The Shock of Night by Patrick W. Carr (Book Review!)

The Shock of Night (The Darkwater Saga, Book 1)

by Patrick W. Carr

(I received this book for review purposes.)

 

Genre- Fiction / Fantasy / General

Publisher- Bethany House

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of Pages- 462

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, $15.99, ISBN: 978-0-7642-1346-5

One man is murdered and another mortally wounded.

Willet Dura, reeve to the king of Bunard, must investigate.  When he arrives, the mortally wounded man, a priest, touches him, screams in a foreign language, then dies.  Willet must investigate?  More people die and Willet has no idea what is happening in his town.  After the priest’s death, Willet finds that when he touches people he can see into their thoughts.  This is a gift he’s not supposed to have.  It puts him in danger more than ever before.

Will he find the murderer?  Who are the people who are trying to take him for their own?

About the Author- Patrick W. Carr currently lives with his wife and children in Nashville.  He has been a high school math teacher, draftsman, and more.  He was born during the height of the Cold War tensions on an Air Force Base in West Germany.

My Thoughts- I thought this was a long, but good book.  It dragged sometimes, but I stuck with it and I was really glad. 

I thought this was a good book for men.  I am glad that there are good books out there for men.  So many times it seems as if there are not very many good books for men.

Willet Dura was a good man.  He has done a lot of things he shouldn’t have.  He’s been to the Darkwater Forest and has been given a gift, that many would like to have, but he can’t give back.  All of those experiences make him a complex character.

My favorite character was Bolt, because he was loyal to Dura, but also loyal to the Vigil (the group of people who want the gift).  Gareth was another character I liked, because he too, was loyal to Dura.

This book ended on a cliff hanger, Dura needs to find a way to break his engagement.  Now, I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. 

I recommend this book!

Informational and Purchasing Links-

The Shock Of Night - http://www.amazon.com/Shock-Night-Darkwater-Saga/dp/0764213466/

Author Website - http://www.patrickwcarr.com/

Participants’ links:

Thomas Clayton Booher Keanan Brand Beckie Burnham Carol Bruce Collett Carol Gehringer Victor Gentile Rebekah Gyger Bruce Hennigan Janeen Ippolito Carol Keen Rebekah Loper Jennette Mbewe Shannon McDermott Meagan @ Blooming with Books Rebecca LuElla Miller Joan Nienhuis Nissa Audrey Sauble Chawna Schroeder Jessica Thomas Robert Treskillard Shane Werlinger Phyllis Wheeler Nicole White

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received a free copy of The Shock of Night, by Patrick W. Carr, to review.  I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.  I am part of CSFF Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.

Dinosaurs: Marvels of God’s Design by Dr. Tim Clarey (Book Review)

Dinosaurs: Marvels of God’s Design

By Dr. Tim Clarey

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Religion / Religion & Science / Science / Paleontology

Published by- Master Books

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 192

Age Group- All Ages (Primarily those who can read well)

Description of Book- hardback, ISBN 978-0-89051-904-2, $29.99

Beginning with a detailed table of contents, this book is filled with useful information about dinosaurs from a biblical point-of-view. 

Many people are interested in dinosaurs and for good reasons, they are mentioned in movies, television shows, and books.  This book shows the reader:

• biblical based science.
• many illustrations, photos, and diagrams.
• how a Christian can explain the dinosaurs from a biblical point-of-view.

About the Author- Dr. Timothy Clarey has a Ph.D. in geology.  He has worked for a major oil company and as a full professor and geosciences chair at a public college.  He currently works at the Institute for Creation Research.

My thoughts-

Dinosaurs are often a favorite of children.  My children are no exception, so I was excited when I saw the opportunity to review this book.

When the book came in the mail, my son and I were excited to take a look at it.  I was pleased when we looked inside.  There were many interesting charts, photos, and illustrations.  The table of contents was very detailed as was the end notes and index.

I started reading the book right away and was very impressed.  I liked how Dr. Clarey talked about the evolutionists point-of-view and that of the creationists.  I thought it was well balanced.

