"The Titanic's Last Hero", by Moody Adams

This was a great book! I know I've mentioned John Harper a lot lately, but :)...
When you look up John Harper online, you don't get much. This book gave you a great look into the life on this man of God, who was raised in a christian home and saved at the age of thirteen. Before becoming an official preacher, he would preach at street corners. He eventually did get his own church, and it is said that he led many people to the Lord, and that he truly cared about his flock, praying all night at times for their salvation and walk with the Lord. Also, when they had a guest preacher, he would be praying in the back for the message the whole time it was being delivered. During this time of having his own congregation, he still continued to preach on the street! He often had poor health, but still gave his whole life to service to God. He lost his wife just a couple years after they married, leaving him alone with a newborn baby. His brother and his wife took little Nan into their home for a time, but Mr. Harper wanted her with him. They were together much of her life.
This book was a compilation of tributes to John Harper from fellow preachers, his brother, and a few others, including some who were saved by God through one of his messages. The book also includes his sermon notes for four of his sermons, how neat is that :)? I thought it was a really great book, and it was neat to learn more about Mr. Harper!

"The Basket of Flowers" by Christopher von Schmid

I loved this book! I had wanted to read it for a while, and our Grandma blessed us with it a couple weeks ago.
This book is about a gardener with a strong faith in the Lord.  As a young man, he refuses a high position as he feels that in this position he would not be able to fulfill his duty to the Lord. After losing his wife and all but one of his children, he then spends the rest of his life pouring the Lord's truth into this daughter. When Mary is accused of stealing from the Countess, trials follow, and in the end they are banished from the only home this young girl has known. After several circumstances whith lead to the ending in which Mary's name is cleared, circumstances that include the death of her Father, the young girl is returned to favor when her innocence is brought to light. Through the book, the gardener constantly points his daughter to the Lord, using flowers, which they both love so much, to tell beautiful allegory's about Christ.
I thought that this was a really good book, not dry at all, but still filled with so many truths, and showing the love of a Father and daughter united in the Lord.
And, before I close this post, I have to share my favorite quote from the book-
"There is no situation in life so thorny or so miserable that we may not find blessings under the thorns if we look carefully for them."

~James, the gardener, in 

"The Basket of Flowers", 

by Christopher von Schmid

"Before You Meet Prince Charming" by Sarah Mally

This was a great book on the subject of purity!
In between bits of a story about a princess waiting in the Lord for her "Prince Charming", Miss Sarah Mally encourages young ladies to live for the Lord, trusting him to direct your path- even if this means that he never brings you to marriage.
In each chapter she includes a "suggested scripture memorization", and a "suggested assignment". I'll admit that I read the book too quickly to go into much detail with the assignments while I read the book :(, but I did work on the scripture memorization, and am now working through the assignments, which has (so far as I have done it) been great- I think you could really take a week with each assignment if you do each of the things you find to study that stem off of each thing :)!
There are also many testimonies in the book from young ladies in all sorts of situations.
All in all, I thought it was a really good book on the subject (almost as good as "It's (Not That) Complicated". That was the best book I have read so far about living only for Christ, even in the area of marriage/dreams/etc....). I do think this would be more suited for younger girls then "It's (Not That) Complicated, just because it is written in an easier to follow manner. Miss Sarah encourages girls to fall in love with God, allow her parents to know and guide her, to use your single years wisely, and much more :)!
Miss Sarah Mally is one of the Authors of "Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends", which she wrote with her brother and sister as a sibling project :).

