Infuse Away!!

I really was looking forward to this book.  Infuse, by Eric Prum and Josh Williams is a book about how to infuse oils, spirits and waters.   In Infuse the authors share not only their favorite infusion recipes, but also how to use them in food and cocktails, like a spicy chili oil added to a grilled pizza bianca.  With more than 50 recipes for infusing oils, spirits and waters, Infuse provides instructions, quick tips and plenty of inspiration for how you can make delicious infusions part of your everyday.

There are also great pictures and the instructions are very clear.  So, if you are looking to try something new and different, this would be a really fun book.  The ideas are limitless, then you can go off on your own and make your own concoctions. 

I would recommend this book. 

I received it from Bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an impartial review.

Bible for Dad's

While Father’s Day is past, there is no time like now to get the dad in your life a Bible he will read.  The NIV Dad’s Devotional Bible (2nd Edition) is filled with 260 devotionals written for dads. These devotionals, written by Robert Wolgemuth, author of She Calls Me Daddy, The Most Important Place on Earth, and She Still Calls Me Daddy.

The devotionals were well written, filled with stories I was able to relate to.  While I didn’t read each devotional, if you are looking for a Bible which is easy to read, filled with thoughts and ideas which are practical to dads, then this is a great choice.

I appreciated the section entitled, “Questions Kids Ask” along with a topical section called “fruit of the Spirit Topical Index.”  Those were helpful indexes for men to read to help them better understand their children and their faith.  There were also 7 articles for kids to read, so they could better understand their dads.  I thought that was a novel approach.

The main criticism was the location of the introductions for each book of the Bible.  That was in the back of the Bible.  While this saved a few pages, having the introduction would have been better immediately preceding the chapter.

Overall, I felt this was a good Bible to purchase as a gift.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from Booksneeze.com.

The Excellent 101 Collection

I have never read a John Maxwell book on leadership I didn't like.  This book is no different.  The Complete 101 Collection: What Every Leader Needs to Know, is a compilation of Maxwell's short books from the 101 series.  This book weighs in at just over 600 pages, so it may be intimidating, but the chapters are short and quick reads.

Each page is filled with great, relevant and useful advice.  It's not rocket science, but Maxwell has found a niche in writing about leadership in such a way that it makes sense and seems easier than it really is.  It's mostly common sense.  But, that can be a struggle sometimes!

 There are 8 sections to the book.  Each covers a different phase of leadership, yet are all inter-related . . . 

1. Attitude
2. Self Improvement
3. Leadership 
4. Relationships
5. Success
6. Teamwork
7. Equipping
8. Mentoring

John's writing style makes the books easy to read and follow, as he uses stories, life examples and great practical knowledge to help make the books more useful and understandable.  John does not dwell on his Christian faith, which I would have liked to see more.


Overall, this is an excellent book for anyone in leadership or aspiring to positions of leadership.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book courtesy of the publisher and BookLook Bloggers.

How to Tie a Tie

I am not one for overbearing suits.  I believe a stylish suit should stand on its own.  But add a stylish tie to that suit and you are now making a statement.  The problem is, too many men have no clue how to tie a good tie.  Thus enters the book, How to TIE A TIE, by Ryan Tristan Jin.  

Early on I learned how to tie a half Windsor and Full Windsor tie, but that was as far as it went.  I know there are many other ways to tie a tie, but have never taken the time to learn.  Now, I can learn new ways to tie a tie.  

This book was good in that Jin started out by showing the different styles of ties, along with a color wheel to help men learn which colors work together and what does not.  

He then discusses and show diagrams about tying classic knots, then moves into a discussion, with diagrams on how to tie knots which are a little bolder.  One struggle I had was following the diagrams on some of the bolder ties.  That could be where a youtube supplement to this book comes out.

He concludes by talking about style and shirt styles, which was interesting, jackets, cuff links and more.  He also talks about how to tie a bow tie, and pocket squares.

Overall, this was the type of book I would give to a graduating college student to help them when they move into the working world.  The book cover also has a nice texture to it.

I received this book from blogging for Books in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Inspiring Book!

