Recap Book Chat

What would it have been like to walk the first century streets of Galilee when Jesus was healing the sick and teaching the crowds that love was stronger than hate? The main character is an 18 year old Jewish boy named Daniel bar Jamin. He is fueled by his hate for the Romans who killed his father when he tried to help his uncle escape imprisonment for being unable to pay his taxes. Sadly, his moth...

“...and if I perish, I perish.” Esther was all in! David asked God in Psalm 86:11 to give him an undivided heart. Esther and David were on the same page. May we join them!  Kate’s take away was spot on: God works in ordinary events. Step us with courage when your moment comes. Trust God’s sovereignty-Lean into to HIM. God never abandons His people. Meet oppression and uncertainty without worry. We...

Marme:You are not God. You don’t determine the outcome. The outcome is not the point. March: What is the point? Marme: The point is the effort. Grace: I do not ask your absolution. I simply as you to see that there is only one thing to do when we fall, and that is to get up, and go on with the life that is set in front of us, and try to do the good of which our hands are capable for the people who...

“In a world full of vapor, GOD is the only thing SOLID.” One of the many powerful points found in Michael Whitworth’s book What Is the Book of Ecclesiastes?. Many see Ecc. as a dark book, but when you substitute meaningless for a more accurate translation such as temporary it reads much differently.  Solomon tried using wisdom, entertainment, and the gathering of stuff to find happiness. We can le...

Episode 221 is exciting! Change is hard, but it is what we must do to wholeheartedly follow God! Kate & Sheila recap Rob Reimer’s Soul Care: 7 Transformational Principles for a Healthy Soul in today’s podcast. These 208 pages pack quite a powerful punch!  “We can either act on fear or we can act on faith, but we cannot act on both.” The Healing Tools of God: Identity - spend time alone with Go...

Chuck Black’s allegory addresses a number of issues/themes such as letting go of the past, forgiveness, fear, healing, etc. as it transports readers to the Middle Ages. The battle of good vs evil is a classic one. It is still fought every day as Christians strive to be in the world but not of the world. This action packed book has Biblical connections astute readers will discover as they  join Sir...

In this episode, we explore the rich themes, memorable characters, and powerful symbolism of J.R.R. Tolkien's iconic trilogy. Whether you're a dedicated fan or new to Middle-earth, these insights will deepen your appreciation and inspire your own journey of purpose and resilience. Key Topics: Overview of the setting in Middle-earth and the significance of the final chapter Main characters: Frodo,...

Let’s march into the season of GREEN!  As the time change springs us forward, some of us are kicking and screaming while some are rejoicing, Kate and Sheila recap books with GREEN in the title.  There’s the obvious Green Eggs and Ham and Anne of Green Gables but we wanted to give a shoutout to some undervalued titles.  The GREEN Ember series really can grow us not just as readers but as people!  I...

Rebuilding anything brings challenges. Nehemiah shows us where to start in chapter 1 when he cries out to God, “We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments…” Nehemiah tells the hard truth. God had said if the people were unfaithful they would be scattered and it happened. Was this what God wanted or man’s doings? God put it on Nehemiah’s heart to rebuild Jerusalem’s...

Who among us would not want to be an agent for depth and goodness in a world where everyone is wrapped up in the busyness of their own agenda?  Allen Levi introduces us to just such an individual in his first novel, Theo of Golden .  Here are a smattering of quotes from this transformative text: “There is no virtue in advertising one’s sadness. But there is no wisdom in denying it either. And ther...

Let’s meet Ezra, a priest, a scribe, and the leader of the second group of exiles from Babylon back to Jerusalem. Ezra rebuked the people for intermarrying and worshiping false gods. He wanted them to know the Word of God is always right and that following Him should be our purpose regardless of how hard it might be. The rebuilding of the temple was halted for 15 years by opposition from the peopl...

Greetings dear listeners! “Love can heal the deepest wounds.”  The Indigo Girl by Natsha Boyd “Real love only exists outside of our comfort zone.” -Heart Talk by Cleo Wade That Light can come into this world only as LOVE and LOVE can enter only by suffering.” -A World Lost Wendell Berry “An enemy can only be loved with Divine love.” Hearts are everywhere as we embark in month two of 2026. We know...

Are you ready for an action-packed recap? In The Two Towers   the fellowship is disbanded, but not the mission secure. Merry and Pippin are hobbitnapped, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli meet up with a refined Gandalf the white who sweeps them into a war while Frodo and Sam are led by Gollum through the swamps. They meet Faramir, Boromir’s brother who has  wisdom that Boromir lacked. “War must be, whil...

