Then Sings My Soul...

Another BookSneeze review. This time on "Then Sings My Soul", vol 3.

At church, do you sing the songs, unsure of whether you are singing the right words? Or, do you ever wonder how the song ever came about. Would you love to be able to play the music at home on your own instrument and with your family? That's why I love these series. In it, are over 50 songs and hymns, with the lyrics, the history and the sheet music. What's really neat about Book 3 is that it has a focus on more of the "lesser known" hymns, even some ancient and medieval hymns. The stories are well-written and give an insight into the experiences and lives of the hymn writers.

It's a great way to do family devotions and lessons on Christianity. The book is a definite goldmine, especially for musically inclined families or history buffs.

Book Review: Ascent from Darkness

I recently received and read Ascent from Darkness by Michael Leehan. It's a personal account of a man who was a self-proclaimed soldier for Satan and how he was released from that by the power of God.

As a regular reader, it's an interesting read. Some of Leehan's experiences are vivid -- to the point of not being sure if I wanted to continue reading (especially seeing as how I usually read before bed lol).

As a Christian, I forced myself to continue reading because I think it's important for us to know (or hopefully, to remind) ourselves of the spiritual warfare that is constantly surrounding us and how subtle and sneaky evil is. The Bible talks about knowing your enemy and through this book, one is able to deconstruct the ploys of evil and know how he works and operates.

What just came to mind is the Scripture in Gen 50:20....
You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Through Leehan's experience and situation and subsequent book, many people are helped.

I would definitely suggest this book, but really only for a mature Christian.

Book Review: The Fight of Our Lives

As a BookSneezer, I get free books on the promise to review them. For this book, my husband actually read it and did the review -- as I was busy with another "fight" -- being pregnant and delivering our second baby boy! :)

Here's his review:

The Fight of Our Lives clearly articulates its main points: it is a call to stand firm on the truth, "to call good and evil by their proper names", to identify what is wrong and deal with it, to identify what is right and stick with it. To take serious the threat of terrorism that has grown up in our own back yard, attended our schools, joined our militaries, infiltrated our culture and caused damage and fear and left a sense of terror in our hearts.

The authors have hand selected, analyzed and presented specific acts of terrorism which occurred against American and Western society. They articulate how terrorism did and continues to grow up in our own back yard. How it has not properly been addressed, and various ideologies that need to be corrected to properly begin addressing the state of terrorism as it is today.

As a Canadian, I found this book to be a concise and insightful look into the how we as a western nation have responded to the threat of Islamic terrorism. Through this book I came to not only understand how easy it is for a culture to permit acts of terrorism, but I began to see in my own actions and beliefs, how I, too, have permitted it. History would indicate through all that we have done, politically, through the military and anti-terrorism organizations, etc, we can do much better.

Keeping in mind all of the recent acts of terrorism on American soil and against Western society, The Fight of Our Lives, is an excellent read to help answer the questions: How did we get here? What could or should we (continue to) do about this?

Book Review: Reggie

I'm submitting a book review on "Reggie, You Can't Change Your Past, but You Can Change Your Future" for BookSneeze.

I was excited to read this book as it was generating a lot of positive feedback and bottom Line: This book was fantastic and it delivered.

Overall, the book is part memoir, part inspiration/self-help workbook. Taking from real life experiences, Reggie talks about growing in self and in God. It's a real down to earth, sometimes raw experience, sometimes laugh out read. After reading this book, I was completely motivated to check out Reggie's website and see about him speaking at our church as I think he is one of those rare people that a crowd can spend all day listening to. And even more, growing from and with. In short, Reggie is the kind of person you want to have as a best friend and on speed-dial.

In one sense, I really did like the questions at the end of each chapter. However, I feel somewhat they border on "elementary" questions and could be a bit more thought provoking. And just me, but I would have liked more "space" to write my answers.

This is a definite keeper and recommend.

