Book Reviews

Jesus is For You – A Book Review

jesus is for you cover

Jesus Is For You by Judah Smith is a small little gift book filled with beautiful pictures, stories and verses that all communicate the truth that Jesus is entirely and completely on your side and in your corner.  I love Judah Smith.  I love his passion to help all people realize how deeply God loves them.  This book does just that.  This would be a great book to give to a new Christian – perhaps a Baptism gift or something that could be given out in a new Christian’s class.  It is both beautiful and encouraging.  It’s also a very easy and quick read.  The majority of the book is filled with quotes, verses and beautiful pictures.  It could very easily be used as a daily devotional book or to provide verses that one could memorize.  This little book is broken up into three sections (Jesus is…, Jesus Gives…, & Jesus is there when…).  Each section has stories from various individuals about grace, transformation, Christ encounters and salvation.

Regardless of your story, you can find encouragement in this little book by Judah Smith.  You might even gain a better understanding of who Jesus really is and what that means for you.  This book is light in words, but rich in love and inspiration.  Click the picture below to order your copy.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book free in exchange for my honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review – all opinions are my own.

 

Imagine Heaven – A Book Review

imagine heaven

I am not sure I have the words to convey how much I loved this book.  I needed this book.  Every so often I find a book that I cannot wait to recommend to someone that I feel would be touched or encouraged by its contents.  This book, however, is one that I feel should be read by everyone who has any interest at all in Heaven.  In fact, this book is about SO much more than Heaven.

In Imagine Heaven, John Burke shares stories from many people who have had near-death experiences and ties together the details and commonalities in each of the stories.  Each of these stories are set beside the many verses throughout scripture that talk about Heaven and also the author’s own thoughts about what we could possibly expect to experience there.  Although these stories are quite compelling, I believe the most valuable part of this book is the beautiful thoughts by the author about life, love and relationships in the here and now.  I was so very moved by his words and will be reading them over and over for years to come.  As a Worship Leader, Imagine Heaven has given deeper meaning to the lyrics in my favorite worship songs and I find this book to be a wonderful resource in helping God’s people to seek after the heart of God in worship.

I hope that you’ll buy and read this book.  It truly is about SO much more than imagining Heaven.  I believe it’s also about understanding God’s love for us, for each other and His purposes for His people right here on earth!

“God made you for himself – not to prove your glory, but to be his glory.   His pride and joy.  His beloved son or daughter.  What he wants you to do is learn to be secure in his love, in who he made you to be, and from that place of security, you can do what he created you to do.  And first and foremost, this is to love those you uniquely can love.” (pg 72, Imagine Heaven)

 Click this image to view the book on Amazon

 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

The Carols of Christmas – A Book Review

carols of christmas

I have several books about the history of the carols of Christmas, so I was extremely excited to receive this book by Andrew Gant on the subject.  The Carols of Christmas is a VERY detailed look at the history of our favorite carols.  While I definitely learned many interesting facts that I’ve never heard before, it did feel as though I was reading a textbook for a music history class.  The author seems to have a very thorough knowledge of the subject matter and obviously spent an enormous amount of time and effort to research and prepare this work, but it would have been much easier to read if he had left out the enormous amount of music theory and instead concentrated on the fun details that everyone would find interesting (such as the connection he made between the song, O Come O Come Emmanuel and J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings).

The author, who is a university professor and church musician, obviously has a passion for the history of music.  He writes in a style that is very intellectual and seems to be aiming at giving information rather than entertaining.  If your goal is an easy and inspiring Christmas read, this may not be the book for you.  However, anyone with a similar passion for all things music history and attention to detail could gain a wealth of new information from this book.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review

 

 

Every Little Thing – a Book Review

Every-Little-Thing-by-Deidra-Riggs

Sitting down with this book by Deidra Riggs is like sitting down with an old friend.  It’s like sitting down with Deidra herself.  I cannot tell you how warm and inviting her words were in this little book.  I felt a connection to Deidra and her sweet and sassy style of writing from the very beginning of Part One: Knowing Yourself.  It felt as though I was sitting down with a wise friend who was sharing her own story and who was equally invested in my own.  It felt almost like a pep talk.  She said things like, “God loves you and me, just the way we are – prone to wander and all the rest.” (pg 40) and “You’ve forgotten that fear doesn’t disqualify you from the thing God is calling you to” (pg 58).

I loved the author’s analogies and stories about her journey, and felt so very encouraged and inspired by her own personal lessons learned.  I especially loved the chapter titled “Breathlessness” where she talks about Abram and Sarai.  She talks about the faithfulness of God and our own trust and surrender to His purposes.  She says, “God is God, and he is faithful regarding the promises he speaks over us and into us” (pg 108).  She also says, “When we search for significance outside of surrender to God, we create our own version of God’s plan for us, and it rarely measures up” (pg 110).