I heard of Judah Smith's book Jesus Is ___________ but had not read it, and thought this would be an interesting book to read.  So I was excited to receive this book. 

Judah is an engaging author, telling stories, using humor and tugging at your heart.  This book is broken into 4 sections . . .


Life is . . . to be loved and to love
Life is . . . to trust God in every moment,
Life is . . . to be at peace with God and yourself, and
Life is . . . to enjoy God.

Smith wrote about God's amazing love for us and how illogical it is.  Yet that is the great news.  Smith does a great job showing the reader God is passionately in love with us.  That's the illogical part, but it's the wonderful and powerful point of redemption.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book.  It would make a good book study.

Great Ideas for Personal Evangelism!

Amy Lively attempts to take the reader across the threshold and into the scary land of evangelism.  In her book, How to Love your Neighbor Without Being Weird, Lively shares stories and techniques about how to talk to your neighbor about Christ . . . without being weird.

The book is very practical and filled with humor and very real adventures which helps the reader better identify with the author.  She gives ideas and clues about what to say and has a section at the end of each chapter called “Next Steps” in which she helps you determine what we should do next. 

One great thought she had was to simply invite people to your home instead of inviting them to church where it is more threatening.  She helps the reader understand you don’t need a model super clean home.  Instead you need to practice the gift of hospitality.  Help that person feel welcome in your home and you will be surprised at what happens.

If you are looking for ways to reach your neighbors, then I believe this book has some great ideas in a nonthreatening forum. 

I received this book free of charge from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent! Say No More!

I really enjoy photography but seem to have little to no time to become a better photographer.  When I saw this book, it really piqued my interest.  This book, Capture the Moment, by Sandra Wilkerson, is filled with extraordinary pictures. 

What I really appreciated was the fact that this book was not filled with diagrams and charts about aperture settings, f stops, etc.  The focus was on pictures and settings and how to tell a story through pictures.  This helped the book to be a 5 star book. 

There are 6 chapters which cover the following ~

Natural Light
Composition
Storytelling
Fine Art
Black & White
Low Light

This book is useable for the novice like me, or for the advanced photographer who is looking to gain extra inspiration and ideas for new types and styles of pictures.  There are basic tips and ideas for all levels of photographers.  As each chapter progressed, Wilkerson moved into more advanced thoughts and techniques.

Don’t get me wrong, while each picture includes the information about the picture (Shutter speed, f-stop, camera, lens, etc.) that was not the focus of the book.  Sometimes all of those terms can be daunting.  While necessary to know them and understand them as you grow as a photographer, it can still be intimidating. 

Each chapter ends with “Creativity Exercises” to help you progress as a photographer.  Overall, this is an excellent book and I highly recommend it!

I received a free copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

His Kingdom or Our Kingdom?

I have always appreciated the writing of Reggie McNeal.  He seeks to help churches grow to become who God has called them to become.  In his book, Kingdom Come: Why We Must Give up Our Obsession with Fixing the Church - and What We Should Do Instead, Reggie believes church’s are asking the wrong question.

Most churches are asking how they can grow and become the biggest and newest mega church or multi-site church.  But McNeal states the correct question to ask is “how can our church join God in His mission to grow His kingdom?” 

I believe that is a crucial question and a huge difference in the way we think about church. 

McNeal explained the church is part of God’s plan to grow the kingdom, but we cannot grow the Kingdom without following God’s plan.  The modern church attempts to do ministry in a box, and to that degree we try to put His kingdom, with all of its complexities and uniqueness into our small isolated church’s.

This is an interesting book, with an excellent premise.  He also includes a Discussion Guide in the back of the book to help you consider some of the key thoughts from each chapter.  This is an excellent book for those in leadership to read and discuss.

I received this book from Tyndale Momentum in exchange for an unbiased review.

In My Arms Video

Some Insights of Jesus in the Old Testament

In the book, Transcending Mysteries: Who is God and What Does He Want From Us? Andrew Greer and Ginny Owens have written a book in which they attempt to find Jesus’ message from the Old Testament.

