This book is all about spiritual warfare, and it definitely reminded me of one of the most amazing, awesome and best nights of my life. It was at the Steubenville Youth Conferences during Adoration. Adoration is a time where Jesus’s body is put in the monstrance and carried around where people adore the power of Christ. There is about 3000 people between the ages of 13 and 19 all worshiping God so as you can imagine it is extremely powerful. If you cant imagine then I will tell you, there is praise and worship music in the back ground and Jesus is moving around the gym and you are on your knees, crying and feeling the warmth and love of His presence gently touching you. You reach your hands out and you can almost feel God’s hand reaching out and grabbing it. You are either bawling your eyes out because you are ashamed of your sins and being brought before the Lord, which is an amazing feeling because it is a healing cry, or you are laughing hysterically because you are filled with the greatest type of pure joy! And there are the extremities as well, and this is where my experience comes in.
Some people live such sinful lives that they get a bit, or a lot, of a demon in them and then they go to Steubenville which is officially Holy Land and the demon inside of them gets really, really angry. Then comes Adoration time and they so angry that they possess the human that they are in and take complete control over the body. They start to use the foulest, crudest language have seizure type things and will even hit the people beside him. That is what happened to a boy that looked about 16 who wasn’t that far from where I was. It was the most shocking thing that happened to me in my life. There were about 25 priests surrounding him praying over him. You could feel the strongest forces of evil battle the strongest forces of good. They ended up holding him fast and placing the Monstrance in front of his face and he was screaming and cursing, but the power of Christ overwhelmed him and he started to cry like there was no tomorrow. It was truly amazing.
The next day I saw him walking around the campus and he had the biggest smile ever on his face. This was a very powerful sign that God is real and that He is the one that I live for and that we all should live for. "I will love and adore Him, I will bow down before Him, You are my Prince of Peace and I will live my life for You". That line was stuck in my head after that and always reminds me of that amazing night of my life. I hope you enjoyed to hear about my life - changing experience!
- Luke Schonberger
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Evaluation - March 11 2010
The things that I liked about how Ted Dekker did it was how he would write in present tense one story, and then in past tense another one. Like he would tell the story in Daniel’s point of view and the plot would be about trying to catch Alex, then he would go into third person into a news article written by "Anne Rudolph" and tell the story of Alex and Jessica’s life growing up, up until present times. I also enjoyed how he switched point of views between characters. He would start by using Daniel then move to Heather the next chapter and Dr. Lori the next. I find it very interesting to find out what everyone is thinking and what is going on in their minds.
However I disliked how the author put a whole bunch of information into your head at one time because it can be a lot to handle and think about at one time. I thought he needed to take it just a tad slower and let us have time to think about what had just happened. Other than that the book was great!
I would compare this book to the other book of his that I have read, House (co-authored with Frank Peretti), to both being scary, both having to do with religion, and both having to do with serial killers. However, House is always scary and very tense like something is about to jump out at you, while in Adam the characters are safe at some points in time and not always in danger like the ones in House. Although, I did like Adam a bit better than House.
- Luke Schonberger
However I disliked how the author put a whole bunch of information into your head at one time because it can be a lot to handle and think about at one time. I thought he needed to take it just a tad slower and let us have time to think about what had just happened. Other than that the book was great!
I would compare this book to the other book of his that I have read, House (co-authored with Frank Peretti), to both being scary, both having to do with religion, and both having to do with serial killers. However, House is always scary and very tense like something is about to jump out at you, while in Adam the characters are safe at some points in time and not always in danger like the ones in House. Although, I did like Adam a bit better than House.
- Luke Schonberger
Reactions - March 11 2010
My reactions to the book Adam, were "Wow this book is so interesting" and "I am amazed how everything fits together at the end" and "I love how there are so many unexpected twists and turns". I feel this way because I was in awe of how good can always come out of something in the end and make everything right and I really enjoyed that there was always something new to find out about the characters or the main plot. So basically, I had really good reactions to this particular book.
I feel that the author, Ted Dekker, did a really good job on Adam and that he succeeded on portraying his characters really well. I also feel that I know the characters personally and are really close to a few of them. About the actual plot, I like to put myself into the character’s shoes and feel what they are feeling and experience what they experience and react how they are likely to react. I also found this book very entertaining, it was one of the best Christian Fiction thrillers I have ever read in my life!
