"Beyond Bath Time" by Erin Davis
I have been a fan of Erin Davis ever since I heard her on the Revive Our Hearts radio program,
speaking about the true beauty of young girls. Her passion was
contagious, so I was thrilled to be able to review her new book, Beyond Bath Time,
which speaks to mothers (especially young mothers) about redefining
motherhood as a role placed by God in the hearts of countless women.
Davis
touches on many tender subjects, such as the decision to live
childless, finding stillness in the midst of crying toddlers and crazy
schedules, and finding support from other moms who in turn support
honesty, no matter how hard the words are to speak. She presents
statistics about the trendy choice to live child-free and offers
encouragement for mothers in that tricky situation, arguing fairly for
both sides of the decision.
Davis
herself is an encourager in a tangle of laundry piles and frozen
casseroles--she has been in tough birth circumstances and has suffered
from postpartum depression after delivering her little bundles. Her
words are never sugar-coated, but always thought-provoking and
generously covered in God's grace.
This
little book is a quick read with long-lasting effect. Even if you
aren't a mother, Davis has something to say for everyone, and is a rich
lifeline in an increasingly conflicted world.
"To Heaven and Back" by Mary Neal, M.D.
I am always skeptical about afterlife experiences, the works of people whose life-altering experience in heaven causes them to write (often bestselling) books revealing the afterlife to the rest of us. Sadly, in the case of To Heaven and Back, my time in reading a book in that genre was not worth it.Mary Neal was a successful surgeon, with a good marriage and beautiful children, when her kayak accident rendered her drowned, dead, and, by medical standards, flown on to Glory. However, she was granted more time on earth after being dragged from the depths and resuscitated. Months in therapy and a wheelchair later, she now encourages her patients with her incredible story.
However, as incredible as these accounts might appear, Neal's writing is mechanical and lifeless, and does not lend itself to depicting an accurate, credible account of an afterlife experience. While I do not so much question the validity of what she claims to have experienced, I was not edified by her writing style and the way the book meandered from one snapshot of her life to the next, most of which were hardly apropos to the nexus of the book. She introduces herself in 50 pages of backstory, then spends less than 50 more on the afterlife experience. After that, the pages consist of random pictures from her life, as well as her time spent healing after the tragic accident.
I appreciate Neal's honesty and willingness to share her story, but think perhaps her skills lie elsewhere--certainly not in the writing realm.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook-Multnomah. You may purchase this book from Amazon or the WBM website.
"To Be Perfectly Honest" by Phil Callaway
Mr. Callaway has made a career out of lying--his words, not mine! By poking fun at audience members and making up wild stories that send them into convulsions, he has created a persona filled with laughter, but little truth. So one day, he wakes up and decides to be honest. Perfectly honest. He takes on a challenge to tell the absolute truth (or as near as he can make it) for one year, much to the amusement and manipulation of his coworkers. His wife and kids soon catch on, and thus begins a rich year of seeing just how bothersome it is to be continually telling the truth.
From an odd reunion to hanging out with atheist golfing buddies, becoming more real with his wife to telling the church greeter what he really thinks of the praise music, Mr. Callway writes in his truth journal every single day, keeping us in stitches with his honest observations and sudden periods of thought-provoking investigation. Telling the truth doesn't always come easily for him, but readers can be assured of his staunch humanity in the face of his own flaws and an outcome that is satisfying to see and even more so to try out. If more people look hard looks at their lives, as Callway does, putting it into the context of humor and honesty, I think we would all be better off.
This is an immensely funny book, and I am surprised not to have seen it circulated more widely. But maybe if more people found out how joyous real life could be, therapists and antidepressant manufacturers would go out of business.
I would recommend this to anyone with no inhibitions...save for this: be sure you aren't in a confined space, because you'll need room for belly laughs.
I received this book for free from WBM. Purchase this book on Amazon or the WBM website.
"The Next Christians" by Gabe Lyons
This is a powerful book, easy to
read, and focuses in on an epidemic of new Christians being brought up in
entirely different ways than their parents were. Christianity is meant to be
shared, author Gabe Lyons argues, but it must be shared in a way that addresses
each individual's talents, passions, while still hitting the mark of the
sincere, fervent Christian.
There aren't many books like this on the market yet, which is a shame. More and more youth groups are seeing divides over the issues of petty faith: who says what, who does what, which mom will make pizza...PTA meetings all over again, anyone? But Lyons is as much an actionary as a visionary (and yes, I did just make that word up...Lyons exemplifies it). If we young people are to be honest with ourselves, how much of our time is spent in the Word, learning about the faith we claim to live out? And how many efforts of the church encourage that true spiritual nurturing?
This book frankly and dexterously deals with addressing the new generation, showing the older folks how to lead the younger folks in a pathway of righteousness and impact for the Gospel. It reveals seven ways to grab the world, and the new generation, for Christ...but to find out those seven steps, you'll have to read the book for yourself.
"The Next Christians" is a wonderful, powerful, and very overlooked, under-marketed book, and I would recommend it highly, to young or older readers.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook-Multnomah. Purchase this book on WBM or Amazon.com.
There aren't many books like this on the market yet, which is a shame. More and more youth groups are seeing divides over the issues of petty faith: who says what, who does what, which mom will make pizza...PTA meetings all over again, anyone? But Lyons is as much an actionary as a visionary (and yes, I did just make that word up...Lyons exemplifies it). If we young people are to be honest with ourselves, how much of our time is spent in the Word, learning about the faith we claim to live out? And how many efforts of the church encourage that true spiritual nurturing?
This book frankly and dexterously deals with addressing the new generation, showing the older folks how to lead the younger folks in a pathway of righteousness and impact for the Gospel. It reveals seven ways to grab the world, and the new generation, for Christ...but to find out those seven steps, you'll have to read the book for yourself.
"The Next Christians" is a wonderful, powerful, and very overlooked, under-marketed book, and I would recommend it highly, to young or older readers.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook-Multnomah. Purchase this book on WBM or Amazon.com.
The subtitle of this book reads,
"Empowering organizations by encouraging people," and that's really
what this book is about--demonstrating affection in the workplace that is at
once appropriate and appreciated by bosses and coworkers alike.
I know full well that the workplace can often be a hectic and discouraging environment; a coworker's failure to affirm the positive actions or words of a fellow man can be the defining point of success. I've had countless classmates at school come to me and complain about their job: they're overworked, underpaid (the state of blue collar America, it seems), discouraged because they are upbraided when they do wrong but never appreciated publicly when they do right, and a meager high five and a "Keep it up!" from the boss, with no specific point of entry from an actual action, can be more disheartening than a boss who locks himself away and never, or rarely, interacts with the worker.
Although not exactly typical leisure reading, this book does a good, thorough job on pinpointing the love languages in the workplace, or "languages of appreciation," for the sake of distinguishing between intimate appreciation and professional interaction. We so often hear words about keeping positive, contributing to a wider community than our neighborhood, and keeping the peace amongst each other that the methods of how are lost in all our Pollyanna optimism.
Gary Chapman, Ph.D. and founder of this love language revolution, causing us to rethink how we treat each other, has wisdom to share in this book. It is both a call to action for those being left in the dust to make known their language, and an encouragement to those stuck in a work environment that does not usually engender a feeling of friendship among the employees. Having a father who is sometimes caught in corporate cracks without the recognition his hard work deserves, this book was an opportunity for me to stop and ponder my own interaction with coworkers. A great book to have on the shelf (particularly at an office!).