There were several things I did not like, the price and how each page was half black and half white.  I thought $29.99 was much to expensive.  It is going to be hard to get this book into people’s hands if the price is so high.  I got confused with the different page colors.  I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to read all of the text in the white section first or if the text went all together.

This was an excellent book.  I would recommend it for any one who would like to learn about dinosaurs from a different point-of-view.  We are going to use it for school.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Dinosaurs: Marvels of God’s Design, by Dr. Tim Clarey, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

Rediscovering Discipleship by Robby Gallaty (Book Review!)

Rediscovering Discipleship: Making Jesus’ Final Words Our First Work

By Robby Gallaty

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Religion / Christian Ministry / Discipleship

Published by- Zondervan

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 240

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-0-310-52128-0, $15.99

Jesus asked all of his followers to go and make disciples, but many of us do not know how to do it. 

In this book, Robby Gallaty point us in the right direction with specific steps.  One of the first things we need to do is to understand Jesus and the time period in which he lived, and what his lessons mean to us.  We then need to learn how to properly build our discipleship groups and how to make them work.

There are lot of helpful endnotes and appendix. 

About the Author- Robby Gallaty is married with two boys.  He is the founder of Replicate Ministries and the Senior Pastor of Brainerd Baptist Church.  He wrote Growing Up: How to Be a Disciple who Makes Disciples and Firmly Planted.

My thoughts-

I thought this book was excellent.  It was filled with useful and practical information to help people learn what it means to be a disciple and how to do it. 

My favorite part of this book was the section where it talk about how we need to know about Jesus’s methods, before we start it ourselves.  I learned how important it is when reading the Bible to think about what life was like for the Jews at that time, so I can better relate to the stories being told.  This would especially apply to the parables.

The appendix with the answers to frequently asked questions was high on my favorites too, because it discussed in greater detail what to do with your small group of disciples.

It is important to make and equip disciples, so they can go and do the same.  We need disciples in the world to spread the word of God.

I recommend it to every adult.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Rediscovering Discipleship, by Robby Gallaty, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

Gospel Conversation: How to Care like Christ by Robert W. Kellemen

Gospel Conversations

By Robert W. Kellemen

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Religion / Christian Ministry / Counseling & Recovery

Published by- Zondervan

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 397

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-0-310-51615-5, $18.99

Gospel Conversations is the second book in the Equipping Biblical Counselors Series.  The best way to learn is by doing, and this is exactly what Robert Kellemen discusses in this book.

This book begins with the reader learning the four compass points of biblical counseling:

• Sustaining: "It's Normal to Hurt."
• Healing: "It's Possible to Hope."
• Reconciling: "It's Horrible to Sin but Wonderful to be Forgiven."
• Guiding: "It's Supernatural to Mature."

This book is broken down into steps and can be used as a training manual for lab and small-group interaction.

About the Author- Robert W. Kellemen, ThM, PhD, has written thirteen books.  He is the executive director of the Biblical Counseling Coalition.

My thoughts-

This book was very thick and full of useful information for learning how to become a well-rounded Christian counselor. 

I liked the tweet-size comments.  It helped to condense the chapter into something that was easy to remember.  The wide margins made it easy to take notes.  There were also a lot of questions that could be answer individually or in a group situation.  There was a lot of detail and case studies to help people in group settings. 

If you are going to read this book, I would highly recommend reading Gospel-Centered Counseling first.  The author, Robert Kellemen refers to this book often.  I wish that I had read that book first.  He does stress how important it is to know the Bible.  He added a lot of forms about the different aspects of counseling in the appendix.  One of the forms I thought was important was a goals form.

Christians need counselors and they need them to counsel them in the most comprehensive way.  I think this book and the other books in the series will help equip people to be better counselors.  I recommend it.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Gospel Conversations, by Robert W. Kellemen, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

Gaining by Losing J. D. Greear (Book Review!)

