June Hunt Manipulation

Again June Hunt uses her experience to teach us how to deal with manipulators, especially spiritual manipulations. She explains the difference in manipulation and persuasion. Using Abram’s wife Sarai and Jacob as prime examples of manipulation, we have to wonder if we ourselves may be guilty of manipulating others. As a leader of women, I feel strongly about commitment to the position you hold in ministry. When seeking to instill excellence in others I wanted to make sure I was encouraging and not manipulating. June Hunt’s other pamphlets on Conflict Resolution and Confrontation were very helpful to me in family and work situations. This little book covers all kinds of situations even in the church. Most of us are probably blameworthy with Verbal Manipulations such as flattery, whining, and the guilt game to get our needs met. June presents a scripture from the Bible to help us realize that these habits are not pleasing to God. I myself recall times earlier in my marriage when I have used Non-Verbal methods by pouting, ignoring, or slamming kitchen cabinets and bedroom doors. Ephesians 4:26 reminds us not go to bed angry. Even the roll of the eyes is displeasing to God. Rose Publishing gave me a PDF of this booklet for my review.

Through the Deep Water by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Through the Deep Water by Kim Vogel Sawyer is a historical novel. I have read many Christian novels by this author and admire her dedication to research the history of an area for the setting of her stories. Shame and rejection mar the childhoods of the two main characters. Dinah born in a brothel and robbed of her youthful innocence to earn money to care for her dying mother, she moves to Kansas to escape her past. Shackled by her secrets, she holds everyone at a distance except for Amos, a young chicken farmer. Though crippled by an accident when he was eleven, Amos has ambition and a dream to build up a business. His tenderness and humble character puts Dinah at ease and their friendship develops until the past collides with their future plans. Broken and hopeless Dinah learns from her roommate Ruthie to trust in God her true Father. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness." Our plans are futile is not initiated by God's mighty hand. The story brings in the familiar bible story when the adulterous woman is brought to Jesus. We need to drop the rock!

This advanced reading copy was given to me to review by Waterbrook Press.