You may buy this book at Moody Press or on Amazon.com.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I know full well that the workplace can often be a hectic and discouraging environment; a coworker's failure to affirm the positive actions or words of a fellow man can be the defining point of success. I've had countless classmates at school come to me and complain about their job: they're overworked, underpaid (the state of blue collar America, it seems), discouraged because they are upbraided when they do wrong but never appreciated publicly when they do right, and a meager high five and a "Keep it up!" from the boss, with no specific point of entry from an actual action, can be more disheartening than a boss who locks himself away and never, or rarely, interacts with the worker.
Although not exactly typical leisure reading, this book does a good, thorough job on pinpointing the love languages in the workplace, or "languages of appreciation," for the sake of distinguishing between intimate appreciation and professional interaction. We so often hear words about keeping positive, contributing to a wider community than our neighborhood, and keeping the peace amongst each other that the methods of how are lost in all our Pollyanna optimism.
Gary Chapman, Ph.D. and founder of this love language revolution, causing us to rethink how we treat each other, has wisdom to share in this book. It is both a call to action for those being left in the dust to make known their language, and an encouragement to those stuck in a work environment that does not usually engender a feeling of friendship among the employees. Having a father who is sometimes caught in corporate cracks without the recognition his hard work deserves, this book was an opportunity for me to stop and ponder my own interaction with coworkers. A great book to have on the shelf (particularly at an office!).
You may buy this book at Moody Press or on Amazon.com.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
"Primal" by Mark Batterson
I have read several books by Mark Batterson and have found his writing style to be convicting, exciting, and capable of stripping off the Sunday Face of Christianity and resorting to a more gut instinctual faith. In "Primal," Batterson excavates ways that we can get back to the roots of Christianity and renew our relationship with God in a powerful way.
Batterson serves as the lead pastor for National Community Church in Washington, D.C., and often uses the great impact his church has had on the world and their locale to prove a point. But unlike other books, written by authors who brag on their five thousand member churches and automatically put their lifestyle or tithing regime on a pedestal for other, less worthy Christians to fawn over, "Primal" enjoys fruits behind the branches. Batterson is credible to speak about getting back to the new-Christian-esque zealousness--he even went on an official 40-day fast when he felt his spiritual life slipping! Have no fear, though; he doesn't condone fasting as one of his exhortations to readers getting back to their blood and guts faith (although the option is certainly there).
Rather, "Primal" is the call of a man sold out to fearless, just, incredible Christianity. I didn't find myself nodding in agreement with every single one of his points, but Batterson does a good job with presenting a challenge to weak, silly, nonchalant Christians, getting them on the road to new faith (or back to the old faith discarded for the new shiny version).
This book echoes the words of another well-known Christian author, Dorothy Sayers: "To do them justice, the people who crucified Jesus did not do so because he was a bore. Quite the contrary; he was too dynamic to be safe. It has been left for later generations to muffle up that shattering personality and surround Him with an atmosphere of tedium. We have declawed the lion of Judah and made Him a housecat for pale priests and pious old ladies."
Let's take Batterson's advice, and save our faith from paleness and piousness.
I received this book for free from Waterbrook-Multnomah. Buy it on Amazon or WBM.
"How to Finish the Christian Life" by Donald and George Sweeting
I’m not sure what I took to be the meaning of the title, but I was happily surprised that a book about aging, retirement, failing health and death (in its final chapters) wasn’t so dry as to turn me off. In fact, father and son team Donald and George Sweeting shared their wisdom about old age and finishing a successful Christian life in an accessible way.
Donald and George are more than credible to talk about the spiritual and connotative side effects of growing old and maintaining a Christian testimony in “the second half.” With honesty and gentleness, the father-son team investigates topics like the American ideal for retirement, avoiding the sucking black hole of time-wasting, and putting every ounce of faith in Christ to walk through valleys even when the soul and perhaps physical body, too, are enervated.
This little book contains verses tailored to the topic, examples from popular movies, and touching stories from the lives of such believers as D.L. Moody, John Calvin, Billy Graham, as well as anecdotes from the Sweetings’ own wealth of experience. There is much wisdom in this book about investing in heavenly pleasures, rather than earthly ones, debunking the myth that “old people” have to take it easy (proven false by a story of the dying Calvin being discovered in his bed, scribbling letters and research even though his health was flagging, so as not to be found idle when Christ came back), and coping with ailing health or financial problems. Even if you as the reader are not close to the 50+ second half of the race, being equipped in advance for the trials and joys ahead is never a bad idea!
I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
"I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris
This book should be read by anyone who is in a relationship, wanting to get into one, or struggling in a less than savory one. The book is filled with humorous anecdotes, true-life circumstances and scenarios, and convicting questions to get the reader thinking about priorities in relationships. It's not set up as a how-to book or one of those 'For Dummies' books, with a list of questions at the end of every chapter, but rather as a young man sincerely pouring his passion for Christ, and exhortations to stay pure and faithful to God, with every written page.
Besides pinpointing, describing, and prescribing the Deadly Habits of Defective Dating, Josh delves into uncomfortable topics with tenderness but firmness, describing how simple infatuation can become a sinful reaction to pure interest about a person, pitfalls of both genders, compromising situations best left avoided, and lies that we as single (and married!) people feel compelled to fall into. Josh never, at any point in his narrative, puts himself or his experience on a foreign, elitist climate. We feel as though we are being invited to partake of glory that comes not from Josh, but from the Father Who created sex and relationships to reflect Him.
You do not have to be in a relationship or even on the lookout for one; this book does a great job of being all-inclusive, touching on every circumstance with fruitful evidence and remedies, while never sounding like a cheapy self-help book. I would encourage this book for anyone, married, single, or just plain confused. We are all invited to the feast.
(I received this book for free from Waterbrook-Multnomah. Purchase this book on Amazon or WBM.)
"Radical" by David Platt
In "Radical", David Platt's ground-breaking book, we come to see just how far Americans will go to achieve their need for security and acceptance, and while nothing is wrong with enjoying life and drinking its sweet benefits, we have become immune to what truly matters. The easy-street mentality described in the book, of plastic smiling people sitting in their cushioned pews listening to the same old love-yourself sermon as last week and the week before, is a self-centered mindset fed off years of struggling to be the best of nations, trying to breed the best of people, turning our democracy into a "me-ocracy". The focus has been taken off the colonial plaudits accrediting God for the blessings we have, and onto ourselves. How did we fall so far? David Platt seems to think this departure from God and selflessness started in the church.
"That afternoon, crowds filled the parking lot of our sprawling multimillion-dollar church campus. Moms, dads, and their kids jumped on inflatable games. Plans were being discussed for using the adjacent open land to build state-of-the-art recreation fields and facilities to support more events like this...We were settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves." Instead of surrendering everything to a rich, life-sustaining strength that goes beyond our mortal understanding, we have become people who walk down the aisle, sign the card, and get saved, as though salvation were a mere byproduct, part and parcel to a happy life. Books grossing thousands describe Christianity as the secret to a successful life, as though we are owed something once we become Christians. We are owed nothing, Platt believes; it is we who owe our Savior something. We snatch at influential people, convert them, and voila. They write a best-selling book and start making the dough. It's no longer about God's comfort to us, His sufficient strength in times of trials, but our comfort in times of peace. Do we really need the sickening excess of worldly success and finances? "Consider the cost for the starving multitudes who sit outside the gate of contemporary Christian affluence."
