✨ If the Boot Fits – Not Your Typical Cinderella Story

At first glance, If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer sounds like it would be a Cinderella story. However, there isn’t a mean stepmother or cruel stepsisters.
The only elements that resemble Cinderella are the ball and the lost “slipper” (or boot, in this case).
So far, the story doesn’t really feel like a Cinderella retelling—and honestly, that’s part of why it has been a bit disappointing for me.
It leans more toward a slow-paced Western with small bits of action.
Right now, the pacing feels slow, and it’s been a little hard to stay interested. I was expecting something more engaging or more clearly connected to the Cinderella theme, but it hasn’t really felt that way yet.
There are some good ideas—like themes of truth and forgiveness—but so far, it just hasn’t drawn me in.
I actually skipped to the end of the book. I couldn't finish it because I found it very boring. But others might enjoy this book. 

⛪️Revival God's Way by Leonard Ravenhill

This book is truly powerful—one that doesn’t just inspire, but deeply convicts and calls you higher.

Leonard Ravenhill speaks with a boldness that is hard to ignore. He reminds us that what many call “revival” today often falls short of what God intends. Too often, we settle for our way of revival—something organized, scheduled, and carefully planned. It becomes a series of meetings built on human effort, filled with hype, focused on numbers, and driven by emotion. Yet in the middle of it all, one crucial thing is often missing: the genuine invitation for the Holy Ghost to move. And without Him, there may be excitement in the moment, but there is little to no lasting change.

Ravenhill contrasts this with what true revival looks like—God’s way.

Real revival is not manufactured; it is born in prayer. It is not sustained by emotion but marked by deep, sincere repentance. It is not about crowds or popularity, but about the undeniable presence of God moving among His people. When revival comes God’s way, lives are not just touched—they are transformed. Hearts are broken over sin, souls are drawn back to holiness, and there is a renewed hunger for righteousness.

This kind of revival cannot be scheduled or controlled. It requires humility, surrender, and a willingness to seek God beyond comfort and routine. It calls for believers to return to the secret place, to cry out, and to truly desire God—not just His blessings.

Reading this challenges me to examine my own heart. Do I want something that looks like revival, or do I truly want God to move in a way that changes everything?

I don’t want revival shaped by human hands—I want revival that comes from Heaven.

I want revival God’s way… how about you?

Swapping time spent scrolling to reading

Recently, I made a decision to be more intentional with how I spend my time. Instead of scrolling endlessly on social media, I’ve started using that time to read books on my phone through the Hoopla app. Hoopla is a really convenient app that connects to your local library and allows you to borrow ebooks (and more) for free using your library card, which has made it so easy to get back into reading regularly.

I just finished a novel by Karen Witemeyer, and I truly enjoyed it. The story is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, but with its own unique twists and setting that made it feel fresh and engaging. One of the things I especially appreciate about Karen Witemeyer is that she’s a Christian author, so her stories naturally include themes of faith, God’s love, and spiritual growth.

That aspect really stood out to me in this book. It wasn’t just a good story, it also had meaningful moments that pointed back to God, which made the reading experience even more enjoyable and uplifting for me. If you love the story of Beauty and the Beast, I think you'll love this story. Try it out. See if you like it.

I give it a 8 out of 10. I liked it, but there was some things that could have been better.

The Cross and The Switchblade by David Wilkerson

 The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson is a true story about faith, obedience to God, and how the message of Jesus can transform even the hardest lives.

1. The Beginning of the Call

David Wilkerson was a small-town Pentecostal preacher in Pennsylvania in the late 1950s. One day, he saw a Life magazine article about seven teenage gang members on trial for murder in New York City. When he saw their faces, he felt that God was calling him to go help them. 

Even though he had never worked with gangs before, he believed God wanted him to go to New York and preach the Gospel to them.

2. First Attempts in New York

Wilkerson traveled to New York and tried to speak to the boys in court, but the judge removed him, and the media mocked him.

Instead of quitting, he kept returning to New York and began meeting teenagers involved in gangs, drugs, and violence. He realized that many of them were angry, lonely, and hopeless. 

