Glaen, Fred Lybrand

This book is not at all what I expected. It is an excellent resource for mothers of teens and for youth ministers. It is not a typical relationship "self-help" book filled with quick-fix remedies or "how-to miracles". What you find in these pages is a fictional story told from a the unique first person perspective and journal entries. The story has a great story-line, but the information that is packed into the story is even more important. The main character tells her story about her personal search of the key to lasting relationships after her parents divorce. She is led on this journey by a a college professor named Glaen. What she discovers is nothing profound or earth-shattering, but is very useful in day to day relationships. In the prolouge the author encourages the reader to read the book first as a fictional piece then to read it a second time for the principles in it. It is set up so that each page only has half a page of printed material in easy to read font so that there is plenty of room to journal, write prayers and discussion topics. I think this would be useful in a small group environment for a youth group or married couples. It was very enjoyable and an easy read. I completed the book after putting my 4 small children to bed in a matter of a few hours. My copy is marked with scripture that came to mind and personal notes. I plan to use it next spring with my older youth. I also plan to purchase an additional copy for my children to read so that we can compare thoughts when they are of the dating age. I have already recommended it to several friends, one of which is currently reading it and the other is waiting for her review copy.
Thank you B&B Communications for providing this free review copy

The Promise of Morning

The Promise of Morning, Ann Shorey
Entwined with tragedy and heartache this is an endearing story of a journey of faith and ultimate courage. Faced with the heartache no mother wants to imagine, the loss of not one child but multiple children, Ellie must decide where faith and hope abide. Does God care? Is he always there and unfailing, and if so how could such tragedy be his thoughts of peace and an expected end - - - what could the good thing be in this shattering of a mother’s heart? As I read this I imagined waking to find that my own two year old has become ill, then watching as she slowly slips away. I felt the gut-wrenching agony and an overwhelming grief at the mere thought of never being able to smell that sweet baby scent or to hold her close. Ellie must decide to fall headlong into Father God’s arms. The thread of God’s redeaming love ties this story together. It speaks to the truth that heartache is often God’s invitation to know him on a more intimate level. He takes our heartache and weaves a stunning tapestry of grace and beauty in our lives when tears turn to faith, and courage to love. A captivating story of a journey to ultimate love and restored joy and peace.

Thank you Revell a division of Baker Publishing House for providing this free review copy.

On Gaurd, William Lane Craig

On Guard, William Lane Craig
A timely book as the agenda of false religions are further pressed forward. Christians need to become well-versed in the faith they profess. It does no good to possess a weapon if one does not have the skill and training to use it and to use it effectively. False religions are on the rise because they make a convincing case to the unsaved and weak in faith. This book is a wake up call to Christians to become versed in scripture. Scripture has called us to put on the FULL armor of God and to train up our children in the word. This book offers the insight and knowledge to do just that. This is a must have resource for Pastors and those in positions of leadership and discipleship. It is an excellent book for the Christian seeking to become a “specialist” in the faith. Apologetics is essential in the life of the believers: we must know why we believe what we believe. Each of us will face a time when we will be called to defend our faith, present our case for why Christ is the center of our life, why God is real. Our ability to do so may be the very difference of one soul’s eternal home.
This is a wonderful, well-written book. William Lane Craig did a great job of making his theological knowledge and biblical wisdom easy to read and understand and apply.
Thank you David C Cook and B&B Media for providing this free review copy.

The Meeting of the Waters

The Meeting of the Waters, Fritz Kling
This book does a wonderful job of addressing the current issues facing the church. It brings to light so many of the concerns and struggles that Pastors and laymen are dealing with in trying to bridge the generation gap. As a pastor’s wife I have seen first hand the beauty of a church where the older generation willing passes on the torch and embraces the newness of things and the younger generation listens and learns from the older. I have also been witness to the devastation of the collision of these two generations when neither is willing to give or listen to the other. Scripture instructs us to be of one mind. In this exciting book Frizt Kling does an excellent job of exposing the biblical truths necessary to propel the church successfully forward into the future.
I love the title and theme being applied to the Amazon River, this was such a great visual reference to the new generation and the old. The book is filled with applicable examples from the lives of Pastors and Missionaries and biblical advice.
I recommend this book for leaders and church members alike. Let us strive together toward a common goal, being of one mind, pressing forward for the cause of Christ.
Thank you David C Cook and B&B Media Group for providing this free review copy.

