The Adam Quest by Tim Stafford

“The Adam Quest” by Tim Stafford is about scientists who also believe in the Bible and Christianity. These scientists may not have the same theories that you read in textbooks, but their views of human origins should also be considered, and Tim Stafford does an excellent job in giving them a place to put their beliefs forward in an easy to read book for people who may not understand that much about “science” but believe in the faith that brought them to where we are now as a species.

Book Description

"Science and faith should be allies, not opponents, in the search for truth.

But when it comes to understanding the very beginnings of life, it is no easy task to reconcile the history taught in the Bible with the discoveries of the scientific community.

Author Tim Stafford watched the tension between the beliefs of Darwin and the teaching of Genesis shake the faith of his family, ruin friendships, and leave Christians in the field of science feeling as though the doors of the church were closed to their profession.

He believes this civil war can stop. The scientific record and the truth of the Bible aren’t mutually exclusive. The Adam Quest offers a compelling new look at the beginnings of life as Stafford puts questions of dinosaurs, genealogy, and the age of the earth to eleven world-class scientists.

A sweeping book—touching everything from advances in genetics to a particle physicist striving to become Anglican priest—Stafford uses the stories and journeys of these remarkable men and women to provide a new diversity of answers. Scientific progress is carefully detailed, while the struggle toward truth and toward God is humanized.

A deeply informative look at Christians working in science, this book is for both believers and those who harbor doubts—an intersection of faith and science, and a safe place for questions. Whether you believe in a young earth, intelligent design, evolutionary creationism, or something else, The Adam Quest offers a chance to strengthen your faith, deepen your knowledge, and bring science back into the church." - “The Adam Quest” by Tim Stafford 

My Thoughts

Tim Stafford does an excellent job with showing how the struggle with faith and science makes people today unsure of what to believe. Being taught about evolution in science class Monday – Friday and then going to church on Sunday and being taught about God and creation is very conflicting. He doesn’t push any of the beliefs suggested in this book, which I appreciate. He does however present them in an understandable way as presented to him by the scientists he interviewed.

The different type of theories covered include: young earth creationists, intelligent design creationists, and evolutionary creationists. Each of these have strengths and weaknesses, but again, nothing is forced. It is more of a book about the scientist’s lives and how they were able to hold onto their relationship with believing in God while still being a scientist.

I enjoyed this book, but I wanted a little bit more from it. I found many of the stories interesting and inspiring, but it was still a bit dry and more of a common discussion on the topic than I had hoped for.

Thank you to the publisher of this book, Thomas Nelson for providing me a copy of this book for review through their Book Look Bloggers program.

Innocent Blood by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell

Innocent Blood by James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell is the sequel to the “Blood Gospel.” The Order of the Sanguines series is about an immortal order that was founded on the blood of Christ.

Book Description

“In a masterwork of international adventure, supernatural mystery, and apocalyptic prophecy, New York Times bestselling authors James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell open the next chapter in a world of shadow and light, of salvation and damnation, where the fate of the heavens is locked within a child of . . . Innocent Blood

A vicious attack at a ranch in California thrusts archaeologist Erin Granger back into the fold of the Sanguines, an immortal order founded on the blood of Christ and tasked with protecting the world from the beasts haunting its shadows and waiting to break free into the sunlight. Following the prophetic words found in the Blood Gospel—a tome written by Christ and lost for centuries—Erin must again join forces with Army Sergeant Jordan Stone and the dark mystery that is Father Rhun Korza to discover and protect a boy believed to be an angel given flesh.

But an enigmatic enemy of immense power and terrifying ambition seeks the same child—not to save the world, but to hasten its destruction. For any chance of victory, Erin must discover the truth behind Christ's early years and understand His first true miracle, an event wrapped in sin and destruction, an act that yet remains unfulfilled and holds the only hope for the world.

The search for the truth will take Erin and the others across centuries and around the world, from the dusty plains of the Holy Land to the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean, from the catacombs of Rome to an iron fortress in the Mediterranean Sea, and at last to the very gates of Hell itself, where their destiny—and the fate of humankind—awaits.

