Month: December 2018

Book Reviews1 Comment

The Unlucky Woman | Book Review

georgepwood

Hilda Lipkind is an unlucky woman. Seven months pregnant–after three miscarriages–she is worried that her husband David is cheating on her. So, she hires Adam Lapid to track down David’s paramour. The truth, however, is more complex and results in tragedy. The Unlucky Woman is a short story, not a novel, and a quick read. While I am a fan of the Adam Lapid mysteries, set in post-Independence Tel Aviv, I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed the previous novels, hence the three-star rating. Book Reviewed Jonathan Dunsky, The Unlucky Woman: An Adam Lapid Short Story (Self-published, 2018). … Continue reading The Unlucky Woman | Book Review

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Helping the Hurting During the Holidays | Influence Podcast

georgepwood

For most people, the Christmas holiday is a wonderful time of the year. Families come together to celebrate Christ’s birth and exchange gifts. Churches welcome one and all to worship Christ, the real Reason for the season. The words “Merry Christmas!” and “Happy Holidays!” seem to be on everyone’s lips. Not everyone is having a good time, though. It’s a myth that suicides increase at Christmastime. But it’s a very real fact that some people are sad and lonely during this season. As Christian leaders, how do we help the hurting during the holidays? That’s the question I’m talking about … Continue reading Helping the Hurting During the Holidays | Influence Podcast

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The Most Wonderful Time of the Year | Influence Podcast

georgepwood

Andy Williams sang that Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year.” He was right, though for the wrong reasons. Now, don’t get me wrong! “Parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting, and caroling out in the snow” are great and everything, but they’re not what Christmas is ultimately about. In Episode 161 of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Joseph Castleberry about the real reason why Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year. We also debunk a few myths people believe about Christmas. Dr. Castleberry is president of Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, an ordained Assemblies of … Continue reading The Most Wonderful Time of the Year | Influence Podcast

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A Killing at the Creek | Book Review

georgepwood

“All in the world Elsie Arnold wanted was a murder case,” and in A Killing at the Creek, Nancy Allen gives her one. This is the second crime novel in Allen’s series of mysteries set in fictional McCown County in southwest Missouri. Like the first novel, The Code of the Hills, Allen’s writing is pitch-perfect in its depiction of the Ozarks, right down to a throwaway mention on page 116 of the Assemblies of God—“No drinking, no cussing. No dancing”—which is headquartered in Springfield. (I’m an AG minister and Springfield resident.) Elsie Arnold is an assistant prosecutor in McCown County, … Continue reading A Killing at the Creek | Book Review

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5 Lessons I Learned by Fasting Social Media | Influence Magazine

georgepwood

My wife Tiffany could tell something was wrong with me. We had just spent a day with the kids at the local amusement park, Silver Dollar City. (Tiffany calls it “Steal Your Dollar City.”) The weather was perfect, the ride lines were short, the food was delicious, and the kids had a great time. And yet, my face gave away my inner turmoil. “What’s wrong, honey?” Tiffany asked. “My emotions are off,” I replied. “I’m not responding emotionally as I should.” The immediate cause of my unease was an exchange on Facebook. A friend posted about a national tragedy that … Continue reading 5 Lessons I Learned by Fasting Social Media | Influence Magazine

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The Code of the Hills | Book Review

georgepwood

The Code of the Hills is the first of four (so far) crime novels by Nancy Allen featuring Elsie Arnold. It is set in the Ozarks of southwestern Missouri, in Barton, the seat of McCown County, for which Elsie works as a prosecuting attorney. Both the town and the county are fictional, but Allen’s portrayal of southwestern Missouri is pitch perfect, from the patois (you’uns, not y’all) to the overworked foster care system, from the poverty and meth to backcountry Pentecostals. The Baldknobbers—a vigilante group from the postbellum era—get a nod, and there’s even a jibe or two thrown in at … Continue reading The Code of the Hills | Book Review