About the author: Fritz Kling has spent the past decade in the heart of the global Church, traveling through villages and cities in every corner of the world. In preparation to writing The Meeting of the Waters, Kling spent a year conducting one hour interviews with more than 150 Christian leaders from 19 developing countries. As a foundation executive, he has worked alongside both high-level leaders and grass-roots workers and has an insider’s story to tell. Fritz and his family live in Richmond, VA.

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What Your Son Isn't telling you

What Your Son isn’t telling you, Michael Ross & Susie Shellenburger
I have two very young boys age 3 and 6…I was interested in reviewing this book as a mother and a youth worker. Although I know there is nothing new under the sun, I also acknowledge that our children face a myriad of things at younger ages. I was surprised at the scope of this book and it’s readability. It deals with so many issues and offers great biblical wisdom and insight into effectively dealing with these issues and teaching our young men how to deal with them also. An excellent resource for any parent or youth worker. I truly appreciated the way the authors used true life experiences of youth age boys to show examples. A special thanks to the authors for their hard work and thoughtful application of the truth of the Word of God to all situations. An excellent resource I highly recommend it, I know mine will be well used.
Thank you Bethany House for this free review copy.

StoryLines

Story Lines, Andy Croft & Mike Pilavachi
I am very impressed by the work and thought put into this resource. They did an excellent job of tracing the seven storylines from the old testament into the new testament, showing the absolute truth and fluidity of the bible. It links the old and new together showing how the entire bible (all 66 books) are needed in order to completely present the Christian faith. This resource is easiest enough for the youngest Christian to read and understand as the truths of the bible are broken down into easy to understand ideas. A great resource for teachers, youth workers or individuals. I am excited to see new works from these authors.
Thank you David Cook Communications and B&B communications for this free review copy.

What the bible is about for Moms

What the Bible is About For Moms, Kathy Pride
Thank you Kathy Pride for this delightful devotion, this should be a must read for all moms. For the sake of writing the review I read through this quickly the first time. I am now on my second reading of this devotional. It contains 66 chapters/devotions – one for each of the books of the bible. They are broken down into small easy to read parts that could be taken daily throughout the week or in small parts over the course of the day. I loved the fact the she brought forth a truth essential to mothering from each book of the bible: clearly showing God did in fact write us a “parenting manual”. Each chapters opens with a down-to-earth commentary style overview of the book to be studied. This is followed by Mom Moments, selected scripture readings for that book. These are small enough to sneak in throughout the day for even the busiest moms. I really appreciated this as I am a homeschooling mom of 4 children under the age of 8. It made an easy way to get scripture throughout the day and end the day re-reading the chapter/devotion. There was also one scripture especially selected from the book that dealt specifically with a mom theme. I really enjoyed the candidness of Kathy Pride in the Mama Mia section – a short devotion story about being a “real” mom not a “Martha Stewart meets June Cleaver Super Mom”. Finally are the Musing for moms; these are very thought provoking questions sometimes requiring prayer and soul searching. This is a great book and would make an excellent baby shower gift. I t is really one that should be on every mother’s shelf.
Thank you Regal/Gospel Light Publishing for this free review copy.

Scattered Petals, Amanda Cabot

Scattered Petals, Amanda Cabot
Very well written love story. Amanda Cabot did an excellent job of bringing to life the characters in this book. One can not help but feel the stomach-churning pain of young Prischilla Morton, or the agony of the weight of unforgiveness that has bound Zach Webster. There are so many twist and turns that the reader is on an emotional roller coaster. However, throughout the book is the thread that God’s hand is always there. He never leaves nor forsakes his precious children. Although our circumstances may shatter our hopes and dreams or our own sins may imprison us in the unforgiveness of ourselves the God of redemption stands ready to make things right. He takes that which is shattered and restores it , that which is bound and sets it free, that which is broken and mends it. His thoughts are of peace and a certain end even when we can not see it. Through a journey of discovery these two see that God has a desired end and it is good – all things truly do happen for a reason – to bring us around to God’s certain end.
Thank you Revell a division of Baker Publishing House for providing a free review copy of this book.

