Books — Fluff — Stylin' Granny Mama

This book review is being given in exchange for a copy of the book. There was no monetary reimbursement. All opinions are my own.

I was intrigued when I read the title of Eli Shepherd’s book Faith Through the Storm - AI and Automation. Most of us are aware of the movement of AI becoming a central part of our lives, and perhaps a few of us are viewing this movement with a bit of trepidation and worry. Even now huge data centers are being built all across the United States to enable AI to learn and grow. Here is an interesting article from Pew Research Center.

I have read a few articles here and there on AI and both its possible good outcomes and its possible bad outcomes. If you are thinking Will Smith’s I, Robot, you are not that far off. While that is just a movie, a fictional piece, it does give us something to think about when we decide to feed everything we have ever known and learned as humans to an artificial intelligence who learns and grows at an astronomical rate and most likely will not be able to be controlled.

Shepherd’s book is much more believable than the I, Robot movie and deals with a more real world impact. Using a collection of characters, each chapter revolves around how AI will have long term effects on many areas of life including: farming, corporate structure, construction, small businesses, and manufacturing. We have already seen these outcomes in manufacturing plants across the country as AI technology replaces humans on the assembly lines.

In a series of short chapters, Shepherd creates a world where the aftermath of AI has already taken hold causing a chain of events that impacts an entire community. Tech replacing human workers on farms, construction companies and marketing firms, including the areas of research and design, has caused many people to lose their jobs.

In an effort to help people who are facing these tumultuous times, a group of Christian believers gather to strategize how to respond. They form a group called Kingdom.careers which helps businesses looking for workers and those out of work to find new jobs. Similar to Project 2025, but on a much smaller scale, Shepherd creates a story of possibilities; ways to acclimate and adjust to the difficulties caused by the ever expanding reach of AI’s involvement in our world.

The last chapter of the book leaves us with a “what if” feeling. What if, even all our efforts to keep going and keep adjusting still don’t stop the monolith from consuming our world? As Christians we will keep moving, keep building, keep showing up.

I personally had a hard time reading this book. With my spouse just losing his job due to the closure of the university he works at, this is a bit too real. More and more students are looking for cheaper ways to get an education and one of those ways is via AI coordinated online options. In addition, as a writer, the challenges of AI in the writing field are overwhelming and come with another whole set of problems.

While AI can be a scary thing as we look at the future, I am fully convinced the only surety we have in our future is what God says in His word, and He tells us He will always be with us, provide for us, and one day will take us home to be with Him.

If you are interested in Faith Through the Storm - AI and Automation, click on the link to purchase.

Midwest winters can get long. By mid to late February many of us are feeling like becoming snowbirds would not be a bad idea. I get tired of layering, tired of wearing heavy coats, thick scarves and gloves and tired of clouds. Having Seasonal Affective Disorder (described here) makes winter, not just an inconvenience, but an actual walk through a valley of shadows. While there are goods ways for dealing with SAD, like light therapy, melatonin and other medications and physical exercise, I often revert back to just doing something to make myself comfortable.

So, ladies here is another list. These are some of the things I do for comfort:

1. Curl up with a good book.

2. Watch something happy, silly or exciting. Absolutely, no sad movies during these cloudy months. (That's me. Others might feel a sad movie actually makes them cry and thus feel better. I prefer Gilligan's Island reruns.)

3. Take a nap. (I don't do this as much because as I've gotten older I have a harder time sleeping, but if the mood strikes, especially if I am fighting sickness, a nap is lovely.)

4. Go shopping. (If you are like me and love to shop, this is a real pick-me-up, but if you have a shopping addiction, this may not be the best choice for you. I try to go to one or two stores and have something in mind that I am looking for. But just walking the aisles, seeing spring colors and fashions lifts my spirits.)

5. Put on something baggy. What! No, you did not hear me say that! Well, once in a while, if I am going to be staying home, I do it! Hello sweat suit! Just to be fashionable, my black pants have fake rhinestones on them. (I'll post a picture of me with it on soon!)

6. Have English Breakfast tea in a fun mug.

7. Eat something comforting. Yes, I know, this is an issue for so many of us, and if you read the article on SAD, you know we crave carbs and overeat! However, not everything we reach for needs to be bad for us (although, let's face reality, bad food makes us feel good, at least while we are eating it.) I grew up with a dish my mother used to make several times during the long, snowy Buffalo, NY winter called Chicken and Biscuits. Part chicken pot pie and part stew, the smell and the warmth of the oven as it baked made me feel....well....cozy! It was an act of love on Mom's part as it took all day to boil the chicken, cut up the carrots, potatoes, onion and celery, put it all together and finally bake it 45 minutes then put the homemade biscuits on top to cook some more. But it was worth it.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Trumbull, Hands of my son in law.

I'm sure you all have your own ways of getting comfy. Let me know a few in the comments section below. And hang on, Spring will come, it always does.

Book Review: Faith Through the Storm - AI and Automation

Feeling Comfy?