Fearless

I had the pleasure of reviewing Max Lucados’ new book “Fearless”. Lucado tackles the various fears we struggle with in life. Each chapter was focused on specific topics of fear, and backed up with biblical references. I have many fears that were covered in this book. Lucado gave me a different perspective on how I was choosing to react to these fears. Lucado uses scripture to remind us of the miraculous things God can do for us. He uses accounts from the bible to make comparisons between our troubles and the troubles of the people in the bible. God is always near us, just waiting for us to reach out to him. Lucado reminds us that God can take away all of our fears. Lucado has sprinkled in plenty of humor and personal stories, which make the book more personable. I especially enjoyed the various bible verses and poems found in this book. The discussion questions at the end of the book really helped me to evaluate my own fears on a deeper level. I will definitely refer to this book when my fears and anxieties begin to take hold of me again. This book would be a wonderful gift for a friend who may be struggling with their fears. Buy this book, it is worth the money. We all need to rid ourselves of the fear that hurts us.

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Notes From The Tilt-A-Whirl

I reviewed “Notes From The Tilt-A-Whirl”, for Thomas Nelson’s book review blogger program. I had a hard time finishing this book. The writing style was hard to follow. N.D. Wilson seemed to be a deep thinker who wanted to examine the world God created. He writes about simple and complex topics. Wilson uses humor throughout the book. However, it just seemed out of place throughout the book. I did not appreciate the way his thoughts are jumbled throughout the book. Wilson’s paragraphs do not always relate to each other. I would finish a page, and question what I had just read. I don’t know if his intention was to write a book similar to a journal. In which all thoughts are written without intention. I usually read books very quickly. I actually had to force myself to finish this book, so I could post my review. I’m sure this book may appeal to people who don’t mind re-reading a page or paragraph multiple times to figure out the point the author is trying to make. I simply do not have the time to try and unravel the author’s mind. I would recommend a person read other reviews, to determine whether or not this book would appeal to their reading preferences.

Jungle Jack's Wackiest, Wildest, and Weirdest Animals in the World

I reviewed Jack Hanna’s “Jungle Jack's Wackiest, Wildest, and Weirdest Animals in the World” with my 7 and 3 year old sons. They are both animal lovers, and are constantly looking for a new book about animals. We really enjoyed all the various animals included in this book. There is a great variety of animals, and the pictures included are enjoyable to look at. The descriptions of the animals were the perfect length for my children. The descriptions included basic information about the animal. There were also random animal facts, my 7 year old enjoyed reading these. I appreciated the references to God throughout the book. Our family believes that God created animals, so it was nice to see this supported in a book about animals. My book had a problem with the binding. A few of the pages were a bit loose. This could be frustrating to a child, because they will have to be careful not to pull the pages out. I also wished the book had included a table of contents. This would have made it easier for my children to find animals names and page numbers. There is a glossary at the back of the book, that explains terms that may be unfamiliar to children. The DVD was a collection of funny bloopers. My children said they wish it had been about the animals in the book. My 7 year old, has already started looking up some of the animals online. Overall, this was a great book for animal lovers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ7NimcIYUE

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

“Jesus Calling”, is one of the best devotional books I have ever read. Sarah Young, spent time with God daily, and recorded what he was saying to her. She then turned these moments into a devotional and shared them with all of us. I really appreciated that it is God’s voice in all the daily entries. God is written in the first person, with the reader in the second person. The author has included bible verses that came to her during her time with God. These verses fit really well the daily reading. The daily entries are only a couple paragraphs. However, they are really inspirational. God’s words are reassuring, comforting in times of trouble, loving, and give us hope. Each month includes a different picture at the top of the each page. All these pictures relate to God, and the gifts he has given us. The thing I value most about this book, is it inspires me. This book has made me realize the importance of my own alone time with God every day. I need to listen to what God is telling me, and record his words in my own journal. Just imagine how comforting and life changing these journals would be in your life. I believe God has a message for each of us every day, and we need to reach out to him to receive it.

In the Footsteps of Paul

I own Ken Duncan’s previous book “Where Jesus Walked”. I found his first book to be an amazing journey through the life of Jesus. His second book, “In the footsteps of Paul” was just as enjoyable for me to read. The photographs are amazing, and gave me a better understanding of the places Paul encountered in his life. Some of the locations photographed include Damascus, Caesarea, and Cyprus. The author even includes a map, which really helped me visualize where Paul journeyed. I appreciated the scriptures that accompany the photographs, which helps put the photo in context with scripture. I do think more scripture could have been included to accompany the author’s personal views. I found the writing style to be easy to read. They are similar to devotionals, and are quick to read. However, they are well written and inspirational to the reader. The book also contains commentary from notable Christian authors such as Max Lucado, Rick Warren, and Beth Moore. The book is divided into three sections, each focusing on the various stages in Paul’s Life. The book certainly is not a bible study for individual or group study. However, it does give a starting point if a person wanted to study the life of Paul in depth. I think this book would be perfect as a gift for a friend who enjoys art and learning more about a man who devoted his life to serving God. I plan to keep my book on book shelf in my living room. It is too beautiful to put away, and I want to share it with all who visit my home. Ken Duncan’s books are amazing conversation starters for people who want to learn more about the lives of Jesus and Paul.