Gaining by Losing

By J. D. Greear

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Religion /Christian / Pastors

Published by- Zondervan

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 256

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- hardback, ISBN 978-0-310-51524-1, $19.99

Jesus wanted his disciples to take the gospels to the corner of the earth.  He knew they needed to be sent and not gathered.  Today’s churches focus on gaining numbers and keeping them, not sending them back out to do the work that needs to be done. 

It is the opposite in J. D. Greear’s church, The Summit Church.  His goal is to properly educated them, so his leaders, givers, and volunteers can go out and win people to God.

In this book he discusses 10 ways that your church can focus on God’s mission of reaching everyone.

About the Author- J. D. Greear is currently the lead pastor of The Summit Church in North Carolina.   The Summit Church under his leadership has grown from 300 to nearly 9,000.  Greear has his Ph.D. in Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.  Greear and his wife have four young children.

My thoughts- I enjoyed reading this book and I learned a lot about what churches around the world need to be doing, planting churches.  I also learned why it should be done and how to do it.

I know of churches that have tried to plant a church, but they did not succeed.  I think it would have been successful if the pastor and the people interested in planting the church would have read this book.  There needs to be a plan to follow and more people excited about it. 

Greear’s plan is for all members to go on to plant churches and be different types of missionaries.  He knows that to fill the Great Commission, the members of the church need to move on.  The way to gain is to lose.  It is not about keeping the members in the church.  It is about growing and teaching others about God.  I liked how he included a lot about his church and the way that they have done and are doing things.

The appendices were helpful, “Setting Up an International Missions Strategy” and “Developing a Domestic Church Planting Strategy.”

I think that all church leaders need to read this book, so they can empower their members to grow.    

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Gaining by Losing, by J. D. Greear, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

History, Law and Christianity by John Warwick Montgomery (Book Review)

History, Law and Christianity

By John Warwick Montgomery

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Religion /Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- NRP Books

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 102

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-945500-01-5, $15

Sample of the Book.

My thoughts-

I thought this books was very interesting, but I also thought it was hard to understand. I think this book would be best for those who are in college or are extremely interesting in Christianity, law, and history.

I enjoyed reading all of the quotes, because it showed me that John Warwick Montgomery is very interested in this subject and that he wants to show how many people feel about the same subject. I especially liked the quotes from C.S. Lewis. I enjoy reading his works and his quotes helped defend Montgomery's ideas for the historical and legal reliability of Christianity.

This book contains some wonderful extras. It has a paper written by Avrum Stroll and a letter from Edwin M. Yamauchi. There is an extensive list of books that can be useful for studying the historic evidence of the Christian message.

I would recommend this book for people who are interested reading a defense of the Gospel.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received History, Law and Christianity, by John Warwick Montgomery, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

Living Without Worry by Timothy Lane

Living Without Worry: How to Replace Anxiety with Peace

By Timothy Lane

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Religion /Christian / Nonfiction /

Published by- The Good Book Company

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 141

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-90991-937-2, $12.99

Do you live with a certain level of anxiety?  This book will help you learn deal with that anxiety through Jesus. (Remember to consult a professional if you need to.) 

Dr. Timothy Lane talks about worry about the past, present, and future.  He shows us how to change and put all of our anxiety upon Christ.  He concludes the book with a discussion about what Jesus would do.

Sample of the Book.

About the Author- Timothy Lane and his wife have four children.  He currently lives in Georgia and is President of the Institute for Pastoral Care.

My thoughts- I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have a lot of anxiety about the present and the future.  This book helped me to remember that I always need to put my focus on Jesus.  He can help take away the anxiety.  I know He has helped me.  When I put my focus on Jesus, I am not thinking about any anxieties.  I am focusing on something positive things and not on things that are only in my mind. 

As always, I liked the questions at the end of the chapters.  Whenever a nonfiction book has questions at the end, it helps me think about the book and my life in a different way.  It is really important to me that when I read a nonfiction book about Christ or Christianity that I am able better myself and the questions help me do that.

I think this book would be perfect for a new Christian or anyone who deals with normal levels of anxiety.  

