Moment Maker – Carlos Whittaker

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Traditionally, with my book reviews, I open with a summary and then move into the review portion. Today I’m doing things a little different. I want to get you started with an amazing video. You may have seen it on social media at some point but you should watch it again. It’s about 6 minutes long but so worth every second!

Did you get goosebumps?! I do every time I watch it. Talk about an amazing moment! If you want to read the whole story, it’s in Carlos Whittaker’s book Moment Maker.

Moment Maker is all about living life to the fullest. God didn’t intend for us to live life in a rut or just trudging through the day. In John 10:10, Jesus says, “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” (HCSB). Being a #MomentMaker is all about having life in abundance. Sometimes you make it happen, like when you give your kids their dream birthday party or you sit down with them to read their favorite story a couple hundred times in a day. Sometimes it happens to you, in simple ways or in big ways, like Danny in the video. But when it happens, however it happens, a life is changed for the better. Not only do our words have power, so do our actions. Los Whit does a great job of blending personal experience with Scripture to show readers how Jesus made moments, and so can every day “average” people.

“It’s not about just making a moment that stands out and is spectacular. It’s about making someone feel valued through that moment. Because of the thought you put into it. Because they know they are worth that much.” (Loc 238 of 1909. Sorry, I’ll grab a page number when I’m looking at the physical book…)

That about sums the whole book up for me. What better way to show God’s love than through making someone feel valued? That’s how you bring people to Christ, by loving them there. And Moment Maker is all about doing that! Thank you Carlos Whittaker for the reminder.

If you’d like to have your own copy of Moment Maker to highlight and read, enter to win a Kindle version of the book right here: a Rafflecopter giveaway (open until 5/24/14 @ 12:00 am)

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Moment Maker for free from Carlos Whittaker and Zondervan in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

A Carol for Kent – Hallee Bridgeman

 

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Summary: Carol Mabry is a busy Richmond attorney. Bobby Kent is a busy country music star. During an unexpected trip home to the farm, Bobby discovers that someone has been keeping a very important secret from him. He and Carol have a daughter! Turns out, that’s not the only secret in Richmond. There’s a serial killer on the loose and it’s up to Carol and her department to solve the case. Will it Bobby and Carol be able to make a family for their daughter, or will “Richmond Red” dash those hopes forever?

Review: Seriously, Hallee Bridgeman has done it again! A Carol for Kent, the newest installment of the “Song of Suspense” series, blows you away. Once you think you have it all figured out, you find out you really don’t. I was wrong TWICE, and I’m usually pretty good at figuring out who-done-it before the end of the book! I love a book that keeps you engaged.

Again, Hallee does a great job blending suspense, romance, and Biblical principles. This is one of the few romance novels that I’d allow my children to read when they got older. I’ve even recommended these books to people who don’t like romance novels (like myself) because they’re not something that makes me uncomfortable while I read. It’s not going to be hidden away on a secret “mom only” bookshelf, that’s for sure. Hallee’s capturing of the Christian romantic experience isn’t sugar coated to be “too perfect” or “too prude”. Nor is her presentation of “God stuff” too preachy. It’s there, and it’s obvious, but it doesn’t take away from the story. Quite frankly, the story wouldn’t be the same without it and I’m very glad that she includes it!

Definitely a GREAT read. If you’re anything like me, it won’t take you long to read it because you’ll get sucked in and won’t want to put it down! Great job Hallee, can’t wait to read the next one!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own, no other compensation was received. Some links may be affiliate links, I’m not sure if they worked but I’m covering all my bases just in case they did.

Merlin’s Shadow – Robert Treskillard

Merlin’s Shadow is published by BLINK, a trademark of Zondervan.

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Summary: The Druid Stone has been destroyed. Merlin and his friends, along with baby Arthur, are running for their lives. Just who are they running from, and where will they end up? Follow Merlin and his band in the epic sequel to Merlin’s Blade, Merlin’s Shadow.

Review: I had high hopes for this book! I really really really loved Merlin’s Blade and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. Robert Treskillard definitely didn’t disappoint with Merlin’s Shadow! A lot of the time you find that sequels just don’t live up to their predecessor but that’s not the case with the second book in “The Merlin Spiral” series. The absolute only reason it’s taken me so long to read is because life got crazy and I wasn’t able to sit down and read it all in an afternoon like I was hoping to do. The story just keeps getting better and better! I’m expecting great things with the last book in the series!

What did I like about Merlin’s Shadow? EVERYTHING! I love the maps, I love the time period, I love the character development. Fast-paced action throughout keeps you turning pages to find out what’s going to happen next.  It’s been a while since I’ve read a young adult series and actually really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to get my hands on Merlin’s Nightmare!

Robert Treskillard is a skilled writer! Not every author can deliver the same quality, or better, work when they’re writing a series. He is one of the few!

Disclaimer: I received this book for free through BookLookBloggers in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own, no other compensation was received.

The Manual to Manhood – Jonathan Catherman

The Manual to Manhood is published by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

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Summary: Boys are men in the making. Learn how to do a bunch of important “guy stuff” in The Manual to Manhood. From household maintenance to relationship maintenance, Jonathan Catherman presents important life skills in step-by-step fashion.

