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Words for a Wounded World: Scriptural Poems of Truth and Hope to Awaken, Convict, and Heal
Mark Richard’s Words for a Wounded World is a striking collection of scriptural poetry that bridges devotion and art. Structured in four parts, it journeys from the foundations of faith to the trials of endurance, calling readers toward reflection, repentance, and renewal. Each poem is rooted deeply in Scripture and followed by supporting verses, reflection questions, and prayer prompts, turning what might have been a simple poetry book into a comprehensive devotional experience.
The opening poem, “From Fig Leaves to White Robes,” immediately reveals Richard’s strength as both a poet and teacher. His retelling of humanity’s fall and redemption through Christ captures the tension between sin and grace with vivid simplicity. The combination of biblical narrative and lyrical rhythm sets the tone for the rest of the collection, earnest, reverent, and unashamedly focused on God’s mercy.
Throughout the book, Richard writes with pastoral sincerity. Many of the poems were originally written for individuals he ministered to, and that intimacy infuses each line with authenticity. His words are direct and urgent, reflecting his desire to reach those caught in spiritual struggle. At times, the tone feels intense, more prophetic than poetic, but it remains grounded in compassion rather than condemnation.
Several poems stand out for their emotional resonance. “Think Again, Let Christ Define” is particularly compelling in its treatment of identity and mental renewal, reminding readers that transformation begins in the mind: “Your thoughts, dear soul, are not benign—They shape your heart, your path, your mind.” Similarly, “Believe in Prayer” offers a tender reflection on faith’s persistence, inviting readers to approach God with both confidence and humility.
By the end, it becomes clear that Words for a Wounded World is not meant for hurried reading. Its structure, poem, Scripture, reflection, and journaling space encourage contemplation and engagement. It is ideal for those seeking a devotional guide that combines poetic beauty with spiritual depth.
This book will particularly resonate with readers who appreciate Scripture-centered writing and desire to deepen their personal walk with God. Thoughtful, sincere, and rooted in faith, Richard’s work reminds us that even in a wounded world, the Word still heals.
Pages: 135 | ISBN : 13: 978-1-63746-564-6
From the Back of a Donkey, Journey of a Lifetime – Second Edition
Nancy Elaine Hartman Minor’s From the Back of a Donkey: Journey of a Lifetime reimagines one of the most familiar stories in the Christian tradition, the birth of Jesus, through the eyes of Mary. The book blends biblical retelling, creative storytelling, and devotional reflection into a narrative that feels both ancient and deeply personal. Each chapter combines Mary’s imagined thoughts and prayers with scriptural passages and reflection questions for the reader, making it part story, part meditation, and part journal. The style is warm, vivid, and grounded in faith, giving life to moments that the Gospel of Luke only hints at.
Reading this book, I found myself unexpectedly moved. Minor doesn’t just recount events; she breathes humanity into them. Her Mary isn’t distant or saintly in the untouchable sense; she’s tender, curious, even a little scared, and wholly devoted to God. The writing feels like sitting down with someone who loves to tell stories by firelight, earnest and filled with wonder. There’s something beautiful in the author’s refusal to make Mary flawless. Instead, she lets her faith shimmer through her doubts and daily tasks, through her conversations with Joseph and her cousin Elizabeth. I loved that. It made the sacred story feel reachable, even intimate.
Stylistically, the book reads with a kind of musical rhythm, almost like a prayer. At times, I caught myself pausing just to let a sentence sink in. The writing is rich with sensory detail like the smell of baked bread, the roughness of wood, the brightness of stars, and yet it never drifts into heavy language. The author’s tone feels humble and heartfelt. Occasionally, the abundance of biblical references slows the pace, but it never feels forced; rather, it roots the story in the faith that inspires it. I could tell this book was written not only with literary care but also with devotion.
From the Back of a Donkey draws the reader into reflection, not just about Mary’s journey, but about their own. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to experience the Christmas story in a fresh, contemplative way. It’s perfect for believers who enjoy devotional reading, book clubs that center on faith, or anyone who wants to feel a deeper connection to the humanity behind the divine story.