I would definitely recommend this book to people from ages 14 and up because it was really powerful and very entertaining. I would not recommend Adam to children younger than 14 because it is scary and you have to understand some things to get the plot. I rate this book 4.9 stars!!
- Luke Schonberger
I feel that the author, Ted Dekker, did a really good job on Adam and that he succeeded on portraying his characters really well. I also feel that I know the characters personally and are really close to a few of them. About the actual plot, I like to put myself into the character’s shoes and feel what they are feeling and experience what they experience and react how they are likely to react. I also found this book very entertaining, it was one of the best Christian Fiction thrillers I have ever read in my life!
I would definitely recommend this book to people from ages 14 and up because it was really powerful and very entertaining. I would not recommend Adam to children younger than 14 because it is scary and you have to understand some things to get the plot. I rate this book 4.9 stars!!
- Luke Schonberger
Predictions - March 11 2010
I thought this book would end by Alex getting caught by the FBI, Daniel and Heather getting their marriage situation getting figured out, and that all the loose ends would be tied up. I was right, but there was so much more to the actual ending of it. The ending was by far the best part! Everything was so good and had a relaxed tone to it after the exorcism occurred. Heather and Daniel got back together, Alex and Jessica were reunited and were put at peace even though Alex had to go to jail for his crimes, and Eve was cast out of many people’s lives forever.
I also predicted how some characters would evolve or change in some way, I was right on a few and wrong on one. I thought that Daniel would end up being affected by Eve again and that Alex would try to kill him again, with which both came true. I also thought that Father Seymour would solve the main problem and that he would enter into Alex’s life once again, which I was right with as well. Lastly, I thought that Dr. Lori was working against Daniel and The FBI even thought she was part of it, on that prediction I was, in a way, right but also wrong. I was right because she was Alex’s sister and was trying to hold off some info until she was actually sure that it was him, but I was wrong because as soon as she found out that it was him she helped capture him because she knew that it was best for the world and to have justice for those who had been killed by him.
- Luke Schonberger
I also predicted how some characters would evolve or change in some way, I was right on a few and wrong on one. I thought that Daniel would end up being affected by Eve again and that Alex would try to kill him again, with which both came true. I also thought that Father Seymour would solve the main problem and that he would enter into Alex’s life once again, which I was right with as well. Lastly, I thought that Dr. Lori was working against Daniel and The FBI even thought she was part of it, on that prediction I was, in a way, right but also wrong. I was right because she was Alex’s sister and was trying to hold off some info until she was actually sure that it was him, but I was wrong because as soon as she found out that it was him she helped capture him because she knew that it was best for the world and to have justice for those who had been killed by him.
- Luke Schonberger
Mood - March 11 2010
When reading this book I felt a mixture of sadness and joy, and I felt scared. I felt sad because Alex and Jessica were beaten as a child and grew up in such a twisted environment. I felt joy when the exorcism because the characters all had a special peace about them. I felt scared through nearly the whole entire book because there was such a strong presence of Satan in it and he was very prominent in a few of the characters.
The saddest incident in this book is the abduction of Alex and Jessica Price. They were only the ages of 5 and 4. They had wonderful parents who loved them very much, and they were cruelly taken in the middle of the night by Alice and Cyril Brown. Then they were taken to an abandoned lot in the middle of a forest in northern Oklahoma. Every day they were beaten at least twice with a cat o’ nine ( a whip with shattered glass attached onto it ), and told that if they ever tried to run away there was an evil spirit named Eve that will kill them. Finally, in the middle of the night Alex lead his sister to a distant rumble (a train) and they jumped onto that and ended up in Los Angeles to try and start a new life.
The most unusual part in this story was when Daniel was levitated in the middle of the exorcism. Eve was so angry that Fr. Seymour was using the power of God against it, that he not only levitated Daniel he Gave him the Stigmata. The stigmata is wounds in both your palms and feet and a deep gash down the side. It is the devil’s way of mocking Christ. This part was so unusual because it is extremely rare for something like that to happen.
The mood changes dramatically from tense and angry to happy and peaceful. It happened this way because God conquered Satan and took over those characters permanently.
