A friend of mine, Gillian Nichols, took a challenge this summer to read a book a week. (I took the challenge to read a book a month!) You can check out her blog here. I respect her and her opinion so I asked if she would mine sharing some of her book reviews for my blog. Here is what she has to say. Thanks Gillian! I'm looking forward to reading this and to hearing more of what you have to say in the weeks to come.
Free Yourself to Love, The Liberating Power of ForgivenessBy Jackie Kendall co-author of Lady in Waiting
This is first book I’ve ever read of Jackie’s, but it won’t be the last. Having had the blessing of meeting her in person at one of church’s women’s event I have one word to describe her: firecracker. She is a firecracker of a person. Set off to ignite your passion and make you laugh simultaneously, i.e. my kind of people! I even got the chance to tell her, “Thanks for bringing the fun bus!”
After the event was over I was helping out with the book signing table, not really helping but just standing there waiting to help, and I just felt the need to buy this book. Forgiveness has been a sort of pop-up word in my life this year, popping up all over the place when I really thought I was “over it”. Oh Gillian, you’ve got a lot of baggage, but thankfully forgiveness is not one of them! Or is it? Could that just have been a lie the enemy (for those of you who don’t know the enemy is what Christians refer to to mean Satan) wants me to believe? He’s so tricky like that and I don’t mean tricky in the ‘my four yr old is so tricky’ sense, but tricky to your ultimate peril.
So I tried to purchase it and wadya know- there weren’t any copies left. As I was lamenting this to Jackie, she mentioned “Even the sample?” “Yes! Oops we sold the one marked Sample!” In short, she actually had the one marked SAMPLE and it was in her purse, and now it’s on my computer desk. I love food samples and now I love book samples.
Reasons I’m glad I read this:
• She brings it all back to the Word. You don’t have a moment where you don’t think her words are aligning with The Word! Love that. There are so many scriptural references I wrote down in my prayer journal and I was so thankful to the Lord for each and every one.
• She is great at putting visuals, thus making it very easy to apply the truth you learn in your life. To demonstrate here’s an excerpt:
In fact, I envision this gigantic warehouse where God stores a bounty of gorgeously wrapped packages of grace just waiting to be delivered to those who are knocked down but not knocked out. … As I described, these bags com in all shapes and sizes, because authentic forgiveness addresses offenses of all shapes and sizes. p. 60
• This book is rich in tools and application and the part that makes the most sense is that it’s coming from a person who has truly forgiven the unforgiveable. She is real folks. Real means relatable.
Summing it Up:
To sum it up I think a sentence from her book states it perfectly on page 168
“Remember, I am like Jesus not when I am perfect, but when I am forgiving.”
Recommend to Friend?
Amen!
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Heaven is for Real - Book Review
A while back, based on requests of friends, I decided to add book reviews to my blog. I have since made it through 2 books: Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker and Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo. It's been a month since I have read them and I haven't really been able to organize or sort through my thoughts enough to review either one. I haven't really had time to read anything else since then either. I decided to start with the easier read of the two, but perhaps the more controversial of the two, Heaven is for Real.
If you are one of the few people that hasn't heard what the book is about, a young boy Colton Burpo has a ruptured appendix and has a near death experience in which he goes to heaven. Over the course of the next year(s), he begins to recount what he experienced in heaven: meeting a sister that his mom had miscarried, a great - grandfather that he did not know, sitting on the lap of Jesus (insisting that Jesus really, really loves the little children), that Jesus had markers in heaven (which turn out to be the red nail marks on his hands and feet), and that there is an end battle in which he saw his father fight. He also claims that all pictures of Jesus do not accurately depict that kindness of Jesus' eyes, except for one other little girl's that has had a similar experience.
I will say, it's an easy and fascinating read. I guess the big question on whether or not I would recommend this book is do I believe it? That's a tricky questions. My mom told me I was skeptical, and she is right, I am. I don't like to discount another person's experience and there are enough near death experiences that sound the same, that it could have happened. On the other hand, the Lord through Scripture has left heaven somewhat of a mystery. I do know that He has revealed what He wants us to know through His written word, the Bible: written by men, inspired by the Holy Spirit and that canon is closed. I have a hard time believing that the Lord revealed more to a boy than He did to the ones who wrote the Scripture.
