The Blessing

Although it is not necessarily a new book, the latest book that I read is The Blessing by Gary Smalley and John Trent. It has been revised and updated, but I had not even heard of it prior to now. I was a little skeptical of the book initially which shows my bias toward "how to" books, but as I dove into this book I was pleasantly surprised with the depth and wisdom that is in the book. Coming from some of the foremost leaders in family life and parenting I should not have been so surprised, of course. Without giving away the basic components of the blessing, this book gives you five elements that are critical to blessing your children. They are easy to follow and explained well throughout the book. There is sufficient Scriptural application as well and frankly the authors make it pretty easy for you to want to give your children the type of blessing they are discussing. The hard part is follow through on your part and mine. I have already recommended this book to several other parents, and with the additional website resources that are included in the book I plan to make this a part of life for my own children. It is one of those books you will want to keep around for a long time, lest you forget to apply it.
I did receive this book from the Booksneeze bloggers program for free in exchange for an honest review and was not compelled to post an positive review.

Every Man's Battle

After several years of seeing this book on the book shelves at my local retailer and hearing good things about it, I figured it was time to read Every Man's Battle by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker. I had not heard much about the content other than it is a must read for men and young men should read Every Young Man's Battle. What I appreciated from the start with this book is the blatant honesty with which the authors tackle a very difficult subject. Often messages and books will dance around this subject matter and not give you the details. This book is different and to me was refreshing. There are six parts to this book and the first two deal with the explanation of who we are and how we got to where we are with candor that is unprecedented. Sharing stories along with the facts grips the reader from the start. What I appreciated most though was the following 4 parts that summarize victory over the battle. Some of the simplest things that men, including myself, take for granted as "normal" are challenged. There is great Biblical counsel as well throughout the book and the authors are intentional about laying a foundation of faith in this battle; without it their is not victory. I would love to lay out some of my favorite principles in this review but they would take awhile to explain. Do yourself a favor and get this book men; it will have an impact on how you see the world and how you view women that will last a lifetime.
I received this copy of the book as part of the Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group's Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

Daddy Dates

As a dad to one precious daughter I was looking forward to diving into Daddy Dates by Greg Wright from the moment I saw the title. I have read numerous books on parenting, and some specifically for dad's and daughters, but this one was highly anticipated since the author has four daughters himself. What I liked from the start with this book was the humility of the author. He does not come out with a new "how to" or offer some theory of parenting that works with everyone; he is simply sharing his story of how he raised and continues to raise his daughters. My goal has been to be a hero to my own daughter and have her look to me as an example of how a man should act towards women. I often fail and fall short, and this is why it is great to have a plan and an outline. You may stray from it periodically but this book can certainly help you stay on course. One of the best reminders for me as a dad, and I think all men can relate, is the reminder that we try to fix things and don't give sufficient time for listening and hearing. Allowing for your daughter to talk without offering solutions every time is something I will have in my mind from now on....even when it is painful to do so. One of the key points that the author has done with his daughters is in regards to dating. Without spoiling this, it certainly will spark a conversation, regardless whether or not you agree with it. I admit, it has me thinking even though my daughter is not that age yet. For the fathers out there that are trying their best to understand women, specifically your daughter(s) this is a great book. I would highly recommend it to all fathers as you will undoubtedly glean at least a couple ideas that will help you be the father that God intended.
I did receive this book from the Booksneeze bloggers program for free in exchange for an honest review and was not compelled to post an positive review.

The Alarmists

Normally one to shy away from fiction and stick to healthy debates on theological issues this was an interesting book for me to review. When I do delve into fiction it must be something that grabs my attention right away with a subject that may have some real world parallels to it. Don Hoesel's new book can loosely have some of those parallels so the summary intrigued me. Someone may possibly be orchestrating some events to coincide with the thought that the world will end on 12/21/12. Bring in sociologist Brent Michaels and team him with Colonel Jameson Richards in order to try to identify who might be trying to bring the world into a state of fear and you have the makings for a page turner. Add to this mix a woman assigned to help Michaels and you now have more intrigue. With all that as the backdrop for the story it sounds like it could be great...but I would have to say the book was only good. Often I will judge a fiction account by how often I desire to pick it back up and how often I stay with it. To say I labored through this is not quite the case, but I did not lay awake thinking of how it would end. The character development was decent and the narrative was fairly easy to get through, it just did not leave me hanging by a thread desiring to start the next chapter.
I did receive this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review and was not compensated in any other way.

