Book Review: Book One-- Bad Connection, The Secret Life of Samantha McGregor by Melody Carlson

Samantha McGregor has a rare "gift", she has vividly real dreams and visions. She must be careful who she tells because it seems most people assume the worst in her "gift". But, if she does not share her "gift" how else will she be able to help her friend Kayla?

Published by Multnomah August 15, 2006/256 pages

Price for paperback from publisher $12.99 and ebook is available
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781590526927

I could not find the book available @ Christian Book site but I did find the eBook version for $8.99:
http://www.christianbook.com/bad-connection-ebook-melody-carlson/9780307562364/pd/10968EB?item_code=WW&netp_id=854395&event=ESRCN&view=details
Authors website:
http://www.melodycarlson.com/

An excerpt from Bad Connection:
http://www.melodycarlson.com/BadConnection-chap.pdf

Bad Connection is Book #1

Book #2 Payback

Book #3 Beyond Reach

 Book #4 Playing With Fire

Bad Connection begins with a heart racing adrenaline rush experience of a car crash. Almost 17 year old Samantha wonders how to put the pieces together of her experience as well as how to understand her mysterious "gift". The recent death of her dad, her mother's long hours at work, and her older brother Zach's penchant for trouble, has Samantha's home life lacking in peacefulness. At school she has a few close friends, but far from an active social life. She outwardly displays her Christian beliefs, most respect her. She is wise beyond her years, a thinker, an observer. She has the ability to perceive other peoples feelings and problems.
Samantha's friend Kayla has disappeared. Samantha cannot shake the horrible feeling that something has happened to Kayla. Then the dreams and visions begin.
What is the wisest choice for Samantha in how she can help?

The theme of this series in that Samantha McGregor has a God given gift for dreams and visions is certainly rare in Christian Fiction. I believe it is a subject that is misunderstood, fearful, often misused, and for some people taboo. The author brings out the various feelings about dreams and visions. Samantha being a teenager is dealing with all the angst of growing up, peer pressure, opposite sex, communication with parents, as well as her "gift".
At the back of the book is a list of books and websites on visions and dreams.
Samantha is characterized as a mature adolescent, that is not interested in rebellion as much as some of her peers. She has the ability to foresee consequences and this is admirable and encouraging for teen readers.
She seems to be more interested in quality relationships as opposed to a quantity of casual friends.
I liked this book, and thought it held strong points for young adult readers. I had already stated that Samantha is a mature and level headed teenager. I feel that she is a wise girl and gives encouragement and inspiration to readers. I also felt the story gave an enticing theme choice in a dominated young adult book world of vampires and occult. 

Blissful Reading!
Annette

The Life Book Movement

Getting the Word out in public high schools

The Life Book Movement nears the half-million mark in books distributed

Are we trading in our right to free speech, especially our freedom of religion, in exchange for being non-offensive and politically correct? Separation of church and state may restrict public prayers in schools, but there is still an avenue for high school students to rightfully distribute God’s Word in their schools.

 

Founded by The Gideons International, The Life Book Movement is an innovative strategy to reach high school students with the Word of God. The movement is a Christian mission centered on The Life Book, a unique presentation of Scripture designed to engage high school students with the truth of God’s Word, created by Carl Blunt, president and CEO of The Life Book Movement. The Life Book presents a brief overview of the Old Testament and the Book of John using an interactive format with honest student comments and real-life questions in the margins. Readers are drawn into the only story that can change their lives forever. 

 

The Life Book Movement works with churches throughout the country by providing free copies of The Life Book for students to give as gifts to their friends and classmates during school. Blunt’s organization brilliantly takes advantage of a student’s freedom to distribute religious literature by getting The Life Book into the hands of Christian high school students and having them pass the books out to classmates at school—a practice that is acceptable, as long as the books are not distributed by school staff or other adults.

 

Blunt says, “In mission-speak, it’s like we’re helping students get God’s Word into a closed country (public high schools) to reach an unreached people group because studies show that only 4% of today’s teenagers are Bible-believing Christians.” The goal is to ensure that every student in every high school in the United States has an opportunity to receive the gift of The Life Book. This approach presents a phenomenal opportunity to impact a generation with the good news of Jesus Christ. 

 

Local churches contact The Life Book Movement to schedule saturations, described to students as a short-term mission trip to their local high school. Local church youth ministries work together in targeted areas to ensure The Life Book is offered to students in each chosen high school. The churches receive the books at no cost from The Life Book Movement and provide the books, along with some evangelism training, to the students in their youth groups. The students then spend a week or two passing them out to their friends and classmates at school.