Pages: 99 | ASIN : B0CP8WMQS4
The Apostle and the Galapagos
This book intertwines two distinct yet surprisingly parallel journeys: that of Charles Darwin, the curious young naturalist struggling to find his place in science and faith, and Saul of Tarsus, the zealous Pharisee who would become the Apostle Paul. Each man, separated by centuries, faces a crisis of belief and identity, torn between the comfort of tradition and the pull of discovery. Boateng alternates their narratives with vivid, sensory detail, burning lamps, dusty scrolls, waves of incense and wind, and lets them move toward their defining moments of revelation. The story is both historical and deeply human, a kind of imagined dialogue between reason and revelation.
The writing is lush and poetic, sometimes almost musical. The scenes are painted with color and light rather than explained with facts, which gives them a haunting realism. I could almost smell the sea air of Shrewsbury and the burning incense of Jerusalem. Sometimes the prose lingers a little too long on the setting, but I didn’t mind. It gave the story a slow rhythm, a contemplative heartbeat. The contrast between Darwin’s gentle curiosity and Saul’s fiery conviction hooked me early. I found myself rooting for both, even when they stumbled. The way the author lets their doubts breathe, without preaching, without giving answers, felt honest and brave.
What stayed with me most was how the book explores the cost of conviction. Darwin’s yearning to see nature as both creation and mystery mirrored Saul’s hunger to serve a truth larger than himself. The beauty of it is that neither wins the argument; instead, both find transformation. Boateng writes about belief and reason like they’re old friends arguing at the same table. I felt moved, sometimes even uneasy, watching these two men fight their inner wars. The story isn’t just about science or religion, it’s about how people make meaning in chaos, and how they keep walking when certainty falls away.
I’d recommend The Apostle and the Galapagos to readers who love introspective historical fiction, especially those who enjoy stories like The Alchemist or Cloud Atlas. It’s not a quick read, but it rewards patience with depth and emotion. It’s for anyone who has ever questioned what they were taught, loved something they were told to reject, or searched for a bridge between faith and thought.
Pages: 155 | ASIN : B0FRVWWL7N
The Broken Weathervane
The Broken Weathervane tells the story of Leslie Wickersham, a grants officer carrying both ambition and the heavy weight of family secrets. She steps into a new job at Raymond University, only to find herself working alongside the proud and difficult Dr. Gregory Stafford, a man intent on finishing a biography of author Fritz Buckwalter. Leslie, however, has her own hidden connection to Buckwalter, one she has been asked to keep quiet. The novel weaves past and present together, drawing on family turmoil, mental illness, hidden journals, and long-buried truths. It’s a tale of secrets colliding with the need for honesty, of pride giving way to humility, and of love tentatively growing in unlikely soil.
Reading this book felt like being drawn into a living, breathing world. The writing was rich without being fussy, and it held me with its rhythm. I admired how the author took big, heavy topics like mental illness, shame, and betrayal, and approached them with care. Some scenes made me ache because they felt so true to life. Leslie’s self-doubt rang true to me, and her push-pull with Greg had the kind of sharp banter and underlying tenderness that I didn’t expect at first but grew to enjoy. I found myself rooting for her not just to succeed in her career, but to make peace with her past and claim her own story.
Greg’s arrogance rubbed me the wrong way, but that seemed intentional. I wondered if he could have shown more cracks sooner. The family history sections fascinated me, especially the 1950s journal entries, yet I sometimes felt yanked between timelines. Still, I can’t deny that the mystery of what really happened to Leslie’s family kept me hooked. I would sit down, meaning to read for half an hour and end up lost for an evening, chasing one more revelation.
The Broken Weathervane is a book about secrets and how they shape us, about how shame passes through generations until someone has the courage to face it. It left me thoughtful, a little sad, but also hopeful. I’d recommend it to readers who enjoy family sagas with layered characters, a dash of romance, and questions that don’t have easy answers. If you like Amanda Cox or Lisa Wingate, this will probably be right up your alley.
Pages: 424 | ASIN : B0FHDTSPH6
You Make My Heart Giggle: Dadisms, The Wisdom and Wit of Dad
The book is a heartfelt blend of memoir, wisdom, and history. Brent John Larsen builds each chapter around one of his father’s sayings, what he calls “Dadisms.” These are short, memorable lines that carry lessons about courage, integrity, optimism, and love. Each one is tied to a story from his own life, often connected to his father’s influence, and then matched with an episode from history that reflects the same theme. The book moves from family stories to bigger cultural touchstones like the Apollo moon landing, the Grand Canyon expedition, or D-Day. It’s both intimate and sweeping, mixing tender memories with lessons meant to last.