In the final section of the book, Taking the Next Step, there are so many “quotables” that I nearly highlighted an entire chapter!  She talks about the Gospel needing to be lived and how the Gospel doesn’t actually need defending but rather needs to be lived.  “The gospel of Jesus does not need us to make it right or true, or worthy of our attention or devotion.  It does not ask us to draw lines of division or to build walls of separation.  It doesn’t need a new wardrobe or a new method of delivery.  It doesn’t need to be timed or altered or picked at any more.  The gospel needs to be lived” (pg 139).

While I LOVEDthis book, I loved its author even more.  I loved her wit and wisdom and her love for the Gospel and for her reader was so very evident and encouraging.  I am excited to recommend this book for anyone who just needs a good friend and encourager and I eagerly await another book by Deidra Riggs!

 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Short Answers to BIG Questions about God, the Bible & Christianity – A Book Review

short answers

I was really excited about this book as a resource for helping to answer questions that I get asked on a regular basis.  The authors, Clinton and Jeff Arnold, attempt to answer 50 of the most asked questions about God, Christianity and the Bible.  The book is divided into 9 sections, each with 3-8 questions relating to the topics of the Bible, life after death, the supernatural, God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and several other topics.  Each of the questions is answered in only a few pages and includes key scripture passages and discussion questions.

I believe this book was intended to help new Christians or those curious about Christianity to find brief answers and scripture resources for general questions about Christianity.  For this purpose, it’s not a bad resource.  I do believe that the authors probably bit off more than they could chew in that many of these questions couldn’t possibly be answered properly in only a few paragraphs.  For example, the second question in the book is “Are there errors in the Bible?”.  The authors attempt to answer this by giving only a few examples of seeming contradictions and refuting them by saying that they are simply not contradictions.  There is very little explanation.  There is actually more intro and opinion than actual answers in most of the chapters.  While I do agree with the authors, I wish they had chosen to answer fewer questions with more in-depth answers.

I do, however, love the discussion questions and key passages attached to each question and believe this to be the most valuable part of this resource.  I also love that they addressed questions that the church doesn’t often talk about, such as “Why are there hypocrites in the church?” or “Does God hate sex?” or even “Why does God feel distant?”  There are several very good discussions that could be started by the questions in this book.

While I’m not sure this book actually answers all of the questions it poses, it might be a great resource to at least begin the discussion.

NIV Bible for teen girls – A Review

First of all, this is a beautiful Bible.  The cover is a lovely turquoise with pink and orange chevron at the bottom and around the spine and back.  The inside is beautiful too.  There’s quite a bit of pink, but even those girls who are not so girly would love the print, the chevron and the adorable doodles throughout.

There are several features of this Bible that make it truly a wonderful option for not only teens, but also college age and beyond.  As a 34 year old mom of 5, I found myself thinking that some of the features would really be of benefit to me.  At the beginning of each book of the Bible, there is a “What’s it About” page.  I love how concise it is (making my daughters more likely to actually read it) and I LOVE that it contains a “Verses you might recognize” section!  What a great idea that was!  There’s also a really thorough concordance and an index section at the back.  I was immediately impressed at the attention to detail in this Bible – even the font is pretty.
 

Throughout the Bible there are many one page devotionals written by some amazing women (Annie Downs, Christine Caine and Bethany Hamilton just to name a few).  I read through several of them and found them to be really appropriate for teens especially.  I was also really grateful that they weren’t shallow and surface level devotionals – these are the real deal.  They’re written so that teens and young women of all ages will find them to be encouraging and helpful.  There are also “Women of the Bible” features, which I absolutely love.  The writers even included the meaning of the woman’s name, like Anna (from Luke 2:36-38) whose name means “gracious” or Esther whose name means “star”.  Perhaps my very favorite thing, however, is that the authors chose to highlight (in pink of course) certain verses throughout the Old and New Testaments calling them promises of God or verses worth remembering.  These verses are a great start to helping your teen find verses to memorize.


I asked my fifteen year old daughter to look through the Bible and give me some feedback.  She said, “This is the kind of Bible that a girl would use until it falls apart.”  I think that means she likes it.

I was so very pleased with this Bible, not just because it’s pretty (although that helps), but for the extra content it provides to help a younger woman to learn how to study and meditate on God’s Word.  This is a Bible and a devotional all in one and would be a wonderful gift to any young (or not so young) girl.

