A heavenly visit . . .
Such beauty, God. Thank you for it all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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(The Eagles)
This epitomizes the era in which I grew up. The lyrics, the musicians, the everything. Extreme talent that produced a great sound and hit after hit, but a perspective that included a lot of heartbreaking results in the big picture.
Father, your salvation is all that matters in the big picture. Thank you for rescuing me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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If it has Carrie Stuart Parks' name on it, I'm reading it. It should be noted this is not a Gwen Marcey novel but a new mystery with forensic overtones featuring what starts out to be an unusual heroine who is banking on her Formula of Deception to get her mission accomplished. However, she isn't alone in developing deceptions and some of them have been in existence for decades.
Murphy Anderson is on Kodiak Island trying to find her twin sister's body who she believes was a victim of the serial killer who left a scar across Murphy's eyebrow and down her face. Murphy hires herself out as a forensic artist and is invited to accompany the Kodiak police Detective Elin Olsson when she visits a dying Russian who spotted dead bodies on Ruuwaq Island where he went to hunt. Murphy can certainly draw, but her first deception occurs with stating her forensic abilities. She's desperate for money after having her purse stolen. She stumbles her way through the interview, as an unlikely looking priest translates for the man, collecting the data she'll need to come up with a composite sketch of one of the dead men. Next she's on her way with the detective on a flight to the island to map the positions of the dead men and determine the identities of the victims. There's some cliff climbing involved, but what they can't find when they get to the sight is the puzzling part.
Detective Olsson wants to send Murphy back to the island with her forensic specialist "Bertie" so a flight is arranged for them and their necessary equipment. The pilot is concerned about bad weather approaching and warns them to respond when he radios them to return to the plane. When they discover something unexpected and acquire some photos, they get an emergency call to return to the plane. That's only the first emergency.
Murphy finds herself in deep when danger slaps at those around her and tragedies begin to occur. Her nightmares won't allow peaceful sleep and haunt her waking hours. All kinds of connections to the past and present residents of this island make everything seem off kilter. Add to that some terrifying news and only one person she truly trusts, Murphy must rely on her judgment and instincts but nothing feels safe or right.
Carrie has written a complex story around historical data and a suffering heroine who listens to the voice of her dead sister for advice while she's doing everything she can to piece together the multi-faceted mysteries surrounding her and her search. When the surprising ending slowly reveals what Murphy's experienced, the reader and the heroine get some much needed answers.
Carrie Stuart Parks tells readers why her publisher suggested she give Gwen Marcey a rest from her harrowing near-death experiences, but those of us who are big Gwen Marcey fans will be anxiously waiting for that next book with Gwen.
Father, please continue to bless Carrie with all that she needs to create amazing stories. Encourage her, uplift her, and keep her safe from all harm. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"
He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'
"But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'
"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets!'
"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, you evildoers!'
"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first and first who will be last."
Luke 13:22-30 (NIV)
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Five things I love about autumn:
Football
Colors of tree leaves, etc.
End of Daylight Saving Time
The clothes (all the greys, browns, blacks)
Dressing up on Blue Friday (in Seahawks colors, including blue and green lipstick and eyeshadows)
How 'bout you?
God, the seasons you've given us each have their unique beauty and insights. Only you. Thank you for it all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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(Originally posted on October 24, 2016 as "A failed . . . Order to Kill".)
Order to Kill written by Kyle Mills to continue Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp legacy is now available, and I have to give it a rare Five Stars. I loved this book.
Few men on earth can equal the status of the American assassin Mitch Rapp. He's known and feared throughout the world in spy circles. The Russian assassin Grisha Azarov is given the dubious order to kill Rapp. Not the first to receive such an order, he wonders if he'll be the last. The Russian "president" Krupin has a plan, but he wants Rapp out of the way in order to complete it. His country is failing economically and there is serious restlessness among the wealthy oligarchs as to whether or not Krupin should remain in his lofty position. When his top assassin is lined up to dispose of Rapp and orchestrate his plan to return the oil business to Russia, Azarov has serious doubts concerning its execution.
After an unsuccessful and perhaps ill-advised jaunt to South Africa, Mitch Rapp and Scott Coleman reunite to attempt to locate some missing Pakistani nukes being randomly transported around that country. An intense firefight causes near tragedy, Rapp gets a glimpse of the mysterious Russian assassin in action while securing one of the nukes and is amazed at what he sees.
Back in the states an odd and cryptic surprise is discovered after tearing down the nuclear device. It has to be put back together and returned to Pakistan while Rapp and Irene Kennedy do their best to figure out who the assassin is and who exactly he was targeting, not to mention what it had to do with the nukes.
The story jumps back and forth between Rapp's mission in this confusing venture and Grisha Azarov's instructions from the arrogant Russian president. When Mitch and Irene figure out the plan, they have to hastily construct their own in a short period of time with no margin for error. And, as usual, Rapp's plan is an ad-libbed deviation.
Order to Kill is a page turner, Mitch Rapp is captured perfectly (one of my favorite passages is on page 51), he's feeling the loneliness in this life he's built, and enduring the pain of some of the ugly choices he has to make. The ending is terrific, reminding me of Consent to Kill but without as much sadness. Kyle Mills has met the challenge of continuing the Mitch Rapp legacy and succeeded with passion and accuracy. I believe Vince would be proud of his efforts.
Father, the greatest thing I can ask is for Kyle Mills to know you. Please continue to bless his life and his writing and watch over him. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Nothing like beautiful trees, radiant sunshine, and flowers. Love this.
Lord, your beauty is endless. Thank you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Another great oldie by the talented George Benson.
Father, thank you for your musicians and singers. Such amazing music. May each one know you personally. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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I finished a novel I planned to review for this Monday slot, but I couldn't do it. Why? It's simple really. There's not one good thing about the characters in this fairly long story. I'm not going to publicly name the author or title. I will tell you he's successful, secular, and has written many novels. I'm just going to mention things about the characters and ask your opinion on why anyone would desire to write, let alone read, a story about characters who have serious deficiencies such as addiction, psychopathic tendencies, who are convincing liars, perverts, murderers, etc. Using a worldly expression: not one of them had any truly redeeming qualities, albeit the heroine did manage to care about the children who were victims and the two men who were wrongfully incarcerated for their demise, one of whom suspiciously committed suicide after briefly being jailed!
The author knew how to tell a compelling story or I wouldn't have finished the book. It became a matter of determining if he was going to allow one good thing to happen after all the despicable drivel the characters projected and endured. I suspect he thought he engineered sympathy for the heroine, but he only managed to cryptically and effectively describe her gambling addiction and the severe harm it caused adding to the extreme ugliness of all the other characters and their vile behaviors. She managed to persevere through her addiction to solve the two murders separated by a number of years – this after losing her job as a detective while sleeping with her detective partner who was convicted of falsifying evidence and who she later discovered was a partner in the group who committed the crimes against these two female children (and many more) and set up those who took the fall for them.
So no review today. Why would you want to write or read a novel with not one good thing in the story?
Father, there is so much ugliness in this world. I don't know how you can be so patient with all of us. It breaks my heart daily to see the atrocities and to assess my own failures. Thank you for your unequaled mercy and grace. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
Acts 9:31 (NIV)
