the less fortunate, widows, and orphans. She has served on various boards and has traveled to over thirty-four nations.

The Stringers live in the greater Houston area.

More from Lisa

 

Doug continued to listen to whatever the doctor was telling him. I could tell something wasn’t right because Doug’s countenance had changed. It was obvious he was not receiving good news. Whatever it was, at no time did I ever imagine it to be cancer. Doug would not look at me; his eyes were locked in a forward gaze. That alone had my heart beating a tad faster.

I then heard him say, “How bad is it?” Oh, my goodness, was my heart beating right out of my chest! How bad is it? How bad is what? This can’t be bad! I was not expecting bad! Then I heard the heart-wrenching, horrible “c” word come out of my husband’s mouth. He still had his eyes fixed forward. That in itself was painful, not because he wasn’t acknowledging me, but because he was hurting and I knew that if we made eye contact, one or both of us would break down at this point.

We had been on an emotional roller coaster and we were about to take a drop from one of the scariest peaks on one of the worst rides people can experience. I was struggling with everything in me to not allow tears to stream down my face. After all, I was still only hearing one side of the conversation. I recall Doug getting choked up and his voice cracking as he fought back the natural reaction to bad news. He then asked, “What kind of cancer is it?” My heart stopped. I felt like I had been shot and life was moving in slow motion. I could feel every nerve in my body. A deep pain set in…

 

 

My Review

 

A plethora of books have been written about cancer and illness from a Christian perspective, from how-to manuals to memoirs and everything in between. I will be the first to admit that, as someone with chronic illnesses, I am wary of which ones I pick up to read. I want to read something that is Biblically sound and life-giving, not assigning blame or promising cures, and that inspires and uplifts. If you have been through or are going through any kind of significant illness, you do not need depressing reading material. Of course the first Book to turn to should always be your Bible, because it doesn’t get any more hopeful than that, and nothing can ever exceed God’s Word! With that as our foundation, when we read other books, we can discern what lines up with Scripture and what does not.

When I began reading “God Did Not Do This to Me”, author Lisa Stringer’s story engaged me immediately. Rather than a mere factual account of her husband Doug’s journey through B-cell lymphoma, she presents an engaging story that details how their family turned a life-threatening diagnosis into a life-fulfilling opportunity for continued ministry. Her honesty about some of their difficult moments is refreshing in demonstrating that even the strongest in the faith still need God’s strength, which is “made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Doug’s revelation about the eagle in chapter 7 enhanced my understanding of the beloved Isaiah 40:31 with knowledge I had not known about eagles themselves. Also, the pillows of peace, a widespread ministry created from a single gift, shows how much can be achieved with a vision for sharing the love of Christ. And I had to smile while reading the story about the Rocky statue and running the steps to it, although my favorite part of this whole testimony is how Doug and Lisa continue to minister to as many as possible during their own trials.

We may never know the “why” behind the things we go through, but we can rest in the knowledge that God is always good, and that untold blessings lie ahead if we remain faithful to Him. As Lisa says near the end of her story, “Never take for granted what you are going through, good or bad. Allow it to be turned for the good because God has a greater story that comes out of your place of need. No matter what unexpected detours you encounter, God wants us to keep our focus on where we’re going, not what we are going through.”

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

 

Blog Stops

 

Giveaway

 

About the Book

 

Book: Before Christmas

Author: Bill Crowder

Genre: RELIGION / Holidays/Christmas & Advent

Release Date: October, 2019

Bill Crowder invites you to explore the backstory of the first advent. He brings you on a journey into the very heart of God, to a greater understanding of what it means that “the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14).

