Visioneering by Andy Stanley

In the interest of full disclosure, I will say at the start that I do not practice setting goals or “maintaining personal vision,” as Andy Stanley would describe it. Reading Stanley’s book did not persuade me to start. With that being said, if setting goals and having vision are important to you, this book will help solidify your practice. The author systematically states his case for “visioneering”, describing it as "a clear mental picture of what could be, fueled by the conviction that it should be.” Stanley gives examples as small as sharing the gospel with someone to starting a corporation. Nehemiah is used as the prime example of someone with a vision, which started as a concern, led to prayers, and continued with planning, communication, cultivation of unity, single-mindedness, and constant attention. This is as fine a book as I have read about goal setting and having vision, as Andy Stanley writes thoroughly and passionately about his belief. I happen to not agree with him that vision is for everyone; some of us make very good followers after we agree to help with someone else’s vision. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

A Spectacle of Glory by Joni Eareckson Tada

This daily devotional is thoughtfully and well written, reflecting the depth of reflection given to each topic by its author, who has been a quadriplegic for almost 50 years. When you are aware of her suffering, it brings added meaning to her words. For example, once she described her chemotherapy for breast cancer to her husband as a “splash-over from hell”, and they wondered what “splash-overs from heaven” might be--“easy, bright times” maybe?” “Ken looked at me and with wet eyes whispered, ‘No, Joni. It’s when we see Jesus in our splash-over of hell.” It is this kind of rubber-meets-the-road life experience that gives Joni’s wise, encouraging words such power. There is a devotional for every day of the year, beginning with a reference to a Bible passage, including a couple of paragraphs of Joni’s thoughts, with a brief prayer at the end. The devotionals are meant to encourage and sometimes exhort, not necessarily teach. I found a great deal of comfort in this little book and plan to use it regularly. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

The Kindness Challenge by Shaunti Feldman

Subtitled ‘Thirty Days to Improve Any Relationship”, this very practical book has a lot to offer. Addressing a real need in our world, Shaunti Feldman proposes a change in thinking and behavior, laid out in small, concrete steps. Taking on the challenge seems failproof, as our world, down to every single relationship, could use more of what the author so carefully lays out. Feldman’s definition of “kindness” encompasses far more, including compassion, thoughtfulness and even generosity. Her thorough research and careful consideration are reflected in her writing, making for a book whose time has come. In a time, and an election year, where fear, hostility and animosity have become commonplace, the challenge offered by the author could not be more important. Shaunti Feldman outlines 30 specific tasks in order to, in her words, nix the negatives, practice praise, and carry out kindness. In addition to addressing proactive steps, the author includes discussion about objections and resistance. This book is well written. I highly recommend it; as it deserves a wide audience. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Devotions for a Deeper Life - Oswald Chambers

By the author of My Utmost for His Highest, which I have not read, this newly published work consists of 365 devotionals. Let me say at the outset that this was not my cup of tea; I could rarely get myself to be on the same wavelength as the author, finding him very, very firm of opinion and coming from a different theological standpoint than I. Oswald Chambers did not mince words, so he was clear about what he thought and believed. His writing very much reflects a time gone by, with a tone that was at least exhortative and many times seemed to scold. It is not a tone you see much these days. At times, Chambers overstates his case, such as at the end of the devotional on page 103, where Chambers wrote very jarringly: “We are called to faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ. Any movement or person that contradicts Jesus, God will blast to pieces.” I don’t find that teaching in Scripture. On page 253, Chambers says, “This kind of self-sympathy, arising from the cares of this life, is carnal. It will kill the Spirit of God within you.” The Bible says we can quench the Spirit, but it never states we can “kill the Spirit of God” within us. If a firm tone is something you appreciate in a devotional, you might like this one. If not, I’d look elsewhere. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