A Conversation with God: Book Review

Previously having been introduced to Randy Alcorn's “Heaven”, I anticipated reading “A Conversation with God” by Alton Gansky. Both books are similar in that they attempt to answer those real and honest questions that most believers have, such as “what is heaven like”? Or, “what's God's take on homosexuality or abortion”? However, Gansky's format is different in that the questions are answered individually (and personally) by God, Jesus, Paul and other Bible characters.

Overall, I think this book is good and informative. Definitely a potential book study item for a group, such as post-Alpha in that in answers those “next questions” that do come up for a new believer. The language is very understandable and relatable, but this is where I start to believe this book falls short for the slightly more mature believer. To me, the book seemed to be a “copy and paste” method of taking scriptures and rewording them. Seemed more like a question and answer format of The Message. For example, in one of the “answers”, Jesus says “Peace is a choice. You cannot control all that happens around you but you can control your response to it; you can control how it affects you. Don't worry over anything, but lay every concern on God through prayer and he will give you a peace that goes beyond your ability to understand and that peace will protect your mind and heart”. Yes, this is a rewording of Philipians 4:6-7, and I get the reason why the author has done it this way, but it seems along the lines of a elementary student who doesn't really understand what s/he is really writing about and is just trying to give an answer. This added to a sense of “choppiness” overall, in my opinion.

The other “issue” I had with this book is that in order to have a conversation with God, the author has to “speak” for God – which I wasn't entirely comfortable with. If the whole idea is that God is omniscient, how can the author speak for God? I think this situation was handled reasonably well with the chapter on Heaven, where the author repeatedly mentioned that there was a lot to discover, but now wasn't the time (and etc.) and things would be revealed in their own time, in God's time. The part where I really questioned this method was in the chapter of “Why are there two sexes?” Gansky (answering for God) says “After his creation, Adam worked in the garden of Eden. He had responsibilities and tasks. Early on, I gave him the task of naming the animals. On the surface, that may seem unusual. I am certainly capable of naming animals Myself and revealing those animals to Adam. But I had a goal in mind: I wanted him to feel alone, which was the best thing I could have done for him”. What?! It references Genesis 2:20 (the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam, no suitable helper was found”). Where in that Scripture does it imply that God WANTED Adam to feel alone? I really don't think it's appropriate for the author or anyone, to put words into God's mouth or motivations into His Plan. Its such instances like this that prevent this book from being one that I would enthusiastically recommend to others.

This is not to say that this wouldn't be an enjoyable book for the mature believer, but it's almost along the lines of being a physicist sitting in a Earth Science classroom, hearing rocks being identified as “the grey one” or “the round one”. And admittedly, I did come to a different understanding of a few passages.

Overall, this doesn't seem like a conversation per se, but more like an infomercial.

The Map

I recently just read, The Map, by David Murrow (author of Why Men Hate Going to Church). And I have to say, for a book "geared" for guys, this gal really enjoyed it and sees its relevance and application to a number of different situations.

In response to Murrow's realization that churches all over have problems retaining or “building” its male population, The Map is written in both a straightforward “lecture and discussion style” as well as in a thriller-action suspense, similar to the Davinci Code. The book suggests that there is a “map” to transform men, helping them to get on the path that brings them closer to being the man God wants them to be. And this map, has been followed by many of the Great Men of the Bible and even Jesus, himself. Further, the book boldly states that many of today's churches are doing the very opposite of what this map indicates and this results in the apathy and decline of men at church.

I think the “map” is a great revelation in understanding more of Jesus' character and of our daily walk. Yes, I said “our” (me, being a female reading a male book). I do believe the concepts in this book can transcend into teaching within marriages, within parenting and with what the different “levels” of believers need in Church.

The “down to earth”, honest and reality-based approach to problems in the Church and the need for men to become real “men of God” (and the MAP for how) was very refreshing. I did appreciate and enjoy the fictional tale in the beginning of the book. This helped to put the actual lesson in perspective --- which is one of Murrow's concepts: men are visual learners, yet Churches teach “verbally” and not experientially. If anything, the book has provided me with an insight for how to relate to my own husband, brothers in the Church and for “discipling” my own son and leading him onto the right path.

After reading this book, I plan to read David Murrow's other books, including How Women Help Men Find God.