3. Working With Street Gangs

Wilkerson started preaching in the streets and visiting gang members personally.

He met Nicky Cruz, the violent leader of the Mau Maus gang. Nicky hated Wilkerson and even threatened to kill him.

Wilkerson responded with love and told him something famous:

“You could cut me into a thousand pieces and lay them in the street, and every piece would still love you.”

This shocked Nicky because he had never experienced real love before.

4. Conversions and Changed Lives

Through prayer, preaching, and revival meetings, many gang members began to change.

Eventually:

• Nicky Cruz accepted Christ
• Several gang members left violence and drugs
• Many found new purpose and hope through faith

Nicky later became a Christian preacher himself. 

5. Teen Challenge Ministry

To help addicted and troubled youth long-term, Wilkerson started Teen Challenge, a Christian rehabilitation program.

The program focused on:

• Faith in Jesus
• Prayer and Bible teaching
• Community support
• Freedom from drugs and crime

Teen Challenge later spread around the world. 

Main message of the book:

The power of the Gospel and God’s love can transform anyone—even people deeply involved in crime, gangs, or addiction.

Key themes

• Obeying God’s calling even when it seems impossible
• The power of love and forgiveness
• Redemption through Jesus Christ
• Hope for people trapped in violence and addiction

I listened to this book on Hoopla: Hoopla is a digital service that lets you borrow movies, TV shows, music, audiobooks, eBooks, and comics, all with your library card. You can stream or download right from your phone, tablet, or computer.

I love this app.

Seeking the Lord With All Your Heart

Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV)

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

What This Verse Teaches

God promises that those who truly seek Him will find Him. This is not a casual search, but a sincere and wholehearted desire to know God.

The Lord wants people to come to Him with their whole heart not half-heartedly, not only in times of trouble, but with genuine faith and devotion.

Seek the Lord

To seek the Lord means to pursue Him, to desire His presence, and to turn to Him for truth, forgiveness, and guidance.

Isaiah 55:6 (KJV)

“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:”

God invites everyone to come to Him.

Search With All Your Heart

God does not want only outward religion. He looks at the heart.

Searching with all your heart means:

• Humbly coming to God
• Truly wanting to know Him
• Turning away from sin
• Trusting in Jesus Christ

Psalm 119:2 (KJV)

“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.”

The Promise: You Will Find Him

God promises that those who truly seek Him will find Him. He is not hiding from those who come sincerely.

Jesus also said:

Matthew 7:7 (KJV)

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”

When a person seeks God with a sincere heart, God reveals Himself and brings them into a relationship with Him.

A Personal Invitation

God is calling you today to seek Him with your whole heart.

You can begin right now by praying:

“Lord, help me to seek You with all my heart. Teach me Your ways and draw me closer to You.”

Remember

God promises:

• If you seek Him
• If you search with all your heart

You will find Him.

Jeremiah 29:13 (KJV)

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”

Why Are You Not Serving God?

Lately, I’ve had this thought on my mind— to ask people I know who aren’t saved a simple but deep question: "Why are you not serving God?"

Many of these people grew up in Christian homes. They heard the same Bible stories I did, went to Sunday school, maybe even memorized Scripture. They know about God. Yet for some reason, they’ve decided they don’t want Him in their lives.

Why?
What turned them off?

I’ve often wondered if it’s because of what they saw rather than what they heard. 

I think many people have witnessed compromise in their homes—homes that called themselves Christian, but didn’t truly reflect Christ.

The Power of Example

Children watch more than they listen. They notice when their parents act one way around other believers and another way behind closed doors. That kind of inconsistency plants confusion deep in their hearts. It sends the message that Christianity is just a performance, something you put on for others instead of a way of life shaped by love for Jesus.

In many "Christian homes", children are taught all the rules—all the do’s and don’ts—but not the relationship. They’re told to obey but not taught how to fall in love with Jesus first.

But true obedience doesn’t come from fear or pressure; it flows from a heart that knows and loves Jesus. When we truly love Him, we want to obey Him—out of devotion.

