Reading is the magic key to take you where you want to be.

I feel a little more accomplished in my reading now.  I have recently finished three books; Journey of the Heart by   Jeannie M. Castlebery, Why God Birthed America by Don Pinson and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  I really enjoyed all of them and wish they could have kept going.

Journey of the Heart is another book in the courtship series by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen B. Castleberry, written by their daughter, Jeannie.  It follows the story of Janet McLean as she struggles through many issues of the heart.  Janet has finally reached courtship age and longs to be married and start a family, but will she ever find the right one.  Can she learn to trust God?  I really enjoyed this book because I could relate so fully with Janet.  When I started reading I immediately thought, “Oh my, this is me, she is describing me!”  The one part I cried, was a prayer she said closer to the end of the book.  It was so real and I could feel her pain as she said it.  I knew that it was a prayer I was longing to say but have not had the courage to do so.  If you are anything like me you will know it when you read it.  Definitely a book I recommend to all ladies, young and old!

Why God Birthed America is a powerful history of our country.  Starting with Creation, Mr. Pinson takes us all  the way through the Crucifixion, right to the signing of the Mayflower Compact and beyond.  The book is small and could be easily read in one sitting, but so full of knowledge that it is hard to read more than a few chapters at a time without being overwhelmed.  This book is a must have for anyone wanting to know the true history of The United States of America.  There are not words enough for me to describe it!

Pride and Prejudice was quite a surprise to me.  I had read it many years ago for school and liked it, but I did not understand it nor could I enjoy it at leisure.  I wish I could find the notebook that I wrote my review in back then.  To think about it now makes me laugh!  It took me four or so chapters to get into the book then.  This time I was in it the moment I opened the book.  Most of what I remembered came from the movie (2005) so it a nice surprise to go so much more in depth!  I will have to say, all through the book Keira Knightly and Mathew Macfadyn and the rest of the 2005 cast played well through my mind, right until I hit the more detailed parts that were excluded from the movie.  Here Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth were happy to step in, and I was quite happy to oblige them, though I was somewhat confused as to their presence because I have yet seen that version of P&P (except clips here and there).  In all, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole book and happily add it to my list of favourites (right along with the two mentioned above)!

I hope everyone is having a lovely week.  I am trying to get my college classes straightened out for I start back on Monday.  I hope I will have time to read my books still.  Right now I am working my way through Mansfield Park.  This is the only Jane Austen novel I have had no form of introduction to (by movie or otherwise) so I look forward to some fun and intrigue (in not knowing the outcome).             I am still working on the Friendship Afghan and hope to have more to report on it soon!

Through Christ,

Lady Helen