God Gave Us You

I'm supposed to be cleaning the house for a department-wide party my husband planned to be held at our messy home.  But instead, I'm drawn to the computer (or is it the lazyboy?) to write about the book I've most recently read.  It was a fantastic read!  I love the biblical emphasis and reminders of God's love throughout.  I love that it reinforces a parent's love and authority.  I love the illustrations.  I love the book design.  I simply love this new book!

I've read the story "God Gave Us You" by Lisa Tawn Bergren before this reading.  My sister received the book as a baby shower gift. Even then, I loved the story about how God brought a precious baby bear to Mama and Papa Polar Bears.

 But this new version is even better!  It's still the same story about God's wonderful plan to put babies in a family with a mom and a dad who love God and love their babies.  The new book is a boardbook...perfect for little hands to handle without fear of tearing pages.  Its size is great for little ones, too.  And the illustrations are just as bright and colorful on the new boardbook pages as in the original!

This boardbook version of the story "God Gave Us You" would be the ideal baby gift for a newborn -- great for mom and dad to read with baby to help explain their crazy-parent-love that comes from the crazy-God-love God showers on each one as He knits us together in our mother's womb!

Thanks, Multnomah Waterbrook Press, for the complimentary copy for purposes of review!  I loved it (SO much better than cleaning house!!)

Surprised by Weber in Surprised by Oxford!

I didn't have high hopes for the book Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber.  It is a memoir by a person I'd never heard of before reading the cover.  It mostly takes place at Oxford, a place I've never been nor had great interest in being.  And, frankly, the cover didn't look too exciting.  But, it beat out the "business and culture" option for potential reading, so I chose Weber's book.

And, happily, I was surprised by Weber's memoir!  I found it fast and enjoyable reading.  I was intrigued by her journey to Christ.  Being reared in a Christian home and having come to Jesus as a child, I was fascinated by the logical and emotional journey Weber experienced in her own conversion. 

Weber was a literary student (now a professor), as I was (although her knowledge and intellect far exceed mine!)  So, I found her frequent use of literature, poetry and prose, pleasant and familiar.  She stirred a longing for more poetry and beautiful language in my own life (I found myself speaking/writing more poetically and with more flowery description as I read the memoir! :) )  Her style is light, even when the subject is deep.  It made for easy and enjoyable reading.

I'd certainly recommend this book to anyone experiencing their own journey to or with Jesus.  It's encouraging and interesting to read how He draws someone else in a method detailed especially for her own life...knowing that He does the same for each of us!

Thanks, booksneeze, for sending a complimentary copy for purpose of review.

Inspiration in PrayerWalk

I'm inspired!  I'm a walker, naturally (my daughter is right, running just isn't fun!), and I've been longing for a more intimate prayer life.  So, Janet McHenry's book has inspired me to become a prayerwalker, too!

McHenry outlines a few basics for beginning walkers--safety, apparel, etc.  She then spends a majority of the book providing insights into prayer--including biblical examples and instructions, as well as her own experiences with prayerwalking.  She covers aspects from solo prayerwalking or partner prayerwalking all the way to ideas about who and what to pray about.   While there are numerous books on the topic of prayer, this one is especially encouraging to me because it intimately combines something I need physically with something I desperately need spiritually (and emotionally, relationally, physically, etc.).  The author also provides questions suitable for a group study at the end of the book.

This book was reprinted for its tenth anniversary and McHenry includes a special update about her own life and prayerwalking.  I found her humble confessions convicting and inspiring for my own life!

Much thanks to waterbrookmultnomah's bloggingforbooks for the complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.

"Billy Graham in Quotes"

Nearly four hundred pages of quotes make for some tough reading!  This was a good book, full of biblical wisdom, but not the sort of book you'd just sit down with for a good read.  Very handy, though, if you're looking for topical information.

I appreciated that each section was labeled with a topic (for example, "Billy Graham on America") and followed by a Bible verse that correlated.  The quotes were inspiring and convicting, as this man of God is full of wisdom from the Word and seems to offer that wisdom well.

This book makes me wonder a bit.  Not so much about Billy Graham (though, I do wonder about how a man who seems so godly and right on with God's word yet can relate to and share with so many presidents and leaders from various political backgrounds...really miraculous!) or his spirituality, but about ours.  I fear we may hold him up on a pedestal and take his word for nearly THE Word!  On several occasions as I read, my stomach churned a bit as I thought about this and cautioned myself to remember that "this is a man...he is not God!"  So while this book of quotes is inspiring and interesting (in small quantities at a time!), it is not God's word and does not even compare!!

Still, one cannot fault Billy Graham for our sometimes-near-idolatry.  He, himself, says:  "Become grounded in the Bible.  As Christians, we have only one authority, one compass:  the Word of God."  Well said, Billy!

Thanks, Booksneeze for sending this complimentary copy for review purposes!

FREE Book!!

If you're a book lover/reader, you'll want to check out this site!  While I've not read any of these books yet, I've heard great reviews about the book Crazy Love by Fancis Chan...can't wait to receive my copy!  Let me know what you think after you receive & read your choice...

Click here to request your FREE book

Enjoy!


UPDATE:  The free book is no longer available, but the publisher is offering a coupon for a discount (valid through Sept. 30, 2011) on the book Crazy Love, by Francis Chan.

Pitariffic!!

Kashi Pita crisps are delicious and nutritious! 

Even my picky eater kids liked these! The crackers we received in the mail were gone within 24 hours—the six of us, plus my parents, loved them!! I didn’t have time to make the dip recipe that was included…we just ate them plain or with salsa and they were wonderful.  The pita crisps we ate were the origianl, lightly salty cracker-like crisps--they also come in zesty salsa flavor.  (Looking forward to trying these!!)  I especially love that I’m feeding my family something with nutritional value that they also enjoy! 

Thanks, Kashi, for making such a great product for the complimentary box of delicious, healthy pita snacks you sent for review purposes!!

Great Future for "Futurecast"

Futurecast: What Today's Trends Mean for Tomorrow's World by George Barna is informative and interesting.  Barna summarizes data from surveys of Americans regarding various topics.  His compilations provide interesting and important information for Christians, the Church, and anyone concerned about our society and nation.  Impressive (and somewhat discouraging) are the changes Barna notes in attitudes and beliefs among Americans even from just 20 years ago.  I appreciated the reading, even though I found much of it disturbing simply because of the results Barna uncovers.

I especially appreciate Barna's conclusion in each chapter and in the book overall.  While much of the content is discouraging as Barna seems to reveal the disinegration of morality, family, and even the Church as we know it, Barna concludes chapter on a note of hope.  He not only realizes that there is hope, but he encourages the reader to do his part in fulfilling that hope and passing it on.  The final chapter, likewise, is encouraging among the disheartening statistics throughout the book.

This book is excellent reading for any Christian concerned with our nation's future and with the Church's future.  Barna's survey data are eye-opening and action-inspiring!  I highly recommend this book!!

Thanks to Tyndale for providing a complimentary copy to me for purpose of review!

***  UPDATE:  I just reread the final chapter in the book and had to post a bit more...this book is inspiring!  Barna draws the reader to complete loyalty, love, and submission to the Creator-Savior and inspires her to live the life Jesus intends for us!!  WE are the church...the body designed to share God's love and it's not too late to change our future one life at a time!!   I loved this book--and will suggest that every true follower of Jesus read it soon!  :)