About the Author

 

 

 

 

 

More from Bill

 

During my years as a pastor, I found Christmas and Easter to be challenging. Certainly I love those seasons (for very different reasons), but finding creative ways to retell these important stories was often difficult. But, at one such season I realized that the story we tell at Christmas is not really the whole story. By entering the story at Nazareth or Bethlehem, we enter too late. We can’t simply start with the Baby in the manger—we need to go back. Before time began. To the eternal Christ. Unless we seek to understand Him, we’ll never fully appreciate who He was and why He came. That is the Christmas story.  – Bill Crowder

 

My Review

 

What I find most interesting about Bill Crowder’s “Before Christmas” is the interspersing of insights regarding God and the Christmas story. Rather than concentrating solely on the story of Jesus’ birth, Crowder expands the focus to encompass the backstory as well, mirroring how Jesus’ life on earth is recounted in the Gospels but is nevertheless the mainstay of the entire Bible, both the Old and New Testament. As Crowder explains in his introduction, “That is why the Christmas backstory is so important. It adds eternal value to the coming of Jesus by unveiling His truest identity.” Speaking for myself, I have to admit that too often the account of Jesus’ birth becomes rote. That is what I consider to be the value of this short but thought-provoking book.

Using the nested story technique characterized in the Bible, Crowder demonstrates how the Christmas story is one of many concentric rings of God’s story from before creation. The more I learn how interconnected every Biblical event is, the more awestruck I become at our Creator. Fresh appreciation and understanding dawns. For instance, although God knew even before creating the first man and woman that they would rebel and cause the Fall, He still chose to give us free will because only then could we be made in His image. And his foreknowledge also means that He knew that Jesus, God in the flesh, would have to die on the cross to make us right with Him again. He loves us that much! And, Crowder asserts, “that redemptive mission would also be the perfect expression of the mutual love between the Father and the Son.” Furthermore, Jesus’ deity is established immediately by the angel Gabriel when he tells Mary that Jesus will be “the Son of the Most High” because in the Jewish tradition, a son took on the qualities of his father. Even though as Christians we know that Jesus was, is, and always will be God, learning how each and every part of the Bible reinforces itself as God’s Word is incredibly affirming and fascinating.

While this is a small, short book, “Before Christmas” should be savored. Each chapter contains concise information taken from Scripture, with a deeper look into the cultural and personal implications thereof. While this is obviously a read well-suited for the Advent season, it can just as easily be explored at any time. Crowder writes in an easily understood manner, using lists to highlight his points and to make this a quick and straightforward reference for anyone looking to dig deeper into Jesus’ story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

Blog Stops

 

Giveaway

 

 

About the Book

 

Book: When Only Faith Remains

Author: Amy C. OReilly

Genre: Christian Living/Personal Growth

Release Date: May 6, 2019

Hidden just beneath the surface of Mary’s unique calling to serve as the mother of Christ lies an equally captivating story of her journey of faith.

Sometimes when our plans are derailed or we encounter struggles, our faith is the only thing we have to draw upon. Trusting God through those hard times is the bedrock of what will keep us grounded. But what happens when fear creeps in? Perhaps that’s what it was like for the virgin Mary when Gabriel came to her with news that she was highly favored and chosen to bear the Christ child.

Drawing parallels from her own journey-of-faith life experiences and the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus, Amy C. O’Reilly offers encouragement and inspiration to readers who seek to strengthen and move forward from fear to faith just as Mary did.

With Luke 2 and 1 Corinthians 13 as reference points, readers will connect their faith in ways that bind them to love and hope in the person of Jesus Christ. While your circumstance may differ from Mary’s, the similar deepening of faith through heartache and suffering and hope and triumph will inspire you in your identity, calling, and destiny in Christ.


Click HERE to purchase your copy.
 

About the Author

 

Amy C. O’Reilly has a master’s in physical therapy and co-owns Sandhills Orthotics and Prosthetics with her husband. Amy serves as a leader and teacher at her local church and Community Bible Study, and she desires to expand God’s kingdom through writing and speaking at churches and women’s groups. She enjoys running, teaching, and spending time with family at the beach. Amy and her family live in the Sandhills of North Carolina. When Only Faith Remains is her first book.

 

 

 

 

More from Amy

 

When Only Faith Remains is the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, as she appears in Scripture and her unique journey of faith. The writing of this book was a journey in and of itself as God revealed many spiritual parallels in my own life events and faith journey. As I followed Mary to the cross and beyond, she became more real and relevant to me than ever before and I began to find connection and hope in my own life during the times when only faith remains.

