I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
               Sonya Contreras

​What Do You Read When You Want To Refuel?

Want FREE books?
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Know about Goodreads? Library Thing?
These websites help readers find books and kindred spirits who enjoy your kind of books.
Catalogue your books in your own “library” where you can see what, when, and how you liked a book. Set goals for how many books you read in a year. 
Sign up for free books for reviews. Both ebooks and print copies are available.
(Reviews help the authors immensely by giving exposure and feed-back.)

Our public library was remodeled recently. After eight months of waiting, I was excited when they finally re-opened. But my excitement turned to frustration. They had removed A LOT of books. Instead of adding to my choices, they diminished them. In their place, they added charging stations for electronic devices.

They reorganized fiction books by author’s name only, not genre. No longer could I find “Mystery,” “Western,” or “Christian Historical.” They were all mixed together in a mesh of “find me if you can.” When I went to the teen section for read-aloud books for my boys, I found only dark, sinister covers reflecting a “super-heroine.” (Read Superwoman: Is She Believable? on what I think about those!) There was nothing for a young boy to emulate.
[There is a limit on how many times I can read the Ranger Series. (The obedience of those horses’ rival heaven’s perfection.)]

Often reading books are frustrating.
The characters seem flat, fake, and just propelled through events to bring a simple solution I’d known from page one.
When I read, I want to be challenged, given hope, educated, encouraged—
I don’t want to be where I started at the beginning of the book. I want to be drawn to care, to think, to change.
That’s a lot. But not impossible.
Most books don’t do that.
Where are the good books?

I found an author who writes thought-provoking books, with deeper lessons, mystery and real characters. I was refreshed.
She does have a tendency to require the young heroine to rebel against her parents’ beliefs to do what is right. Although I admire the courage, I cringe at what it brings. (Not all is “good.”)

Not all her books end where the woman gets the man and they marry. But isn’t that real life? But they still end with hope. Isn’t that what we crave?
Siri Mitchell is the author. And HERE’s HER LINK for her books.
Here’s my reviews on a few of her books:

Love’s Pursuit
Loved it! I haven't read a good book that speaks to the heart, stays true to truth, compels me to finish it, and adds mystery and real life. Thank you.

A Heart Most Worthy
Written from the narrative perspective caused me to be thrown out of the story at times.
The story showed the hardship and struggles during the massive European immigration. She reminded the reader of the character’s struggles without making them constant whiners. 
She interwove many characters to form a story of hope (without being false), and faith (she didn't preach sermons, but characters confessed before the priest as they were convicted by their own hearts).
Was worth the read.

She Walks in Beauty
Written in first person, Siri draws the reader into a world not many of us would face. The opulent balls, and conniving games the rich play to have the standard of life they desire, while recognizing no love will be there. The heroine struggles with obedience to her aunt and father while her heart and ethics leads her to do something else. 
Siri shows not all things golden are worth pursuing.

A Messenger
An unlikely heroine and hero are drawn together into battle to protect what they believe during the Revolutionary Times.
Beliefs are questioned against circumstances and found to be lacking.
Suffering of others draw the heroine to do what is right.
A book of deeper beliefs than love at first sight.
A worthy read.

Reading
Find more articles about reading here:
Why Read Fiction?
The Danger of The Wrong Story
Using Stories To Teach Lessons
Reading Chair Worth Using
What Do You Read When You Need Refueled?
Worth Reading
Home Furnishings
The Home Library: A Source of Peace, Calm and Security
My Utmost for His Highest
Reading: It's for Your Children
What Kind of Library Are You Building?
Book List: What Every Boy Wants To Read
The Bible with a Heart
Stressed? Read a Book
Books that Influence
What Is a Good Book?
Escape for a Moment of Time
What Is Fiction Good for?
The Case for Good Taste in Children's Books
What Should Fiction Do?
What Does a 5-Star Book Mean?
Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover
Treasures To Explore

Writing Articles
Find more articles here:
Why I Write
The Face that Shows
Do You Believe in Yourself?
The Publishing Process
Calling All Reviewers!
How Can You Help?