I know you are going to ask me, then how does he know what he knows - about the grandfather, the sister, etc? I don't know. Perhaps I don't have a childlike faith. Perhaps he did see all of that. I don't know. I can't say.
my biggest concern of this book is what I have heard some people say, 'this givens me such hope for those I have lost, a child or otherwise' or 'wow what an awesome place that will be.' While it does give a hope or a reassurance that we will see other believers again and that it is an incredible place, our hope should be found in nothing other than the person of Jesus Christ and that someday I will see clearly face to face my Lord and my Savior. My reassurance is found in no one other than Him. That's not an easy thing for me, as I desperately want my family (especially my children) in heaven, but that is the reality.
In the epilogue of the book, Colton states that what he wants people to know is that heaven is for real. While that is great, to me, Heaven is For Real, because the Bible tells me so.
If you are one of the few people that hasn't heard what the book is about, a young boy Colton Burpo has a ruptured appendix and has a near death experience in which he goes to heaven. Over the course of the next year(s), he begins to recount what he experienced in heaven: meeting a sister that his mom had miscarried, a great - grandfather that he did not know, sitting on the lap of Jesus (insisting that Jesus really, really loves the little children), that Jesus had markers in heaven (which turn out to be the red nail marks on his hands and feet), and that there is an end battle in which he saw his father fight. He also claims that all pictures of Jesus do not accurately depict that kindness of Jesus' eyes, except for one other little girl's that has had a similar experience.
I will say, it's an easy and fascinating read. I guess the big question on whether or not I would recommend this book is do I believe it? That's a tricky questions. My mom told me I was skeptical, and she is right, I am. I don't like to discount another person's experience and there are enough near death experiences that sound the same, that it could have happened. On the other hand, the Lord through Scripture has left heaven somewhat of a mystery. I do know that He has revealed what He wants us to know through His written word, the Bible: written by men, inspired by the Holy Spirit and that canon is closed. I have a hard time believing that the Lord revealed more to a boy than He did to the ones who wrote the Scripture.
I know you are going to ask me, then how does he know what he knows - about the grandfather, the sister, etc? I don't know. Perhaps I don't have a childlike faith. Perhaps he did see all of that. I don't know. I can't say.
my biggest concern of this book is what I have heard some people say, 'this givens me such hope for those I have lost, a child or otherwise' or 'wow what an awesome place that will be.' While it does give a hope or a reassurance that we will see other believers again and that it is an incredible place, our hope should be found in nothing other than the person of Jesus Christ and that someday I will see clearly face to face my Lord and my Savior. My reassurance is found in no one other than Him. That's not an easy thing for me, as I desperately want my family (especially my children) in heaven, but that is the reality.
In the epilogue of the book, Colton states that what he wants people to know is that heaven is for real. While that is great, to me, Heaven is For Real, because the Bible tells me so.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Help for the Hopeless, Hapless Husband
Hi-ho, Jamison here.Shortly after Jen wrote her review of "Loving the Little Years" she turned around and sent some lovin' my way in the form of an invitation to post on her blog. Yes, you guessed it: what goes around comes around and I've been encouraged, nay, instructed, to write a review for a book I just read. Holy shoot.
Put the Seat Down (And Other Brilliant Insights for an Awesome First Year of Marriage): A Guy's Guide by Jess MacCallum is a quick and punchy little read and I highly recommend it to your husbands as a great reference. The fact that it's aimed at the the newlywed didn't scare me off because I really liked the title. I figured that if I could get the cover advice right (put the seat down!) then I could surely handle the other 120 pages! I was... mostly right. We've been married six years now so I can say that I've heard most of the advice MacCallum gives. I've even incorporated some of it along the way, but orgotten or neglected other good pointers he gives.