Reading it stirred me up in ways I didn’t expect. The writing is simple, but that works in its favor. It doesn’t try to be fancy. It feels like sitting on a porch with someone older and wiser, listening to stories that matter. At times, the mix of personal loss and historical grandeur felt heavy, but that weight gave the lessons a kind of permanence. Some chapters hit harder than others. The introduction, where Larsen recalls losing his son and nearly losing his own life, shook me. It made me sit still for a while. I also loved how he wove in his dad’s voice, almost like the man was speaking directly to me. There’s an earnestness here that you don’t find in most books.
Each chapter follows the same rhythm: the saying, the family story, the historical story. I found myself anticipating the turn. Yet the predictability didn’t take away too much because the content itself was strong. What I enjoyed most was how personal moments were stitched to major historical events. That leap from small family wisdom to global history made me feel the depth of these sayings. It reminded me that wisdom can be both ordinary and extraordinary, lived at home and echoed through time.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys family stories, history told in a personal way, or reflections on fatherhood. It would especially resonate with parents, children of loving fathers, or anyone who’s lost someone and still feels their lessons echoing through life. It’s warm, emotional, and rooted in gratitude. For me, it felt like a reminder to look closer at the words my own family repeats and see what truths are hidden inside.
Pages: 217 | ASIN : B0FJSPCN3W
Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver
Apples of Gold in Settings of Silver is a heartfelt collection of personal stories, memories, and reflections, tied together with faith, family, and the rhythms of everyday life. Author Deborah Off shares vivid snapshots from her childhood, her marriage, her role as a mother, and her deep belief in God’s presence in both ordinary and extraordinary moments. From tender recollections of her grandmother to humorous tales about raising children, each piece carries warmth and sincerity. The voice is conversational, sometimes playful, sometimes somber, but always rooted in gratitude and wonder.
I felt a strong sense of intimacy while reading. The stories feel like being invited into a family living room where laughter and tears are both welcome. At times, the language is plain and unpolished, yet it fits the spirit of the book. There’s no artifice, only honesty. Some stories, especially those about her faith and prayers, struck me as deeply moving. Others, like the playful tales with her children, made me smile and think about my own family. The flow meandered now and then, and a few stories felt more like personal notes.
What stood out most to me was the emotional openness. Off doesn’t shy away from loneliness, doubts, or hurt, but she consistently circles back to hope. That resilience, paired with humor in the smallest details, made the book memorable. I admired the way she wove faith into everyday struggles without preaching. It felt real, like someone quietly leaning on God rather than loudly declaring Him.
I’d recommend this book to readers who love memoirs centered on faith, family, and small yet powerful moments of life. It’s not a book to speed through but one to read slowly, a story or two at a time, the way you’d enjoy a long conversation with a trusted friend. If you want something raw, heartfelt, and rooted in gratitude, this book is for you.
Pages: 185 | ASIN: B0FWMT6XKG
Longing, Loss, and Waiting
The Broken Bridge tells the story of two communities united by their faith in the Great Bridge and the intense fear and dread that follows its catastrophic collapse. What was the inspiration that drove the development of the world the characters live in?
The story began with a single image in my mind: a great, living bridge holding two communities together—until it falls. I’ve spent years walking with people through conflict, loss, and reconciliation, and I wanted an allegory that shows both the terror of separation and the costly beauty of restoration. The world of The Broken Bridge is built around that question: when what we’ve trusted collapses, which “bridges” do we run to—and which one can actually bear the weight of our hopes?
I felt this story was very well-written. What’s your experience as a writer?
Thank you. I’ve been writing for over two decades—first Bible studies, devotionals, and discipleship courses through our ministry, and then a number of nonfiction books. Fiction became a natural next step for me because a story reaches the heart in ways instruction alone can’t. The Broken Bridge drew on those years of pastoral ministry and teaching, but it let me weave truth into a narrative that invites readers to feel as well as think.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Unity and division: how easily communities fracture—and what it truly takes to reunite them.
