Are You Afraid of the Holy Ghost?

When I hear of modern day “prophets” or faith healers, I cringe. When I read about the spiritual gift of healing or speaking in tongues, I scoff.

I tend to reject these things outright.

Toa Heftiba

And yet, the Bible—a collection of books I hold to be authentic, reliable, and authoritative—speaks of prophecy, spiritual gifts, tongues. God granted the disciples power to heal others.

Am I a hypocrite?

Why Was Jesus Baptized?

Had it not been for actor Simon Pegg’s loose lips, Daniel Craig’s cameo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens might still be a secret—a private joke among cast and a personal thrill for Craig, famous for his role as James Bond in Spectre and Skyfall.

Alexander S. Kunz

In May 2015, the seventh “episode” of Star Wars was seven months from its theatrical release. But this was the first Star Wars film in a decade, and the picture had the backing of new rights holder, Disney, which had selected wunderkind JJ Abrams as director. All of these elements combined to generate the highest fan expectations since Jar Jar Binks dashed their hopes in 1999.

Therefore, fans (myself included) lapped up any news related to the film, substantiated or not. I remember one Iowa Walmart employee accidentally set out some Force Awakens toys a week early thereby revealing some plot elements of the film. 

In short, the internet-fueled water cooler talk was ablaze with frenzied anticipation for what fans hoped was a return to the genius of the original Star Wars trilogy.

What I Read In 2016

One of the reasons I wanted to become an author is because of my love of reading. I am fascinated by books, and can’t visit someone’s home or office without spying what’s on his or her shelf. (Don’t take me to a library unless you’re in it for the long haul.)

Because I always find it interesting what other people are reading, I thought you might enjoy knowing which books I have been reading. (By the way, I’m on Goodreads, and if we’re not friends, we should rectify that absurdity right now.)

Eli Francis

This list is not exhaustive. These are simply the books I read in 2016 I thought you might find interesting. (The links to each book are affiliate links, which just means I get a small commission if you buy them. It doesn’t cost you any extra.)