In the midst of a world that seems to move faster and faster in a downward spiral, how is a Christian to manage well? Dr. Jeremiah offers sound, basic comforts from the Word of God which also serve as challenges to one's character and growth. The author expounds on our ability to stay calm, compassionate, constructive, challenged, connected, centered, confident, consistent, committed, and convinced when life is hard, whether situationally or relationally.
While this is a very basic book with little new to challenge the mature believer, the author makes some fresh points. An example is his description of what diligence produces—stability, vitality, and reality—and the results of a lack of diligence—a lack of spiritual power, perception, and privilege. Dr. Jeremiah speaks simply and deeply, at times holding old concepts in a new light, such as defining vitality as “abundant mental and physical energy,” demonstrating how those can be characteristic of godly people no matter their age.
This book serves as either a good primer for a new believer wondering what difference Christ can make and as a good reminder for a seasoned believer who may want to “gird up their loins”, in the words of the KJV, for what appear to be tough times ahead.
I recommend this book, as it conveys biblical truth about being secure in Christ in a difficult time.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
What difference do it make? by Ron Hall, Denver Moore, and Lynn Vincent
This book addresses a wide range of subjects, including loss, disappointment, motivations, humility—you name it. The two authors have had such a wide range of life experience that they obvious can speak to many a topic.
Having not read Same Kind of Different as Me, I wondered if this would be a pale sequel. It was not. This book stands alone. While it quotes enough of the first volume to transition anecdotes, it both fills in the background of the first book and adds to it by giving first-person narratives by people whose lives were changed through Same Kind of Different as Me.
This sequel is well written, effective, and interesting. The stark difference between the authors' writing styles only adds to the book's appeal. This volume piqued my interest so much, today I ordered Same Kind of Different as Me so I can know the rest of the story.
Having not read Same Kind of Different as Me, I wondered if this would be a pale sequel. It was not. This book stands alone. While it quotes enough of the first volume to transition anecdotes, it both fills in the background of the first book and adds to it by giving first-person narratives by people whose lives were changed through Same Kind of Different as Me.
This sequel is well written, effective, and interesting. The stark difference between the authors' writing styles only adds to the book's appeal. This volume piqued my interest so much, today I ordered Same Kind of Different as Me so I can know the rest of the story.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Fearless by Max Lucado
Max Lucado's latest book considers common fears while offering comfort from the Word of God, reassuring the reader with truth. Lucado lists fears of not mattering, disappointing God, running out, not protecting our children, overwhelming challenges, worst-case scenarios, violence, the coming winter, life's final moments, what's next, that God is not real, global calamity and of God getting out of my box. With his usual spot-on anecdotes and illustrations, the author skillfully addresses each fear.
I have not been a fan of Max Lucado's writings, mainly because he seemed, at times, hyperglib, to coin a word; that is, he seemed to strain so hard for wittiness and clever turns of phrase that his message was overshadowed. All that shucking and jiving left me weary, and I would lose interest. His latest book, though, is cut from different cloth. While there is the occasional overdone phrase, Lucado has substantial points to make and valuable perspectives to offer in this book. His choice of fears, alone, reflect his thorough consideration of his subject, offering a fresh perspective on a universal topic.
I found this book interesting, challenging, and encouraging, deeply reflecting Scripture in its solutions. I recommend this to anyone wishing to contemplate the subject of fear.
I have not been a fan of Max Lucado's writings, mainly because he seemed, at times, hyperglib, to coin a word; that is, he seemed to strain so hard for wittiness and clever turns of phrase that his message was overshadowed. All that shucking and jiving left me weary, and I would lose interest. His latest book, though, is cut from different cloth. While there is the occasional overdone phrase, Lucado has substantial points to make and valuable perspectives to offer in this book. His choice of fears, alone, reflect his thorough consideration of his subject, offering a fresh perspective on a universal topic.