The book is a quick read, perfectly suited for male attention spans (or so Jen tells me): small pages, big print, and lots of white space. Definitely NOT an academic volume, so breathe easy guys. The first part of each chapter is a discussion of the topic at hand (communication, consideration, sex, in-laws, etc.); the second part, subtitled "The Smart Guy's Guide to Being Awesome," consists of a a few pages of bullet-point tips and ideas to help work out the day-to-day. Cheesy title, yes, but helpful. For instance, the chapter on communication suggests that the awesome husband should, "Watch for signs of listener fatigue to see if you are being just too fascinating for human companionship. Quickly revert to the second bullet point above: ask questions." I know Jen will agree with that one!
A couple more samples to further whet your appetite:
- Chapter Two ("Shut Up and Talk") wherein I was reminded yet again of the differences in how men and women communicate, particularly the idea that women actually use talking as a way to communicate. "This... will be enriching to her as she gets to talk in journalistic detail about everything your new life together entails.... You will be yearning to tell her about the riding mower you sat on at Home Depot last Saturday. She will need to share a brand-new fear she has that no one in the history of rational thought has ever had.... She will be bonding while she is talking. The smart husband will - and I know you will not get this any easier than I have - get her to talk more."
- Chapter Five ("Put the Seat Down"), an admonition to show uncommon consideration toward your wife. "Pick up her stuff as well as yours. It's easy to say that you pick up after yourself, but that just makes you a well-raised ten-year-old child. A considerate husband picks up after his wife as well."
Oh, and did I mention that there's a companion book for you ladies? He's Not a Mind Reader (and Other Brilliant Insights for a Fabulous First Year of Marriage): A Girl's Guide by Brenda Garrison. I'll leave that one to Jen.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Loving the Little Years
I'll get to the punch line: Excellent book. It's short, it's easy to read, it's funny but reader beware, it will kick your rear! I picked it up under the misconception that it would be short little devotionals that would make me laugh, that would pick me up, you know a general feel good kind of book. It is, but in each chapter (which are very short - a bonus for mom's with small kids) she makes a bigger parenting point that will punch you squarely between the eyes.
This book is a fantastic reminder that as parents we are in the trenches, and it is hard, but that as parents we have been given the opportunity to train our children. It is our job to see them as individuals, to harness their emotions, to creating a thankful heart. Not only that but she consistently points out that many of our parenting issues are our own sin issues. It is not just our child that needs to change, but the parent that needs to change.
She gives some challenging things to think about but also presents how she has done some things. It ruffled more than a few of my feathers, but was a great cause to look at where I needed to change in my parenting. I definitely need to work more on the training, not viewing my kids as interruptions and embracing the work the Lord has given me to do.
She sums up the book with this verse Ecclesiastes 5:19
Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions,and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work--this is a gift of God.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
To Review or Not to Review
J has been on me for a while to start posting book reviews. Really, when does he think I have time to read, much less write? Not to mention, that writing is not my favorite past time. In fact, I don't like to write. Don't fool yourself and think that when I say he's been pushing me to this for a while that I am talking a day, or even a week, try two years. Don't believe me, check out my blog post here. Note the date: July 7, 2008. I've had two kids and no sleep since then. My stated reasons in the mentioned post stand - I really don't want to put into writing that which I think, because I might be held accountable, I might make someone upset, and I don't necessarily always agree with what mainstream society thinks is the most life changing book ever. One might call it critical, another might call it discerning, but whatever you call it, I generally don't open my thoughts up that much b/c it can cause a bit of a ruckus. (Actually, I think he is encouraging me to do this so he'll get some quiet from me saying that I would like to engage my brain beyond knowing my ABCs and 123s.)