Platt gives a stark example of the comfy Christian influence when he remembers reading a newspaper reporting how 350,000 refugees in western Sudan were suffering from malnutrition and how a large Baptist church was raising money for aid. But on the other half of the page was an article describing how that same church was celebrating building a $23 million building, and had donated $5,000 to the sufferers in Sudan. Five thousand dollars is not enough to get a plane into the Sudan, much less provide the nutrition those poor people needed. There's something wrong with our mentality when we care more about having an illustrious sanctuary than providing help to those who can't twist a tap and take a long, cool drink.
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’" 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
Another stark example is when Platt describes a friend visiting some unsaved people in a remote area. Asked if they had heard about Jesus, the people were confused and replied that they had not. During the friend's sermon, one of the unsaved went into a store and bought a bottle of Coke. We have succeeded in marketing a soda drink to people who have never even heard the name of Jesus.
There are many wonderful passages in "Radical", ones worth underlining and even committing to memory. Platt is a powerful writer, full of passion and zest, and his anecdotes about ministering to people in his worldwide travels add an interesting angle to the book. But I came away with a sinking, guilty feeling because while Platt addresses the need for Christians in America to wake up and smell the coffee, he does not give realistic advice for bolstering ourselves into radical servitude. In the last chapter, Platt presents a five-step plan towards breaking through our cozy American worldview.
1. Pray for the entire world.
2. Read through the entire Word.
3. Sacrifice money for a specific purpose.
4. Spend time in another context.
5. Commit your life to a multiplying community.
Platt does give a small debriefing, explaining that these are rational steps that could be taken in your own neighborhood, but then rails that our major goal should be to branch out and minister to the world, making disciples of the nations. Not everyone is able to hop on a plane and fly to India or Uganda, and not everyone has the money to spare for giving. God puts each individual where he/she is supposed to be, and from there we must press on towards doing all that we can. We are not all privileged with the circumstances in Platt's own life and the stretch of his international ministry-inspired fame. There are also several very critical comparisons, such as Christians sitting in their nice SUVs while people on the other side of the world are starving. This comparison in no way envelopes the whole of Christians in America. In a way, "Radical" is the perfect book to shock us out of complacency, but it was anticlimactic in that we are not given more substantial steps we can take after realizing what a state the American church is in. We come away feeling guilty for the blessings God has showered on us, which is unbiblical. We are presented with a problem...now how do we fix it?
We can only assume that this book must speak for the individual. We must make of this what we will, pray hard for the suffering and what we are to do about it, and go boldly in rational ways to convert America from her fluffy dream of cozy Christianity.
"In direct contradiction to the American dream, God actually delights in exalting our inability. He intentionally puts his people in situations where they come face to face with their need for him. In the process he powerfully demonstrates his ability to provide everything his need people in ways they could never have mustered up or imagined. And in the end, he makes much of his own name."
If you would like to buy "Radical"...
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Waterbrook-Multnomah
"The Fourth Fisherman" by Joe Kissack
"It was the subject of headlines around the world: Three Mexican fishermen in a small open boat without any supplies, drifting for over nine months and 5,500 miles, across the Pacific Ocean to Australia. They battle blistering sun, threatening storms, and paralyzing hopelessness. Their sustenance consists of rainwater and raw fish. Their one lifeline? Faith...and a Bible, read until tattered."
This is a quote from the back of this book, and for once, I don't have much to say about the choppy sentences, the cliched lines spouting from the page, the typical storyline rehashed in ways already conceived by more talented writers. I would not recommend this book, and that saddens me, because I would always wish to offer reviews for edifying reading. This book was not well-written, did not induce creativity or present a well-crafted story, and read like a Dick and Jane parody, where the characters are simply quoting lines as if reading from a dull and overused script. I did not, however, find this book worthy of my time or the postage spent to send it to me, and would encourage you to look elsewhere for a different read during the dwindling days of your holiday! I would also encourage you to seek out an audio clip of Joe Kissack speaking--perhaps he orates better than he writes.
I received this book for free from WBM. If you'd like to buy it, go to Amazon or the WBM website.
This is a quote from the back of this book, and for once, I don't have much to say about the choppy sentences, the cliched lines spouting from the page, the typical storyline rehashed in ways already conceived by more talented writers. I would not recommend this book, and that saddens me, because I would always wish to offer reviews for edifying reading. This book was not well-written, did not induce creativity or present a well-crafted story, and read like a Dick and Jane parody, where the characters are simply quoting lines as if reading from a dull and overused script. I did not, however, find this book worthy of my time or the postage spent to send it to me, and would encourage you to look elsewhere for a different read during the dwindling days of your holiday! I would also encourage you to seek out an audio clip of Joe Kissack speaking--perhaps he orates better than he writes.
I received this book for free from WBM. If you'd like to buy it, go to Amazon or the WBM website.
"Fierce Beauty" by Kim Meeder
"Fierce Beauty" is a gorgeously-written book about just that: fierce beauty. In a series of parable-esque installments and anecdotal snapshots taken from her own life, Meeder talks about the deeply-buried beauty that all women have, and how to channel that for the sake of Jesus.
In this book are stories about a kindly dog who was rescued, then revealed to have an arrow buried inside its neck, just as we have sin shoved down our own necks; a nearly disastrous skiing trip, shown to demonstrate integrity; the heart-wrenching story of a young girl who came to Meeder's ministerial ranch after a staggering loss; and many other stories used to illustrate a point about God's fervor, His divine creation, and how we can enjoy it.
The writing is beautiful, albeit grandiose. Reading too much in one sitting would be like eating the whole bar of Godiva. Nevertheless, the striking turns of phraseology and the apt way Meeder describes the natural surroundings she is clearly in love with stand above many books in the Descriptions Department: "Long gone was the golden glow of the setting sun's last rays. In its place, as if on a timeless theater stage, the dark sky had silently ushered in the twinkling glow of countless stars...."
Meeder's boundless enthusiasm for life and her reckless love of the outdoors and all things adventurous make this book an exciting, informed, and lovely read. I would recommend it to any woman who is struggling amid bills, whiny children, and mountains of laundry--this book will turn those socks and T-shirts to a mountain of beckoning adventure and give that woman the strength to live out her secret, buried fantasies.
I received this book for free from WBM. If you'd like to buy this book, go to Amazon or the WBM page.
In this book are stories about a kindly dog who was rescued, then revealed to have an arrow buried inside its neck, just as we have sin shoved down our own necks; a nearly disastrous skiing trip, shown to demonstrate integrity; the heart-wrenching story of a young girl who came to Meeder's ministerial ranch after a staggering loss; and many other stories used to illustrate a point about God's fervor, His divine creation, and how we can enjoy it.
The writing is beautiful, albeit grandiose. Reading too much in one sitting would be like eating the whole bar of Godiva. Nevertheless, the striking turns of phraseology and the apt way Meeder describes the natural surroundings she is clearly in love with stand above many books in the Descriptions Department: "Long gone was the golden glow of the setting sun's last rays. In its place, as if on a timeless theater stage, the dark sky had silently ushered in the twinkling glow of countless stars...."
Meeder's boundless enthusiasm for life and her reckless love of the outdoors and all things adventurous make this book an exciting, informed, and lovely read. I would recommend it to any woman who is struggling amid bills, whiny children, and mountains of laundry--this book will turn those socks and T-shirts to a mountain of beckoning adventure and give that woman the strength to live out her secret, buried fantasies.
I received this book for free from WBM. If you'd like to buy this book, go to Amazon or the WBM page.
