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.