With The Blood Gospel, the first novel in the Order of the Sanguines series, James Rollins and Rebecca Cantrell breathtakingly combined science, myth, and religion and introduced a world where miracles hold new meaning and the fight for good over evil is far more complicated than we ever dreamed. In Innocent Blood they again take us to the edge of destruction . . . and into the deepest reaches of the imagination.” – Innocent Blood

My Thoughts

Innocent Blood is a fast paced, highly interesting and intriguing novel about vampires and the Christian religion. This is a dark and mysterious series that is not expected when it comes to the popular type of vampire novels available today, and I for one, quite like that.

The main character, Erin Granger is on the hunt with Army Sergeant Jordan Stone and Father Rhun Korza to find a boy that is believed to be an angel. They aren’t the only ones looking for him though, and if they can’t get to him to protect him first, he may be in some serious danger. What they learn about Christ’s early years and his first true miracle is not expected, and takes them to places where they never expected going to uncover the truth.

I am not giving spoilers or anything to ruin the book for anyone reading this, because it is too good to do that. I highly enjoyed it, and think that if you are a fan of supernatural books, prophecy adventures, or books that are written well, you will enjoy it, too.

* Thank you to the publisher of Innocent Blood, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Kill Order by Robin Burcell

The Kill Order by Robin Burcell is a book in the Sydney Fitzpatrick novel series that features the FBI agent. It is a novel packed full of action and international intrigue, and even if you haven’t read the other books, you can still enjoy this one. It may however leave you wanting to go back and read the other books in the series though.

Book Description

“What you don't know can kill you . . .

FBI Special Agent Sydney Fitzpatrick knows nothing about the Devil's Key, except that her father was involved in its theft twenty years ago and was murdered as a result. The Devil's Key, a list of seemingly random, supposedly indecipherable numbers, poses an immediate threat to national security—and anyone caught with this code in their possession is terminated with extreme prejudice. Sydney, unaware of the standing kill order, only just recovered the list and turned it over to her superiors—but not before making a copy.

What you do know can kill you . . .

Now the hard drive containing the list's data has been compromised and two civilians are dead. But Sydney's not the only one in danger. When a young woman with eidetic memory sees the numbers, Sydney and her partner, Zachary Griffin, must protect her—and what she knows—at all costs. For if the code falls into enemy hands, it could devastate the entire country's infrastructure—and even ignite a world war.” – The Kill Order

My Thoughts

The Kill Order is the type of novel that gets you involved in it right away. It doesn’t take many chapters or pages before the action is there and you find yourself reading much more than you thought you would have in one sitting. I love this because really good books (and authors) like these are sometimes quite hard to find.

The main character, Sydney Fitzpatrick is a special agent for the FBI, which aside from being really cool, also makes this series about her full of action. She is a forensic artist, which I wish would have been showcased more in the book, but maybe it will be in future ones. I also really liked the chemistry she had with other characters in the book, such as with Zach, who is also an agent – but one who is hiding a huge secret from her.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more books by this author in the future. I definitely recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of The Kill Order, Harper Collins, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Weight Watchers Approved Products at Publix – On Sale!

If one of your goals this New Year is to lose weight or be healthier, you probably know about the Weight Watchers products and approved products that help you keep track of your points. Even if you aren’t following their diet plan, you know that they are generally going to be low in calorie and helpful to reach your goals, too.

“Diet” food is not cheap though. This week, Publix is having a sale from Jan 2 – 12 on some of the Weight Watcher approved foods you can enjoy on your road to health. Check out the following sale, and see what you can stock up on before time runs out!

·         Progresso Light Soups: BOGO

·         Green Giant Frozen: BOGO

·         Yoplait: 20 for $10

What I really like about these foods is that most of them, I can get gluten-free versions of. That makes me happy because as someone with Celiac disease, it isn't always easy to find those foods on sale. Just be sure to look for "Gluten Free" on the label or check out the product's ingredients.

For more information, check out Publix’s website.

“Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.”