Greetings dear readers! Welcome to episode 212 as we recap 1 and 2 Chronicles.  We learn about the prophet Samuel and King Saul and David, boy and king in 1 Chronicles. It Retells 1 & 2 Samuel and gives the genealogies all the way back to Adam! 2 Chronicles retells 1 and 2 Kings, giving details of each kings' reign and Jerusalem’s fall along with the destruction of the temple. Elijah and Elish...

Happy New Year dear listeners! Please join us as we dive into 1 & 2 Kings. Kate called this a roller coaster ride and that is spot on! We see the rise and fall of God’s Kingdom through the rise and fall of His kings. These two books were originally one,  written in Israel’s exile to show WHY Israel was there. From his deathbed, David tells Solomon, “... keep the charge of the LORD your God, wa...

Welcome to our yearly Recap Book Chat Awards for the year 2025. Most whimsical : The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – Its dreamy, childlike philosophical tale of a young prince traveling planets, full of wonder, imagination, and gentle absurdity, captures pure whimsy more than any other on the list. BFG and Much Ado About Nothing also fit this category. Grittiest : Les Misérables by Vic...

Let’s journey to Middle Earth together! Readers meet Frodo, the unsuspecting beneficiary of Bilbo’s ‘Ring’. This gift turns the innocent hobbit’s world upside down. Frodo and his friends, Sam, Merry and Pippin set out on a quest to meet up with Gandalf the Grey which is no small task as Black Riders are trailing the travelers.  Along the way they meet a Ranger, tall, lean, dark, who goes by the na...

It’s the season of curling up with a good book before a cozy fire and reading a favorite book.  It’s also gift giving time. Maybe our lists can help you match your loved ones to the perfect book! We each share our 5 favorite adult and children's books to light up your holiday season!  Kate and Sheila’s Picks:                 Adults’                                       Kids’  Living Fearless Wing...

As a baby, Oswald T. Campbell was left on the steps of an orphanage with a can of Campbell’s soup in his basket. Readers meet him as he receives disheartening news from his doctor; he won’t live to see another Christmas if he doesn’t move to a better climate than the Windy City. Sadly, Oswald has no one to share his devastating news with… sounds like a bummer of a book, doesn’t it? But, somehow Fa...

For episode 208, Kate and Sheila recap The Quarryman’s Bride, by Tracie Peterson.  The story is set in 1880’s in St. Cloud, MN. The contrast in characters is amazing! Emmalyne’s kindness and loyalty contrasts wildly with the bitterness and hardness of her father.  Emmalyne and Tavin were two weeks away from marriage when the tragedy of losing her sisters changed her father’s mind. He announced she...

The period of Judges and Ruth was dark. God raised up Samuel as a prophet, priest, and judge when He answered childless Hannah’s fervent prayer. Samuel was committed to doing what was right in God’s sight, sadly Eli, the current priest, and sons were not. Eli’s dealings with his erring sons teaches us we have to do more than just talk. From Samuel, the last judge, to Saul, the first king, is a tum...

Emma M. Lion returns with gusto in volume 2 by Beth Brower. Do you like underdog stories? Emma may be in a precarious predicament but she’s not one to throw in the towel!  Advice from Emma’s father, “You must be fighting fit, Emma, whatever else. Most of life is the ability to be ready for what comes your way.” Young Hawkes (the unlikely vicar) informs Emma that her cousin has been confessing his...

Naomi has lost her husband and two sons in Moab so she decides to return to her homeland. However, she does not lose her daughter-in-law even after Naomi repeatedly encouraged Ruth to return to her mother’s house.  Ruth's reply was and still is so powerful. “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall...

Join Kate and Sheila as they journey through Judges, a book of disobedience, oppression, crying out to God, judge (aka leader) appointed, deliverance, and peace cycling over and over. God was clear- take over the land, but instead His people intermarried and started to worship idols. Downward spirals are never pretty, but they can teach a great deal.  In chapter 2, the text says they failed to tea...

In today’s visit we dive into The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by the very talented Beth Brower. “It takes a courageous man to marry a woman with a mind.”  Emma M. Lion is definitely a woman with a mind! She lives in London in the house she inherited but is quarantined to just the garret thanks to Cousin Archibald. In 106 pages you are swept back to 1883 England. One journal entry shows a w...