"The God Pocket" by Bruce Wilkinson
I loved "The Cross and the Switchblade" by Bruce Wilkinson, so I was excited to find that "The God Pocket" coauthored by the same man was available in the program. This little book is simplistic, but it hits on a point that we so often overlook: giving.
That single word has the impact of a sledgehammer bashing most Christians into the soil of confusion. Pastors grip their lecterns and urge their flock to donate or suffer the consequences of greed and stinginess; homeless people hold out their hands, only to be ignored or brushed aside, looked upon as a result of tax hikes and outdated housing; single mothers struggle in diners to garner tips to clothe their children. Pride keeps us apart; it's the confessional screen that blurs our vision, bamboozles us into thinking that giving equals suffering financially. "The God Pocket" addresses this endemic sense of fiscal seclusion. We have money and, in this economy, we intend to keep it! However, what would happen if we set aside some of that money, prayed that God would give us the opportunity to use it, and then kept our eyes open to the people who might need that money...what might happen?
"The God Pocket" encourages believers to keep a portion of their cash in a special place and then to pray and trust that God will invite us to give it away to those in need. This book recounts many anecdotes about the faithful giving away their God fund and blessing those in need. Wilkinson bravely approaches the touchy subject of giving and shows us how God will replenish us, how He will bless our willingness to follow His lead and empty it all for the sake of helping others and bumping them into God's arms by attributing that sense of "give to this one" to His urging.
I enjoyed this book...but I have two invocations for those interested in reading it. One, the replenishment does not always come back in the form of more cash to give away. This book verges on preaching the prosperity theory, meaning that our faithful lives will result in a comfortable ride. We should not give to get back; we should instead give because God has commanded us. We must misconstrue verses that speak to this effect, like this one: "He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." (2 Corinthians 8-9, emphasis mine.) God is able to make all grace abound; but sometimes He will withhold something for whatever reason, perhaps so that we may depend on Him or seek His face more earnestly. Money is an earthly thing, and blessing comes back to us in many forms, certainly not immediately after we give something away. Otherwise we would have no need to depend on God as an Abba, our Father; we would instead view Him as a cosmic vending machine!
My second concern hearkens back to "Under the Overpass", the first book I reviewed for this program. Sometimes giving money away will tempt those in need to buy something that is contributing to their fiscal or spiritual malaise. We have to trust that our five bucks isn't going towards drugs or sex trafficking, or something else along those dark lines; so while the concept of setting money away for the specific purpose of giving it to those in need is an act of faith, this action endorses a larger cause. I am taking "The God Pocket" to be a catalyst for a broader concept, illustrating a simple example that can be lengthened to mean us, believers, bringing ourselves to a place where we are willing to give it all away for God's sake. By following His leading, we can bless others with more than money; use "The God Pocket" as a starting place.
I received this book for free from Waterbrook-Multnomah. If you would like this book, get it on Amazon or WB.
That single word has the impact of a sledgehammer bashing most Christians into the soil of confusion. Pastors grip their lecterns and urge their flock to donate or suffer the consequences of greed and stinginess; homeless people hold out their hands, only to be ignored or brushed aside, looked upon as a result of tax hikes and outdated housing; single mothers struggle in diners to garner tips to clothe their children. Pride keeps us apart; it's the confessional screen that blurs our vision, bamboozles us into thinking that giving equals suffering financially. "The God Pocket" addresses this endemic sense of fiscal seclusion. We have money and, in this economy, we intend to keep it! However, what would happen if we set aside some of that money, prayed that God would give us the opportunity to use it, and then kept our eyes open to the people who might need that money...what might happen?
"The God Pocket" encourages believers to keep a portion of their cash in a special place and then to pray and trust that God will invite us to give it away to those in need. This book recounts many anecdotes about the faithful giving away their God fund and blessing those in need. Wilkinson bravely approaches the touchy subject of giving and shows us how God will replenish us, how He will bless our willingness to follow His lead and empty it all for the sake of helping others and bumping them into God's arms by attributing that sense of "give to this one" to His urging.
I enjoyed this book...but I have two invocations for those interested in reading it. One, the replenishment does not always come back in the form of more cash to give away. This book verges on preaching the prosperity theory, meaning that our faithful lives will result in a comfortable ride. We should not give to get back; we should instead give because God has commanded us. We must misconstrue verses that speak to this effect, like this one: "He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." (2 Corinthians 8-9, emphasis mine.) God is able to make all grace abound; but sometimes He will withhold something for whatever reason, perhaps so that we may depend on Him or seek His face more earnestly. Money is an earthly thing, and blessing comes back to us in many forms, certainly not immediately after we give something away. Otherwise we would have no need to depend on God as an Abba, our Father; we would instead view Him as a cosmic vending machine!
My second concern hearkens back to "Under the Overpass", the first book I reviewed for this program. Sometimes giving money away will tempt those in need to buy something that is contributing to their fiscal or spiritual malaise. We have to trust that our five bucks isn't going towards drugs or sex trafficking, or something else along those dark lines; so while the concept of setting money away for the specific purpose of giving it to those in need is an act of faith, this action endorses a larger cause. I am taking "The God Pocket" to be a catalyst for a broader concept, illustrating a simple example that can be lengthened to mean us, believers, bringing ourselves to a place where we are willing to give it all away for God's sake. By following His leading, we can bless others with more than money; use "The God Pocket" as a starting place.
I received this book for free from Waterbrook-Multnomah. If you would like this book, get it on Amazon or WB.
"The Perfect Love" by Ruth Myers
The title interested me; love is such an abstract concept to write about, and is usually channeled with anecdotes and more tangible examples than mere preaching. I had hoped that these nitty-gritties of performance would be stuffed into this impressive-looking book, but I was mistaken.
"The Perfect Love" is Ms. Myers' heart-cry; she is sincere in her wish to show her audience the profound love of Jesus. Taking the reader step by step, showing him or her how much they are loved by the Father, Myers paints an adequate picture of what we can enjoy in God's arms. While the world places too much emphasis on love based off sexual appeal or empty promises of temporary pleasure, Myers's book seeks to show a greater love, one that goes beyond fleeting emotion.
God's love will never forsake us or leave us to fend or ourselves; this is the truth, and Myers does a good job of getting that across. My main issue with the book was that although she is sincere and writes well, Myers does little in this particular book to capture the fancy. Evocative writers such as Max Lucado or C.S. Lewis use real-life examples to bring home their point. Without a stronger sense of personality, Myers comes across as dry and boring.
Although this book wouldn't rate high in my mind, it's still worth the time put into reading it--especially if you need to be reminded of the love that so many of us crave, the love that will never walk out the door.
If you would like to buy this book from Amazon, click here.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Waterbrook-Multnomah.
"The Perfect Love" is Ms. Myers' heart-cry; she is sincere in her wish to show her audience the profound love of Jesus. Taking the reader step by step, showing him or her how much they are loved by the Father, Myers paints an adequate picture of what we can enjoy in God's arms. While the world places too much emphasis on love based off sexual appeal or empty promises of temporary pleasure, Myers's book seeks to show a greater love, one that goes beyond fleeting emotion.
God's love will never forsake us or leave us to fend or ourselves; this is the truth, and Myers does a good job of getting that across. My main issue with the book was that although she is sincere and writes well, Myers does little in this particular book to capture the fancy. Evocative writers such as Max Lucado or C.S. Lewis use real-life examples to bring home their point. Without a stronger sense of personality, Myers comes across as dry and boring.
Although this book wouldn't rate high in my mind, it's still worth the time put into reading it--especially if you need to be reminded of the love that so many of us crave, the love that will never walk out the door.