In this book they offer more of a dialogue to answer the questions about Jesus in the Old Testament.  It is written more from a personal reflective position as opposed to a deeper theological position.  In that sense it was interesting to see their take on who Christ is in the Old Testament. 

I appreciated their insights, as some made me think more about my view of Jesus and where I see Him as well in the Old Testament.  Andrew Greer and Ginny Owens are Christian musicians.  As such, there were times when they used music to help describe their view of Jesus in the Old Testament.  I found that helpful to better learn where they saw Jesus, and how music fit in with the larger story.

What intrigued me about the book was what was written on the back cover.  It said, Greer and Owens will “take readers on a journey to help Christ-followers reconcile a New Testament Redeemer with an Old Testament Judge.”  I was looking forward to a deeper discussion on that issue, but was left wanting more and wanting a deeper theological discussion.

Overall, the book is a nice collection of reflections and dialogue between the two Christian artists. 

I received a complimentary review copy of this book through the BookLook Bloggers (http://booklookbloggers.com/) program.

Powerful and Impactful

In their book, Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best When it Matters Most, by Hendrie Weisinger and J.P. Pawliw-Fry was an outstanding book.  So many people believe that they can just fend off the pressures which are upon them in a simple way, but that is not quite so true.  Techniques and practice needs to occur.  We believe people perform better under pressure, but that is not true either. 

The authors tell many stories which the reader can relate to, which helps us better understand how our body reacts to pressure.  We don’t like it, and we especially don’t like pressure packed surprises. 

When we experience pressure, especially unexpectedly, we need to be prepared to respond.  With this in mind, the authors developed a system to help the person who is experiencing pressure.  They discuss these strategies in the book, calling it the COTE of Armor.  The C.O.T.E. stands for (Confidence; Optimism; Tenacity and Enthusiasm).  The authors provide practical tools to help people perform better under pressure.  The rest is up to us, to practice and use these tools.

The more we practice these techniques, the more we will find they benefit us and help us thrive under pressure.  This will help us in all walks of life. 

Many books like this are all theory.  This book was not.  It is not a super fast read, but the stories and illustrations are great, as are the many practical tips and techniques which we can begin using. 

We all deal with pressure to one degree or another.  I highly recommend this book. 

I received this book free of charge from www.bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an honest review.

Engaging Journey to Faith

Adventures in Saying YES: A Journey from Fear to Faith, was an excellent book.  Carl Medearis packed up his wife and children and left for the Middle East.  They had hopes of changing the world for Christ.  This is a story about overcoming fear and relying on faith to defeat the demons of fear which Medearis and his family experienced on their wild journey.

This is a very easy to read book, filled with adventures and amazing faith, courage and some craziness from Medearis and his wife.  Carl shared a number of very personal stories, often times wondering why he was doing what he was doing, yet, he was always able to experience God’s presence, even when Muslims are questioning him with AK-47's in hand.  He even called out an Imam during one encounter. 

Medearis always brings the reader back to Jesus as the reason for what he was doing.  He shared some Bible passages and more than anything shared his story about overcoming fear in the name of faith in Christ.

I received this book from Bethany House Blogger Review Program for this honest review.

Excellent!

I really enjoyed reading this book, A. D. The Bible Continues: The Revolution That Changed the World.  Dr. David Jeremiah has written a book which if filled with a great deal of history which helps fill in the gaps about the beginning of the early church.  The first two chapters of the book give details regarding the death and resurrection of Christ.  Jeremiah goes into great detail to paint a vivid picture of what occurred. 

Beginning in chapter 3, Jeremiah tackles the beginnings of the church.  The book is based on the television series of the same name. 

Jeremiah provides the reader with additional facts and information which help to understand the political, cultural and religious situation of what was occurring when the church began.  He provides passages from the Bible to help the reader better understand the Christian perspective as well.

This is an easy to read book and very relevant to our world today, as Jeremiah uses examples we can relate to.  This is a very interesting book, which will help the reader understand the early movement of the church.  Of course, there is no substitute for reading the Bible.

I highly recommend A. D. The Bible Continues: The Revolution That Changed the World!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from Tyndale House in exchange for an honest review.

