The 40 Day Soul Fast by Cindy Trimm (Amazon Kindle $9.99)

What I love about Cindy Trimm is that she has the ability to present things in a practical way. She is a very strong teacher who is relatable and has the ability to really connect with her intended audience, which in all fairness is everyone. I love the practical application of Biblical principles that Cindy offers through her books and podcast. This by far has been a great way take a serious internal look at myself and make necessary adjustment according to Gods word. If you’re looking for a way to apply principals of authenticity through Christ, this is a great stating point!

How to Walk in the Supernatural Power of God by Guellermo Maldonado (Amazon Kindle $8.85)

This book was amazing. It reminded me a lot of the book Acts. Maldonado stresses that the same God, the same power that the early church operated in, is alive and well today we only need to commit ourselves to access it. What I like most about his book was that the author made it clear that we not only “have not because we ask not” (see James 4:3) but also that we do not discipline ourselves to receive such a work. Using the body as an illustration, Maldonado provides this example.

“Before the hand stretches to perform the corresponding action. Likewise, Jesus—as the Head—has plans, desires, a purpose, a mission, and a mandate, but these cannot be carried out unless the body obeys. In my case, even if my head wanted to leave my body behind and carry out the plan on its own, it couldn’t because the function of the head is to command, and the function of the body is to execute, or carry out, that command.”

Reading pages contained such motivation and zeal for the works of God. More so stirring up the desire to not just witness but to stir up the Spirit inside us so that we become equipped to be atmosphere changers who operate in miracles, signs and wonders by the grace of God.

Calling and Separation by Bob Yandian (Amazon Kindle $7.99)

This book was right on time. I actually got the reference from a BookTuber called Daughter of Increase. We hear a lot about callings but very little about being separated. Most importantly the author stresses the importance of faithfulness. He did this by using the story of Elijah and Elisha. This topic alone speaks volumes. If we serve a loving and faithful God does He not deserve the same in return? We will never be able to out love, out give or out do God. Being faithful to Him and His Word is the least we can do. In referring to Elisha Yandian states,

“Nevertheless, his God was Elijah’s God. His life illustrates that the success of ministry is not in personality, size of building, manner of dress, or model of car you drive. Success in ministry comes from knowing God and moving in His power”.

Yandian does an amazing job at relaying how we are to serve and seek God, not a person or position this message. I highly recommend this book.

Keepers of the Covenant. Book two of the Restoration Chronicles by Lynn Austin (Christianbook.com $10.99)

I really like the story of love that blossomed between Ezra and Deborah. However, I absolutely loved the story of Amina and Reuben. The both of them coming from hard backgrounds, Reuben becoming a soft brute due to the workings of love and grace shown to him by Ezra, others and most importantly God himself. And Amina finding a place and people to belong to that cafe for who she was and not what she looked like or where she came from. As always Lynn Austin makes you fall in love with each and every character and if you pay close attention you will find that you could relate to most of them.

God’s Generals: Why Some Succeeded and Why Some Failed by Roberts Liardon (Amazon Kindle $15.11)

Liardon discusses the life and works of people such as John Alexander Dowie, Maria Woodworth-Etter, John G. Lake, Aimee Semple-McPherson and many more. I was motivated to check this book out because I heard the author had written about Kathryn Khulman. I have always been fascinated with her passion for Christ. Then I discovered other women in the pages. This was even better. Being a woman in ministry I hear a lot of negative feedback and twisted doctrine that women are not supposed to be in ministry. Knowing what my Bible says, the examples that it gives of women being mighty instruments of God and then reading about other female pioneers in the faith reminds me that I cannot go by what others my think or say. I can only be obedient to the One who has the final say.

But let me be clear. I did not read it for those reasons though. I read it because I long for the church to awaken with such a hunger for God that we begin to live out an even higher level of evangelism that we read about in Acts. It won’t be something that we have read about or talk about what’s going on in other regions of the world but something we are truly living. As I was reading this book I asked God what happened to us as a church and what are the reasons we don’t witness these things. It was as if he answered me through what I read in Maldonado where is stated,

“In the 1950s and 60s, God raised up men and women with the goal of bringing forth a great revival through healing, miracles, signs, and wonders. Most of them, however, never realized that the anointing and grace they received was to teach, train, and equip the church for future generations. They used them but rarely transferred or imparted their mantles to others so their ministries could continue for future generations. We admire those generals of God. Unfortunately, the anointing that came upon them often died with them because they failed to teach the church to flow in the same supernatural power, as Jesus did with His disciples.”

To read that was eye opening. What does that mean for us today? It reminded me of the example that Yandian provided in the story of Elijah and Elisha. Who among us would dare to go before God ask for such things and be willing to look and embrace the bigger picture, have a kingdom mindset and properly steward what is given to us and help equip others for kingdom purpose? Can anyone else see how February reads were intense? I love it! So though 0provoking and requiring a heart check.

Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar (Free audio book on the Libby app)

I literally laughed, cried and rejoiced throughout this whole book. It starts off very intense right from the start. The decision that the parents make to secure their future, the story of a sister’s decision to give up her baby to the gods and then eases into a very heartfelt, thought provoking mercy. With the main character praying to a God that her people do not believe in. Despite her upbringing and the decisions, she has made along the way and encouraged by the stories she is told about a God who has both compassion and “strict” rules to follow.  Rehab responds to the stirring within her and takes a leap of faith to believe in the God of the Hebrews.

What touched me most was that you could sense God within the pages. What I mean by that is the way Tessa Afshar explained Gods protection, provisions and His desire to be close in relationship with man was felt. For example, Afshar gives the reader multiple examples of when God speaks to us. Our inner us, dialogue with others, answering prayer through a situation, you name it. The author does a phenomenal job at showing us the character of God. If you have not read this book, it is by far a must read. I look forward to purchasing books written by Tessa Afshar moving forward!