If you would like to buy this book from Amazon, click here.
Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Waterbrook-Multnomah.
"Espresso for Your Spirit" by Pam Vredevelt
The kids are in the back seat squalling; the husband won't wash the dishes or make the bed or put down the toilet seat; the wife, for some unwarranted reason, has Cheerios stuck to her shirt front. This is the stuff that makes us human. As fate would have it, it's also the stuff that makes us worn out, beat down, used up and drained of our God juice. It takes a lot to keep us going through the piddling trials and the tragic happenings of life, as well as the simple determination to embrace life by the seat of the pants. "Espresso for Your Spirit" is a book which reminds us that laughter is a path to healing, and that God is sitting by, watching our progress and shaking His head until we finally wear ourselves out enough to sit back and let Him place us on the right track.
This book is both funny and sensible. Although the book is mainly speaking to the trials and joys of parenting, I myself enjoyed it for the sheer funny aspect. Vredevelt does a tremendous job of shifting gears between the hilarious and the inspirational, providing a daily boost (resembling a good cup of joe) for "pooped-out parents"...as well as anyone that needs to be reminded that not only is our God a God of order, but also of laughter and comfort.
"Espresso for Your Spirit" uses the familiar pleasure of delicious coffee to show how nourishing our God is--His presence as tasteful and savory as a frothy latte or swirly Americano. With anecdotes that move the heart and humor that lifts the spirit, this book swings moods but always places God at the center.
I would recommend this fun book to anyone needing a good laugh, a light read, a morning bounce...but especially the caffeine-deprived.
You can buy this book here or here. (Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.)
This book is both funny and sensible. Although the book is mainly speaking to the trials and joys of parenting, I myself enjoyed it for the sheer funny aspect. Vredevelt does a tremendous job of shifting gears between the hilarious and the inspirational, providing a daily boost (resembling a good cup of joe) for "pooped-out parents"...as well as anyone that needs to be reminded that not only is our God a God of order, but also of laughter and comfort.
"Espresso for Your Spirit" uses the familiar pleasure of delicious coffee to show how nourishing our God is--His presence as tasteful and savory as a frothy latte or swirly Americano. With anecdotes that move the heart and humor that lifts the spirit, this book swings moods but always places God at the center.
I would recommend this fun book to anyone needing a good laugh, a light read, a morning bounce...but especially the caffeine-deprived.
You can buy this book here or here. (Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.)
"Dinner with a Perfect Stranger" by David Gregory
This little book is perhaps the most concise and inventive summary of philosophies that I have read--which is saying a lot, considering how much philosophy last year's worldview course required of me. Some books simply crisp in the brain, like a ripe apple, or melt into the senses like veal fantarella. This book did both, with simple descriptions and heady turns into the thoughtful.
I'd been drawn to Dinner with a Perfect Stranger because I had seen the movie ads and wondered what it was all about. Nick Cominsky receives an enigmatic invitation in the mail: an invitation to dinner with Jesus of Nazareth. Nick, a skeptic, decides to risk it and goes to the specified Italian place, one eyebrow raised the entire time. Enter an average-height, suit-and-tie sort of fellow, who shakes his hand and introduces himself as Jesus. Nick is astounded...and offended that this man is insisting upon keeping this mental goose chase up.
Once their meals are ordered, Nick and "Jesus" begin an intellectual banter that is both simple and fulfilling. Problems that atheists have with Christianity are deftly answered; other religions are explained in an understanding way but always to the end that they don't lead to heaven. This book was skillful in allowing the reader to understand the closure of Christianity, while avoiding the ever-popular Bible-beating bash to other discussed religions. And the ending of this book induces goose bumps!
This is a short read but one well worth it; rich as chocolate, it's delicious all the way through. Readers may consider incorporating this book into a study of worldviews for young students.
If you would like to buy this book, order it on Amazon or WaterbrookMultnomah.
(FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review)
I'd been drawn to Dinner with a Perfect Stranger because I had seen the movie ads and wondered what it was all about. Nick Cominsky receives an enigmatic invitation in the mail: an invitation to dinner with Jesus of Nazareth. Nick, a skeptic, decides to risk it and goes to the specified Italian place, one eyebrow raised the entire time. Enter an average-height, suit-and-tie sort of fellow, who shakes his hand and introduces himself as Jesus. Nick is astounded...and offended that this man is insisting upon keeping this mental goose chase up.
Once their meals are ordered, Nick and "Jesus" begin an intellectual banter that is both simple and fulfilling. Problems that atheists have with Christianity are deftly answered; other religions are explained in an understanding way but always to the end that they don't lead to heaven. This book was skillful in allowing the reader to understand the closure of Christianity, while avoiding the ever-popular Bible-beating bash to other discussed religions. And the ending of this book induces goose bumps!
This is a short read but one well worth it; rich as chocolate, it's delicious all the way through. Readers may consider incorporating this book into a study of worldviews for young students.
If you would like to buy this book, order it on Amazon or WaterbrookMultnomah.
(FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review)
“Life, in Spite of Me” by Kristen Jane Anderson
I watched Kristen’s interview on Oprah before I read this book and this brave young lady more than lives up to the impressive psyche she presented America with on the most popular talk show of our century.
Kristen was seventeen and her life was spiraling out of control. Her grandmother had just passed away, a close friend had taken his own life, Kristen had just been raped by a friend she thought she could trust, her grades were failing due to a wild party life, and her parents had grounded her ‘until further notice’. She resorted to what seemed like the only option for someone who has lost every handful of God, hope, or meaning: suicide. “If I did it, the pain, the heartache, the numbness would be over.”
Kristen laid across the train tracks and was nearly sucked up into the belly of thirty freight cars slicing through her body. A force that she did not recognize and later was convicted to have been God pushed her back down, defying physics and keeping her held safely against the tracks, saving her from death. When she felt the last train pass over her, everything was a blur…until she looked over and saw her legs lying on the tracks several feet from her body. Paramedics rushed her to a hospital, and there began a struggle for life as Kristen faced pain, prosthetics, deep depression, and the tender pain of God flooding her heart, letting her come to terms with the fact that she had not only tried to kill herself, but had failed in that final desperate act and had been spared for His work.
“Life, in Spite of Me” is a fresh, quickly-paced, and heart-tugging book about an issue that is growing increasingly prevalent in the underground of young hearts. Suicide is such a touchy subject, danced around or hushed or even laboriously silenced for fear of public scorn, one that Kristen talks about openly and honestly in her companionable and heartfelt ‘love letters’ to the reader; but suicide is also a subject that needs to be talked about. Something has to be done.
God has used what would have been a victim of suicide to become an activist for suicide prevention. Today, Kristen is reaching thousands with her ministry and her speaking engagements. I would recommend this book as a reminder for anyone who is seeking evidence that there is a God, and that life is worth living fully and bravely for His glory.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
If you would like to buy this book, order online at Amazon or WBM.
(Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.)
Kristen was seventeen and her life was spiraling out of control. Her grandmother had just passed away, a close friend had taken his own life, Kristen had just been raped by a friend she thought she could trust, her grades were failing due to a wild party life, and her parents had grounded her ‘until further notice’. She resorted to what seemed like the only option for someone who has lost every handful of God, hope, or meaning: suicide. “If I did it, the pain, the heartache, the numbness would be over.”
