Brenda Wilbee

Taming the Dragons by Brenda Wilbee draws the reader into and provides help in dealing with pain and conflict. It illustrates the choices women may elect to consider. I love the combination of six Biblical characters with characters from The Wizard of Oz. Her own life story provides additional content for the book, along with additional fairytale characters.

While some may not care to include fairytale characters, I found the usage added to the message meaningfully for me. Journal pages appear at the end of each chapter, which I appreciated. Characters from stories like Winnie the Pooh and Jane Eyre provide direction for women to help find choices for dealing with pain and conflict and taming our own dragons.

I feel this book provides a powerful and meaningful message Christian women need to read. I feel all women can benefit from reading this book. So check out this book for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.… (plus d'informations)

I like the unique way the author wrote this book. My favorite movie of all time is The Wizard of Oz. I watched that movie every time it came on. The author intrigued me and I had to see how she would incorporate this iconic movie into a book. She also uses fairytales to get her point across about the dragons in our lives. I did like the references to several women from the Bible who stood up and took the battlefield in spiritual warfare. It is not taught a lot in some churches and I have to wonder why these women are not studied more.

Each chapter is straight forward and uses examples to help readers understand the author’s points . I liked the part about how we each have choices. Eve had a choice to eat the forbidden fruit or turn away from it. In her choice she opened the door to evil . Temptation is hard to fight sometimes , but if we allow ourselves to listen to God’s voice, He will direct our path.

In one of the first few chapters the author talks about the Innocent. I found this one chapter to be very profound. We can choose to stay as a victim or fight the dragon and become stronger. Our journey may be difficult but as we fight the dragons in our lives, we are able to overcome that which the enemy meant for harm. Just like Dorothy we have to make a choice whether to follow good or evil.

Each chapter is geared toward helping us understand how to conquer our dragons by God’s truth. I liked how the author used several people from the Bible to show us how they went through tough times. Several women in the Bible were rejected, abused or forgotten about. In those moments they knew they were not alone. Jesus was there just like He is for us as we face difficulties in our lives. Reading the different examples the author uses, I felt more empowered and able to stand up against the evils of this world. I appreciate the personal stories the author used and helped me to see how spending time in the Word and having a deep relationship with God can help us over the dragons if this world.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion,… (plus d'informations)

These last 3 stories in this series did a great job of taking a time in history and staying as true to the actual facts as possible, and gave the reader a work of fiction that truly showed the endurance and hardships that the folks of Seattle, Washington endured during an Indian uprising. The sad part is it probably could have all been avoided, if it weren't for mistakes made by a politician. Clarence Bagley, Historian of King County, Washington states, "It cannot be doubted that the hurried treaties negotiated, in 1855, with the tribes of eastern and western Washington had a good deal to do with the fomenting discontent of the Indians, which culminated in bloody uprisings all over the country, causing the death of many innocent and unsuspecting settlers and the destruction of immense quantities of property all over the territory, retarding its development for many years. The provision of some these treaties were exceedingly unjust to the Indians."

Louisa and David Denny have left there home in the forest and moved into town because of the killing going on by the Indians. This is a time when David and her must part for awhile and Louisa must learn to trust and not give up hope once again. But the Indians are advancing upon the town of Seattle and people will die and fear is a real thing for these people. Louisa is also pregnant and caring for their 2 year old daughter. The final paragraph on the back of the book so well summarizes the story: "But through it all she fears for the safety of her husband and of them all. Will their friendship with Chief Seattle be enough to avert horrible bloodshed? Can the settlers survive this latest test of their faith and endurance?" I very much appreciated reading these stories and learning what went on in history during this time.… (plus d'informations)

It is amazing what people endured as they went West to make a new home for themselves. It is a pleasure to read a little of the history of the early years of Seattle, Washington in this work of fiction by Brenda Wilbee. She stays as true to the story as possible, and makes the people come alive back then. This story only covers about 2 weeks in the life of Louisa and David, but it is full of action, fear for ones life and a love that stands the test of time.

An Indian war has begun and the folks in and around Seattle begin to wonder if it will reach to them. A U.S. Navy ship docks off their shore and it gives everyone the feeling of relative safety. Some think they are safe and live on their land without listening to the advice of those who say to come into the town where they would be safer. Tragedy will strike and people will flee their homes with nothing but the clothes on their back. Some will make it to safety and some will not. David must leave with a group of men to check on the outlying areas and Louisa is left with her 2 year old and expecting another. Will David return back to her? For Louisa there is only hope and faith in God that will sustain her as she waits.

One of my favorite sections of this story about hope was by Louisa and her thoughts as she waited on David to return. "Hope! Hope brought peace to the troubled. Hope encouraged the discouraged, comforted the sorrowing, assured the fearful. Hope was nothing less than a gift from God, enabling them all to take life as it came - because God was bigger than their lives. He redeemed all things, even death. . . . We're in God's hands. And is it not in him, she asked herself, that we place our hope? Redeeming and eternal? Even in death? That thought scared her. She didn't want to die! She didn't want anyone else to die either! Not her own David, or Emily Inez!"… (plus d'informations)