Book Review for Mission Possible by D.L. McCarragher

Have you ever considered the origins of marriage?

Genesis 2:23
Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, ' for she was taken out of man."  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
• Genesis 2:18 
  The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.

Most women, Christian or otherwise want a help mate. We get married and hope to enjoy the company of the person we've chosen to spend our lives with. But what if things go wrong?

While there are many ways a marriage can go wrong this post is going to focus on one particular tragedy that afflicts many marriages:

What does a Christian woman do when she finds herself married to an unbeliever?

D.L. McCarragher's book Mission Possible addresses this situation. Mission Impossible is a short book, only about eighty pages long but it's a book that packs a powerful punch. Divided into seven chapters and an epilogue, McCarragher breaks down for the Christian woman what model she should base her prospective husband (Jesus) on and what to do when when her spouse does not conform to that model.

McCarragher shares her own personal journey with her unbelieving husband and gives much insight into the road mines (the Abigail Syndrome) and barriers that can discourage a woman who has prayed and begged God for years to change her husband into a man of God.

She gives a new and thoughtful approach to using scripture as the powerful weapon it is meant to be. In Chapter 3 “Faith as a Mustard Seed” on pg. 30 she states:

I recommend speaking varied scriptures for salvation over your husband daily. One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 10:20, where Paul quotes a passage from Isaiah 65:1, “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I was made manifest by those who did not ask for Me.

Whoa! Praying over your husband is an aggressive act and an optimistic one at that. How many of us have considered doing that? How many of us want to instead enjoy Abigail's fate and prayed for God to get rid of our husband so we can have our “David”? (Come on, be honest.)

In Chapter 4, “Painful Reality” she admonishes wives not to be a Jonah and run away but to be sincerely devoted to the salvation of their husband's soul. She gives an example of her own prayer, a prayer that envisions the sort of Godly man her husband is intended to be.

I thank you, Lord, that my husband will be a mighty man of God; a man so in love with you that he will not be able to satisfy the hunger he has for you... he will reach for his Bible instead of the TV remote, he will desire to be with your people and enjoy their fellowship. He will be the priest of his home and take on his priestly duties with godly reverence. He will pray with his family and long to serve you...(pg. 42)

Chapter 5, “Timing is Everything” discusses God's perfect timing using the book of Esther (for such a time as this). She reminds the reader that even though things seem to be going bad that God is indeed working

...behind the scenes with your husband. The time spent waiting is both for his benefit and for yours. Just as Esther spent much time in preparation for an audience with the King, so too are you being readied. (pg. 51)

Chapter 6 admonishes Christian women in this same situation to form prayer groups and pray for the salvation of each other's husbands and Chapter 7 is a brief discourse on Victory which she freely admits has not happened with her own husband. Nevertheless she has seen many miraculous transformations in him.

The thing I appreciate the most about McCarragher's book is how she backs everything she asserts with scripture. In fact each chapter is followed by a question and answer section which makes Mission Possible not only an invaluable read but a great Bible study.

To conclude, “Mission Possible” would make a wonderful Bible study for an individual but it would be especially effective for group study. I recommend this book to church groups that have members married to unbelievers. (In other words, every church should get this book!) It would be a great way to serve an, unfortunately, large people group that have to come to church to worship and serve God without their helpmates.

Thanks to the author for giving me a copy of Mission Possible book to review. I pray that my post serves in getting this book in the hands of those who need to read it.

For more information go to : www.Godmissionpossible.com
Ms. McCarragher has e mailed this to me which I am repeating verbatim:
 If there is a women's Bible study group or other group of women at your church that are interested in my book, I would ask you to have them contact me (thru Contact Form) on my website to let me know that they want a "volume discount" - for anything over10 books.  I would sell them for $5.00 each and just add actual shipping costs via UPS for them.  I generally give a discount to churches and ministries instead of the price on my website

Book Review for Couples Who Pray by SQuire Rushnell and Louise DuArt

Men- most of you will want to know that the most intimate act between a man and a woman will greatly enhance the frequency and ecstasy of lovemaking.



Women-most of you will want to know that the most intimate act will greatly expand meaningful communication with your partner almost overnight.


You may ask:


What do I have to do to get these results?





Invest of five minutes a day, minimum, praying with your partner. (From the introduction of Couples Who Pray)





That's how the book, “Couples Who Pray” by the husband and wife author team, SQuire Rushnell (Yes, that's how he spells his first name) and Louise DuArt begins. Rushnell and DuArt have prescribed a forty day commitment for couples to pray together for five minutes a day as a way to kick start a life time habit of praying together.

According to the authors, couples praying together is a rare and almost unheard of habit among most married people, even Christians. Even couples who pray on a regular basis as individuals don't normally pray together.

Rushnell and DuArt first address the men and drive home how their most important emotional needs (sex) will be met if they first develop the habit of praying with their wife. In the next chapter they discuss how the woman's most important emotional needs (communication) are met if she begins praying everyday with her husband. Each chapter includes survey results and testimonies of couples who share how they've maintained a healthy marriage or, in some cases, were able to snatch their marriage out of the “jaws of death,” so to speak, when the couple began praying together.