Rules can’t change hearts, but love can.

Teaching Relationship Over Rules

Maybe if more homes focused on helping their children build a personal relationship with God—encouraging them to seek answers in the Bible for themselves and to talk to God openly—fewer hearts would turn away later in life.

Parents can’t live their children’s faith for them, but they can model a life of love, humility, and repentance. Children need to see that faith is real even when life is messy—that loving Jesus isn’t about being perfect, but about depending on Him daily.

When all we teach is “be good” or “obey the rules,” we raise moral children but not necessarily spiritual ones. What we need are young people whose hearts burn for the Lord—who know Him deeply and personally.

Because to truly know God is to love God. And once you know Him, you’ll want to obey Him.

Don’t Let Others’ Failures Keep You From God

Now, maybe you did see compromise in your family. Maybe your parents said one thing and lived another. Maybe you were hurt by the hypocrisy you saw in the name of faith. But that doesn’t mean you should throw everything they taught you away.

It doesn’t mean you stop believing in God, or that everything they showed you was false. Sometimes people fail—but God never does.

Don’t let the failures of others cause you to turn away from the One who has never failed you. People can misrepresent God, but He is still holy, still merciful, still loving, still faithful. The actions of others don’t change who He is.

Instead of walking away, let that disappointment drive you to seek God for yourself.

Seek Jesus for Yourself

Open His Word. Ask Him to reveal who He truly is. Because when you see Him clearly—not through the lens of someone else’s mistakes, but through His truth—your faith becomes real, strong, and personal.

He wants to know you. He wants to heal the wounds that religion or hypocrisy may have caused. He wants to show you His heart, His goodness, and His grace.

So please, seek Jesus for yourself.

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:13

Start talking to Him. Read His Word. Spend time in His presence. Build your own relationship with the Lord.

You won’t regret it.

Because once you truly meet Him—once you know Him—you’ll never want to say no again. 

Disclaimer: I do want to add that some people grew up in truly godly homes—homes where Christ was honored and no compromise was seen—yet they still turned away from God. That’s something I find deeply puzzling.

No matter what reasons people give for not serving God, none of them really hold weight. I may not understand their choices, but my heart’s prayer is that they would come to truly know Him and remain faithful to Him for the rest of their lives.

Too long? Read the summary of this post below ⬇️ 

Many people who grew up in Christian homes know about God but choose not to serve Him. Often, the reason isn’t what they heard—but what they saw. They witnessed hypocrisy or compromise in homes that called themselves Christian, and it planted confusion and distrust.

True faith can’t be built on rules alone—it must come from a personal relationship with Jesus. Parents should model genuine love, humility, and repentance so children see faith lived out, not just preached.

Even if you’ve been hurt or disappointed by others’ failures, don’t let that keep you from God. People may misrepresent Him, but He never fails. Seek Him for yourself through His Word and prayer. 

My New Christmas Album: It Was Away in a Manger

🎄Hi friends! I’m so excited to tell you about my brand-new Christmas album called It Was Away in a Manger. It came out on October 31st, 2025, and I’ve been waiting to share it with you!

This album is really special to me because all the songs are original — my dad wrote them himself! They’re not the same old Christmas songs you’ve heard before. Each one has its own story, melody, and feeling that came straight from my heart.

Songs I Love Most

One of my favorite songs on the album is the title track, “It Was Away in a Manger.” It’s a soft and sweet song that reminds me of peaceful nights and the quiet magic of Christmas.

Another one I really love is “Joy to the World.” Even though it has the same name as the classic carol, this one’s totally new — it’s full of happiness and light, and it always makes me smile when I sing it.

Why I Made This Album

When we started writing these songs, we wanted to make music that felt warm and comforting — like sitting by the fire, watching snow fall, or being with the people you love. We hope these songs make you feel that way too.

You can listen to River and Me Ministries It Was Away in a Manger on all the music apps — and I really hope it becomes part of your Christmas season.

Thanks for listening and for sharing this special time with me. ❤️

Listen to the full album