His Name Is Jesus

Max Lucado has produced a beautiful compilation on the life of Jesus. Max Lucado has written some amazing poetry that touched me deeply when reading the book. He has incorporated scripture to tell retell the amazing life of Jesus. It is easy to focus on Jesus’ Resurrection while forgetting about the sacrifice he made for us. Jesus died by the hands of our sins. Max Lucado has included amazing stories that focus on this sacrifice. Max Lucado also details Jesus’ life from start to finish. He gives us an idea of what Jesus may have been like as a child and then as a man. We are reminded of the blessings we have been given because of Jesus. Jesus’ struggles are written about in the book. This reminds us that Jesus can relate to the pain and trials we all face in our lives. The illustrations are amazing. Although they do not necessarily relate to all the stories in the book, they were eloquently designed. Max Lucado has a way of writing that draws a reader into the story. This book would be an special gift for a person who has just formed a relationship with Jesus. It would also be a wonderful addition to a personal library, to remind us of Jesus’ time spent on earth, and why he loves and saves us. This book is hardbound, and comes in a beautiful box. I was surprised by how sturdy the book is. This book will remain in wonderful conditions for years to come. In my opinion, Max Lucado is one of the most amazing Christian writers. He continues to glorify God in all his books. God has blessed him with a talent, and he has shared it with all of his readers.

Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure

Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure is the latest in the Hermie and Wormie Series. Skeeter is a mosquito who is not happy with himself. He always questions himself and the choices he makes. Skeeter has the perfect brother. Skeeter feels inadequate when he compares himself to his brother. Skeeter’s friends all admire his brother, and think he is so cool. This DVD will teach children that they are unique and special. God created everyone for a specific purpose. They will learn that just because someone seems better than them, we still all have our imperfections. My children loved the music, and were singing the songs after watching the DVD a few times. The animation was colorful, and certainly held my children’s attention. The actors did an excellent job of bringing the story to life. I was impressed by the bonus material included with this DVD. Parents and children will enjoy he extra games, coloring pages, and sing-along. I teach Awana’s, and I plan on printing some of the coloring sheets for my class to color. The Hermie and Wormie series just keeps getting better. The stories deal with relevant issues that children struggle with. Max Lucado has found a fun, but educational way to help children resolve these issues. I really appreciate that the focus is on teaching children to turn to God for help with their problems. We own all the DVD’s in this series, and look forward to the next one.

Read and Share DVD Bible - Volume 1

My children and I, had the pleasure of viewing the “Read and Share DVD Bible – Volume 1”. This dvd contains 13 stories from the Old and New Testament. It begins with the Six days of Creation and ends with One lost sheep. Each segment is about 3 minutes long. Although the story is quick, the pertinent facts from the bible are presented in each segment. The animation is colorful and sticks to the original illustrations from the Read and Share Bible. However, it draws a kid’s attention to the stories on screen. This dvd was viewed by my 7year old and 3 year old, and both enjoyed the dvd. The stories are presented in a fun kid friendly manner. My children were excited to be learning about the bible in a unique way. Rather than me just reading the stories to them, they were watching them brought to life on the dvd. I would not recommend using the dvd as a child’s only source of bible teaching. However, combining the bible with the stories will help reinforce the concepts for a child. My oldest son, wanted to learn more about the people he watched on the dvd. This provides me a direction for our nightly bible reading. I can focus on stories that appealed to him, and he will want to listen. I look forward to more Read and Share DVD’s. These would also be great for Vacation Bible School or Sunday School lessons.

Christianity In Crisis: The 21st Century

My husband and I were excited to read Christianity in Crisis by Hank Hanegraaff. This book certainly exceeded our expectations. I have noticed that many ministers that are televised seem to focus on gaining more popularity and writing books. They market themselves to the public, which makes them lots of money. Which they claim is to further the Kingdom of God. I question how much of that money really does go to benefit the ministries they claim to support or align with. They preach that if you just follow God, then you can also receive all his blessings. Of course, they may not outright say it, but imply that these blessings are financial. Hanegraaff goes on to list a Cast of Characters in which he discusses celebrity ministers and what they preach. I appreciated that he did not simply state his opinions. He actually provided evidence about how these ministers were preaching contrary to the bible. Hanegraaf does not set out to destroy the popular leaders; he simply wants to bring awareness of them. We need to investigate the truth, and not accept everything they say. They are human and have their own objectives and opinions too. Hanegraaff lists examples of their sermons, and discusses how they misrepresent scripture to benefit themselves. He uses scripture to support his thoughts on what these popular ministers are preaching. The book also focuses on how to teach biblical doctrine that aligns with the bible. He writes about how we can look for false doctrine, so that we don’t fall into a world of lies and deceit by those who seem trustworthy. He does admit that there are Christians who truly are good and committed to leading others to God. Hanegraaff uses three steps to support his arguments. Ask, Believe, and Receive. He does a thorough job of presenting these steps and explaining how they will strengthen a person’s faith. Hanegraff has included an extensive list of endnotes to support his book. It is obvious that his research was thorough and detailed. This book does an excellent job of reminding us of the importance of bible reading. The bible is the ultimate source of God’s word. We need to educate ourselves about God’s word. This will help prevent us from becoming victims to the Celebrity Ministers who may be deceptive. This book does an amazing job of bringing God and the bible back into the 21st century.

http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=0849900069

Rex

Cathleen Lewis took her families struggles and turned it into miracle. I was instantly drawn into their lives when I picked up the book. She lays all of her emotions, thoughts, fears, and hopes for the reader to see. I cannot even imagine living a life with a child who is both blind and autistic. However, as a mother she has blessed her child in remarkable ways. She took the cards life dealt her, and played them successfully. I am touched by her faith in God, and how she used it to guide her parenting. She trusted God to guide her. Cathleen knew that they only way to find comfort was to lean on God. She is a remarkable example for all those struggling with unimaginable situations. I grew to truly care about her son Rex. I doubt I will ever meet him, but his perseverance and spirit has certainly touched my life. Rex seems like such a remarkable child. God has truly gifted him with the gift of music. Cathleen should be very proud of the son she has raised. I only hope that I am able to impact my children’s lives the way she has impacted her son’s life. This was an amazing testimony of faith, hope, and love.

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