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Living Without Worry, by Timothy Lane, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

Uncovering the Life of Jesus by Rebecca Manley Pippert

Uncovering the Life of Jesus: Six Encounters with Jesus From the Gospel of Luke

By Rebecca Manley Pippert

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Religion /Christian / Nonfiction / Bible Study

Published by- The Good Book Company

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 61

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-91030-763-2, $9.99

Uncovering the Life of Jesus, by Rebecca Manley Pippert, is a Bible study that shows six encounters with Jesus, like the prodigal son, Zacchaeus, and the blind man.

Each chapter has questions, historical context, page for notes, Bible verses (NIV), and a section about how that chapter was relevant to us today.

This study is taken from the book of Luke

Sample of the Book.

About the Author- Rebecca Manley Pippert is married and has four children and one grandchild.  As well as being an author she is a speaker and the founder of Salt Shaker Ministries.

My thoughts- I thought Rebecca Manley Pippert’s book, Uncovering the Life of Jesus, had a lot of great information and thoughtful questions. 

While I enjoyed all the parts of this book.  I liked having the historical context of the six different encounters.  It was helpful for me to know what people would have thought when the prodigal son returned or what the Jews thought about the tax collectors.  I liked having the specific Bible verses in the book.  I was glad she used the NIV Bible, because it is a version that is easier to understand.

I thought the questions she asked were thought provoking.  I thought it was great that she had her comments to this book on the internet. 

I would recommend this study for people who want to learn about Jesus.  It would be perfect for a small group study.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Uncovering the Life of Jesus, by Rebecca Manley Pippert, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

When Sinners Say “I Do” from Dave Harvey (Review)

When Sinners Say “I Do:” Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage

From Dave Harvey

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Religion / Christian Life / Marriage

Published by- Shepherd Press

Copyrighted- 2014

Number of pages- DVD

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- DVD (ISBN: 978-1-63342-092-2, $59.99)

Everybody is a sinner and when you add marriage to the mix, problems can and will happen if there is not a great deal of understanding and mercy.

In these eight sessions, Dave Harvey shares God’s word and his own story to help people who are thinking or marriage or already to overcome their conflicts.

The sessions are:

1. Sin – Part 1
2. Sin – Part 2
3. Design
4. Contentment
5. Mercy – Part 1
6. Mercy – Part 2
7. Sex
8. Stubborn Grace

About the Author (Speaker)- Dave Harvey currently lives in Florida with his wife.  He is the founder of www.AmICalled.com.  He is the Pastor of Preaching at Four Oaks Community Church.

My thoughts-  There was a lot I liked about When Sinners Say “I Do” and some I did not like about it.

I am going to talk about what I did not like first, that way we can concentrate on what I did like.  I found all of Dave Harvey’s movements very distracting.  I tended to concentrate on his swaying instead of what he was saying.  I would have had more luck listening to this as a CD or MP3.  The other thing I did not like was the retail price.  I think $59.99 is way to much to ask somebody to pay.  (I realize I received it to review, but I would never be able to afford it.)  It would be best purchased by a church or study group.

There were eight very interesting different lectures.  While they were all very different, they had several commons themes, marriage, sin, and mercy.  He also talked about being content.  I thought Harvey did a good job picking the best Bible verses and quotes to go with his discussion.

I would recommend this video to couples who are thinking of getting married or who already are. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received When Sinners Say “I Do,” by Dave Harvey, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

The One O’clock Miracle written by Alison Mitchell and illustrated by Catalina Echeverri

The One O’clock Miracle: A True Story About Trusting the Words of Jesus

By Alison Mitchell

Illustrated by Catalina Echeverri

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Christian / Religious / Children

Published by- The Good Book Company

Copyrighted- 2014

Number of pages- 32

Age Group- Children (Ages 3-6 is best)

Description of Book- hardback, ISBN 978-1-910030-743-4, $14.99

The One O’clock Miracle is the second book in a new series, Tales that Tell the Truth.

This story is all about the healing of the official’s son and the faith the official had in Jesus.  It is based on John 4. 

Book Sample.

About the Author- Alison Mitchell is involved with Growing Young Disciples and is the Children’s Editor at The Good Book Company.

