Raising the Perfectly Imperfect Child by Boris Vujicic

The work of the father of Nick Vujicic, who was born without limbs, this gem of a book encapsulates a lifetime of learning and wisdom. Written in an understated, straightforward manner without a hint of hysteria, this excellent book allows you to read between the lines a bit. It is often touching, balanced with marvelous instruction on how to deal with challenges, especially aimed at families of disabled or special-needs children. The advice provided in this book is spot on. Woven between the author’s narration of the shock and grief accompanying Nick’s birth are important lessons, such as allowing yourself to grieve, letting others help, learning from your child, how to be an advocate for medical care and education, balancing the family’s needs, including those of the parents and any siblings, and preparing your disabled child for adulthood. If you want an encouraging glimpse into a family that adjusted and learned to nurture a challenged child, this is the book for you. It will instruct you as well as lift you up. You will learn just from the example of these parents. One of my favorite parts is an account of a time when Nick had, shall we say, a very hard day. At bedtime, his father went to Nick and talked to him, assuring Nick of the love of each family member and of God. He sat by Nick and stroked his hair until Nick fell asleep. It is glimpses like that, coupled with the wise words of a father who has walked a road few have walked, that make this book so worthwhile. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

The Comeback by Louie Giglio

Subtitled, “It’s Not Too Late and You’re Never Too Far,” this well-written book provides encouragement to keep going. The author blends contemporary stories with biblical ones to make the point repeatedly that there is no such thing as “too low” or “too far gone.” The biblical stories include those of Adam, Abraham, Noah, Moses, the thief on the cross, Joseph, and the prodigal son. Giglio takes a good look at Samson, Lazarus and Jesus Himself. Besides comeback accounts, the author encourages those who need a comeback to focus on Ps. 37:3-5, which says to “trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness; delight yourself in the Lord; and commit your way to the Lord.” This book’s aim is toward younger people, as the life circumstances repeatedly mentioned were transitions made in young adulthood. The principles covered, though, apply to anyone. This book skillfully uses Scripture throughout, and it was a great encouragement to read. I would recommend it. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning

This twenty-fifth anniversary publication emphasizes our need for grace, exhorting us never to forget thta we will always be needy people; it’s how God designed us, for we cannot welcome grace if we do not need it. This work is a deep look at grace: what it is and is not, who it is for, and why it is needed. Manning drives home the point that we cannot save ourselves. This is not a shameful fact to be covered by more effort; it is rather a pitiful reality with a solution, God’s grace, already available. Forgiveness and grace are not to be experienced once, after which we launch out on our own. Forgiveness and grace are to be like the air we breathe, a constant need and refreshment. Manning’s writing is less conversational than is now popular, as it is more classic and less colloquial both in language and style. This classic work is a powerful look at a timeless subject. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Strong and Kind by Korie Robertson with Chrys Howard

I wanted to read this newest book because I enjoy Duck Dynasty, and it appears Willie and Korie Robertson have raised some very fine children. Korie’s book is as I expected it to be: down to earth, easy to read, and practical, just like the Robertson clan seems to be. Their approach to childrearing is based deeply on biblical principles, emphasizing qualities lauded in the Bible, such as self-control, honesty, compassion, patience, joy, and humility. Korie’s style is apparently an encouraging one; she spends chapters on parenting with confidence, consistency, love, truth, and creativity, as well as encouraging parents to be real, unified and intentional. Each chapter ends with a page or two written by Willie, giving his perspective on each quality. I found this book refreshing. There is an honesty to it that keeps it from being merely theoretical and a reality to it that seems to make it possible to aim toward and successfully emphasize character traits as you raise your children. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze program.

The Entitlement Cure by Dr. John Townsend

The co-author of “Boundaries” writes now about, essentially, how to establish boundaries with those with an attitude of entitlement, which Townsend defines as “the belief that I am exempt from responsibility and I am owed special treatment.” Townsend maintains that we all, to a greater or lesser extent, struggle with this attitude, at least from time to time. The author carefully lays out a plan for addressing and even solving the problem of entitlement, beginning with a compassionate, relational approach that considers what is best for the person. He encourages us to examine the causes and effects of an attitude of entitlement in others and ourselves. He moves into the process of evaluating motivations to address the problem and then into the change in thought processes that can bring real change. Lastly, Townsend talks about the behavioral changes, such as admitting wrong, facing pain, and taking risks, that lead to fully accepting responsibility and will unhook a person from thinking they deserve special treatment. There are some biblical references and illustrations sprinkled throughout the book, but the book is more practical than theoretical. This was an excellent work and, in reality, another extension of boundary setting and boundary keeping. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze program.

7 Women and the Secret of Their Greatness by Eric Metaxas

This excellent book chronicles the lives and influence of seven great women. While I had heard of five (Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Corrie ten Boom, Rosa Parks, and Mother Teresa), the life stories of most were not known to me. I was not familiar with Hannah More or Saint Maria of Paris. Metaxas effectively narrates the early years of all the subjects and then articulates how their lives affected others, from their families to wider circles and then finally to history itself. The accounts are fascinating and thought provoking. It is a book you could pick up agian and again to remind yourself of the importance of faithfulness in things large and small. The introduction itself was intriguing, where the author talks about his choice of subjects. As he considered suggestions, he said, “What struck me as wrong about these suggestions was that they presumed women should somehow be compared to men. But it seemed wrong to view great women in that way. The great men in Seven Men were not measured against women, so why should the women in Seven Women be measured against men? I wondered what was behind this way of seeing things, that women should be defined against men? Or that men and women should even be compared to each other?” It is this honesty and thoughtfulness that flavors this outstanding book, which I highly recommend. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased reviewed through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

http://images.randomhouse.com/cover/9780804139618?width=125&alt=no_cover_b4b.gif http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/234655/the-first-family-detail-by-ronald-kessler/ The First Family Detail by Ronald Kessler Subtitled, “Secret Service Agents Reveal the Hidden Lives of the Presidents”, this book half fulfilled its promise. Included are anecdotes about virtually every president since Kennedy with a few vice presidents thrown in for good measure. Few of the accounts will leave you thinking more highly of the subject. It would be well to note that half the book is dedicated to the premise that the Secret Service cuts corners and is mismanaged, a repeated point made in so belabored a way that one wonders if this was not the author’s main goal in writing this book. A typical point is made on page 231, “Much like a car that never gets regular maintenance and oil changes, the seven-thousand-employee Secret Service lurches along until a tragdy like the Kennedy assaination forces it to rectify deficiencies.” Page 248 incudes this statement: “The fact that Secret Service management has a lackadaisical attitude about securtiy and routinely orders agents to cut corners no doubt contributed to the fact that a uniformed officer with a dog thought he could get away with sitting in his van talking on his personal cell phone.” Be forewarned that The First Family Detail seesaws between anecdotes about First Families and haranguing on the deficits of the Secret Service. In my opinion, both subjects would have been better served had they been addressed in different books. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.