 

In less than a year and a half, almost 320,000 copies of The Life Book have been distributed. That number is expected to increase by 200,000 by the end of May 2011. This year alone, saturations have occurred in over 80 locations in 26 states. According to Blunt, 1.2 million copies are being printed for distribution in the 2011-2012 school year.

 

www.thelifebook.com – www.twitter.com/carlblunt – www.facebook.com/carlblunt

Blissful Blogging!

Annette

Groundwire

Are you compassionate and caring?

Are you a good listener?

Do you want to share the message of hope with others?

 

Groundwire needs you!

 

Teens today can be overwhelmed searching for meaning amidst depressing hopelessness, negative self-image, and the pressure to be perfect. Groundwire, a current and innovative outreach, has become a ministry where teens find comfort, guidance, and answers delivered through multi-media communication. Groundwire leverages media and technology to meet teens exactly where they are — viewing, listening, texting, or chatting — and to invite them to voice their questions and struggles so they can find answers in the message of the Gospel.

 

The ministry builds its impact through broadcasting that strategically places television and radio spots on secular stations. Teens listening to popular radio broadcasts or viewing favorite shows on networks like MTV, VH1, Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming, and Comedy Central are interrupted by direct spots. These spots catch their attention, resonating with where they are today. Teens responding to the broadcast messages are invited to visit Groundwire’s website where they can chat with a live spiritual coach available day and night, as well as find a collection of resources such as podcasts by Groundwire’s founder and executive director, Sean Dunn, and daily devotionals.

 

To meet the needs of hurting teenagers across the country, Groundwire is looking for additional online coaches. Are you interested?

 

FAQ’s regarding volunteer spiritual coaches

 

What is Groundwire?

Groundwire is an international ministry aimed at broadcasting hope to students all over the world by leveraging the most effective media formats.  Their radio spots are heard on both mainstream and Christian stations and their TV commercials are aired on MTV, VH1 and the Cartoon Network among others.  Each spot points their audience to the Groundwire website where spiritual coaches are available to answer questions, encourage with biblical hope and pray for chatters.

 

What is the Coaching Line?

www.grounwire.net does not simply offer content, but conversation.  The coaching line is an instant message platform that connects chatters with trained coaches in order to provide one-to-one real time conversation.   Volunteers all over the world offer their time and talents in order to meet the needs of those searching.

 

Who is capable of being a spiritual coach?

Spiritual coaches are sold-out Believers who are committed to the Great Commission and love people.  They realize that although they are not perfect, God can and desires to speak through them and they realize that technology offers amazing opportunities to minister to people all over the world.  Coaches need to be over eighteen and willing to submit to a background check and go through the necessary training. 

 

What are some of the needed qualities of a coach?

Compassionate, teachable, good listener, sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading, patient, resilient and authentic.

 

What type of commitment are you looking for?

The typical coach offers two to four hours weekly on line, however some offer up to ten.  Coaches set their own schedule on a monthly basis and coordinate with team leaders to offer the line sufficient coverage.

 

Can I coach from home?

Once a coach has been trained and given their log in information they can offer support from any location with internet connectivity.

 

Who would I be talking to?

Although Groundwire media buys are aimed at youth and young adults, and the majority of chats are in that age range, chatters have ranged from eleven to sixty-seven years of age and from over one hundred countries.  The issues are very diverse ranging from the extremely depressed and suicidal person to the fifteen year old who is struggling with relationships.

 

What does the training look like?

Training begins when an application is completed and returned to the Director of Coaching.  From that point the majority of training is done online and consists of learning how to deal with the different types of conversations that might take place. There are a series of written responses that take place in email format and then an online mock chat as well.

 

What type of oversight is offered?

In order to protect the integrity of the Groundwire mission and message, layers of organization and accountability are built into our procedures.  Coaches are encouraged and offered additional training on an ongoing basis.   Each chat is read to protect volunteers from accusations of inappropriate behavior as well as to ensure a consistent message is being presented.  Each coach is assigned a team lead that will act as a mentor in an ongoing manner.

 

How will this benefit me as a person?

Seeing God speak through you to comfort someone who is struggling builds your confidence.  On top of that the skills and discernment you will discover as you serve the Lord in this type of face to face ministry translate into your everyday life and the other areas where you serve.

 

Let your audience know how they can become Groundwire spiritual coaches!

 

For more information or to get download an application, visit www.groundwire.net/coaching.

  

Blissful Blogging!

Annette