About the Illustrator- Catalina Echeverri is currently based in London and is a freelance illustrator and designer specializing in children’s illustrations.

My thoughts- I thought The One O’clock Miracle was well written and told a story, which is often often overlooked. 

One of the best parts of the book was the end, where it discussed which part of the Bible this story came from, John 4:46-54.  I read the story, then I read the verses in the Bible (I read the NLT.)  I was very impressed with how Alison Mitchell took the verses and turned them into a story.  Her story was different, because she added dialogue and specific phrases.  One of them was, “he walked and walked – and sometimes ran.”  This was done to make the story more interesting for the readers and listeners. 

The illustrations by Catalina Echeverri were whimsical and told the story of the miracle.  I especially liked how she drew the illustrations to show some of Christ’s other miracles (water to wine).  These illustrations happened when the father was talking to the mother about going to Cana.  The addition of different insects made these pictures fun to look at.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has young children in their lives.  It is the perfect way to show children one of the miracles Jesus performed.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The One’ O’clock Miracle, by Alison Mitchell and illustrated by Catalina Echeverri, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

Honest Evangelism by Rico Tice with Carl Laferton

Honest Evangelism: How to Talk About Jesus Even When it’s Tough

Written by Rico Tice with Carl Laferton

(I received this book for review purposes.)

 

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- The Good Book Company

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 105

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-90991-939-6, $13.99

Honest Evangelism, by Rico Tice, is a short, information packed book about why and how we should evangelize to others.  This book discusses why we should be ourselves, why we do not do it (when we should), how to get started, and what we should say to others. 

Book Sample.

About the Author- Rico Tice currently lives with his family in London.  He is the founder of Christianity Explored Ministries. 

My thoughts- I thought Honest Evangelism, by Rico Tice, was well written.

It was a short book at 101 pages, but it was full of information discussing how we should evangelize to others.  I really appreciated this book, because I know we need to tell others about Jesus, but I was not sure how to get started.  I learned that it is mostly about being the best person I can be with Jesus (being myself) and just telling others about Him.  It is o.k. to be the one who plants the seeds.  I do not have to be the one who brings the person to Him.  There was an entire chapter dedicated to this.  Tice gave examples of different people (Peter, Paul, the blind man in John 9, and the woman at the well in John 4) who were brought to Christ or brought others to Him.

There was an excellent list of resource books in at the end of the book.  Topics covered were the gospel, apologetics, and more.

This was a very helpful book for me.  It helped me realize that what I am currently doing as a mother, wife, friend, and stranger is the right thing.

I highly recommend this book to you.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Honest Evangelism, by Rico Tice, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

Acts: EP Study Commentary by Guy Prentiss Waters (Book Review)

Act: EP Study Commentary by Guy Prentiss Waters

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction / Commentary

Published by- EP Books (Evangelical Press)

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 614

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, list price $44.99, ISBN: 978-1783970032

Acts: EP Study Commentary, by Guy Prentiss Waters, is a study commentary on the Acts of the Apostles.  It covers each of the verses in the book of Acts along with well documented commentary and an application section for each grouping of verses.

About the author- Guy Prentiss Waters is a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.

My thoughts- I have read other study commentaries, but I have never read one that was easy for me to read and full of useful information.  I really enjoyed reading and learning from Guy Prentiss Waters.

One of the best parts of this study was the application section in each chapter.  In that section I learned many ways to apply what I learned in Acts to my life. 

One part I was not sure about was the version of the Bible verses.  Waters rewrote each of the verses himself, so I spent time comparing what he wrote with my NLT version.  I found that what he wrote was accurate.  I was glad.  I did not want to be reading something, which was not accurate to the Bible.

I really liked the commentary, because it was written in a way I could understand and was not boring.  There have been so many times when I have read a book and I either could not understand what was being said or it made me sleepy.

I think this was an excellent book.  I highly recommend it to others.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Acts: EP Study Commentary, by Guy Prentiss Waters, for free from Cross Focused Reviews. 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. All links were current when posted.

