Book Review | Anything: The Prayer that Unlocked my God and my Soul by Jennie Allen

“God, we will do anything. Anything.”

This is the first book that I’ve reviewed by author Jennie Allen. She has become quite a prominent face in the Christian community and is known for her boldness of faith, ability to create meaningful bible study materials, and being the founder of the IF:Gathering movement. For more, check this link: IF:Gathering.

When I chose to read this book, I was excited, simply because the tagline states that this prayer to the Lord for anything “unlocked [her] God and her soul”. It sounded like it would push me to pray differently, and if you’re a typical overwhelmed believer in our day and age, you may want that extra push too!

She began by giving a background of her life growing up, learning about Jesus, and eventually she began to question a few things. She would wrestle with the idea of Jesus, if what He taught was true, if He was who He said He is… haven’t we all been there?

Packed with Bible verses, her interpretation and how the verses influenced her decision for Christ and thereafter, Jennie shares many deep stories of the steps she took to be bolder in her faith, the ways that God came through for her and her family, the directions that they went after praying this prayer and the lack of hesitation she now has when she is asked by our Lord to be obedient.

I don’t want to reveal any of it here. Truly, I don’t, because as a reader into this motivational but heartwarming story, I don’t want to take away any of her impact. It’s best to be heard from her.

This is a great book for those who seek to be jump-started in their faith. If you’re unsure of the Lord and His presence in your life, read this book. Jennie comes to many amazing conclusions based on Scripture that can be used to help point you to the One who is worthy of accomplishing ANYTHING in your life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: 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. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review | Let the Journey Begin by Max Lucado

Max Lucado never ceases to amaze me with his godly wisdom, easy transition from story to life lesson, and word pictures. This book, especially written for graduates who are facing the next big step of their lives, is timeless. With added pages, Max provides wise words and tender knowledge from his previously published books that have transcended decades. And the new format (this book was previously published around the time I graduated from high school myself), gives a fresh look to the truths that withstand time. Anyone seeking life lessons from the Bible in an easy to understand way, will appreciate this book.

I recommend this book to anyone who has a family member who is graduating, without regard for age. And graduates aren’t the only recipients to grasp amazing content. If you know of someone who is seeking the Lord, Max writes so simply that it’s hard to miss the grace on each page. My copy has dogeared pages, highlighted sections and notes in the margins. And if you’ve personally never read a book by this famous pastor from Texas, this is a great way to get your feet wet. You won’t stop here!

Disclosure of Material Connection: 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 expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 (http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html): “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review | The Matheny Manifesto by Mike Matheny and Jerry Jenkins

I recently finished reading my first ever sports book! Though I tend to read novels, thrillers and Christian help books, I wanted to challenge myself to read something outside of my normal scope, and I was pleasantly surprised at this easy read.

The Matheny Manifesto was the name of a letter that Mike Matheny wrote to parents of a group of Little Leaguers that he was coaching in 2008. He read it out loud to them during a meeting, and though it was met with resistance at first, it proved to be beneficial for all of the children, parents and himself. It became a code for life that he lived by.

This book is peppered with eight keys to success: leadership, confidence, teamwork, faith, class, character, toughness and humility. Mike uses stories of baseball greats that he has encountered, or admired over the years and built a framework for life from their examples. He brought their ideas and lessons learned to each baseball practice and helped to build stronger players as a result. His own career is also highlighted in the book, along with some mishaps and disagreements, but both are necessary to show how he dealt with these instances.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is seeking how to help raise children in our time, since the truths of this book are still applicable to today. These truths don’t just apply to baseball. The mindset learned by these characteristics affect our life choices, how we interact with those in authority and how we perceive disaster. Mike points to his Christianity in times of trials, and that is always the best direction to go. If you love baseball, you’re in for an extra treat, as you journey with Mike. And remember, “Nothing worth doing right is easy.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher’s Blogging for Books book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 (http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html): “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review | Worry Less so you can Live More by Jane Rubietta

This title just leapt out at me! When scrolling through the list of books to choose for my next review, I thought, “I’ll read this and pass it on to my friends: Worrier A, Panic Attack Freak B, and Hypochondriac C”. And before you judge me, I don’t normally categorize my dear friends as such. It’s just so easy to point fingers at the people in our lives who could learn (insert goal of book fix here), isn’t it? And yet, not so surprisingly, as I began to read, I realized that I could use some focus as well. Imagine that!

Author Jane Rubietta wrote a book that not only gives practical advice on how to worry less, but she also takes instances from her own life, which gives us readers relatability and points us in the ONLY direction that can take away our worry. It was so refreshing to see a woman whose life is immersed in women’s ministry share her fears and worries amidst conferences and personal interactions. Gone was the facade that doing the Lord’s work eliminates stress and worry. Jane made it clear that it is very much a part of her life, and that she has a few ways to deal with anxiety.

