Danny Gokey Pop Up Concert

About a week ago I found out that Danny Gokey was going to be at our previous church, Chesapeake Christian Fellowship. 95.1 Shine FM was bringing him to the church to do a Q&A with him and having him sing for the audience. I was super excited until I realized it was the same night as my Bible Study Fellowship. Since I wasn't able to go, I got tickets for my boys to go.

My oldest son decided not to go and I wasn't sure how I was going to get my youngest there and back so I decided I would use my oldest's ticket and miss Bible study. Not what I wanted to do, but realized that this was where I was going to be.

It was kind of a rush to get dressed, get out the door, and get to the church in time to get a good seat. That meant I didn't eat. My stomach was growling for dinner by the time we were standing in line. lol There was no way I was getting out of line to go grab something to eat so everyone around me was just going to have to deal with my loud, growling stomach.

Now, I haven't been back to CCF since we moved churches back in December with Fred's new job. It was like a mini church family reunion. Seeing so many of my brothers and sisters in Christ who I absolutely love just filled my heart to overflowing!

We got in and grabbed our seats, but my youngest ended up going to sit with one of his friends. Turned out ok, even though I thought we were going to have bonding time over the music we love. One of our young adults who we adore came and sat with me and our time together before the concert was so blessed.

Danny came out to do an on-air session with Jack and Erin from 95.1 Shine FM. They chatted for a while, answering listeners questions. After they were off the air, the 3 of them sat at the front of the stage and talked with the audience. This was probably my favorite part of the concert.

I knew that Danny had been on American Idol and that his first wife had passed away just before he auditioned for the show. I have to admit that I don't watch the show so didn't know anything about his time on there. It was incredible to hear his testimony and learn more about his faith. Having never heard anything other than his songs, I had no clue about how much of an impact his faith had in his life. I tell you what, he could easily be a preacher. He knows how to share about the Lord!

Now, this wasn't one of his full blown concerts. He only had his keyboard player with him. Apparently when he "brings the funk" he's got all kind of instruments. Without having all of that there he was limited to what he could sing. Thankfully he sang Come Back, Hope In Front Of Me, Rise, and Haven't Seen It Yet. Then he played a song that he and Mandisa recorded together called Tell Somebody. It was so incredible. I'm so excited for his album to release and for the rest of the songs to be played on the radio. The other songs he sang with us were worship songs.

I want to encourage you to listen to one of his newest songs. It is beyond incredible. The song is called Wanted. The lyrics are powerful beyond belief. If you've been in dark places, know that YOU are wanted. That God was right there with you in that place. You were never alone. You will never be alone. When he sang this song, I was DONE! More that I was un-done! Powerful my friends.

As soon as Danny walked off the stage I was up, out of my seat, into the foyer to find the line to get the CD signed. I had to text the youngest to come find me because I was the first person in line. Only sad part was we weren't allowed to take pictures because he had to get going. I gave the kiddo the CD so he was able to get the autograph and shake his hand. I just moved out of the way. Yes, I did. I'm one of those people who would've just stood there just wanting to connect. hahahaha I'm not the type to fangirl, but I'm a people person and I like chit-chatting. He didn't have time for that so I just moved right along.

I'll definitely have to make plans to see him in concert because we've got to hear him bring the funk!

Far Side Of The Sea By Kate Breslin

Far Side of the Sea
by Kate Breslin
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 9780764217821

It's been a bit quiet around the house when it comes to book reading. I've been so busy doing so many other things, I've had to be intentional with my books. Can you even believe I'm saying those words? Thankfully I received Far Side of the Sea from Bethany House to be able to kick me into gear again!

Summary:

In 1918 England, Lieutenant Colin Mabry spends his days decoding messages for MI8 after suffering injuries at the front. When he receives an urgent summons by carrier pigeon from Jewel Reyer--a woman who saved his life and whom he believed to be dead--he can only hope he'll regain the courage he lost on the front lines as he's driven back into war-torn France. 

But Jewel isn't the one waiting for him in Paris. Instead, it is a stranger who claims to be her half sister, Johanna, who works at a dovecote for French Army Intelligence. She found Jewel's diary and believes her sister is alive and in the custody of a German agent. With spies everywhere, Colin is at first skeptical of Johanna, but as they travel across France and Spain, a tentative trust grows.

That trust is quickly put to the test, however, when their pursuit leads them straight into the midst of a treacherous plot and their search for answers quickly turns into a battle for their lives.

My Review:

This was my first novel by author Kate Breslin. What a great way to start off with her! Far Side of the Sea is book that you read slowly to take in all of the detail. It's not a slow read in the sense that the book is slow, but the author's writing is so detailed that as the reader you take it all in and feel like you're right there with the characters. Her book took me longer to read (NOT in a bad way because of that). It's not that often I have the pleasure of reading a book that is so vivid in description.