66 Ways God Loves You by Jennifer Rothschild

This little book spends exactly three pages on each book of the Bible. The first page makes the point of how God’s love is communicated in that particular book, such as “In Genesis God Fashions Me with His Hands”, and the next two pages narrate the specifics of that point. The author always quotes at least one verse from the book and then applies it personally to the reader. The tone of the book is very reassuring and comforting. It is obviously not intended to be a scholarly work but more along the lines of a devotional. A good audience would be those who want reassurance of God’s love or those who are new to the Bible. Jennifer Rothschild writes very well. I have read several of her books, and this one is nothing like her others, where she writes from her experience. This book is more objective, applying the words of the Bible to the reader’s life. Only in the introduction does the author mention her life. I received this book for free in exchange for my unbiased review through the Thomas Nelson BookSneeze Program.

Brady vs Manning by Gary Myers

This book is exactly what you think it might be: a long narrative of the individual life stories of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning with a focus on their long rivalry. Along the way, the reader discovers the deep respect and friendship these two stellar quarterbacks share. Both men provided source material for the author, as did the fathers of both. It makes for a very interesting read, reflecting not just these two who have dominated football for more than a decade and their teams, but the sport itself. If you have followed the Brady/Manning rivalry over the years, I doubt you will learn very much from this book, but if you have not, this is a thorough and thoroughly interesting work. The only jarring note is that periodically the author will quote trash-talking players. It’s infrequent enough that I found it disruptive to the tone of the book. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Love, Henri: Letters on the Spiritual Life - Henri J. M. Nouwen

The little I have read by Henri Nouwen was too mystical for my taste, so I chose to read this collection of his letters in hopes that I would come to understand Nouwen more. Spanning decades (1973-1996), this book includes letters to a wide range of recipients, from dear friends to strangers. Nouwen was clearly a gentle, soft-spoken man, given to encouraging and supporting others no matter who they were. He apparently was also a very emotional man, given to introspection and great sensitivity to pain and insecurity. He came across as a very human man. Almost all letters begin with Nouwen’s thanks to the recipient for their correspondence, and he invariably spoke very personally, including when he gave gentle advice. Surprisingly, this well-loved author wrote in one letter that those to whom he ministered influenced him most profoundly; it was not books that had a lasting influence. Repeatedly, he encouraged others to pray. Once he stated his simple intercession list: friends, enemies, your city, your country, and the world, and he advocated gratitude and intercession as gateways to a closer relationship to God. Many wrote of loneliness and depression, and Nouwen cautioned them to listen to the voice of hope, not of despair, and encouraged them to pray for others. He readily acknowledged that depression was his nemesis, so he knew their struggles. A few times, Nouwen responded pointedly to criticism. In one letter, he summarized how the criticism sounded, how it felt, and how the writer would never have written in that vein had they known what he was facing. He replies, in part, “I don’t think I am ready yet to pray with you and Alex together. That feels quite scary to me. I would be too afraid of being told that I am not praying right or not living up to your expectations. So maybe we have to be very, very gentle and patient with each other. Please continue to pray for me and recommend me in the prayers of your community.” He had the ability to speak plainly and yet graciously. Part of his brilliance was in his simplicity. Describing the soul, Nouwen said, “The way I think about the soul is simply as the place where God dwells. . . . My ego, mind, self and DNA are part of my mortal being, and I know that one day I have to let go of that. But my soul is eternal in me, that aspect of me where I am part of God’s life. When I pray, I nurture my soul. When I care for the sick, dying and weak, I nurture my soul, and it is that soul in me that will be held eternally in God’s embrace.” There is much to learn from this book, and it is easy to imagine oneself as the recipient of some of Nouwen’s letters, as he addresses so many situations common to the human condition. I imagine it was impossible not to like him. The one thing I found distracting in the book occurred in introductions to the letters. Often after identifying the addressee, the editor adds notes, such as “He shares his own struggles as well as his insights born of his recent experience that one must go into the pain in order to discover God’s unconditional love.” These short summaries occur so often in the book that it feels anticlimactic to read the letters themselves; the book would have been much improved without those summaries. I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.