I found this book interesting, challenging, and encouraging, deeply reflecting Scripture in its solutions. I recommend this to anyone wishing to contemplate the subject of fear.
Called to Worship by Vernon M. Whaley
This book is a careful study of aspects of worship woven throughout each book of the Bible. Whaley effectively makes the the point that worship is not so much as an activity or occasion as it is a state of mind, heart, and character, both a bent and a lifestyle. He convincingly demonstrates how worship, the most natural response to a relationship with God, was part of the very fiber of victorious saints of the Old and New Testaments. The author spends the first half of each chapter narrating outstanding experiences from books or sections of the Word, and the second half of each chapter delineates principles of worship reflected in that chapter.
Called to Worship was interesting, a great foundational study of the subject of worship. It broadened my thinking about the topic, helping me to see each person as an instrument of worship. The effectiveness of worship will not surpass the quality of the instrument.
This is a careful, well-crafted book. It is not for those who like a lot of flash and dash, as it is subtle in its points, building point upon point quietly and slowly. Biblical truth was well conveyed, and I would recommend this to anyone wanting to study worship.
Called to Worship was interesting, a great foundational study of the subject of worship. It broadened my thinking about the topic, helping me to see each person as an instrument of worship. The effectiveness of worship will not surpass the quality of the instrument.
This is a careful, well-crafted book. It is not for those who like a lot of flash and dash, as it is subtle in its points, building point upon point quietly and slowly. Biblical truth was well conveyed, and I would recommend this to anyone wanting to study worship.
Fearless by Max Lucado
Max Lucado's latest book considers common fears while offering comfort from the Word of God, reassuring the reader with truth. Lucado lists fears of not mattering, disappointing God, running out, not protecting our children, overwhelming challenges, worst-case scenarios, violence, the coming winter, life's final moments, what's next, that God is not real, global calamity and of God getting out of my box. With his usual spot-on anecdotes and illustrations, the author skillfully addresses each fear.
I have not been a fan of Max Lucado's writings, mainly because he seemed, at times, hyperglib, to coin a word; that is, he seemed to strain so hard for wittiness and clever turns of phrase that his message was overshadowed. All that shucking and jiving left me weary, and I would lose interest. His latest book, though, is cut from different cloth. While there is the occasional overdone phrase, Lucado has substantial points to make and valuable perspectives to offer in this book. His choice of fears, alone, reflect his thorough consideration of his subject, offering a fresh perspective on a universal topic.
I found this book interesting, challenging, and encouraging, deeply reflecting Scripture in its solutions. I recommend this to anyone wishing to contemplate the subject of fear.
I have not been a fan of Max Lucado's writings, mainly because he seemed, at times, hyperglib, to coin a word; that is, he seemed to strain so hard for wittiness and clever turns of phrase that his message was overshadowed. All that shucking and jiving left me weary, and I would lose interest. His latest book, though, is cut from different cloth. While there is the occasional overdone phrase, Lucado has substantial points to make and valuable perspectives to offer in this book. His choice of fears, alone, reflect his thorough consideration of his subject, offering a fresh perspective on a universal topic.
I found this book interesting, challenging, and encouraging, deeply reflecting Scripture in its solutions. I recommend this to anyone wishing to contemplate the subject of fear.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Book Review: Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
The premise of this book is that wives want and need unconditional love, and husbands want and need unconditional respect. When a spouse does not offer unconditionally, it sets off what the author calls The Crazy Cycle where the husband reacts without love and the wife reacts without respect. The solution, The Energizing Cycle, occurs when his love motivates her respect and her respect motivates his love. The author then outlines six components each spouse needs to be fulfilled in marriage.
This book challenges husbands to love and wives to respect unconditionally. The author believes unconditional love has been emphasized properly over the past few decades, but unconditional respect has not been. I found the author's message worthwhile, based solidly on biblical truth.
Something I found too much were the close to 100 testimonials from letters the author received, quoted in blocks of more than five lines each, sprinkled throughout the book, most of which proved to the author that readers “got it”. After a while, it seemed that you were reading the same thoughts repeatedly.
