
I commend to you two online seminars: 1) Experiencing God with Bishop Silas Ng and 2) Building Radical Relationships with Rev Mike Watson.

If you love family drama in a Christian setting then this book is for you. A pastoral couple, Ed and Janice Hird, who have led marriage and renewal conferences around the globe, write BLUE SKY. Ed and Janice understand family dynamics and bring their Blue Sky drama to life in this Spokane city setting. This book draws you into the family, but also into the redemptive and loving character of God during life’s difficult places. If you love Karen Kingsbury’s books, you’ll want to read about the ups and downs of the Brown clan.
by edhird 2 Comments
Book Review by Violet Nesdoly of the Blue Sky novel.
“While Spokane, the setting of this contemporary Christian novel, may be known for its blue skies, Pastor Scott Brown and his family live through many stormy days under them. The challenges of raising their three teens ramps up for Scott and Sandy when troubled Billy Smith begins stalking their teenage daughter. As the situation becomes more tangled, the Smiths experience a roller coaster ride of fear, anger, guilt, confusion, even physical injury. Along the way, we see this real and often flawed family struggling, praying with and for each other, exercising spiritual gifts, and growing in maturity and unity.
The plot was compelling and the characters felt real. I enjoyed the story and appreciated the lessons it taught.
Discussion questions link this fictional work with principles explored in the Hirds’ earlier book about marriage and relationships, For Better, For Worse – Discovering the Keys to a Lasting Relationship.”
Violet Nesdoly lives in Langley with her husband Ernie. She is the mother of two adult children and works as a freelance writer, writing and blogging book reviews, articles, stories and poems. As a member of The Word Guild, she has won prizes for her poetry and has published the Destiny’s Hands book available on Amazon and two books of poetry.
Bishop Malcolm Harding of Brandon giving his 4th & final talk at the BC Christian Ashram on “Rejoicing in the Truth” from the book of Phillipians.
Bishop Malcolm Harding of Brandon giving his 3rd of 4 talks at the BC Christian Ashram on “Unity in the Spirit” from the book of Phillipians.
Bishop Malcolm Harding speaking movingly about the Lordship of Jesus at the 2004 BC Christian Ashram, drawing on the joy in Philippians.
“Lord Listen to Your Children Praying” sung at the BC Christian Ashram retreat.
Blue Sky by Ed and Janice Hird is a book that in its opening chapter has developed enough of an interesting plot to capture the reader’s attention.
Pastor Scott Brown and his wife Sandy, along with their four children ranging from ages 6 to 17, have just moved from Seattle to Spokane, Washington. In addition to the challenges that are customary for any pastor, Scott Brown and his wife Sandy also face family challenges of their own in adjusting to a new setting.
The above mentioned characters and their on-going activities, their relationship both among themselves and others of their social circles, are so vividly portrayed and with sufficient intrigue that it certainly held this reader’s interest.
As the older children, in particular, develop relationships with others not necessarily within the Christian community, it causes concern for Pastor and Mrs. Brown. At times, this is with justification.
Within the framework of the plot, happenings like accidents, sickness, adultery, theft and police intervention take place.
The themes of prayer, emotional trauma and forgiveness are prevalent throughout the on-going events of this story.
While the book does not necessarily end with everyone “living happily ever after,” it comes, nevertheless, to a satisfactory conclusion. In and through it all, it conveys the truth that, of ourselves we can only go so far, and then we must simply trust God and His divine providence in every situation.
Following the main text are “Discussion Questions.” These serve not only to give a skeletal review of the book, but also to make the events of the story and the lives of its characters relevant to every-day life in the here and now.
Submitted by Dr. Les Johnson
Retired minister, Foursquare Gospel Church
Instructor at First Nations Bible College
Janice P Hird, accompanied by Ed Hird on guitar, does one of our favorite songs “Oh the Blood of Jesus” by Robert Lowery. “We overcome the accuser by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony, and because we loved not our life unto death (Revelation 12:11).
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Marriage Missions: “Your spouse does things that upset you—just as you do things that upset your spouse. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking your spouse’s bumbles, stumbles & stupidity is worse than yours. Give grace & forgiveness, just as you want grace & forgiveness.”
Journey • Explore • Discover: Being human in a technology dominated world—The Technojungle
Lectures in Jewish History and Thought. No hard questions, please.
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