The Fight Of Our Lives

The Fight of Our Lives: Knowing the Enemy, Speaking the Truth & Choosing To Win The War Against Radical Islam promised to be an interesting read for me. Several years ago I would have been more inclined to grab this book and devour it and be ready to join the front line. Circumstances in my life have brought me to a point where I have a deep passion to minister in Muslim contexts and I have many friends who are living in predominantly Muslim countries, so this book title was one I was a little more cautious of. I did not want to read something that lumped all Muslims into a category that would inspire hatred of a culture. With this in mind, I decided to read through this book with an open mind, as I have been an admirer of William Bennett for awhile. The book itself is an easy read and not a lengthy treatise that will lose you halfway through, so I was pleased with that and yet it was certainly meaty in subject matter. I found myself nodding my head along many times as he outlined how and why we have gone soft on the war on terrorism. In this world of the politically correct we now have reached a point where the very mention of war is discouraged and instead we have to call it something else, and our leadership bears some responsibility for that. Bennett and his co-author, Seth Leibsohn do a great job of explaining how we have reached this point and what we need to do about it, without creating a hatred of Muslims. Their point that Muslims need to stand up against Radical and Fundamental Islam in order to preserve their more moderate culture is spot on. Tolerance has led us down a path that will lead us right into the hands of those that will destroy us if we are not interested in changing the course and they have made this point crystal clear. I did not walk away from this book with any less love and compassion for a people that need to hear the Gospel, and instead was encouraged and motivated to continue to do my part in educating them in order to preserve the virtuous aspects of their culture.
I received this book as part of the Booksneeze.com Bloggers program in exchange for an honest review.

Radical Together

This book by David Platt is one of the most highly anticipated that I have had the chance to review. Our small group is currently studying his first book, Radical, and the response so far has been life changing for many as we discuss the American dream. I have read his first book multiple times so when I had the chance to get an advance copy of this one I jumped at the opportunity.His first book is certainly geared toward individual change and this one takes Radical to the churches and groups. I dove right in to this book upon arrival and have read it through twice, as it is relatively short in comparison to the first. As I read this one I was immediately intrigued by the continuity of the two books and this is a logical follow up. As the author gives the churches practical ideas on how to be Radical, he also shares stories on how his church is currently putting it into practice. It would be easy to share these ideas, but without "walking the walk", it would seem like the any number of platitudes out there. I was deeply engaged when he shares how his church has a culture that promotes foster care and adoption as our church is currently seeing multitudes of families become part of this process, including our family. I have the intention of bringing this to the leadership as an idea since there may be families that are contemplating this but do not have he financial resources to do so. What a great testament that Brook Hills has in caring for orphans! The chapters that are included in this book do a great job of outlining ideas on how to be Radical but the author does not have a "one size fits all" mindset. As he says in the conclusion of the book;"....these men and women have been destined by God to spend their lives in the urgent task of announcing God's reign and advancing his kingdom to ends of the earth." If we can all do this alone we are walking in the path of Jesus. Definitely a must read for those who want to take a Radical step as a church.
I received this advance copy of this book as part of the Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group's Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review and was not required to give a positive review.

The Promises She Keeps

Having read the books that Erin Healy co-authored with Ted Dekker, I was really looking forward to seeing how she writes on her own. I had not read her first book, so this was my first taste of the author apart from the work of Dekker. I did not go into this book expecting the same type of thriller by any means and as I read it my thoughts were confirmed. The story centers around Promise who has a terminal disease and wants to leave a legacy and be remembered long after her death. Enter Porta and her son Zack who, one way or another find ways to make the dream nearly impossible. Promise ends up befriending an autistic boy who's story is woven into her life in countless ways. The story itself is compelling and the premise is good....but the way the author chose to seemingly hint at redemption and leave it dangling was disappointing. I felt that there was a good build up to what would have been a great allegory for life and then the bottom fell out at the end. The authors research on Cystic Fibrosis and Autism was well done and accurate and the characters in the book drew you into their thoughts quite well. I only wish she had spent more time considering the ending and how it could relate to our everyday struggles.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Soulprint: A Review

Looking back on your life to gain insight into your soul can be a process that challenges the core of your being. In the book Soulprint by Mark Batterson this is what he asks you to do and frankly what you may find will help you to understand "you". I think it goes without saying that there are times that you can look back at and realize how it impacted your life, but have you ever considered how it shaped your very soul?
Self discovery books can be found anywhere and most will have your head spinning with information that leaves you questioning even further who you are. As the author states "self-discovery always leads in one of two directions: self-worship or worship of God."In this book, thankfully, you will be led to worship of God. The author is plentiful in the use of Scripture and although you are not going to be reading a lengthy book, the meat is there without the fluff. This is the first book I have been exposed to by Mark Batterson and it will not be my last.
I received this book as part of the Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group's Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review and was not required to give a positive review.