Thought Provoking!!

As a pastor who is trying to meet the needs of all people, yet understand why we are the way we are, this book was very helpful to me.  In Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church, Rachel Evans has written a book which describes her journey from the church to leaving the church and now back again.  She has changed and the church has changed. 

It's not always for the best.  She still struggles with many issues mainline, conservatives take as fact, but I appreciated the transparency of her struggles.  The first part of the book was very helpful as she wrote about her feelings of disillusionment and questioning the church.  Even though I didn't grow up in the church, I could identify with much of what she was writing. 

As she writes, she discusses the seven sacraments which the Catholic and Orthodox churches follow.   The chapters are short and easy to read.  While I do not agree with some of her theology, I found the book valuable to see where some people in the millenial group are thinking about church and structure.

She concluded that the church is still a place where you can find the good in people, yet we recognize we are all flawed.  She still finds it a place of peace for her.  

I received this book from Thomas Nelson publishers in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

Unique and Very Good!

To You; Love, God: A Year of Daily Guidance and Inspiration Straight from the Source, by Will Bowen, is a different type of devotional.  It is a 365 day devotional which is like many, however, the main difference is that Bowen has taken the liberty, not saying that’s bad, of writing a love letter from God to us.  So, what if we woke up to a daily love letter from God which encourages us through the difficulties of life.  That’s the premise of this book.

The book is an easy to read book.  It is written in a very poetic manner which should helps bring hope and encouragement to the reader.  The book is written in 12 themes.  Each month has a different theme.   The twelve themes are:

January - Awaken,
February - Love,
March - Release,
April - Believe,
May - Do,
June - Transform,
July - Intend,
August - Transcend,
September - Cultivate,
October - Flow,
November - Appreciate, and
December - Flourish.

The main criticisms are the fact that the subtitle suggests the inspiration is straight from the source.  The source must be God.  I can see how the book inspired the author to write this.  Yes, maybe that’s a little nit-picky, but it bothered me.  The other comment is that the devotion does not include scripture.  I think it’s a great devotion, with great thought, but to add scripture to help the reader see where the encouragement is found in the Bible would have been great.

Nonetheless, this is an excellent devotional.

I received a copy from Blogging for Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The options I have expressed are my own.

Thought Provoking & Entertaining!

I really was not sure what to expect in this book, other than the fact that it intrigued me.  Jared Brock has written a book which has some great deep truths, and is silly and comical at the same time.  In his book, A Year of Living Prayerfully: How A Curious Traveler Met the Pope, Walked on Coals, Danced with Rabbis, and Revived His Prayer Life, Brock and his wife Michelle set out on a one year adventure of learning more about prayer in order to revitalize their prayer lives. 

This is not a how to book, rather it is an intimate portrait of two people who have set out on a very intentional journey in order to find God, to develop a closer and more impactful prayer life with God.  They set about this journey by traveling the world and looking at various religions and traditions to learn about prayer. 

This is an easy to read book, which will surprise you with some deep truths about life and prayer.  Jared and Michelle share their journey and the many learnings and surprises along the journey.  Some were silly and irreverant, such as the clothes the wore to meet the Pope, their time at a Jewish Seder meal, and more. 

Jared never lost sight of his quest, repeatedly asking the question, “What is prayer?”  I would recommend this book to all who want to draw closer to God through reading a book which is both entertaining and thought provoking.

I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

More than I Expected

I have never really been into professional wrestling.  But when I saw this book was available for review, I thought why not.  This should be fun and entertaining.  But the book, Wrestling for My Life: The Legend, The Reality and the Faith of a WWE Superstar, by Shawn Michaels is not what I expected. 

It was better than expected.  I thought I would learn more about the wrestling movement, but it was more about Shawn's life after 2002.  The book is a quick and easy read.  If there was a criticism about the book it would be that I wanted to read more.

The book focuses on Shawn's life since he became a Christian.  He wrote about his struggles and at times compromising his faith for the sake of the WWE.  I like the fact that Shawn didn't talk about how his life is now perfect and he is perfect, he continued to remind the reader that he is still a work in progress. 