While this was a helpful book, the points seemed belabored at times.
This book challenges husbands to love and wives to respect unconditionally. The author believes unconditional love has been emphasized properly over the past few decades, but unconditional respect has not been. I found the author's message worthwhile, based solidly on biblical truth.
Something I found too much were the close to 100 testimonials from letters the author received, quoted in blocks of more than five lines each, sprinkled throughout the book, most of which proved to the author that readers “got it”. After a while, it seemed that you were reading the same thoughts repeatedly.
While this was a helpful book, the points seemed belabored at times.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
What's He REALLY Thinking? By Paula Rinehart
This book addresses the impact of significant men on a woman's life and her influence on them. Seven broad categories of men are described, with their motivations, strengths and drawbacks. The rest of the book's two sections, Understanding the Man You Love, and Loving the Man You Understand, explain what motivates and hurts men, how they change, and what they need.
I enjoyed this book, as it was one of the first of its kind I have read. It is more primer than textbook, although it is written by a seasoned counselor. In clear terms and ways which are easy to grasp, Paula Rinehart describes what and how men think, feel, and relate. At the least, the book serves as a good reminder of how men and women differ in their cognitive and emotional makeup. Appendices and a guide in the back of the book encourage women to discern and think about their relationships with men.
The book was easy to read, engaging and entertaining. Material is presented well and is not belabored.
The writer's style was a challenge for me, at times, sometimes waffling between timeless eloquence and colloquial talk as if between girlfriends. An example is at the top of page 95: “If our focus becomes shoring up a man's weaknesses, we may grow blind to what he does so well. When we lose sight of his strengths, our voices sound more like black crows carping in his ear. Forget the cheerleader biz.” Repeatedly, the author uses such jarring metaphors one after, and against, another. On page 100, she says, “All kinds of things can happen when your need taps into his fear of his own inadequacy. But that's no good reason to run for cover or bury your heart. I'm not suggesting you wig out on him, but if you hang in there—and hanging in there is a form of respect—you will both slowly get somewhere.” (Four figures of speech in two sentences are too many for me.) Other times, the author is eminently quotable, as in this case on page 103 when she talks about a woman letting silence be its own message: “So, sometimes, respect means letting the empty place scream its own scream.”
Overall, I would recommend this book, as long as the reader is not looking for a great deal of depth or analysis about the way men are designed.
I enjoyed this book, as it was one of the first of its kind I have read. It is more primer than textbook, although it is written by a seasoned counselor. In clear terms and ways which are easy to grasp, Paula Rinehart describes what and how men think, feel, and relate. At the least, the book serves as a good reminder of how men and women differ in their cognitive and emotional makeup. Appendices and a guide in the back of the book encourage women to discern and think about their relationships with men.
The book was easy to read, engaging and entertaining. Material is presented well and is not belabored.
The writer's style was a challenge for me, at times, sometimes waffling between timeless eloquence and colloquial talk as if between girlfriends. An example is at the top of page 95: “If our focus becomes shoring up a man's weaknesses, we may grow blind to what he does so well. When we lose sight of his strengths, our voices sound more like black crows carping in his ear. Forget the cheerleader biz.” Repeatedly, the author uses such jarring metaphors one after, and against, another. On page 100, she says, “All kinds of things can happen when your need taps into his fear of his own inadequacy. But that's no good reason to run for cover or bury your heart. I'm not suggesting you wig out on him, but if you hang in there—and hanging in there is a form of respect—you will both slowly get somewhere.” (Four figures of speech in two sentences are too many for me.) Other times, the author is eminently quotable, as in this case on page 103 when she talks about a woman letting silence be its own message: “So, sometimes, respect means letting the empty place scream its own scream.”
Overall, I would recommend this book, as long as the reader is not looking for a great deal of depth or analysis about the way men are designed.
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