Have I whet your appetite for this novel? I sure hope so because that was the intent. lol

Another aspect of this story that I enjoyed was the suspense of who is who. Who can be trusted? Who is the enemy? I tried to pretend like a sleuth as the story began, trying to figure out Johanna is, but quickly realized I was going to have to wait until I got to the end of the story to know for sure. Don't think I was tempted on more than one occasion to cheat and check out a few of the last pages! Alas, I refrained.

PTSD wasn't a label back in this time, but it's clear that Colin Mabry is suffering from it. He dealt with so much at such a young age. You can almost sense his reactions as he heads into the danger area of Paris in search of Jewel Reyer. Every time raids come, his reaction is palpable.

While I was fascinated by Johanna, I was also leery of her as well. Is she Jewel's half sister? Is she a spy? What I was fascinated with was learning about the dovecote handlers. The detail of how the carrier pigeons worked during the was was completely new to me. I think it's probably a lost skill, training the birds.

The intrigue and espionage starts at the beginning of the story and brings the reader along for quite the adventure.  I have to admit, when they head to Spain in search of Jewel, I was a bit excited as I've been there before. As you get further into the story, if you're anything like me, you'll be thinking, "Did THAT just happen?" I don't even know how many times I thought, "Wait, what?!" hahahaha Can you tell I enjoyed this book?

I'm going to have to go read Not by Sight since that's the novel where we're introduced to Colin Mabry. It's the story of his sister, Grace and his friend (and boss) Jack Benningham.

About the Author:

Kate Breslin

A Florida girl who migrated to the Pacific Northwest, Kate Breslin was a bookseller for many years. She is a Carol Award winner and a RITA and Christy Award finalist and lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington. Find her online at www.katebreslin.com.

The Memory House By Rachel Hauck Review & Giveaway

The Memory House
by Rachel Hauck
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 978-0310350965

It's been a while since a Rachel Hauck book has landed on my TBR pile. It was also my first time working with Audra Jennings PR to review a book. Do you ever love an author so much that you don't even check to see what the book is about? You just know whatever the topic is you're going to love it. That's how it is for me with Rachel Hauck.

Summary:

When Beck Holiday lost her father in the North Tower on 9/11, she also lost her memories of him. Eighteen years later, she’s a tough New York City cop burdened with a damaging secret, suspended for misconduct, and struggling to get her life in order. Meanwhile a mysterious letter arrives informing her she’s inherited a house along Florida’s northern coast, and what she discovers there will change her life forever. Matters of the heart only become more complicated when she runs into handsome Bruno Endicott, a driven sports agent who fondly recalls the connection they shared as teenagers. But Beck doesn’t remember that, either.
 
Decades earlier, widow Everleigh Applegate lives a steady, uneventful life with her widowed mother after a tornado ripped through Waco, Texas, and destroyed her new, young married life. When she runs into old high school friend Don Callahan, she begins to yearn for change. Yet no matter how much she longs to love again, she is hindered by a secret she can never share.
 
Fifty years separate the women but through the power of love and miracle of faith, they each find healing in a beautiful Victorian known affectionately as The Memory House.

Click here to read an excerpt!

My Review:

From the start of page 1 I was invested in this book. The Memory House starts off with Beck in hot pursuit of a perp. We're thrown into her story right away and and from there the reader is taken on an adventure. The story has multiple characters that span generations. I love when authors bring us from one time period to another so we get to understand the characters' histories. Don't you wish you could have a glimpse into the past like an author can give us?

Next we meet Bruno. Oh, Bruno. He's a guy with a lot NOT going on, which means he's a dude with a lot going on inside. lol He and Beck are both people who have no idea where they're going. A match made in heaven? I think they might exasperate each other. That being said, I love the depth of both of them. Their storyline is rich and it just felt real to me.

Next we're introduced to Everleigh and life in the early 1950s. 1953 to be exact. There was an actual tornado that happened in Waco, Texas which the author wanted to add as the backdrop to Everleigh's storyline. What that poor woman lived through! It's incredible how God can use the terrible things that happen in our lives! Do you ever want to hug a character in a book? That's exactly what I wanted to do with this her.

Then comes along, Don. He's torn between wanting to help Everleigh move away from the past, but his family has expectations of him as well. The choices we have to make aren't always the easy ones, but when God is involved, He makes a way.

I have to tell you, this book was a fast read. I didn't want to put it down. I think it took me a day and a half to read it. I actually cried towards the end, which hasn't happened in ages! I wonder if other readers will be as moved as I was. Thankfully I was by myself as I finished the book so I didn't have to worry about anyone catching me. HA!