Review: I really want to say that this is a “cute” book, but what boy wants to read a “cute” book? I’m not a male, obviously, but I’m married to one and a parent to another. Thankfully my husband has most of the things written in the book under his belt, but our son still has to learn them (he’s 7, he’s got time!). If daddy happens to be gone, or he’s too embarrassed to ask about something, our son can open up The Manual to Manhood and find good answers.

What do I like about this book? Well, first off I like that everything is approached in a step-by-step manner. It really breaks it down and makes it easier for some of the more difficult tasks, like tying a tie. I also really appreciate that teaching boys how to grow into men is something that the author is passionate about. It means he’s going to give them accurate and worthwhile information.

Definitely a must-have book for sons! It would even be something fun for fathers and sons to go through together, if both are willing parties!

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Revell in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own, no other compensation was received.

If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis – Alister McGrath

If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis is published by Tyndale House Publishers.

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Review: Doesn’t the trailer give you a great summary of the book? I sure thought so! Growing up, the Narnia books were some of my favorites. As a college student, I loved Mere Christianity. In fact, my favorite quote of all time comes from that book. The books of C. S. Lewis have been sitting on my bookshelves for years, and I always come away with something different when I read them. The title of Alister McGrath’s newest book If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis caught my eye. Who wouldn’t want to have lunch with C. S. Lewis?! Sadly, the time for an actual in-person lunch with Mr. Lewis is past. Thanks to Dr. McGrath, however, readers can get a pretty clear picture of what it would have been like. In just eight chapters, Alister McGrath takes us all the way from the meaning of life to Heaven. His knowledge of C. S. Lewis is a wonderful asset when it comes to discussing the larger topics about which Lewis wrote.

I couldn’t stop underlining things that I felt were important. On the very last page of the book, Alister McGrath sums everything up in a great few lines. He writes, “. . . the most important thing is that each of us, whether rememembered by others or not, is remembered by God. And that’s what really matters. Human history may forget about us, as it has forgotten so many. But our names are engraved on God’s hands, and written in the Book of Life. . .” (207).

If you’ve ever wondered how C. S. Lewis felt about some of the most important aspects of life, I would strongly suggest you read If I Had Lunch with C. S. Lewis. It’s very well written and once you get into it it’s rather hard to put down. If I had more than two thumbs, I’d put them all up.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own, no other compensation was received.

Reviews Coming Soon!

Sorry I’ve been a little scarce these days. Lots going on at home! Homeschool, hubby finishing college and applying for jobs, sickness… But things are back up and running and I have several reviews in the works!

If I Had Lunch with C.S. Lewis by Alister McGrath

Merlin’s Shadow by Robert Treskillard

Moment Maker by Carlos Whittaker 

The Holy Land Key by Ray Bentley

I’m also planning to run a giveaway when I review Moment Maker so keep your eyes open for that one! 

Until I post again, I bid you all a fond farewell. 🙂

 

Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe – Sharon Jaynes

Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe is published by Waterbrook Multnomah.

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Summary: Have you ever wondered how to pray for your husband? Or maybe you’ve wondered why you should pray for your husband. In Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe, Sharon Jaynes gives you some ideas for where to start praying and what to pray for. She gives you 16 “landmarks” to help you pray more effectively for your spouse and 30 days of prayers! Each prayer brings with it Scriptures that correspond to the area of your husband’s life that you’re praying for. Even if you don’t pray exactly what’s written in the book, you’ll at least know where to start!

Review: Let’s be honest here, I am really bad when it comes to praying. Read my Bible? I’m on it! Serve at events? Totally! But praying? Not so good about getting it done. It kills me to say that but it’s the truth. So when I say that I really appreciate what Sharon Jaynes has done with Praying for Your Husband, I really  mean it! The first few chapters are dedicated to explaining why prayer is so important and why you’ll be praying for the areas of your husband’s life that she lists. It really gives you a firm basis for knowing “Hey, these things are important and I need to pray for them.” She also points out that you’re NOT praying to CHANGE your husband’s annoying habits. What you ARE praying for is for God’s will to be done in his life, for God to help your husband stay on track with Him, etc. If, in the process, some of his annoying habits change, woo hoo! 😉

It’s taken me a bit to get this review written because I wanted to read through the book and then go through at least a week of the prayers to get a feel for it. For me, having the prayers already written up is really helpful. I can start reading/praying them and add to it as I know is needed. The Scripture references are nice, I tend to skip over them though. Either way, you’d be amazed (or maybe not, if you’re more consistent with prayer than I am) what happens when you pray! Especially for your spouse! More peace, less stress, a closer relationship…

In the back of the book Sharon has included an appendix that has prayers for your husband’s salvation (if he’s unsaved), for his fatherhood, and for his healing. She also asks some reflection questions of you, the wife. Things like, “What changes have you seen in your marriage?” and “How has your attitude toward your husband changed?” So, not only is your husband’s life going to be changed, yours will too!

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.