First Place 4 Living, Balanced Living

Again, I am so impressed with the thouroghness of this program. I most certainly recommend this to anyone wanting to make changes in their lives. It not only deals with diet but also spiritual and emotional well-being. This program is excellent for the individual or the small group. I am reading it for myself as we do not have a program here and am praying for a way to start this program in our church as I believe it will impact any life for the better.
Thank you Regal books for the review copy.

Ryken's Bible Handbook

A wonderful resource to have on hand. This handbook is very in depth in it's presentation of the bible. Opening up the meaning and providing great insight for the scholar, student, or individual seeking to better understand and study the word of God. I will be adding this to our resource books and referring to it for homeschool work. I believe it will be an excellent resource for my children as they write history reports and such for their school work.
Thank you Tyndale House for providing this free review copy.

A Distant Melody, Sarah Sundin

A Distant Melody, Sarah Sundin
A story of struggle between the flesh and the spirit: of love, obedience, honor, faith, forgiveness, heartache and ultimately the grace, love, and unfailing faithfulness of God to protect and guide through all things. Readers are invited into the lives of two people who struggle with coming to terms with their own identities in Christ and the purpose and plan Christ has for their lives. They both struggle with the standards and expectations set before them by the world and their families of duty, honor and obedience, and success.
Allie Miller, spoiled heiress of Miller Ball Bearings; and Walter Novak, pilot and youngest son of a Preacher strike an unlikely friendship in the middle of WWII. Allie a new Christian, thanks to a mutual friend of Walt, is struggling with honoring her family through marriage to a man she does not love; While Walt struggles to meet the standards of his over-achieving brothers and the expectations of his family. The story involves many other characters and sub-stories that are woven in the main one. Throughout the story the reader sees the hand of God at work and the struggle against the flesh and spirit in the lives of the main characters. Allie must ultimately decide if she will forsake all else for the cause of Christ: leaving behind a sizable inheritance and the approval of her parents or go after whole-heartedly the will of God. Walt must decide that even small lies are of no good in the end - - and discover that truth does set the captives free. Both must embrace grace, and love and experience the power of true forgiveness.
Well-written and powerful. Readers will find themselves drawn into another world, experiencing the pain and turmoil of the war and hoping for the overcoming power of love. I enjoyed this book and hope to read more from this author.
A special thanks to Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing for this complimentary copy for review.

Real World Parents

Real World Parents, Mark Matlock
I was really impressed with this book and the writing style of Mark Matlock. The 140 page book is divided into ten easy to read chapters. Most chapters begin with a set of questions to make you stop and think about your true feelings about the topic to be discussed. Then each chapter ends with self-evaluation questions about the topic. Many require prayer and thought and a deep look at what our true beliefs and motivations are. My copy of this book is underlined and marked up. In the margins are many penned prayers and scripture references. I found the book to a great encouragement since our family has already put many of these things to practice – it is nice to know others are doing the same thing and you are not alone.
This is not a “how to” or “quick – fix” book filled with a list of do’s and don’ts and rules to follow. Rather it is a challenge to Christian parents to change “our lives from the inside out showing our kids how doing so has changed everything” (page 41). It is about living out a genuine faith and helping our children “develop a vibrant faith of their own” (page 38). I love that he states on page 64 “Become something different!/Don’t settle for conforming to the world’s pattern with a little churchy flavoring thrown in. We need to be transformed./…completely new and different and fresh.” How true this is!! We are in this world to do the master’s business, ambassadors of God – let’s starting living it without the legalism and religious constraints but in the fullness of the grace and love bestowed upon us. Let’s equip our children to be as wise as serpents and peaceful as doves so that they can operate and navigate this world accomplishing the unique task that God has given them as individuals.
In all this I will say there is only one part I do not fully agree with and it is the chapter concerning all the statistics. Although I am in full agreement with the author that there is nothing new under the sun, therefore there is no wickedness conceived and participated in that has not been done I do think something’s have become more readily available and acceptable. I for one do not put much faith and stock in statistics of any kind. I agree that regardless of statistics we should not parent out of fear but out of the wisdom of Christ and believe this is what the author is ultimately imparting in this book.
This is a GREAT time to be a parent because it is the time that each of us has been called to the task and God is faithful and able to equip us with the tools to complete the task when we lean on His understanding.
Nothing short of exciting! Parenting is a great adventure – are you ready – God has invited you to take part in his great plan – “His Story”. This book will be an encouragement to the overwhelmed parent, an example for the parent wondering how to raise spiritually strong children in a scary, sin-saturated world and affirmation to the parent already living the “weird” and radical lifestyle of genuine faith that is in strong contrast to the world.
Worth the read! Be challenged and let God transform you!
Thank you Cook Communications and B&B Media for the review copy.