Kristen laid across the train tracks and was nearly sucked up into the belly of thirty freight cars slicing through her body. A force that she did not recognize and later was convicted to have been God pushed her back down, defying physics and keeping her held safely against the tracks, saving her from death. When she felt the last train pass over her, everything was a blur…until she looked over and saw her legs lying on the tracks several feet from her body. Paramedics rushed her to a hospital, and there began a struggle for life as Kristen faced pain, prosthetics, deep depression, and the tender pain of God flooding her heart, letting her come to terms with the fact that she had not only tried to kill herself, but had failed in that final desperate act and had been spared for His work.
“Life, in Spite of Me” is a fresh, quickly-paced, and heart-tugging book about an issue that is growing increasingly prevalent in the underground of young hearts. Suicide is such a touchy subject, danced around or hushed or even laboriously silenced for fear of public scorn, one that Kristen talks about openly and honestly in her companionable and heartfelt ‘love letters’ to the reader; but suicide is also a subject that needs to be talked about. Something has to be done.
God has used what would have been a victim of suicide to become an activist for suicide prevention. Today, Kristen is reaching thousands with her ministry and her speaking engagements. I would recommend this book as a reminder for anyone who is seeking evidence that there is a God, and that life is worth living fully and bravely for His glory.
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
If you would like to buy this book, order online at Amazon or WBM.
(Disclaimer: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.)
"The Chocolate Diaries" by Karen Linamen review
Be warned...puns will ensue.
"The Chocolate Diaries" is one of the sweetest books I've read in a long time- both figuratively and literally!
Karen Linamen does a beautiful job of blending personal testimonies, down-home common sense, and hilarious anecdotes to present the reader with a masterful collection of tips, stories, and wisdom that will lift your mood and give you a serious craving for chocolate.
Claiming to sweeten life's 'rocky roads', "The Chocolate Diaries" uses chocolate as an example of God's gifts to us that brighten each and every day. With glimpses into her own personal struggles, Karen encourages us to seek the sweetness in every individual day, no matter what faces us. Whether the trial is large or small, she assures us that it can be remedied by God's saving grace and endless beauty...and also some chocolate.
I should also mention that this delicious slice of nonfiction also includes intervals of scrumptious recipes that are sure to please even the most strident calorie-counter. Recommended for anyone in need of a 'sugar fix', a good laugh, or tangible sunshine in their cloudy day.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. If you could like to buy this book, click here to order on Amazon or here to order on WaterBrook Multnomah.
"The Chocolate Diaries" is one of the sweetest books I've read in a long time- both figuratively and literally!
Karen Linamen does a beautiful job of blending personal testimonies, down-home common sense, and hilarious anecdotes to present the reader with a masterful collection of tips, stories, and wisdom that will lift your mood and give you a serious craving for chocolate.
Claiming to sweeten life's 'rocky roads', "The Chocolate Diaries" uses chocolate as an example of God's gifts to us that brighten each and every day. With glimpses into her own personal struggles, Karen encourages us to seek the sweetness in every individual day, no matter what faces us. Whether the trial is large or small, she assures us that it can be remedied by God's saving grace and endless beauty...and also some chocolate.
I should also mention that this delicious slice of nonfiction also includes intervals of scrumptious recipes that are sure to please even the most strident calorie-counter. Recommended for anyone in need of a 'sugar fix', a good laugh, or tangible sunshine in their cloudy day.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. If you could like to buy this book, click here to order on Amazon or here to order on WaterBrook Multnomah.
"The Canary List by Sigmund Brouwer
"The man with the mask came back. He wore the mask while he hurt her again. He promised if she told anyone, he would come back and kill her and then kill the people of the house. So she didn't tell anyone. She tried to believe it was a dream. A very bad dream. But some nights she would wake up and shiver and cry..."
There is not much to be guessed from the title of this book, but flipping to page one reveals a dark, intense, curtly-written story about Jamie Piper, a girl who has a dark history with a pagan cult group and who can sense the evil emanating from people, crippling her ability to live a normal and fearless life. We are only given a glimpse of Jamie's hellish early life, but after a few more chapters we realize what a precious thing was taken from her in those racing few sentences describing a run-in with "The Prince", the masked leader of a cult group, a group of hooded robes and sacrificial ritual marches, seeming like "scary people in Scooby Doo cartoons". Jamie is later portrayed as a scared preteen, stripped of her femininity, a trouble child passed from foster home to foster home because she cannot keep herself from howling and hiding when the evil approaches her with icy fingers.
When Jamie flees to the house of her teacher, Crockett Grey, who is drinking away the anniversary of his dead daughter, she is apprehended by the police and a scandal ensues. A teacher with a history of child harassment reports, being caught with a young girl in his bedroom in the middle of the night, insisting his weak argument that she had been scared and had come to him seeking help? Doubled with the skepticism and unwillingness to help dumped on Crockett's head by a cynical lawyer, the conspiracy embroils until the clash between good and evil, the plausibility of demonic possession, and the reality of exorcism all touches upon the raw secrets of the highest seat of power: the Vatican.
While sex scandals combined with the mere word "Vatican" are becoming a fictitious topic of interest, especially among writers of spiritual thrillers, most are not worth touching and leave the reader with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. The Canary List was a pleasant surprise and redeemed itself from becoming mainstream and cliche by the simple fact that the writing is good. Speckled with surprising descriptions, tight sentences crammed with adrenalin, and screeching halts that bring the reality of evil into perspective, it can definitely be classified as a page turner.
That said, the nearness of God in the middle of so much evil, doubt, and shadowbox play with the subject of demons (one character is demon-possessed, and mention of historical demons are mentioned throughout in the assumption that demons do indeed exist) seems insufficient. Had the moral of the story been clearer, or perhaps the resolution of Jamie's ascent from her crippling fear of evil been a bit more accentuated, the atmosphere of the book might not have been so downcast. The subjects addressed in this book are also troubling: Crockett does not deny the implications of a hard drive full of child porn in his attic, and he is labeled a pedophile after losing the case for his innocence over the Jamie scandal. Crockett was portrayed as a weak, emotionally unstable man, and whether he is repentant and able to move on with his life once the story ends is unclear.
So while the writing is beautiful and deserves the Publisher's Weekly compliment of being "addictively readable", the content is such that only the most interested, and those who do not mind watching spiritual maturity being encroached by unseen forces parading across the pages, should read this gripping book.
FTC disclaimer: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"
If you would like to order this book from Amazon, click here. If you would like to order this book from Waterbrook-Multnomah, click here.
There is not much to be guessed from the title of this book, but flipping to page one reveals a dark, intense, curtly-written story about Jamie Piper, a girl who has a dark history with a pagan cult group and who can sense the evil emanating from people, crippling her ability to live a normal and fearless life. We are only given a glimpse of Jamie's hellish early life, but after a few more chapters we realize what a precious thing was taken from her in those racing few sentences describing a run-in with "The Prince", the masked leader of a cult group, a group of hooded robes and sacrificial ritual marches, seeming like "scary people in Scooby Doo cartoons". Jamie is later portrayed as a scared preteen, stripped of her femininity, a trouble child passed from foster home to foster home because she cannot keep herself from howling and hiding when the evil approaches her with icy fingers.
When Jamie flees to the house of her teacher, Crockett Grey, who is drinking away the anniversary of his dead daughter, she is apprehended by the police and a scandal ensues. A teacher with a history of child harassment reports, being caught with a young girl in his bedroom in the middle of the night, insisting his weak argument that she had been scared and had come to him seeking help? Doubled with the skepticism and unwillingness to help dumped on Crockett's head by a cynical lawyer, the conspiracy embroils until the clash between good and evil, the plausibility of demonic possession, and the reality of exorcism all touches upon the raw secrets of the highest seat of power: the Vatican.
