My Son, John by Kathi Macias

Murder.

Could there be a more chilling word? Could it be any more horrible than to have a loved one killed, brutally and heartlessly, without obvious reason or motive? When Liz Peterson’s elderly mother is found viciously beaten to death in her home, Liz and her husband, Charles, along with their grown son, John, and teenage daughter, Sarah, are horrified beyond words. Their previously predictable, respectable lives seem to have vanished without a trace, as they struggle to make sense of a senseless act.

And then a second blow—more devastating, if possible, than the first—rocks them to their core. John is arrested for his grandmother’s murder. As what’s left of the Peterson family begins to crumble under the weight of loss and accusation, the Petersons’ longstanding Christian faith is put to the test in a way they could never have imagined, and unconditional love is stretched to its limits. Will family ties and relationships withstand such a crushing blow, or will evil succeed in dividing and conquering this once close and inseparable family?

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My Review:
This is a beautifully written account of the struggle of Liz Peterson and the after-effects of the vicious murder of her mother and subsequent arrest of her son. Liz wrestles with all of the thoughts and impulses that can be imagined.

The author uses first-person narrative as well as third-person narrative for her characters. Sometimes, the thoughts seem to flow into one another, causing a bit of confusion. 

You will reach for a tissue with this one.

Will this mother be able to forgive her son? Can she ever again trust God? And, how could such a thing happen to a loving family?

Discussion questions for individual or group study are included.

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How Can I Run A Tight Ship When I'm Surrounded by Loose Cannons? by Kathi Macias

Proverbs 31 Discoveries for Yielding to the Master of the Seas

The perfect woman—excellent wife, cherished mother, impeccable housekeeper, thriving entrepreneur—all rolled into one. The Proverbs 31 woman looms large for Christian women today. Getting it all together. Keeping everything under control. Running a tight ship. But despite our best efforts it seems there are always loose cannons rolling around the deck.

With humor and relevance, Kathi Macias shares her journey and struggle with Proverbs 31, ultimately discovered that there is natural progression of growing in grace. The course of our lives and growth in grace may very well lead to a different destination than originally planned. But in the process, we can finally relinquish the dream of perfection and give up trying to control every aspect of our lives—all those loose cannons that threaten the tight ship we are determined to run, but can’t—and instead learn to trust the Captain of our ship to steer us safely home.

My Review:
I chuckled my way through this collection of true stories that focus on the qualities of the Proverbs 31 woman, the biblical superwoman. I recommend it for any woman striving for biblical perfection as well as for those ladies who know that they will never get to the starting gate of that race.

The author writes in a linear style as she takes us through her life experiences while on her quest to find a role model to mentor her so that she might become the perfect woman. Each of the five sections, representing five stages of spiritual life, is broken into five manageable chapters pointing to at least one measurable step of progress. With the book laid out such, it is easy to read a bit at a time or all at once. Ladies can easily pick it up when there is opportunity and put it down whenever interrupted.

I especially enjoyed the swimming pool scene and the skateboard episode.

Although humorous, this is no fluffy book; serious spiritual growth awaits. Each anecdote ends with Making it Personal thoughts and a Bible verse which makes it a good idea to use for a ladies' group study or as an individual personal growth journal.

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