Of course there are lots of stories about wrestling, Vince McMahon, the Undertaker, Triple H, Bret Hart and more.  So, if you are into wrestling and want to learn more about the life change of Shawn Michaels this would be an excellent book to read.

I received this book in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

Enjoy the Pleasure of His Company

The Pleasure of His Company: A Journey To Intimate Friendship with God by Dutch Sheets was an excellent book.  It’s really more of a devotional book, broken into 30 easy to read chapters.  Sheets writing style is engaging and relaxed, yet he helps the reader to feel that this is a personal book.

The premise of the book comes in the title and subtitle.  Sheets believes and I agree, God wants to have a personal relationship with us.  It’s not a long distance relationship but one in which we find intimacy with God, as He does with us.  We also take pleasure in knowing and relating to and with God. 

While this is an easy to read book, you should take your time and gain an understanding of how God wants to relate with you and how you can experience and know God, as well.  Hopefully this will help the reader to move deeper in their relationship with God.

I highly encourage this book to be read.

I received a Review Copy free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The options I have expressed are my own.

Excellent Short Devotional

I am sometimes skeptical of different devotionals because I am often let down.  However, I was not let down after reviewing the devotional by Kerry and Chris Shook, Be the Message: A 30 Day Adventure in Changing the World Around You.  I really appreciated this devotional for its directness. 

Each chapter is about 4 pages, filled with scripture, devotional writings and some thought provoking questions and statements which will help us move in the direction God wants us to move so that we can Be the Message to the world.

If you are looking for a short devotional for a 30 day spiritual adventure, or to use this as a 30 week devotion, focusing on each chapter for one week, then I would highly recommend this devotional.  I have not read the book which goes along with this, so I don’t know if that would be a good addition.

I received this book from www.bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

Good, But Not Great!

I was excited to receive the new NIV Proclamation Bible.  While I am not a proponent of the new and revised NIV, I still wanted to review this Bible.  Especially because Timothy Keller, whom I respect was quoted on the cover stating, “There are many Study Bibles, but none better.” 

I must say this is not a Study Bible.  It’s not close.  That was disappointing.  I have Study Bibles and the notes are helpful.  However, this Bible reminds me of one of my first Bibles, the Thompson Chain Reference Bible.  There are cross-references and two columns per page, which I really like!  There is a one page introduction for each book of the Bible, yet, there are no notes telling me historical information, such as the date, setting, etc.

There is a nice concordance in the back, as well as about 70 pages of introductory writings in the beginning of the Bible, which most people do not read.  There was nothing overly spectacular or new which would cause me to say ‘I must have this Bible.’

I did like the fact that when I opened the Bible to Genesis 1, the Bible layed flat.  That is outstanding!  I liked the fact I didn’t need to hold the Bible open until I break it in.  There are also 2 ribbons to help mark your place while reading the Bible.  The Bible is in a nice looking blue hardcover which would look very nice on a table or bookshelf. 

I hesitate in ripping into a Bible.  It’s the Word of God, so with that in mind, if you are looking for a basic Bible in a nice hardcover book, without lots of notes, yet with thicker pages, then this is a very nice Bible to purchase.

I received this book from http://booklookbloggers.com in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

Great Thriller!

This book by Van R. Mayhall, Jr. Captivated me as soon as I opened the book. It’s a fictional book which uses biblical stories and facts to build a compelling Judas the Apostle has been the subject of great debate within the church. Mayhall has written an excellent and fun filled thriller, with twists and turns which are unexpected.

The story focuses on Chloe LeJune who returns to Louisiana to bury her father. They had been estranged for many years, but in returning home she discovers her father was murdered and the focus is an ancient jar which some strange writings on it. She goes about discovering what was written on the jar, along with her son JE and officials from the Vatican.

This book kept me reading to the very end. I would highly recommend this book.

I was given a copy of this eBook by the publisher, through NetGalley blogger program for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.
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Interesting and Fun Book

I was really excited to receive the book, This is What you Just put in Your Mouth, by Patrick Di Justo.  It’s a fun book, but the title can be a little misleading, but not a downer.  This book is not just about what you put in your mouth, but it’s about many products we purchase. 

