Freshwater

Located in the wilds of Wyoming, the name Freshwater was chosen as a Western analogy to Christ. Just as He is the Living Water, and we must have Him to have eternal life, any desert dweller knows the importance of fresh water to life, both for self, and the nourishment of crops or livestock. By taking nourishment in God and His word, we strengthen our own relationship with Him, our faith, and the quality and abundance of our fruitfulness.

Our keystone verse is from Jeremiah, Chapter 17, Verse 8: "For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see whenSave heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."

The fruit that we speak of is mentioned in Galatians 5:22
"²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, ²³Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

And the heat could be anything we experience that might test our faith in God; trials and tribulations, relationships, anything that focuses our love and attention anywhere but on Him...

Monday, March 30, 2015

Endangered by CJ Box

Endangered (Joe Pickett #15)

by C.J. Box

4.45 of 5 stars 4.45 · rating details · 622 ratings · 104 reviews

New York Times–bestselling writer C. J. Box returns with a thrilling new novel, featuring Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett.

She was gone. Joe Pickett had good reason to dislike Dallas Cates, even if he was a rodeo champion, and now he has even more—Joe’s eighteen-year-old ward, April, has run off with him.

And then comes even worse news: The body of a girl has been found in a ditch along the highway—alive, but just barely, the victim of blunt force trauma. It is April, and the doctors aren’t sure if she’ll recover. Cates denies having anything to do with it—says she ran away from him, too—and there’s evidence that points to another man. But Joe knows in his gut who’s responsible. What he doesn’t know is the kind of danger he’s about to encounter. Cates is bad enough, but Cates’s family is like none Joe has ever met before.

Joe’s going to find out the truth, even if it kills him. But this time, it just might.

Wow. I don't even know that I can offer much more than that :). This book knocked me to my knees. I was bawling by the time I finished Chapter 9, and in tears again at the end of the book. I am not going to spoil it and tell you what kind of tears, but I will let you know that CJ Box has captured a range of emotions in this newest Joe Pickett, masterfully written, emotion wringing writing with the characters we have come to know and love.

My Goodreads Status Updates:

"This book is enthralling, and has me in the edge of my seat. I just finished chapter 9, and I am in tears with my heart in my throat, anxious to know what is going to happen next."

I think this may just be my favorite Joe Pickett. I finished the novel in tears (but I'm not going to spoil it and tell you if they are tears of joy or sorrow), and it was intense enough that I am not ready to pick up another book and start reading. I need some recovery time! This was an amazing story that had me on the edge of my seat on every page.

You can find it on Amazon, or at your local library.