Rushnell and DuArt interview many couples who share their testimonies about how committing to daily joint prayer has kept them married. The book is filled with many personal stories from well-known couples in the celebrity world. The first chapter introduces us to these couples, Donna Summer and her husband Bruce Sudano, Denzel and Pauletta Washington, Patti and Gavin MacLeod (Captain of the Love Boat), Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton and his wife, Traci, to name a few. The book also includes some powerful and inspiring accounts of how some of these people came to know Jesus Christ through the patient, consistent  prayers of their spouse.

On the one hand, I would have liked a few more examples of ordinary people. Not being a celebrity or rich, there was a part of me that didn't quite relate to all the “huger than life” success stories. On the other hand, it was encouraging to see that there are couples in Hollywood who have succeeded in staying married and how prayer was an essential ingredient to the sustenance of their relationship.

After underlining the need for couples to pray, the book then proceeds to teach the reader how to pray. The structure of a prayer that the authors outline is basic and helpful: glorify God, give thanks, ask forgiveness and finally,present your petitions. It even includes a question and answer section in case some readers aren't sure what is or isn't acceptable to pray for.

One thing I really liked about the book is that it doesn't stop with prayer. After firmly establishing the value and need for prayer, Rushnell and DuArt discuss important factors that are part and parcel to a vibrant prayer life and a joyful, permanent marriage. The first is the opposition that each couple will face when they follow God. It may come in the forms of stressors at work, lonely co workers, or family members that think you've gone “religious,” but the real enemy of every marriage is the devil. I thought the authors made some well-supported points about porn addiction and how seductive and destructive it is.

The authors describe many real life scenarios that happened to couples that could have torn their marriage apart and how prayer saved it.

Nevertheless, prayer is not the only weapon against the enemy of your marriage. The next chapter is titled “Forgiveness Power”. This chapter talks about the need to forgive when your marriage partner sins against you and how prayer and forgiveness is the solution. There were a number of very interesting and encouraging stories about individuals who, in spite of what happened to them, through the supernatural power of God and praying to Him, they were able to forgive those who had grievously wronged them.

This chapter is followed by one about prayer and tithing and a concluding chapter listing six steps to a happy marriage.

The back of the book has a two questionnaires, one for each spouse, to fill out. There is also an online site for couples to record their results in order to contribute to national surveys. Rushnell and DuArt recommend using the online source because you will receive an ongoing system of support that will include weekly e-mails, short stories and other tips to encourage the praying couple. It also serves as a resource hub with video presentations and journals as well as other information such as links to marital support services.

All in all, I think that “Couples Who Pray” is a useful, enjoyable and interesting resource for couples who have not been praying together but want to know how to start doing so.


I received a complimentary copy of this book by BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review.

Romantic Valentine's day books

The question:  Can literary books be funny?  The answer:  Of course.  The best, most biting, driest and brilliant wit there is exists in classical literature.  Hope you enjoy my post.  It's not funny but it is classical.  Thanks for visiting.  I'll visit back!

In honor of Valentine's day I am reviewing one of my favorite genre of literature: Arthurian romances. There are many out there but here's a few that I've read or am reading.


Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Sir Gawain represents the ideal knight in Arthurian romance. He is one to keep his vows regardless of danger or possible death. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, King Arthur and his knights are celebrating Yule at the round table. Suddenly, they are interrupted by the festivities by an intruder. They hear steps echoing down the hall, getting nearer and nearer until at the entrance way to the room stands a giant green knight. This knight challenges all the men present to take their best shot at cutting his head off. If they don't succeed then he gets to take a swing at their head. All the knights look at each other. Finally, the youngest and yet untried knight, Sir Gawain stands and accepts the challenge. One might wonder what this has to do with Valentine's day. Well, of course Sir Gawain has a lady love (doesn't every knight) and his challenge with the Green Knight takes him on a perilous journey that requires him to prove himself not only as a worthy knight but also as a faithful lover.

JRR Tolkien's translation is the best, in my opinion, but the version by Selina Hastings and Juan Wijngaard is also nice because of its beautiful medieval style illustrations.



Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady

This is one of my favorite stories about Sir Gawain. King Arthur is traveling through the woods when he is accosted by a black knight. This knight challenges him to a duel but Arthur has left his sword Ex Caliber back in Camelot. Immediately he finds an evil spell cast on him and his strength gone. Since fighting an unarmed person is no sport, the knight then tells the king he must answer a question in three day's time or then they will surely duel and Arthur will die. During the three days' time King Arthur comes across a woman sitting by the side of the road. In the words of the book:

She was the ugliest living thing he had ever set eyes on, a freak, a monster, a truly Loathly lady.


Her nose was like a pig's snout; from a misshapen mouth stuck out two yellowing rows of horse's teeth; her cheeks were covered in sores; she had only one eye, the rueumy and red-rimmed, and from a naked scalp hung a few lank stands of hair....