I enjoyed some of the back stories about his research and discussions with experts about what went into various products.  He discusses products ranging from cool whip, dog food, doritos, hot pockets, A-1 Sauce to diaper rash cream to bug spray to febreeze, play doh, hair coloring and more.

It was fun to read about some of the hidden products in items I purchase.  He uses the actual names of ingredients used so science folks will appreciate that.  If you read through the book, you will find products like Plaster of Paris, Turpentine and other products are in the foods we eat!  Sounds great!

Anyways, it’s a fun book which will be fun for all ages to read.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from www.bloggingforbooks.com.

Very Good, But a Reprint

I am a fan of John Maxwell.  I think he has so much to say which is practical as it pertains to leadership.  However, I was somewhat disappointed in this book, The Leadership Handbook: 26 Critical Lessons Every Leader Needs.  It is mostly a reprint of a leadership book which was previously published, called Leadership Gold. 

That being said, this book was a very good reminder of what I need to be doing as a leader.  There is not much new that is written in this book, however, Maxwell’s gift is to take something which can be difficult and he makes it understandable and practical.  That is a gift which I appreciated in this book.  The book covers 26 different aspects of leadership.  The chapter titles are catchy and there is a Mentoring Moment at the end of each chapter. 


Overall, I would recommend this book to those who have never read leadership books from John Maxwell.  Then, I would move on to other a little weightier classics by him.

 I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers http://booklookbloggers.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Finding Favor: The Story of Esther

In his book, Finding Favor With the King: Preparing for your Moment in His Presence, Tommy Tenney, explores the ancient story from the Old Testament book of Esther.  He retells the story about how she found favor with the king.  She took a risk of entering the king’s chambers without his asking for her.  He could have said no, and she would have been subject to be killed. 

The premise of the book is to help the readers discover God’s plan for their lives as they seek His presence.  The question at hand which is the locus of the book is this — will Esther seek the kingdom or the king?  Will she seek the king more than the palace?  What can she live with?  In the same way, the question comes before us as well, who will we choose . . . the King or the kingdom (our kingdom)?

He concludes the book by listing the "Twelve Protocols of the Palace."  These were Esther's secrets of finding favor with the King.  It’s an excellent list and one to hold onto. 

This was an encouraging book.  It was not difficult to read and was engaging as well.

Tenney reminds us that victory comes when we pay close attention to our King even when the enemy stares us in the face.  The ultimate question is who will you choose to serve and worship?

Overall, this was a very good book which I recommend.

I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for an impartial and honest review.

Vulnerable and Transparent!

I have read other books by Donald Miller and have found him to be authentic and a writer who is willing to be bold and challenge the reader.  In his newest book, Scary Close: Dropping the Act and Finding True Intimacy, Miller has written a very transparent book about his journey in relationships; from singlehood to marriage.

I admire his openness and willingness to uncover deep secrets which he was even able to hide from himself.  Writing this book took a great amount of courage.  He is not only open, he reveals his shortcomings, his weaknesses and his challenges at overcoming his own obstacles, namely, himself and his woundedness.

The greatest compliment I can state has already been said, he is open and vulnerable and transparent.  He writes about his many failures in relationships, his vicious cycle of failure and admits to the deep hurts he caused others.  His goal, is exactly as the title stated, dropping the act and finding true intimacy.  Fortunately for Miller, he was surrounded by many friends who cared and loved him, as they helped him on his journey to healing and wholeness.

This was a very easy to read book, it’s deep, but a quick read.  The only criticism is the fact that Miller didn’t talk about where Christ was in the midst of his struggles and understanding of himself.  He went to a treatment center to help with psychological / emotional issues, but didn’t talk about the role his faith played in the healing.  If it played a role at all.  I would have appreciated to see where and how his faith helped, didn’t help in his healing process.