Merlin’s Blade – Robert Treskillard

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Summary: You know the story of the round table. You know the story of King Arthur. But do you know the story of Merlin? Merlin’s Blade is the first book in the new series “The Merlin Spiral”, by Robert Treskillard. It all starts with a mysterious stone and ends as an epic tale of overcoming fears and becoming who God intended you to be. Follow Merlin as he uncovers mysteries, battles druids, and becomes baby Arthur’s bard. Truly a work of amazing writing from new (at least to me) author Robert Treskillard!

Review: I absolutely LOVE anything Merlin/King Arthur/Camelot and Merlin’s Blade fit the bill. I’d never thought much about Merlin’s past or even though of him from a Christian perspective (as in, Merlin was a Christian). Vast oversight on my part! At first I was a little skeptical because I’d never even heard of the author but Robert Treskillard did not disappoint. I loved reading this book with all the history and swordplay and how it all came back around to Merlin figuring out who God wanted him to be.

Most stories of Merlin that I’ve come across all paint him as some wizard with mysterious magical powers, but this Merlin was different. He believed in God and his “power” wasn’t anything magical, it was a gift from God. In addition to that different look at Merlin, the book itself was well-written and really takes you for a wild ride! Once I started reading I had a hard time putting it down because I wanted to see what happened next. That, to me, is the sign of a great writer! I look forward to reading more in “The Merlin Spiral” series.

About the only thing I’d have to say to those thinking about reading the book is that it is pretty intense so younger readers or those who can’t handle a lot of action (with vivid, but not gory, description) should probably take it easy. I won’t say not to read it because it’s definitely worth reading, but know that there are good descriptions of sword-fighting and all that comes with it.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free through the BookLook (formerly BookSneeze) program in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. No other compensation was received.

You’re Going to Be Okay – Holley Gerth

You’re Going to Be Okay is published by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

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Summary: Have you ever felt like you’re just treading water? Or maybe you’ve had an unpleasant twist come your way in life. Whatever it is, You’re Going to Be Okay! In her newest book, author and life coach Holley Gerth has an encouraging message that every woman needs to remember. God is there with you, in the midst of your struggle, and He’s just waiting for you to give it (whatever it is) over to Him.

Review: Reading You’re Going to Be Okay is exactly what I needed to read during this season of my life. I want to start my review with a heartfelt “THANK YOU!” to Holley Gerth. Thank you for writing like a friend sitting across from the coffee table. It’s like having a friend giving you a pep talk, except you don’t usually hold your friend in your hands. That might be a little weird, LOL!

Ok, serious review material now! A while back I read Holley’s other book You’re Already Amazing and I was immediately drawn in by her writing style. It’s honest and open and she really doesn’t make you feel bad if you’re feeling down. What she does do is help you dig deeper to learn more about how you work and then figure out how to implement the changes you need to make. Unlike a lot of other “self-help” books though, she makes it a point to remind readers that it’s not really SELF help so much, it’s more GOD’S help. Everything comes back around to God and how He wants you to know the truth about who you are.

One of my favorite parts of Holley’s book is that there are interactive journal-y type questions in the back (and I’m going to guess that eventually it will be up on her website too) that go along with each chapter. I never fill in the pages in the book itself simply because I want to be able to go through at a later date and re-read and answer things. That’s why I’m hoping she gets the file up on her website soon, it’s easy to download and then just print it out and fill it in as you read. Probably my favorite quote, or partial quote, was on page 132. It’s the latter part of a sentence but it really spoke to me for a variety of reasons. She says, “…in God’s eyes, size doesn’t equal significance.” *sigh*

Now for my usual nitpick, pronouns used in place of “God” aren’t capitalized. Big deal? Depends on who you talk to. Does it take away from the overall message? I don’t think so. That aside, I have already been recommending this book to ladies in some of my groups on FB. Buy it and read it. Even if you’re not going through anything right now, you will eventually. Or if you know someone who needs that encouragement, get it for them. But I highly recommend it and think it’d make a great women’s study.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Global War on Christians – John L. Allen Jr.

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Summary: The Global War on Christians brings to light the stories of Christians living in parts of the world where there are documented cases of religious persecution. John Allen clarifies that this isn’t the type of “war” here in the U.S. where people fight over whether or not nativities are ok in public, this is genuine persecution where just being a Christian is life-threatening.

Review: Honestly, I’m not done with the book. I’m not even a quarter of the way through. It’s not because it’s a bad book or because I don’t agree with the author (he’s Catholic, I’m not). It’s just that I have a really hard time reading books like this. The content is valuable and the Western world needs to be aware that persecution on the level of “you’re being killed because you believe in God” actually happens. But this just wasn’t the book for me. It was wordy, which the author admitted it probably would be. But it was dry, I thought. The data is good to include, the break down of world areas was good because it kept things more focused. For me, I think it would have been less dry if there had been larger sections of biographical information thrown in. I understand though that because of the topic, those kinds of stories may be hard to come by.

The Global War on Christians was well-written and well worth the read if you like more data. I would definitely recommend the book simply because it’s a topic that seems to be a bit taboo in the United States. But I have to let you know, I like this kind of stuff (because it’s important to know for a number of reasons) but unfortunately I couldn’t make it through the book in a timely fashion, no matter how hard I tried.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.