Heaven, How I Got Here: The Story of the Thief on the Cross by Colin S. Smith (Book Review!)

Heaven, How I Got Here: The Story of the Thief on the Cross

Written by Colin S. Smith

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- Christian Focus Publications

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 95

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-78191-558-5, $8.99

Colin S. Smith has written a very interesting book from the viewpoint of the thief on the cross.  Heaven, How I Got Here discusses what the thief’s life was like, how he ended up on the cross, and how we can become a faithful Christians.

Smith combines the thief’s old faith, new faith, and what can happen to us if we believe and have faith.

Book Sample.

About the Author- Colin S. Smith has a daily radio program and is Senior Pastor in Chicago.  His website is www.unlockingthebible.org.

My thoughts-  I thought Heaven How I Got here, by Colin S. Smith, was simply going to be about the thief’s experience on the cross and nothing more.  I was wrong.  There was so much more about how and why we should trust in God.

The fact that the thief was able to be in heaven with Jesus that day should give all of us great hope.  He had faith and a desire to know Jesus.  The thief was not perfect and we do not need to be perfect to join His kingdom.  That is the most important thing we need to remember.  Jesus will take us at any stage.  We just need to believe in him.

I think one of the best parts  of the book is the Q & A section at the end of the book with Smith, because it explains why he wrote the book.

This book is perfect for those who want to know more about Christianity or need to come back to Jesus.  I highly recommend it. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Heaven How I Got Here, written by Colin S. Smith, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

God’s Battle Plan for the Mind by David W. Saxton (Book Review)

God’s Battle Plan for the Mind: The Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation

Written by David W. Saxton

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- Reformation Heritage Books

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 160

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-60178-371-4, $18.00

The Puritan pastors used to encourage their congregations to meditate upon God’s word.  David W. Saxton would like us to do the same.  He has written a book that shows us exactly how to do this based upon his ideas and those of other Puritans.

This book includes:

• learning what Biblical meditation is
• how to practice meditation
• what subjects to chose
• what benefits there are to meditation
• and more

Book Sample.

About the Author- David W. Saxton and his wife have five daughters.  He is a senior pastor of Hardingville Bible Church.

My thoughts-  God’s Battle Plan for the Mind, by David W. Saxton, has convinced me that I need to dedicate more of my life to Biblical meditation.  Until I read this book I did not realize how I had been neglecting my dedication to God and his word.  I need to make sure I get up early in the morning when my head is clear and spend my time thinking and studying upon the word of God. 

Saxton did a wonderful job in researching and including the most important quotes from Puritan resources.  I really appreciate the list of resources in the back of the book.  The quotes helped me understand how important Biblical meditation was to the Puritans and how it should be to us today.

One of the best parts of this book was how Saxton included the role that technology and day-to-day life has played in the decline of our meditation.  He also talked about how meditation is not a bad practice.  It is important.

I think this is a very important book for everyone to read.  We all need to meditate upon God’s word.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received God’s Battle Plan for the Mind, written by David W. Saxton, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

The Resurrection in Your Life by Mike McKinley (book review)

The Resurrection in Your Life

Written by Mike McKinley

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- The Good Book Company

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 144

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-91030-703-8, $14.99

In a continuation from his first book, The Cross in Your Life, Mike McKinley discusses Luke 24 and Acts 1-2.  Each chapter begins with the Bible (NIV) text, continues with McKinley’s discussion and ends with a relevant poem written by different people, like Charles Wesley. 

Each chapter also contains relevant questions.

Book Sample.

About the Author- Mike McKinley is married with five children and currently lives in Virginia.  He has written The Cross in Your Life, Did the Devil Make Me Do It? and  Am I Really a Christian?

My thoughts-  The Resurrection in Your Life, by Mike McKinley, was a wonderful book.  There were many encouraging words to help me grow me in my relationship with God.

I liked the poems at the end of each chapter.  It would have been nice if they had been at the beginning of each chapter.  I feel that if they had been at the beginning of each chapter, they would put me in the proper mindset to read and study the chapter.