Overall, this is a good book, albeit with one large shortcoming.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers http://booklookbloggers.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Excellent Story of Bill Parcells

Bill Parcells: A Football Life by Nunyo Demasio was a great book to read.  I’ve never been a huge Bill Parcells fan, but thought this would give me some insight into his life and the life of a coach.  I was not disappointed.  This is an excellent biography which was very well researched by Demasio. 

The reader quickly realizes that football meant life to Bill Parcells.  He explains later in the book that he sacrificed his family for football, moving them every few years to move up to a new school and greater responsibility as a coach. 

One of the things I really appreciated was the inside look at scouting, contract negotiations, deciding upon football schemes, and more.  This was about the man, but it was also about many other people who have surrounded Parcells over the years. 

We learn that Parells was a driven man, an A Type personality when it came to coaching, but a man who had insecurities and made many mistakes within his family, with friends and as a coach.  He made mistakes by ruining many relationships because he could not make decisions. 

Whether you like or dislike Parcells, I believe you will gain a greater appreciation for the man and what it takes to be a success in the NFL.  I Highly Recommend “Parcells: A Football Life!”

I received this book free of charge from Blogging for Books in exchange for my unbiased review.

Be Contagious!

In their book, Contagious Disciple Making: Leading Others on a Journey of Discovery, authors David Watson and Paul Watson have written an excellent book. 

This book is not geared for the professional only.  It is for all people who are invested in making a difference for Christ.  This book will help the Christ follower to be better equipped to help people know and become more passionate followers of Christ.  This book is not just another theoretical book, it is filled with many practical applications as well.  That makes the book worth the price.  I like the fact that the applications are not just locally grown, but come through their ministries relationships throughout the world, as well in the United States. 

The book is easy to read, the chapters are short and can easily be read as part of a group process.  There are also a number of scripture references to help the reader.

The book is broken into two parts ~

PART 1: THE MIND-SET OF A DISCIPLE-MAKER
- Disciple-Makers Embrace Lessons Taught by Failure
- Disciple-Makers Deculturalize, Not Contextualize, the Gospel
- Disciple-Makers Plant the Gospel Rather than Reproduce Their Religion
- Disciple-Makers Recognize the Limitations of Branded Christianity
- Disciple-Makers Adapt the Strategy for Making Disciples to the Structure of the Community
- Disciple-Makers Limit the Negative Influence of their Culture and Religious Experience
- Disciple-Makers Understand the Importance of Obedience
- Disciple-Makers Make Disciples, Not Converts
- Disciple-Makers Practice the Priesthood of the Believer

PART 2: PRACTICES OF A DISCIPLE-MAKER
- Think Strategically and Tactically About Disciple-Making
- Be a Disciple Who Makes Disciples
- Prayer
- Engage Lost People
- Finding a Person of Peace
- Discovery Groups
- Establishing Churches
- Leadership
- Mentoring

The Watson's lead us in the first section to understand the theory, then in part two, put everything into practice.  Overall, this was an excellent book.

I received this book from Booksneeze.com in exchange for an impartial review.

Prepping for the SAT

The Perfect Score Project: One Mother's Journey to Uncover the Secrets of the SAT, by Debbie Stier was an excellent book to read at just the right time.  We have a son who will be taking the SAT in a couple of months, so this book came at a good time.  At times, it was difficult navigating through some of what Debbie was talking about.  

I’m not sure I would want to take the SAT again, it’s been too many years.  Let alone to take it 7 times.  But by the 7th time, she should have had a system down anyways.  So, I’m not sure about some of the scoring she received. 

It seems that her son who was underachieving was able to get mom to do a lot of leg work to help him do well on his test scores.  Debbie works to help the reader sift through the different way to prepare for the test.  She dove into so many different ways to prepare for the SAT, from using the prep tests to homemade flash cards to an expensive tutor.  She explained which books she used and were helpful and which not to use.

In the end, Debbie’s greatest discovery was the coming together and closer relationship within her family.  That’s crucial!  

I received this book from Bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for an impartial review.

The Bible in 66 Verses!

I wondered how Stan Guthrie was going to pull this off?  How can you choose one verse from each of the 66 books of the Bible?  In his newest book, God's Story in 66 Verses: Understanding the Entire Bible by Focusing on Just One Verse in Each Book, Guthrie tackles a big challenge.