My other fear in blogging about what I read is what I find life altering/convicting may or may not be the same as you. The reason is simple, we are all in different stages of our walk/sanctification process. What is a challenge to me may be a non-issue for you, and vice versa. I would hate to recommend something to you only to have you say that I don't have a clue what I am talking about. You know the old saying, better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Another reason I hesitate is I don't want to get so into reading books and what they have to tell me, that I forget that the one book I need to be in allowing to wash and cleanse me is the WORD. It is the most important. While the how to books are great and all, God has revealed His word in the Bible. It was meant to teach, correct, transform me. That alone needs to be my source. If I let something else take my time from reading and studying His word, then I am wrong. He is my true guide and source.
With that being said, I am seriously considering this endeavor. Why? I am still not sure, but it seems that I get asked a lot about what my thoughts are on various books. In order to answer intelligently, it would help if I had actually read the books. I do read but not what I would call a lot. I like to read about things I am going through. For instance, I have read tons of marriage and parenting books, but not necessarily mainstream books on the Christian market. I held off reading the Purpose Driven Life, for a couple of years after it was at it's pinnacle. I am willing to do it as I have just ordered Radical, Interrupted, and The Hole in the Gospel. Not to mention that I have 7 books in my nightstand that are still untouched. Back to my, exactly when do I think I am going to find the time to read with 3 kids under the age of 4? It's hard enough to get my sanity run in which is a non-negotiable in my world. Although if I did get around to reading, the reviewing might help me actually remember what I read and in what book.
The other reason I am considering this is I have noticed a trend in topics that are being written about. When we were first looking for a church home as a couple, we noticed that every church we visited (and I stopped counting at 15 churches in the greater Houston area) almost every single one of them was talking about Romans or Relationships. Interesting, huh? It seems like there is a trend towards that now - as far as lives being interrupted/making your life count/spreading the gospel and how do I know God's will/voice? Why is that? What is the difference in what the authors are saying? Are the books written to different audiences? What is the common thread? What do we need to learn? Do we really need that many books on one topic or will I find what I found in reading marriage books?
My finding was this: they all started to sound the same. By the time the 100th person told me to read Love and Respect I had probably read 8-10 marriage books, but I caved and read the book. While I thought it was great, my first thought was, "I've heard this all before." It seemed like every marriage book I read went back to the Bible - Husbands love your wives, wives respect your husband (which is a VERY good thing - love that they didn't venture off God's word) but that each author has his/her own acronym for how to love and how to respect. Again, all good stuff, but I didn't need to read multiple books for the application. I could have picked one book on the application of this Scripture, put it into practice and been done with it. Truth be told, I liked When Sinners Say I Do best because it dealt with me and my selfishness being the problem in the marriage and reminding me of my great need for Christ. Don't get me wrong I still need to hear that my husband's big needs are sex and companionship, but I also need to hear as put in Sacred Marriage that marriage is not about my happiness but my holiness. Ouch. That made more of an impact on me than the acronyms.
I digress though....should I review/not review, that is the question? Not necessarily looking for an answer, but just rambling on whether or not I should take the challenge my husband has set before me.
Another reason I hesitate is I don't want to get so into reading books and what they have to tell me, that I forget that the one book I need to be in allowing to wash and cleanse me is the WORD. It is the most important. While the how to books are great and all, God has revealed His word in the Bible. It was meant to teach, correct, transform me. That alone needs to be my source. If I let something else take my time from reading and studying His word, then I am wrong. He is my true guide and source.
With that being said, I am seriously considering this endeavor. Why? I am still not sure, but it seems that I get asked a lot about what my thoughts are on various books. In order to answer intelligently, it would help if I had actually read the books. I do read but not what I would call a lot. I like to read about things I am going through. For instance, I have read tons of marriage and parenting books, but not necessarily mainstream books on the Christian market. I held off reading the Purpose Driven Life, for a couple of years after it was at it's pinnacle. I am willing to do it as I have just ordered Radical, Interrupted, and The Hole in the Gospel. Not to mention that I have 7 books in my nightstand that are still untouched. Back to my, exactly when do I think I am going to find the time to read with 3 kids under the age of 4? It's hard enough to get my sanity run in which is a non-negotiable in my world. Although if I did get around to reading, the reviewing might help me actually remember what I read and in what book.