Faith
Find more articles about faith here:
Dear Faithful and Loyal Readers
Life Falling Apart? Try Gratitude
A Few Words about Marriage
When Suffering Gets Personal
What an Amazing God We Serve
Response to Healthy Gaming
How Miserable Are You? Are You Happy?
The Need for Meaning Even in Pain
Reminders of What's Important
God's Unmeasurable Love
A Quarter of a Century Spent for Our Country
What Were You Thinking?
Who Are You Watching?
Boundaries for a Better Life
God's Boundaries
Memories of a Hero Mom
The Ripple Effect
How Do We Think Like Jesus
Litany of a Waiting Woman
Ever Cook a Frog?
New Year's Reminders
They Galled Her Gammy
When God Speaks
A Russian Christmas Story
Be Thankful
Be Grateful
Are You Tired of the Same, Old Thing?
  (reprint)
Laughter—Why Laugh?
Mom
Are You Disturbed?
Unity of the Brothers
Encouragements To Declutter
Do You Have Too Much Stuff?
Too Much Stress
Getting Past the Noise—The Value of Silence
Are You Scatterbrained?
How Good Are You?
Looking for Something Good To Read?
A Cup of Cold Water
I Will Trust When I Cannot See
Encouragement—What Is It?
Being in God's Presence
"Einstein and the Professor"
When God Is Silent
Do You Crave Beauty?
Using Stories to Discipline
The Danger of the Wrong Story
Using Stories to Teach Lessons
God is in charge of the future
November Dare Joy Challenge
Ungratefulness
Developing an Attitude of Gratitude
Looking for Jesus
What Do Your Prayers Reflect?
Life's Little Pleasures
Daniel—Greatly Loved by God
Take Every Thought
Jars of Clay
What Do Your Words Reveal about Your Heart?
How Do You Get Strong Faith?
Too Busy for God's Word?
How Do You Think Like Jesus?
Reflections from a Mom
Pain—What's It Good For?
Why Marry?
Consider the Robin
One Life Who Made a Difference
What Day Are You Living In?
Interrupted by God
Is Jesus Really the Answer to Everything?
Are You Beat Up?
What's Your Hurry?
Are You a Manipulator?
Are You Salty?
Are You Condemned?
Trying to Understand?
Do You Expect Answers to Your Prayers?
Do You Eat Your Stress?
Need Focus?
Going through Trouble?
Immanuel—God with Us
Looking for a Relationship?
When God Says, "No!"
What Do You Do with Left-Overs?
How Great Is Your God?
Are You Needy?
How Do You See Sin?
What Do Your Words Mean?
Is Evil Overwhelming You?
Those Aha Moments
Is Your Soul Happy?
Are You Ignored?
Looking for the God Moment
Do You Know Truth from Almost Truth?
I Believe in Jesus—What Now?
Do You Have Your "Son"-Glasses On?
Less Is More
Singing His Praise
Are You Trying To Do It All?
What Do You Do with All These Prayer Requests?
Have a Problem?
Do You Know How to Pray?
Looking for God in Every Moment
Are You Receptive to God's Blessings?
Tell the Senate: Mothers Aren't Birthing People
Is Your Life Complicated?
How Do We Fight Evil?
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Giving Up or Taking Away
the Bible is simple
Are You a Dripping Faucet?
What's Your Testimony?
The Final Move
Be Careful What You Wish For!
Are Your Prayers Answered?
I Choose Joy
What Have You Learned from Your Hardship?
Who Are You Trying to Change?
What's Your Five-Year Plan?
The Danger of "Aloneness"
My Colors
Are You a Whiner?
Are Your Works Approved?
Do You Think You're Stressed?
Is Your Soul Feeling Ragged?
God Speaks to the Heart of the King
What about the Details?
Have You Felt the Long-Suffering of God?
How Does God Lead You?
Do You Have Enough?
Don't Carry More than You Need
Cast the Seed
God Is Faithful
Are You Deceived?
Are You Essential?
Are You Safe?
Are You Tired of the Same Old Thing?
Does the World Make Sense?
Have You Seen God's Majesty?
Do You Feel Judged?
If You Only Had One More Day To Live
Are You Understood?
Do You Long for the Word of God?
Slow Down and Smell the Dead Leaves
Are You Hospitable?
Our Heritage Is Bought by Blood
Are You Disturbed?
Are You Depressed?
I Did It My Way
Finding the Simple Life with Meaning
The Simple Life
Do You Have the Right Words?
Did Your Dream Die?
On the Other Side of the Fence
Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence
Confessions of a Desperate Mom
Saving for Tomorrow
A Wedding Remembered
Who Will Stand in the Gap?
Are You a Protector or a Ruler?
Who Are You?
Are You an Image Bearer or a Wad of Cells?
Are You a Watchman?
Where Do You Find Meaning?
The Lamb of God as Told by a Scribe
What Love Is This?
Remember: The Symbols of Passover Explained
Tea and Rest
Do You Have Peace?
What Makes a Marriage Work?
When Life Is Awful
Are You Strong Enough?
Rules
Seasons
Be Faithful through Suffering
Do You Know the Word?
Wake Up! Strengthen What Remains
Are You Spit in God's Mouth?
Is Jezebel in Your Midst?
Do You Stand Against Satan Himself?
Are You Tired of Being a Mom?
What in the World Is Happening?
It's Not My Story
How Would Your Faith Compare?
Are You Sinking?
Are You a Rule Follower?
Useful for Him
An Intimate Moment with Mary
The Worldview that Makes the
   Underclass
Thoughts to Ponder
What Does It Take To Know the
    Heart of God?
See the Story in the Stars
Do the Scriptures Burn You?
Being in His Presence
Contentment: It's Not for the Timid
How Secure Are You?
How Do You Respond To Stupid People?
The Earthworm Is My Hero
Heart Issues or Issues of the Heart
Things Aren't Always What They Seem
More faith articles are found here:

under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Or here:

under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Articles on Suffering can be found  here, 

under Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Special Days
Remember: The Symbols of 
   Passover Explained    
Aug 12, 2017 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
July 4th, Freedom
What Is an American Soldier?
Valentine's Day: A Day of Love?
Memorial Day-A Day To Remember
Veterans' Day-To Honor Our Men
Fall Colors
First Thanksgiving Day
    Proclamation
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs, part 2