Book Reviews

Give Yourself a Break

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Give Yourself a Break: Turning Your Inner Critic Into a Compassionate FriendGive Yourself a Break: Turning Your Inner Critic Into a Compassionate Friend by Kim Fredrickson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“It’s time to start treating yourself the way you treat others. As children we’re taught to treat others the way we would like to be treated. But as adults, we often need to turn that old maxim around. We’re good at showing compassion to other people–but many of us have trouble showing that same compassion to ourselves. We say things to ourselves we would never say to a friend. And all this negative self-talk can have a devastating effect on our lives and relationships.”

Why is it that we can overflow with love and care and compassion for those around us, even those on the fringes of our lives, yet when it comes to ourselves – well we are our own worst critic? We rarely show ourselves the love and care that we show others.

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Speak Lord

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Speak, Lord: Hearing Psalms in the First PersonSpeak, Lord: Hearing Psalms in the First Person by Vic Black

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

““I am your shepherd. You have no need of anything, because I am all you need.”
Do you ever wish that God would speak directly to you? The Psalms are filled with the heart-cry of a man for his God. But they are also overflowing with the depths of God’s heart for you.

In Speak, Lord you will learn how to engage with the Psalms in a fresh, dynamic way – hearing them as though God were speaking directly to you. Vic Black, the National Prayer Director for The Navigators, shares his passion to ignite your personal relationship with God by teaching you to interpret the Psalms from God’s perspective.”
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Praying the Prayers of the Bible

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Praying the Prayers of the BiblePraying the Prayers of the Bible by James Banks

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” (Psalm 27:8) It can be hard to wrap our minds around the fact that the all-powerful, all-knowing Creator of heaven and earth wants to talk with us. What can we tell Him that He doesn’t already know? The thought can leave us speechless. At other times, we’re speechless for other reasons—the sorrow is too much, the pain is too strong.

An amazing thing about our God is that He will never leave us trapped within ourselves, without words or hope. He’s given us His Word, which is full of prayers from His people. When we pray the prayers from God’s Word humbly and expectantly, we open our hearts and lives to deeper faith, renewed strength, fresh blessings, and God’s power to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”
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The Art of Work

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The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to DoThe Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do by Jeff Goins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Don’t settle for the status quo. Live a life that matters. Life seldom unfolds the way we hope or plan. The twists, suspires, and setbacks leave us feeling stuck with no options left but to play it safe – to conform to what’s expected of us. But what if there was more to life than this?

A calling is not some special opportunity reserved for an elite class of people. Meaningful work is available to anyone who dares to find it. The path before you is a perilous one, full of difficulty and challenges, but it leads to a legacy the world will not soon forget.
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Red Letter Prayer Life

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The Red Letter Prayer Life: 17 Words from Jesus to Inspire Practical, Purposeful, Powerful PrayerThe Red Letter Prayer Life: 17 Words from Jesus to Inspire Practical, Purposeful, Powerful Prayer by Bob Hostetler

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“You’re invited to sit at the feet of Jesus Himself and listen—and learn (and yearn)—as He prays. Seventeen chapters share the exciting, empowering, and enlightened Red Letter Prayer Life as Jesus spoke it, lived it, and shared it with His followers. Jesus uncovered secrets of prayer that could make the lame walk, open prison doors, and break down barriers between people. He did it for His followers then, and He does it for you today.

For some time now, it has been burning in my heart to really renew my prayer life. Take it from the rote and new and fresh. After reading The Red Letter Prayer Life, that burning in my heart has only grown brighter and more intense. Continue reading →

Never Ever Be The Same

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Never Ever Be the Same: A New You Starts TodayNever Ever Be the Same: A New You Starts Today by Kathy C Miller

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Have you ever proclaimed, “I will never be the same” about something in your life you absolutely wanted to change? This book will not only help you say it, but also make the statement a reality—and it can start today.

Never Ever Be the Same by Kathy Collard Miller and Larry Miller empowers Christians to look honestly at their motives and break free from the lies that fuel sinful patterns. We all respond in ungodly ways at times. We try to figure out why we fail in our words and reactions and even pray for God’s help, but before we know it, we’ve succumbed again to distrusting God and taking it out on other people.”
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Kingdom Come

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Kingdom Come: Why We Must Give Up Our Obsession with Fixing the Church and What We Should Do InsteadKingdom Come: Why We Must Give Up Our Obsession with Fixing the Church and What We Should Do Instead by Reggie McNeal

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

“There’s a reason Jesus taught us to pray “Thy Kingdom come . . .” and not “Thy church come.” The church clearly plays an important role in God’s plans. It was established by Christ, and he is its Head. But have we put too much emphasis on the church? Have we confused a means of participating in God’s Kingdom with the Kingdom itself?

In Kingdom Come, church ministry consultant Reggie McNeal reveals why it’s crucial to realign the church’s mission with God’s ultimate Kingdom agenda. You’ll discover how you can get in on—and help lead—the Kingdom movement currently underway.”
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Sons of Dust

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Sons of Dust: The Roots of Biblical ManlinessSons of Dust: The Roots of Biblical Manliness by Chris Clevenger

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Masculinity has been misrepresented in contemporary society. Men have become associated with either two camps one which is too similar to femininity to be complementary, and another that is a caricature which casts modern men as Neolithic knuckle-draggers in a primetime sitcom.

Millions of modern men need a rallying point, a deep understanding of the masculine spirit capable of transforming our cultural concept of masculinity.” Continue reading →

Abandon Your Life

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Abandon: Laying Aside Your Plan for God's PurposeAbandon: Laying Aside Your Plan for God’s Purpose by Tim Timberlake

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“Your secret to living the life beyond your wildest dreams! Do you have a vision for how your life should turn out? Big plans? Great dreams?

Get ready to trade it in for something a whole lot bigger and infinitely greater! In Abandon, Tim Timberlake shows you how to exchange your life for God’s life. Obedience to God is not a burden, as many have thought. Instead, obedience is your key to experiencing the life of Heaven right now!”
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Everyday Grace

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Everyday Grace: Infusing All Your Relationships with the Love of JesusEveryday Grace: Infusing All Your Relationships with the Love of Jesus by Jessica Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“It’s hard, sometimes, to get over that thing your husband said weeks ago; or to resolve that tension with your colleague at work; or to fix a lifelong friendship that’s taken a bad turn. The biggest problem with relationships is they always seem to involve sinners–including ourselves. So how can we form strong, resilient bonds with people who, like us, are bound to mess up?

Thankfully, it’s not all on us. Through stories and biblical teaching, Jessica Thompson helps us move beyond trying to “fix” the people we interact with, and shows us a better way. Though our relationships may be marred by tension and frustration, because we are welcomed and known by Christ, they don’t have to stay that way.”

Everyday Grace by Jessica Thompson… this is not your everyday “self-help” book that once read will solve all of your personal, relational, spiritual, etc woes. The author admits right up front that there are over twenty thousand of those books with a Christian Worldview already out there. So what makes Everyday Grace worth picking up? Continue reading →