You can find the hardcover on Amazon here:

 

Or you can find this beautiful leather bound version of the Bible on Amazon here:

A Book Review – The Road to Becoming

road to becoming

Every so often an author comes along that speaks your language.  You know, that book that, as you read it, you find yourself wanting to speak it out loud to an audience so that you can say, “See!  Here it is!  This is exactly how I feel!  This is exactly right!”  This was that book for me.  I have read several really great books this year and could (and probably will) write about how each one encouraged, inspired or moved me.  However, Jenny Simmons’ book, The Road to Becoming, is a book that I’ll remember for a very long time.  Jenny Simmons is the front woman for former band, Addison Road.  I have always been a fan of their music (especially the song, Hope Now) and you know I love a good female-led band, but I have to say that what Jenny pours out in this book, for me, is her very best and most important work so far.

The book is a memoir of sorts, taking the reader through the author’s own journey to becoming.  From her earliest memories and dreams, through the heartbreaking end of her band, through a period of waiting and eventually to a beautiful rediscovery of her purpose and calling.  It’s so obvious that Jenny (that’s right, we’re best friends now) is a songwriter and lover of lyrics as her writing feels very poetic and artistic throughout the book.  Every word seems carefully chosen and thoughtfully written in a way that only an artist could do.

I felt an instant kinship with Jenny from the very beginning of the book, especially when she describes her connection with music.  She writes, “Sometimes people ask me when I first started singing, or how I knew I wanted to be a musician, as if you can name when you started existing.” (Ch 2, pg 25)

Do you remember that scene in The NeverEnding Story, near the end, where Bastian is reading the story and suddenly realizes that the narrator is talking directly to him?  And then he freaks out and throws the book down until he can gather enough wherewithal to pick it back up again?  This is exactly how I felt reading that chapter.  Jenny Simmons was talking directly to me!  Felt a little spooky if I’m being entirely honest.  As she is describing her own dream, it felt as though she was describing mine as well.

“Dreams rarely just appear out of thin air.  They are built over our lifetimes, taking root inside of us when we first begin to walk, talk, tinker, and explore.  They grow, stretch, develop, change shapes and sizes, and bubble underneath us – springs of living water yet to be fully unearthed.  We are the guardians of our dreams.  Those long-festering voices that continue to ring out from deep within us and are woven into the fabric of our stories; we care for them as only we can.” (Ch 2, pg 29)

As Jenny begins to describe the death of her precious dream, I felt another NeverEnding Story moment.  She says, “The hardest part of suffering is that the rest of the world keeps going like nothing has happened.”  Then, “..my weary soul wanted the whole world to just stop.  Everything in my soul wanted to beg the world around me for what it could not possibly give.  Just give me a minute to grieve – to wrap my mind around this – please just stop with me.  But the world can’t stop for every heartbreak.  If it did, it would never start again.” (Ch 8, pg 57-58, emphasis mine)

I wish I could describe how I felt reading those words.  I think mostly I just felt that I was not alone.  For the very first time it felt that someone had put words to my own thoughts and feelings about grief.  This is so very true and right!

In another section of the book, she talks about seasons of lostness.  Here is one part that I found to be so very beautiful.

“Following Him in the dark places is scary, but not paralyzing.  He knows when we should make a trail and where to pitch the tent.  Where the next stream of life-giving water is and what the village on the other side of the mountain looks like.  He sees what I cannot and illuminates the path.  Not running ahead of me, not forcing me, but side by side, as trusted friends, we walk in step.  And I realize I am walking on holy ground.  My lostness is made holy, my journey is made bearable, my unknowing state becomes fully known as God journeys deep into the dark places with me.  He is the treasure.” (Ch 15, pg 112)

I could talk for days about the truth in this book.  I always say that the mark of a good book is what I call “quotables”.  Take a glance through any book I’m reading to see how much hi-lighting or underlining I do and you’ll know if it’s a good book or not.  There are “quotables” in every chapter of this book and on nearly every page.  There is so much to take in that it often felt like I needed to slow down and make note cards just so I could really absorb all this book has to offer.  The themes of purpose, grief, resurrection, hope and grace fill the pages.  I was moved by the stories, encouraged by the lessons learned and inspired to take every bit of wisdom offered here and apply it to my own story.

“The end of the story is about something more rich and beautiful and constant than dreams, which are here today and gone tomorrow.  The end of the story is about living whatever the story is well.” (ch 30, pg 223)

Whatever season you find yourself in, this book will be an encouragement along your journey.  You will find comfort for a grieving heart, grace for a worn out mom, hope in your season of lostness or waiting, and a few funny stories along the way.  In the prelude of the book Jenny writes, “If nothing more, I share my story to remind you that you are not alone in yours.” (p12)  That is exactly what this book does.  What a treasure!

You can find The Road to Becoming on Amazon by clicking on the picture below:

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.