While I know this isn't a story that will have a sequel, it certainly makes me wish we could get to know Beck's dad's life from when he was a child until he met her mom. What Everleigh's life was like later on. lol I can't say much because there's so much connection throughout this story. Definitely the reason why I'd like to read "more".

Now you see why I enjoy books written by Rachel Hauck. She brings the reader deep into the story and gets you to invest your heart in them. She also weaves faith in the Lord into the story as well. Of course, this is the most important piece. It gives the reader the opportunity to see how God can work in people's lives, even in the midst of tragedy or going through unforeseen circumstances.

You definitely need to get your hands on this book. I guarantee you'll appreciate the writing style, the characters, and the storyline.

About the Author:

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journalbestselling author.

Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Reviews. She is a double RITA finalist, and a Christy and Carol Award Winner.

Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie.

Rachel has been awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A member of the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference. She is a past Mentor of The Year.

At home, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at the gym semi-enthusiastically.

A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Ryan Day.

She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

For more information, visit www.rachelhauck.com, Facebook (@rachelhauck), Twitter (@RachelHauck) and Instagram (@rachelhauck).

Win a copy of The Memory House by entering the giveaway:

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Visiting Gettysburg In March

For Valentine's Day I got my husband and I an overnight at a lodge in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I did a search for B&Bs in the area and came up with The Lodges of Gettysburg. I've never planned anything for he and I because he's the one who usually does. He was pretty excited to get away even if it was only overnight.

Thankfully Gettysburg is only a few hours drive from us. If I remember right, I picked the last weekend before the prices went up on nearly all of the places to stay in the area. With spring around the corner, winter is definitely the time to get a reasonable price. I'm telling you, traveling during the off season is the way to go.

There are definitely pluses and minuses going during an off season. To start with for the plus side, the prices are better if you're looking for a one night stay or for the weekend. Another plus is that it's lacking all of the tourists. The minus would be that not all of the shops are open or they open later than usual.

Since we were getting to our lodge later in the evening, Fred did some research before we left and decided we'd eat at The Historic Farnsworth House. It's a bed and breakfast as well as a dining room. Our menu came as a scroll. I got to try food I've never had before. There was pickled watermelon rind which to me was absolutely disgusting. I have it on good authority that people, especially those in the South, love it. We also had Southern Spoonbread. It kind of reminded me of bread pudding and rice pudding when it came to texture and appearance. For our main courses, Fred had the game pie and I had the chicken pot pie. We both loved our food and our server. The house was just surrounded by history.

Our lodge was upgraded. I had chosen the cheapest accommodation (Corporal's Quarters) because I knew we were going to get there late and only be there overnight. A king size bed and a bathroom was all we needed. Well, once I saw our upgrade to the Captain's Lodge, I had wished I'd booked the entire weekend and I didn't want to leave the next morning. We had a HUGE main room with the king size bed and a couple of dresses. I loved that there was an electric fireplace in the corner already keeping the room warm. We had a kitchenette, which we didn't need, but would've been great for an extended stay. The bathroom was stunning with slate everywhere and a really large closet. The exposed beams in the main room were incredible, and there was a fan light over the bed.

The next morning, we had a better view of the surrounding area on the grounds. Out the back side of our lodge was a patio with a couple of Adirondack chairs. As beautiful as the view was in winter, I could only imagine what it looks like in the spring and summer. We headed down to the main lodge to have breakfast. There was only one other couple in there. They had a pretty basic offering, but I'd imagine with as few people staying there, they wouldn't have much. There was enough to make me full, that's for sure! I didn't realize they had a ballroom for weddings and events. What I also like about The Lodges at Gettysburg is that some of the lodges hold up to 8 people which would be great for a whole family getaway. They also have packages for families & couples to enjoy. Can you tell I want to go back already?

As much as I didn't want to leave, there was the mandatory check out time, so we headed into town. We started off with coffee at Eighty Two Cafe. I'm guessing it might be the only coffee place in town.  Then we proceeded to walk around the little town of Gettysburg for the next 5 hours. lol We had no idea that we were going to walk up and down it numerous times. Pap invited us to go to dinner with him so we had to find something to do.

We tried to go into every store that was open. Gettysburg Emporium has incredible outfits that resemble the Civil War era clothes. And listen, if I ever went to an event where we had to dress up, this is where I'd get my outfit from. I was also excited to find out there's a shop called Gettysburg Polish Pottery. What a strange place for a store like that, but I'm pretty sure I spent about an hour there and came away with my first piece of Polish pottery!

We ate lunch at Hunt's Battlefield Fries. Not a lot of seating and it was very "cozy". The gal who waited on us was extremely pleasant. We got there just in time because the next thing we knew, there were a lot of people in the entryway. We offered to share our table with some other people and they accepted! I love that.