Counterfeit vs. true solutions: many “fixers” promise quick repair; only one path restores the heart.
Sacrificial love: the kind of love that stands in the gap and pays a cost for others.
Pride and humility: the danger of self-reliance and the freedom that comes from surrender.
Hope through suffering: how longing, loss, and waiting can become the doorway to deeper healing.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
Two follow-ups are on the way. The Living Bridge is due out in October 2025—it continues the allegory by exploring how trust is rebuilt and what kind of bridge can truly hold. The trilogy concludes with The Eternal Bridge, scheduled for January 2026, which lifts our eyes to the ultimate reunion and the promise of forever.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
Seven years ago, an earthquake separated Fidel from Verita the day before they were to be married. Now, as they exchange nightly lantern signals—an old watchman’s code Verita learned from her uncle—the churning waters of the Vitae River still separate them, but their light signals speak across the dark divide.
Six builders arrive, each promising to rebuild the bridge. They each represent some aspect of humanity’s attempt to heal what’s broken—through law obedience, knowledge, religion, servitude, charisma, and self-transformation.
When the seventh builder arrives—an ordinary carpenter with extraordinary compassion—everything begins to change. Geshriel speaks of a different kind of restoration, one marked by humility, love, and a mysterious costly sacrifice.
As darkness closes in, will Fidel dare to trust a path that seems weaker than all the others—but somehow feels truer? After seven long years of lantern signals across the raging river, will Fidel and Verita finally be reunited?
This is a story of ache and heartbreak, of longing, of desperate attempts to be reconnected. It speaks of love and loss, of yearning to be reunited.
A story of separation and reunion, sacrifice and redemption—and the bridge that love builds when all else fails.
Faith Through the Fire, Walking With God in My Storms
Faith Through the Fire is a deeply personal memoir chronicling the journey of Adrien and Beverly Chablal through Adrien’s unexpected cancer diagnosis and their unwavering determination to pursue healing, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The book opens with a son’s heartfelt letter to his father and then shifts to a dual narrative, combining Adrien’s reflections with Beverly’s “Chronicles.” Together, they recount their childhoods in Trinidad, marriage struggles, migration to the UK, and ultimately, their decision to face a stage IV Non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis using both conventional and natural methods. Interwoven throughout are scriptural meditations, nutritional advice, and practical insights born from faith, family love, and fierce resilience.
Reading this book felt like sitting across the table from an old friend, coffee in hand, listening to someone pour out their heart. Adrien’s writing is raw and gutting at times. The disbelief at his diagnosis, the guilt over family strain, and the sense of helplessness are portrayed vividly. I found myself clenching my jaw during some passages, especially when he wrestled with the idea that a health-conscious lifestyle couldn’t shield him from cancer. His vulnerability is striking, and that makes the hope that follows even more powerful. Beverly’s side is equally gripping. Her determination to be her husband’s anchor, her fearless research into holistic health, and her ability to dig into her past for strength are as moving as they are inspiring. Her voice comes through as calm and relentless.
What really got me, though, was how the book doesn’t try to hide the messiness. Their marriage was tested, their children drifted, and their faith was, at times, hanging on by a thread. But it never read like a sob story. It felt like a love letter to persistence, not perfection. The inclusion of wellness plans, herbal regimens, and even their frustrations with housing in the UK could have felt like filler, but instead, it all tied into the bigger theme: survival isn’t just physical. It’s mental, spiritual, and relational. I loved that balance. On the flip side, I occasionally felt the pacing slow during extended reflections or lengthy nutritional breakdowns, but even those had a purpose if you’re reading with healing in mind.
This book isn’t just about beating cancer. It’s about choosing faith when you’re flat on your face, and finding a way forward even when the path disappears beneath your feet. I’d recommend Faith Through the Fire to anyone facing serious illness, especially caregivers and spouses who are walking through someone else’s storm. It’s also a solid pick for people of faith who want a reminder that miracles don’t always come wrapped in flashing lights. Sometimes, they look like a juicer on your kitchen counter and a Bible verse that keeps you going. It’s an emotional read, but one that left me feeling full of gratitude.-
Pages: 114
LITERARY TITAN 