While sex scandals combined with the mere word "Vatican" are becoming a fictitious topic of interest, especially among writers of spiritual thrillers, most are not worth touching and leave the reader with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. The Canary List was a pleasant surprise and redeemed itself from becoming mainstream and cliche by the simple fact that the writing is good. Speckled with surprising descriptions, tight sentences crammed with adrenalin, and screeching halts that bring the reality of evil into perspective, it can definitely be classified as a page turner.
That said, the nearness of God in the middle of so much evil, doubt, and shadowbox play with the subject of demons (one character is demon-possessed, and mention of historical demons are mentioned throughout in the assumption that demons do indeed exist) seems insufficient. Had the moral of the story been clearer, or perhaps the resolution of Jamie's ascent from her crippling fear of evil been a bit more accentuated, the atmosphere of the book might not have been so downcast. The subjects addressed in this book are also troubling: Crockett does not deny the implications of a hard drive full of child porn in his attic, and he is labeled a pedophile after losing the case for his innocence over the Jamie scandal. Crockett was portrayed as a weak, emotionally unstable man, and whether he is repentant and able to move on with his life once the story ends is unclear.
So while the writing is beautiful and deserves the Publisher's Weekly compliment of being "addictively readable", the content is such that only the most interested, and those who do not mind watching spiritual maturity being encroached by unseen forces parading across the pages, should read this gripping book.
FTC disclaimer: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"
If you would like to order this book from Amazon, click here. If you would like to order this book from Waterbrook-Multnomah, click here.
"The Charlatan's Boy" by Jonathan Rogers
Grady is a he-feechie, promoted around the Tom Sawyer atmosphere chock full of bog-side towns and muggy swamp bottoms as "the ugliest boy in the world", working with a huckster named Floyd and generally startling the frontier people of Corenwald with their ostentatious performances on the road sides outside of taverns and on main streets alike. Floyd is a charlatan, always on the prowl for his first big break into the business of being a knave with a nose set to the tune of high prices for everything from elixirs to phrenology readings. An unlikely pair, but one that makes for a light-hearted, rollicking good story.
Grady, a lonely orphan boy, has always been told that he is a feechie, a mythical river bottom creature hideous enough to scare the bravest of folks in the rural, damp communities, and that his lineage should make him button-popping proud to have been put in league with the likes of Professor Floyd. Audiences throng to see the orphan boy perform his wild man routine and money pours in...until an operation goes sour in one particular swamp village and both Grady and Floyd have to make a quick dash for it to avoid losing their own hides. Resilient, they float from one occupation to another, disrupting quiet villages with their loud announcements calling folks over to see their fate-reading performance or the infamous dancing turkey routine. Grady is on top of the world even though his feechie appeal has somewhat slacked off...but when he is told by the man he's worked with and trusted all these years, Professor Floyd, that he is not really the feechie he's cracked himself up to be, Grady must decide for himself whether to keep chasing after a fool's dream or make something of himself in the charlatan business.
This book is brimming with originality and spice. The writing is quick, concise, and peppered with make believe words that somehow seem to fit the whimsical style perfectly. (I'm thinking in particular of a fat man who is said to have "crawfished through the door".) Told from Grady's accented perspective, it shows the tenderness of emotion as well as the humor in every circumstance, letting no one factor outride another. Grady's struggle to define who he is bares itself with simple but heartfelt inner dialog: "When I thought I was a feechie, I couldn't picture myself as a villager because I wasn't civilized enough. Now that I'd turned out to be a civilizer, I couldn't picture myself a villager because I wasn't honest enough...Being who you are and holding to it-that's something I never learnt on the road with Floyd. I didn't have any idea who I was or where I come from. In my line of work, there aint no settling down and sticking around. You just keep moving, and when you find a new village, you find a new self if you need to. There aint no being yourself because there aint no real self to be."
The feel of the towns around Corenwald and the hucksters, rustlers, pickpockets and cheap actors and trick tradesmen that flicker in and out of the writing as Grady and Floyd set out to cause a stir with another Great Feechie Scare takes all the old-fashioned charm of vaudeville and mischief-makers, putting them into an entertaining story as exciting and surprising as any nickle and dime show outside the local motel. Jonathan Rogers has created a miniature Mark Twain representation of himself with this quick, clever book. A word must also be said for the deep Southern accents mastered in the writing. It is not every man who can write accents, let alone narrate with them, and allow us to come away believing we had truly had a peek into that unique world.
If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.
If you would like to buy this book on Waterbrook-Multnomah, click here.
FTC Disclaimer: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"
Grady, a lonely orphan boy, has always been told that he is a feechie, a mythical river bottom creature hideous enough to scare the bravest of folks in the rural, damp communities, and that his lineage should make him button-popping proud to have been put in league with the likes of Professor Floyd. Audiences throng to see the orphan boy perform his wild man routine and money pours in...until an operation goes sour in one particular swamp village and both Grady and Floyd have to make a quick dash for it to avoid losing their own hides. Resilient, they float from one occupation to another, disrupting quiet villages with their loud announcements calling folks over to see their fate-reading performance or the infamous dancing turkey routine. Grady is on top of the world even though his feechie appeal has somewhat slacked off...but when he is told by the man he's worked with and trusted all these years, Professor Floyd, that he is not really the feechie he's cracked himself up to be, Grady must decide for himself whether to keep chasing after a fool's dream or make something of himself in the charlatan business.
This book is brimming with originality and spice. The writing is quick, concise, and peppered with make believe words that somehow seem to fit the whimsical style perfectly. (I'm thinking in particular of a fat man who is said to have "crawfished through the door".) Told from Grady's accented perspective, it shows the tenderness of emotion as well as the humor in every circumstance, letting no one factor outride another. Grady's struggle to define who he is bares itself with simple but heartfelt inner dialog: "When I thought I was a feechie, I couldn't picture myself as a villager because I wasn't civilized enough. Now that I'd turned out to be a civilizer, I couldn't picture myself a villager because I wasn't honest enough...Being who you are and holding to it-that's something I never learnt on the road with Floyd. I didn't have any idea who I was or where I come from. In my line of work, there aint no settling down and sticking around. You just keep moving, and when you find a new village, you find a new self if you need to. There aint no being yourself because there aint no real self to be."
The feel of the towns around Corenwald and the hucksters, rustlers, pickpockets and cheap actors and trick tradesmen that flicker in and out of the writing as Grady and Floyd set out to cause a stir with another Great Feechie Scare takes all the old-fashioned charm of vaudeville and mischief-makers, putting them into an entertaining story as exciting and surprising as any nickle and dime show outside the local motel. Jonathan Rogers has created a miniature Mark Twain representation of himself with this quick, clever book. A word must also be said for the deep Southern accents mastered in the writing. It is not every man who can write accents, let alone narrate with them, and allow us to come away believing we had truly had a peek into that unique world.
If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.
If you would like to buy this book on Waterbrook-Multnomah, click here.
FTC Disclaimer: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"
"Judgment Day" by Wanda Dyson
I had never read anything of Ms. Dyson's, but after this book I will seriously be considering checking into her small but growing plethora of published work.
Judgment Day is a fast-paced novel about Suzanna Kidwell, a proud woman who boasts of a backbone made of steel. She has a right to brag; after all, she's the host of her own cable television show, Judgment Day with Suzanne Kidwell, a show which promises to expose the botched morality and ethics of businessmen, religious leaders, and corrupt politicians....not realizing that she has her own problems to work on. However, when a shoddy investigation and fabrication of the facts cause her career to take a stumble, Suzanne begins to question her motives for revealing what should have been left under the rug.