The other reason I am considering this is I have noticed a trend in topics that are being written about. When we were first looking for a church home as a couple, we noticed that every church we visited (and I stopped counting at 15 churches in the greater Houston area) almost every single one of them was talking about Romans or Relationships. Interesting, huh? It seems like there is a trend towards that now - as far as lives being interrupted/making your life count/spreading the gospel and how do I know God's will/voice? Why is that? What is the difference in what the authors are saying? Are the books written to different audiences? What is the common thread? What do we need to learn? Do we really need that many books on one topic or will I find what I found in reading marriage books?
My finding was this: they all started to sound the same. By the time the 100th person told me to read Love and Respect I had probably read 8-10 marriage books, but I caved and read the book. While I thought it was great, my first thought was, "I've heard this all before." It seemed like every marriage book I read went back to the Bible - Husbands love your wives, wives respect your husband (which is a VERY good thing - love that they didn't venture off God's word) but that each author has his/her own acronym for how to love and how to respect. Again, all good stuff, but I didn't need to read multiple books for the application. I could have picked one book on the application of this Scripture, put it into practice and been done with it. Truth be told, I liked When Sinners Say I Do best because it dealt with me and my selfishness being the problem in the marriage and reminding me of my great need for Christ. Don't get me wrong I still need to hear that my husband's big needs are sex and companionship, but I also need to hear as put in Sacred Marriage that marriage is not about my happiness but my holiness. Ouch. That made more of an impact on me than the acronyms.
I digress though....should I review/not review, that is the question? Not necessarily looking for an answer, but just rambling on whether or not I should take the challenge my husband has set before me.
Monday, July 7, 2008
When Sinners Say "I Do"
For a long time, Jamison has encouraged me to do book reviews as part of my blog. I hesitate because I don't be responsible for anyone hating me, disagreeing with me or in general thinking that my ideas are wrong. Not to mention, that book reviews not only require thinking, but they could potentially lead to accountability. So, my rule, don't post a book review where the world can read it. However, tonight I am breaking my rule and recommending a book to you.
Be warned, before reading this book you'll need to chunk your tough skin, swallow some pride, and humble yourself. Believe me, you can do it before you read the book or you can take a big dose of reality while reading the book.
Jamison and I both just finished reading When Sinners Say "I Do." I think the title sums it up. The book opens with the reality that each and every day you wake up with the worst of sinners, and no, he is not referring to your spouse, he is referring to you. Can we say a collective "Ouch?" Don't give up on the book then, because he makes some valid points about what this recognition can do for your marriage and how we ought to apply the gospel to our marriages. Since reading it, I have come face to face with several things that I would like to blast Jamison for only to realize that I have my own sin that is getting in the way, sin that needs confessing. I've not done a great job at stopping before speaking, but this book has definitely shown me that I need to deal with my own sin, before I point out J's and that when I do it needs to be with love and forgiveness. I have a long way to go!
This book is not for the faint at heart or for those who don't want to own up to their ugliness. For those who want a good slap in the face, this is the book for you. It is excellent!
Be warned, before reading this book you'll need to chunk your tough skin, swallow some pride, and humble yourself. Believe me, you can do it before you read the book or you can take a big dose of reality while reading the book.
Jamison and I both just finished reading When Sinners Say "I Do." I think the title sums it up. The book opens with the reality that each and every day you wake up with the worst of sinners, and no, he is not referring to your spouse, he is referring to you. Can we say a collective "Ouch?" Don't give up on the book then, because he makes some valid points about what this recognition can do for your marriage and how we ought to apply the gospel to our marriages. Since reading it, I have come face to face with several things that I would like to blast Jamison for only to realize that I have my own sin that is getting in the way, sin that needs confessing. I've not done a great job at stopping before speaking, but this book has definitely shown me that I need to deal with my own sin, before I point out J's and that when I do it needs to be with love and forgiveness. I have a long way to go!
This book is not for the faint at heart or for those who don't want to own up to their ugliness. For those who want a good slap in the face, this is the book for you. It is excellent!
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