Keys to Successful Living

Now isn't that a title straight from a magazine cover! Did a little research on the author - Derek Prince. Talk about a firestorm! He was involved in some crazy kind of 'submit to your church leaders NO-MATTER-WHAT' type of teaching for awhile. Fortunately I can gladly say 2 things.

1. He later publicly apologized for having been a part of this movement.

2. This book has nothing to do with that. Phew!

In truth, this is a good little book. (It is little - 126 pgs and is only a tad larger than my average sized lady's hand.)
"Keys to Successful Living" takes a closer look at the 12 "Let us" phrases in the book of Hebrews and truthfully, even though it was a titch on the dry side, I got some real nuggets of insight out of this read. Well done Mr. Prince. There's a great flow to the book and it's the sort of book that, if you wanted to get the most out of, you could pick at really slowly. What I mean is, read a bit - til you get to something you know you aren't doing, and just camp there with God until you work it out.

The last chapter is review of the 12 points he made and admittedly I didn't really read that part. I also didn't memorize the 12 "Let us" phrases the way he wants you to either. I'm a poor pupil.Everything in the book was biblically sound and I found myself thinking, "Yeah, I needed to be reminded of that." more than just a time or two. These are keys to successful living. :)

I would recommend this book with the following caveats:

1.I can't say I recommend the author on a whole given the possibility of poor teaching that might have been written during his "personal revelation is equal to Scripture" phase.
2.This book isn't a laugh or thrill a minute.


BTW, I got a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review for October

"Your Money, God's Way" by Amie Streamer was not at all what I was expecting. I was expecting a How To book on finances. Instead I was pleasantly surprised to find a How Come book on finances. Amie Streamer explores the 7 most common myths that keep people (in particular christians) broke. I have no doubt in my mind that should Amie Streamer and I ever meet we would become instant BFFs because I love her hammer on your thick skull approach. Why are you broke? Cuz you were dumb BUT God is gracious and you can get out of this mess even though it will be hard. By the end of "Your Money, God's Way" I felt very ready to re-estabish a realistic budget and quite enpowered. The last chapters do give a bit of How To so that you aren't left hanging. Good Read!!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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.”

Sarah's Garden

I don't usually read romance novels but I just finished "Sarah's Garden" by Kelly Long. It was sweet and clean and exactly what you would have expected from a romance novel. My guess is that if you typically enjoyed romances then you would like this book. I personally found it a bit too convenient and too obvious but then if you're reading a romance novel you aren't looking for a brain strain. My mother who does enjoy romance novels was chopping at the bit for me to finish so that she could dive into it. She didn't have to wait long. It was easy to read. I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for light fluff that doesn't contain anything crass or provocative.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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.”

Storm Warnings Review

Storm Warnings by Billy Graham reminded me of sitting in church and listening to a preacher you've grown up with. You are forever checking your watch and thinking "can it only be that 10 minutes has past?" and yet you know that you know more afterwards then you did before. This book wasn't at all what I was expecting. I thought Storm Warnings was going to point out recent world events and show how they fit into biblical prophecies. Instead Mr. Graham pointed out different world schools of thoughts and shifts in trends on a far more general basis. A number of the chapters definitely made me think and wonder what I could be doing to better help my fellow man as well as encouraged me to take a good hard look at my own heart. I would recommend this book to new christians as well as people who are searching for spiritual answers as Mr. Graham does what he does best. He hammers home the most important question of all - What are you going to do about Jesus?



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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.”

Wild at Heart Review

Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul by John Eldredge could not have come at a better time. With two boys closing in on their adolescent years, this book reminds us to allow for a boy's heart to stay wild by first mending our own wounds. This thoroughly enjoyable and thought provoking book tells of every man's three needs - a battle to fight, an adventure to have and a beauty to fight for. As a woman I can only tell you that the author was spot on when he points out that every woman also has three needs - to be fought for, to join in on an adventure and to be the beauty. This book gets two thumbs up for reminding us that boys are boys so lets stop trying to make them into girls and that men were meant to be men. I want my man to be just shy of scary and can safely say my girlfriends feel the same. Men, read this book. Women, read this book - it will open your eyes to what is going on inside your fellow's head and heart.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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

Will the World end in 2012?

Having finished reading "Will the World End in 2012?", I come away pleasantly surprised by what I read. In this book, author Raymond C. Hundley, Ph.D, looks at the leading apocalyptic theories and shows the strengths and weaknesses of each theory. I thought they would all end up being shown as hogwash yet a number of the more scientic theories indeed have some merit to them. This book was an easy read, that made you go "Huh, I didn't know that." occasionally. It ended with by asking a far more important question then whether the world will end in 2 years. Are you ready should your life end tonight? Truly it would do us all well to ask ourselves that question. Even better would be to live in such a way. "Will the World End in 2012?" gets my stamp of approval for the conspiracy theorists, the panickers, the searches and everyone in between.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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.”

Book Review - The Sacred Journey

After reading "The Sacred Journey" by Charles Foster, one thought keeps coming to mind. The most dangerous lie is the one that most resembles the truth. The theme of this book is that we should all go for a walk as though that is critical in our understanding of God and foundational in our relationship with Him. Mr. Foster pointed out that Jesus told His disciples to "Follow me.". Here is one major fault of this book. Jesus did tell His disciples to follow Him BUT Jesus wasn't on a pilgrimage. He was on a missionary trek. Jesus wasn't on a walkabout in an attempt to cleanse Himself or commune with God. He was walking to the next town to preach the gospel! How I wish I was able to say that the erroneous statements ended there. To say that Jesus tells us to remember Him when we drink wine is because of His "Bacchanalian taste" is nothing short of abhorrent. It is also one of many examples of Mr. Foster's poor taste in choice of words when discribing the Creator of the Universe, the one who holds his very breath.
Admittedly I was very intrigued by what was written about Cain and Abel. In fact this single chapter was quite enjoyable and profitable. Unfortunately it's the only chapter worth reading. This book may have majoritied on "christianity" but gave every other religion a day in the sun as well. Indeed other religions have plenty of sayings and proverbs that are not wrong but why give them such a deep role when the Author of Truth is standing, or as the author pointed out, walking right in front of us?
Mr. Foster believes that Jesus was being literal when He told us to Follow Him in terms of physically walking. If we are to believe that then we must take into consideration that in Mark 8:34 Jesus told us to not only follow Him but to take up his cross as well. It goes further in Luke 9:23 to say that we must do this daily if we're to follow Him. Is that literal as well? Hardly.
As for pilgrimages to the sites of relics, you would do infinitely better to stay at home an read your bible. Paul and Barnabas were downright distaught in Acts 14 when they were set up to be more then mere men.
The idea that going for a walk is beneficial is valid. It gives you time to sort out troubles and gives you a moment to speak quietly with God. The idea that going for a pilgrimage walk is quintessential to the christian life is wrong. If at any time you wish to speak to God all you have to do is speak.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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.”