Nora St. Laurent reviewed "The Singing Quilt" by Kathi Macias. Here is Nora's review from "The Book Club Network blog" - www.psalm516.blogspot.com
The Singing Quilt
The Singing Quilt
By Kathi Macias
Published by New Hope
ISBN#978-1596-693920
236 pages
Back Cover: Jolissa Montoya believes God is calling her to work with the disadvantaged children in her inner-city neighborhood. There’s only one problem: The children wouldn’t be able to understand her. Jolissa suffers from a speech impediment and has a thick accent because Spanish is her first language. Ridiculed through much of her youth, she is quite shy and reticent to speak. She is convinced that what God has spoken to her heart is impossible. Impossible, that is, until one day when her confidante shows her a quilt—a quilt that depicts the life of a courageous woman. Can another woman’s courage move her to try the impossible and step out and follow God wherever He leads her?
The Singing Quilt is set against the backdrop of the life of Fanny Crosby, who in addition to writing hundreds of songs was also a well-known public speaker and active in Christian rescue missions despite her disability. Readers will be inspired not to let fear or a disability prevent them from answering what they think is God’s impossible call.
The Singing Quilt is the third book in the contemporary fiction “Quilt” series written by award-winning author Kathi Macias. The series focuses on various social issues, including racial and pro-life issues. Supplemental online book club materials will be available at NewHopeDigital.com.
About the Author:
Multiple award-winning author Kathi Macias’s nearly 35 books include this
“Quilt” series, the award-winning “Freedom” series, and the “Extreme Devotion”
novels for New Hope Publishers. Her devotionals reach hundreds of
thousands—through the Christian Civic League, Black Christian News, Latino
Christian News, Christians in Recovery, and crosswalk.com. The Excellence in
Media Angel Award, San Diego Christian Writers Guild fiction awards, Golden
Scroll Novel of the Year (Red Ink), Carol Award finalist (Red Ink), 2011 Author
of the Year for BooksandAuthors.net, and an international writing contest grand
prize are some of her credits. A popular speaker for women’s retreats,
conferences, churches, and TV and radio programs, Kathi also loves outreach to
prison and homeless ministries, and praying for and aiding the persecuted
church globally. A mother and grandmother, Kathi lives with husband, Al, in
California.
REVIEW BY NORA ST. LAURENT:
I’m thankful for the review copy of another powerful novel written by an author I admire and have learned so much from. Adopted grandmother type character named Eva takes main character, Jolissa Montaya under her wing. Eva feels lead to share her treasured quilt and the meaning behind each of the quilt squares her special quilt called The Singing Quilt. Eva shares Fanny’s story through the different squares; each tale a memorable event in Fanny's life.
The hearts of Jolissa and Eva and the life of Fanny
Crosby, are joined as one in their faith, hope and love God pours out to them as this story unfolds.
This author highlights Fanny Crosby; a courageous, pioneering woman who was an
active public speaker, mission worker and song writer in spite of her
disabilities. I had heard of the name but knew nothing about this astonishing
blind woman’s achievements. Her disability never prevented her from letting God
do the impossible in her life. She impacted so many.
I was
surprised at all the powerful songs this brilliant woman wrote. One of them was called, “To
God be the Glory.” The author told a fun story behind this one. The song was
written by Fanny but was made popular many years later. Someone played it for
George Beverly Shaw who was with the Billy Graham crusade. In 1955 he
introduced it with the choir at a crusade in Toronto. It became an immediate
hit. Amazing!
Jolissa was encouraged and amazed by Fanny’s life. Tragedy
struck Jolissa’s life early just like Fanny. After her parents death Jolissa is
left with an Uncle who didn't like children and had given her emotional
beatings since he took her in. She’s now in her early 20’s and feels trapped and
afraid. Hope seeps into her heart as she listens to her adopted grandmother,
Eva shares Fanny Crosby’s testimony; for the first time Jolissa sees hope in her future. I got
choked up as Eva watched Jolissa start to believe what God said about her and
started to receive His love into her heart. When we get a grasp of God’s unconditional
love for us it’s a game changer. We are no longer victims of our circumstances.
The enemy means things to destroy us but God uses all of our experiences for
His glory, our good and that of others. This message shines through Jolissa and this book.
This novel is easy to read, encouraging and one you won’t
want to miss. I recommend this as a great read for book club. There is so much for readers to discover and discuss.
Book Fun Magazine www.bookfunmagazine.com
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
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