The Seven Stories that Shape Your Life: Discover Your God Given Purpose by Gerard Kelly (Book Review!)

The Seven Stories that Shape Your Life: Discover Your God Given Purpose

By Gerard Kelly

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Nonfiction / Christian Living

Published by- Monarch Books and Lion Hudson

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 336

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN: 978-0-85721-634-2

Do you ever wonder what your purpose is on this earth?  This book will help you begin to discover it.  Gerard Kelly has chapters about creation, vocation, limitation, formation, incarnation, and restoration.  It shows how to begin to connect with God and utilize the stories in the Bible.

About the Author-

Gerard Kelly and his wife live in France, where they are co-founders of the Bless Network.  He has written eighteen books.

My Thoughts-

This was a book that was filled with good and helpful information about learning my purpose in a life with God.  As I was reading I folded over many page corners, so I could go back and explore the given information.  I want to make sure that the information I was reading was biblically sound.  What I found was great.

I thought the chapters were really long.  I wish they were divided up into smaller chapters.  I did like the divisions in each chapter.  I think that since the chapters are more involved, that a longer summary at the end would be nice.  I did appreciate the summary that was there.  I would have also enjoyed having discussion questions.  Being able to think about and question what I read would be helpful. 

This was a good book.  I highly recommend it to everyone.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Seven Stories that Shape Your Life, by Gerard Kelly, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Boy Who Loved Rain by Gerard Kelly

The Boy Who Loved Rain

By Gerard Kelly

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Fiction

Published by- Lion Fiction

Copyrighted- 2014

Number of pages- 320

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-1-78264-120-2

Colom has had a perfect life, but something is terribly wrong.  He wakes up from terrible nightmares, but he does not know why he keeps having them.  He is also becoming suicidal.   

His mother, Fiona, wants her husband, a church pastor, to help.  David, her husband, thinks nothing is wrong and will not ask for outside help.

Fiona finds a friend from her own childhood to help her.  She leaves with Colom to get the help he needs.  Are these dreams Colom’s fault or is it something Fiona and David caused? 

Read an excerpt.

About the Author-

Gerard Kelly currently lives in France and is a poet, missionary, and pastor.  He has written fourteen book.

My thoughts-

The Boy Who Loved Rain, by Gerard Kelly, was interesting and well written.

I was drawn to the title, but after having finished the book, I do not understand how the title was determined.  I never read anything that determined that Colom loved the rain.  The Colom that I read about was more interested in spending time in his room.

I thought his dreams were very interesting and it was great that his family told him why it was happening.  (I won’t say more, because it would spoil it for you.)  I am glad that the suicide pledge was not used.

Fiona was a wonderful mother.  I was glad to see how she took care of Colom.  She also picked the right woman to help them.  It was sad that David (Colom’s father) was unable to see what needed to be done to help the family.  It was nice to read about a pastor who was not perfect.  I think most people put their pastor’s on a pedestal and expect them to be extra perfect.  They are only human.

I enjoyed the ending of the book.  It had parts I did not expect.  I think you may enjoy the book.   

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Boy Who Loved Rain, by Gerard Kelly, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.