Jane shares about the need to empathize with others, and how isolation takes away from our ability to heal and cope with some of life’s struggles. Now, to give away all of the details of her solutions would take away the reason to pick this book up for yourself, so I will not divulge any further. But I will share that the Lord indeed plays a huge part in recovery, and that reminding ourselves that it is okay to play, to have imagination, to go back to a time in our lives when time didn’t exist and childlike nature was acceptable…those moments can definitely relax and refresh you. So often, I was transported to Jane’s visual destinations by her ornate descriptions. I felt like I was in a field with wildflowers all around, and seeing lightning bugs at nighttime. I genuinely saw her desire to go to (and her desire to take us to) the places where we were allowed to give ourselves permission to just be still. As adults, we don’t do that. And we certainly need to.

Her book is a fast read, with wonderful questions. She also includes Votums and a Benedictus for the end of each chapter. My recommendation: Grab a cup of hot, fresh coffee, a warm blanket, and curl up in your favorite reading spot with your Bible, and begin this journey with Jane. You won’t be disappointed. And you’ll also feel as if you’ve made a new friend, one who “gets” you and will continue to pray for you. 🙂

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through Bethany House. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 (http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html): “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review | Scary Close: Dropping the Act and Finding True Intimacy by Donald Miller

Donald Miller is on a search again for deepening human value and connection. In his newest read, he readily admitted he had issues within himself that were preventing him from connecting with others in a beneficial way. This book expounds on the journey he took to answer some deep questions about his struggle, and how he came to process his need to just live instead of pleasing everyone. Through counseling with trusted friends, observing interactions between other friends and their home lives, and a program through Onsite (http://www.onsiteworkshops.com/), he was able to identify some clear reasons with his inability to connect.

One thing he said that really hit me, was “Grace only sticks to our imperfections. Those who can’t accept their imperfections can’t accept grace either.” To me, it was pretty clear-cut and profound, but I’m not sure even Donald realized how close to his sharing of the gospel he came! Donald made a remark that should simply point us to the cross, and then to the saving grace of Jesus and why we extend that same grace to others.

Prior to this revelation, he was unable to receive love from his new fiance, Betsy, and his rejection of her attempts was proof of him wearing a mask that was shown for the purpose of keeping his true self safe. He couldn’t be vulnerable. I can’t say why, as that would be a breach of your reason to read the book. But what I can say is that there is a part of us all that can identify with wearing masks to stay safe in front of people we think have expectations for us. And instead of outward approval, we just need grace.

This book reads as a philosophical memoir, as Donald shares personal conversations, interactions and revelations. He admits to some insights coming from his faith and the Bible, but predominantly he comes to conclusions based on books he’s read that describe theories from other men in the same emotional mature state.

It left me wanting to sit down with Donald myself. I would love to share that while I appreciated his growth stages, and I loved that he was finally able to take off the mask to be exposed for the man he really is, I want to share with him who Jesus really is. It seems like some of the roadblocks he was encountering could simply be changed by deepening his reading of the Word, and trusting in God instead of feeling like he has to have a plan for everything. Then again, maybe Donald hasn’t had his light bulb a-ha moment yet. Maybe he’s wading into the water with this book, which ends on his wedding day, and now, God will be tugging on his heart as he seeks to serve his wife in a godly manner. Maybe Donald will begin to seek God differently and realize that worldly wisdom, though helpful at times, will always leave us wanting something even deeper than counseling sessions and ninety-day business plans. Overall, I appreciate his honesty, simple insights, basic truths and his ability to be transparent in his journey.

Book Review | The Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger

This book was challenging for me. It was the first time I’d ever read an epistolary book. Though the format is tedious, the plot was well carried out throughout the many pages of correspondence between a lawyer, named Sophie Diehl and the many people she interacts with. If you’ve never read epistolary format, it is not typical paragraphs with dialogue. A story is essentially told through the pages of emails, forms, handwritten notes, etc.

Sophie, our main character, works at a law firm in a small town and acquired a divorce case when another partner in the firm was out of town. Sophie’s specialty was criminal law, so the divorce case intimidated her. She tried to withdraw numerous times in spite of her boss’s insistence. The defendant, Mia Durkheim, connected with Sophie during the intake and requested that she represent her against her wealthy cardiologist husband who is having an affair. Once Sophie was retained, the partner who was out of town, returned and fought to acquire the divorce case since she was more equipped. The battle between the two women is well documented in the book.