This “Loathly lady” knows the answer to the question but she gives it with a condition. King Arthur must marry her to one of his knights. As you may have guessed, Sir Gawain agrees to marry her. You'll have to read the book to find out what all transpires. Hastings and Wijngaard have a beautifully illustrated edition of this book as well.



Arthurian Romances

Chretien De Troyes is credited with being one of the earliest writers of Arthurian legend (ca. 12th century). In this collection from Penguin Classics he includes stories of Erec and Enide (I've written a more thorough review on them in an earlier post), Sir Lancelot, Yvain (also known as Gawain) and Sir Percival. I confess this book is on my TBR pile so I cannot give an actual review but here is what the back cover says:

An idyllically happy marriage in which a husband is so involved that he neglects his duties as a knight; love endangered by a husband who is more interested in athletic chivalry than in his wife; timorous young love.. together these stories offer the most complete expression we possess from a single author of the ideals of French chivalry and of courtly love.




I'm shortly going to read this book after I finish Thomas Bullfinch's Age of Chivalry and will soon write a review of both books but I thought it was a nice addition to my “romantic Valentine's Day post.

The top photo is the back cover illustration of The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (trans.by Jack Zipes). Hmmmm..... It might be time to do some folk tales reviews...

Review of books just in time for Valentine's Day!!

Ok! Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Here's some great reads for married couples or those that are preparing for marriage.






The Purpose of Passion: Dante's Epic Vision of Romantic Love by Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware

The authors of The Purpose of Passion take a unique approach in writing about the matter of love. Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware use the literature of Dante to show us how Dante viewed love and how we should view it too. The first section discusses Dante's book La Vita Nova (the Good Life).  In it Dante first meets the love of his life, a beautiful green eyed woman named Beatrice. This woman becomes the symbol of all love to him. Dante is mesmerized and obsessed with her.

He's eight years old.

 However, his first love is not extinguished as time passes but becomes fuller and richer. Never mind that Beatrice dies while still very young and he ends up marrying someone else. The authors show us Beatrice came to represent for Dante an ideal rather than actual romance.

The next two sections takes the reader through Dante's Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise. In Paradise Dante finally meets Beatrice again. This time she is not only the embodiment of romantic love but points Dante to the love of all loves, Christ's love.

     This may all seem far fetched but Bruner and Ward actually do a very good job escorting us through the different stages of the Inferno, where we meet love gone wrong, to say the least. In section 2  of the book (called Love Gone Astray) Dante encounters different people who are in hell for their wrongful love. Which is to say they didn't love at all. They cheated, lied and murdered justifying their crimes by calling them "love." Or their love became perverted, but we don't need to go into that. Reading Dante's Inferno is not for the faint of heart. The section ends with a quote: “Love your neighbor as, not for, yourself.

From there we move to paradise where people got love wrong on earth but are corrected and are able to move finally to Paradise where all love is right, all our imperfect love is made perfect and how all types of love- filial, romantic and agape -are combined to marry us to our perfect lover, Jesus Christ.

For those who have experienced the “inferno”: a broken heart, rejection, a perversion of what was supposed to be a good love, they will find the authors comments about Dante's beliefs and our current trends in society relevant and meaningful. For those who are currently in love and in a serious relationship, Purgatory and Paradise have many thought-provoking chapters that give insight and direction. Ward and Bruner attempt to show us how one cannot have true romantic love without surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ and having a love affair with Him first.

If you like classical literature and enjoyed Dante's famous works then you will enjoy reliving them while having a new light cast on them. You'll probably want to go and reread them. In conclusion, I recommend the Purpose of Passion as a great premarital counseling resource.



7 Things He'll never Tell You...but You Need to Know by Dr. Kevin Leman 



Dr. Kevin Leman takes us on a hilarious tour of the mind of man (according to him it just has one button). Each chapter is written in a humerous yet telling way (Chapter 1: “It's Thursday, and I'm out of words already but if you want to keep talking, honey, go ahead. Chapter 2: (“Think of me as a four year old that shaves.”) If you're married  (and if you're a woman reading this) you will discover with relief that your husband is not weird, he's a normal male (Chapter 5: “I've thought about sex 33 times today, and it's not even noon.”)

Underneath all the humor are truths that are crucial to the emotional health of your husband and to the happiness of your marriage (Chapter 6: “What your man fears more than anything else... and how you may be doing that very thing in subtle ways.”)

For women that care enough about their man to get inside his head and understand him better this is the book for you!



 Kiss Me Like You Mean It: Solomon's Crazy in Love How-To Manuel by Dr. David Clarke



Kiss Me Like you Mean it by Dr. David Clarke is probably my favorite book. Warning: It's pretty hot and steamy and I recommend it for couples that either are already married or are shortly about to get married. Dr. Clarke uses lots of case studies from his years as a marriage counselor that make his book interesting and easy to bring home. Interwoven with the personal stories is a step by step walk through of the Song of Solomon. Clarke explains each chapter and section in this exceptional book of the Bible to reveal what King Solomon had to say about passion and romance in marriage. A wonderful Valentine's day gift for the significant other in your life.  One you should read together.