- Luke Schonberger
The saddest incident in this book is the abduction of Alex and Jessica Price. They were only the ages of 5 and 4. They had wonderful parents who loved them very much, and they were cruelly taken in the middle of the night by Alice and Cyril Brown. Then they were taken to an abandoned lot in the middle of a forest in northern Oklahoma. Every day they were beaten at least twice with a cat o’ nine ( a whip with shattered glass attached onto it ), and told that if they ever tried to run away there was an evil spirit named Eve that will kill them. Finally, in the middle of the night Alex lead his sister to a distant rumble (a train) and they jumped onto that and ended up in Los Angeles to try and start a new life.
The most unusual part in this story was when Daniel was levitated in the middle of the exorcism. Eve was so angry that Fr. Seymour was using the power of God against it, that he not only levitated Daniel he Gave him the Stigmata. The stigmata is wounds in both your palms and feet and a deep gash down the side. It is the devil’s way of mocking Christ. This part was so unusual because it is extremely rare for something like that to happen.
The mood changes dramatically from tense and angry to happy and peaceful. It happened this way because God conquered Satan and took over those characters permanently.
- Luke Schonberger
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Questions - March 9 2010
In this book, Adam, I did not understand how Daniel could see things when he was in his Near Death Experiences. He would get Dr. Lori to inject some substance into him that kills him, so he can remember when Alex's face right before he got shot. He would start to die and his DMT would start to kick in. DMT stands for this really long word, and basically what it is, is the substance that your brain lets out right before you die that lets you remember random memories that you may not of even knew were stored in your brain. So Daniel would get "killed" and search for Alex's face, so he can get a head start on his case. Another thing that I don't understand is how Daniel had 3 NDE' s and that Dr. Lori resuscitated him every time with out him dying. He must have been a very strong person in mind and body I am guessing. Lastly, I didn't understand how Jessica ( Alex's sister ) didnt have as much negative affects as Alex, I mean it's good that she didn't, but it doesn't make sense how she went on to live a perfectly normal life when Alex became a possesed serial killer.
I think the author made the reader's not find out that Dr. Lori is Jessica until the exorcism part to build suspense and to have an amazing twist. When I found that out it truly surprised me, I definitely did not even think that Lori could possibly be Jessica. I thought that Jessica just left from the story after Alex beat up her boyfriend, Bruce. After, that everything seemed to make sense and woven together. Ted Dekker did a fantastic job in putting that secluded twist into the story.
If I had been the author, I personally would have changed the rising action part of the story and made it a little more action packed because it takes a while before it gets really exciting and really interesting. I would have made Heather have an encounter with Alex and maybe she could get shot too. That would put some more suspense into the story, I beleive.
The conclusion of the book is truly phenomenal. I love the ending because everyone is at peace with God and they all are living happy lives, even Alex who is in jail because he is free from the demon Eve. Everything is calm and blissful while before all was tense, nervous, scare, and angry. But there is NOTHING to fear when you have trust in God, and I have learned that from personal experiences that have literally changed my life and made me look at it in a whole new way.
Probably my favorite scene in this book is the exorcism at the ending. It is a true battle between the most powerful forces of evil and the most powerful and pure forces of good. This scene takes place in a root cellar and has 5 characters in it, Fr. Seymour, Alex, Jessica, Eve, and Heather. It is so complex that you would have to read the book to fully understand it.
Luke Schonberger
I think the author made the reader's not find out that Dr. Lori is Jessica until the exorcism part to build suspense and to have an amazing twist. When I found that out it truly surprised me, I definitely did not even think that Lori could possibly be Jessica. I thought that Jessica just left from the story after Alex beat up her boyfriend, Bruce. After, that everything seemed to make sense and woven together. Ted Dekker did a fantastic job in putting that secluded twist into the story.
If I had been the author, I personally would have changed the rising action part of the story and made it a little more action packed because it takes a while before it gets really exciting and really interesting. I would have made Heather have an encounter with Alex and maybe she could get shot too. That would put some more suspense into the story, I beleive.
The conclusion of the book is truly phenomenal. I love the ending because everyone is at peace with God and they all are living happy lives, even Alex who is in jail because he is free from the demon Eve. Everything is calm and blissful while before all was tense, nervous, scare, and angry. But there is NOTHING to fear when you have trust in God, and I have learned that from personal experiences that have literally changed my life and made me look at it in a whole new way.