 

Mary’s story is truly every believers story as Jesus calls us all to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. As I pondered Mary’s life and treasured the words she treasured, I knew it was time to take Mary and Joseph out of the boundaries of the nativity box, and help their story come alive in a way modern readers can identify and relate.

 

Mary’s story is heartrending, yet beautiful, and crushing, yet full of hope, and it’s replete with anticipation, insecurity, fears, doubts, grief, hope and love. Her story is one of mystery and intrigue. It is also sobering with a heavy dose of the realities involved in following Christ. And hidden just beneath the surface of Mary’s unique calling to serve as the mother of Christ lies an equally captivating story of her journey of faith. From the first time she says yes to Jesus in the presence of an angel to the day she is filled once again with the Spirit of her risen Savior at Pentecost, we witness a frightened Jewish girl transformed into a woman who overcomes the worst grief imaginable—all by faith.

 

As I dug past the details and circumstances of Mary’s life to unearth her core needs, fears, and desires, I found myself identifying with Mary more and more. I discovered God at work in each detail of her life and in every relationship, teaching her His ways and deepening her faith, just as He has done in my life. In Philippians 2:12, Mary is the perfect example of a believer who “works out her salvation with fear and trembling,” as God teaches her to trust His plan through the life and death of her very own Son. Thus Mary’s journey of faith becomes one in which all roads lead her back to Jesus, the Christ, the Lord and Savior of all.

 

Readers can expect to relate to Mary in surprising ways as they navigate through their own seasons of hardship, heartache, grief, and loss. I have also shared some of my own struggles and heartache with a transparency that is both genuine and encouraging to believers searching for an authentic faith.

 

I invite you to join me on this journey as I share my own life experiences in light of Mary’s journey as found in Scripture. My hope is that Mary becomes real and relevant to you in a very personal way throughout the pages of this book. My prayer is that, as you find yourself and your own journey of faith in the story of Mary, your faith in Jesus Christ will be renewed and strengthened.

 

My Review

 

“Mary’s story is that of every mother and every woman who is brave enough to say yes to Christ and yes to the life He wills for her.”

When I began reading “When Only Faith Remains”, I did not know what to expect. Classified under Christian living and personal growth, I hoped that it would not prove to be dry or simply a recitation of facts. Sometimes, as much as I hate to say it, Christian nonfiction can be hit or miss. It can be marketed to a general audience but written for a seminarian. So I was absolutely delighted to find that Amy O’Reilly’s book (and her first one, at that) is not at all boring or incomprehensible for the layman.

As a matter of fact, “When Only Faith Remains” reaches out to the reader regardless of denomination or affiliation. I love that! Far too often we fail to look past the trivialities over which we quibble rather than focusing on that most important element of our faith: Jesus Himself. O’Reilly does a wonderful job of using Scripture to hone in on the life and particularly the unwavering faith of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Also laudable is her method, which does not seek to create a possible narrative for Mary’s life and thoughts but instead uses the information given in the Gospels, coupled with cultural history and her own maternal wisdom to offer a study of this strong woman of faith. While Mary’s story is familiar, “When Only Faith Remains” calls attention to the interweaving of Scripture from both the Gospels and the Old Testament, as well as how events in Jesus’s and Mary’s lives foreshadowed what was to come at Calvary.

This short book can be used as a devotional, with each chapter ending with a prayer and seeking to strengthen the reader’s faith journey. I also consider it part Bible study because of the author’s skillful examination of Scripture and how she uses Scripture to illuminate Scripture. Her own life and maternal experiences are poignant examples of how we can manifest faith like Mary amid life’s inevitable vicissitudes because “Faith uncontaminated by the world is believing that Hope and Love is a Person, not a feeling.” Furthermore, while Mary and her faith journey are the subject of this book, they never overshadow the Savior.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

Blog Stops

 

Giveaway