"Joyfully at home", by Jasmine Baucham

"Joyfully at Home" is a book for who want to know what stay-at-home daughter hood is about, by a stay-at-home daughter. Miss Baucham does realize that sometimes it is not God's plan that a daughter stay at home, but she does not believe that this should be normal.
The book is written in an easy to read style, giving good advice mixed with plenty of humor! Miss Jasmine writes from experience, but still gives the impression that she's right there, learning all the way right along side you. I really enjoyed this book, but if you do not want to be tempted to embrace stay-at-home daughter hood, you might not want to read this book... your life may become "ruined for the better"... just like Jasmine Baucham's was after reading "So Much More" by Anna Sophia and Elizabeth Botkin!
Miss Baucham believes that fixing the state of the heart is the key to fixing all problems that girls struggle with. In the book she encourages all girls to:
Love the Lord with all your Heart.
Be a helpmeet to your Father as a daughter (she also explains that sometimes you could be more of a help to your Father by helping your Mother instead -so she can give more to your Father).
Build relationships with your entire family.
Wait patiently for the man that God would have for you to marry, and realize that the Lord may not even have marriage in his perfect plan for your life.
Keep your heart and thoughts pure.
And more!
To get a clear idea of exactly what Miss Jasmine believes, you can go to her current blog, "All She has to say".

"Theo, The Big Brother" by I. T. Thurston

The sequel to "The Bishops Shadow", I give this book a 10 out of 10.
Theodore Bryan, the little "Tode" Bryan all grown up, believes his dearest dreams are coming true, as he graduates from the college that he worked and saved for years to be able to attend. But, an unexpected voice strain ruins the plans of all the years past. Theo Bryan finds this difficult to deal with, to the point of turning away from God. In God's own timing, Theo is brought back to the Lord, and, through the work of trying to re-claim the hearts of boys who have followed his example through both good and bad out of love for him, is given a new life mission. He embraces this mission, and is soon influencing people for good once again.
With amazing talent he uses his life to help young boys in such a way that they don't even know that he is changing them until they are eager to help others in the same way.
This book is one that will keep you eager to find out what happens next, and sure to have you sympathizing with Theo the entire way!

"The Bishop's Shadow" by I. T. Thurston

A friend from Canada gave this book to us, I LOVE it!!! It's so good, I give it an 11 out of 10, haha!
This book is a non-fiction book about a little street boy, and has snippets of the life of Phillips Brooks, the Author of "O Little Town of Bethlehem", woven into it.
Thirteen year old Tode Bryan is a big time thief, liar, and swearer*. Through the united influence of a sick baby, a young girl, a Bishop, and a Sunday school teacher, Tode is saved by the Mighty Grace of God.
Through extremely trying circumstances, Tode tries to find and fix the life of a sixteen year old boy he has made feel as if his life is ruined, and make himself good enough to be at least like "A shadow" of his beloved Bishop.
My whole family loved this book, from my four year old brother, to my Dad. This book is a great family book, and really keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next!
There is a sequel to this book, "Theo, The Big Brother".
*(No words used: in their place are things like 'Tode uttered an oath', etc.)

Books

Do any of you remember the post I had of the books I was going to write? Well, most of those did not work, but I am trying to get a few more started. "The Fruit of the Spirit Is.." series, a nine book series, and the "Dillons". I do plan to keep working on the 'My Knifty Knitter Lessons' book though!

Authoress maybe?

I hope so. I have tried to write books before but I've never really liked them but I'm hoping that that will change. I'm working on a new book right now that is called "Ruby". Will I be satisfied this time?

Also coming up is " Why Did They Let Snakes on the Ark" a talk me, Mom & Dad had, "Petal Tales" that mom thought we should write, That "Treasure Cove" for Andrew, & Short Boy Stories (Don't ask that one's name yet) for Andrew, "How to Make Cleaning Fun" for Tori & me, and (for those who have Nifty knitters) "My Nifty Knitter Lessons" that tell how to make some of the things I've made with mine.

I think I'll get at least one that I like (probably the Nifty Knitter one will be the top one ;)!) That is 1...2...3...4...5...6...7 books!

What I've read

Saturday I finished the biography "George Muller: The Guardian of Bristol's Orphans" by Janet & Geoff Benge. Did you know that at first he was a "common thief"? His first wife was 8 years older then him and his second wife was 21 years younger! He had a daughter and a son (his son died at 15 months) Their daughter (Lydia) was 1 year older then her brother (Elijah). Lydia died at the age of 57. And did you know that George started 4 Orphan houses and then had to... move them ALL to a new Orphan house! Then he started 4 more Orphan homes! His second wife died when they had been married 23 years. He himself died when he was 92 years old. George Muller never asked for ANYTHING AT ALL to take care of all of those orphans!