Probably my favorite scene in this book is the exorcism at the ending. It is a true battle between the most powerful forces of evil and the most powerful and pure forces of good. This scene takes place in a root cellar and has 5 characters in it, Fr. Seymour, Alex, Jessica, Eve, and Heather. It is so complex that you would have to read the book to fully understand it.
Luke Schonberger
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Author - March 4 2010
The author of this book is Ted Dekker. He is a New York Times best selling author and is famous for his suspense and thriller novels. He also writes some of the best spiritually themed books including : Thr3e, Skin, Obsessed, Boneman's Daughters, and Adam. He has also written: Black, Red, White, Green, Chosen, Infidel, REnegade, Chaos, Lunatic, Elyon, Showdown, Saint, Sinner, and House.
Ted was born to missionaries among the headhunter tribes of Indonesia. At 13 Dekker left Indonesia, then graduated highschool, and took up philosophy and religion. But deep down he had a strong desire to become an author, so he started writind novels. After two novels he found that writing satisfied him, so he sold his business and started writing his third novel.
Some themes that recurr in many of his novels including Adam are : a struggle that has the protagonist running from a serial killer, utilizing darkness and hoplessness vs. light and love, a spiritual reality that constantly reveals itself through the story though it may not be visible, and that love and self - sacrifice are life's greatest purpose (which I agree with ). I think he wrote the book Adam to establish the distinct lines between good and evil, to bring people closer to Christ, and of course to entertain the reader. Which he did a great job on. I believe that he is trying to tell us through this book that it is SO much better to go with the good than the evil! Yet so many young people, and adults even have no sense of right or wrong and do sooooo much wrong! The good is right there in front of us and so many of us go our whole lives without even acknowledging it! I find that very sad and so does Ted Dekker. He protrays that message in so many of his books, and that is one of many reasons why he can get so many young people hooked on his writings.
I have read one other book that he co-authored with Frank Peretti called House. It is in an incredible read and I would reccommend to anybody of any age. It is about two couples that are trapped in a massive house that are getting followed by a phsycopath murderer. They are forced into a game that drives one of the four mad and he goes crazy. There is a massive battle between good and evil, and it is one of the scariest books I have ever read. I would not reccommend reading it at night!
I will most definitely read other books by this author! He is a fantastic author and gives out an awesome message to all while entertaining them. I really want to read Thr3e, because I have heard it is a truly terrifying novel. And I love scary stories that are realistic.
Luke Schonberger - Good ALWAYS conquers evil :)
Ted was born to missionaries among the headhunter tribes of Indonesia. At 13 Dekker left Indonesia, then graduated highschool, and took up philosophy and religion. But deep down he had a strong desire to become an author, so he started writind novels. After two novels he found that writing satisfied him, so he sold his business and started writing his third novel.
Some themes that recurr in many of his novels including Adam are : a struggle that has the protagonist running from a serial killer, utilizing darkness and hoplessness vs. light and love, a spiritual reality that constantly reveals itself through the story though it may not be visible, and that love and self - sacrifice are life's greatest purpose (which I agree with ). I think he wrote the book Adam to establish the distinct lines between good and evil, to bring people closer to Christ, and of course to entertain the reader. Which he did a great job on. I believe that he is trying to tell us through this book that it is SO much better to go with the good than the evil! Yet so many young people, and adults even have no sense of right or wrong and do sooooo much wrong! The good is right there in front of us and so many of us go our whole lives without even acknowledging it! I find that very sad and so does Ted Dekker. He protrays that message in so many of his books, and that is one of many reasons why he can get so many young people hooked on his writings.
I have read one other book that he co-authored with Frank Peretti called House. It is in an incredible read and I would reccommend to anybody of any age. It is about two couples that are trapped in a massive house that are getting followed by a phsycopath murderer. They are forced into a game that drives one of the four mad and he goes crazy. There is a massive battle between good and evil, and it is one of the scariest books I have ever read. I would not reccommend reading it at night!
I will most definitely read other books by this author! He is a fantastic author and gives out an awesome message to all while entertaining them. I really want to read Thr3e, because I have heard it is a truly terrifying novel. And I love scary stories that are realistic.
Luke Schonberger - Good ALWAYS conquers evil :)
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