"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair."~from ISAIAH 61 Bible verse for this Blog

APOLOGY to READERS who followed a SEARCH to HERE & didn't find it

On July 18, 2017, I drafted almost 3000 blog posts that I had published since 2008 when I began blogging, rather than edit each one. So if you clicked here from somewhere else and ended up with the post unavailable or error, I am sorry but this is why. It'd be too much work for me to go back and fix them. There's an explanation on 7/19/17 as I'm still learning.

Saturday, May 2, 2015

"FLASH" in REVIEW and GIVEAWAY




What more can I say to express the pure delight to read and so enjoy 
"Flash the Homeless Donkey who Taught Me about Life, Faith and Second Chances"
by Rachel Anne Ridge
than
I am
"... looking at my life in a fresh way and seeing that the "donkeys" that show up are actually extraordinary gifts in disguise."
(which is what Rachel Anne Ridge hoped we might gain and wrote as a response to a question
 she answered about the core story of Flash from her perspective)
I've gained so much through her heart warming "donkey" tales in these 13 chapters.

Sunset. It's been a good day.

And "Flash" indeed is an extraordinary Gift!

Rachel Anne Ridge has carefully taken the ordinary and woven them into extraordinary tales learned in lessons from "Flash" and applied them to her life and ours, both in the spiritual and relational aspects. She captures our hearts as she journals how "Flash" came into her family's life and became family, making us almost want to go out to rescue and get us a donkey ourselves to experience this firsthand. Rachel Anne has a gift of writing humorously and interestingly, illustrating with words each scene so we can clearly imagine them, among her other gifts of artistic nature and beyond. She inspires us to look and "find God in everyday moments" (a webcast that she, Priscilla Shirer and Flash shared) and relates to us honestly "wearing her donkey heart on her sleeve". Rachel is real (bar none) and doesn't hold back.

I laughed out loud at her vivid descriptions of Flash's antics and wiped away tears welling up in my eyes as I identify with the lessons that Rachel stirs up that strikes a chord deep within me too. In retrospect through each of the 11 lessons depicted in the 13 chapters of this book, I no longer can select just one because it's the composite of ALL of these that make "Flash" all he is and all we can be by grabbing on to his spot-on lessons that Rachel has craftily assembled as we read: knowing whose we are, knowing where to find refuge and finding our sanctuary in God alone, pursuing excellence to conquer fear, finding our passion which leads to purpose, becoming a trail blazer with persistence making pathways for grace to follow, living a well lived life as an authentic life, choosing gratitude by standing where the fruit is falling to learn the secret of abundance, serving others in love, embracing change and moving forward fearlessly, making the most of each chance to make things right through forgiving, accepting and loving, making our life journey not about fixing our "donkey" problems but being transformed by them (my paraphrases of Flash's 11 Lessons). Of course, every "unexpected guest" in our life was chosen to pass through our life for a reason in each season, if we carefully examine God's plan and listen carefully to the lesson. I'm not focusing so much on the arrival of this "unexpected guest" as the book descriptions tell about instead I am leaning in closer to God's heart and voice through Flash and Rachel, with the my departure being what I take away and make mine. How can a wounded, abandoned donkey change me?

The book's description fills us in adequately on the background of this shaggy, wounded, lost donkey's arrival showing up on the Ridge's driveway yet more importantly accepted in their hearts and lives but no description can ever complete better what the author has vividly depicted in living color of the impact of "entertaining angels unaware" as in Hebrews 13:2 of strangers that just show up. Not that I'm comparing "Flash" to an angel, but he still is a "messenger", a gift given by God, at just the right inconvenient time, to convey some much needed messages and perhaps entangle the Ridge's life with some unnecessary "messes" as Rachel has penned for us in the lessons that even we can take to heart. Like or unlike Biblical and other donkeys, Flash comes into our lives, through Rachel, with a unique purpose through these messages. Maybe "Flash" isn't the glorious "angel" aware or unaware, but because of Rachel, God has met me in the pages of their book through Flash and her words, her message, her gift ... a "Flash" of God's!

Reading all the well deserved accolades and endorsements from other more 'famous' people than I, certainly speaks well for Rachel and Flash, with each one giving an accurate truth of this entertaining and purposeful addition to your reading collection of books, so "Flash" and Rachel did not need me or my review, as much as I needed them. "Flash" is easy, endearing and enjoyable to read, making it so hard to put down (so of course, I had to read straight through to the end and still want more). Although I read "Flash" as a digital copy, I loved the photos and glossy cover of "Flash" front and back, but in between while reading, I was amused with two of these ^^ to break between tales (tails) --- no, they're not tails, they are representative of those silly, long ears (I think) that mark this sweet 'adopted' donkey not as an art fixture in their family's acreage but truly as a warm part of their life and hearts. Rachel (Tom and family) have a gift and make an impression upon us to last a lifetime (not just artistically or literally but spiritually) in the way they open their hearts and life to an "unexpected guest" showing us that interruptions can become opportunities ... inconveniences most certainly can be used by God and insignificant moments might be a chance to see the simple things of life as miracles in the making!

Personally for me, this is the most delightful book I've just totally enjoyed in quite a while.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an honest review.

Also for being a part of the "Flash mob" with Rachel Anne Ridge, I have a hard complimentary copy of the book back home in MN. 

I'd like to express my "Thanks to Tyndale and Rachel!"


Tyndale Book Description


I truthfully sought out this book and being part of the famous
FLASH
mob
after stumbling across Rachel's blog
"Home Sanctuary"
looking for 'The Beauty of Grace'
and
I have come away with so much more!

How could I not dedicate this first week of this exciting book release to
FLASH
and
Rachel Anne, 
Tom and Ridge family
They truly have made their Home a Sanctuary!
{against all odds in the tough seasons of their life and Flash's}

This has been such a blessing for me!
Yee haw Texas!
Peggy

*
Last day to enter the
a Rafflecopter giveaway
GIVEAWAY 
of
this book
May 9th, 2015

I'll announce the winner perhaps 
on
May 10th
which here in Mexico is always 
Mother's Day
but this year it just happens to also be
the same day for USA too

just had to add this new video of Flash here
MORE RESOURCES:
 a few other Flash video links because the one that I had on my blog won't be there forever
Rachel Anne Introduces Flash
Meet Flash the Donkey
of course, I want to save and treasure
FLASH
forever
Rachel Anne Ridge's You Tube Channel
Blog: Home Sanctuary;  Facebook
Flash, the Donkey; Facebook


To my faithful visitors;
all of you who spend your valuable time here with me
I do appreciate you so much!

Thank you for taking your time to visit!

Love, Sweet blessings & Hugs!

DIOS TE BENDIGA
GOD BLESS YOU

always

Peggy