My last 5

1. Just Deserts by Barbra Bretton. Don't judge me for reading a romance. Oh, you're going to anyway, so go ahead! This was pretty typical romance fare, including the requisite pre-marital sex scenes (only two). Otherwise, it's an interesting story about the importance of family. A lot of trust issues are dealt with in this book. And it talks about cakes! I wish I could recommend it, but the premarital sex scenes make this a no-go.




2. Canyons by Gary Paulsen. A teen/pre-teen aimed book about a boy today connecting with the ghost of a murdered Apache boy. Some insight is given into the Apache's struggling to adapt to the invasion by the whites, with parallels drawn to the struggle of a modern 14 year-old to adapt to the invasion of his life by a new man his mother is dating. Also talks about running, a current interest of mine.

3. Shepherds, Wake Up! by J.J. Turner. A mind-altering, thought-provoking look at the office of Elder. This book talks about how the modern church has focused so much on the term "Elder" that we have overlooked the shepherding aspect of the office. Did you know there are over 55 qualifications listed for a man in this role? This book examines those. A must read for any member of the church, especially those serving as Shepherds.

4. The Winter Room by Gary Paulsen. Stories by an uncle are just stories, right? This quick read follows the progression over 1 year of two young boys as they listen to their uncle's tall tales. A shocking revelation causes them to doubt their uncle, but a very impressive display witnessed in secret restores their faith in him.

5. Faith and Finance by Jim Palmer. A timely read for me since we have been studying 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 in our Wednesday night class. Helps you see that finances and faith are intricately linked. This is a very short book, but helps you examine your attitudes toward not only giving, but your finances in general.