Since Sophie lacked experience and was uncomfortable with putting together the necessary legal forms for this case, she leaned on her firms’ managing partner, David Greaves, through memorandums and emails to direct her steps. Sophie came across very juvenile and indecisive in her thought process, as evidenced by her lengthy emails which include EVERY thought she has. She couldn’t seem to make any decision on her own, and was constantly emailing her friend Maggie for insight/advice. I found that to be annoying at times, but managed to understand why later in the book when she explained her home life and parents’ divorce. Since she had lived through a divorce as a child, she was constantly uncertain and second-guessing herself. It was a big reason for her fear in handling the Durkheim case.

There are a few plot twists in the book and moments of putting a hand over your mouth in shock which leverage my higher rating, however I feel that the book could have accomplished more, had it been written in the traditional style. The numerous legal documents (which are part of divorce proceedings in reality) are incredibly boring and take away the pleasure of reading. I am not a lawyer, so I tend to not want to read legal jargon and proposals. However, for law students, or those who like a good book about legal cases, this is a read for you. Just be prepared to read through documents as you would in reality. I’ll admit I skipped a few.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Crown Publishing Group’s book review bloggers program (http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 (http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html): “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review | Forgiving our Fathers and Mothers by Leslie Leyland Fields and Dr. Jill Hubbard

As a woman who is new to women’s ministry and just recently began teaching a class on the biblical view of forgiveness using Dr. David Stoop’s book, “Forgiving the Unforgivable”, it made perfect sense to review a book on this topic as well to incorporate into my lesson plans. The payoff was more than I realized initially. The more I read, the more I realized that not only did I need to share this material, but I needed to pray about applying it in my own life.

The book is written by two women, Leslie Fields, a wife and mother of six who struggled with her relationship with her biological father, and Dr. Jill Hubbard, who is a clinical psychologist and co-host of the New Life Live radio program. Leslie shares bold testimony of her encounters and forgiveness stages with her father. As if reading her deeply wounded personal account isn’t enough evidence of the need to forgive, she shares snippets of other peoples’ family issues and how they were or were not resolved. Getting a glimpse into how other people view wounds and what they do with them, is proof of a universal need to give grace and forgiveness, which can be achieved humanly, however is not complete without Jesus. Dr. Hubbard’s additional insights lead you into ten questions at the end of each chapter, to deepen your understanding of what the chapter material was and Scripture readings for application.

As I read and processed the questions, stories, testimonies, and outcomes, I realized this book should be in the pew rack along with our hymnals. Though Scripture talks about forgiveness, and our churches address this area, many of us do not apply the mandate to our parents. Leslie realizes this and explains in chapter eight that “…forgiveness requires remembrance. We cannot confess and name what was done without memory. Neither can we extinguish what happened in the past by simply pretending or denying it away.” (page 162). The need to face the past, our perception of it, and grieve the memory is essential.

The biblical mandate from Jesus is that forgiveness is immediate. We are not giving permission to hurt, but releasing the offender “from our hook and placing them on God’s hook.” God will work out the details. The justice for our injustice is His to claim. I’ve learned over time that the step of obedience in this area, leads to peace from Jesus that calms the soul beyond comprehension. Leslie and Jill confirm this truth, and invite you to read their stories.

Are you ready to take the next step in seeing the grace of God work in your life? Pick up a copy of this book, grab a highlighter and your Bible and spend some time alone with God. Your time will be greatly rewarded and you will not be disappointed.

Book Review | A Very Fine House by Barbara Cofer Stoefen

A Mother's Story of Love, Faith and Crystal Meth — A Mother’s Story of Love, Faith and Crystal Meth

From the moment you open the book, you embark on a journey of emotion involving a picture perfect family. Barbara, the author, within six pages, is immediately thrown into a world she’s never known with someone she never thought her daughter could become. When Annie begins a life of meth use, it sets off a chain of events that leave readers clinging to hope, and yet screaming at the pages for Annie to turn back to what she knows is real.

In Barbara’s real life account of living with a meth addict, she shares her emotional and yet firm, faithful foundation in God as a means through which she learns about, accepts and helps her daughter. When I was reading her story, I felt as if I were alongside Barbara in her car during those late night searches on the street for her daughter. I felt as if I was in her garage with her when she lit a cigarette and prayed for God to help her help her daughter. I felt as if I was in the courtrooms with her as she saw her daughter shackled and distant. And I felt as if I were a friend sharing a cup of coffee when she would share moment-changing revelations during the dark years.

Each moment recorded in this book is a moment of struggle and victory, and the entire journey, worth retelling over and over. For any parent who has walked through the dark room of addiction, who seeks to understand and needs encouragement, this story of healing and hope is necessary. There are also resources and contacts in the back of the book for additional information.