I liked having all of the Bible verses for the chapter in the chapter.  It helped the text flow into each chapter.  Using the NIV version was a good idea, because I find this version of the Bible the easiest to understand.  It also seems to be the most popular version.

As always I was grateful for the questions at the end of the chapter.  When there are questions, they help me think about what I read and how I can apply it to my life.

I think this book is perfect for new Christians and also for those who may want a refresh themselves on this important Bible text.  The death of Christ was not the end.  It was the beginning.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Resurrection in Your Life, illustrated by Mike McKinley, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  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.  All links were current when posted.

Ordinary by Tony Merida (Book Review)

Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down by Tony Merida

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- B&H Publishing

Copyrighted- 2014

Number of pages- 140

Age Group- Adult (older teen)

Description of book- hardback, list price $12.99, ISBN: 978-1783970438

Do you feel the need to be a flashy Christian and go to a flashy church?  Tony Merida shows us a different way in his book, Ordinary.

As Christians we need to live humbly and fulfilling lives with acts of hospitality, service, and neighborly love.  Merida show us how to do that with chapters focusing on hospitality, orphan care, advocacy, and more.

About the author- Tony Merida currently lives in North Carolina with his wife and five adopted children.  He is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church.  He has written several other books.

My thoughts- Ordinary might be small, but it contained more helpful information than many larger and longer books.  There are many books in the market that want us to be extrodinarely extraordinary, but Tony Merida wants us to be ordinary.  Do not worry, we can and should be ordinary in an extraordinary way.

We should be there for the widows and the orphans.  We need to be there for the less fortunate.  Merida gives us specific instructions and details on his life to tell/show us how to love our neighbors and care for those are unable to care for themselves.  There is a list of websites at the end of the book.  This list will give you a good place to start, so you will know who and how to support.

The one thing I would change about this book would be the addition of some awesome chapter questions to go with this awesome book.  The questions would help guide people in the right direction.  I know it would help me to know which way my family and I need to go.  I know there is a Bible study available from Lifeway, but questions would be able to help those who cannot afford the Bible study.

If you read one book this year, Ordinary is the one to read.  As Christians we need to help make this a better world and we can do it in very ordinary ways.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down, by Tony Merida, for free from Cross Focused Reviews. 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. All links were current when posted.

Salt, Light and Cities on Hills by Melvin Tinker

Salt, Light, and Cities on Hills by Melvin Tinker

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- EP Books (Evangelical Press)

Copyrighted- 2014

Number of pages- 119

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, list price $10.99, ISBN: 978-1783970438

Salt, Light and Cities on Hills, by Melvin Tinker, discusses social action and evangelism in Britain today.  He uses writings from John Stott and Tim Keller.  He also references Isaiah and the Sermon on the Mount. 

Some questions answered are:

• Can evangelism and social action work together?
• Did the disciples use evangelism and social action?
• Should we be doing what the disciples did?

About the author- Melvin Tinker is currently married and has three sons and six grandchildren.  He is the Senior Minister of St. John, Newland, Hull.  He is a speaker as well as an author.

My thoughts- I know this book is about the church in Britain, but I feel this book would work in any country in the world.  Our churches need to learn how blend evangelism with social action.  The disciples and those in the book of Acts knew exactly how to do it so all learned about Jesus.  This is something that we need to do as well.

I think this book would be good for ministers and those who are involved in evangelism and social action in the churches.  Some of the reading was tedious to me, but I knew how important it was and I kept reading.  I thought the last couple of chapters were the most interesting, because they involved Melvin Tinker’s opinions  I thought reading about his views were much more interesting than reading a discussion of the different view points of John Stott and Tim Keller. 

One of my favorite parts of this book were the notes at the end of each chapter.  I learned a lot of extra information about evangelism and social action.

I think Salt, Light, and Cities on Hills is a book that everybody who is involved with evangelism and social action in the church must read.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Salt Light, and Cities on Hills, by Melvin Tinker, for free from Cross Focused Reviews. 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. All links were current when posted.