Chronological Guide to the Bible, Thomas Nelson

Chronological Guide to the Bible, Thomas Nelson
This is a great historical reference that could be easily integrated into any history class. It would be especially helpful in home school settings where study of the bible and history are done jointly. I like the way it is easily divided. It presents both biblical writings and archeological finds that support the bible. I find this to be very interesting and helpful when presenting the bible as a history lesson. The color photographs make the text come alive and make the reading more interesting. Another helpful things is the outline of the books and suggested readings. Anyone wanting to delve deeper into the bible and see how the bible fits together will find this interesting. This makes the study of individual bible stories come alive as one is able to see and understand further the historical settings of the bible. Understanding the culture of the people involved in a bible story makes those stories more real for the student, they begin to see that the bible is not merely penned words but actual events that can be backed up with scientific facts and finds. I recommend this book as a great resource. It is easily adaptable to any translation which makes it especially nice if you want to use it as a teaching tool in a small group setting.
Thank you Thomas Nelson for providing this review copy

Chosen, Ginger Garrett

Chosen, Ginger Garrett
This is a captivating retelling of the life of Queen Esther in the form of diary entries. Ginger Garrett does an excellent job of bringing to life a heroine of the bible and by further showing that true beauty is held within ones self, that God shining through someone makes them shine with an inner beauty that does not fade. The strength and wisdom as well as grace and poise of Queen Esther is enough to inspire all young women to strive for excellence in our devotion and obedience to God and those God places in our lives as authority. This book further displays that God’s hand is at work in ways that we do not always understand even when we are placed in situations that we do not like if we are obedient and trust.
I do not agree with all things brought to light – especially that Queen Esther continues to long after another man after she is married to the King. Reading the account in the bible I have always pictured that Esther’s heart was turned toward the king during her preparation time and that she began to truly love him because of God’s love in her. So this “looking outside of her marriage” was a disappointment for me, and I believe that had this been the true case that Esther would not have been as effective in the saving of her people as she truly was.
I do believe that Ginger Garrett is an excellent writer. I admire her style.
Thank you B&B Media Group for providing this copy for review.

Isaac Newton by Mitch Stokes

Isaac Newton, Mitch Stokes
What a profound man! I actually requested this book primarily as a resource for home school. I think it will serve as an excellent resource and that it should also be brought into the public school. I may have been more interested in the work and theories of Mr. Newton when I was in high school had I known the driving force behind them. It seems so often we focus on the discoveries, inventions, theories, and philosophies, and equations of man that we rarely take time to look at the man that made them and the questions that they asked in order to come to the conclusion they did. The book is short enough to read fairly quickly and though filled with very interesting facts can sometimes be a little dry and to matter of fact in it’s presentation, taking away from the “realness” of Isaac Newton as a person. I did find it rather interesting that Isaac Newton sought to discover the truth of things around him always holding to the ultimate truth of the bible. I did not know that he had an “unswerving adherence to the authority of scripture”, or that he believed religion was a “personal relationship with God /[he] recognized God as his father”. It even said that these beliefs led him in his pursuit of knowledge as he believed all things were created and “set in motion by God and that it was imply waiting to be discovered”. His tenacity and fire are inspiring and the fact that although his accomplishments were great he did not struggle with pride because he held that he was to walk in humility according to scripture and recognized that all his accomplishments were built upon the shoulders of other great men. Excellent resource book for school and personal studies.
Thank you Thomas Nelson for providing this book for review. To become a book reviewer visit booksneeze.com