Guthrie chooses one passage from each book of the Bible, but does not just focus on that one verse, instead he moves on from that point and writes about how that verse fits into the bigger picture of the Bible.  

The book is not difficult to understand.  Each chapter builds upon the previous chapters.  I would recommend reading this book more as a devotional, than trying to plow through in a couple of days.  Each chapter is no more than four pages, which makes this a nice 2 month devotional.

I received this book from Booksneeze.com in exchange for an impartial review.

Bible Reading! Are you?!

This week I will be talking about Bible Study in our worship.  It's week 13 of Believe.  A couple of thoughts about Bible Reading. 

1.  It can be intimidating! 
2.  Don't let that stop you!
3.  Read it regularly!
4.  Don't give yourself excuses!
5.  Ask questions!
6.  Find a version of the Bible which works for  you!
7.   Be excited about what you are learning from God!
8.  Read the Bible as if you were reading a novel!  Read with emotion!
9.  Take notes or write in the margin of the Bible.  Lightening bolts won't strike you because you write in your Bible!
10.  Talk about the Bible with friends who are willing to listen to what you are learning!
11.  Don't be arrogant about what you know or think you know and someone else doesn't know!
12.  Choose how you want to read the Bible . . . For deep understanding (go slowly) or for an overall sense of the book (reading quickly).
13.  If you get stuck, it's okay, we all do at times!  Again ask questions!

Your Bible is calling out to you . . . will you read it, or allow it to remain filled with dust?

More to come later . . . 

Community Happens at the Table

I have always appreciated reading Leonard Sweet books.  He is not only a deep thinker, but he is able to move me to examine my life as well.  If you read his books too quickly, you miss the deeper meanings and your benefit is not as great as it could have been.  This is true in his book, From Tablet to Table.  It is a powerful book, rich in meaning.

The back cover drew me in, as Sweet wrote,

"The story of God is full of reference to food.  From the Garden of Eden to the Last Supper to the wedding feast of the Lamb, God sets a table before us and invites us to join Him there.  Contrast this rich and filling good news with the thin and meager fare to which we've become accustomed to in our relationships, our churches or even in our families."

As I read this book, Sweet reminded of how many times as a church we have fallen short because we didn't value the table as a place of community.  We assume if we are busy, we are connected, but connection often escapes us.  Sweet outlines the fact that the table occurs in our homes, in the church and in the world.  He offers suggestions as to how we can help meet the needs of those around us, as well as satisfy our own longings.

Sweet encourages us to open up our homes and our lives to the table.  This is the place where real community occurs.  He lists numerous scriptures which highlight the many times Jesus sat and ate with others and the importance of this event. 

I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an unbiased review.

Stealing from God

When I saw the title of the book, I definitely wanted to read Frank Turek’s book, Stealing from God: Why Atheists Need God To Make Their Case.  This was a fascinating book, and one which helps me see arguments against God, by Atheists from another point of view.  Turek believes atheists need to use God in order to prove there is no God, but end up proving there is a God.  It sounds crazy, but Turek had many good points.

He uses the acronym CRIMES to highlight the content of each chapter ~

C - Causality
R - Reason
I - Information & Intentionality
M - Morality
E - Evil
S - Science
The four-point case for mere Christianity
Conclusion: God Will Not Force you into Heaven Against Your Will

I greatly appreciated the fact that Turek laid out his non-negotiable beliefs.  He stated, the Source and Sustainer of all things is

Self Existing
Infinite
Simple
Immaterial
Spaceless
Timeless
Omnipotent
Omniscient
Omnipresent
Immutable
Holy
Personal

He briefly expanded on each point, but that helped set the stage for what he was about to share.

Turek reviewed debates which have occurred between God believers and non-believers.  At times, it was easy to get lost in all of the back and forth of the debates.  Overall, it was a little heady at times, but I expected that.  It was an interesting read and I would recommend this book for people who wanted to know more about defending their faith when speaking to atheists.

I received this book free from the Tyndale House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.