Hello and welcome back! Today, I have another fun book review for you and oh! This book *eyes tearing up already* will hit you right in the heart. I just recently met this sweet author through the blog and I am so excited to share with you about her novel, O To Be Like Thee!

O To Be Like Thee
How Deep Love Runs
By Kassie Angle (Published 2018)
 
Wartime friendships are almost legendary. There’s nothing quite like the bond between soldiers who know their lives depend on each other.
That’s the thing, though. Your best friend’s life depends on you. That’s not always an easy responsibility.
And to make things worse, there’s that little blue-eyed boy in Texas who recognizes your uniform and not your face, and somehow his broken heart learns to love you…

Okay, so I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before or not, but I love the army and I love military medical units, regardless of branch. I love a novel about medics (I mean, Seth is one of my favorite characters from my books and he’s a doctor’s aide 😉). This book combines these passions and oh! I love it so much!

We follow the story of LT Corban “Corey” Schreiber, a medic stationed in Afghanistan and his relationship with a new friend, Mayson McKinley (Already, I love this guy! Mayson…kinda partial to that name even if the spelling is different…). I used to live near a military base and I have army in my family, so this story really hit home for me.

Kassie handled topics such as blaming one’s self for someone’s death, mild PTSD, grieving a loved one and how things change after deployment for a service member. And she did it very well! Having been raised on army bases across the globe, Kassie knows what she is talking about. And her writing style is to the point and heart wrenching. Few books actually make me cry. I can think of…five that made me cry and one of them was mine, so it doesn’t count, lol! This book made me cry several times. It’s so…real. Even though the story is from Corey’s Point of View (POV), I felt I could connect with him. She did something few books I’ve read about the military have done. She made Corey human, not some larger than life superhero who can handle anything. He had struggles. He had feelings. He wasn’t a robot, but a person.

While there is some blood mentioned in the story, and injuries discussed, nothing was exceedingly graphic. I would read it to my younger siblings, no problem.

I will not forget this story. It hit home for me on a deep level and brought me to an even stronger appreciation for our servicemen. I encourage you, click this link and order you a copy of O To Be Like Thee. It’s a 400+ page novel, so it may take a while to finish, but it is worth it. READ THIS!

…Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Matthew 25:23b
(King James Bible)

Until Next Time,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello everyone. Today marks the 17th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that claimed so many lives and left millions reeling in the shock of such evil. I was five years old when my family watched live as the towers collapsed via my grandmother’s television. Let this sink in: the 18-year-olds serving in our military today were only a year old. Those who get parental consent to join at age 17 were only a few months, weeks or days old.
 
In memory of the poor souls whose lives were mercilessly ended that day, I share with you a devotion I wrote back in 2016. While not solely about 9/11, it’s about America. It’s about us.

Enough was enough when the French and Indians attacked helpless settlers. Our men went to war with the British as our allies.
 
Enough was enough in 1776 when the American Patriots took up arms over a 2% tax on tea (And multiple more important issues! Read The Declaration of Independence.)
 
Enough was enough in 1812 when the British began kidnapping our sailors for their own use. (And during this time, we were fighting the Muslims who were capturing our passenger ships and taking our people for slaves. Enter the United States Marine Corps!)
 
Enough was enough in 1861 when 11 states decided to take up arms to protect their God given and Constitutional rights. Sadly, they lost and the whole country has now lost these rights...and much more.
 
Enough was enough when we were bombed by Japanese invaders in 1941, launching us into the Second World War.
 
Enough was enough when South Vietnam requested our aide against Communism. My thanks to every American Veteran of that war for your unsung heroism! You are loved and appreciated!
 
Enough was enough when in 2001, four of our planes were hijacked by Muslim terrorists and thousands of people were killed.
 
Enough was enough!
 
But…
 
What about the 9/11 proportion tragedy that happens daily...through the abortions committed in the United States? Why isn’t this looked at for what it is? Let me spell it out for you.
It’s MURDER!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
 
What about our school systems, teaching our children that we come from monkeys, that unborn babies have “gill slits” (Thus they aren’t human until birth), that our Founding Fathers weren’t Christians and that we aren’t even a Christian nation?
LIES! DECEPTION!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
 
How about this attitude of toleration? We most tolerate Muslim Terrorism, lest we offend our dire enemies. We must tolerate open sin, give them special rights and steal rights from others.
 
But at the same time, we Christians are refused tolerance. We are labeled haters for believing what the Bible says. A Harvard Professor has said that pro-life Christians should be treated like Nazis. When have we opened any concentration camps and murdered innocent people? They are the guilty ones, only they go under the guise of hospitals and abortion clinics…
 
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
 
It’s time for Americans to fall on their knees before God and beg His forgiveness and mercy. We must speak the truth in love, hating the sin and not the sinner. Christ is the only answer. He is the only One who can save America from destroying herself from the inside.

Every great revival started with a prayer. Every great victory was a result of prayer. And every Righteous Cause was bathed in prayer.
 
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
 
It’s time for us, not to physically fight back, but to fight the spiritual battle God has seen fit to give us.
 
George Washington had his day. Stonewall Jackson had his day.
This is our day! Pray for the salvation of this Nation!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
 
 
My thanks to every serviceman who enlisted to defend our nation following the 9/11 attacks. May God Bless you are keep you safe. And not to be forgotten are our First Responders, those who took part in the 9/11 rescues and elsewhere. You are heroes! There are no words to properly thank you all for the risks you are willing to take to keep America safe and free. God Bless!

Something to think about: Where were you when 9/11 happened? Where you born at the time? How has this event effected you?
 
In the coming days, don’t forget to thank a Veteran or a First Responder.

Never Forget,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22
*Emoji art supplied by Emoji One

America, never forget...
The unspeakable act of terror committed by Muslim terrorists on September 11th, 2001.
The victims who died in the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and flight 93.
The victims who were wounded in the attacks.
The Brave First Responders, our Policemen, Firefighters and EMS.
The Servicemen who continue to risk their lives to make sure it doesn't happen again; Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen.
The Families of the victims, who carry the scars of grief with them every day.
The Heroes of Flight 93. They saved countless lives and families by their selfless sacrifice.
That God is in Control and He is there for us every step of the way.
America, Never Forget.

God Bless America!

Love,
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22