Bitter for having felt the heat, Suzanna returns home, only to find that the entrepreneur she's investigating, John Edward Sterling, unconscious and bleeding on the floor of her home. Cue daybreak and Sterling is dead, Suzanna has blood on her hands, and she's being arrested for murder suspicions. She yearns for help to prove her innocence, but the only man able to take her case happens to be her ex-fiancee from college and his wary partner.
Throwing off Suzanne's cover of Philistinic purity and innocence, the spotless reputation that puts others to shame, is painful for her and tedious, but as her old fiancee, Marcus Crisp, wanders through the maze, he discovers valid reasons for why a stalker wants Suzanne dead, and why it is vital that she be protected.
Judgment Day is meant to keep you up late at night, turning page after page in hopes of figuring out who the disarming stalker is and what the meanings are behind every murder which crops up like weevils in the biscuit. The writing is assertive, concise, and quick, moving you along with all the adrenaline-laced impact of a modern espionage novel. One of the more revealing passages states: "Suzanne couldn't stop shaking. 'Judge not, lest you be judged'....Closing her eyes, she desperately wanted to cry, but she had wrung every tear out of her system. Nothing left but numbness. 'You teach others; why don't you teach yourself?' "
FTC Disclaimer: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook-Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"
If you would like to buy this book on Waterbrook-Multnomah, click here.
If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.
Judgment Day is a fast-paced novel about Suzanna Kidwell, a proud woman who boasts of a backbone made of steel. She has a right to brag; after all, she's the host of her own cable television show, Judgment Day with Suzanne Kidwell, a show which promises to expose the botched morality and ethics of businessmen, religious leaders, and corrupt politicians....not realizing that she has her own problems to work on. However, when a shoddy investigation and fabrication of the facts cause her career to take a stumble, Suzanne begins to question her motives for revealing what should have been left under the rug.
Bitter for having felt the heat, Suzanna returns home, only to find that the entrepreneur she's investigating, John Edward Sterling, unconscious and bleeding on the floor of her home. Cue daybreak and Sterling is dead, Suzanna has blood on her hands, and she's being arrested for murder suspicions. She yearns for help to prove her innocence, but the only man able to take her case happens to be her ex-fiancee from college and his wary partner.
Throwing off Suzanne's cover of Philistinic purity and innocence, the spotless reputation that puts others to shame, is painful for her and tedious, but as her old fiancee, Marcus Crisp, wanders through the maze, he discovers valid reasons for why a stalker wants Suzanne dead, and why it is vital that she be protected.
Judgment Day is meant to keep you up late at night, turning page after page in hopes of figuring out who the disarming stalker is and what the meanings are behind every murder which crops up like weevils in the biscuit. The writing is assertive, concise, and quick, moving you along with all the adrenaline-laced impact of a modern espionage novel. One of the more revealing passages states: "Suzanne couldn't stop shaking. 'Judge not, lest you be judged'....Closing her eyes, she desperately wanted to cry, but she had wrung every tear out of her system. Nothing left but numbness. 'You teach others; why don't you teach yourself?' "
FTC Disclaimer: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook-Multnomah Publishing Group for this review"
If you would like to buy this book on Waterbrook-Multnomah, click here.
If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.
hard-packed books about faith and the gritty details of the direct wireless connection we have with our God, has written a book that is both honest and uplifting.
Right from page one, first paragraph, "Soulprint" is about rediscovering (or discovering for the first time) our unique worship value, our raw souls themselves, the divine destiny that God has laid out for us. The "soulprint" that God has pressed into our existence, His claim over us.
Batterson's idea of a disclaimer even has the spiritual chocolaty phrasing and intelligent conciseness that this whole powerful little book echoes with: "Make no mistake, this is no self-help book. Self-help is nothing more than idolatry dressed up in a rented tuxedo. So let me be blunt: you aren't good enough or gifted enough to get where God wants you to go. Not without His help. But here's the good news: there is nothing God cannot do in you and through you if you simply yield your life to Him. All of it. All of you." From this basic foundation of our lives, shaky and fragile on their own, cannot possibly live up to everything God has in store for us by their own strength, "Soulprint" goes on to explain the fallacies we surround ourselves with, the alter egos and inhibitions we harbor that cut us off from heartfelt worship and truly meaningful lives.
"Our true identities get buried beneath the mistakes we've made, the insecurities we've acquired, and the lies we've believed. We're held captive by others' expectations. We're uncomfortable in our own skin." This is one of the points that "Soulprint" sets out to make. Surrounded by faces, we become merely a face. Surrounded by bodies, our temples for the Lord become mere objects to decorate or abuse. This book is a five-step belief system, a fresh new mindset, to help you break out of the chains our selfish culture, full of scrutiny and rumors and wolves in sheepskins, and live wholly for the Lord. "It won't be easy. And there are no shortcuts. But if you are breathing, God hasn't given up on you yet."
This insightful book goes on to explain, with unflinching and often embarrassingly true analogies, the lengths we will go to in order to please our fellow man. We have become an increasingly self-centered culture, but at the same time, we have managed to chain ourselves to the yokes of other people's expectations of what and who we should be, and how our lives should be lived. We look to idols, instead of to God, Who is perfect and flawless in all things, to give us fulfillment even though we cannot fill the God-shaped hole punched into the middles of our hearts.
"'High school is the time when people first contrive to have an image [quoting Meg Greenfield]...It is an attempt to fabricate the whole second persona for public consumption.' And it's that second persona that results in a secondhand life. Instead of narrating our own lines in the first person, we live second-person lives by allowing others to narrate our lives for us. And that is hypocrisy at its worst."
The way we spend our lives, how we bide our time, and what we do with our inherent creative drives will dictate how our souls are expressed. When we get to heaven, do we want God to ask "Why did you strive to be like A, B and C persons instead of simply being yourself?"
One of the best sections of the book likens our interaction with God as David's famous dance in the streets as he entered into Jerusalem as king. How would we feel if our Representative or governor decided to strip to his underwear and start dancing at one of his conferences because the notion of God's blessing made him inextricably joyous, too filled with jouissance to keep still or keep silent? Breaking through our fear of what people will think of us if we throw off all reserves before the Lord is not a trait we're born with; it's a constant fight but a beautiful one. The words of critics who scoff at our seemingly rash or impulsive faithfulness will pale in comparison with what the Lord commends us for; the Bible constantly lauded those few who were spiritually confident enough to actually break those chains and dance only for the Lord's eyes. We are not called to be miniature Messiahs, but servants for our Master.
"God couldn't care less about protocol. If He did, Jesus would have chosen the Pharisees as His disciples. God is looking for those who are so desperate for Him that they will go to ridiculous extremes to worship Him...Religion is all about protocol. Following Jesus is all about desperation...It is a desperation that is willing to endure crucifixion for the sake of reconciliation."
"Soulprint" is a strong, fearless, and blunt book that is meant to break free of all cultural restraints and present a fresh, exciting message of unshakable faith and the prospect of our God-given potentials with hope and clever flair. With many memorable passages, such as the Johari Mirror segment (four quadrants of how we view ourselves, how other people view us, etc.) that shows us how much of our souls are still revealed only to our Father, a good scriptural backbone, and a deliberate tearing-down of pompous pretenses, this is a book I would recommend to anyone serious about getting into their faith...or getting back into it.
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