After lunch we decided to walk over to the Jennie Wade house to see if any tours were available. We were the last 2 for the one coming up. Great timing! We had a man dressed in period clothing give us a tour and tell us all kinds of stories about what might've gone on during the time of Jennie Wade's shooting. She was the only civilian killed during the Gettysburg battle. Seeing those beds I'm thankful for the mattresses that we have these days!

Wandering around more we made our way into A Lil' Something Gettysburg where Fred was able to sample lots of salsas. I think we went into the Country Curiosity Store at Dobbin House several times. Once it was just to look around, once it was to get out of the cold, and last was while we were waiting for dinner. Of course you can't go to Gettysburg and not visit a place that has some history. We walked through Gettysburg Museum of History and that was interesting to say the least. The number of items they have that are historic was pretty mind blowing.

I'm sure there are places I can't remember we popped into to burn the time until dinner. We thought we were going to have a late dinner so we grabbed some ice cream at Mr. G's Ice Cream. Needless to say, I was wrong and we were sitting down for dinner about an hour later at the Springhouse Tavern inside Dobbin House. That was a pretty cool experience. I wish I could've eaten something other than the Baked King's Onion Soup, but my stomach literally hurt from all of the eating we'd done that day!

Gettysburg is an incredible place to visit even if you don't do any of the tours (which we've done in the past). You also don't have to be a history buff to enjoy the little town. It's a great place for an overnight getaway or even an extended weekend when it's more bustling and there's more to do.

Our Captain Marvel Review

This past weekend the family went to see Captain Marvel. I have to admit, I was a bit worried this was going to be a waste of 2 1/2 of my life's hours. I'd heard about the bad reviews and was seriously hoping they were false. My brother & sister-in-law saw it the night before and they said they both liked it!

I'll be honest here, I didn't know who Brie Larson was before this movie. My hubby (if I remember correctly) told me that Captain Marvel is supposed to be the most powerful of all the Marvel characters. While I liked her character and for the most part enjoyed her acting, I felt like she wasn't "fierce" enough. I think the special effects helped with her intensity when she was using her powers. Otherwise I felt like she was constantly on the verge of smiling. All of her training for the role certainly paid off. The action scenes were exciting! Also, the amount of sarcasm and banter with Fury made me smile!



I had no idea Jude Law was in the movie. That was a shock as I haven't seen him in anything for what seems like ages. I liked his acting as well as his character. Then Annette Bening, it was so incredible to see her. That woman is timeless and I really like how she played her character. I'll tell you what, when I saw the young Colson and Fury I had to laugh. This might've been set in the 90s, but they made me think of the late 70s. Maybe I just remember the 90s differently.

And while we're at it, let's talk about Goose. Notice how they used a cat to play this part? And to see Fury's cat loving side gave me the warm fuzzies for him. lol Notice how they didn't use a dog? Cats were made to play roles like Goose! This is the first animal in the Marvel Universe. Smart move on their part!

Overall I liked the entire storyline. The movies this past year in the Marvel Universe have really won me over. I didn't feel like there were any political messages being thrown around in the story or that any feminine agenda was present. I took the movie at face value - an action adventure. I felt like the storyline was pretty easy to follow. There were a couple spots where I was confused trying to figure out who Carol Danvers really was, but other than that, the movie was easy to follow along. Also, the costumes and makeup were terrific! I think the costume designer and makeup artists should be up for awards next year.

Here's Jacob's review:

The first, of hopefully many, female led movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain Marvel exceeded my expectation of what this film could be. It was visually stunning and made the audience go ‘oh, so that’s how that happened’ numerous times.

Each main character, from Goose to Jude Law’s character Yon-Rogg, had a compelling story to tell. The whole movie, even at the end, I wanted to see the characters Yon-Rogg and Carol Danvers build their relationship onscreen, though for those who have seen the movie, I don’t think that’ll be happening anytime soon.

 

I loved seeing Fury and Coulson back in the mix in lager roles. I’ve been waiting to see Clark Gregg on the big screen inside the MCU again, and this movie didn’t disappoint. Here’s to hoping we see Coulson in Endgame.

To address Fury’s eye, it was a cute little thing, but I feel like there could have been something more significant. Say if Law and Jackson had scenes of the two working together, Law could have betrayed Jackson in their scene and that would have fit the quote from Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, ‘Last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye.’ There were many fun easter eggs to past MCU movies, and the one I think sticks out the most is in the last scene of the movie where Fury is typing up his Protectors Initiative plan to find others like Captain Marvel to help save the planet in the future. While looking into the files of Carol, he sees her old callsign from when she flew jets: Carol ‘Avenger’ Danvers.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie. One that I’ll be going to see in theaters again. I’m excited to see how she will fit into Endgame, and maybe even give Thor a run for his money.