REVIEW: Ascent From Darkness, by Michael Leehan

Ascent From Darkness, by Michael Leehan

"How satan's soldier became God's warrior. A true story."

I receive free books from www.BookSneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

When I finally finished another book from the library and was able to pick up this book to read it, I finished it in just a couple of nights. It blew my mind. Michael's real life telling of his struggles of personally inviting evil into his life, his honesty in sharing, and his return to Christ, was astounding, breathtaking, disturbing, moving and victorious! I want to meet this man!

Before you read this book, pray to God that He opens your eyes, your heart and your mind to understanding. Pray that He protects you as you read it.

Mr. Leehan unabashedly spills his life onto these 200+ pages to show us how easily satan can penetrate our life, throw monkey wrenches into our plans, slide us away from Christ, inch by inch.

The simplest disagreement between two people, or yourself and God, a tiny spark of anger, just the thought that someone has done you wrong... satan is behind it, setting it up, feeding it, giving us just enough doubt to start pulling us away from our true, and rightfully owned, future. Satan takes our basic needs and turns them back on us. He uses those things to pull us closer to him, we just don't realize it. Anything negative, anything, is produced and egged on by satan. Michael shows us how he got there, to that point, where he actually started understanding satan, seeing his demons, turning angry toward God, and finally, sacrificing himself to satan. He leaves no stone uncovered in this book, he bears it all, ugliness and pain, betrayal and lies, by him and satan both.

I suggest you read this book, not for the fascination of what he has gone through or for the 'gore', but for a shield against satan, so you will see how he can get into your life, and how to not believe a thing he shows you or makes you feel. I'll be making sure that my 14 1/2 year old son reads this book, I want him prepared for how satan is going to try to lure him away from church and God. This book will show him.

Always go to the Light, the Light is amazing. The Light is safe. The Light is God.

255 readable pages

Thomas Nelson publishers

About Suicide

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Experts caution that suicide and suicidal ideations are far more complicated than outside stressors or a single event. More than 90 percent of people who die from suicide suffer from mental illness and/or substance abuse. This is no different for young people.

"For youth between the ages of 10 and 24, suicide is the third leading cause of death," according to the Centers for Disease Control. Further, more young people survive suicide attempts than actually die. "Each year, approximately 149,000 youth between the ages of 10 and 24 receive medical care for self-inflicted injuries at Emergency Departments across the U.S."

"Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities," the CDC advises.

Warning signs of suicide:

Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain

Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose

Talking about being a burden to others

Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs

Acting anxious, agitated or reckless

Sleeping too little or too much

Withdrawing or feeling isolated

Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge

Displaying extreme mood swings

Looking for a way to kill oneself

The more of these signs a person shows, the greater the risk. Warning signs are associated with suicide but may not be what causes a suicide.

If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide:

Do not leave the person alone.

Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt.

Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.


Resources:
National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

FALL IS... (finish the sentence)

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‎...a welcome season for rest and coolness of the earth.

Leave yours in the Comments

REVIEW: "The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook" by Jeff Kinley

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"The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook" by Jeff Kinley 'slaying the dead within'

Yep, love the title! I pictured a Christian living in the time of zombies and battling his Christianity while trying to balance killing, with surviving...

So I received the book for review and here's the intro:

“Ben Forman was just an ordinary guy, a young professional starting his first job and falling in love with his girlfriend. Living on the outskirts of a southern city, he didn’t think the zombie activity so common in metropolitan areas would hit so close to home. But it was becoming clear that the mysterious infection reanimating the dead would soon be a worldwide epidemic.”

“Warning: Some scenes and descriptions in this book are not suitable for younger audiences.”

.....No joke here, don't let your 11 yr old child get a hold of it, they'll be sleeping with you in your own bed until they're 40. If you are the squeamish type, don't read it... or just read the Chapters (non-fiction), not the Episodes (the fictional story of Ben).

In the "Episodes", it follows the life of Ben, a 24 yr old in NC, and his life dealing with zombies and it includes the theories of how they came to be (some of them wildly fascinating!).

In the "Chapters", it gives you the Christian in-depth look at sin from the beginning in the Garden, and how it affects us even today, the pull of our bodies & minds not being sinless... how it affects our lives, others around us and what we can do about it. Deeply moving.

Fiction, and non-fiction. To me, it's genius.

It's a great pull toward teens to get them reading Christian books if they aren't.

It's a well thought-out book, and deeply addictive, in my opinion.

And before we go any further, NO, I do not believe in zombies (or the Loch Ness Monster, or Bigfoot, etc) and never will... until one sneaks up behind me and kills me.

In each one of us is a zombie; the deepest part of us. Sin. Satan can get to it, he teases it up from us. I believe that is what Mr. Kinley is trying to get us to understand.

We see some of it every day. It may show-out heavily in some people, very obvious to those around them, every day, all day long.

In others, it may just peep it's head out during times of major stress, or temptation.

I don't want to tell you much of this book at all, because I want YOU to read it and get out of it what you can without my influence.

He did touch several spots in me that I had been wondering about. Isn't is wonderful when that happens? You have a certain problem and here comes a book or a preacher who just happens to talk about it? It's Divine, I'm telling you...

I will include what else is written on the jacket:

"It delivers a fresh approach to sin, grace, and salvation, exposing the raging beast within us all, and how to overcome life as a zombie."

"Jeff Kinley has found a way to communicate God's grace to a new audience. The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook is culturally relevant, deeply perceptive and really inspires us to discover the truth for ourselves."

- Sean T. Page author of War Against the Walking Dead and The Official Zombie Handbook

Sooooo.... Pick up a copy and devour it : )

243 story pages

Notes

Discussion Guide (can be a great benefit to a book club meeting)

'Jeff Kinely, pastor, speaker (MainThingMinistries.com), author, podcast host, & missionary to his midtown neighborhood's "Next Generation Tribe" (VintageNxt.com), Jeff finds every way possible to communicate Christ's grace.'

I receive free books from www.BookSneeze.com in exchange for an honest review.

Without Christ, we are the walking dead:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc_AYioRz1M&feature=player_embedded

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My fav Crockpot/Slow Cooker "people" : )

http://crockpotgirls.com

crockpot365.blogspot.com

Get a Free Sample of Ice Cream Pizza

Get a Free Sample of Ice Cream Pizza on October 24th from 3PM-6PM at Marble Slab Creamery. The Info was posted here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150299532641157&set=a.438124226156.233599.22226671156&type=3&theater and the stores that are doing it are here:http://www.marbleslab.com/pink-pizza.aspx

Free from IHOP Scary Face Halloween Pancake

Free from IHOP Scary Face Halloween Pancake on Friday October 28th from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for kids 12 and under. http://www.easyir.com/easyir/prssrel.do?easyirid=4004912BBDCCAE2C&version=live&prid=802515

Free Scary Face Pancakes Return to IHOP in October

www.easyir.com

GLENDALE, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 09/27/2011 -- IHOP announced today that participating restaurants nationwide will serve up 'no tricks - just treats' this October, featuring a month-long celebration with pumpkin pancakes as well as All-You-Can-Eat Buttermilk pancakes, culminating in a free Scar...